Artur would not take Cila's Home just to build his own Home. With an apologetic look, Artur glanced at Rini. However, Rini only smiled and nodded.
Whether or not Artur was accepted back into the House of Valya was not a concern for her. She had promised to stand by Artur's side as his partner, even if her family rejected their marriage. She and Artur were mages, and as mages, they had the right to choose their own destiny.
Sergei remained silent for several seconds, causing the atmosphere to grow quiet once again. This time, Zalya did not bring up any topics of conversation, knowing that her father was pondering something.
Just as Artur felt that the conversation had come to an end and was about to ask for permission to return to his room, Sergei's voice resurfaced, "So you want my help but reject my plea for assistance, is that how it is, Artur?"
For the first time, Sergei looked directly into Artur's eyes and spoke his name. Artur felt that Sergei was no longer addressing him as Cila's son but as his true self.
Artur was not afraid and returned Sergei's gaze. He knew it was impolite to do so to someone older, but Artur wanted to show his sincerity. "That's correct," he said firmly.
Sergei's previously expressionless face furrowed for the first time, causing Artur's heart to race rapidly. It felt as though he was sitting in front of a giant who could kill him with a single finger. Sergei didn't unleash his power, but his immense strength alone could render the weak helpless.
However, Artur suppressed his flight instinct and held his ground, maintaining eye contact with Sergei. Just as he started feeling dizzy and nauseous from the extreme stress on his mind, Sergei suddenly burst into laughter. All the pressure and fear that Artur felt suddenly transformed, much like a rainbow appearing after a storm.
"HAHAHAHAHA... You truly are my grandson! Excellent! I like your attitude! If you had sacrificed Cila for your own sake, I might have looked down on you! HAHAHAHA."
Artur and Rini were startled to see Sergei, whom they had always considered cold as ice, laughing so brightly. Memories of their experience when Zilya laughed "fufufu" resurfaced in their minds, causing them to reassess their perception of the people in the House of Valya.
However, Sergei abruptly stopped laughing, and his face returned to its expressionless state. This change in expression was like a switch that could drastically alter his mood.
"Is my daughter living a happy life?" he said with a slightly melancholic tone that Artur wouldn't have detected if he hadn't witnessed Sergei's earlier laughter.
Without hesitation, Artur answered, "My mother is living a very happy life. She resides in a luxurious mansion. Perhaps not as grand as the mansions in the House of Valya, but it is sufficient to shield her from the heat in summer and the cold in winter. She has a loving son and a husband. Both men are willing to do anything for her, even if it means sacrificing their lives."
Once again, for the first time, Sergei smiled sadly, "It seems she truly doesn't need me..."
"..."
Artur remained silent because that was indeed the truth.
"Do you think I am a cruel father?" Sergei said with a barely audible voice.
"Father, what happened to Sister Cila was not your fault! We never knew that the Wuhan Clan would betray us!" Zilya quickly interjected, sounding angry and disapproving of Sergei's words. As his daughter, she knew firsthand how great a father Sergei was.
Artur and Rini were unaware of the connection between all this and the Wuhan Clan, but as guests, they shouldn't pry too much. If the host wanted to discuss it with them, they would know what happened. If not, then it wasn't their concern. This was a basic norm that even someone who couldn't count 1 + 1 = 2 would understand.
Sergei shook his head, "As the heir of the House of Valya, I should have anticipated their betrayal. I had my suspicions, but unfortunately, I was too soft, and it caused Cila to suffer... Let's just end this foolish topic! Zilya, I wasn't asking you, I was asking Artur."
Understanding Sergei's intention, Zilya stepped back and closed her mouth. The question was directed back at Artur. He was confused about what to answer; he didn't want to hurt Sergei's feelings with honesty, but he also didn't want to lie because it would be quickly discovered.
Finally, Artur chose to speak honestly, "I don't know what truly happened, so I can only speak from my perspective. In my opinion, you were a bad father. When Anna disappeared from home, Gilbert went into the Bog forest alone. He's just an ordinary human, not a mage. Yet, he continued searching and searching until he had to return with a body full of wounds. The only reason he didn't keep searching for Anna until he died or found her was because he was thinking about my and Cila's well-being."
Artur wiped the sweaty palm of his hand on his shirt. "At that time, you were the heir of the House of Valya, the heir of the former mana ruling family that once dominated the world. Even now, no one dares to boast in front of the House of Valya. This family name is respected and feared by everyone in the human alliance. Yet, you couldn't even keep your own daughter from running away."
Sergei simply nodded and said, "You're right, I was indeed a bad father."
"Father!" Zilya objected again.
Sergei shook his head, "He's right, Zilya. I was a bad father to Cila. If I were a good father, I would have brought her back home no matter what. But I let her wander in a foreign city all alone."
"But at that time, you couldn't do anything. The whole world was looking at the House of Valya, and you were under immense pressure. If you didn't let go of Sister Cila, the ex-mana ruling families and other prominent noble families would have attacked us." Zilya still couldn't accept it.
"What is the value of that pressure compared to my daughter's happiness? I may be a Valya, but I have a cowardly mentality, afraid of their threats."
"But..."
"It's okay. My daughter is living happily now," Sergei said, putting an end to their debate. Then, he turned to Artur and said, "Artur, I didn't actually want to bring Cila back to this family. I know it would only reopen her wounds. But I am the head of the House of Valya, and I have a responsibility to bring back our greatest asset."
"Greatest asset?" Artur asked.
"Yes, Cila is the greatest asset to a mage and noble family. Cila is a woman with a Mana Womb."
"WHAT?!!!" Artur and Rini shouted simultaneously.
Both of them recognized the term "Mana Womb" because it was one of the subjects taught in the "Lineage and Mana" curriculum at the military academy.
Everyone knew what Mana Childs was. They were individuals blessed with mana, making them mages from birth. It meant they had such an attractive mana flow that they would naturally transform into constellations without even using mana potions.
However, there was another term that was even more astonishing: Mana Womb. As the name suggested, Mana Womb referred to a woman's womb that could cultivate the Mana Child.
Those who possessed a Mana Womb were guaranteed to give birth to at least one Mana Child throughout their lives. And if the mana density within the womb was higher, they could potentially give birth to 5 to 7 Mana Childs.
This made noble families and mages who possessed a Mana Womb guard it more carefully than they did their Mana Childs. Mana Childs was just Mana Childs; they couldn't grow or reproduce, but a Mana Womb had the potential to birth Mana Childs.
If Cila was a woman with a Mana Womb, it would explain why Artur had a Heaven-grade mana flow. Interestingly, despite being Cila's biological child, he wasn't a Mana Child and didn't possess a Supreme-grade mana flow.
"Initially, I thought you were a Mana Child too, but it turns out you truly only have a Heaven-grade mana flow," Zilya interjected as if she could read Artur's thoughts.
Artur felt the urge to curse his aunt for saying something that added to his heartache. However, he refocused on their discussion.
"So, the House of Valya wants their Mana Womb back, which is why you forced Cila to divorce Gilbert and return. Because the chances of giving birth to a Mana Child are higher when the groom is a mage. Am I right? Then why didn't you do this from the beginning? Isn't a Mana Womb highly valuable to you?"
Sergei shook his head and said, "It's better if I tell you this story from the beginning. At that time, I married Ling Wuhan—"
"WUHAN!!!" Artur and Rini again shouted in unison.
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