"Artur, what's actually going on?" Cila asked, squinting her eyes.
"Mother, I—"
"Artur has already informed me of the obstacles in our relationship, but I assure you, Mother, that Artur and I love each other without any coercion or deception!" Rini confidently interjected once again, cutting off Artur's explanation.
Artur, whose words had been repeatedly interrupted by the two women, could only surrender and let these two lionesses converse as they pleased. He could only close his mouth and hope for the best.
"What do you mean?" Cila asked.
"Mother, although it seems highly unlikely that my family would accept Artur at the moment, I am confident that I can change the situation. I will compete for the position of heir and become the legitimate heir of the Djarum family. Unlike the Wuhan clan, the Djarum family does not adhere to a patriarchal system, so even a woman can become the heir," Rini replied.
Cila could only gape at the solution Rini proposed. She didn't know where to begin to refute it, but the innocent face of the beautiful red-haired girl made her swallow her words.
"Lady Rini, do you think that becoming the head of your family will solve all the problems just like that?" Cila asked, echoing the same question Artur had asked her on the Mana Train.
Just like on the train, Rini nodded innocently, believing it wholeheartedly.
"Lady Rini, do you know the phrase 'with great power comes great responsibility'?" Cila asked, once again echoing Artur's previous question.
And once again, Rini responded with the same answer, "What kind of fool says something like that? The truth is, with great power comes—ah, whatever, all I know is that I can do anything once I become the heir of my family!"
Artur felt a strong sense of déjà vu. It was evident from Cila's stunned expression that she couldn't say anything. He was certain that Cila was now pondering the same thoughts he had earlier.
Cila shook her head, walked over to an empty couch, and sat down. She quickly regained her composure and asked Artur and Rini to join her in sitting.
Once the three of them were seated calmly, Cila began to speak, "Lady Rini, being the head of a noble family entails many more responsibilities. A reckless head of a family could tarnish the noble family's reputation among other nobles. Moreover, the head of a noble family is tasked with ensuring the family's continuity for future generations, so it doesn't end with their own generation. They are not just a family leader but also a symbol of the noble family, an example to be followed by their family members, and they bear the weight of the family's future."
At this moment, he was convinced that Cila was truly his mother. Cila's explanation mirrored what Artur had been thinking at that time.
However, it seemed that Rini's stubborn mind couldn't be swayed by logic. "Why does it have to be like that? The head of the family should be the strongest mage in the family. With my power, shouldn't I be able to do anything?"
Cila fell silent again, trying to find the right words to make Rini understand. Several seconds passed before Cila began speaking once more, "Lady Rini, regardless, Artur is a man. He has his dignity as a man. If you marry Artur based on your own will, your family may tolerate it for a while, but behind that, Artur will face ridicule from other mages. They will say that Artur is merely using his wife to climb the social ladder and become a noble. This will make Artur's life as a mage difficult. He won't earn the respect of other mages."
Rini was taken aback by Cila's explanation, and she looked toward Artur, who was also startled. Artur had never considered this perspective before.
He never expected that the social dynamics among noble families could have an impact on his life as a mage. As Artur thought about it again, he could understand that there might indeed be some tension between mages from noble families and those from non-noble families.
For example, Teacher Yu-chin and Teacher Clara; although they seemed to have a good relationship with the teachers from noble families, in reality, they kept their distance. This was because as mages, they had their own dignity and pride, which made them look down upon mages who relied on their noble family backgrounds. The same sentiment was reciprocated by mages from noble families, who considered non-noble mages as unsophisticated commoners.
From this, Artur realized that Cila had a deeper understanding of the lives of nobles and mages than he did. Unable to remain silent any longer, he asked, "Mother, how do you know all this?"
Cila paused for a moment before answering, "Artur, I will tell you something that your sister Anna already knows. I didn't come from a commoner family as you know, but in fact, I came from a mage family. However, for certain reasons, I left my home and decided to marry your father."
Artur and Rini were wide-eyed. It was the first time they heard of someone choosing to become a commoner. It was common for a commoner to aspire to become a mage, merchant, or noble, but for someone from a respected mage family to choose to live as a commoner and marry a commoner was highly unusual.
Cila smiled sadly at the astonishment on her son's and Rini's faces. She didn't expect anyone to understand her choice, but she hoped that someone would realize that she was living a happy life now.
Although her current mansion was much smaller than the one she lived in before, it still felt like home to her. It provided warmth and comfort that she couldn't find in a grand mansion filled with loneliness and coldness.
"Rini, after hearing my explanation earlier, what are you thinking now? Do you still want to marry Artur?" Cila returned to the previous topic of conversation. She didn't want to dwell too much on her original family.
Rini didn't answer and remained silent. She wasn't foolish; she knew that if she insisted, both she and Artur would have a miserable future. She didn't want to force someone she loved to live like that.
Tears welled up in Rini's eyes, her face lowered, and her lips pouted. She looked so sorrowful that anyone who saw her felt pity in their hearts.
Artur's face frowned. He already understood this from the beginning, but sometimes, dreams, even if they were lies, were more beautiful than reality.
Cila looked at her son's saddened face, and she could only smile sadly. "Artur, do you love Rini and want to marry her?"
With his head still lowered, Artur answered in a bitter voice, "It's not about me, is it? Whatever I choose, I won't be able to make it happen."
Cila paused for a moment, reminiscing something, and then she gathered her courage. "Maybe if you express your true feelings, you'll be able to make it happen."
Artur lifted his head and looked at his mother with confusion. "What do you mean, Mother?"
Cila gently stroked her son's head. Their faces resembled each other greatly, without a trace of Gilbert in Artur, just like his sister, who was a perfect copy of Cila.
"Artur, express your true feelings and desires. Until now, I've only seen Lady Rini expressing her desire for a relationship between you two. But you have remained silent. Are you really hiding behind her? Be brave, tell me what you truly want!" Cila cheerfully squeezed Artur's cheeks, urging the buried courage within her son to emerge.
Artur was taken aback. For the first time, he saw his mother speaking with such intensity. Clenching his teeth, Artur revealed what had been hidden in his heart.
"I love Rini! I have loved her since the first time I saw her! I want her to be mine! I want to live with her! Mother, what should I do? I love someone I shouldn't have!" Tears streamed down Artur's face for the first time.
His forceful words stunned Rini. She covered her mouth with her hand, and her eyes widened. She had never heard Artur express his true feelings, although she knew he loved her too.
Cila wiped away her son's tears and with a smile on her face, she said, "It's wonderful! If that's your true desire, then I will help you."
Artur sat back calmly, shaking his head. "It's pointless, Mother. I don't know the true origin of your family, but even if it's a mage family, the Djarum family won't accept me," Artur said.
Cila remained calm and smiled. "I never said my family was just a mage family. Well, almost everyone is a mage, though. But the Djarum family will definitely accept your proposal."
Artur was surprised, unable to contain his question, "Really? What's your family's name?"
"Hehehe... you must already know, besides, you've met your aunt," Cila replied.
"My aunt?" Artur didn't understand and tried to remember, but he couldn't recall anyone he could call his aunt.
"Yes, your aunt. She's in the same generation as you at the military academy. You must know her name, and she often boasts about how she always protects you there."
"Huh?" Artur grew even more confused.
"Your aunt's name is Zilya Valya."
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