After some discussion, they finalized the plan. John, Elaria, and Lily would enter the royal city to gather more intelligence and attempt to push the main quest forward, while Exiled Immortal would stay outside to provide support if needed.
Among the four of them, only Exiled Immortal was entirely unfamiliar with healing methods, making him the ideal choice for the support role.
"That's settled then. We'll head to the royal city shortly. Once we're inside, Exiled Immortal, you stay in the inner city and continue gathering information," John instructed.
"Got it, John. You all be careful."
It was clear that the royal city would be a dangerous place, teeming with Atlantis' top warriors. If any trouble arose, John and his companions could quickly find themselves surrounded. Having someone on the outside ready to help could be crucial.
After giving these instructions, John looked at Lily to confirm the plan. The three of them then headed towards the royal city entrance together.
After passing through the inner city, they were met with a towering wall that separated the inner city from the royal city. As they approached, the guards stopped them, preventing any further progress.
For the John of the previous life, this wall was no obstacle. With his assassin class skills, John often sneaked into the royal city unnoticed to meet with the princess.
The memory of those secret meetings made John blush slightly.
Noticing the change in John's expression, Elaria furrowed her brow and asked, "John, are you okay?"
"Cough, cough! Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Because your face suddenly turned red... John, did you come to Atlantis in your previous life?"
"Yes, I spent quite a lot of time here. Why?"
"Did you have a close relationship with a member of the royal family? The queen? The princess?"
John looked like a child caught in the act, guilty and avoiding eye contact. He fumbled for an answer.
"How could that be? Elaria, stop making wild guesses. Besides, Atlantis has a king, not a queen."
"John, you're really bad at lying. So, if it's not the queen, it's the princess? It can't be the queen consort, right? Come on, spill it! Who was it?"
Elaria's words piqued Lily's interest, and both women stared at John, determined to get the truth. Feeling cornered, John finally admitted.
"It was the princess of Atlantis..."
Hearing this, Elaria's face lit up with a look of triumph. "I knew it! Otherwise, why would you have that expression?"
"John... was there something I did that made you unhappy?"
Lily pouted, looking very hurt.
"No, you can't hold me accountable for past life events. As you said, that was in a previous life. I, John, am completely innocent!"
"Innocent, huh?" Elaria gave John a sidelong glance but said nothing more, pulling Lily away.
Seeing this, John hurriedly followed, trying to explain, but he didn't know how to start. They reached the gates of the royal city, where the guards stopped them and asked for identification.
Before John could speak, Elaria stepped forward. "We saw the announcement. The royal family of Atlantis is looking for healers or priests. We meet the requirements."
"You're welcome. So, have we passed the test?"
"Of course. Here are your waist badges, honored Priests. Inside the royal city, you'll be guided by someone."
"Thank you."
The two women took their badges, glanced back at John with a smile, and entered the royal city. Seeing this, John became even more confused.
"What's going on? This is so strange..."
Were they pretending not to know him because they were jealous? But what kind of jealousy was this? In this life, John hadn't even met her...
His thoughts were interrupted by a guard's voice, bringing John back to reality.
"Sir, it's your turn. What is your name?"
"John."
"Alright, John. Next, we need your help."
With that, two guards exchanged a glance, and soon a lightly injured woman was brought over.
When John saw her face, his eyes widened in surprise.
This woman was very familiar to John. In the past, when he had disguised himself as Leonard, he had almost gotten into a ridiculous situation with this woman.
"Sherry?"
"You know me?"
Sherry frowned, looking at John's face. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite remember where they had met.
"Anyway, please help me with my injuries."
"No problem," John replied, still a bit stunned.
John nodded slightly and with a casual wave, an alchemy workstation appeared in front of everyone. John had long been adept at crafting advanced HP potions, and in less than thirty seconds, he had completed the preparation. He poured the potion into a container and handed it to Sherry.
"Drink half of it and apply the rest to your wounds. You'll feel better in a minute."
"Such a method... Are you an Alchemist?" The guards looked at John in shock.
"Yes, I'm an Alchemist. Is there a problem?"
"No, no problem! Captain Sherry, please take the potion."
"Alright."
Sherry nodded and closed her eyes, taking a sip of the potion. To her surprise, it wasn't as bitter as she had expected. Instead, it was cool and slightly sweet.
"The taste... is actually quite pleasant?"