Chapter 107: A Parting Gift

Luna looked at him calmly as she spoke, but her fingers tightened against her dress, unable to completely hide her sadness at the realization that Ethan was leaving.

Ethan smiled softly. With a thought, he summoned a single vial from his inventory. Inside, a brilliant, crystalline liquid shimmered, a specialized elixir crafted from the Frost-Vein Herb, Snow Lotus, and a handful of other rare herbs he had secured from the dungeon.

When Ethan had provided the raw materials to the Mage Saint back at the Valerian Estate, he had requested one final favor beyond the alchemy patent itself. Learning that the herbs were intended for Luna, whose unyielding fighting spirit she had personally observed on the battlefield, Lady Iris had readily agreed, knowing the young countess was teetering right on the edge of a breakthrough into the Knight Lord realm and that the elixir would solidify her foundation before it happened.

The Saint had even added several high-grade herbs and catalysts of her own. Though she hadn’t explicitly listed them, Ethan knew anything personally refined by a Mage Saint would possess an extraordinary level of purity. When Ethan had offered her ten percent of the future trade profits as compensation, she had flatly declined, laughing with mischievous glee as she tossed in ingredient after ingredient without explanation, telling him she simply had another task in store for him later.

Ethan’s hair still stood on end just remembering that sly, dangerous smile.

"That’s..." Luna’s fingers twitched as she felt the immense, concentrated energy wafting from the glass. She could tell immediately it was nothing like what Peter had taken, the quality sat on an entirely different level.

"For you," Ethan said, extending the vial toward her. "Take it."

Luna stared at it, taking a half-step back. "I—I can’t accept this. This belongs to you, My Lord."

Her refusal carried no trace of greed, only genuine concern. She truly believed such a treasure would serve Ethan far better in his own cultivation.

She really hasn’t changed at all... Ethan chuckled quietly to himself.

"Why are you laughing?" Luna asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nothing," Ethan said, shaking his head. He explained that the potion had been crafted specifically to harmonize with her frost-attuned constitution, and that keeping it would do him no good. He added that the Mage Saint herself had refined it at his personal request.

Luna’s expression changed slightly when she heard that. She had already sensed that the elixir was extraordinary, but knowing that the Mage Saint had personally refined it for her made its value even more difficult to accept. Her gaze lingered on the vial as she quietly processed what Ethan had just told her. She had never imagined that he would go as far as asking the Mage Saint to personally prepare an elixir specifically for her.

After carefully walking her through the exact absorption method, Ethan handed her another item—a Cultivation Art of considerably higher grade, retrieved from the deepest archives of House Ravencrest. It was the very same art Luna had mastered in his past life, the foundation that had once elevated her to one of the highest peaks on the Path of Knighthood.

Ethan explicitly instructed her not to force her breakthrough into the Knight Lord realm until she had fully digested and assimilated the insights she had gained during the recent war. To explain how to properly develop her mental realm before she attempts to construct her Domain, Ethan spun a white lie, claiming the Mage Saint had asked him to pass the knowledge along.

Under his persistent insistence, Luna finally accepted both the elixir and the manual. Before concluding, Ethan addressed the questions she had been curious about regarding how he acquired the herbs, weaving in crucial details about what signs to watch for regarding the subtle movements of the Four Great Evils and telling her to inform House Ravencrest if she suspected anything at all.

"Is he here?" Ethan finally asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. He’s waiting in the main hall," Luna replied, stepping back to let him lead.

"Good. Let’s go."

They made their way to the reception hall, where a single man stood waiting nervously. It was Iron Wolf, the former bandit leader. After the war, he had proven quick-witted, playing a key role in convincing the remaining soldiers to surrender and revealing the extent of Count Thorn’s and the other nobles’ betrayal against House Bluemoon. Learning that Iron Wolf’s family had been held hostage within Count Thorn’s inner estate, Luna had freed them and granted them safe sanctuary within Bluewind City. Grateful, Iron Wolf had formally pledged his loyalty to House Bluemoon, sealing his vow with a binding Mana Oath. Only after that had Luna brought him here.

The moment Ethan and Luna entered, Iron Wolf dropped to his knees, his forehead practically slamming against the polished stone floor.

"Stand up," Ethan said calmly.

Iron Wolf rose unsteadily, but the moment Ethan’s eyes landed on him, he began to tremble violently. He had learned only minutes earlier who stood before him, and the revelation that Ethan was the direct Heir of House Ravencrest had sent his heart hammering continuously. He remembered vividly how he had been beaten in the mountains and the sharp, arrogant words he had thrown back at Ethan in the bandit camp.

Though he had sworn his oath to House Bluemoon and knew them to be an honorable noble house, terror still gripped his chest. He had dealt with dozens of nobles under House Thorn; every single one treated men like him as disposable tools, using them for dirty work before quietly cutting their throats.

"It seems your injuries have healed," Ethan remarked, his eyes scanning the man.

"Y-Yes, My Lord!" Iron Wolf practically yelled, his voice cracking under the pressure.

"Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you," Ethan said softly with a smile on his face.

Yet, as the words left his mouth, a tiny, intentional sliver of cold killing intent leaked from his frame. In an instant, cold sweat drenched Iron Wolf’s tunic. Images of his young daughter, whom he had only just reunited with after years, alongside his wife and aging parents flashed before his eyes.

I’m dead... he’s going to kill me anyway... Iron Wolf thought in sheer terror. To his eyes, the boy before him looked less like a human noble and more like a smiling demon.

"I have a task for you," Ethan whispered, though his words reached him with perfect, unmistakable clarity.

Before his brain could even process the sentence, Iron Wolf blurted out desperately, "I will do whatever you command, My Lord! Anything!"

Luna cast a subtle glance at Ethan, understanding what he was doing. He was testing the man’s resolve through nothing more than calculated intimidation. It had been Ethan’s plan from the start not to kill him; he suspected Iron Wolf could prove genuinely useful going forward.

"Follow me," Ethan said, turning toward the exit before glancing back at Luna and the commanders gathering in the courtyard. "Until we meet again."

Three Days Later

A hundred kilometers from Northwatch Fortress, Ethan sat with his back resting against the trunk of a massive tree, casually chewing on a piece of dried meat. Beside him, Rune tore ravenously through the food Lady Estelle had packed for their journey.

They had stopped for a short break, having traveled almost without rest since leaving Bluewind.

A few hours prior, Ethan had dispatched Iron Wolf on a separate route. He had entrusted the man with the Epic-Grade Twin Daggers and the Twin Guardian Pendants he had obtained from the Adventurer’s Guild back in Northwatch—gifts intended for Kael, Sepharina, and Anna that had been delayed due to the war preparations and everything that had transpired since.

Having handed over the delivery task, Ethan had instructed Iron Wolf to finish the job quietly and report directly to Northwatch Fortress once completed.

Taking a slow sip of water, Ethan looked north toward the distant, jagged peaks of the Winterveil Mountains. The sky ahead was dark, bruised with heavy, suffocating clouds.

It’s going to rain heavily... I’ll have to return fast, Ethan thought.

Northwatch Fortress — A Few Hours Later

In the Command Room of the Inner Fortress, Marcus Ravencrest sat buried behind a stack of documents. For the last few hours, he had been reviewing the troop deployment reports for Frostfall Fortress, alongside supply schedules for weapons and cultivation resources intended for the knights who had performed exceptionally in the recent battle.

A knock at the door broke his focus.

"Come in," Marcus called out, sensing the familiar presence of his trusted Black Raven Knight.

Sir Van entered the room with steady steps and bowed quickly.

"What is it?" Marcus asked.

Van handed over the latest intelligence reports from the scout units, along with freshly arrived dispatches from Ravenhold and Ironforge. Marcus sighed, leaning back as he surveyed the growing pile of paperwork on his desk.

"This is giving me a headache," Marcus muttered, stretching his stiff neck before glancing at Van, who offered a smile in return.

Marcus picked up a teapot and gestured for Van to take a seat. Channeling a thin thread of his aura, he brought the water to a boil, letting the rich fragrance of tea leaves fill the quiet room.

Taking a slow sip, Marcus finally looked up. "Did you receive any news about the kid from the Guild?"

"Yes, Commander," Van replied. "The Young Master has just returned."