Chapter 153: Refusal
As soon as Reiner's words came out, the atmosphere of the scene became a bit awkward.
Edward said immediately.
"My father said, it's a tradition..."
"I didn't ask you."
Reiner's words silenced Edward. His imposing demeanor, along with his performance earlier, completely suppressed the young master of the Erubiorene family.
"Mr. Erubiorene, can I meet Elymia or is she not allowed to meet people according to traditional customs?"
Reiner looked at William as he asked word by word.
"Mr. Ian Gray, of course, you can see Elymia."
William smiled and waved to Edward to summon the servant. After waiting for a moment, Elymia, wearing a simple dress, quietly entered the hall.
Her face was a little haggard, so she no longer projected a kind of domineering feeling as before. The dress she wore also looked a little dirty, which was completely inconsistent with her identity as the daughter of a wealthy family. Elymia first saw Claire and a ray of light flashed in her eyes, but then she saw Reiner. She was dazed for a moment before moving closer.
"Father, Elder Brother, good afternoon."
Elymia first greeted William and Edward. Her voice was a little weak, like a prisoner who had been hungry for several days.
"Elymia, come and explain to them why you didn't take the magic test."
William said lightly, making Elymia tremble slightly.
This was not the reaction that the original Elymia would have, Reiner couldn't help but think. She was the student council president who dared to challenge the principal. He couldn't imagine her showing a cowardly look.
After hesitating for a moment, Elymia turned her body to Reiner and Claire, and said with her head slightly lowered.
"Sorry, Mr. Principal, Professor Claire, I voluntarily gave up taking the magic test, thank you both for your kindness."
The tone of her sentence was flat without any emotions, as if she was reading some lines prepared by other people.
"Elymia, is this really your idea?"
Claire couldn't help asking, her question made Elymia show a complicated look in her eyes. She gently squeezed her thumb secretly, raised her head, and repeated the same words.
"I voluntarily gave up taking part in the magic test and gave up being a mage. You can leave now."
Edward was very satisfied with Elymia's reply and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.
"Are you not being forced or deceived, Elymia? You have excellent grades, you can definitely become a mage and have your own life..."
Before Claire finished speaking, Reiner interrupted.
"Okay, Claire, no need to say more." Reiner stood up and took a step towards Elymia.
Upon seeing this, the student president looked away a little and did not meet Reiner's gaze.
"Elymia, if this is your answer, then I won't have any objections. I will return the items you left at school in a few days."
Reiner didn't try to persuade her. He simply said.
"Claire, let's go."
"Then we won't see you out."
William said faintly. He watched the two leave before he stood up slowly, glanced at Elymia who was still standing there, and said nothing.
Edward walked up to his younger sister. He reached out, grabbed a strand of Elymia's long, tarnished scarlet hair and sniffed it lightly.
"It's an honor for you to be my wife, Mongrel. Don't try to escape from this place. You will stay in this castle for the rest of your life, just like your mother."
Edward wanted to stretch his hand to Elymia's chest, but a tiny electric current flashed through his fingertips causing Edward to snort coldly.
"Tsk, the things left by your bitch mother are really troublesome, but it doesn't matter. When you become an adult, this spell will naturally disperse. Then, you will naturally become my slave."
He took his hand back. Feeling slight numbness in the fingertips, he continued.
"If I remember correctly, that Reiner Ian Grey fellow was the one who crippled Cologne. Huh, I will let him go this time. However, if there is another opportunity, I will definitely avenge Cologne." Edward's words made Elymia's face have an expression for the first time, it was a little panic, but Edward was too immersed in his delusion and didn't notice it.
Unable to do anything to Elymia, Edward humiliated his sister with a few more words and left without looking back.
...
"Why didn't you say anything just now? It is obvious that Elymia was being coerced to say those words. And that castle gives me a strange feeling, I think there is definitely a problem in her family!"
After leaving the castle, Claire could no longer hold back her dissatisfaction and complained.
"Since we know that she is being coerced, there is no point in trying to persuade her on the spot. Unless we can release her from her imprisonment, it will be nothing but futility."
Reiner knew that the originally tough Elymia would not say something like that. There must be some special reason. If the problem could not be solved fundamentally, then Elymia would definitely be imprisoned by this castle again.
"Moreover, people cannot be saved by others. People can only save themselves. Right now Elymia didn't seem to want to save herself. So no matter what we do, we would not be able to save her."
The entire pureblood faction had a history of more than hundreds of years. Even the Magic Association had to make compromises to a certain extent, so Reiner's words alone would not be able to change anything.
"Then are we just going to sit back and ignore it?"
Claire was a little frustrated. For the first time, she felt that being a mage didn't seem to be such a beautiful thing.
"Of course not. Elymia is my student. As long as she hasn't graduated, then I have to take on the responsibility of being the principal, but we need to be fully prepared."
Reiner said. He remembered that when he checked Elymia's student folder, it showed that her birthday was the first day of the Month of Light Onion.
Today was the eighth day of the Month of White Dew, and there were 22 days left before the 1st of the Month of Light Onion. There was barely enough time. After all, they were not just dealing with an Erubiorene family, but the whole pureblood faction.
"However, we can no longer find reasons to go to Erubiorene's castle and meet Elymia. Where can we find clues?"
Claire asked, tilting her head.
"Claire, do you know who are the people in this city of Berger?"
Reiner already had some strategies in his mind. He pointed to the city of Berger down the hillside. That city exuded a golden glow in the afterglow of the setting sun, and the smoke from the houses was slowly curling up