chapter 31: preparation

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**Two Years Later**

Aphrodite, Anna, and Ulric Aurendale looked at the city with astonished eyes. It had only been two years since Ethan had been given control of this region, but already the difference was noticeable, reaching a point where even those who had never visited the city before could see it. In the last two years, Aurendale Port had become one of the new trade hubs of the Asina Kingdom. Moreover, in the past year, the city had experienced a significant influx of migration, pushing its population to 50,000. Additionally, the ships designed by Ethan himself had gained widespread renown across the continent. Steam-powered vessels had revolutionized the field of science. Furthermore, mana stones had become a fuel source with a longer lifespan and greater power than coal. Amidst all these developments, Ethan had already advanced to the 6th level in magic and had gained fame as a swordsman.

Naturally, all these advancements had drawn envious glances towards Ethan and the Asina Kingdom. In fact, the Tamerid Empire had begun preparations for war against the Asina Kingdom, but due to uprisings within certain religious sects on the continent, they had backed down from the conflict. However, the rebellion within the Tamerid Empire had been orchestrated by a clever girl manipulating the masses. Of course, nobody was aware of this. While the Tamerid Empire was still preoccupied with quelling the uprisings, a growing threat loomed in the south. Alpshar had consolidated his position and ruthlessly eliminated any clans opposing him. Subsequently, Richard, seizing the opportunity presented by the turmoil within the Tamerid Empire, sought to claim the Avarya Kingdom.

It seemed that rulers in the Penumbralia continent would act according to their own interests, leading to chaos on the continent. Ethan, aware of all these developments, had been paying even more attention to his own development in recent times. He was putting in more effort to strengthen himself and protect the city. He worked towards improving both his mastery of magic and the city's defenses. Additionally, he closely monitored the political developments around him and devised strategies for the security of Aurendale. He made plans to be prepared for a possible attack against the Asina Kingdom, taking advantage of the internal strife within the Tamerid Empire.

Furthermore, Ethan emphasized strengthening diplomatic relations for the security of the Asina Kingdom. He aimed to collaborate with neighboring kingdoms to unite their strengths and enhance their resilience against potential threats. Alongside this, he undertook projects to strengthen the economic and social structure of the city and implemented measures to increase the welfare of the people.

However, along with the growing power and prosperity, he was aware of the increasing number of enemies. Therefore, he placed great importance on the city's intelligence network and security measures, constantly working to identify signs of threats in advance and protect the city.

Ethan felt a great responsibility both personally and for his kingdom. He worked tirelessly to be prepared for future uncertainties and ensure the security of Aurendale. Currently, there were enough stored food and water in Aurendale to sustain 50,000 people for a year.

Taking a break from his training, Ethan went to greet his friends who had come from the academy. When he saw the two women in front of him, he couldn't help but be amazed by their beauty. Ethan was aware that his body in this world was producing hormones more than necessary for adolescence, but most likely, he would still be impressed by Anna and Aphrodite if he had seen them in his previous life. Additionally, Ulric had grown significantly taller and his body had developed greatly. Ethan warmly embraced each of them one by one. While hugging Aphrodite, he couldn't help but notice the grown mountains on her body.

"Where's Nemora?" Ethan asked when he didn't see Nemora among them. Anna replied, "She'll be spending today with her tribe. She'll probably join us tomorrow." Ethan nodded and invited them to his mansion. The group talked for a while about what they had been doing during their time apart. Ethan noticed that they had just arrived from a long journey and were tired, so after having dinner with them, he showed them to their rooms and they dispersed.

The next day, Ethan discussed plans over breakfast with his friends from the Academy. Ethan now had some trust in Eleanor, so he didn't hesitate to speak freely in her presence. After all, their marriage was set, and her betraying him wouldn't do her any good.

"I want to resolve the issue with my family now, and Ethan, I can't do it without your help," Anna said, looking at Ethan. Anna's family problem needed to be resolved. The solution Anna wanted involved killing her brother and, if necessary, forcibly taking control of the family. This way, she would get rid of her brother and could help Ethan ascend to the throne. Killing Jeheria, Anna's brother, needed to be done to look like an accident, without raising suspicion. But Jeheria was a talented and cunning man, especially after serving in the military for a long time, trapping him wouldn't be easy. However, Ethan was insistent on helping Anna.

Understanding Anna's wish, Ethan was determined to help her. However, considering Jeheria's military background and cunning nature, it was necessary to carefully think through the plan and be prepared. Ethan asked Anna to describe her brother's habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Together, they decided to develop a strategy to target Jeheria's vulnerabilities.

Ethan also considered diplomatic ways to resolve Anna's family issues. Perhaps it might be possible to negotiate peacefully with Jeheria. However, this option should be considered as a last resort, as Jeheria's past attitudes hadn't been very promising for a peaceful resolution.

Taking into account Anna's requests and concerns, Ethan committed to supporting her and working together to solve their problems. They continued to refine their plans and strategize further. When they finished planning, Ethan led them to his personal library.

There, they saw a redhead girl deeply engrossed in a book. Aleria was becoming more beautiful each day, her hair approaching a deeper shade of red. As Ethan approached Aleria, she noticed them and put down her book. Ethan said, "Aleria, these are the closest people to me. I want you to meet them. This girl you see as beautiful as a fairy with pink hair is named Aphrodite." and pointed to Aphrodite. Aleria nodded, indicating she had recently mastered lip reading, or at least that's what Ethan believed.

Aphrodite blushed at Ethan's words, especially noticing that he didn't refer to them as friends. They nodded at each other. Ethan continued, "And this beautiful girl with emerald eyes is Anna. Pay attention to her because her mind works like poison." Despite Anna's resistance, she couldn't help but blush slightly at the compliment.

Ethan concluded, "And finally, this cute-faced rough guy's name is Ulric. Also known as the Blade Genius. Yeah, the genius of my backside." He said his last words jokingly, and Ulric bantered with him for a while. Then the other two girls joined in. Aleria couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at seeing these three laughing and joking with Ethan. She had grown closer to Ethan over the past two years, but Ethan often had an expressionless face. This smiling and joking Ethan was unfamiliar to her.

After introducing his friends to Aleria, Ethan hosted them in the library. After chatting for a while, they sat down together to further refine their plans and determine the next steps. Eventually, they settled on a strategy to use against Jeheria and began preparing their plans to take action. However, they also had to consider the risks and potential consequences of implementing this plan. Later, the group disbanded and began preparing for their respective tasks.