Free Web NovelChapter 153: Agreement Between Fathers
A few minutes later.
Now, Zhen was sitting with Sylvia and Lily in the other carriage while Mika was alone with Lena.
They were on their way to Avagan, Malnor’s capital, again.
"So... May I ask for an explanation?" Mika asked.
He sounded polite but he was trying his best to hold not lash out or complain.
Before they switched the carriages, it came to a dispute between Zhen and Lena causing the roof of their carriage to get blown away.
Mika and the other two stormed after them to check on them but once they arrived, Lena strangely proclaimed Mika to be Lily’s lover.
And without further explanations, Lena requested Mika to talk with her alone.
Thus, the two were now in the carriage without a roof. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"Explanation? But you’re her boyfriend or am I mistaken?" Lena said innocently.
"You’re wrong!"
"?"
Lena tilted her head.
"Lily and I are just friends!"
"Hmm... So she just hasn’t realized it yet..." she muttered pensively, averting her gaze from Mika.
"First of all, what were Zhen and you talking about for it to escalate so much?" fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
She sighed.
"I guess I really overreacted..." she admitted, putting her fingers on her forehead.
"..."
Mika was waiting patiently for her to keep talking.
"You see, him saying that he came to train Lily was just a facade."
"I know."
"Oh, you’re sharper than you look." she complimented him with a satisfied smirk.
"Anyways, he told me that he and my husband made a deal behind our backs."
Mika narrowed his eyes.
"A deal? From my perspective, it seemed like your whole family was on good terms. Why would he agree on a deal that would anger you?"
"..."
She was silent for a moment.
"From an outsider’s view, this deal is by no means bad. Contrary to that, this deal would be tempting for anyone else."
"Could you elaborate what kind of deal it was?"
"Yes, of course..."
Meanwhile, Lily and Sylvia struggled to come up with a conversation topic as Zhen Bugar did not utter a word, making the atmosphere inside their carriage awkward.
They asked him a while ago about the incident between him and Lena but he did not answer them.
"..."
Out of everyone, Lily was the most awkward as she constantly fidgeted and looked everywhere around.
After all, this was the first time, she had the opportunity to talk to a member of the Grand Order, a group whom she looked up to and wanted to join.
During the tournament week, Lereon, Elsa and Olivia were present, however, she was not aware that they were there until the invasion ended. But even after the invasion ended, she did not talk to them due to her own shyness.
"What?!"
"!"
Suddenly, they heard Mika screaming from the other carriage.
As they were currently on the march, they could only look out of the window.
"..."
Mika was bending forward. His elbows were resting on his thighs and his forehead was pressed against his fists. He was tapping the ground with one foot.
"Let me sum it up..." he said, still holding back his emotions.
"Zhen Bugar and your husband are planning to arrange the marriage between Zhen Bugar’s son and Lily because both parties would benefit from this as Zhen Bugar’s son was holding feelings of affection towards since a young age and as Lily would receive the help of Zhen Bugar for searching the angel-like person Lily met in the past...?"
"Y-yes." Lena replied, amazed by how ridiculous it sounded.
"There’s one... No scratch that. There’re many questions I want to ask!"
"..."
"First of all, how did his son meet Lily in the first place? Isn’t today also your first time meeting him?" Mika asked.
"That’s true... Today’s the first time I’ve seen him but it could be likely that my husband and him have met up regularly due to their positions. Furthermore, back then Lily was the type of child, who always wanted to go check out her father’s workplace..." Lena explained tiredly.
"So those two must have met each other due to their fathers’ works..." Mika concluded, facepalming himself.
Lena nodded.
"Now about that angel-like person..."
Mika was about to continue talking but stopped when he saw Lena’s puzzled expression.
"Is something?"
"Well... Why are you talking about an angel-like person? We’re talking about you, aren’t we?"
"!"
Mika widened his eyes.
"Oh! Are you trying to keep it a secret from Lily?"
"..."
Embarrassed, he slowly averted his gaze from her.
[She must have caught a glimpse of you during the match against Xander and Cail.]
"This explains everything..." he muttered.
He sighed.
"Trying to talk my way out of that would be pointless, I guess..."
Lena just smiled gently.
"As her mother I will always take her side and I will believe in her no matter what. Still, I feel much more relieved knowing that you truly do exist." she said.
In his mind, he thought that it must have been hard for her. After all, her daughter was pursuing a person with characteristics of someone out of a fairy tale.
"That’s why I’m even more against that deal." she added with her smile quickly fading away.
"..."
"I want Lily to live like she wants, enjoying her freedom and choosing her future partner on her own. She may not know about all of this yet but as her mother I can’t agree to this."
She continued as she clenched her skirt.
"According to the agreement, she has to marry his son in order to find you. In other words, she has to give her love to someone else so that she can find the person she truly loves."
Mika was blushing awkwardly due to her statement.
"Therefore, I kindly ask you... Please, save my daughter..." Lena begged, bowing her head to him.
"The deal is off when Lily or her lover is stronger than his son..."
"Then, why go to me? I thought you believe in your daughter. So why don’t you think that she can beat his son?" Mika asked after regaining his composure.
"Yes, and I truly do... But his son, Ren, is rumored to be the next in line after Zhen, meaning that he’s one of the top fire mages in the world."
Mika was not reacting for a while.
"Why do you have so much faith in me even though we barely know each other?" he asked.
"Because you’re the one who saved Lily in the past."
"Ugh... Should have expected that answer..." he whispered to himself.
"I’m not the same as back then, you know?"
If he remembered correctly, he used the Autopilot mode when he rescued Lily.
Comparing him with his self from back then would be like comparing an average silver-class student to a white-class student.
"Beating someone with such a reputation won’t be easy."
He was up against the next fire mage of the Grand Order.
[It is time that you finally get rid of that mindset.]
"..."
[You went against Zaran, the number 2 among the A-rank demons.]
"System..." he murmured.
"Do you feel partially responsible for the thing with Lily...?"
[...]
After all, it was the system, who took control over Mika’s body back then and saved her.
Mika sighed.
"Fine, I will help out."
"!"
Brightly, Lena lifted her face.
"Thanks, Mr. Boyfriend!" she said happily.
"B-boyfriend...?"
"Hm? Didn’t you catch that? The one, who has to prove their strength, has to be either Lily or her lover, which would be you in this case."
Mika slumped down.
A couple of hours later.
It was dark outside when the group arrived in Avagan.
As they stepped outside the carriages, only the huge mansion, which was illuminated inside, captured their field of vision.
"Welcome to my home, guys!" Lily stated with a wide smile.
Then, a person, who emitted heavy pressure came outside the mansion.
"Who is there- Wait. L-Lily?! And Lena!"
Appearing before them was a fit middle-aged man in his night robe. He had blonde slicked back hair, his sharp eyes were red and he wore a grumpy expression.
"Dad!"
Lily jumped into the arms of the man, whose expression softened a lot.
"So that’s Louis Hayth." Sylvia muttered, smiling at them.
"I’m home, dear." Lena announced, wearing a smile that did not reach her eyes.
"W-welcome home...?" he replied, confused about her expression.
Then, his gaze shifted to Mika, Sylvia and Zhen.
"I have returned." Zhen stated indifferently.
Louis nodded sternly.
"Dad, I’ve brought my friends with me!"
"Oh, is that so?"
He was laughing kindly.
[It seems like he is the type of person to dote on his daughter a lot.]
"Y-yeah..."
"It’s my pleasure to meet you, I’m Sylvia Pyril, a friend of Lily." Sylvia greeted him politely.
"It’s nice to meet you, too, Sylvia. Make yourself comfortable in our home." he said gently.
Then, his gaze sharpened a little when he turned to Mika.
"Good evening, sir. I’m Mika Elbar." Mika, too, bowed his upper body a little.
"I see-"
"Ahem!"
Lena cleared her throat loudly in dissatisfaction.
And only Mika understood why.
"..."
He was clenching his fists and his smile was on the verge of breaking down.
"A-and I am..."
"?"
Aside from Lena, everyone else was anticipating in confusion what Mika was about to say.
"I-I am... Lily’s boyfriend..."
