[Ding!]
[Sylvia's favorability increased by 5.]
[You have slightly changed the plot.]
[A new quest has been activated.]
[Basic Quest 2: Don't let the flower slip through your fingers.]
[Content Target: Increase the favorability of the heroine Sylvia towards you and capture her.]
[Current Favorability: 60 (Crush)]
[Reward: ??]
[Note: Quest will be completed after you capture Sylvia.]
Ian, who was crying inside for his slip of the tongue, was stunned by a similar quest.
'My sister-in-law has a crush on me? This wasn't even mentioned in the novel.'
However, seeing Lyra and Sylvia running away, he quickly walked to catch up to them. He still had a quest to complete and couldn't let the bird fly away.
In the original position, Aunt Margaret looked at the running figures and her empty self behind, feeling sad for a while. Just as she was withdrawing her gaze, she saw Ian returning to her in large strides.
Suddenly, Ian came near her and placed his mouth close to her ear. His warm, deep breath made her feel nervous.
"Aunt Margaret, it isn't impossible for you either."
After saying that, he walked away as if nothing had happened and thought,
'If I am going to be a scumbag, I will be a scumbag to the end.'
...
Ian was following Lyra and Sylvia's figures while nodding and greeting the guests around the banquet. Since this was a noble party, he couldn't run around like a child. So, he could only slowly follow them outside.
When Ian was outside the premises, he could only see the shadow of Lyra around the garden while Sylvia was already with her parents.
Seeing that Lyra had stopped running, he quickly caught up with her and patted her shoulder.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I was just joking, you know," he said, trying to show his perfect smile with genuine eyes.
Lyra didn't expect Ian to follow her outside. She looked at him and said with slight anger,
"Who cares if you are joking or not? Why are you here? It is almost time for the imperial decree."
Ian smirked at her and replied with a teasing tone,
"There is still some time. Moreover, how can I be assured when you run around like that? You're still like a child."
He now realized that Lyra was thin-skinned, so making her flustered and recalling their childhood memories was the best way to gain her favor. After all, they shared a long-standing emotional bond.
"Tch, whose fault is that? You also haven't changed a bit; you only know how to bully me."
Lyra also recalled their childhood and smiled beautifully. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, her fair skin and blue eyes looked particularly captivating.
Ian looked at her expression, then turned to the side and gazed at the sky, feeling serene.
"Yeah! Time flies so fast. That little girl who used to cry and complain to her sister every time we fought has now become so tall and beautiful."
"Time changed and you have also changed," Lyra complained in a rare voice.
Their relationship had been very good before. If Ian hadn't been a control freak obsessed with Lyra, they wouldn't have drifted apart.
That's why trust and proportion in a relationship are so important. For anything to work, it takes compromises from both parties. If you're overly obsessed and skeptical, any tight bond can become toxic.
Ian also understood Lyra's complaint. Although it wasn't entirely his fault, since he had transmigrated, he had gradually accepted everything about this identity. So, he wouldn't run away from responsibility.
So, after all the musings, he replied to her with the very words she wanted to hear.
"I'm Sorry!"
"Hm?" Lyra was confused and turned to look at him, but Ian was looking at the moon in the sky.
He took a deep breath and continued.
"I know I was a freak and overly obsessed. I know I made many mistakes and made things difficult for you. I also know I may not be the perfect person to be with. But the only thing I know for certain is that I like you. In fact, I've liked you since childhood."
Ian looked at Lyra who appeared stunned next to him, and continued,
"Do you remember that day when we went to Moonspire Cliff? You told me you wanted to become the most powerful wizard in the world and visit the moon on your unicorn."
Lyra turned her face away unnaturally from Ian, completely flustered.
"Haha, you don't have to be ashamed. Although it sounds childish now, I have always remembered your determination. Maybe it was then that I started looking up to you."
Ian took a deep breath and continued,
"At first, I was afraid that I wasn't enough for you, so I started to monitor you closely, fearing you'd disappear. Gradually, it became a habit, and I didn't realize when I became that hateful guy instead of being your match."
"No, you aren't hateful," Lyra tried to reassure him.
"Haha, you don't need to defend me. I know what kind of person I was. If not for our childhood friendship, you'd have left me long ago."
Ian then looked at the moon again and softly exhaled.
"So, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I shouldn't have followed you everywhere. I shouldn't have been a nuisance and a control freak. But one thing is always true; I love you, and that will never change."
Ian wasn't fabricating his feelings. This was what he truly felt as he saw Lyra's figure in the dim moonlight. Seeing her reminded him of the faint memory hidden in his mind about Moonspire Cliff.
Maybe it was this body's obsession, or maybe it was his true feelings—he didn't know.
However, after confessing everything in his mind, he felt an unprecedented relief, as if his body, mind, and soul had finally aligned, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place.
[Ding!]
[Body Synchronisation rate: 100%]
[Your soul power has increased.]
[Your mental power has increased.]
[Your strength has increased to the Tertiary Knight.]