Adawarth's frown deepened. Ancestor Quarius had only taken a single step forward, and she hadn't even seemed to release her aura, but the pressure on him was considerable. His grip tightened slightly on Vega's hand.
For the longest time, their relationship was entirely a secret, but that was mostly because Vega didn't want to outright accept his advances. She was focused on other things and didn't want to be distracted. She had always been a very serious woman, far more enamored with her own legacy and the history she would leave behind that even most men would be.
Plus, due to the usual unspoken rules of the Heir Wars, members of the Constellation families wouldn't participate regardless, so there was no need to talk about such things.
But that was when everything changed. The Morales family was suddenly being pressured from all sides and this silly girl, not wanting him to misunderstand her intentions, actually decisively abandoned her family all so that he wouldn't think that she had chosen her family over him.
Ironically, if not for the pressure of outsiders, it might have taken several more decades for their relationship to reach this level. But now, it seemed that because of these very pressures, she might be ripped from him in the next moment.
Vega weakly leaned onto Adawarth's shoulder, her breathing shallow. Breathing now felt like an incomparably difficult task, her breath coming in sharp whispers from time to time that sounded as though she was pulling air through her teeth just to minimize the hurt in her chest.
She slowly breathed in his scent, knowing very well that it would be the last time for a very long while. Not once did she consider the fact that it would be the last time indefinitely. If she was taken away today, then she would simply wait until she was powerful enough such that one in her family could command her any longer.
She may very well be old and wrinkled by that point, but she hoped that Adawarth would still accept her.
In truth, the reason that she had kept First Nova at bay for so long wasn't just due to her ambition. The women of the Quarius family had always fallen in love quite hard, and once that barrier was broken, it was difficult to bottle it up once again.
It was said that the origin of the Quarius family's Lineage Factor was quite unique. Originally, at its lowest evolution, the strength of the Quarius family was only in their ability to be containers. They could store far more water in their bodies than normal people, allowing them to had access to a large story of Water Force whenever they wanted.
It was a simple ability, one that couldn't be any more normal. It was simply known as the Cupbearer Lineage Factor. However, the meaning of this name would change greatly when they appointed their history's first Matriarch.
It was said that in the hands of this Matriarch, the meaning of cupbearer changed forever, and their Lineage Factor became a vessel of both Water Force and love.
Of course, this was nothing more than a metaphor. In reality, what happened was that they gained the strength to pour their emotions into their "cups". Akin to Leonel's King's Might, they were able to greatly strengthen their Forces by using their wills to influence their Water Force.
After that day, the strength of the Quarius family soared by leaps and bounds and eventually, they reached the status they held today.
The more emotions they experienced, the more life experience they gained, the stronger the Water Force in their cup began. Eventually, it would reach a point where it overflowed. On this day, they would become an Ancestor level character and the Water Force they could control would become the strongest in the Human Domain.
However, because their emotions were stored in their cups like this, they felt and experienced emotions harder and more forcefully than almost any other population of people.
Being afraid of the outcome of this, Vega had put up walls against Adawarth. Although it sounded like she would only become stronger the stronger her emotions became, there were many instances of Quarius family women dying due to their bodies being unable to handle the outflow of their cups. If they loved too hard too early, the only path left for them was death...
At this moment, though, knowing that she would have to separate from Adawarth for so long, Vega felt like she was truly dying on the inside. Her Water Force was already stronger than most due to her talent, if it was also matched with the emotions she had been burying and refusing to face, she might die even quicker than others.
"I'm sorry, Ada... I'm sorry..."
Adawarth, who was beading with sweat as he faced off against the stare of Ancestor Quarius, suddenly forgot about it all to comfort Vega.
"Vega, stop apologizing to me. It should be me protecting you, and I've failed. I swear that there will come a day when no one will be able to take you from me, I promise, I promise..."
Vega suddenly smiled weakly, her eyes still closed. "Stupid Ada, I didn't mean that. I mean that I'm sorry I never gave you my body, I'm sorry that we never shared a bed, that I've never tasted your seed. I feel so regretful right now... so regretful that I wasn't able to experience such a thing with my love while I'll still young..."
Adawarth froze, his face suddenly turning beet red.
Sensing the rise in his body heat, Vega's giggle turned more charming. Others might think of Adawarth like this dauntless leader, but she knew the true him. This First Nova that everyone respected so much was truly too easily embarrassed.
The frown of the Ancestor deepened. The Human Domain was still a place that was quite harsh on the requirements for a woman's chastity. Vega saying these things before so many people was akin to outright ruining her opportunity to marry anyone else at the level of Adawarth in the future except for Adawarth himself. But how could the Quarius family ever allow that?
She realized that she had been too soft hearted. She needed to take Vega away now before she said anything more.
Ancestor Quarius reached forward, sending a powerful surge of Water Force. Sensing this chain, all the heat in Adawarth's body turned frigid.
Gritting his teeth, Adawarth's aura pushed against the pressure as he retrieved his spear, his golden armor manifesting once more.
Ancestor Quarius shook her head. She along with everyone else knew that it was a useless resistance.
However, just before her Water Force reached Adawarth, another powerful pressure descended, shattering her Water Force and causing her expression to change.
"There's no reason to separate such a young and budding couple, right?"
This sweet and soothing voice was entirely unfamiliar to many. The heads of many Ancestors looked up, unable to find the location of this voice until they suddenly flickered into being under a swirl of green Force.
A woman with beauty that seemed to light up the starry skies appeared, her golden hair flowing and her piercing emerald eyes stirring their souls.
But it was the man with the fawning expression behind her that left them entirely without words.
Velasco and Alienor Morales had appeared.
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