The Strongest Magician Can Only Love His Dead Wife — After I Reincarnated, My Cute Younger Husband Turned Yandere - Chapter 8

It was all too sudden.

“You actually have a marriage proposal.”

The moment she entered the room after being summoned by her father, the girl’s eyes widened slightly at the news.

At sixteen, she was indeed at an age where receiving marriage proposals wouldn’t be strange. However, both those around her and the girl herself had thought her father who particularly doted on his daughter for her resemblance to his deceased sister wouldn’t send her off to marry for a long time yet.

“For me? Who is the other party?”

“Lord Arsenio, head of the Silva ducal house.”

“Arsenio…”

The moment she uttered that name, the girl was suddenly assaulted by a terrible ringing in her ears. Soon after, a vortex of immense memories flooded her mind.

—They were the so-called memories of a past life.

That she had married a boy named Arsenio when he was eight years old.

That she had gradually built a bond with him, finding him as adorable as a younger brother.

That in the end, she had died protecting him from an attack spell.

And that now, she had been granted a new life and was living as a different person—.

“Gh—”

She instinctively pressed a hand to her abdomen. Though hidden by her clothes now, she had a birthmark there, shaped exactly like a rose, since the day she was born.

That spot, usually unnoticeable, now ached with a dull, persistent throb, as if pleading for something.

“Are you alright? Does your stomach hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.”

While pressing the slightly aching birthmark, the girl gave her father a strained smile.

If she were to say that her past life memories had returned, her father would undoubtedly go to the elders and fetch some dubious medicine.

Worse still, the entire clan might gather around her to perform a large-scale prayer ritual.

(I’m shocked. Reincarnation really does exist.)

She peeked softly at the mirror hanging on the wall, and the reflection showed a girl with a vibrant impression.

Her hair was a pale gold reminiscent of moonlight. Her eyes were a clear blue like a tranquil lake.

Her milky-white skin and cheeks flushed with a rose-like hue were captivating.

Her parents and relatives often said her carefree nature was just like that of her late aunt. Indeed, the relaxed demeanor of her aunt preserved in portraits bore a certain resemblance to the girl.

(But that makes sense. After all, I am the reincarnation of that “aunt” herself.)

Rubia Tark.

Born as the thirteenth granddaughter of the Tark clan head, she was given the very name of her father’s sister, who had passed away early in the same year she was born.

Her father had been dearly loved by that much older sister. Rubia had grown up hearing stories about her aunt since she was little.

‘My sister was very kind and always wore a smile. You’re beautiful and good-natured like my sister, so you might be her reincarnation.’

Setting aside the “beautiful” part as familial bias, her father often said such things jokingly. But he likely never imagined that his own child truly was the reincarnation of his late sister.

In fact, even Rubia herself had only just recalled her past life memories and was currently bewildered.

Of course, her father, having no way of knowing this, pressed on with the conversation.

“Lord Arsenio is twenty-four this year. He’s renowned as the strongest magician since the founding of the Merkius Empire and currently serves as the Second Seat Magician.”

At her father’s words, Rubia nearly teared up.

Sixteen years since ‘Rubia’s’ death. How deeply moving it was that the boy who was only eight back then had grown splendidly and now held the position of Second Seat Magician.

But Rubia hurriedly held back the tears welling in her eyes.

The current Rubia was someone with no connection to Arsenio whatsoever. If she started crying suddenly, she would startle her father.

“As you know, our Tark clan has defended the border for generations, and in return, we’ve married our daughters into noble houses to strengthen our ties with the empire. Your grandfather’s cousin and your aunt did the same.”

Though this should have been a joyous topic, his daughter’s marriage proposal—her father’s expression was not cheerful.

Rubia knew the reason well, of course.

“By forming connections with noble families, those who mock us as mere indigenous people have become fewer in recent years. That in itself is a good thing. However, I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but Lord Arsenio is my sister’s—that is, your aunt’s former husband.”

“Yes, I’m aware. Auntie married Lord Arsenio when he was eight, at the same age I am now, sixteen.”

“That’s right. And my sister lost her life protecting Lord Arsenio.”

That was a story she had often heard from people throughout the clan, even before her past life memories returned.

Aunt Rubia was a brave woman who confronted a villain, sacrificing her own life to protect her husband—so they said.

Thinking back on it now, it was terribly embarrassing how she was spoken of almost like a hero. Apparently, in some fit of madness, there had even been talk of erecting a bronze statue of her around the time Rubia was born. She was truly glad that plan had fizzled out.

“Lord Arsenio apparently intended to remain single for life, out of devotion to my sister. However, His Majesty the Emperor would never allow such a thing.”

A superior magician must pass on their abilities to future generations.

While those with magical power can appear as mutations, the majority inherit it through bloodlines. Hence, magicians are expected to marry early.

For someone of the Second Seat Magician’s standing, the pressure from the state must be considerable.

It seemed Arsenio had managed to evade it until now, but upon turning twenty-four, the Emperor had finally lost patience and ordered him to marry that appeared to be the whole story behind this proposal.