"Master Edward, I'm so sorry..." Ariella bows, her voice trembling. I can clearly feel the anger and guilt in the way she speaks and how her body is shaking. "Because of me, you and your family was in grave danger..."
Her action just now greatly surprises me, especially considering that a lady of such high status is lowering herself to apologize to me. After all, Ariella is the daughter of Duke Eldric Harrow. Her father holds a position just below the King. Even among other nobles, she never has to bow like this. Since coming to this world and interacting with various people, I have always thought that nobles are arrogant people who value their own honor above everything else.
But it seems that I was wrong. Ariella is not someone like that.
On the other hand, this girl believes that this situation happened because of her. Victor Hawksmoor, the son of Duke Eldridge Hawksmoor, harbors feelings for Ariella and wanted to present her with an Etherbloom flower on her birthday. Thus, he orders his men to steal the flower from Curtis.
However, it would be completely unfair to blame Ariella for this. Even if she wanted to, love is not something that can be forced. There’s no way she can stop that man from loving her, nor is she responsible for any of that bastard’s wrong doings.
So, "Please stand up, this is not your fault," I reply, gently placing my hand on Ariella's shoulder to calm her down. "I understand your feelings. But you don't have to take responsibility for things you didn't do. After all, I’m not blaming you for anything."
"But... your arm..." Ariella's eyes look up at me, then glance down at where my arm used to be.
“Well, it’s just an arm,” I respond. "If losing an arm is the price to save a life, then it's a small price to pay. On the other hand, thank you so much for providing us with your protection and care. Without your help, we might still be in grave danger.”
“That’s... the least I can do for you,” Ariella sighs. “Unfortunately, I lack the power to confront Victor right now. But when my father returns, I will report this incident to him. Please, rest assured, Master Edward. My father is a man who honors justice above all else, and will definitely hold that man accountable for his foolish actions!”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to do that,” I interject.
There's no point in getting the ArchDuke involved. To my understanding, both the Harrow and Hawksmoor families are among the highest-ranking nobles in all of the Valeria Kingdom. While the Harrows produce top-tier mages and enchanters, the Hawksmoors provide the kingdom with knights and command significant military power themselves. Even as a Grandmaster Enchanter, the idea of these two families turning their backs on each other over me seems very unlikely. Furthermore, such a conflict would solve nothing. I don’t need any compensation or apologies from them, and I also don’t want too much attention. For now, I just want to lay low, build my relationship with the Harrow family, and focus on my tasks at hand.
“Let’s put everything into the past for now. What happened, happened,” I say. “On the other hand, do you still want to be my student?” I change the topic.
Sophia said that she doesn’t have any problem with this, so it’s okay.
Hearing this, Ariella gasps. “Of- of course!”
And for a faint moment, I see some sparkle in her eyes.
“Being your student is my dream come true, Master Edward!”
Now, Ariella looks more like an excited child than her usual calm, cold, lady-like demeanor. I guess there's more to her personality than what she has been showing.
“Haha, I’m flattered,” I reply. “But shouldn’t you be calling me something else now? Don’t call me 'Master,' just call me 'Teacher.'”
“T… Teacher…” Ariella murmurs. Then, she bows again. “Thank you so much for allowing me to learn from your craft. I’m so honored to have such an amazing teacher like you.”
“Ah, it’s my honor too,” I smile. “But I’m very strict. When I’m teaching, our status will change. I will treat you like a real student, not the daughter of an ArchDuke. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes!” Ariella answers without any hesitation. “That is what I truly want as well.”
“Very good,” I nod.
With that, Ariella has just become my student. We then spend some more time discussing when and where the lessons will take place, and my salary and benefits too. In the end, on top of a salary of two gold coins per hour, I will also be given the best accommodation in the Harrow Estate, plus access to the Harrow family’s library and resources. I hope I can find some good information and make good use of these advantages to find my dear Anna.
—----------------------------
Later, at night…
Sophia hugs me tightly, sobbing, burying her face in my chest. Meanwhile, the children gather around the bed, tears in their eyes. Yumi, Hana, and even Lyon and Lumi, all four are here. Curtis is kneeling on the floor.
“Come on, I'm much better now. There's no need to cry like this.”
I speak gently, stroking Sophia's smooth black hair. This is the first time I see her crying so much. “Look, your tears and snot are wetting my shirt, haha.”
“I'm so worried, I’m so worried! Do you know that?” Sophia murmurs. "The moment he hit you, I thought you were going to die. Jack, you could have run, why did you have to risk your own life like that?”
“Isn't it because of you?” I reply. “To protect you and the children, I had no other choice. Even if it means sacrificing my life, I had to do it.“
“But don't you want to go find Anna?” Sophia asks back. “If you die, who will go find Anna?”
“Even if I found Anna, she certainly wouldn't accept a cowardly brother like me.” I reply. “And Sophia, Anna is not the only one in my heart. I also have you and everyone else. You're my woman now, and I see Yumi and Hana as my little sisters. I absolutely won't allow anyone to harm any of you.”
Hearing this, Sophia doesn't say anything more. She just hugs me tighter.
“Alright, everything is okay now. Curtis, you should stand up too.”
But the wolf-man refuses.
“Please, give me your punishment. If you don’t, I will never be able to forgive myself,” Curtis says. “I betrayed Sophia, I took advantage of both of you for my own benefit. Yet you're still willing to risk your life to save my daughter, even losing an arm. This kindness… I don’t deserve it… I don't know how to repay it...'
“Haiz, it's okay, brother,” I reply. “You didn’t deserve it, yes, but your kids did. I did all that for Lyon. He was the one who convinced me. His love for his sister truly moved my heart. I saw myself in him. Lyon's feelings for Lumi are like mine for Anna. Because of that, I couldn’t just stand there and watch them suffer, I had to do something. And besides, hasn't Sophia already punished you? Those punches from Sophia should be enough.”
However, Curtis is still insisting.
“Sophia is Sophia, you are you! You can't just let me go unpunished!”
Honestly, is this guy a masochist or something?
“Fine, then there’s something I want you to do, as your punishment.” I say. I then tell the man about needing raw, unprocessed Chameleon gems to create my disguise jewelry. Curtis has deep connections with smuggling networks and black market suppliers. He is the most suitable one for this job. “Raw materials for enchanting, consider it compensation for me. I also need your help in contacting and establishing relationships with your connections. Please introduce me to them. What do you think?'
“Yes! I'll get started right away! The materials will be fully provided in two days. As for the connections…”
“My title as a Grandmaster Enchanter, is that enough?'
“What???” Curtis’ eyes wide in shock. “Grandmaster Enchanter!? You are a Grandmaster Enchanter? At this age!?”
“Otherwise, why would Ariella agree to let us stay here?”
“O- Okay!” Curtis slaps himself back to reality. “With your title, it’s a piece of cake! Everyone will want to establish a good relationship with us. Just leave all the black market related matters to me!'
“Great!” I nod. “Then, besides the Chameleon stones, there are a few other things I need you to find, but they're not urgent, so take your time.”
“No problem! I will find anything for you as soon as you name it!”
With that, I’ve gained another valuable ally. Curtis, a former adventurer and experienced black market trader with extensive connections.
As for me, being a Grandmaster Enchanter isn't enough. I need materials, resources, and connections to enhance my power and gather more information. The black market is an ideal place for these sorts of things. After the battle with Ryuuji, I’ve realized I am still too weak. In this world of swords and magic, relying only on equipment and technologies from Earth is certainly not enough. If I want to find Anna, I must become much stronger and prepare more.
So, it's time to level up.
"Master Edward, I'm so sorry..." Ariella bows, her voice trembling. I can clearly feel the anger and guilt in the way she speaks and how her body is shaking. "Because of me, you and your family was in grave danger..."
Her action just now greatly surprises me, especially considering that a lady of such high status is lowering herself to apologize to me. After all, Ariella is the daughter of Duke Eldric Harrow. Her father holds a position just below the King. Even among other nobles, she never has to bow like this. Since coming to this world and interacting with various people, I have always thought that nobles are arrogant people who value their own honor above everything else.
But it seems that I was wrong. Ariella is not someone like that.
On the other hand, this girl believes that this situation happened because of her. Victor Hawksmoor, the son of Duke Eldridge Hawksmoor, harbors feelings for Ariella and wanted to present her with an Etherbloom flower on her birthday. Thus, he orders his men to steal the flower from Curtis.
However, it would be completely unfair to blame Ariella for this. Even if she wanted to, love is not something that can be forced. There’s no way she can stop that man from loving her, nor is she responsible for any of that bastard’s wrong doings.
So, "Please stand up, this is not your fault," I reply, gently placing my hand on Ariella's shoulder to calm her down. "I understand your feelings. But you don't have to take responsibility for things you didn't do. After all, I’m not blaming you for anything."
"But... your arm..." Ariella's eyes look up at me, then glance down at where my arm used to be.
“Well, it’s just an arm,” I respond. "If losing an arm is the price to save a life, then it's a small price to pay. On the other hand, thank you so much for providing us with your protection and care. Without your help, we might still be in grave danger.”
“That’s... the least I can do for you,” Ariella sighs. “Unfortunately, I lack the power to confront Victor right now. But when my father returns, I will report this incident to him. Please, rest assured, Master Edward. My father is a man who honors justice above all else, and will definitely hold that man accountable for his foolish actions!”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to do that,” I interject.
There's no point in getting the ArchDuke involved. To my understanding, both the Harrow and Hawksmoor families are among the highest-ranking nobles in all of the Valeria Kingdom. While the Harrows produce top-tier mages and enchanters, the Hawksmoors provide the kingdom with knights and command significant military power themselves. Even as a Grandmaster Enchanter, the idea of these two families turning their backs on each other over me seems very unlikely. Furthermore, such a conflict would solve nothing. I don’t need any compensation or apologies from them, and I also don’t want too much attention. For now, I just want to lay low, build my relationship with the Harrow family, and focus on my tasks at hand.
“Let’s put everything into the past for now. What happened, happened,” I say. “On the other hand, do you still want to be my student?” I change the topic.
Sophia said that she doesn’t have any problem with this, so it’s okay.
Hearing this, Ariella gasps. “Of- of course!”
And for a faint moment, I see some sparkle in her eyes.
“Being your student is my dream come true, Master Edward!”
Now, Ariella looks more like an excited child than her usual calm, cold, lady-like demeanor. I guess there's more to her personality than what she has been showing.
“Haha, I’m flattered,” I reply. “But shouldn’t you be calling me something else now? Don’t call me 'Master,' just call me 'Teacher.'”
“T… Teacher…” Ariella murmurs. Then, she bows again. “Thank you so much for allowing me to learn from your craft. I’m so honored to have such an amazing teacher like you.”
“Ah, it’s my honor too,” I smile. “But I’m very strict. When I’m teaching, our status will change. I will treat you like a real student, not the daughter of an ArchDuke. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes!” Ariella answers without any hesitation. “That is what I truly want as well.”
“Very good,” I nod.
With that, Ariella has just become my student. We then spend some more time discussing when and where the lessons will take place, and my salary and benefits too. In the end, on top of a salary of two gold coins per hour, I will also be given the best accommodation in the Harrow Estate, plus access to the Harrow family’s library and resources. I hope I can find some good information and make good use of these advantages to find my dear Anna.
—----------------------------
Later, at night…
Sophia hugs me tightly, sobbing, burying her face in my chest. Meanwhile, the children gather around the bed, tears in their eyes. Yumi, Hana, and even Lyon and Lumi, all four are here. Curtis is kneeling on the floor.
“Come on, I'm much better now. There's no need to cry like this.”
I speak gently, stroking Sophia's smooth black hair. This is the first time I see her crying so much. “Look, your tears and snot are wetting my shirt, haha.”
“I'm so worried, I’m so worried! Do you know that?” Sophia murmurs. "The moment he hit you, I thought you were going to die. Jack, you could have run, why did you have to risk your own life like that?”
“Isn't it because of you?” I reply. “To protect you and the children, I had no other choice. Even if it means sacrificing my life, I had to do it.“
“But don't you want to go find Anna?” Sophia asks back. “If you die, who will go find Anna?”
“Even if I found Anna, she certainly wouldn't accept a cowardly brother like me.” I reply. “And Sophia, Anna is not the only one in my heart. I also have you and everyone else. You're my woman now, and I see Yumi and Hana as my little sisters. I absolutely won't allow anyone to harm any of you.”
Hearing this, Sophia doesn't say anything more. She just hugs me tighter.
“Alright, everything is okay now. Curtis, you should stand up too.”
But the wolf-man refuses.
“Please, give me your punishment. If you don’t, I will never be able to forgive myself,” Curtis says. “I betrayed Sophia, I took advantage of both of you for my own benefit. Yet you're still willing to risk your life to save my daughter, even losing an arm. This kindness… I don’t deserve it… I don't know how to repay it...'
“Haiz, it's okay, brother,” I reply. “You didn’t deserve it, yes, but your kids did. I did all that for Lyon. He was the one who convinced me. His love for his sister truly moved my heart. I saw myself in him. Lyon's feelings for Lumi are like mine for Anna. Because of that, I couldn’t just stand there and watch them suffer, I had to do something. And besides, hasn't Sophia already punished you? Those punches from Sophia should be enough.”
However, Curtis is still insisting.
“Sophia is Sophia, you are you! You can't just let me go unpunished!”
Honestly, is this guy a masochist or something?
“Fine, then there’s something I want you to do, as your punishment.” I say. I then tell the man about needing raw, unprocessed Chameleon gems to create my disguise jewelry. Curtis has deep connections with smuggling networks and black market suppliers. He is the most suitable one for this job. “Raw materials for enchanting, consider it compensation for me. I also need your help in contacting and establishing relationships with your connections. Please introduce me to them. What do you think?'
“Yes! I'll get started right away! The materials will be fully provided in two days. As for the connections…”
“My title as a Grandmaster Enchanter, is that enough?'
“What???” Curtis’ eyes wide in shock. “Grandmaster Enchanter!? You are a Grandmaster Enchanter? At this age!?”
“Otherwise, why would Ariella agree to let us stay here?”
“O- Okay!” Curtis slaps himself back to reality. “With your title, it’s a piece of cake! Everyone will want to establish a good relationship with us. Just leave all the black market related matters to me!'
“Great!” I nod. “Then, besides the Chameleon stones, there are a few other things I need you to find, but they're not urgent, so take your time.”
“No problem! I will find anything for you as soon as you name it!”
With that, I’ve gained another valuable ally. Curtis, a former adventurer and experienced black market trader with extensive connections.
As for me, being a Grandmaster Enchanter isn't enough. I need materials, resources, and connections to enhance my power and gather more information. The black market is an ideal place for these sorts of things. After the battle with Ryuuji, I’ve realized I am still too weak. In this world of swords and magic, relying only on equipment and technologies from Earth is certainly not enough. If I want to find Anna, I must become much stronger and prepare more.
So, it's time to level up.
