"Oh, did they really say that?" Agnes smiled from ear to ear after hearing that Luna's family wanted to meet with them in order to discuss the date of Ethan's and Luna's wedding.
"Her Father did, Grandma," Ethan replied. "But I'm sure that this is the general consensus of their family, with the exception of Luna's brothers."
Agnes chuckled. "That's normal, you know? Even your Grandpa had to fight my brothers before he gained their approval to marry me."
"Did Grandpa win?"
"Of course not. But I was so angry that they beat him up, so I decided to beat them up as well. After that, they all consented to our marriage."
Emma, who was listening from the side, couldn't stop herself from giggling after hearing Agnes' story.
Unlike the Oswald Residence where she had to put up an act and only show her standoffish side, she was more at home inside the Gremory Residence.
Although she was still in her Assistant-Librarian get-up, she was no longer hiding her true character.
After all, Agnes was Ethan's Grandma and her future grandmother-in-law. Since that was the case, she wanted to show her true colors to her so that the older lady would know what she was truly like.
"It's a shame that we have to wait until Luna's graduation, but I think that's for the best," Agnes commented. "It's too bad that Chloe didn't come with you this time around."
"She decided to go back to her family, saying that she missed them," Ethan replied. "But she told me to send her regards to you and Grandpa."
Agnes nodded before shifting her gaze to Emma.
"Good thing, Emma is here," Agnes said. "I will have someone to help me prepare the dishes for the New Year. My grandson is lucky to have someone as loyal as you by his side, Emma. Please, continue to look after him, okay?"
"Of course, Grandma," Emma smiled. "I'll always be there for him."
At that exact moment, a black cat jumped on top of the table and looked at Agnes with a determined look on her feline face.
"I'll also always be there for Master," Lilith stated.
"Ah! I almost forgot about you, Lilith," Agnes lightly patted the black cat's head. "Make sure to keep him safe."
"I will!" Lilith replied as she enjoyed Agnes' petting.
Lilith had decided to make herself known to Ethan's grandparents so that she could form closer ties with them.
—————————
Brynhildr Academy…
Professor Rinehart took a casual stroll around the academy that was almost bereft of its students.
Although the majority had returned home for the Winter Break, there were still several students left in the academy because they didn't feel like going back. Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Some of them didn't have good relationships with their families, while others had no homes to return to.
As such, they decided to spend the Winter Break at Brynhildr Academy, patiently waiting for their friends to return when the break was over.
Several of the Professors had also returned to their families, leaving only a handful behind.
When he arrived at the training ground, he found Henry sparring with Professor Lionel, who was also Ethan's Martial Arts Instructor.
The Head Prefect of Dud Manor had awakened from his coma two weeks ago.
Since then, he had been training in preparation for gaining the recognition of the Legacy that he recently acquired during their expedition at Nightfall Academy.
After facing off against the ten-meter Bronze Giant, Henry had a general understanding of how strong it was.
Since he wasn't able to defeat it, he still hadn't assimilated with the Legacy called "He Who Slays Giants," which was very compatible with his fighting style.
Professor Rinehart was also very supportive of Henry, granting him free access to the facilities that would allow the young man to train, which would help him gain the power of his Legacy.
Henry was recognized as the strongest student in Brynhildr Academy. He was referred to as the Mage Slayer, for he was the bane of Wizards and Witches.
"We'll end it here today, Henry," Professor Lionel said with a smile. "Your improvement is astonishing, but there is still plenty of room for improvement."
"Thank you, Professor," Henry gave Professor Lionel a respectful bow, making the latter chuckle. "I see that you are here, Headmaster. Out for a walk?"
"Yes," Professor Rinehart replied. "Just doing my usual rounds."
"Good afternoon, Headmaster." Henry greeted.
"Good afternoon, Henry." Professor Rinehart nodded. "When do you plan to gain the acceptance of your Legacy?"
Henry pondered for a bit before giving his answer.
"I'll wait until the students of Dud Manor return," Henry answered. "I don't know if I'll end up in a coma again after failing to pass the trial. It will be best if George or Ethan is around to cover for me while I'm out of commission."
Professor Lionel patted Henry's shoulder. "Your trial hasn't even started, and you're already thinking of failing? This isn't the right mindset, Henry."
"Professor Lionel is right," Professor Rinehart stated. "You mustn't think of failing. Just think of it as another hurdle that you need to overcome."
The Headmaster of Brynhildr Academy then gave Henry a mischievous smile before saying the rest of his thoughts.
"Didn't you already manage to overcome one of the biggest hurdles of your life?" Professor Rinehart asked in a teasing tone. "The Campbell Family allowed their precious daughter to become your fiancee.
"Since you managed to convince that stubborn Earl to give up his daughter, then you can certainly overcome the Legacy Trial as well. Remember this, Henry—failing is not something to be ashamed of. Because it is through failure that we learn."
A flash of determination appeared in Henry's eyes. It was as if the haze that had been clouding his head had disappeared after hearing Professor Rinehart's words.
Before he was able to convince his fiancee's family that he was worthy of her, he had to go through a lot, even risking his life several times in order to get to where he was now.
Professor Rinehart was right. The Legacy Trial was just another hurdle that he would have to overcome in order to accomplish his goals in life.
"Thank you, Professor," Henry bowed. "I was feeling insecure after being defeated by the Bronze Giant. Now, I finally know what to do."
Professor Rinehart nodded and patted Henry's shoulder.
"I look forward to the good news."
After saying those words, Professor Rinehart left the Training Grounds and continued to take a stroll around the academy, whistling a happy tune.