Chapter 346 A Tale From The Past [Part 1]
More than a week had passed since Ethan had come to the Oswald Barony.
After finally being accepted as Luna’s fiance, the young man was able to get along with his future in-laws. The only ones who probably still carried a hint of resentment were Luna’s older brothers, Rowan, Dennis, and Erik.
Even so, they didn’t make any move to get in the way of the relationship between the two, and every day passed in peace.
Finally, the Night of the Solstice arrived.
Ethan stood at a clearing, not far from the Oswald Residence.
Snow had fallen heavily over the past few days, but tonight, the sky was clear.
The majesty of the star-filled sky looked down upon the world, and the people who treated this night as a special one began their preparations for their vigil that would last until sunrise the next day.
Back in the Lands of Alastor, Lily had taught Ethan about her family’s tradition for the Night of the Winter Solstice.
The two of them stayed awake through the night, their bodies leaning on each other as they waited for the sun to rise from the East.
The night was cold, but they were warm under the same blanket, feeling the bonds they had shared for the many months they had spent in the Ancient Lands of old, which had shaped Ethan into what he was today.
Today, he was supposed to celebrate that same night alone. However, there had been a change of plan and he was joined by four people and one Carbuncle on the longest night of the year.
Using his powers, he cleared away the snow in his surroundings, making the ground dry. Since snow was made up of water, it wasn’t too difficult for Ethan to create a nice and dry place to hold his vigil.
The young man offered food and drinks to a small altar, which he had taken from the City of Zentris before they returned to the present.
This was the same altar he and Lily had used to present their offerings on their first Solstice together.
Sebastian told him that this Altar was personally made by the Tide Bringer himself, so Ethan should bring it along because it might come in handy in the future.
And now, he was putting the altar to good use.
After presenting his offerings, he sat down on a log and looked up at the stars in the sky. Chloe and Luna sat beside him, while Emma, Lilith, and Selene sat on the log across from him.
Originally, he wasn’t planning to start a bonfire, but he couldn’t bear to let the ladies suffer from the cold.
Although the three of them were sharing the same blanket together, he knew that this was not enough to warm their bodies for the duration of this cold night.
Emma and Luna celebrated the Night of the Solstice as well, but this was Chloe’s first time doing it.
Although each family, clan, and tribe had their own customs, most of them shared the same practice of keeping vigil throughout the night.
“Ethan, I’m cold,” Chloe said as she buried her head on his chest, shaking a bit.
The young man then hugged the young lady tighter, sharing his body heat with her. Naturally, he did the same for Luna, making the latter close her eyes due to how comfortable it felt to be with him.
Selene was sleeping on Emma’s lap, while the Assistant Librarian petted her.
Lilith lay beside Emma, with her eyes also closed. However, her senses, especially her hearing, were very much active, making sure to check if there were any dangers in their surroundings.
Perhaps, thinking that everyone must be feeling bored, Ethan decided to tell them a story about one of his adventures in the Lands of Alastor, which only he and Lily were aware of.
As the flames of the bonfire crackled, the young man began his tale with a smile on his face.
“Five months after the battle against the Necromancer, Lily and I decided to visit the Magdar Kingdom, which was located Northeast of the City of Zentris,” Ethan narrated. “After spending so much time with the Allied Tribes, I didn’t expect to be able to see a kingdom built out of stone. The people there were wearing Tunics and Robes.
“Since Lily and I were both wearing Tribal Clothes, the locals there treated us like country bumpkins. However, we simply ignored them and explored the city like tourists on a vacation.
“It was on our tour that we discovered that they had a learning institution where those gifted with Magic were being trained in the craft. The Magdar Kingdom had its own institution for Magic Wielders, and it was headed by the Council of Sorcerers.
“Well, just as the name implies, their practice of Magic focused on offensive spells, which were meant to destroy their enemies. In the past, there were twelve Sorcerers in the Magdar Kingdom, but one of them decided to take a different path.
“The twelfth Sorcerer was none other than the Necromancer we fought, who wished to achieve greater powers by any means necessary. We have read his diary and know how much he hated the Council of Sorcerers for being too narrow-minded on possible paths that they could take to gain power.”
Ethan paused for a bit before continuing his story.
“It was there where we met Princess Ramona, who was the 12th Princess of the Magdar Kingdom,” Ethan said with a smile, feeling nostalgic. “She was only eleven years old, but her Magical Power was the real deal. Princess Ramona’s Magical Reserve was as abundant as Luna’s on the nights of the full moon.”
Luna, who had been listening silently to Ethan’s story, was surprised because if what he said was true, it meant that the eleven-year-old Princess was a true powerhouse, even at a young age.
“She was truly blessed by the Heavens, but this blessing was a curse as well,” Ethan narrated. “Her siblings envied her, and the Sorcerers were busy debating against each other as to who would have the right to become her Mentor.
“While this was happening, the Crown Prince, who was very worried that his little sister would be selected as the future ruler of their Kingdom by their King, planned to assassinate her.
“The King had many wives, and all of them wished for their child to succeed the position of their husband. Back in those days, there was no concept of Queens or Empresses. Only one person ruled the land, and his wives were simply there to continue his bloodline.
“Infighting was normal, and the eleven-year-old, who didn’t know that her brothers and sisters treated her as a threat to their position, lived a carefree life as the center of everyone’s attention.
“Her father spoiled her, and her mother praised her. For a child, this was simply the height of happiness.
“Perhaps it was Fate. On the day that she was meant to be assassinated, Lily and I bumped into her and ended up being involved in the incident.
Naturally, both of us were forced to defend ourselves, as well as the little girl whom we didn’t know was a powerful Witch at that time.
“We managed to defeat the Assassins and killed them all, but after the incident, we were thought to be spies from the Tribes who were planning to destabilize the Magdar Kingdom, bringing it to ruin.”
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