The Bored Immortal

Nyissa had her eyes quiver in disbelief and confusion, unable to process what she had just heard. The way she said it made it seem as if she was doing the right thing, "This is nonsense. You looked down on me for my entire childhood. It wasn't as if you suddenly started to treat me differently. If so, I might have still believed that your clan elders offered you an ultimatum."

Maura nodded as she said, "Yes. You are right if not for the fact that I had to beg the High Elders to let me stay in the Fujo Clan till you are of age. They refused at first, but since it was only a few years, they agreed after a lot of exhausting discussions and giving them my assurances. I used those years to be hard on you so that when you grow up, you won't miss me when I have to leave you. I thought a few years of pain would be better than enduring the pain of missing your mother for a lifetime. I wanted you to forget about me because I wasn't strong enough to protect you. If I had acted defiantly, not only you but your father and his entire clan would have suffered. I also thought the pain and hatred would help you achieve your potential faster so that you would never have to give in to others like I did."

Nyissa was trying her best to hold in the wetness in her eyes as she looked at her mother, "So…you think I was happy all these centuries just because you made me hate you? E-Even if you did to protect us, you never thought I would have ended up happier if you had looked after me like a real mother? Even if it was only a few years, those years would have been more than enough to lessen the pain in my life. Even if it might be true that I wouldn't be this strong if not for the anger in my heart, I would rather have pleasant memories in my heart rather than feel like I was not worthy enough to be your daughter for all these years."

Maura immediately got up as she walked over to Nyissa and crouched before her with a flickering gaze, "You are right. What I did was in the wrong. But I had a vision at that time. If I hadn't done what I did, then you would have never met Viktor. Your life would have never been the same as now."

Nyissa had her lips part in surprise since she didn't think that everything her mother did was based on her future.

"But that was only one of the reasons that made me feel like what I did was right. I was so foolish at that time, and it was too late when I realized I didn't give you the love you deserved. I was so torn between the happiness you would get in your future and the present. And I thought sacrificing your present for the sake of you getting stronger and being happy in the future would be worth it. Every time I was hard on you, it broke my heart. Not a day has passed where I didn't wish to go back and change things, but I can't. I also thought of visiting you, but then I felt that you wouldn't want to see me, especially after everything I did to you. I thought you would be better off without getting upset by seeing my face. You said you wanted the truth…this is it…from my heart. I always have and always will love you. I couldn't be more proud to have you as my daughter. I can only ask you to believe me," Maura said as she raised her hand to hold Nyissa's hand but then stopped herself as a drop of tear trickled down her cheek.

Nyissa's hands trembled as she didn't know what to think or believe. All of this was too sudden, and even if Maura's words and her eyes appeared sincere, how could it quickly break down the anger and sadness she had carried in her heart for all these centuries?

"I…I honestly don't know if I can believe you, mother. But I will let the future be the judge of whether what you said to me now is true or not," Nyissa said firmly since she was not willing to be that foolish girl again who hoped in vain for her mother to love her back. She couldn't let herself get hurt again.

Maura smiled with a complicated expression as she wiped her cheeks, "Of course. That is more than enough. I can wait no matter how long. I will also understand if you find it hard to trust me."

Nyissa took a deep breath as she nodded, "Then let's start with what you want me to do in return for finding out where my fiance is."

Maura sat on her knees as she said, "It is true what Sage Han said about the High Elders picking a fiance for you."

"Who is he anyway? Whoever he is, the High Elders are going to be disappointed for the first time," Nyissa said with a cold look. She had enough of these High Elders ruining her life and the people close to her.

"A highly illustrious genius from the Alchemy Saints Clan. Apparently, he dedicated centuries of his life to researching the power of alchemy and furthering his prospects which he did. And now he is on the lookout for a woman to produce a genius of his own before the tournament. He claims he had looked into you and was satisfied with having you as his wife. Of course, they didn't even consult me before sending Sage Han to stop your engagement. It was only when he returned did I learn about it, and I confronted the High Elders."

"You confronted them?"

"Don't worry. Over the years, I have built a modest reputation for myself to the point the High Elders wouldn't turn a blind eye to me. Now, my voice matters in every major decision this clan takes. So since I knew you love that mysterious half-blood, I told the High Elders that I won't let my daughter marry the alchemist they chose for you. The High Elders became very angry, but as I said, they couldn't take me lightly anymore."

She continued with a sigh, "They were angry because the man they chose was not simply an alchemist but also the next clan heir of their clan. But I was able to persuade them to come to a compromise. I don't know if you already know about this, but our world is being plagued by a hidden crisis. Some people have been sowing seeds of chaos in the darkness, but we don't know why or who the mastermind behind it is. And the mission for your fiance is if he can prove his capability by finding some breakthrough in this crisis. If he proves himself better than that alchemist genius, then the High Elders won't stand in your way. So this is my request. Please think about this with your fiance."