I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 126: What About Aldriana?!
Theo slips away quietly while everyone else is busy. His students distract the medical personnel long enough for him to go unnoticed.
Arthur had told him to use his Link, which Theo is grateful for. He is as exhausted as the rest of them, maybe even more so, because his stamina is among the worst.
He carefully makes his way back to Arthur’s Link, which is difficult with the area swarming with people equipped with detecting devices.
It takes him nearly an hour to reach the Link without being noticed.
Once Theo is inside, he breathes out in relief.
"Ah, this is insane!" he mutters out loud, completely out of breath.
He takes off his hat, leans back against the headrest, closes his eyes, and just breathes.
After a few minutes, he turns the engine on and drives away.
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Sam watches Arthur and the others get into the ambulance and be taken away to the hospital. He walks back to his car, planning to follow them there.
When he’s about to reach it, he freezes.
A young woman is getting into Arthur’s Link.
Sam almost shouts before his mind catches up.
Impossible.
Horizon Links can’t be stolen. Unless Arthur himself approved it, that vehicle wouldn’t even unlock.
Sam stays where he is, hidden, watching as Aldriana climbs into the car and sits there.
He doesn’t dare approach her. Not to question. Not to check.
Judging by her movements alone, she looks tired.
She must be.
She carried everyone through that dungeon. She made sure they all survived.
For the first time, Sam truly sees her not as a goddess or a mythical being, but as a young woman with extraordinary abilities and an overwhelming sense of responsibility.
Sam bows slightly from behind the bushes.
Thank you. For everything you’ve done.
A moment later, the Link drives away.
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"Chief, I got word from downstairs. Arthur and the rest of them are back."
Chief Stille is currently watching the live feed of his team successfully taking over the Beachwalk mining site. The machines are already running, extracting heartstones at full speed.
He shifts his gaze away from the screen to the employee standing at the door.
"Hm?"
"A few hours ago, Captain Steven from Central Precinct contacted us and requested two units from us at Mt. Helene. Apparently, the rangers found a gate there."
"Go on."
"According to Captain Steven, that gate is the reason people have been going missing in the area. It’s another abnormal gate. Possibly another mutated gate, like the one at Beachwalk."
Chief Stille’s brow furrows slightly.
"Now, based on the reports I’ve read, Arthur and Liam were there looking for Julian. Apparently, all of them were sucked into the gate."
"Yeah," Chief Stille says slowly. "I remember you telling me the Montrose children disappeared. That’s where they went?"
"Yes. But our team on site just reported back. Only Arthur and Julian were there when they came out."
The employee hesitates for half a second before continuing.
"Not the girl. Montrose’s youngest child wasn’t with them."
Chief Stille’s eyes light up.
He still remembers her.
The way Thea had humiliated him in public, pretending to be struck by him. The scandal that followed. The city’s order forcing him into anger management classes.
His jaw tightens.
The thought of that girl missing, or even dead, delights him.
He sneers.
"And where are Arthur and the rest now?"
"They’re on their way to Arvion General Hospital."
Chief Stille gets up and walks toward the door.
"I’m going there too. I need to question them myself."
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Theo arrives back at the Montrose Estate without incident. He quickly heads to his room, enters through the window, and checks the locks on the door.
He finally breathes a sigh of relief.
He scans his room. Nothing is disturbed. The door is still locked. No one entered. No one saw the empty bed.
Ah, good. This was my biggest concern.
Now I’m going to take a long hot bath and sleep.
Theo goes into the bathroom and runs the bath.
Twenty minutes later, he is already sound asleep on his bed, under the covers.
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Liam and the other three arrive at the hospital without a hitch. When they do, their families are already waiting.
Leila can’t hold back her tears. She wraps both Arthur and Julian in a tight hug. She doesn’t say anything. She just cries.
Liam’s reunion with Miranda and Claudia is... different.
He sees anger in his mother’s eyes, and annoyance in Claudia’s.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave without saying anything. It just happened. I swear I wasn’t trying to escape anything," Liam says. He already knows the song his mother is about to sing.
Miranda takes a deep breath.
"I’m not going to scold you. What matters is that you came back safely. And that you managed to save Julian too. I’m proud of you."
Liam freezes. He stares at his mother in disbelief, then slowly turns to Claudia.
His sister just stares back.
"Why... why do I have a feeling that you two aren’t happy with me?"
"Oh, we’re happy you’re back, Liam. We are. Trust me, we are," Claudia says with a smile that is just a little too creepy.
"Then... why are you both acting like this?" Liam asks.
"I’m scared."
"It’s because..." Claudia stops herself.
Miranda steps forward and starts smacking Liam’s head with her palm.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch, Mom!"
"Stop, Mom! Stop! Please! Just tell me what I did wrong!"
Liam covers his head with both hands and tries to step back.
"Stop, please. Just tell me!"
"Why did you run off without saying anything?!" Miranda’s anger finally flares.
Liam’s jaw drops. "But... you just said—!"
"Shut up! I know what I said! And I am proud of you!" Miranda snaps. "But you still need to send a text or something!"
"I—I’m sorry! It wasn’t planned, Mom. Everything happened so fast and I didn’t think that far ahead. I’m really sorry, Mom. But please stop hitting my head."
Miranda stops, but her face is still tight with anger.
She points a finger at him.
"I have never taught you to cheat! So how dare you cheat on Thea?!"
"What?!" Liam is completely flabbergasted.
"What in the world are you talking about, Mom?! Cheat?!"
"Don’t you dare deny it, Liam! The evidence is right there!" Miranda grows angrier by the second.
"Bro, just admit it. We already know. There’s no point denying it," Claudia says, trying to sound helpful.
"Admit what? I didn’t do anything except go with Arthur to save Julian!" Liam genuinely cannot understand how that counts as cheating on Thea.
"What about Aldriana?!" Miranda finally blurts out.
"What about her?!" Liam is still lost.
Then—
His expression changes.
And his mother starts hitting his head again.
