Chapter 325: Marriage?

Chapter 325: Marriage?

A passionate reunion between Eileen and Sein marked their first night together after a long separation.

At the end of the session, Eileen broached the subject of marriage with Sein.

In the Magus World, polygamy was common among nobility and knights. It was a tradition rooted in ancient practices, and nothing to do with demeaning women.

In the Astral Realm, powerful life forms claimed more mates from the opposite sex. In a more primitive power structure, men often wielded greater influence than women.

Conversely, the mages of Magus World largely adhered to monogamy, possibly because their strength derived from knowledge, which was inherently gender-neutral.

During the Viridian Venom Flame World War, Sein had encountered many formidable female mages. Grandmaster Feylis, Master Bernice and Master Lorianne were among those female powerhouses.

Eileen’s question plunged Sein into a reflective silence.

His thoughts drifted to Leena. If he had to choose a life partner, he would definitely pick her.

Women were perceptive, and Eileen was no exception. She immediately sensed something from his silence.

As a member of the ruling family of a dukedom, Eileen was a lot more experienced with the ways of the world than Sein and approached the delicate subject with patience.

She nonchalantly brushed back her damp long hair and calmly inquired, “What’s wrong? You have a wife already or something?”

“Is it that cousin of yours?” she asked.

Eileen had been suspicious of Sein and his cousin since his days as a magic initiate. She had even teased him about it in a light-hearted manner before.

However, she never truly viewed Selina as a rival. Selina’s status as a mere magic initiate was her biggest disadvantage.

Given that full-fledged mages could live for nearly a thousand years, Selina and Sein were practically from different worlds until the day she reached Rank One.

Sein’s silence on the matter convinced Eileen that the situation was far more complex than she had initially anticipated.

She frowned and continued pressing, “Who could it be, if not your cousin?”

Despite their deep fascination with unraveling the mysteries of truth, mages did not entirely ignore societal norms and etiquettes.

With a limited number of full-fledged mages in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, Eileen preferred to avoid becoming the subject of gossip among her peers. She was extremely mindful of her reputation.

After seeing Eileen off, Sein returned to his daily routine of research and experiments, though his focus was notably diminished.

As Sein examined the thinly sliced muscle tissue of a pyro elemental creature under the elemental microscope, his thoughts wandered off.

Reflecting on the women he had encountered over the years, Sein realized none were quite alike.

The harsh survival conditions of the Gloomhaven meant that strength dictated access to resources, including relationships.

In such an environment, few would have entertained thoughts of romance.

Sein and Selina’s relationship could perhaps be viewed as one of dependence, with Selina being the dependent one. Therefore, she refrained from making remarks about his personal affairs.

Eileen, however, stood as Sein’s equal in every regard, leading her to broach the topic of marriage after their intimate reunion.

Both of them were considered a good match as House Grantt was a prestigious family, and Eileen belonged to the ruling family of the Fran Dukedom.

A union between them could benefit their respective families.

House Grantt would surely welcome the opportunity to establish connections with a prestigious magic family boasting full-fledged mages, and the Fran Dukedom would appreciate an alliance with a knight house that included a Rank Two knight.

Even if Sein were not part of a knight house, his status as the apprentice of the divine tower master alone held significant weight.

The guilt Sein felt toward Eileen weighed heavily on his mind, prompting him to sigh deeply as he stood alone in his laboratory.

Now, his desire to travel to the Western Archipelago had intensified. He wanted to find out Leena’s current state, whether she was alive or not.

He believed that Leena would not perish so easily. It was a mysterious hunch that he could not explain. Sein suspected that this intuition might be linked to the astrology explored by certain mages.

Unfortunately, his knowledge in that area was limited, and there was not much relevant information available in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring either.