Chapter 253 Broken Wings
Inside the magnificent palace, all the beasts knelt on the ground, not daring to look directly at the distinguished guests.
Supreme piety and fear.
Duotu stepped into the gate and saw several holy envoys in the hall. They were wearing sacred white robes and cloaks that covered most of their faces, with golden wings embroidered on their chests.
He was the king of a country, but he was not allowed to perform etiquette.
"I wonder what the mission of the Holy Temple's messenger is?"
"When I heard that the empire had given birth to a descendant of my angel clan, I naturally brought the child back to my clan to raise him. I hope Your Majesty will bear the pain and give him up." The leading archbishop stepped forward. He was wearing a noble dark red robe and holding a golden gem scepter in his hand.
A condescending look and a tone that brooks no argument.
Duotu stared at them without saying a word, holding his son in his arms who still didn't understand the situation, his expression becoming increasingly unsightly.
Another Holy Envoy spoke arrogantly, "I hope Your Majesty will not reject our kindness."
"The Holy Temple sent us here to 'negotiate'. If Your Majesty is unwilling, don't blame us for 'inviting' the young prince to return to his clan."
"Your Majesty, please hand over the child."
This tone is not for discussion, but just a routine announcement.
A holy messenger stepped forward and stretched out his hand to... grab the child.
"This is my son! I raised him bit by bit, what qualifications do you have to take him away!" Duotu took two steps back with the child in his arms. He was like an annoyed beast, growling from his chest and between his teeth.
The Holy Envoy was about to speak, but a young man to the Archbishop's right raised his hand to stop him. "Your Majesty loves your son deeply, and we understand."
"Can……"
The Holy Envoy moved his lips, said nothing more, and quietly retreated.
The others seemed very respectful to the young man.
Duotu also set his eyes on him. The young man was wearing a white holy robe that was no different from other holy envoys. He had a tall and elegant figure and a very gentle and holy temperament. The only difference was that a white silk covered his eyes, but it seemed that people could feel his gaze, silently searching through everything.
The young man looked at the cub in Duotu's arms, a smile on his lips, "What a cute offspring, can I hold it?"
The voice is elegant, gentle and extremely pleasant to the ear.
Duotu's face was alert, and he refused to hand over the child. "You want to take Hephes away? Is there no turning back?"
The Archbishop still insisted, "Not long ago, it awakened the bloodline of my angel race and should return to the temple to receive inheritance."
"What if I say no?"
Another divine messenger stepped forward and said, "The Alans Empire is under the jurisdiction of the Holy Church. Your Majesty should also know that you are just a puppet of the Holy Church. If Your Majesty does not agree, we can simply replace you with a more obedient monarch."
"Noah, don't be unreasonable."
The young man spoke softly, but did not stop him from continuing. After he finished speaking, he looked at Duotu, whose expression was grim, and changed his words to a more gentle one, "...Your Majesty should know very well what the consequences are for angels who fail to obtain the inheritance."
Duotu's attitude seemed to relax, and a trace of pain appeared on his face, "I..."
Hephis felt his father's body trembling in his arms. Worried, he touched his father's face with his claws and said softly, "Don't be afraid, father. Hephis will not leave. Hephis will always stay by your side."
The young man's smile deepened. "What a well-behaved and adorable child! Your Majesty certainly wouldn't want its natural talent to be buried in this small space."
Duotu suddenly hugged the child tightly, burying his face in the lion cub's fur. After a moment, he looked up at the Holy Envoy, his eyes bloodshot, and his tone became calm, "Please give me a few days to think about it."
The young man said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I hope you will consider it carefully."
The Archbishop knocked the scepter on the ground three times. "In three days, we will come to take the child back to the temple. I hope Your Majesty will give us a satisfactory answer."
The Holy Messengers left.
The orcs in the hall do not have to suffer from that terrifying oppressive force.
Heru, his confidant, came over and looked worriedly at Duotu and Hephis in his arms. "Your Majesty, are you really going to send the little prince away?"
As the Holy Envoys left, Duotu suddenly became haggard, his shoulders no longer straight, and he muttered to himself, "All they want... is the bloodline of the angels..."
"His Majesty?"
Seeing him like this, Heru became even more worried.
Duotu figured something out and quickly regained his composure, saying calmly, "It's okay, I'll think about it carefully."
Without saying anything else, he left.
Your Majesty has not come to court these two days.
He has been on the throne for seven years and has only been negligent twice.
One was the seven days of the queen's funeral.
Next time, it’s this time.
He locked himself and his children in Taoyuanwu and never came out again.
There is only one night left before the deadline mentioned by the Holy Envoy.
That night, there was wind and rain, and the sky was dark and gloomy.
Hephaestus fell asleep early.
Duotu walked to the window and closed it.
Perhaps the wind outside was too loud, or the rain was too sudden, hitting the window hard and waking the child.
Hephis rubbed his eyes, trying to identify his father's direction in the dark night, and said in a low voice, "Father, it's so late, why aren't you sleeping?"
Duotu walked to the bedside and held his son in his arms. He stared at him for a long time and said softly, "You don't need these wings. Like your father, cut them off."
Cut off the wings?
What, what does it mean?
Hephis seemed frightened, "Father...what are you talking about?"
Duotu took out a sharp dagger.
"My dear son, tell me, tell your father that you don't need these wings, right?" His voice became more and more crazy, and seemed to contain a hint of pleading, "Tell me quickly, you don't need it!"
A loud thunderclap exploded outside the window, illuminating the man's crazy and distorted expression.
Hephaestus screamed, his body trembling, and he cried out in fear, "No, no, father, Hephaestus is afraid of pain and wants wings..."
"Father, please don't take my wings."
"Wuwu Hefeis doesn't want this..."
"It hurts to dig out the wings..."
"Daddy... wuwu daddy..."
"Bang!"
Duotu suddenly stumbled back, gasping for breath, and the dagger fell to the ground.
As soon as he loosened his grip, the child escaped from his arms.
Duotu stared blankly at the little lion huddled in fear in the corner.
The scene back then seemed to overlap with the scene before my eyes.
His body seemed to have suddenly lost all its strength, and he fell to the ground dejectedly, his eyes red, and he grabbed his messy blond hair like crazy.
"Hephaest...Hephaest..."
He called his son's name over and over again, trying to call him back.
He couldn't believe that he had this idea and wanted to cut off his own son's wings!
"I'm sorry, father, I shouldn't have done that. I was wrong..." He covered his face and cried, suppressing his sobs.
He just wanted to keep the child.
Without these wings, it is just an insignificant discarded chess piece, and no one will take a second look at it.
Hephis looked at his father's painful expression and slowly forgot his fear.
It walked over carefully and hugged its father. Its childish voice was tinged with tears as it shook its head and said, "It was father who raised Hephaestus personally. I will not leave father..."
"My favorite person is my father. I won't follow anyone else..."
Duotu hugged his son tightly, holding on to his only comfort.
"Don't leave me..."
I still have to sort out the outline of the rest of the story today, so I won’t update any more. Go to bed early, my dears. Good night!
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