In the castle of Marquis Wilford, in their hometown of Ymir, the atmosphere was relaxed as the mothers and daughters gathered around the table, indulging in tea and snacks. Towering cakes, reminiscent of those found at weddings, adorned the table, and two of them had already been devoured on that very day.
"I must say, I feel so proud that our daughters saved the kingdom from the crisis," Aunt Irina beamed with delight.
Glis, why did I hear that you fought alongside the Hyrule Menaces against the Prisma?" she continued.
Inglis hesitated for a moment before responding, "Well"
"Oh, I'm not interrogating you, dear. I was just surprised It always seems like you can see things that others can't. Does that mean you've always known about your extraordinary abilities?"
"No, not really There's always been something that feels different, but the guidance I receive at the Knight Academy is simply exceptional," Inglis replied, intentionally evading the question.
There were countless complexities surrounding her, such as her past lives and the power of Ether, but she couldn't delve into the details. Explaining them would only confuse the person in front of her and, most importantly, it would hurt her to be seen as a stranger. In the presence of her mother, Selena, Inglis wanted to remain purely her daughter, Inglis Eux, and nothing more.
"I understand You truly are remarkable, Glis. Your father and I are incredibly proud of you," Selena expressed with genuine admiration.
"Thank you so much, Mother," Inglis replied gratefully.
Indeed, Inglis carried the memories of her past life and the powers that came with it. However, as her daughter, she also cherished her mother. It was a fact she couldn't deny. Inglis had no desire to say anything that could jeopardize their relationship.
"S-Say, Mother, Aunt! What about the matchmaking discussion from earlier?" Rafinha interjected, sensing Inglis' discomfort. Though the subject she chose to bring up was equally challenging.
"Ugh Just when we thought they had forgotten about it" Inglis muttered.
"You're right, that's more important So, you see, after seeing you at the banquet, a number of people were impressed and sent us these marriage proposals" Irina explained.
"Furthermore, some of them are individuals whose lives you saved in Arlman," Selena added.
"So, you see It doesn't matter if you're a tomboy or a food lover," Irina continued.
"Even after seeing the real you, they still want to discuss marriage" Selena chimed in.
"So, listen, Rafinha" Irina said.
"Listen to me, Glis," Salena added, their voices blending together.
"This is your chance!" they exclaimed in unison.
"Mother, Aunt Yes, I will!" Rafinha replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement. In her case, she probably wasn't in a rush to get married but rather intrigued by the idea. However, Inglis could never admit to it.
"No!! It's too early for Rani Besides, we're students of the Knight Academy, right? We need to focus on our studies! Mother, Aunt, please reconsider!" Inglis pleaded.
"Oh, Glis" Aunt Irina looked into Inglis' eyes.
"Glis, both you and Rafinha will be turning 16 soon, right? Your birthdays fall during this homecoming, isn't that correct?" Selena asked.
"Y-Yes, that's true, but" Inglis hesitated.
Incidentally, Inglis' and Rafinha's birthdays were only two days apart, with Inglis' occurring first. In just a few days, she would turn 16. Time had flown by quickly.
"In that case, it's not too early. You see I was 16 when I gave birth to Raphael," Aunt Irina revealed.
"Ugh?!" Inglis was taken aback.
It wasn't just about relationships or dating; they were discussing intercourse, pregnancy, and even childbirth! That was a whole new level of discussion, far beyond what she had anticipated.
"Wow, I see. So we're at that age now. When I think about it that way, Mother, you truly are amazing. You were our age when you got married and had a child From that perspective, we still seem like children," Rafinha expressed, looking up at her mother with admiration.
"That's right, Rafinha. So it's by no means too early. Glis, you're such a good girl for trying to follow what my husband tells you, but don't pay too much mind to him, okay? These candidates are all from respectable families and have formally proposed. They're not pests at all. Besides, deep down, he just doesn't want his daughter to be taken away from him because he'll miss Rafinha," Aunt Irina explained.
Ugh?! Inglis understood that, painfully so. It was precisely because she understood the Marquis' feelings that she obediently followed his words. After all, she felt the same way. It would be heartbreaking to see Rafinha taken away by someone else. In fact, Inglis had been doing whatever she saw fit under the guise of obeying Marquis Wilford's orders.1
"H-However, Aunt We are still students! We're studying to become knights for the good of our kingdom, so I don't think we should" Inglis protested.
"Well, we're not asking you to get married right away. You're right, it's better for you to graduate from the Knight Academy first, isn't it? However, don't you think it's beneficial for your state of mind to get to know your future spouse while you still can?" Aunt Irina suggested.
"Are you suggesting an engagement or betrothal?" Inglis asked.
"Yes! I'm sure even my husband will agree to that. After all, it's not like his daughter will leave him right away," Aunt Irina reassured. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel•fire.net
"H-Hmm" Inglis pondered, feeling trapped. She couldn't come up with a strong enough argument. She could still fight if Rafinha herself opposed the idea, but
"Mother, what kind of person are they? Tell me!" Rafinha eagerly inquired, clearly excited about the prospect.
Lio: Inglis, the angel's protector.