"Brother Arthur, now for my second request!" she exclaimed, interrupting him with an air of eagerness.
The corner of Arthur's mouth twitched as he let out a helpless sigh.
"Alright, what's the matter?" he asked in a casual tone.
Unsure of the current situation and why things were not as they used to be, he was genuinely curious about Anna's state of mind.
Anna's face displayed hesitancy once more, her palms rubbing together nervously.
"It's... um... I..." Her voice quivered, breaking in its delivery.
"Hm? What is it?" Arthur inquired once again, his curiosity piqued.
"I... I want you to marry me!" Anna exclaimed, her voice suddenly rising in volume as if she had summoned all her strength to utter those words.
She breathed a sigh of relief, placing her hand over her chest as she shyly glanced at Arthur.
Arthur himself froze in surprise, his gaze fixed on Anna with a peculiar expression.
"Married?" Arthur asked, his voice tinged with doubt.
Anna nodded, and a sense of relief washed over her.
With newfound boldness, she expressed her desires.
"Yes! I want to marry you and become your wife!" She hugged Arthur's arm tightly, nodding eagerly.
Upon hearing her declaration, Arthur rubbed his forehead and playfully flicked Anna's forehead.
"Ouch!" Anna winced in pain, rubbing her forehead and gazing at Arthur in confusion.
"Why did you flick me?!" she exclaimed with a mix of annoyance and dissatisfaction.
Arthur let out a sigh and asked, "Please, tell me honestly. Is there something that has caused you to act this way?"
"It's not like your usual self."
He maintained steady eye contact with Anna, who found herself compelled to look away, unsure of whether to speak or remain silent.
Observing her reaction, Arthur gently lifted Anna's chin, guiding her gaze to meet his own.
"Tell me, is there something you're hiding from me?" His voice remained soft, devoid of any coercion, as he sought the truth from her.
However, as Arthur maintained his gaze, Anna couldn't bear the intensity any longer.
Overwhelmed by her emotions, tears began to stream down her face.
"Eh! Why are you crying?!" Arthur exclaimed in surprise, swiftly wiping away the tears from Anna's eyes.
Without hesitation, he embraced her, gently rubbing her head to provide comfort and solace, hoping to ease her distress.
"Don't cry," Arthur offered gentle reassurance, attempting to soothe Anna's distress.
However, instead of calming down, Anna's tears only intensified, leaving Arthur feeling helpless.
After a few minutes, Anna's sobs gradually subsided, and she regained her composure.
Arthur released his embrace and looked into Anna's tear-streaked face, her expression still tinged with sadness and a rosy flush from her tears.
Sensing that the moment was appropriate, Arthur gently caressed Anna's cheeks and spoke softly, "Now, can you tell me what truly happened?"
Anna nervously bit her lip; her voice was hoarse as she began to explain.
"Yesterday, while you were talking to Dad in the living room, I went into his study to search for the book I usually read," Anna began, her voice still trembling from her earlier tears.
"But, by accident, I came across a gold-colored letter that piqued my curiosity. When I looked at the sender's mark, it was from the Empire," she explained, her voice strained.
Arthur's eyes widened in surprise.
"A letter from the Empire? From Arkham?" Arthur asked, his curiosity evident in his voice.
Anna nodded and replied, "Yes, it's from Arkham, and..."
She hesitated to continue, and Arthur gently stroked her hair once again.
"Did you read the contents of the letter that made you feel this way?" His soft voice provided comfort to Anna, and she nodded in response.
"And what does it say?" Arthur asked once again, fully aware that the contents of the letter were the cause of Anna's emotional turmoil.
However, he remained unsure of the connection between the letter and Anna's distressed state.
"It says... it says..." Anna squeezed her palms together, her teeth grinding.
Arthur patiently waited, his senses sharpened, ready to listen.
"It's about your betrothal to Princess Lucia!" Anna's voice trembled as she buried her head in Arthur's chest, the sound of her tears resurfacing.
"What? Betrothal?!" Arthur couldn't believe his ears, his mind grappling to comprehend the information.
"Anna, are you telling the truth?" Disbelief laced his tone.
Betrothal? How could that be possible?!
Arthur was utterly unaware of this arrangement, and he couldn't fathom how the Empire could unilaterally make such a decision without his knowledge or consent!
While he held no animosity towards Lucia, he couldn't help but find the situation illogical and unjust.
"Woooo! That's right!" Anna wailed with anguish, her voice resonating with sadness.
"I read the contents of the letter, and it's an invitation to your betrothal party! Wooo~" Her cries echoed loudly, carrying the weight of sorrow.
"Damn it! Are they trying to toy with me?" Arthur cursed inwardly, frustration boiling within him.
Now he understood the reason behind Anna's emotional state.
Considering the information he had gathered from her statistics, it was natural for her to feel sadness and jealousy.
"Is this Emperor Alex's conspiracy against me?" Arthur pondered, annoyance tainting his thoughts as he thought of the cunning fox.
He also comprehended the reason behind Vivian's summons to Arkham.
It must have been to discuss his engagement!
To think they would disguise it as a discussion about the war! What a mockery it was!
Arthur couldn't help but question the need to involve Vivian, who lacked full authority, in discussions about attacking the Savaran Empire, especially when David was already stationed at the borders.
"Damn it, so this is the reason I've been feeling uneasy since yesterday!" Arthur let out a sigh and shook his head in frustration.
However, he swiftly composed himself and turned his attention to Anna, who appeared exhausted.
"Alright, alright, let's calm down first," Arthur said gently, trying to soothe her.
"And why are you crying like this? How old are you?" Arthur teased her playfully, patting her back in a comforting manner.
Anna, though a bit miffed, didn't want to let go of his embrace just yet.
"Hey~" Arthur smiled, allowing her some time to calm down.
"By the way, why are you like this?" He teased her, wanting to gauge her reaction.
"Shouldn't you be happy about my engagement to Lucia?"
Anna, upon hearing his teasing words, became even more upset, and she reluctantly released her embrace, looking at Arthur with anger in her eyes.
"You! You must be teasing me again!" Anna's adorable, angry expression couldn't help but amuse Arthur.
"So, you're jealous that I'm getting engaged to Lucia, right?" Arthur's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Hmph!" Anna simply looked away, refusing to answer his question.
Arthur smiled tenderly, relieved that Anna seemed to be feeling better.
"Alright, there's no need to worry."
"I had no idea about this engagement myself, but I will investigate further," Arthur reassured her in a soothing tone.
Anna looked at Arthur with a glimmer of hope in her eyes and nodded.
"Alright," she replied softly, sounding somewhat relieved.
Arthur chuckled and stretched lazily.
"Well, it's getting late, so I should head back now," Arthur remarked as he noticed the brightening sky, indicating the lateness of the hour.
He turned his gaze back to Anna and added, "Regarding my plans, I will provide assistance to you, so just focus on that."
Anna nodded silently, not offering a response.
"Alright, then. Take care," Arthur said, bending down to retrieve his bag.
However, before he could turn around, he felt Anna embrace him from behind, burying her face in his back.
Surprised, he turned his head slightly to glance at Anna, a mix of emotions flickering in his eyes.
"Anna?" Arthur inquired, and although he was already aware of Anna's intended words, he opted to bide his time.
Anna gently rubbed her face, her voice carrying a soft and tender tone.
"Brother Arthur... what is your response to my second request?" Her words held a hopeful lilt.
Arthur met Anna's gaze, witnessing a mixture of hope and apprehension within her eyes, as if her entire future hung in the balance, poised between happiness and suffering.
Turning to fully face Anna, a gentle smile graced Arthur's lips as he spoke, "My answer is..."
...
Meanwhile, Rian, who remained lying on the bed, regarded the woman with a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.
"Honey?!" He exclaimed, his voice strained, as he shifted his gaze towards the woman standing by the doorway.
Yet the woman too stood motionless, her gaze fixed on Rian, until tears cascaded down her cheeks in an instant.
"You can't be him!" The woman's reaction was swift, as she abruptly spun around and fled from the room, making a beeline towards the house's exterior.
"Honey! Cough!" Rian's frustration reverberated through his voice, its intensity amplified by a fit of coughing that seized him, causing his words to be interrupted and his chest to convulse.
Observing the unfolding scene, the young girl stood in profound shock, her gaze fixed upon her mother's sudden departure and Rian's distressed state.
Though she struggled to comprehend the situation fully, she instinctively approached Rian, offering her support and attempting to soothe his frayed nerves.
"First, you must calm down," she urged him, her voice tinged with concern and a medley of emotions for Rian.
Rian, upon hearing her words, trembled involuntarily, his gaze fixated on the young girl before him, a mixture of complexity and longing swirling within his eyes.
With great effort, he extended his trembling hand and gently brushed his palm against the girl's cheek, his voice quivering as he spoke, "Are you named Lyra?"
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