When the Langford patriarch finished reading out the results…


    Ethan, still standing casually in the crowd, shrugged. "Tch. Still short. Would''ve been hilarious if I got 1888."


    Evelyn blinked. "Why 1888?"


    Ethan shrugged. "Because that''s how many kids will be calling me Daddy."


    "…What." Ryan and Leeroy froze.


    Ethan grinned. "Okay, okay, bad joke. Don''t look at me like that."


    This was… new. In all the time they''d known him, they''d never heard Ethan crack a joke before.


    Clearly, he was in a good mood today.


    Well, no surprise. After all, he was about to see Lyla again.


    Up on stage, the Langford patriarch continued, voice carrying over the crowd.


    …


    "Today''s Academic Duel is officially concluded. Tomorrow morning at eight, the Combat Trials will begin."


    "To those of you ranked in the top fifty—meet back here at six this evening." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.