Later that night, Chloe and Luna returned to Ethan’s room to sleep.
The three of them shared the same bed, but Ethan could tell that there was now a distance between them.
Luna slept on Ethan’s right side and Chloe slept beside her, leaving the angelic beauty sandwiched in the middle.
Ethan could only sigh bitterly in his heart, but he didn’t make any move to cuddle Chloe or Luna, thinking that doing so was inappropriate.
He understood that Luna had taken this initiative to create a semblance of normality between the three of them, giving time for everyone to calm down.
Just past midnight, when the two girls were finally asleep, Ethan left the bed and walked towards the door.
He gave the two girls one last glance before leaving the room.
The young man’s heart was hurting, and he couldn’t bear to stay in the same bed with the two ladies whom he had shared many sweet memories with.
He left Dud Manor, wearing only his pajamas, and walked aimlessly.
Ethan didn’t know how long he walked, but when he came to his senses, he found himself standing on the outskirts of the Great Eagle Forest.
A part of him wanted to enter the forest and look for magical beasts to fight and vent his anger. However, he tossed aside this idea and simply lay on the grass to look at the night sky.
“The stars here are different from the stars in the Lands of Alastor,” Ethan muttered. “Of course, it is. Because they are two different worlds.”
The Lands of Alastor was located in Midgard, which was referred to by the Wizard World as “The Middle Earth”.
It was a parallel world that shared the same origin as Earth, where magic power was more abundant and magical creatures roamed the land.
Simply put, they were the two sides of the same coin. One was Earth, and the other was Middle Earth.
It was said that if either one was destroyed, the other one would follow the same fate.
In order to travel to Midgard, one must use a special portal that was located in the middle of Northshire, Eastshire, Westshire, and Southshire.
This place was called The Grand Shire, and it was where Ethan and Lily appeared after using the Teleportation Gate on the Island of Thetis.
The night was cold, and Ethan missed the warmth of the two ladies who used to always be by his side.
He missed them dearly and would often think about them while he was in the past. Even Lily, who was always with Ethan, felt a bit jealous because she knew that the handsome young man was still thinking of the two girls back in Brynhildr Academy.
The minutes passed by, and Ethan found himself slowly falling asleep. However, at that moment, he felt something soft and light jump onto his chest.
Opening his eyes, Ethan found a small fox that was only slightly bigger than an adult’s hand. The fox’s body was glowing like a fiery blaze, warming him up a bit.
A moment later, the Fox barked at him the way foxes do.
He recognized this small fox because it was none other than Chloe’s familiar, who had fought alongside them against the zombies during the Initiation Ceremony of Brynhildr Academy.
Soon, the sound of footsteps grew louder, and the small fox turned into particles of light, disappearing from Ethan’s chest.
Chloe, who was wearing a robe over her pajamas, sat beside Ethan and looked at the sky.
A minute of silence passed between them before the young lady looked down on him and asked a question.
“Aren’t you cold?” Chloe asked.
“I am cold,” Ethan replied.
“Then why are you lying there?” Chloe inquired.
“Because I am stupid,” Ethan answered with a bitter smile.
Just as Ethan was thinking that Chloe was going to talk to him more, the young lady laid on the grass beside him and used her robe as a blanket to cover both of them.
“They say stupidity is infectious,” Chloe said softly. “I guess they are right.”
A moment later, she snuggled close to Ethan, resting her head on his chest. 𝒪𝑣𝑙xt.𝑪𝑜𝓂
Ethan felt as if a lump had blocked his throat, as he felt something warm spreading inside his heart. He was unable to say anything, and yet, that didn’t mean that he remained idle.
He wrapped his arms around Chloe, kissed her forehead, and closed his eyes while hugging her close.
The night was indeed cold, and yet, a gentle and soothing warmth washed over his body.
Chloe didn’t say anything, as she, too, closed her eyes. She had missed this feeling of being held in a protective embrace and smelling his familiar yet unfamiliar scent at the same time.
A few minutes passed before the two heard another set of footsteps heading in their direction.
“Just how long are the two of you planning to sleep here?” Luna asked with a pout. “The night is getting chilly, and the two of you might catch a cold. Let’s go back.”
Ethan and Chloe opened their eyes at the same time and looked at each other.
The handsome young man kissed her cheek, and the latter kissed him back. A moment later, Chloe reluctantly stood up and wrapped the robe around her body.
Ethan propped himself up and gave Luna an apologetic smile.
Luna shook her head helplessly before grabbing Ethan’s hand and holding it firmly.
Chloe held Ethan’s free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Soon, the three of them made their way back to Dud Manor, feeling a little less burdened in their hearts.
When they returned to Ethan’s room, Luna asked Ethan to sleep in the middle of the bed, which the latter obeyed without question.
The angelic beauty then laid down on his left side, while Chloe lay down on his right side.
Both girls rested their heads on his shoulders, while his arms were wrapped around their waists, holding them close to him.
Before closing his eyes to sleep, Ethan planted a kiss on both of their cheeks. A few seconds later, he was fast asleep.
The anxiety he had carried after leaving the room was now gone, and the relief he felt with the initial closing of the distance between him and the two young ladies was the final nail in the coffin that allowed him to welcome sleep’s embrace.
Chloe and Luna glanced at the sleeping Ethan before looking at each other.
As if coming to an understanding, both girls planted a kiss on his lips before they, too, fell asleep, while holding Ethan, in their loving embrace.
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