“Because…”

Marlina was silent for a little while, then slowly clenched her fists under the table. She looked at Annelisa and said very seriously:

“Loving Mr. Ansel purely is not an easy thing.”

“Mr. Ansel… has a kind of magic that makes people fall, makes people do everything for him, even belittle themselves.”

“And Mr. Ansel is… I hope you won’t be angry because of my evaluation,ma’am, Mr. Ansel is very ‘cold’. For him, those who fall into that magic and are willing to lose themselves for him are disqualified and no longer valuable.”

The young girl blushed slightly and smiled shyly: “Please don’t ridicule me, actually I… I’m a bit fascinated by Mr. Ansel’s coldness. Every time I think that once I fall into that magic, I will be abandoned by Mr. Ansel, I feel both scared and… a bit excited.

The feeling of always reminding myself, every time I interact with Mr. Ansel, I can get his approval, I am confirming my own value… I really can’t stop.”

“Because loving someone does require dedication and sacrifice, but if there is only dedication and sacrifice, it’s not love, it’s just a one-sided humble sacrifice.”

Under Annelisa’s increasingly joyful and satisfied gaze, Marlina’s tone became more and more calm and confident: “If those who are loyal to Mr. Ansel and willing to dedicate themselves to him, just stop at dedication… but never thought of standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Ansel, just thinking of letting Mr. Ansel use everything they have, isn’t that just… a pitiful and sad tool?

How could Mr. Ansel love such a tool?”

“So… ambition is needed.”

The dignified and elegant young girl, without reservation, revealed her ambition to the woman in front of her: “Not just a step further, but to stand with Mr. Ansel, to make Mr. Ansel… fall in love with one’s ambition.”

Annelisa had already shed her previous laziness. She didn’t know when she had leaned back in her chair, slightly raised her chin, and her mature and beautiful face was full of Lady Hydral’s majesty:

“So, where will your ambition take you?”

“Pact head.” Marlina said without hesitation, “The most important existence in Mr. Ansel’s life.”

“Even if you’re just an ordinary person now, with no extraordinary aptitude at all?”

“Yes, even if I’m just an ordinary person now.”

Annelisa looked at Marlina for a long time, then started to laugh, and then the laughter got louder and louder, full of pure joy and delight.

“Very good, little Marlina, you are not those ‘ordinary girls’ in my mouth, I like your ambition, I approve of it.”

“But even so, I won’t provide any help for you, I will just not block your path, understand?”

“Of course.” Marlina smiled, “Love has to be fought for by oneself, ma’am.”

The woman paused momentarily, then abruptly rose from her chair and seated herself beside Marlina. Under the latter’s bewildered gaze, she embraced her tightly.

“Oh, how wonderful you are! You two sisters are truly wonderful! Where on earth did Ans find you?”

Annelisa, brimming with joy, nuzzled Marlina against her chest, “Such an adorable and likable personality, just like mine! Well said, love is indeed something one must strive for!”

Releasing a slightly flushed Marlina, she began to prattle on about her own story with Flamelle:

“Let me tell you, when I first met Flamelle, he was still frolicking among women…”

Marlina smiled, nodding in response, listening attentively and occasionally revealing a pure smile.

“…Ah, Ans is getting busier and busier, he rarely has the time to listen to my stories in such a peaceful manner.”

A content Annelisa, holding Marlina’s hand and gently stroking it, sighed with a hint of regret, “Little Marlina, you’re such a good girl, I’m growing fonder of you.”

The woman, having said this, kissed Marlina’s cheek as a sign of affection and encouragement, and waved her hand vigorously, “Keep it up, I have faith in you! Ans needs a girl with ambition and intelligence like you.”

“Little Seraphina… although she’s cute and capable, she’s too naive.”

“Intelligent people are always lonely.” Annelisa, holding Marlina’s hand, lowered her gaze slightly, “Ans is too intelligent, and knows too much… Flamelle and I are destined not to accompany him for long, if we were to leave… he would be left alone.”

“He’s already very lonely.”

A mother sighed softly at this moment, “I can’t imagine, nor do I want to imagine, what he would look like even lonelier.”

“When he was young, he often told us… things that Flamelle and I couldn’t understand, but seemed very profound and important. Although he would always complain that we couldn’t understand this or that, he would still often talk to us.”

“But… when did it start?”

A hint of confusion appeared in Annelisa’s eyes, “When did Ans start to respect Flamelle and me so much, to be so polite, but… never say those things to us, or to anyone, anymore?”

“…Marlina.”

The woman gradually tightened her grip on Marlina’s hand, repeating in a low voice, “Ans is very lonely, even now with Seraphina accompanying him, he is… still very lonely.”

“I am his mother, I can feel it.”

“He has lost… he has given up something very important to him.”

“If you have the ability, please help him. This is my… request, please.”

Feeling the warmth and strength of the palm, Marlina looked at Annelisa and nodded solemnly.

“I will, madam… I will do everything I can to help Mr. Ansel, I promise.”

Upon hearing this, a smile finally appeared on the woman’s face, “That’s good, a smart girl like you will definitely know how to help Ans… Ah, when you have time, come shopping with me. I bought a lot of clothes for little Seraphina, you shouldn’t be left out.”

Marlina also smiled and nodded, but her heart was filled with a heavy cloud due to Annelisa’s words.

Mr. Ansel… is he very lonely?

She noticed the weight Ansel was carrying, but she never thought that Ansel would be lonely, let alone that even with Seraphina’s company, Ansel would still be lonely.

The ma’am said, Mr. Ansel… has given up something very important.

What exactly is it?

*