Chapter 598: Know That Wherever You Are In The World, You Will Never Be Alone
Chapter 598: Know That Wherever You Are In The World, You Will Never Be Alone
The next day, the King of Eastshire was in the Dining Hall to spend his last day at the academy.
All the students, who would probably not get an opportunity to see the King of Eastshire in their lifetime, were ecstatic when they saw the King and Queen seated beside the Headmaster of the academy.
Ethan, who had the opportunity to dine with them a day ago, wasn't that ecstatic, especially since the King also invited Oscar to join them for dinner at that time.
Although the experience seemed pleasant on the surface, with everyone talking as if they were old friends, the young man was still wary of the Patriarch of the Asta Family, who had given the order to hunt him down.
Nicole had made him read the letter that was sent to her by Oscar.
Ever since Ethan saw his announcement declaring that the one who could kill him would be chosen as the next Patriarch or Matriarch of the Clan, the tiny bit of respect or good impression he had left of Oscar vanished completely.
Ethan even asked Nicole in a teasing manner if she would jump at the opportunity to kill him, but the young lady only smiled and pulled him close to be used as her personal heatpad because her body temperature had dropped to freezing levels once again.
Truth be told, he was very concerned about her condition, but Nicole would just brush it off and say "the cold never bothered me anyway".
Ethan didn't believe her because he understood that Nicole was a strong independent lady who would never show her weakness to anyone.
In the end, Ethan just hugged her until her body's temperature returned to normal. While they embraced each other, she would shudder every now and then, so Ethan would lightly pat her head and tell her that she was going to be fine.
Nicole didn't say anything, but when her body returned to normal, she thanked Ethan and told him that she would call for him again when she needed a bed warmer.
Of course, the young lady received this treatment in Dud Manor.
If Ethan were to go to Eques Manor, Nicole wouldn't be able to sit still because everyone, including their mothers, would start to gossip about her.
The young man was then broken out of his daze when King Austen made a speech before everyone could start eating.
"It has been many years since I studied here in Brynhildr Academy," King Austen said. "I have many fond memories in this place, and I am sure that all of you have them as well. Right now, I stand before you, not only as your King, but as an individual who wishes to make our country a better place to live in.
"All of you, are the next pillars of Eastshire. Study well, train well, and after you leave the doors of this academy, I hope that you will contribute to Eastshire as a whole, making it a safe haven for Wizards and Witches alike.
"Although there may come a time when everything we hold dear will face a threat that we alone cannot overcome, remember that the connections you made here and the friends that you've bonded with can help you tide through these troubled times.
"So laugh, love, and live as much as you can, for true magic comes from within our hearts. And as you leave the walls of this institution in three months' time, know that wherever you are in the world, you will never be alone."
A resounding applause reverberated in the Dining Hall as the Professors and the students clapped their hands to honor their King's wonderful speech.
Ethan clapped with the rest because he believed that what the King had said was true.
When the applause ended, everyone was asked to sit down and eat.
Ethan noticed that the King and Queen would often cast sidelong glances at their table.
He couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed because there were times when Lilian would handfeed him something, which he couldn't turn down.
Luna could only watch at the side, feeling envious because she wasn't as bold as Lilian, who could openly show her affection to Ethan in front of the entire academy.
It was no longer a secret that she transferred to Brynhildr Academy because of Ethan.
The guys in the academy thought that they couldn't hate him more than they already did.
If they only knew that their idol, Lily, would begin to openly show her feelings for Ethan once the next school year commenced, they would all be broken hearted and curse the handsome young man to oblivion.
"I don't know if this boy is lucky or unlucky," King Austen said softly.
"Why not both?" Queen Evane commented. "At least he has a promising future. That is all that matters."
"If he is given time to grow, then yes, he will have a future," King Austen replied. "But, will he have that opportunity?"
Professor Rinehart, who was seated beside the King, had a faint smile on his face.
The King was subtly telling him that whether Ethan managed to grow properly, or not was entirely up to the Headmaster of the Academy.
"I'll do my best to protect him within the walls of my institution," Professor Rinehart stated. "Unfortunately, he is someone who shouldn't be caged in one place. He needs opportunities and experiences to grow. For that to happen, he will need to leave this safe place from time to time to challenge himself.
"That's the only way he could grow to his fullest potential. As for the rest, it should be handled by the one who sits on the throne of Eastshire."
King Austen rolled his eyes at the shameless Headmaster who decided to toss the responsibility to him.
The Queen giggled because she found this quite funny.
"Well, I sincerely wish for everyone to have a brighter future," Queen Evane said as she once again looked at Ethan, who was being handfed a muffin by Lilian. "So, all of us should fight to make that happen."
Professor Rinehart and King Austen nodded their heads in agreement.
The children should not be the ones shedding blood and standing at the front lines of the battlefield.
It should be the adults, like them, who must hold the line and ensure that the seeds of the next generation would have time to grow and that Eastshire would once again stand stall after being battered by a terrible storm.
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A/N: In order to prevent future misunderstandings, know that this story can end even if Ethan has still not graduated from Brynhildr Academy.
So, to those who have thought that he will need to finish all four years before the final pages of this story are written, sorry to break your bubble.
The length of my stories are usually 1k Chapters up to 1.5k Chapters.
I'm not someone who likes to drag things out, so be prepared because the ending you deserve will definitely come when the story has reached its conclusion.
That is all folks, I'll see you all in the next Chapters!