38: Can't Finish, Simply Can't Finish

"Eri-chan, don't get so worked up!"

"Although I am Alice's mother, I am currently single."

"Just as Akira-chan said, people can't always dwell in the past."

"Is there anything wrong with me starting a new relationship?"

"Besides, it's not like I plan to marry Akira-chan."

"Am I not even allowed to be Akira-chan's lover?"

Truly a woman from Northern Europe—she could say such shameless words with absolute confidence.

Eri's spirit was utterly crushed by this brazen declaration.

"Sayuri, you are also Akira's mother."

"When he makes mistakes and goes down the wrong path,"

"Are you just going to stand by and watch without stopping him?"

Hearing Suou Yumi's angry words, Sawamura Sayuri couldn't help but feel a deep sense of guilt.

How could she possibly stop him?

She was even secretly hoping that Akira-chan and Leonora, this middle-aged woman, would get together.

That way, if her secret with Akira-chan were ever exposed in the future, Leonora could help take some of the blame.

What worried her even more was—had she been the one to lead Akira-chan astray?

Because she had tempted Akira-chan into doing something wrong, had she caused him to develop a preference for older women?

She was doomed.

If this ever came to light, she would definitely be nailed to the pillar of shame.

Her mother, Kujou Seiko, would be the first to never forgive her.

It was better to let Leonora take the brunt of it, bearing the majority of the public backlash.

Now that Leonora had already taken the first step into error, even if Sayuri were exposed later, people would criticize Leonora first.

She was the one who started it.

"Ah!"

Startled awake, Sawamura Sayuri instinctively let out a soft cry and helplessly tried to reason:

"Yumi, Akira-chan has always been strong-willed since he was little. I've never interfered with his decisions."

"How could we, as mothers, interfere in matters of love?"

"Maybe after a while, their feelings will fade, and they'll break up?"

Hearing this, Leonora grinned and asked,

"Akira-chan, will you break up with me?"

Akira Sawamura looked at her sincerely, "I want Leonora-nee to be my lover for a lifetime."

Akira's childhood friends were completely shattered upon hearing this.

This was unacceptable!

They hadn't even had their chance yet, and a middle-aged woman had already swooped in and claimed him.

"Alright, alright, tonight's welcome banquet is over."

Even Kujou Seiko couldn't hold back anymore. She quickly announced the end of the banquet and had the servants escort the guests out.

If they kept talking, who knew what other shocking things would be said?

Her elderly heart couldn't take it.

The guests who attended the banquet tonight all left feeling satisfied.

They wore smiles as they bid their farewells.

Why? Because tonight had been full of juicy gossip.

Burp.

They simply couldn't digest all of it.

Akira Sawamura was destined to be the most talked-about figure in Neon's high society for a while.

Master of the Tai'a Sword, reincarnation of a poet, young literary prodigy, modern-day romantic.

Each title alone was enough to make waves in Neon.

His background, hobbies, and interests were filled with an almost theatrical level of drama.

If this were a novel, it would be too excessive—even fiction wouldn't dare pack in so much conflict and spectacle.

Yet, this was reality.

Especially the fact that Akira Sawamura, a peerlessly beautiful young man, had publicly confessed to Leonora, a middle-aged woman, through poetry.

Countless noble ladies, who had witnessed this scene firsthand, were so envious they nearly ground their teeth to dust.

They were all middle-aged women, after all.

Why was she the one favored by Akira Sawamura, a brilliant young prodigy with limitless potential and stunning looks?

Meanwhile, they had to go home and face their aging, pot-bellied, greasy husbands every day.

This world was simply too unfair.

Once the guests had left and only those close to Akira remained,

Leonora, with her tall, curvaceous figure, was still clinging tightly to Akira.

This finally made Suou Yumi snap in frustration.

Even though she was furious, her soft voice still sounded weak and powerless.

"Leonora, could you let go of Akira for a moment?"

"Don't you think you've been hugging for a bit too long?"

"Huh? Time passed that quickly?"

"Sorry, Yumi, I forgot."

Seeing Leonora feigning innocence, acting cute like a clueless girl, only made Suou Yumi even more exasperated.

To her, every second Akira spent with Leonora was another moment he was being taken advantage of by this middle-aged woman.

It was all because her son had never experienced a mother's love since childhood—

That was why his heart and personality had developed in a way that made him fall for older women.

Thinking about how this was all her fault, how her son, once full of promise, now had his reputation tarnished,

Tears began to fall uncontrollably from Suou Yumi's eyes.

"Mom, why are you crying again?"

"It's not good for your health to get too upset, let alone be sad."

"I… I just feel like I failed you."

"If you had experienced a mother's love when you were young, you wouldn't have fallen for a woman so much older than you."

Leonora pouted, and her eyes, already swollen from crying earlier, immediately welled up again.

She started wiping her tears once more.

It hurt—it hurt so much to be looked down upon by Akira's own mother.

Seeing this, Suou Yumi was absolutely livid.

She had merely stated a fact.

Yet this Northern European woman had started crying again.

Was her body made of water?

Did she not realize how old she was? Still acting like a young girl and bursting into tears at any moment.

Anyone who didn't know better would think she was the one being bullied!

The worst part was, if Akira saw this, what if he started holding a grudge against her, his own mother?

Crying to gain sympathy, huh?

Well, two could play that game!

"Are you two competing to see who can cry the hardest?"

"Women who cry often age faster, you know."

The moment those words were spoken, the effect was immediate.

Both Leonora and Suou Yumi instantly stopped crying.

Akira Sawamura: ...

Are they all just putting on a show?

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