After breakfast, until the sun had set, Ethan, Chloe, and Luna devised several strategies in order to fight Lily.
However, after brainstorming, the three of them found out that these plans had flaws in them.
“All of this will only work if the conditions are right,” Luna said as she massaged her forehead. “But, after seeing how Lily fights, I’m sure that she will be able to see through these tricks.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Chloe insisted. “As long as Ethan is able to take her by surprise at the start, the chances of him winning increase.”
Ethan agreed with his cousin. However, he also knew that the moment he failed his first attempt, Lily would not fall for the same trick twice.
“Actually, I have a spell that I plan to use as a last resort,” Ethan confessed. “This spell is…”
Chloe and Luna looked at Ethan in horror after the handsome teenage boy told them about his Trump Card.
“E-Ethan, are you sure you want to use that spell?” Luna stuttered. “If you do that, the repercussions are…”
“You know that Lily has a fanclub, right?” Chloe said anxiously. “If you use that spell on her, all of them might kill you for real! Even if they don’t, they’ll probably hunt you down and make your life miserable.”
“There is also a chance that you will be scorned by all the girls in the Academy,” Luna stated in a solemn tone. “I don’t think using it is going to be worth it.”
Ethan didn’t answer right away. Instead he lowered his head and sighed deeply.
“I know that this is very despicable, but if I go down this route, I will not be the only one that will benefit in the battle,” Ethan replied. “Dud Manor’s entire team could use it to our advantage.”
It took some time for Chloe and Luna to realize what Ethan was talking about. However, when they did, both of their eyes widened in shock.
“T-This… this could definitely work but,” Luna looked at Ethan with a complicated look on her face. “The aftermath will be messy.”
“Ethan, I’ll send some flowers to your grave.” Chloe didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at her cousin’s desperate move. “It seems that you intend to make the entire Jaeger Manor your enemy.”
The handsome teenager smiled bitterly because he couldn’t refute her words. If he was really forced to use his Trump Card tomorrow during the match, it was highly possible that the Jaeger Manor would become his enemy for an entire school year.
“Well, let’s just hope that our first plan works then,” Luna said firmly. “Don’t worry, even if the entire academy hates you, Chloe and I will be there with you.”
“Um, but only after two days have passed, okay?” Chloe added hurriedly. “After that, I’ll be by your side no matter what.”
“… Me too.” Luna backed down a bit which made Ethan chuckle.
After their meeting ended, Ethan had dinner with them in the Dining Hall of the Academy before going to the Academy Garden to have one of the Fairies kiss him.
He planned to train in Illumina’s Magical Domain so he could practice the strategy that he planned to use against Lily.
Only by familiarizing himself with the spells that he had learned, would he be able to pull it off.
Fortunately, the Trump Card he planned to use was a Fae Magic, which would be boosted by the magical powers of the Fairies who were waiting for their candies to be delivered to them tomorrow.
“I got to say, this is one nasty spell,” Illumina commented after seeing Ethan repeatedly use his Trump Card. “It is no wonder that the mischievous Fairies and Pixies use this power.”
Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
Since he was currently using Fairy Magic, he decided to read a book about Fae Spells that were commonly used by Fairies, Pixies, and other Fae Creatures.
“I just hope I won’t have to use this spell tomorrow,” Ethan commented.
Illumina just smiled because for her, Ethan’s growth was something she was looking forward to seeing.
An hour before midnight, Ethan finally stopped his training to get some rest. However, no matter what he did, he was unable to sleep.
‘I’ll just take a short stroll outside in order to calm myself,’ Ethan thought before rising up from the bed.
He didn’t even bother to remove his pajamas and simply left the room wearing that attire.
“It’s a bit chilly tonight,” Ethan muttered as he left the Dud Manor with no idea where to go.
He just walked without any destination in mind, and allowed his feet to take him wherever.
After walking for several minutes, he arrived at the place where they usually held their Study of Magical Creatures, which was near the border of the Great Eagle Forest.
There, under the light of the moon and the stars, he saw someone standing in the distance.
At first he didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl. He wasn’t sure if it was even Human as he walked in that direction.
The person standing turned around to look at him.
“Oh? If it isn’t Ethan,” a familiar sounding voice said in a teasing tone. “Let me guess. You can’t sleep, so you decided to take a stroll, right?”
Ethan took a deep breath because the person standing in front of him was someone he knew.
It was none other than Lily, but she wasn’t the usual Lily that he knew.
Her hair had turned completely white, and two animal ears could be seen on top of her head. Even so, she still looked as cute as ever, making Ethan’s heart skip a beat.
Her delicate hands had turned into clawed hands that could easily cut flesh if she wanted to.
She was also standing barefooted, but it didn’t matter because even her feet had transformed into that of a wolf’s.
Her eyes faintly glowed golden in the night, as she walked towards Ethan slowly.
For a brief moment, Ethan felt as if Lily was looking at him as if he was a hare, that would serve as her midnight snack.
Lily stopped when she was only a foot away from Ethan.
It was at that moment when he remembered that Lily was shorter than him by a head.
The wolf girl then placed her hands on Ethan’s shoulder, and stood on tiptoe.
She then sniffed Ethan’s cheeks, and neck, as if trying to confirm something.
“Ethan, has anyone told you that you smell so sweet?” Lily asked. “It makes me want to take a bite. Can I? Just a small piece, please?”
Ethan, whose body had somehow become paralyzed was unable to pry off the wolf girl’s hands, who held him in a firm grip. 𝔬𝒱𝑳xt.𝒸𝚘𝓂
“No good, Ethan,” Lily whispered. “You coming out at this time is like begging me to eat you. Unfortunately, I can’t eat anyone in the Academy or I will be expelled. But… a little taste wouldn’t hurt I think.”
A second later, Ethan felt something wet, and warm touching his cheek.
Lily had stuck out her tongue, and began to lick the side of Ethan’s face, making his body shudder uncontrollably.
“I knew it,” Lily said with longing. “You do taste good. Are you really a Dud?”
“L-Lily, I need to go back,” Ethan tried to raise his hand in order to push back the wolf girl in front of him using all the willpower that he could muster. “Please, let me go.”
However, the most he could do was place his hand on Lily’s shoulder. He didn’t have the strength to push her away.
“Let you go?” Lily pulled back and looked at Ethan in a daze. “Right… I can’t eat you here. But, when the mission starts, maybe I can…”
Very reluctantly, Lily backed away and used her left hand to hold her other hand, as if preventing it from doing anything.
“Go, Ethan, and don’t look back,” Lily said with a pained look on her face. “Run if you have to. Just don’t let me catch you or else…”
Ethan, who felt as if he had been freed from a paralyzing spell, ran away as if his life depended on it.
Lily watched him go with a feral look in her eyes. Her body quivered as if it wanted to run after the prey that was trying to escape.
But, she stood firm, and fought the temptations that appeared in her head.
“Father, you are right,” Lily muttered. “Brynhildr Academy is an interesting place. It seems that I won’t be bored here for at least a year or two.”