Ethan's Surprising Interest in Lyria

I wasn’t the only one shocked by Ethan’s unexpected display of interest in Lyria. The others were equally taken aback when they saw him casually recite her full name.

It made sense—they were surprised because Lyria’s name was notoriously difficult to remember, a running joke within the game itself. It wasn’t just tough for the players; even the characters within the game struggled to recall it.

Even after playing through Luminoir Academy twenty-five times, I had long given up trying to memorize Lyria’s full name. The fact that Ethan, who had only sparred with her a few times in the Spearmanship Club, could remember it meant there was only one plausible reason.

‘...Could he be interested in Lyria?’

Honestly, I couldn’t think of any other explanation. Especially considering Lyria’s route in Luminoir Academy.

Many players opt to join the Spearmanship Club when pursuing Lyria’s route, thinking it would make it easier to get close to her since she’s part of the club. While there’s some truth to that, it’s only partially accurate.

Lyria comes from the Barbaracus tribe, a wild group of barbarians who still live by hunting and gathering. The most efficient weapons for the barbarians to hunt wild monsters are spears and bows. Bows are difficult to make and maintain, so most of the Barbaracus people, including Lyria, grew up using spears, just like their fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and friends.

While using the same weapon could create a sense of camaraderie, it sometimes becomes a stumbling block for developing a deeper relationship. People tend to be less interested in things they already know well.

On the other hand, if you joined the Swordsmanship Club, you might not see Lyria as often, but you would still meet in common classes, spar with her in sword vs. spear duels, and, most importantly, pique her interest by using a different weapon.

In other words, Ethan was in the perfect position to catch Lyria’s attention and potentially form a deeper connection. And the fact that Ethan knew so much about her…

‘It’s hard not to think he’s interested in Lyria.’

Lyria had the typical appearance of a barbarian warrior woman, completely different from Lilith, but that didn’t mean she lacked appeal.

Although her chest was a bit smaller, she had a well-toned, slender physique, was the second tallest among all the heroines, and most notably, had the most defined abs of the group.

Moreover, she was a character who often walked around the Academy with her uniform half-unbuttoned, exposing her midriff because she found it too stifling. If Ethan really had fallen for her because of those abs…

‘Should I start doing sit-ups or something…?’

Lilith’s body wasn’t lacking in health or fitness. Her abs were just hidden under a bit of soft flesh, but with a little effort, they would undoubtedly become visible.

The problem was that losing weight in one area often meant losing it elsewhere too, which might diminish Lilith’s best feature—her chest.

But if I left things as they were, Ethan’s attention might shift from me to Lyria. To prevent that, maybe I should train a little…

‘No, wait, why do I even care?’

Why was I so concerned about who Ethan liked? Whether he liked Lyria, Lara, or anyone else, what difference did it make to me?

After all, Ethan and I were only in a temporary relationship. It wasn’t as if we were a real couple, and once we graduated from the Academy, our relationship could end without a second thought. If Ethan became interested in another woman along the way, that would be the end of it.

Just as I was scolding myself for worrying over something so pointless, Agnes casually asked Ethan a question.

“When did you memorize it? That long name?”

“I didn’t memorize it; I just remembered its meaning. It’s easier if you think of it in Barbarian language.”

“Barbarian language?”

“‘Lyria’ means ‘Protector of Nature’ in Barbarian. ‘Marasendar’ means ‘Sweet and Beautiful Flower,’ ‘Galenhar Soraven’ means ‘Carrying a Fragrance,’ and ‘Barbaracus’ is her tribe name. So, the only part you really need to remember is her surname, ‘Pionis.’ In other words, her full name, Lyria Marasendar Galenhar Soraven Pionis Barbaracus, can be translated to ‘Protector of Nature, the sweet and beautiful flower carrying a fragrance from the Barbaracus tribe.’ If you remember that, the name is easy to recall. You won’t forget it now, will you, Miss Blaze?”

“...”

“...”

“...”

Ethan’s explanation left the room in stunned silence once again.

When did he learn the Barbarian language? And since when was learning a language that easy?

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought so, as Agnes suddenly flared up and shouted at Ethan.

“That’s way harder than just memorizing the name! Are you kidding me?”

“Language is a system created for communication, so it’s one of the easiest disciplines to learn. Even if the words are unfamiliar and the sentence structure is different, you can easily understand it in about a week.”

“A-A week? You learned it in just a week…?”

“…I think that’s a bit unrealistic, Young Master Ethan.”

“Even when I talk to Miss Lyria, I sometimes have to use the Blessing of Wisdom to understand her….”

“...”

Now it was three against one, with Agnes, the Hero, and Serista all ganging up on Ethan. Even he seemed to realize that his ability was a bit unusual.

‘So it’s not that he’s interested in Lyria, but that he’s just a genius.’

Right, I had forgotten that his mother was the Archmage Thanassia.

She was said to have mastered five elemental magics, could cast three of them simultaneously, and spoke six languages, including Imperial. In terms of language skills alone, she was practically a god.

Learning a language is the starting point for magic, after all. Even I had to cram spell incantations into my head until it felt like my brain would burst, and that was just to learn a few spells with skill points.

Thanassia not only mastered five types of magical languages but also five foreign languages on top of that. Her understanding was beyond human.

Even though Ethan was said to be slower compared to Thanassia and Harold, that was only in comparison to those two monsters. Objectively speaking, Ethan was a genius in his own right.

“...Lilith, am I strange?”

“You’re not strange, Young Master Ethan… It’s just that we’re mere mortals who haven’t surpassed normal limits.”

“No, you’re strange. Even if Barbarian is a simple language, learning it in a week is…”

“Miss Agnes, Young Master Ethan’s mother is the Archmage Thanassia.”

“...I see.”

Agnes quickly backed down at the mention of ‘Archmage Thanassia.’

The son of the Archmage Thanassia? Well, that explains it.

And his father was Sword Master Harold, too. A genius born to geniuses. She must have come to terms with it that way.

Even if she was a prodigy of fire magic and the future head of the Red Tower, hearing about Ethan’s lineage and natural talents would make her acknowledge it.

Ethan might have been an early-game villain in the original game, but only because he never had the opportunity to showcase his talents. Given the chance, it was inevitable that he would be recognized for his abilities.

Well, in any case…

‘At least he’s not interested in Lyria, thank goodness.’

After all, he was still the same guy who got flustered by seeing me in my underwear this morning. There’s no way he’d be interested in someone else now.

Lilith didn’t lose to Lyria or any other heroine in terms of looks or figure, even with the unfair rumors about her. She consistently ranked in the top three in popularity polls despite everything.

Not that Lyria was unattractive or unappealing, but compared to me… well.

‘Seriously, what a relief. I was worried for nothing.’

…Wait, why was I so worried about whether Ethan liked Lyria in the first place?

“Anyway, I’m counting on you three to help with Lara’s Witch’s Trial in the Witch’s Forest in the southwest. We’ll consider that as fulfilling the ‘temporary mission’ I mentioned earlier.”

“...What are you planning?”

“Planning? What do you mean?”

“I’m asking about your true intention behind tying down my Lilith with this ‘temporary mission’ and then suddenly sending her on an errand. Doesn’t this contradict your supposed aim of testing her partnership effectiveness?”

“Well, yes, but if I asked Lilith to go to the Witch’s Forest with me while you went to the Northeastern Plains, you’d refuse, wouldn’t you?”

“Obviously. It would violate the third condition I set. If you want your head separated from your shoulders, go ahead and try.”

“…Which is why I’m doing it this way. The prophecy says that what will happen in the Northeastern Plains and the Witch’s Forest in the Southwest are both crucial events that must be resolved on time. So, I’m asking you to take care of this because you’re the most reliable. Lilith and I can start working together as partners after we arrive, can’t we?”

“If you say later that it was only a half-baked partnership and it wasn’t enough…”

“I won’t. This temporary mission will be over with this. The point wasn’t to prove that Lilith is qualified as my partner, but to show what it would be like if she were—even for a day or two. As long as Lilith acts as my partner and accomplishes something, that’s enough proof. I won’t bring it up again.”

To Ethan, this must have sounded like a suspicious proposal, but knowing the truth, I could guess why the Hero was doing this.

The Hero never intended to take me as a permanent party member. He just needed my help to handle the current “two-places-at-once” event.

The method might have seemed a bit forceful, which is why it felt strange. But now that I understood the truth, the situation made a lot more sense.

“…One last question.”

“What is it?”

“If we help this ‘Lara’ pass her Witch’s Trial before you arrive and there’s nothing left to do, what will you do then?”

“Don’t worry, that won’t happen.”

“Huh?”

“…The Witch’s Trial that Lara has to undergo isn’t the kind of trial that can be completed in just one or two weeks.”

…Well, that’s definitely true.