My Ultimate OP System: Summoning All Dragons, Gods, Heroes & Villains-Chapter 73: Too Late

Within the Stark manor...

"Just a few more minutes, Elizabeth..." Ethan said, raising his finger toward Bettie, who sat at the far end of the living room waiting patiently.

She nodded in agreement, even though Ethan wasn’t paying enough attention to catch it. It had been thirty minutes since she arrived, but it was still early evening.

Ethan turned back to Eduardo, who stood beside him. Several photographs of buildings were spread across the table.

"I want this one," Ethan said, pointing at the picture of a moderately sized building. "Speak to the owners. We’ll buy it at fair price."

There were a few other options in front of him, but it seemed he had made his peace with this particular choice.

Eduardo nodded. "Of course, Master Ethan."

But then he added, "However, there is one more thing you should be aware of. The law does not allow a company owner, or anyone in senior positions within a company, to become a guild master."

Ethan nodded. "That is one of the very stupid laws of this country."

He paused, then asked, "Why did they even make such a thing in the first place? Or let me guess... this was because of my father too?"

Eduardo nodded. "Yes, Master Ethan. Parliament claimed that being both a company owner and a guild master placed too much power in the hands of one man. They claimed it could one day be a threat to the authority of the King."

Ethan shook his head in disappointment. "That’s absolutely stupid. But why am I only just hearing about this guild now?"

"It didn’t last very long," Eduardo replied. "Only about a year before it was disbanded under the new law. After that, your father employed the former members to serve the Stark family in different capacities. Over time, however, most of them left."

He paused briefly before adding, "There were twelve of us originally. In the end, only Victor, Francesca, and I remained. Well... just Francesca and me now."

Ethan’s expression shifted to one of surprise. "You, and Francesca, I understand. But Victor?"

Eduardo nodded, with his face looking grim now as he answered, "Yes, Master Ethan."

"Hm..." Ethan muttered, as though suddenly remembering something. "What was the guild’s name?"

Eduardo’s face immediately fell. "Master Ethan..." he said, looking very much reluctant.

Ethan looked puzzled. "Yes, Eduardo?"

Eduardo looked as though the words themselves pained him. After a brief pause, he said slowly, "The Midnight Vanguard of Valiant Warriors."

Ethan was stunned for a moment and just stared at him. Then a snort escaped him. "Pff—"

He tried to hold it in, but it was hopeless. His laughter burst out uncontrollably.

Even Bettie, sitting across the room, couldn’t help covering her mouth with her fingers as she let out a chuckle.

Eduardo only looked more miserable.

Between laughs, Ethan managed to say, "That... that is the cringiest shit I’ve ever heard in my life."

Eduardo sighed, still looking thoroughly downcast. "Your father had a rather unfortunate sense for naming things, Master Ethan."

"No need to tell me," Ethan said, chuckling a bit more before finally letting it go.

"Anyways," Ethan continued, "we’ll figure out the guild master part later. Just get that building, Eduardo. It’ll save us the cost of buying materials from the guilds in this city if we have our own guild going into breach zones and collecting them for us."

Eduardo nodded.

They continued their conversation for a few more minutes, now focusing back on other company matters.

The whole thing seemed to be taking so long, and eventually, exhaustion finally hit Bettie. Her eyes began to droop even she tried to stay awake, but her head slowly tilted to the side, resting on the arm of the couch.

Before long, she had fallen asleep, with Ethan and Eduardo’s voices resounding faintly in the background.

——

A few hours later...

The day had gone dark. Right now, Ethan sat alone at the dining table, finishing the construction plan for the aircraft.

He had decided not to disturb the sleeping Bettie, who had even been covered with a blanket at some point by Eduardo.

And with the drawing he had gotten himself engaged in, he lost track of time. He also forgot that Bettie had been sleeping for the last three hours on his couch.

Eduardo entered from outside and said to Ethan, "Master Ethan, our guests are at the gates, sir."

This was the princess and her aunt.

Ethan quickly looked up from his drawing for the first time in hours.

He glanced toward Elizabeth to see she was still there, then asked Eduardo "what time is it?"

Eduardo pulled out his pocket watch and checked. "The hour of nine, Master Ethan."

"Oh, shit," Ethan exclaimed.

That was pretty late. He looked toward Bettie again and thought to himself that it would be too late to send her home now.

One time, he had asked Bettie why she never went home to change before coming to his house for their magic lessons.

She said it was because it took almost two hours to get to her place, which was at the city’s outskirts. So she preferred to just come straight from class.

Ethan also needed Eduardo right now, so he could not ask him to drive her home.

Instead, he said, "Get Valerie to come take Bettie up to one of the guest rooms."

Eduardo nodded and headed back outside to fetch Valerie.

Ethan turned back to his diagram, and had that satisfied look in his eyes. He slid the papers into a large enclosed file and stood as Valerie entered the living room from outside. She walked quietly toward the sleeping Elizabeth, gently placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her awake. "Miss Elizabeth, please come with me upstairs to the guest room."

At this time, Ethan was already walking toward them.

Bettie blinked groggily. "Huh?"

She tried to readjust herself and sat up, then instinctively checked the time on the wall clock.

Her eyes went wide and she nearly jumped off the couch.

"Oh no, no, no," she muttered frantically, standing abruptly and smoothing down her uniform. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. "I’m so sorry, Stark. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I should go. I need to—"

"Slow down," Ethan said calmly, raising a hand.

She stopped mid-sentence, looking flustered.

Ethan continued, "Unfortunately, it’s too late now, and I can’t let you go by yourself. So I’m asking you to kindly stay in one of the guest rooms of your choice. First thing tomorrow, Eduardo will take you home."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

She wanted to refuse. "I’ll manage, Stark. Really. My father will be worried, and I have siblings who will be too."

Ethan shook his head. "I’m sorry that’s the case, but you’re just going to have to call home and let them know your situation."

He paused, then added, "But if you still insist on leaving tonight, then you’ll have to wait for my meeting with my approaching visitors to come to an end. After that, Eduardo will take you home."

Bettie hadn’t given a reply when suddenly, the front door opened.

The princess walked in first, with her aunt directly behind her.

Ethan turned toward them. Normally, Isabella would have rushed in for an embrace, but her aunt was literally right behind her. So, she had to play it cool.

Still, there were subtle smiles on both their faces as their eyes met.

"Hey," Isabella said.

"Hey," Ethan said back.

Then he turned toward her aunt. "Greetings to you, ma’am."

Ophelia nodded in acknowledgment. "Greetings."

Valerie, standing off to the side, spoke in low tones toward the still-worried Bettie. "Please, come with me."

Given the situation and the fact that Ethan now had visitors, Bettie had no other choice than to go with Valerie.