"Caer Wydion…," Ethan muttered as he looked at the castle that was getting closer and closer with each passing second.
While the young man was deep in his thoughts, Wallace deftly maneuvered his Flying Ship to land in the place that Enzo suggested they land.
As they slowly descended, dozens of Wizards and Witches encircled the flying ship, with the intention of catching a glimpse of the handsome young man, who had finally returned to his home.
A faint smile could be seen in Emma's and Enzo's faces because they understood what the others were feeling right now.
Ethan had been away from Caer Wydion for nearly eighteen years, and this was his first time gracing all of them with his presence.
There were several young Witches who blushed, and muttered at each other while looking at the young man with great interest.
But the most they did was smile and wave at him, which Ethan returned, making them giggle among themselves.
When the Flying Ship finally landed, Elves, Dwarves, Catkins, and other Humans, arrived at the scene, and placed their closed fists over their chests before kneeling on one knee like knights welcoming the arrival of their liege.
Ethan was the first to disembark from the ship, followed by his father then Emma.
Enzo and the Catkins were the last to depart because they wanted everyone to take a good look at Ethan before he retired inside the castle to rest.
"Emma, please guide the Young Master and Sir Wallace to their rooms to rest," Enzo ordered before shifting his gaze to the Protector Clans that had gathered to welcome Ethan's arrival.
"Tomorrow night, we will hold a feast for the Young Master's arrival. So for today, spread the news far and wide that he has finally returned to Caer Wydion!"
"""Yes!"""
A thunderous reply greeted Enzo's declaration before everyone dispersed.
The reason why the Old Catkin decided to hold a feast tomorrow night was to give everyone time to spread the news that Ethan had finally arrived.
This would allow the Protector Clans to hunt and make preparations for the feast.
He also wanted to give everyone time to make themselves presentable, so that they would make a first good impression on the young man, who looked calm on the surface, but was feeling overwhelmed due to the realization that his family might not be simple folks.
—————————————
Inside Caer Wydion's Castle…
"Young Miss, it seems that the Young Master has arrived," a Handmaiden said respectfully.
"And what of it?" a girl, who seemed to be around eleven to twelve years old replied.
"… Nothing, Young Miss." The Handmaiden lowered her head, and shut her lips tightly.
Their Young Miss were known for throwing tantrums and, when that happened, things got pretty chaotic inside the castle.
"Everyone is making a big deal out of this." the Girl frowned before sipping her tea. "What's so good about him anyway?"
The other Handmaidens who were standing behind their Young Miss glanced at each other before shaking their heads helplessly.
All of them were looking forward to seeing the Young Miss' brother, but it seems that she wasn't interested in him in the slightest.
A minute later, the girl with long blue hair, and blue eyes, placed her empty teacup on the table before standing up from her seat.
"I'll be taking a nap, so don't disturb me," the Girl ordered. "If anyone dares to defy me, you know what will happen, right?"
All the Handmaidens nodded their heads in understanding. No one in Caer Wydion dared to go against the wishes of the girl, who still looked extremely cute despite her aloof and cold attitude.
After closing the door, the Girl smirked before sitting on top of her bed.
"Mother said that she left him on a farm when he was still a baby," the Girl muttered. "She also made sure to destroy his magic circuits to prevent him from using magic. Heh~ this will be fun. Let's see if you don't run away after I'm done with you."
The little girl raised her wand, and all the light in her room completely disappeared.
But, within that darkness, an eerie chuckle reverberated, followed by countless chattering sounds, which made the Handmaidens who were standing guard outside of her door, subconsciously shudder.
Right now, her parents, Uncle, and Aunt were away from the castle, so she was currently the one with the highest level of authority that could order them around.
Ethan, who had just arrived, didn't have this right at the moment because he still hadn't completed his coming-of-age trial, which would make his position in Caer Wydion official.
—————————————
Somewhere in the Lands of Saraqael…
"He has arrived," Vincent said. "Won't you go back home to meet him?"
"No," a handsome man with long black hair and red eyes replied, while looking at the battlefield with his arms crossed over his chest.
Vincent sighed before shaking his head helplessly. "Are you sure? Your wife is only waiting for Ethan to complete his coming-of-age ceremony before she returns home." Searᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"I'm sure," Ethan's Father answered.
"Hah~ you're truly hopeless."
"…"
"Catherine will be enough," Ethan's Father stated.
"I'm not worried about Catherine," Vincent commented. "I'm worried about your daughter, Joanne. You know what she's like. I think she's now entering the rebellious stage because you and Catherine are not always there for her."
Ethan's Father remained silent because he had no rebuttal for his brother's words.
He wasn't the best father in the world, and he felt guilty about it.
But, if he was given a chance to go back in time, he wouldn't change anything.
After all, he, his wife Catherine, Vincent, and Vincent's wife, Cliodhina, were all fighting so that they could give their children a better tomorrow.
This was his own way of expressing his love, although he might seem like a bad father in the eyes of his children.
But, without him standing at the forefront of the battlefield, the battles in the Lands of Saraqael might spill onto their territories, which would endanger the lives of his daughter, and the people who believed in their family.
Ethan's father had made hard decisions in his life, and one of them was to let Catherine take their son away from Midgard, so his life wouldn't be endangered by those who had ill intentions.
And now, the son that they had sent away had returned, making him feel bitter in his heart.
He didn't know how to face Ethan, and he didn't know what to say to him.
He had always been a man of few words, and the mere thought of his son hating him made him more anxious than fighting against armies that wished to conquer their Domain.