Seeing Alice fall silent, Barbara continued, "Your father, the great Lord Anthony, would never allow such a thing to happen."
"The person he envisions to stand beside you for a lifetime is certainly not someone as mediocre as a tier-bronze."
At these words, Alice quickly looked up, as if wanting to argue back.
But Barbara's next sentence caught in her throat like a fishbone.
"Yes, this Mr. Alan—his temperament and talent are both extraordinary."
"But compared to you—whose name already echoes throughout the kingdom at such a young age—he remains utterly insignificant."
"If one day, in middle age, he manages to reach tier-diamond, or even the rank of King Magus, then perhaps, just perhaps, you two might have a shred of possibility."
"But that's nearly as impossible as scaling the heavens. My lady, you may not see it, but your very existence is like the sun to a glacier."
"The brighter your light shines, the faster he will melt."
