At the academy, I strolled leisurely with Annabelle, who was taking in her surroundings with wide-eyed curiosity. It was her first time seeing Trinity Eden Academy up close, and she was visibly impressed. The grandeur and architectural splendor of the academy stood in stark contrast to the Royal Eden Academy in Celesta.
I had to admit, the architecture here was extraordinary. Sancta Vedelia had evidently allocated substantial budgets for this, surpassing all other countries in this regard. Yet, I couldn't help but think that the Academy in Edenis Raphiel would be even more awe-inspiring. Fortunately, Edenis Raphael would open its doors in just over a year, giving me time to prepare. That was a relief, given how quickly the transition between the end of the First Game and the start of the Second Game had felt.
I had no intention of spending an entire year in Sancta Vedelia. My hope was to return to Celesta, assuming the King regained enough sense to realize his brother was a worthless trash who needed to be dealt with. Returning would also allow me to check in on Maria and Seraphina, and visit Layla, Miranda, Aunt Belle, Orlin, and Tihana.
I had almost forgotten a small detail. A week ago, I received a letter from Layla. Aside from the three pages of love letters, the last page mentioned Miranda. It seemed she had been taken to Edenis Raphael by her House, not to Stormdila but Edenis Gabriel. This complicated matters significantly. Even for me, it would be challenging to see her if they had taken her there. I just wished they would leave her alone, but as expected, they wouldn't. This left me with no choice but to plan for a trip to Edenis Raphael when the time came.
When I arrived at the classroom, I walked in and quickly gathered everyone's attention. "Yo." Victor raised his hand with a grin.
I glanced at him before noticing his new seatmate-Selene. I distinctly remembered he used to sit right near the wall with Celeste on his left, but now he was seated in the row behind, next to Selene. They had been chatting and smiling together until now.
I couldn't help but grimace. Too many good couples around.
"Yo, aren't you two getting a bit too cozy? How about you let Selene sit on your lap?" I teased. "C-Come on, man!" Victor stammered, embarrassed.
I looked at Selene and snorted. "Don't worry, she's probably just waiting for that."
"How about you mind your own business dear brother, like my sister? I hope you greeted your fiancée today," Selene retorted.
Every time she called me "brother," it sent shivers down my spine. It had evolved from "you" to "brother-in-law" to now simply "brother."
"My fiancée knows exactly what I think of her. No need for public displays of affection," I shot back with a snort.
"We're just talking, Amael," Victor replied with a smile.
I glanced at their clasped hands and smiled knowingly. "Of course you were."
"Are you jealous, maybe? I really feel that for some reason," Victor teased.
"Your imagination," I retorted.
"Wow, Annabelle is here too?" Victor asked, surprised.
Victor knew Annabelle since I'd invited him over to the house a few times with John.
"I am, yes." Annabelle smiled, pleased.
I considered taking my usual seat a few places away from Victor, but even from there, I could hear them whispering sweet words and jokes.
Since when could Selene joke?
It was quite a shock for everyone in class. My classmates were either jealous or admiring them.
"Let's find a seat behind then..." I looked at the last rows, but they were all taken as always. Then I spotted a familiar elf and widened my smile.
"Jiren, man? Is that you?" I exclaimed, feigning surprise.
He was seated with his gang at the back, doing his best to avoid my gaze. But it was useless.
When I called him, he and his whole gang flinched. One even let out a shriek.
"Are they your friends, Edward?" Annabelle asked curiously.
"Of course they are," I nodded, approaching them.
"L-Lord Amael?" Jiren stuttered, standing up.
"Come on, why the formalities between us?" I coiled my arm around his neck, bringing him closer so only he could hear my words.
"P-please..." Jiren's body shivered under my grasp.
He looked like he was about to faint, so I spoke up quickly. "You see the girl with me? She's Annabelle. Even a billion of you elves aren't worth her life. She is accompanying me today and thinking happily about the academy. I want her to have a good day without any troubles. Do you understand where I am going with that?"
"Y-Yes..." Jiren gulped.
My eyes narrowed coldly as I tightened my arm around his neck. "Ahg!"
"If you or any of your lowly followers do something to trouble even a bit of the class or anything within a kilometer radius of Annabelle, and I see a single shred of upset in her expression," I whispered, my voice frighteningly cold, "I will wipe your existence from this
"Hii!" Jiren squeaked in fear.
"Keep your dogs on a leash," I added, letting go of his neck.
Jiren's face was as pale as death, and his companions shared his pallor, clearly terrified by my
"Now, can you leave us your seats, please?" I asked with a smile.
Annabelle gripped my sleeve. "Are you sure? Shouldn't we just sit in the front rows?"
Listen to Selene and Victor flirting for hours? With my sharp ears, I could hear even their breaths, so no thanks.
"Don't worry, Jiren can be considered my best friend in class. Right, Jiren? You don't mind, do
"N-No, not at all! I'd never mind! Right, guys?!" He yelled at his companions with a glare.
"Please, Lord Amael!"
"Let me clean the tables!"
"Good morning, Boss."
After they thoroughly cleaned the tables and chairs, I smiled, satisfied. We now had three
rows to ourselves as the unsightly elves had left.
"T-Then, Lord Amael! Lady Annabelle!" Jiren bowed before leaving.
"Um..." Annabelle blushed, embarrassed when she was called 'Lady.' Isn't she cute?
"I am really lucky to have such friends," I grinned, taking a seat.
Once I sat, I noticed the silence and saw Celeste and Cylien standing at the entrance with grimaces on their faces. They seemed to have been observing the whole 'friendship' scene. Cylien looked at Jiren and his group with pity, while Celeste gave me an exasperated look. Then Celeste glanced at Victor, who was openly flirting with Selene, and her face twitched even more. She seemed to have reached the same conclusion as me: not to sit with them.
"Let's sit there," she said to Cylien, who nodded with a sigh.
Of course, it was in front of us.
"Are they your friends as well, Edward?" Annabelle asked.
She might have seen them, but she was in the dark about our exact relationship.
"Not at all. Just classmates," I replied.
Celeste, taking out her things on her desk, plastered a smile on her face. "Really, Amael?"
"Well, I thought you'd broken all ties with me after that day. You kept avoiding me whenever I approached," I said to her, my voice tinged with a mix of confusion and hurt. After Elizabeth and I reconciled, I attempted to engage in conversation with her again, but she always averted her gaze. I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps I had teased her too much in the past. It wasn't entirely my fault; her reactions were just too entertaining. "Well, I've recovered since then," Celeste responded, her tone suggesting she genuinely had
"You must be Annabelle, right?" Cylien asked, directing her attention to Annabelle.
"Yes, I am Edward's eighth fiancée," Annabelle replied cheerfully.
I was familiar with Annabelle's persistence, but the fact that she was the eighth one caught
"Eighth? How come?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Um? Isn't it obvious, Edward?" Annabelle looked at me with a playful smile, beginning to
count on her fingers. "First, big sister Ephera, then big sister Cleenah, big sister Mary, then big sister Miranda, big sis Layla, Elizabeth, Samara, and then with me, it's eight." She
finished counting, her cheeks slightly flushed with a grin.
That's my line! The first five were understandable, but with Elizabeth, I had plans to end the engagement in
the coming months. As for Samara and Annabelle, I was certain they would mature and
While I mulled over this, Celeste and Cylien stared at me, speechless. They knew about Layla and Elizabeth, but the revelation of six others, including new names, left them stunned. Celeste, looking particularly shocked, turned to Annabelle. "Amael... she is a girl, I mean... are
Her gaze grew intense, and fearing she might start reassessing me as a true scumbag, I hurriedly spoke.
"Okay, listen, she is young, and so is Samara. As for the other six, there's some truth to it, but
it's not fully confirmed."
Why am I even discussing my harem with her?
"Hmph. Who cares," Celeste muttered, sulking as she sat down.
"Edward," Annabelle tugged at my sleeve.
Annabelle glanced at Celeste's back. "Is she the ninth?"
Celeste's body tensed, and I grimaced. "Please don't add to your whims, Anna."