CHAPTER 657: THE THREE WORDS

After departing from the academy, Aldrian brought Zander to his family first, as he needed to inform them of his circumstances. His family was located in the southern part of the Doria Empire, in a small town called Harmon Town.

Zander’s family could be described as a typical commoner cultivation family. They were able to cultivate thanks to a fortunate opportunity their ancestor once encountered. That ancestor had come across a cultivation technique. Although the technique was not exceptionally powerful, it was sufficient for them.

Aldrian, Baek Jimin, and Zander appeared in the sky above the town as Zander showed them his home. He pointed to a simple house complex that was neither too large nor too small. Surrounded by a wall, the house was enough to accommodate his entire family.

Aldrian then sensed four people within the house’s grounds. The strongest among them was only at the peak Earl stage, and that presence came from an old man. According to Zander’s information, his family consisted of his parents, little sister, and grandparents.

Aldrian and his group then teleported in front of the wall’s gate. Not long after, Aldrian knocked on the door.

After the knocks, the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman. Based on Zander’s explanation, this woman was his mother.

The woman saw Zander, which surprised her, and then her gaze fell on the two figures beside him. The moment her eyes landed on the man next to Zander, they trembled in recognition.

"Your majesty."

As if hearing the commotion at the front gate, three other people appeared, an old man, an old woman, and a young woman, much younger than Zander.

"What is—" the old man began to ask, but the moment he saw Aldrian, his eyes trembled. The others reacted the same. Without hesitation, all of them instantly prostrated before Aldrian.

"Your Majesty!"

He was the emperor! There was no way they could mistake him for someone else. His face was already known across the continent. That handsome face and striking red hair were unmistakable. And besides, no one would dare to impersonate the emperor, doing so would be suicide.

Moreover, the woman beside him could also be seen in all of the emperor’s public appearances. Even on the day of his enthronement, she walked in the same line as his fiancée, who was widely known to be Princess Sylphia. It showed that this woman held the same status as Princess Sylphia.

Why would they be here?

"At ease, Lady Alvrich, elders, and young miss. My visit here has something to do with Zander," Aldrian said with a smile.

The moment they heard Aldrian mention Zander’s name, all of them raised their heads and looked at him with worried expressions. They had already seen Zander standing beside the emperor, but why was he with him? Had Zander done something wrong?

"Your Majesty, what did our Zander do? Did he make a mistake? If he—"

"Ah, no, Lady Alvrich. Zander did not do anything wrong. In fact, I came here to bring good news. But before I say what it is, may I come in? I’m afraid I’m starting to attract attention," Aldrian said, cutting off Zander’s mother gently. Lady Alvrich stopped speaking and quickly stood up.

"Ah, yes, yes! But my apologies, Your Majesty, Your Highness, our home is simple and may not be to your liking or comfort."

"No need to worry. I don’t see any problem at all."

Aldrian, Baek Jimin, and Zander entered the house under the gaze of a few onlookers. Since a few passersby had already seen Aldrian’s appearance, a small commotion had begun to stir outside.

After a short reunion between Zander and his family, Aldrian explained the purpose of his visit, leaving everyone in shock.

He was no longer a disciple of the Heavenly Path Academy?

Zander would now train under the emperor?

It felt like a dream. What could Zander have done to attract the emperor’s attention?

"May I ask, where is Mister Alvrich? He doesn’t seem to be here," Aldrian asked after finishing his explanation.

"Ah, he’s still working outside. He works as an escort cultivator for an escort agency in this town. Usually, if there’s no escort mission, he comes back before sunset," Lady Alvrich replied, prompting a nod from Aldrian.

"I see. Then, Lady Alvrich, please inform him of what we discussed once he returns," he said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Zander’s mother replied.

Aldrian glanced at Zander, who was sitting beside his little sister. The girl seemed especially close to her big brother. She had clung to him from the moment he returned. But when she looked at Aldrian, her expression turned nervous, which made him smile at her to ease her tension, and it worked as she blushed slightly and lowered her head.

After they conversed for another hour, the time finally came for Aldrian to leave.

"I think that’s it, Lady Alvrich, elders, young miss. I will bring Zander with me now," Aldrian said as he stood up, followed by the others.

After saying their goodbyes, Aldrian teleported back to the palace and arranged for Zander to settle in first. This left Zander feeling overwhelmed, as he had stepped into the emperor’s palace, a sacred place for the entire continent’s populace.

"Could you show me the cultivation book you found in the secret realm? I would like to see it and analyze it. While I do that, you can try cultivating here and see if you can cultivate as effectively as you did in the secret realm," Aldrian said once they had settled, to which Zander responded with a nod. He then took out a cultivation book from his storage and handed it to Aldrian.

But just as Aldrian was about to leave, he noticed hesitation in Zander’s eyes and couldn’t help but ask,

"What is it? Is there something you want to say to me?"

After a brief pause, Zander finally gathered his courage.

"Your Majesty, um... what am I to you? Do I count as your disciple or something?"

Aldrian finally understood and smiled at him, then replied,

"I see. It looks like I missed something important. Then, what do you do in front of your master?"

Zander’s eyes glimmered as a joyful expression spread across his face. Without hesitation, he kowtowed to Aldrian.

"Disciple Zander Alvrich greets Master!" he declared with spirit.

Aldrian smiled and nodded at him. "Good. Then, as I said, cultivate first, and I will come to check your progress after some time."

"Yes, Master!"

Aldrian then turned and walked away as Zander began to cultivate. He approached Baek Jimin, who had been watching them from not far away, smiling quietly as she observed the scene.

"Now you have a disciple, huh? This is truly unexpected. From the way I see it, you really care for Zander. Is it only because he has a special physique, or is it something else? Hmm?" she asked.

However, she didn’t receive an answer. Instead, Aldrian wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Who knows? Maybe it’s fate. Maybe I just felt the desire to take Zander under my wing," he replied vaguely with a smile, which made Baek Jimin pout.

Aldrian continued smiling, but then his gaze softened, turning truly warm as he looked at her. Baek Jimin, seeing the change in his expression, couldn’t help but smile gently in return.

Then, she froze as the scenery around them shifted in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, they were surrounded by the tranquil beauty of a lush valley. The hills were blanketed with countless types of flowers and vibrant vegetation, painting the valley floor in green and color. The air was rich with a gentle, fragrant scent.

At the base of the valley, a clear river flowed steadily toward the horizon, with flowers blooming along both banks.

Baek Jimin’s eyes widened. She knew this place.

It was the place she and Aldrian had visited in the past—the place where she had once hoped he would say those three words.

The Valley of the Promise.

She turned her gaze to him with a curious expression, but all she saw was the warmth in his eyes. She smiled in return and chose not to question why he brought her here. Whatever the reason, she would follow. Without another word, she hugged him tightly.

Silence settled between them as they held each other, taking in the serenity of the moment. Then, Aldrian’s voice reached her ears.

"Jimin, from the moment we first met, it felt like fate led you to me. Since then, we’ve grown closer—first as acquaintances, then as friends, and now... something more."

"Your feelings for me, the effort you’ve shown, everything you’ve done has truly moved me. My heart that had limited space began to open, little by little, letting you in."

Baek Jimin’s eyes trembled as she realized where Aldrian’s words were leading.

"Maybe this sounds sudden," he continued, "but there’s no way I could remain unmoved after everything you’ve done. In my heart, you’ve already become someone truly important—someone I couldn’t possibly give up to anyone else. I can’t even imagine you with someone else."

"You understand what I mean, don’t you?" Aldrian asked, his voice steady yet gentle.

They met each other’s gaze. Baek Jimin’s eyes were already reddened, and seeing this, Aldrian’s expression softened even more. He leaned closer, bringing his lips near her ear, and whispered something only she could hear.

Her tears finally fell.

Her lips quivered as she tried to speak, and after a moment of silence, she finally managed to say through her tears,

"Can you say that again? This time... clearly."

Aldrian smiled tenderly, his eyes never leaving hers. With a calm, unwavering voice, he said—

"I love you."