Both the knight and I walked along the cobalt path of the inner walls on our way to the next small portal.
Seeing the world beyond my own building, I began piecing together how this world truly was. Our section, at least this part of Àvalor, was a mix of ancient China, Korea, and Japan but with advanced technology.
There were portals that bridged short distances; while others spanned entire regions. And unlike what I thought, the entrance to danger zones wasn't some glowing blue portal but an actual gate like traditional Isekai dungeons.
But… dungeons and danger zones weren't the same thing. A danger zone was a world created by a powerful Stranger, and Strangers, according to the goddess, were beings made at the start of time just like gods, a means to balance creation and destruction energy.
So chaos, destruction, and death were all part of the world's order. For good to exist, evil had to be there, just like the saying about shadow and light.
Inside the inner walls, people used strange floating devices that looked like small jets to carry heavy loads from one place to another, while others used small cars without doors to move around.
After taking in the sight and finding nothing else to do, I called out my stats.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Adrian Arandel
Constellation Title: Flawless
Titles: [Child of Fate] · [SSS-Ranked Final Boss]
Rank: VOID [Lv.1]
Order: ALMIGHTY
Blessings:
[Regeneration: Lv.1]
[Blessing of the Stars: Lv.1]
Companion: Goddess Uriel
Subordinates: [To Be Added]
World Creation Points: 7,777,777
World Destruction Points: 4,444,444
---
'Why hasn't the creation or destruction energy increased?'
'So it'll change at 888, and 555?'
I focused back on the stats. Except for my name and titles, which couldn't be changed, there was my rank, which had a level. The only reason I could think of for that was the fact that the world hadn't verified me yet, or maybe it was a sign that Almighty could upgrade beyond just one law.
Then there were my two blessings: regeneration, which I hadn't used enough to upgrade, and the blessing of the stars, which protected me from gods. If I included the blessing that came with my reduced physical stats, then it made sense that it could upgrade. If not, why would divine protection need an upgrade?
With a single thought, I dismissed my stats as we drew closer to the northern tower.
It was a pristine white structure about the height of a skyscraper, though it resembled a magical castle or mage tower from fantasy shows.
When we reached the building, the automatic glass door slid open, revealing a sleek white reception hall. Small bots moved around, some carrying baskets of papers, others performing various tasks. Flat vacuum cleaners swept up any dust that touched the floor, making the white tiles glisten.
The moment I entered, all eyes turned toward me before everyone lowered their heads in respect. I didn't even glance at them and kept walking forward.
What bothered me more than their respectful bows were the stares of the girls in the hall.
I sighed and turned to the knight. "So, where do we go from here?"
"Oh," she exclaimed, rushing ahead. "Right this way, young master."
She led the way, and I followed her toward the edge of the reception, where an elevator stood. We boarded it silently, and with a soft beep, it began ascending to the top floor.
I had confidence in my Order, which meant that unless I showed it on my face, there was no way to tell if I was lying or not. The problem was my mother, Kylie Arandel. There was no way someone had convinced her to drop the matter. That meant, if she hadn't left yet, they were planning something against me.
The elevator beeped as it stopped at the top floor. Behind the doors were over a hundred people dressed in red and black Hanfu, with caps covering their heads. I couldn't see their faces because of the caps, but I could distinguish males from females since only the women held fans.
'This feels more like a cult than a family.' Honestly, I was getting a bit nervous, though it was strangely exhilarating.
Within a few steps, the knight and I reached the room at the end of the hall, and she stopped by the door. "This is as far as I can take you, young master," she said before stepping aside to stand with the others.
I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the flat doorknob. The door creaked open the moment my hand touched the cold surface of the metal.
The room beyond was dark, and I couldn't see anything except the faint lights from the name tags in front of each seated individual.
I entered the room without a word and shut the door behind me.
My trial had officially begun.
***
[Few Minutes Ago, After Adrian's Arrival]
"The reason I called all the elders here is because of my son, the young lord of the Arandel family."
The voice that broke the silence was cold enough to freeze the air itself. The seven seated figures straightened instantly, their breaths caught somewhere between reverence and fear.
At the head of the long obsidian table sat Joshua Arandel, the Duke of the East. The purple and silver crest of the Arandel house shimmered faintly on the table, a dark purple winged serpent coiled around a silver blade.
To his right sat his wife, Kylie Arandel, her posture regal despite the faint dark circles under her violet eyes.
The Duchess was calm now. Every trace of her earlier breakdown had vanished, replaced by an eerie composure that could make even the bravest man tremble.
"All of you," she began, her soft voice echoing through the silent hall, "I don't even want to throw curses around in a moment like this, so I'll go straight to the point."
Kylie rested her hand lightly on the table. "Adrian's memories… are gone. I don't know if it was witchcraft or just the trauma of being away from me, but they're gone."
The bulky man seated to Joshua's left spoke up. "My lady, I don't think this is witchcraft or anything of that sort. The Rainforest is a high-ranking danger zone that Àvalor has been trying to conquer for so long. Putting a non-awakened inside there would surely lead to something like that."
Joshua's gaze hardened. "Kylie, I too believe this is because of trauma. As you said, being away from you might have caused him to lose his memories, since he knew he couldn't live without his mother."
The entire room went still at his words, as if the people within were praying his obvious bait would work on the Duchess.
After a moment, Kylie's lips curved into a thin smile. "I think that's the case too..." she paused, her voice gentler this time. "But you and I both know there are no coincidences in this family, especially when we walk the fine line between being villains and hunters."
The woman who had earlier asked for punishment leaned forward, her voice steady but low. "My lady, perhaps it was the work of a Stranger. According to the knights, the young master awakened within the danger zone, so it's possible his memories were—"
"Cordelia."
The woman froze.
Kylie's tone didn't rise, but the entire room fell silent. "If I wanted a theory, I'd consult a scholar. I want proof. My son was touched by something, or someone, and I intend to know who and why."
Joshua finally exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And what do you plan to do if this 'someone' exists?"
"Reinforce the wards around the inner walls. Send word to the royal family that Adrian is not to leave this territory, even when it's time for his first danger zone. I doubt they'll have the mouth to talk if we decide to pull back from helping the empire."
Her husband shook his head. "And what about Adrian? The only thing that boy ever wanted was to awaken, even if it cost him his life. And now he has, you want to throw it all away?"
Kylie gritted her teeth. "Then what about me, Joshua? What should I do if something like this happens to my Adrian again? Do you want to lose your family?"
Joshua couldn't say a word.
"Husband," Kylie said softly, "you know since I was a child all I ever wanted was a child of my own. But the world was cruel, and I waited two centuries to have one. Now you want me to lose him?"
No one spoke. After what felt like an hour of silence, the bulky man spoke again. "Then what about this, my lady? Why don't we hear the young master's thoughts on this first?"
Kylie glanced at him, her gaze blank. "You expect him to have a choice without memories?"
Joshua's eyes widened for a moment, his foot tapping rhythmically against the floor. "Didn't we have a newly awakened whose order can restore memories as long as they exist in the world?"
Another woman at the edge of the seating arrangement answered the Duke. "Yes, there was a young girl like that. However, due to the uselessness of her order, she was put on maid duty."
Joshua grinned. "Get her right now and get Adrian too. We'll restore his memories and ask him about his choice."
The woman hesitated. "But master, knowing her, she might not agree to use it since we abandoned her and her family. We can't exactly force someone to use their order."
Joshua nodded, the grin still on his face. "She had a crush on Adrian, right? And I heard Veronica nullified her engagement. Then promise her a place by Adrian's side. Even if her feelings aren't there anymore, she'll take it as a chance to restore her clan's reputation. Whether she succeeds or not will be up to her."
He interlocked his fingers and made an announcement. "Go get the two." Turning to his wife, he asked, "This is alright with you, right?"
Kylie hesitated before offering a nod. "As long as you can get his memories, I'm happy. And whether that girl will be alive after it depends."
None of the eight seated at the table stood, but two knights, one behind the Duchess and one behind the Duke, stepped out of the shadows before vanishing from the room.
The trial had begun.