Chapter 90: The Beginning of Something Familiar

Ethan stood in the quiet of the guest chamber, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

I’ll need to ask Uncle about Grandfather—or perhaps Lady Iris herself. If she brought up Grandfather out of nowhere, was she looking for something... or was she testing me?

No matter how many times he pieced the scattered clues together, he still couldn’t reach a definitive answer. The connection between Severus’s disappearance and Iris’s departure was too thin to call coincidence, yet too incomplete to draw any real conclusion from.

Finally, after several long minutes, he let the heavy thoughts drift away. Then he suddenly remembered—Isabella was coming to fetch him for dinner.

The moment her name crossed his mind, a sharp, familiar ache gripped his chest.

Memories flooded back all at once—the moments they had shared, the brutal crises they had survived together, and the quiet promises made when everything else had fallen apart. In his past life, they had never given up on each other. They had faced near death situations together, endured loss together, and remained standing when the world around them had collapsed.

But now...

She didn’t even know who he was.

Ethan’s emotions warred violently within him. He could navigate lethal battlefields and cold political games with absolute composure, yet when it came to the love of his life, he felt like an uncertain boy again, plagued by a sudden, terrifying thought.

Do I even deserve her?

No.

Ethan’s jaw tightened, cutting off the thought before it could take root.

I have been given something impossible—a second chance to love her, to protect her, and to become someone truly worthy of standing beside her. There is no way I will waste this.

The fleeting doubts in his mind evaporated, replaced by cold, iron determination.

He drew a slow breath and let his mind settle.

I need to wash up.

Beside the bed, Rune perked his ears, nudging Ethan’s leg with a soft, inquiring whine.

"I’m okay, little guy," Ethan said quietly, patting the cub’s head. "Go back to sleep. I’ll wake you up later."

Rune stared at him for another moment before giving a small huff and settling back onto the bed.

Ethan stepped into the adjoining bath chamber of the guest suite.

The large marble tub was already filled with steaming water, heated continuously by a subtle arcane array embedded beneath the floor. Soft blue runes glowed along the edges of the chamber, maintaining the temperature without producing so much as a whisper of steam.

Stripping away his blood-stained garments, Ethan lowered himself into the water, letting the intense heat soak into his muscles and wash away the lingering exhaustion of the past few days. He cleansed himself thoroughly with enchanted soap infused with high-grade herbs, designed to soothe the mind and leave behind a subtle, refined fragrance.

It’s good to be rich...

A faint, wry smile touched his lips.

The contrast was stark. Though House Ravencrest was an affluent Marquis house, the vast majority of its wealth was funneled directly into maintaining Frostfall Fortress and the Northern Defensive Network. Their fortune was tied up in grain, weapons, troop wages, and the endless cost of defending the frontier. Their major sources of income came from rare northern herbs, monster cores, and harvested materials.

House Valerian, on the other hand, held immense influence over the Magic Tower alongside the Ducal Celestine family. Combined with the inventions, artifacts, and magical patents produced by the family, that influence had made House Valerian one of the wealthiest houses in the Empire. Where Ravencrest spent its fortune protecting the Empire’s borders, Valerian’s wealth grew through the advancement of magic itself.

No wonder Lady Iris doesn’t think twice about using things like this.

Stepping out of the bath and drying himself, Ethan noticed a fresh set of clothes hanging neatly near the door.

The moment his fingers touched the fabric, he recognized it—deep silk embroidered with silver thread along the collar and cuffs in fine, deliberate patterns.

Moonspun Silk.

Even in his previous life, Ethan had rarely seen it outside the wardrobes of the Empire’s most powerful nobles. Produced from rare silk-moths fed for years on crushed mana crystals and high-grade herbs, the fabric was harvested only once every decade. Its enchanted fibers possessed defensive properties capable of deflecting dozens of physical or magical attacks up to the Peak Knight Commander rank.

A single robe made from it could fund a minor Baron’s entire household for a year.

Ethan had worn cloth like this before in his past life, though never without good reason.

The tunic was a deep midnight blue—so dark it appeared black in the shadows, yet shimmering like a starlit night sky whenever the light caught it. Silver embroidery wound along the collar and cuffs in intricate, branching patterns. The set was completed by fitted black trousers, tailored close to the leg without restricting movement, and polished black leather boots that reached midway up his calves.

Did Lady Iris prepare this...? What is she even playing at?

He quickly dressed and turned toward the full-length mirror near the wardrobe.

"This is... a bit much for a simple dinner," Ethan muttered, glancing back at his old attire, torn in multiple places and stained with dried blood.

He sighed.

"It seems I have no choice."

Just as he finished adjusting the silver clasps at his wrists, a light, rhythmic knock echoed from the outer door.

Ethan’s heartbeat quickened before he could stop it.

He took a slow breath, steadying himself, then walked over and opened the door.

Isabella stood on the other side.

She wore a grand sapphire gown that fell in soft, structured layers, its deep shade drawn directly from the Valerian crest. Silver embroidery traced the neckline in a sweeping pattern that mirrored the phoenix emblazoned on her family’s banner. Her long silver hair had been swept into an elegant half-updo, leaving a few loose strands framing her delicate face.

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat.

Across the threshold, Isabella’s eyes widened slightly. For a fleeting second, she was caught off guard by his defined features, his composed posture, and striking eyes— which resembled a vast ocean caught between a violent storm and absolute calm.

Neither of them realized the other was feeling just as nervous. Isabella maintained her quiet noble demeanor, even as that strange tugging sensation in her chest deepened with every passing second.

The quiet beat was abruptly broken when Rune sensing the commotion, opened his eyes, hopped off the plush bed, and trotted toward the doorway. He stopped directly between Ethan and Isabella, looking up at her with bright, curious eyes.

Isabella’s expression softened instantly. She bent down gracefully, running her fingers through Rune’s soft silver-white fur before scooping the cub into her arms.

"What’s his name?" she asked, looking up at Ethan.

"Rune."

"Rune..." Isabella repeated, a warm smile blooming across her face. "It’s a good name."

Rune gave a small, contented yip and rested his paws against her chest. Ethan stared in quiet disbelief. Rune was normally aloof with strangers. Even Amelia, despite her natural ability to befriend almost anyone, had needed weeks to earn the cub’s trust.

Yet Isabella had picked him up without the slightest resistance.

Did he sense my emotions... or does he simply feel comfortable around her?

"He’s very cute," Isabella said softly.

"Yes, he is."

Ethan kept his voice calm despite the rapid beat of his heart.

"Dinner is ready," Isabella said, adjusting Rune slightly in her arms. "Shall we go?"

The moment she said the word dinner, Rune wriggled free, dropped lightly onto the floor, and trotted straight back toward the bed. He crawled beneath the covers and curled into a tight ball.

Isabella blinked in confusion. "Why did he go back to bed?"

"Rune..." Ethan called out, raising an eyebrow.

The cub didn’t budge. He merely opened one eye and blinked lazily at Ethan before closing it again.

Ethan’s jaw twitched slightly. This guy would normally tear down a wall if he heard the word food.

Is this little guy... intentionally giving us space?

"It seems... he’s sleepy," Ethan said quickly.

"Yes. It looks like that." Isabella gave Rune one last glance before turning back toward the corridor.

"Let’s go."

They walked side by side through the grand corridor of the estate. Marble floors reflected the soft glow of enchanted sconces, while tall arched windows revealed only the darkness of the night beyond. Portraits of past Valerian patriarchs lined the walls, their stern gazes following the two of them as they passed.

Neither spoke for several moments.

Ethan was painfully aware of every step Isabella took beside him. He had walked beside her countless times in his previous life, yet this simple journey through a quiet corridor felt more difficult than facing an army.

Isabella seemed to be struggling with the silence as well. She glanced toward him once, quickly looking away when she found him already watching her.

Finally, she spoke.

"I am Isabella Valerian."

Ethan paused.

He turned toward her fully, meeting her striking purple eyes beneath the soft glow of the hallway sconces.

Ethan briefly considered whether he should conceal his identity as a Ravencrest. But he didn’t want their first real conversation in this life to begin with a lie. Besides, knowing Lady Iris, she must have received information about him from either Sir Gareth or the Emperor when they relayed the findings regarding the Eclipse Conclave. And if it was indeed Sir Gareth who had passed the information to her, he must have known she intended to visit Ethan. Gareth would probably inform his father about the situation as well. There was little reason to hide his identity.

Ethan held her gaze.

"Ethan," he said, his voice quiet, clear, and unyielding.

He paused for the briefest moment.

"Ethan Ravencrest."