Karl didn't waste time. He immediately approached the academy gate, pulling out a pre-purchased pass that granted him temporary leave.
The gatekeepers barely cared about the time before waving him through. Karl wasn't certain in what he planned to do, but one thing was certain in his mind:
"I can't let anything happen to her."
As Karl boarded a carriage, he mused to himself, 'I wish Adrian was here. He would have made things so much easier.'
But Karl remained focused, a steely resolve hardening his gaze.
He would rescue Serena himself. He didn't believe any of the outrageous claims Fabian had blurted out. Karl never doubted his intuition, and right now, every fiber of his being screamed that he was on the right path.
Eventually, the carriage deposited him near the imposing walls of the Royal Palace.
He took a deep breath, the sheer scale of the fortress making his task seem even more daunting.
