As they entered the village, they were greeted by a row of people blocking their path. Wary glances were cast towards Grace, and it was clear that her presence was not welcome. The villagers whispered amongst themselves, their displeasure evident.
Leo's face turned grave as soon as he noticed a middle-aged man with a bald head standing among the villagers. The man's stern gaze was fixed on them, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.
"Why are you traveling with that girl?" the man demanded, his voice filled with contempt.
Leo's expression hardened, though a hint of vulnerability flickered in his eyes. "Because she is my friend... a friend I want to stay with for the rest of my life," he replied firmly. He had never expected to find his father here. When he received the letter to return home, he had ignored it, thinking they wanted him to marry their friend's daughter.
The bald man's eyes flashed with anger. "But I have already decided whom you will marry. How can you take that decision yourself?" he declared in an icy tone.
Leo's resolve wavered, but he stood his ground. "I cannot marry another woman. Grace is the one I will marry," he said in a subdued tone. He feared his father, but he was determined to take a stand for what he cared for.
"Are you out of your mind?" the bald man yelled, causing Leo to shrink back slightly. "That girl has no family background and no magic. She is not worthy to become a part of the Cliffbow family."
Grace stood silently, her eyes downcast, a saddened look on her face. She knew she was the reason for Leo's misery. If only she had magic, she might have been able to change this.
"Please talk about my sister respectfully if you want your head to remain intact," Lia stepped ahead, her presence a chilling wave that covered the entire village. Her glare alone seemed capable of slaughtering the whole village. Some of the men even knelt on the ground, unable to withstand the pressure.
Though she couldn't use her mana, her innate strength remained undiminished. Lia was still capable of shattering mountains with her raw power. Seeing how Grace was being insulted by Leo's father, she decided to intervene.
She warned Leo's father without concealing her raw threat, her cold, chilling aura enveloping the village, causing everyone to shiver in place. Even Leo and Grace felt as if they were being crushed by an insurmountable force, making it hard to breathe.
The bald man's face contorted under the pressure the white-haired lady was channeling. He spoke more politely now, "I apologize for my rude behavior. Please retract your aura, or they will get hurt." He pointed towards some of the older men who were kneeling on the ground, gasping for air.
Lia retracted her murderous intent, but her chilly gaze remained locked on Leo's father.
"I'm Hylos Cliffbow. Who might you be?" Leo's father asked, his tone now respectful.
They all saw Grace's hand shimmer with a golden light, and the wound on Rio's hand began to close and heal on its own.
Rio then turned to Hylos, waving his now-healed hand. "She healed my fresh wound instantly. It's foolish to even think that my wife's cousin has no magic." The revelation caused everyone to see Grace in a new light.
Even Hylos couldn't help but rethink his stance. That girl had actually hidden her strength from others.
Leo, unaware of all this, rushed to Grace. "Hey, you can use magic? You didn't even tell me?"
Grace looked at the ground, her voice soft. "My grandpa told me not to reveal my powers to others." She was clearly lying, a lie that Rio had asked her to tell. It was a lie she had to keep even from Leo if they wanted to stay alive.
When Rio had grabbed her wrist to pull her to the front, he had already instructed her to lie about this story. He had told her that she had to keep this between them, and in return, he would bless her with healing magic. As he held her wrist, he also handed her the ring, telling her that this ring would allow her to do cast healing spell—a magic that's not possible for anyone else but her.
Leo looked at her with surprise, but then his face brightened as he held her hand and looked at his father, who was still deep in thought. Grace's newly gained abilities had changed everything, and the villagers now regarded her with respect.
"Will you now give them your blessing if they marry?" Rio asked, directing the question towards Hylos.Everyone waited for the answer from Leo's father, who had previously refused to give his blessing to Leo, even though he had allowed him to marry Grace.Leo held his breath, while Grace also stood quietly, waiting for the decision that would determine their happiness.
[SnowNote]
Hello,
It's been a while since I've posted a chapter. Let me know if you guys are still interested in reading this story. More comments in the first two days after posting this chapter will encourage me to post more chapters.
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