All spiders, mice, and other small creatures that happened to cross Ethan’s path were instantly converted into his spies, working diligently to gather as much information as they could about the academies that had a bad relationship with Brynhildr Academy.
Of course, he also sent a specific portion to gather information from the students of Nightfall Academy, but most of them were clueless about what was going to happen inside the Legacy Gate.
Only the candidates chosen to enter the gate, like Cedric and Lilian, were aware of the Academy’s true motives for whatever was inside the Legacy Domain.
Because of this, the handsome young man decided to subtly get some hints from them.
“Are we just going to wear our academy uniforms when we attend Lilian’s dinner tonight?” Luna asked.
“Yes,” Ethan replied. “Lilian’s brother already has a crush on you. If you wore a dress, then he might choose to propose to you then and there. That will be troublesome, right?”
The handsome young man winked at the angelic beauty who was sitting across him.
“The two of you do realize that there are other people in this room, right?” Nicole asked in an amused tone. “Or do you treat me and Emma as air now?”
Ethan smiled as he glanced at his sparring partner. “You are our close friend. Why should we keep this a secret from you? Besides, other men falling in love with Luna isn’t anything new. I mean, in our academy alone, many students have already tried asking her out, especially among the First Years. There’s just one more to the list. Nothing surprising about that.”
“… Well, I can’t refute that.” Nicole nodded.
Luna was similar to Lily and also had many admirers in the academy.
Unfortunately, the angelic beauty was protected by her scary brother, and those with weaker wills were effortlessly intimidated into backing out.
As for those with stronger determination, Luna politely rejected them herself.
When Ethan was stuck in the past, Luna almost fell into depression and was not in the mood for romance, so her rejections had become firmer. Because of this, most students in the academy lost hope.
When the handsome young man returned, the angelic beauty regained her smile and became lively again.
Some saw this as a sign that they could try to ask her out again. However, speaking truthfully, if their chances were already low when Ethan wasn’t around, now that he’s back, their chances of having even the chance to court her had dropped to zero.
After Ethan told her that he wanted her to become his wife, Luna voiced her concern that her family might not approve of him.
The reason?
To put it lightly, Ethan was just a commoner.
To put it harshly, Ethan was the grandchild of farmers, making him a bonafide country bumpkin.
Simply put, he had nothing to bring to the negotiation table, which was important when it came to marrying the daughters from noble households.
Right now, his status was a Dud.
Although he could use Partial Resonance, that only meant that he had potential.
And if that potential didn’t bear fruit, then he would just be another face among the countless Duds in the Wizarding World.
Even so, Ethan assured Luna that he would work hard to gain the recognition of her parents. Because of this, the angelic beauty decided to trust him and accept his proposal to become her fiance.
Since they were still young, they weren’t in a rush to get married.
For the time being, Ethan’s goal was to at least become a noble to prove that he would be able to provide for his lovers. As to how he would achieve that… he’d need to discover his true identity first.
According to Emma, he still didn’t have the qualifications necessary to go to Midgard and visit his hometown.
When Ethan asked when he would be able to do that, her Promised One said that it would be possible in his Second Year.
There was a ritual called the “Coming of Age” ceremony, which would be conducted by the Four Protector Clans.
If he passed that trial, he would gain the right to know more about his true identity and uncover the secrets that his Promised One had to keep from him.
For him to do that, he must first turn eighteen, and this requirement was not something that Ethan could meet with brute force at the moment.
He was still seventeen, and he would have to wait for several months before he had come of age.
‘It seems that Luna also doesn’t know Cedric’s and Lilian’s identities,’ Nicole thought. ‘The Oswald family doesn’t usually send their children to mingle with the other nobles in the capital. Also, even if they do, they might not recognize them.’
Nicole’s family was one of the few noble families who had the privilege of having powerful connections among High-Ranking Nobles.
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Because of this, they were usually invited to special events that were exclusive only to those who were part of the Inner Circle of the Kingdom of Eastshire.
“So, do you feel threatened that there is someone who likes Luna here in Nightfall Academy?” Nicole asked.
“Threatened?” Ethan arched an eyebrow. “Why would I be threatened?”
“Because you’re just a nobody, and a country bumpkin?”
“Well, this nobody-country-bumpkin is loved by the beautiful lady sitting across from me. Even without riches, my charisma is strong enough to win her heart.”
Luna and Nicole rolled their eyes at the shameless guy who was too full of himself.
Even so, Nicole decided to see how far Ethan was willing to go for Luna.
“What if you are up against a High-Ranking Noble?” Nicole asked. “Marriage between noble families is very common. Although Luna likes you, what if that High-Ranking Noble decided to bypass her choice and asked her parents for her hand in marriage? What will you do if that happens?”
Luna perked up her ears as she sipped her tea. What Nicole said was a possibility. Although she hoped that her parents would respect her decision to be with Ethan, the possibility of her being engaged to a High-Ranking Noble was high.
Just like the pink-haired beauty stated, this was a very common thing among Noble Families. If the other party’s Rank of Nobility was higher than hers and had good standing and influence, anything could be discussed.
A Baron family would greatly benefit from having their sons and daughters married to those with higher standings.
This would allow them to form alliances and potentially increase their Nobility Rank if they played their cards right.
Luna, Nicole, and Emma waited patiently for Ethan’s reply.
The handsome young man didn’t reply right away and simply finished the rest of his tea.
When he was done, he placed his cup on top of the table and smiled.
“Well, if someone bypassed Luna’s decision, there is only one thing that I can do,” Ethan said with a smile. “I’ll just elope with her.”
Luna’s face turned beet-red, not expecting Ethan to come up with a roguish answer like this. He even said it with a smile on his face, making the angelic beauty’s heart skip a beat.
Nicole, on the other hand, had the “I knew it” look on her face. Truth be told, she expected that was the only answer that Ethan could give her.
She knew that Ethan was someone very stubborn, and he would definitely defy those who wished to force Luna into something that she didn’t want to happen.
Emma, who had stayed silent by the side, only had an amused expression on her face.
In her eyes, if Ethan really wanted to do something, the Four Protector Clans, as well as his blood family, would support him all the way.
They wouldn’t even hesitate to kidnap Luna’s entire Family and take them to Midgard by force as long as their Young Master willed it.
Of course, Ethan had no idea that he only needed to say a word to make certain things happen.
‘Still, he would only gain this authority once he succeeds in the test of his Coming of Age Ceremony,’ Emma thought. ‘But if push comes to shove, I’m sure that the Four Protector Clans would still move for his sake. Especially his Grandfather…’
Emma could still remember that imposing figure who had stood in front of the Four Protector Clans a decade ago.
He only gave one order.
Find his grandson, and make sure to protect him at all costs until the day that he returned to claim his rightful place.
Now, she was sitting beside that man’s grandson and had even become the latter’s Promised One.
“Well, let me just give you one warning, Ethan,” Nicole said with a serious expression on her face. “Do not be rude to Lilian and her brother. Also, do not act recklessly or try to harm the two of them even in the slightest. They are not simple people. I’m telling you this as your friend, so please, act civilly in front of them.”
Ethan nodded. “Understood.”
It was very rare for Nicole to give Ethan serious advice.
Since that was the case, he would do his best to act in a civil manner, while his spies were busy uncovering Lilian’s and her brother’s true identities.