Colin

Just then, a loud voice boomed from around the corner of the corridor.

“Hey, Ford, what's going on? Why was my father running just now? Has an enemy invaded?”

The voice was loud and brash, echoing several times down the empty corridor.

Duke Leo's expression stiffened. He turned his head and coughed, lowering his voice. “That's your younger brother. His personality is a bit...”

“Father, I know. Don't worry.”

Ethan raised his right hand and tapped his index finger in the air.

Colin, who was in the middle of pestering Old Ford with questions, suddenly felt his body grow light. The blue-veined stone floor beneath his feet rapidly receded as an invisible force wrapped around him, dragging him directly from around the corner.

He instinctively struggled.

But the force, though gentle, was entirely unshakeable.

Before his brain could even process what was happening, he had already been dragged into the front courtyard of the main castle.

Ethan released and immediately retracted his mental power.

Colin felt the invisible force wrapping around him suddenly vanish, and his feet planted firmly back onto the stone tiles.

Reacting with incredible speed, the moment he regained his freedom, he took a step forward and spread his arms, shielding Duke Leo and the Duchess behind him. “Father, Mother, don't be afraid! I'm here!” he declared, his face filled with wariness.

Just as the words left his mouth, the Duchess reached out from behind and pinched his ear.

“Ouch!” Colin's head was forced to one side, and he shrank down half an inch under his mother's grip. The wariness on his face instantly collapsed into a grimace. “Mother, what are you doing? It hurts, hurts, hurts!”

“You actually feel pain?” The Duchess twisted his ear another half-turn, her voice carrying a mix of annoyance and amusement. “Shielding your father and me? Take a good look at who this is before you speak!”

Colin tilted his head, his gaze lingering on Ethan's face for half a second. He then looked at his father's expression—which was a struggle between wanting to laugh and maintaining a stern face—and finally turned back to his mother's hand pinching his ear. He finally realized he had probably made a massive fool of himself.

“It was just a reflex!” he pleaded, reaching up to pry his mother's hand off. “Father taught me to protect others first when facing an enemy. I've practiced it for ten years, you know that!”

Duke Leo coughed from the side, his lips pressed tightly together. He turned his head to look at the Thorn Crest tapestry hanging on the corridor wall, suddenly appearing deeply interested in its embroidery.

The Duchess let go of his ear, but she didn't let him off completely, giving him a smack on the back. “Ten years of practice and this is what you show for it? Where is the enemy? Hmm?”

Colin rubbed his ear and retreated two steps, and once he was sure he was out of his mother's striking range, he straightened his back and focused his gaze on Ethan once more.

His earlobe was pinched beet red, but the curious spark had already returned to his face. He scanned Ethan up and down before turning to his father.

“Father, who is this?”

Duke Leo turned around. His expression had returned to its usual composed state, but his gaze lingered on Ethan for a moment before he spoke. “This is your older brother, Ethan Leo.”

Colin's mouth fell open.

He looked at his father, then at Ethan, and then at his mother, finally confirming they weren't playing a joke on him.

Colin immediately stood straight and bowed ninety degrees.

“I'm sorry, Big Brother. I didn't recognize you.”

Ethan smiled at Colin's display. “Haha, it's fine.”

Colin wanted to say more, but Duke Leo slapped the back of his head. “We can talk later. Since Ethan is back, the birthday banquet we prepared won't go to waste. We can talk while we eat.”

Colin rubbed the back of his head. “Alright, whatever you say, Father.”

“Isabella, what do you think?”

“Yes, let's do that.”

In the banquet hall, a long table was draped in dark purple velvet. Silver candelabras stood every three paces, their candlelight burning quietly within polished crystal shades.

The Thorn Crest tapestry hanging on the wall had been freshly ironed, its golden borders gleaming softly under the candlelight.

Twelve dishes were laid out on the table, the silver platters polished so brightly they could reflect a person's image.

Ethan sat on the left side of the long table, with Colin directly opposite him.

Duke Leo sat at the head of the table, with the Duchess seated opposite him.

Colin poked at the crispy, honey-glazed rib on his plate with his fork, his eyes constantly drifting toward Ethan.

He opened his mouth only to close it again, raising and lowering his fork as the rib slid back and forth on his plate.

Duke Leo cut a piece of meat, his knife and fork clinking sharply against the porcelain plate.

“Colin, if you want to speak, just speak.”

As if granted a grand pardon, Colin set his fork down on the table. “Big Brother, you studied abroad for ten years. What did you learn?”

“Colin,” the Duchess said, her voice low.

Colin shrank his neck back.

“It's fine, Mother.” Ethan set down his knife and fork. “I learned some useful things. Languages, history, potion brewing, mineral identification, and some things that aren't very convenient to talk about.”

Colin's eyes lit up. “Inconvenient to talk about? What did you learn?”

“Colin,” Duke Leo spoke up this time.

Colin immediately shut his mouth.

The Duchess raised her glass and took a sip of red wine.

Setting the glass back on the table, her gaze rested on Ethan's face for a moment. “Ethan, you are twenty-six this year.”

Ethan's hands paused for a moment.

“The daughter of House Natt turned twenty this year. She is elegant and sensible. Her family owns two estates in the Imperial City and three mines. Her father is the Minister of Finance, and her mother is a distant relative of the Empress. If you think it's suitable, I will have someone send a formal inquiry tomorrow.”

Ethan cut a piece of meat, chewed, and swallowed. “Mother, it's not suitable.”

The Duchess frowned slightly. “If House Natt won't do, what about House Windsor? Count Windsor's only daughter is twenty-three and graduated from the Imperial Academy.”

“That's not suitable either.”

“Then what kind of woman is suitable?” The Duchess's voice rose slightly. “Your father had already married me at your age, and your younger brother was already five. Look at you—away for ten years, and you return without even a single prospect.”

“Isabella,” Duke Leo said, setting down his wine glass.

Isabella took a deep breath and took another sip of wine.

Ethan placed his knife and fork on either side of his plate. “Mother, it's not that I'm trying to evade this. I still have unfinished business outside. Once those matters are settled, I will naturally consider it.”

Beside him, Colin kept his head down, dragging his fork across his plate.

Ethan shifted the subject. “Father, when I came back, I walked down half of the Imperial City's main street, and quite a few shops along the road were closed. There were also many beggars huddled near the city gates, and the water level of the moat is at least two feet lower than it was ten years ago. Why has the Imperial City become so desolate?”

Before Duke Leo could speak, Colin suddenly snapped his head up. Without even swallowing the meat in his mouth, he mumbled eagerly, “I know, I know!”

“Oh?”