When Edmund heard Sam's words, he glanced at him through the rearview mirror. Seeing Sam huddling under the jacket, Edmund gestured for the driver to turn the heater to the maximum. Then, he turned around and offered Sam a soft, friendly smile.
"I apologize for prying, but may I ask what brought you out here?"
Sam didn't object. After all, this man was being remarkably generous, despite the friction between them.
"No need to apologize. I was on an errand that finished late, and it's just a coincidence that I ended up here."
Edmund nodded with a look of understanding. He opened the glove compartment, pulled out a bag of chips, and then retrieved a bottle of deep-red wine from the car's built-in fridge. He inhaled its aroma, then kissed the bottle with a sense of nostalgia before pouring two glasses. He placed one on the folding table that had slid out from the back of the seat directly in front of Sam.
"Do you drink wine?" Edmund asked, smiling.
"Heh... are you asking me before or after you've already poured the glass?"
"Those are just formalities," Edmund replied.
Sam was genuinely puzzled by Edmund's behavior.
"Actually, I should be the one asking you if you drink wine..."
Though Sam knew he had passed the legal drinking age long ago in his previous life, he was currently in the body of a sixteen-year-old. Even the driver didn't seem to care. What Sam didn't know was that Edmund was a Third-Time Regressor; mentally, he was far older and more experienced than Sam could imagine.
"You're quite dull, aren't you... Sam? Do you mind if I call you Sam?"
"Call me whatever you wish."
Edmund adjusted his seat, sipping the raw wine in his hand. He gestured toward Sam's untouched glass.
"This is Leroy de Montreau wine. Traditionally, this specific vintage was placed on the tables of wedding suites for the bride and groom to share before their wedding night."
A chill ran down Sam's spine at Edmund's words.
"Your jokes are quite something, Your Highness... And what about the chips? Were they also taken from a wedding suite table?"
Edmund laughed before responding.
"No, the chips I snatched from a child playing in a park. They've just been sitting here ever since."
"You have quite the diverse hobbies, Prince Edmund."
"Don't think too poorly of me. I compensated him—I gave him the Medal of Eternal Bravery in return."
Silence hung between them for several moments. Sam did not drink; he wouldn't repeat the mistake of his past life, when wine had loosened his tongue and leaked all his secrets. The best thing to do now was to remain silent until they reached their destination.
Yet, Sam's curiosity grew uncontrollable. The timeline had shifted. Edmund, who was supposed to be on leave for a significant period, hadn't even spent ten percent of the time he had in the original novel. This was utterly illogical and threw Sam's plans into complete disarray. However, he thanked his luck for at least knowing Edmund was back early. He still needed to understand what was happening—surely he hadn't missed too much?
"Actually, Your Highness," Sam began, "I heard you took a week's leave, yet you're returning after only three days. Why didn't you just take three days off from the start?"
Edmund looked at him, seemingly puzzled. "But... I only took three days off."
Hearing this, Sam swallowed hard and leaned back into his seat.
"How about I ask a question this time?" Edmund countered, his voice steady. "How did you know I originally intended to take a week off?"
Sam's expression remained stony. He met Edmund's gaze in the rearview mirror.
"My Prince... your exclusive news and your fan club wouldn't miss such details. But it seems you dodged everyone and defied all expectations."
Edmund remained unfazed. "That is because I know, Sam... I know very well that there is someone out there who knows me intimately, yet I do not know them. But their fate isn't far off... Correct? Anyway, why aren't you drinking? Do you dislike wine?"
"No, I'm just not in the mood for it, to be honest."
They remained in silence until they reached the Academy gates. As Sam was about to head toward the girls' dormitory, Edmund called out to him.
"Sam... I know Clara isn't as good a person as she seems. I know you realize your value is far higher than hers, don't you?"
He looked almost foolish, expecting a different kind of question. In the end, no matter how many lives he lived, Edmund would remain nothing more than scum seeking only his own interests. Despite knowing full well that Clara was utterly obsessed with him, Edmund chose not to soothe her negative emotions. Instead, he preferred to let her fall into the abyss of her own rage so he could eventually kill her and emerge as the ultimate hero.
"Does it truly matter to you, Your Highness?" Sam replied calmly. "In reality, I am just a servant. I work, I get paid, and I care for nothing else—not my 'value' or anything of the sort. Such things are merely formalities."
Edmund nodded, offering a salute before turning away. "I admire people with loyalty like yours... Goodnight, Sam. I shall see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight to you as well."
Damn it, Sam thought. Why does every problem have to hit at once? Now, he had to go and pacify the fuming Clara in her room.
He headed toward the gates of the girls' dormitory, cleared the security protocols, and ascended to the upper floor where Clara's suite was located. He pulled out his key, opened the door quietly, and stepped inside. Looking around, he found Clara fast asleep on her bed. Thank God.
Sam retreated to his own room. Edmund had given him his jacket and hadn't asked for it back. Finally shedding the garment, Sam took a shower to soothe his nerves. Once clean, he sat in a fixed meditative position and activated his Mana Absorption technique, guiding the mana through the blood in his veins.
The System possessed a peculiar feature: when he absorbed mana from the atmosphere, it wasn't stored directly within his body. Instead, once he gathered a sufficient number of mana photons, the mana counter in the System interface would simply increase. This meant he drew mana from the System itself rather than through his physical form.
It was a brilliant technique. Its only drawback was that it didn't build a "Mana Heart," but the System functioned as a surrogate, perfectly compensating for that deficiency.
Today marked the first day Sam would officially serve as Clara's personal escort. He woke up early as usual; despite his desperate need for more rest, he resisted the urge to sleep and fought off his exhaustion. He dressed in his formal servant attire, meticulously as required, and stepped out of his room to find Clara gathering her belongings for the school day.
As she caught sight of Sam emerging from his quarters, she remarked, "You certainly enjoyed yourself last night, didn't you?"
Enjoyed myself? Sam thought. He had nearly died. Could facing one's worst nightmares be considered enjoyment? It felt more like self-flagellation than fun.
"In fact, I did enjoy myself a little," Sam replied.
Sharing a dinner with a woman as beautiful as Sarah was something he had to acknowledge as a pleasure. He wouldn't wrong himself by lying—he had enjoyed it.
"Very well. Are you ready?"
Ready or not doesn't matter, Sam thought. I will adapt accordingly.
As the two of them set out, Sam followed Clara closely. Despite his shorter stature compared to her—which made their pair look somewhat comical as they walked—he stayed right at her heels, never straying from her side.
To his surprise, Sam found a new kind of pleasure in observing the character designs and the architecture of the Academy. They soon arrived at the lecture hall building. As the students entered their first class, Sam noticed how the uniforms and the corridors blended into a color palette that felt like a perfectly natural flow.
Sam was ordered to remain outside; he was forbidden from entering the classroom and had to wait in the hallway until the lecture concluded. While waiting, Sam spotted Rolf and his group of friends. His betting club project with them was currently stagnant due to the lack of major events at the Academy.
But Sam knew that wouldn't last for long.