Chapter 341: Back to the Exhausting Routine

The conversation between Ethan and Gordon finally came to an end.

Five empty beer cans were scattered across the table, rolling slightly whenever someone passed by.

Ethan had no choice but to sling Gordon over his shoulder as he carried him out of the bar.

For Gordon, just two cans of beer were enough to leave him completely wasted. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Do you need some help?" someone asked from behind them.

Ethan shook his head and thanked the person, assuring them that he could handle Gordon on his own.

The two of them returned to the LionArk headquarters later that night.

The place was alive with light, glowing brightly under strings of decorations and party lamps that shimmered like stars fallen to the ground.

When Ethan reached the front gate, several people noticed their arrival. Smiles spread across their faces as they raised their glasses in greeting.

"A toast for Sir Ethan!"

"Cheers!"

Ethan smiled back and acknowledged them before continuing inside, still supporting Gordon’s limp body.

As he passed through the crowd, his eyes caught sight of Rick.

"Rick!"

Hearing his name, Rick turned his head, scanning the area until he spotted Ethan standing there with an unconscious Gordon slung over his shoulder.

"Ethan? Gordon?" Rick hurried over. "What happened to him?"

Ethan explained that Gordon was just drunk and would be fine after some time.

"He cannot even handle alcohol, yet he still insisted on drinking with you? He has lost his mind," Rick complained.

Ethan chuckled softly. He noticed several female LionArk members sitting at the same table as Rick, and he could not help but pick up on the situation immediately.

"I am leaving Gordon with you," Ethan said casually as he transferred Gordon’s weight onto Rick.

"What? Wait! I am busy!" Rick protested.

Ethan had already turned away, leaving Rick to deal with the drunken mess on his own.

Ethan made his way up to the third floor, stopping by the corridor window as he caught his breath.

From there, he could see the entire celebration clearly. Laughter, music, and movement filled the courtyard below.

"It is rare to see a party like this, right?"

Ethan glanced to the side. Ashley had stepped out of her office and now stood beside him, both of them looking down at the same scene.

"Yeah," Ethan replied. "They need this. Consider it a reward for themselves."

"You are right," Ashley agreed.

Silence settled between them for a moment. Two months apart had made things awkward, leaving neither of them quite sure how to start a conversation.

"Ashley," Ethan called.

"Yes?"

Ashley turned to face him. Her pupils widened slightly as her heart began to race.

She clenched her fingers together, trying to calm the anxiety and fear swirling inside her.

"About what I said earlier," Ethan continued. "I am not going to raid the tower anytime soon."

Ashley’s eyes widened further before she broke into a wide smile and looked away again.

"I am glad you decided that," she said lightly. "That means the files on your desk need to be taken care of immediately."

"What files?"

Ethan instinctively turned around and opened the door to his office. His gaze landed on stacks upon stacks of documents piled high on his desk.

His body instantly went slack. His eyes widened, and his face paled.

"This... again?"

Ashley watched his reaction and smiled. She stepped closer, crouching beside him.

"Do not worry," she said gently. "I will help you later."

"Of course you will," Ethan replied. "You and Sherly."

"I will ask her to come tomorrow," Ashley said.

Ashley reached out and took Ethan’s hand. Their eyes met, and her heartbeat grew louder in her ears as she looked at him with unwavering focus.

"Welcome home, Ethan."

Ethan smiled softly. He cupped Ashley’s cheek and kissed her under the glow of the party lights in the courtyard below.

They kissed deeply, both closing their eyes as they let themselves sink into the moment, tongues meeting with quiet intensity.

Ethan finally pulled back, smiling at Ashley with affection.

"I am home, sweetheart."

***

The next day.

Ethan was utterly miserable.

Hours passed as more and more documents piled onto his desk. He had initially thought everything would be done before noon, but it quickly became clear that he would not finish before sunset.

Sherly was in his office, helping him sort through the work, but even that was not enough.

"Lyodra!"

[Mode: Aggressive Soul Servant]

[1. Lyodra Vulkanis || Level 10 || S Rank || Passive: Aggressive || MP: 2500]

A chibi version of Lyodra flew forward, her body glowing red as she transformed from her miniature form into that of an adult woman. The sudden burst of crimson light startled Sherly.

In an instant, Lyodra appeared in her adult form, wearing a dress of fire and holding a lava sword.

"Put your sword away," Ethan said calmly. "Help me sort these documents."

Lyodra stared at him in confusion, saying nothing. Ethan showed her how to organize the files, separating one type of document from another.

It was simple enough. Lyodra completed the task almost immediately. With her help, their work progressed much faster.

"You are not calling your other servants?" Sherly asked.

"Sera and Luna are still on cooldown. I cannot activate them."

"With Lyodra here, this is more than enough," Ethan replied.

They continued working until Ethan paused as a woman entered his office. She was from the reception desk, carrying new information.

"Sir Ethan," she greeted.

"What is it?" Ethan asked.

"A group of guild members has arrived. They call themselves Sacred Hall."

"Sacred Hall?" Ethan exclaimed.

Sherly turned to look at Ethan’s hardened expression. His eyes narrowed as he allowed the guild leader and vice leader to meet with him.

The receptionist nodded and left. Not long after, two people entered the office. One of them was Yuna.

"Hello, Sir Ethan," the man said, introducing himself as Atlan.

"Hello. It is a pleasure to welcome you here," Ethan replied.

"We thank you for allowing us to settle in the Eastern Plains," Atlan said.

"Yes. That was part of our agreement. I would not dare break it."

"Atlan," the man continued, "you already know her, right?"

Yuna smiled and extended her hand. "Hello, Sir Ethan."

"Hello, Yuna. I am glad to see you are safe."

"Thank you."

Ethan invited them to speak in a more appropriate place, the Guild Hall. They gladly followed him.

"How are things in the Central Plains?" Ethan asked. "Have you heard anything?"

"Yes," Atlan replied. "Chaos."

"Chaos?"

Atlan explained everything. Eight days before the event ended, after the Redemption Sword returned, they began hunting.

According to Atlan, Redemption Sword’s goal was to eliminate Scavenger and its members, capturing assassins, interrogating them, and destroying guilds affiliated with Scavenger.

"Within a week, many guilds were destroyed after their leaders were captured," Atlan said. "The Redemption Sword has become the absolute power in the Central Plains."

Ethan froze, his hand gripping the Guild Hall door.

I made a mistake.

"A mistake?" Atlan asked as Yuna narrowed her eyes.

"I should have killed him," Ethan said quietly. "And Scavenger too. Now the Redemption Sword may become a greater threat than Scavenger ever was."

"Why do you think so?" Atlan asked. "Arthur and the Redemption Sword lost many members."

"Arthur craves power," Ethan replied. "He is a veteran of this game. He knows exactly how to reclaim his influence."

Ethan turned sharply toward them.

"Maintaining power is far harder than taking it."

"So you believe he let LionArk rise on purpose," Yuna said, "so he could later spread chaos and propaganda to reclaim authority?"

Ethan inhaled sharply. He had not expected such insight from her, yet she was absolutely right.

If Ethan and the Eastern Alliance were careless, even a small weakness could be exploited, threatening regional stability.

"That is correct."

"But you do not need to worry," Ethan added. "As long as I am here, I will stop Redemption Sword."

Atlan and Yuna nodded, trusting his words completely. Ethan led them into the Guild Hall, where they discussed many matters.

Atlan explained that Sacred Hall had adapted well to the Eastern Plains. Trade agreements had been established, and the economy was thriving.

Everything had gone smoothly since Sacred Hall relocated, though the cost had been significant.

"About the budget," Atlan began.

"You only need to pay half of the relocation cost," Ethan interrupted. "Consider it repayment for Yuna’s help in securing LionArk’s victory."

Yuna blushed and smiled. Atlan was visibly shocked. Seven million gold was no small amount.

"Besides," Ethan added, "LionArk received ten million gold as a reward. I do not need the money urgently."

"You can pay in installments."

Atlan turned to Yuna. Both of them thanked Ethan for his generosity and even expressed willingness to join the Eastern Alliance.

Still, there were conditions.

"You may join," Ethan said, "but you will start as a non-permanent members."

"Once the situation stabilizes, I will raise your guild’s status."

"Is that clear?" Ethan asked.

"Of course, Sir Ethan."

And with that, the balance of power in the region quietly shifted once again, unseen by most, but deeply felt by those who understood what was coming next.