Kazuki broke from his reverie and leaned on the desk on his elbows, abandoning his usual composed and proper posture.
"Your mother had countless suitors on the island who hoped they could bring her into their families. However, during one of her trips outside, she met your father and fell in love. She was so happy and could not wait to tell me that she had met her true love."
Kaito's eyes narrowed because he knew that the story was not going to a good place.
"After she told me, I could not accept it. No one in the clan could accept it. Even the top elite families were opposed to the idea of Hime leaving the island. We did not want the fertile waters of our land to flow to the outside world."
"Furthermore, at the time, Hime was working on improving the rare material to enhance its effect and minimise potential bad effects. So, we refused to let her go. But after that, she became listless and lethargic, staying at home and refusing to go to work."