Three months passed quietly amidst the busy work and construction.
A biting wind, carrying tiny ice crystals, swept across Blackrock Territory, turning the land into a desolate, silvery-white expanse.
The castle's thick stone walls protected it from the bitter cold, while the leaping flames in the fireplace provided the only source of warmth inside.
Linde stood before the huge arched window of the lord's study, his fingertips tracing the cold glass, his gaze piercing through the swirling snowflakes, looking into the distance shrouded in a thick snow curtain.
The battle reports from the front lines, like the rhythm of this cold winter, gradually became sparse and cooled down.
The two behemoths, the Kree Empire and the Sass Empire, which were tearing each other apart, finally fell silent for the time being in the face of the harsh winter.
Both sides tacitly withdrew their claws, licked their wounds, and gathered their strength, waiting for the ice and snow to melt next year to settle the score.
"Viscount Lilens of the Fortified City... well done."
Lin De muttered to himself as he delivered a briefing from the military system to his old acquaintance, detailing his military achievements.
Amidst the flames of war in Sutherland, Lillens demonstrated the resilience and command skills befitting his family tradition, holding the line in several key small-scale defensive battles and earning praise.
This news brought a slight smile to Lind's face; it was a good thing for him that a reliable ally had gained a foothold in the Imperial system.
However, the next letter from the Earl's domain, written by his father Bruce Truk, brought a heavy, ironic "good news."
The letter paper looked rather thin in the glow of the fire.
Lind's gaze lingered between the lines, finally settling on the passage describing his brother Karl's recent situation.
During the last cultist raid on the Earl's territory, Karl led the charge and was ultimately seriously wounded.
Although his life was saved, "the physician diagnosed that young master Karl suffered a severe spinal injury. Although he can move freely, he may never be able to condense fighting spirit again and will have no hope of learning martial arts."
"I can no longer practice martial arts..." Lin De repeated the words softly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He and Carl, his half-brothers, grew up amidst all sorts of open and covert struggles and sarcastic remarks since they were old enough to understand.
Carl was the strong, arrogant, and oppressive "big brother" who haunted him during his childhood, someone he tried to surpass and even hated at one point.
For titles, for power, for proof of themselves, the rift between them was once as deep as a chasm.
However, times have changed.
Lind had long since stepped out of that small earldom and onto a wider, more dangerous stage.
Karl's formidable strength, once his greatest threat, has now been cruelly stripped away by fate.
Linde closed his eyes, and Karl's once spirited and proud face flashed through his mind, as if he could see Karl's confidence collapsing and his bewilderment instantly upon hearing the bad news.
For someone who grew up in an environment where chivalry and martial prowess reigned supreme, and who viewed strength as an integral part of life, this was tantamount to robbing him of the very foundation of his existence.
“Fate is cruel…” Lin De slowly exhaled, feeling little joy in revenge, but rather a sense of desolation and sorrow for his fellow human beings.
Once fierce rivals, now with their wings clipped, they are confined to the small territory of the Earldom, and may spend the rest of their lives as "civil" Earls, dealing with paperwork and social interactions.
The fierce rivalry of the past appears so insignificant and laughable in the face of absolute power disparity and the capricious hand of fate.
He gently placed the letter on the table and turned his gaze back to the boundless snowfield outside the window.
Carl's experience served as a wake-up call, reminding him of the preciousness and fragility of power.
"well……"
Just then, there was a soft knock on the study door, with an unusually rapid rhythm.
"Come in." Lin De collected his thoughts, his voice returning to its usual calm and steady tone.
The door was pushed open, and the person who entered was neither a servant nor a general, but the old butler, Seth.
This usually calm and meticulous old man now had an uncontrollable blush on his face, a mixture of excitement and solemnity, and his steps were a little faster than usual.
“Young Master!” Seth’s voice trembled slightly. He walked to Lind’s desk, bowed deeply, and respectfully handed over one…two? parchment scrolls sealed with sealing wax and carrying a faint herbal fragrance.
Lind frowned slightly, looking at Seth's unusual expression: "Seth? What's this?"
"Extraordinary news, young master!" Seth looked up, his eyes gleaming with genuine joy. "This is a diagnosis report from Miss Nazra and Miss Leonis, just confirmed by the doctor and delivered to you by the old servant immediately!"
"The diagnosis?" Lind's heart skipped a beat at Seth's suggestive and excited tone.
An almost impossible idea, yet one that instantly ignited all his expectations, burst into his mind like a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil!
He almost lost his composure as he grabbed the two parchment scrolls, his fingers trembling slightly, and quickly tore off the sealing wax seal on one of them.
"...Confirmed by dual testing of magical energy channels and life force, Her Highness Nazla Adan is pregnant...The fetus's vital signs are stable and strong, and the mother's condition is good..."
boom!
An indescribable surge of heat instantly coursed through Lind's body! His knuckles, gripping the parchment scroll, turned slightly white, and his breathing became heavy. He almost immediately tore open the other scroll!
"...Ms. Leonis is also pregnant...she needs to rest and avoid strenuous combat..."
Two medical reports! Two confirmations!
Nazra...Leonis...are both pregnant!
He's going to be a father!
A massive, pure, volcanic eruption of ecstasy instantly overwhelmed Lind's reason and composure!
All those winter battle reports, family feuds, and power struggles were thrown to the winds at this moment!
"Great! Great! That's wonderful!"
Linde suddenly stood up, and in his excitement, the chair slid backward, scraping against the ground with a screeching sound.
He paced back and forth in his study, holding two medical reports, a radiant smile on his face that was more undisguised than ever before, a smile that even had a touch of foolishness, a pure joy belonging to a man about to become a father.
"Seth! Did you hear that? I'm going to be a father! And two of them!"
Linde's voice was loud and powerful, almost piercing through the heavy study door.
"Yes! Young Master! This is a great joy! The Truk family has a successor! Blackrock Territory has an heir! May the Lord of the Light Vein protect us!"
Seth was also moved to tears, bowing repeatedly. As the old butler who had served two generations of the Truk family, nothing could bring him more joy than seeing the family bloodline continue.
"Quickly! Pass the word down immediately!" Linde stopped, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and began issuing a series of orders:
"All taxes within the territory will be exempted by 30% for this quarter! Everyone in the castle will be rewarded with three months' salary! Have the kitchen prepare the most sumptuous feast; I will be hosting a banquet in the castle hall tonight! And Alice..."
He paused, looked out the window at the sky where snow was still falling heavily, and spoke with an unwavering determination:
"I'll go to her place myself. Let's leave the rest as is for now."
"Yes, sir! This old servant will go and do it right away!" Seth's voice was loud and clear, as if he had become ten years younger. He left with great energy, his steps light and quick, unlike that of an old man.
Linde was left alone in the study. He looked down again and again at the two thin parchment scrolls, as if they contained the most precious treasures in the world.
An unprecedented, profound and fervent sense of responsibility and happiness filled his heart.
He walked to the window and looked at the world outside, which was covered in silver. The swirling snowflakes seemed to have taken on a festive color.
Nazla... that fiery, cunning, and passionate fox spirit, is carrying the child born from their intertwined bloodline.
The thought of her gently stroking her belly with a maternal glow and a touch of wild pride made Linde's lips involuntarily curl into a smile.
Leonis... that Holy Knight of Punishment, as resilient as steel and as pure as snow, her faith and loyalty were once her only armor. Now, beneath that icy exterior, new life is quietly being nurtured.
Thinking of the panic and shyness she might feel when she heard the news, as well as the deep-seated maternal tenderness blessed by the Holy Light, Linde felt an overwhelming sense of pity and protectiveness.
Two women with very different personalities, yet both holding important places in his heart, almost simultaneously brought him the continuation of his life!
This is not merely the continuation of bloodline, but a symbol of Lind Truk truly taking root and flourishing on this continent! It is the continuation of his power and the hope for his future!
“My child…” Lind murmured softly. In his deep purple eyes, in addition to the usual sharpness and profundity, there was now an unprecedented tenderness and firmness called “fatherhood.”
The harsh winter of Blackrock Territory seemed to have ushered in the warmest spring ahead of time because of the joyous news of these two lives. A grand celebration was about to unfold in this nascent castle.
"Meow?" From the shadows in the corner of the study, Nix's little head popped out, her big green eyes watching curiously as her owner paced around the room with a "silly smile" on her face, her little ears twitching in confusion.
The intense joy permeating the air left her somewhat bewildered, but it didn't seem... unpleasant? She flicked her tail, deciding not to disturb her seemingly "abnormal" owner, and quietly retreated into the shadows, hugging her tail as she prepared to continue her nap.
After all, nothing is more important than sleeping, meow!
As Linde walked, something occurred to him. He needed to find a way to appease Alice as soon as possible. This young lady was only one step away from becoming his girlfriend, and now was the best opportunity.
Let's take it all down together!
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