The Conference lasted for exactly four days. After it ended, the representatives of the different races started to return to their homelands.
When Seff, Lyall, and Conall were about to leave, Lyall asked Ethan to take her out on a second date, which he accepted.
During the conference, the young lady had not bothered him. Instead, she spent some quality time with her sister, Lily, and also hung out with Chloe from time to time.
Just as Lyall was about to walk away, she changed her mind and came close to Ethan to whisper something in his ears.
"Happiness and sadness comes in threes," Lyall whispered. "What happens once, then twice, can happen a third time. So beware of the lady of the forest, for she is busy planting seeds so that you can water them." S~eaʀᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
After saying those things, Lyall kissed Ethan's forehead before running to catch up with her father and brother, who had already walked a distance away.
Seeing her sister's antics, Lily sighed and shook her head helplessly.
Because of her superior hearing, she inadvertently heard what her sister said to Ethan. Lily even believed that her sister made sure that she was able to hear her message.
When he could no longer see Lily's family members, Ethan glanced at his lover.
"Do you have any idea what Lyall just told me?" Ethan asked. "It's not like her to act like a sage."
"Yes, it's so unlike her." Lily nodded in agreement. "Maybe she's just talking nonsense to make you think that she's smart or something?"
Ethan chuckled as he hugged the cutest First Year of the academy, who hugged him back and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Are you telling me that your sister is not smart?"
"She's strong, but she really isn't smart. Just seeing numbers makes her dizzy."
Ethan then silently asked Sebastian a question, and the latter replied in a positive manner.
'No one's looking, my Guy,' Sebastian replied. 'The coast is clear.'
After getting that confirmation, Ethan kissed Lily's forehead, which made her look up to him. Soon, the two shared a sweet kiss on the lips, which they hadn't done in two days because both of them had become busy in the academy.
When the kiss ended, both of them parted ways, with Lily returning to Jaeger Manor and Ethan back to Dud Manor.
It was not yet time to show anyone their public display of attention, so they were still being discreet with their meetings.
As he was walking into Dud Manor, he happened to see Chloe walking back to Jaeger Manor from the library.
There were dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed pretty exhausted, making him worry about her.
"Have you been sleeping and eating properly?" Ethan asked, blocking her path.
"I am eating properly," Chloe replied with a smile. "Not sleeping properly though."
"Then you should sleep properly."
"Mmm. I'm just doing a project. I think it will be finished in two days. After that, I'll sleep for twelve hours straight."
After his date with Lyall, he had decided to break the ice and started to talk to Chloe again whenever they crossed paths.
His cousin was the same as always and even teased him that he should take out Luna, Lily, Lilian, and Emma on a date as well.
When Ethan asked her if she was willing to go out on a date with him, she said yes, showing that she didn't mind spending some time with him.
After their short chat, Chloe even kissed his cheek and told him that he shouldn't worry about her.
She then went her way back to Jaeger Manor, where she planned to take a short nap before going out on another expedition into the Great Eagle Forest later that night.
'Something smells fishy,' Ethan's Other Half commented.
'That's me.' Sebastian chuckled.
'Not you. I was referring to Chloe.'
'What about her?'
'I felt a familiar yet unfamiliar power in her.' Ethan's Other Half frowned. 'Strange. I can't pinpoint what it is. It's like once I think of it, the memory slips between my fingers, not willing to show itself to me.'
'If it's important, I'm sure you will remember it sooner or later.' Sebastian shrugged. 'But it's good to know that the two of them are on speaking terms once again. This is a good thing. After all, she is one of Ethan's emotional pillars.'
'Mmm.' Ethan's Other Half nodded.
Even so, Ethan's Other Half couldn't shake off the feeling that he was forgetting something.
Something very important.
But no matter how much he tried to search for it in his memory, he would always feel as if it was at the tip of his fingertips, teasing him and making sure that he wouldn't be able to catch it.
It's like a mischievous fox, always two steps ahead of his every move.
When Ethan arrived in Dud Manor, he saw something he didn't expect to see.
George was talking with a teenage girl, whom Ethan hadn't seen before.
She was very pretty and looked extremely innocent, which made him wonder if George kidnapped her from somewhere.
"Something is telling me that you're thinking something very rude about me just now, Ethan," George said as he looked at the young man who had just stepped foot into the Common Room.
"You're thinking too much, George," Ethan replied with a smile. "You are one of my respected seniors. How can I think rudely about you?"
"You do have a point." George nodded. "Well, then. Since you are already here, let me introduce you to my girlfriend."
Ethan blinked once and twice because he felt that he heard George wrongly.
"Sorry, I didn't hear that the first time," Ethan tilted his head. "Can you repeat it?"
"… Why do all of you have the same reaction when I say that I have a girlfriend?" George asked with a frown. "Am I that unlikeable?"
He then looked at the other members of Dud Manor who were in the Common Room, Henry, Noah, Luna, and Lilian.
"Not to be rude, but I think your girlfriend is too good for you," Luna's Carbuncle, Selene, commented.
"I feel the same way." Aria, who was seated on Selene's back, nodded. "Is she sick perhaps? Does she have eye problems?"
"Lilian, can I pinch your familiar?" George asked.
"I'm sorry, Sir George." Lilian giggled. "Aria is still in her rebellious phase. Please forgive her for being blunt."
Luna, who was seated beside Lilian, giggled because everyone had been teasing George from the start.
"Anyway, time for introductions," George no longer cared about the words from the peanut gallery and introduced her girlfriend to Ethan. "She is Sabrina Rhodes. Sabrina, I'm sure you already know Ethan, yes?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ethan," Sabrina said. "You are a hot topic of discussion among the ladies of Terra Manor. All of them said that if they were a seed, they would want you to water them everyday."
Luna and Lilian blushed after Sabrina said those words with a straight face, as if it wasn't a big deal to her.
"I knew that the girls from Terra Manor were thirsty," George commented. "But to think that they are THAT thirsty, my eyes have been opened."
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Sabrina," Ethan said. "George is a wonderful person. I sincerely hope that the two of you can be together for a long time."
"I wish for that as well," Sabrina smiled. "In fact, I even sent a letter to my family that I will be bringing my boyfriend to our home when the school year ends. My father even replied that he can't wait to meet my boyfriend so that he can strangle him.
"My brothers even said that they have already dug a ten-foot-deep hole in our backyard and told me not to worry about body disposal. I don't understand what they are talking about, but I'm happy that they are looking at my first relationship in a positive light."
'That's not looking at your relationship in a positive light!'
That was what everyone was thinking, but they didn't have the heart to say that to the innocent girl, who was looking at George as if he was the most dashing person in the world.
Ethan, who had somehow gotten a taste of this familial love in Luna's home, patted George's shoulder.
"Good luck, George," Ethan said with sincerity. "Just make sure to be on guard, even at night when you sleep in your room."
"Why should I be on guard?" George crossed his arms over his chest. "I plan to sleep in Sabrina's room every night. Isn't that right, Sabrina?"
"Yes." Sabrina nodded. "We'll have a mandrake sing a lullaby for us until we fall asleep."
Ethan glanced at Luna, Lilian, and Henry as if seeking an answer, but all of them only shook their heads at the same time.
In the end, the young man just scratched his head. Though he was looking forward to George's story once he returned to Brynhildr Academy after his journey to Midgard.