?


    "Artur, now do you understand why I didn''te home?"


    Anna''s words echoed in Artur''s mind for a long time, even after he had returned to his room. Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, Artur could only ponder over it.


    Artur understood why Anna couldn''t return to her family. Heprehended and recognized it as a valid reason.


    Just as he had exined to Sergei why C couldn''t return to Valya House.


    Because she had found her home.


    Artur wanted tough when he recalled how Anna, in the past, resented C for not being able to speak up against Gilbert''s restrictions. His mother always appeared to smile and listen obediently to her husband.


    However, now Anna exhibited the same attitude as the one she had despised in C. Artur understood that men and women were different creatures. If men were ves of ambition, then women were ves of home.


    They would do anything to preserve the tranquility of their home. Even if it meant leaving behind and forgetting their biological families.


    For Anna, Moku and their two children were her home. She couldn''t abandon them and felt the responsibility to protect that sanctuary.


    Perhaps Artur couldn''t feel or think exactly as Anna did, but he could still understand it well because he shared the same family background with Anna''s two children.


    If only C had chosen to return to Valya House, Artur would likely resent her now. While C might have been happier at Valya House, in reality, she had be an irresponsible mother, abandoning her duties to her children.


    Valya House wouldn''t have been able to ept Gilbert''s presence, and Artur would have been forced to choose between Gilbert and Anna. For parents, forcing their children to make such a choice was the worst scenario.


    The same held true for Anna. Moku was a prince of the Wilwatikta Kingdom, burdened with significant responsibilities toward his people and the arion species. He couldn''t simply forsake it all for Anna.


    Even if he did, it wasn''t guaranteed that the human species would readily ept an arion. Especially since his status as a prince of Wilwatikta Kingdom would likely be exploited by the leadership of the Human Alliance to initiate conflict with the arion species.


    It would be one of the most foolish and selfish decisions a prince could make. Sacrificing the fate of millions of his subjects for the sake of one woman. If Moku were to do it, Artur would certainly hold him in low regard, even if he did it for his sister''s sake.


    In the end, if Anna chose to go back, Adja and Aru would be the ones sacrificed. They would endure great suffering due to the selfishness of their parents. The choice between a father and a mother was like choosing whether or not to eat the Simkama fruit.


    (A/N: "Like eating Simkama Fruit is Indonesian idiom. When you eat the fruit then your mother will die but if you don''t eat it then your father die. So whether you eat Simkama fruit or not one of your parents will die.)


    Being a parent is not an easy task. They have to sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of their children''s happiness. It''s the greatest joy and responsibility for parents. Artur, now married, didn''t know if he would be a good parent in the future.


    Artur let out a long sigh. He understood Anna''s decision, and his resentment faded away. But that didn''t mean he could erase his jealousy.


    He still couldn''t fully ept Moku. After all, Moku was a stranger he had never known before. There was still an unease in his heart because Moku had married his sister so readily.


    *Knock! *Knock! *Knock!


    "Artur, are you calm now? Can Ie in?" Robert''s voice came after the knocking.


    "Come in," Artur said nonchntly.


    The door opened, and Robert entered. He grabbed a chair, pulled it in front of Artur, and sat down without any hesitation.


    "How are you feeling, siscon?" he asked with a grin on his face.


    Artur snorted, "Just mind your own business."


    Robert chuckled, then looking around, he asked, "Where''s Rini?"


    "She said she wanted to y with Adja and Aru," Artur replied shortly.


    "Oh... Why didn''t you join them?" Robert inquired.


    Artur lowered his gaze. Despite epting Anna''s decision, his two nephews still felt very unfamiliar to him. He didn''t dislike them, he just didn''t know how to interact with them.


    "Hey, Artur. No matter what, those two are your nephews. You should show them a bit that you''re an uncle they can be proud of," Robert advised, patting Artur on the shoulder.


    Artur didn''t answer, he looked at Robert and said, "Why did youe here?"


    "Hmm... Can''t Ie here because I''m concerned about you?"


    "Don''t be foolish. Do you think I''ll believe those words?" Artur scoffed.


    "Hehehe... You really understand me. I''m ttered," Robert chuckled shyly.


    Artur grimaced with a disgusted look. He began to distance himself from Robert, not wanting to get too close to this perpetual bachelor.


    "Hmm... Actually, I''ve been thinking about what Anna said earlier," Robert said with a serious expression.


    "Meaning?" Artur asked, now listening attentively.


    "Artur, do you still remember my ambition?"


    Artur nodded, "You want to reform the Human Alliance, right? That''s why you entered the Military Academy to find allies you trust."


    Robert nodded, "You, Rini, and the other A15 ss students are the ones I trust with my life. I''ve seeded in executing the first phase of my n to reform the Human Alliance. But from here, I don''t know what I should do next."


    Artur fell silent and looked at Robert, who was frowning. Someone who seemed to have everything, like Robert, wanted to sacrifice it all for the sake of humanity. Artur was sure that Robert understood that his ambition would mean the destruction of the Gaht family.


    Artur didn''t know what Robert''s father thought of his son ambition. But there was a possibility that Robert never revealed his ambition to anyone other than Artur.


    "But after seeing Anna and the other women in the room earlier, I understand where I should start. Artur, do you know the biggest obstacle to my ambition?" Robert asked.


    "Hmm... power?"


    Robert shook his head, "No, not power. I can acquire power, and I''m confident that I will be the strongest, even surpassing my father. It''s only a matter of time for that to happen. However, the biggest obstacle to my ambition is humanity itself."


    Artur was taken aback, "What do you mean?"


    "Artur, humans are fragile beings. They tend to avoid pain, even if it means inflicting pain on others. We are beings with weak hearts, so most of us will turn a blind eye when someone is being tortured right in front of them.


    "What do you think would happen if the entire human poption knew the true face of the Human Alliance?"


    "Rebellion?" Artur eximed.


    Robert shook his head, "Wrong. The correct answer is nothing will happen. The casualties of the Military Alliance, Alchemist Association, and the Guild will only be a handful of people. Those who aren''t directly affected won''t ever care if millions of other humans be ves. In fact, many among them will seize the opportunity to benefit from it.


    "No one will dare raise their voice against the powerful Human Alliance. They would rather turn a blind eye to it all and enjoy their peaceful sleep at night. As long as humans don''t feel threatened, they will choose to remain silent."


    Artur was taken aback again, but he couldn''t me Robert for his words. He imagined himself as an ordinary citizen without any power. After knowing the true face of the Human Alliance, Artur would probably just curse in his heart, mutter "Fairness is a son of a bitch," and then forget about it.


    This reality made Artur feel a lump in his throat.


    "So, what should we do?" Artur asked.


    Robert crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. Gazing at the ceiling of the room, he said, "Comfort is the greatest disaster as well as the greatest blessing for humanity. Suffering is the greatest blessing as well as the greatest disaster for humanity.


    "Anna and the other former ves have experienced and truly understand the meaning of suffering. That''s why they refuse to live with humans and refuse to remain weak. Artur, people like them are the ones who can assist our cause.


    "They won''t hesitate to sacrifice anything to avenge their suffering. Good-hearted people like Anna would also sacrifice themselves to save those who are suffering, just as they once did.


    "Artur, our enemy is immensely powerful and vast. We can''t defeat them head-on. We need to erode their strength bit by bit, like ants nibbling at a giant tree until it falls.


    "Artur, I want you and Anna to be the leaders of the liberation force. With Wilwatikta Kingdom and the Valya family behind you, no one will dare to interfere with you. You will destroy all ve trading establishments within the Human Alliance and free all the ves.


    "We will cut off their financial resources, and they will weaken."


    Robert''s eyes zed, making the room feel hotter than before.


    Artur swallowed his saliva and then said, "So, what are you going to do?"


    Robert smiled, "I will make the Human Alliance turn a blind eye to all the havoc you will wreak!"