Chapter 25 Offenders Must Die
Chapter 25 Offenders Must Die
My father, as always, showed me no affection. His cold treatment returned my heart to the state it had been in before I met Zi Yan—ice-cold.
I quickly left the tent, found my elder brother, and brought him back inside.
Lei Long entered and said, “Father, you called for me?”
“Yes. Choose some guards to accompany your brother back to the Imperial Capital.”
“But Father, my brother has just returned. Why not let him rest here for a day?”
His words warmed my heart. Among my family, he was the only one with whom I felt even a trace of kinship.
Father frowned. “No. He has urgent matters to attend to. Carry out my orders. You may both leave now. Lei Xiang, once you depart, there is no need to return here again. After you go back home… never mind. Just leave quickly.”
I silently followed my brother out of the tent.
Lei Long placed a hand on my shoulder. “We have to part again even though you just returned. Little brother, be careful on the road to the Imperial Capital. I’ll choose some skilled clansmen to escort you.”
I asked bluntly, “Is the road still chaotic?”
Lei Long sighed. “Our Beastmen country has always been like this. Bandits are everywhere. Don’t worry. With guards protecting you, nothing will happen.”
I clenched my fist tightly.
“Bandits? If they cross paths with me, it will be their misfortune. Big brother, don’t worry. I’m not a child anymore. Take this.”
I took a turquoise stone from inside my vest and handed it to him.
“Keep it with you. It will bring you good fortune.”
After the life-and-death battle earlier, I realized the reason I survived was this seemingly ordinary green stone. Without it, I would not have lasted long enough to achieve victory.
Lei Long examined the turquoise between his fingers.
“What is this?”
I smiled faintly. “Don’t ask. Just keep it, and don’t let anyone else see it. It will help you on the battlefield.”
He frowned at the small stone.
“Alright. Since you say so, I’ll keep it safe.”
Just then, a familiar and hateful voice sounded behind us.
“So the vice general who returned is you, little hybrid.”
Lei Long and I turned at the same time.
Standing there was my second brother, Lei Hu, as large and tall as my eldest brother. His face was as ugly as ever.
“Little hybrid” had always been the name he used for me.
I snorted coldly.
“Who are you calling a hybrid?”
Lei Hu cracked his knuckles loudly.
“Who else? We haven’t seen each other for a while, and the little hybrid has already grown a temper. You even dare to talk back.”
Lei Long stepped in front of me angrily.
“Second Brother, stop this nonsense. He’s still your brother. How can you call him a hybrid?”
Lei Hu glanced at him with disdain.
“Brother? Does he look like a Behemoth to you? If he’s not a hybrid, then what is he? That worthless human woman gave birth to this lowly creature. I really don’t know what Father was thinking letting him live. If it were me, I would have strangled him in the cradle so I wouldn’t have to see him.”
A chill ran through Lei Long’s body. When he turned back to look at me, he stepped backward in shock.
“Father made a mistake by letting me live?”
Father’s cold attitude and Lei Hu’s insults ignited the anger in my heart. My crimson eyes fixed on him. My hair turned red and fluttered despite the still air.
My muscles expanded violently, tearing most of my clothes.
Lei Hu stared at me, stunned.
“What? Is that hybrid going crazy?”
I walked toward him step by step, releasing a terrifying aura.
“Who did you call a hybrid…? Who… are you calling a hybrid…?”
Lei Long grabbed my shoulder anxiously.
“Third Brother, stop! Let the three of us talk this out.”
I shook him off.
“What talk? Anyone who insults me must die.”
Because of our argument, soldiers gathered around us. Most belonged to the Wild Lion Legion or the Behemoth Legion. Since we were all vice generals, none of them dared intervene, though some hurried to inform my father.
Lei Long stared at his numb hand in disbelief.
“But… he’s still your elder brother…”
Lei Hu roared.
“Who is his elder brother? He’s a hybrid! Don’t think I’ll fear you just because you look like that. Today I’ll show you the true power of a Behemoth!”
With a roar, he stepped forward and punched.
Just as my brother had said, Lei Hu’s Heavenly Thunder Armor Technique had reached the third level. A faint white chi wrapped around his fist as it shot toward me.
If I hadn’t entered berserk mode, I might not have matched him.
But while berserk, I could even fight Dragon Knights.
Fear no longer existed.
I rushed forward and met his attack head-on.
Lei Hu sneered. “Time for you to die.”
I threw a punch.
A stream of crimson Mad God Chi burst out and collided with his white chi.
Boom.
Lei Hu staggered back two steps, surprise flashing across his face. I barely slowed and charged forward again.
My ferocity triggered his rage. He roared and rushed at me.
I leapt into the air and shouted,
“Heavenly Berserk!”
The Berserk Fist unleashed its full power only during berserk mode. A pillar of crimson chi shot toward the sky.
Lei Hu continued charging without hesitation, throwing punches repeatedly.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
The Mad God Chi of Heavenly Berserk clashed six times with his Heavenly Thunder Armor.
Lei Hu’s gigantic body—over five meters tall—was blasted away. He crashed into a tent and tore it apart.
Seeing the arrogant Lei Hu thrown aside like that, the soldiers from both legions were stunned.
One Wild Lion soldier whispered, “Who is he? Even Vice General Lei Hu can’t fight him.”
“You don’t know?” another soldier replied. “He’s the youngest son of the Behemoth King, Vice General Lei Xiang. He’s the only Behemoth in hundreds of years capable of going berserk.”
A Behemoth soldier nearby laughed proudly.
“This time Vice General Lei Hu can’t brag anymore. He always thought too highly of himself. Now he’s been beaten by his own younger brother.”
Lei Hu shoved aside the collapsed tent and struggled to his feet. Despite his powerful defense, he was injured.
“Hybrid… you’re ruthless. Good. Today I’ll go all out!”
With a roar he charged again.
He had already been no match for me before he was injured. Now the gap was even greater.
Facing the man who had bullied my mother and me since childhood, my killing intent surged.
Ever since I completed the Fallen Angel transformation, even my normal speed had greatly increased. I cast float magic and used my smaller body and superior speed to dodge every attack while striking him repeatedly.
Lei Long panicked on the sidelines. He tried several times to intervene but couldn’t catch up to our speed.
Lei Hu was battered like a sandbag. I didn’t even let him touch the ground.
With every punch he spat blood. After ten strikes, I was certain I had broken at least ten of his bones.
Yet the Heavenly Thunder Armor truly was an excellent defensive technique. Combined with his natural durability, he somehow remained alive.
I roared,
“Wild Dance of the Mad Dragon!”
My body transformed into a crimson dragon of chi. Its power rivaled the strength I wielded when using Black Sable. Compared to the time I used this move during the Fallen Angel transformation, it might even have been stronger.
This was the attack I had prepared especially for Lei Hu.
Even if his defenses were stronger, I would reduce him to minced meat—just like I did to Count Bai Sikai.
In berserk mode, I no longer hesitated to kill.
My mind contained only one word.
KILL.
“Stop!”
Just as Lei Hu was about to die, a thunderous roar echoed across the camp.
Lei Hu’s eyes lit up with joy.
A huge white barrier appeared before him, blocking the power of my Wild Dance of the Mad Dragon.
The crimson dragon smashed into the white light.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Boom!
The dragon dispersed. I reverted to my original form and was thrown backward, my crimson hair slowly fading.
The white light faded, revealing my father’s furious yet astonished face.
Facing his overwhelming authority, all the soldiers dropped to their knees.
“Long live the Behemoth King! Long live! Long live!”
Father glanced at the groaning Lei Hu.
“Father… save me… kill that hybrid…”
Father instantly understood the cause of the fight.
He snorted coldly.
“You’ve disgraced me. You couldn’t even defeat your younger brother. Take him away and find a doctor.”
Then he strode toward me.
I tried to gather what strength remained. If he blamed me, I would fight him with everything I had left.
But my berserk power had nearly been exhausted. My body was already returning to normal.
Weakness overtook me.
I dropped to one knee and supported myself with my hand.
Father arrived before me, raised his hand to stop Lei Long from speaking, and lifted me to my feet.
To my surprise, his expression was gentle.
A stream of chi flowed from his hand into my body, refreshing my spirit.
Then he turned toward the kneeling soldiers.
“Listen carefully. As the Behemoth King, I announce that my third son Lei Xiang holds the same honored status as my other sons. All my sons are vice generals of the Behemoth Legion.
If anyone insults Lei Xiang again, it will be the same as insulting me, Leo. I will not tolerate it.”
“Long live the Behemoth King! Long live Vice General Lei Xiang!”
Father nodded.
“Return to your posts.”
After dismissing the soldiers, he looked at me deeply.
“Good. You are finally worthy of being my son. Your strength improved greatly in the Dragon God Empire. That skill just now was impressive. However, berserk consumes too much energy.
You don’t have to leave today. Rest for one day.
Lei Long, arrange lodging for your brother. He will depart tomorrow morning.”
Then Father turned and left.
My elder brother stepped forward and supported me.
“Third Brother, why were you so agitated today? Come. I’ll arrange a place for you to rest.”
He helped my exhausted body toward his tent.
The next day I rode Black Dragon toward the Beastmen Imperial City, with eight massive Behemoths escorting me.
Because of yesterday’s battle, they treated me with great respect. Even though running exhausted them, none complained.
With eight enormous Behemoths accompanying me, the journey was very different from the time I left for the Dragon God Empire. Not a single bandit appeared. They probably fled in terror after seeing my escort.
During the journey I spoke little.
My mood remained heavy.
Only when I thought of Zi Yan and Zi Xue did my heart soften.
Without bandit interference we traveled quickly, reaching the territory of the Beastmen Imperial City in ten days.
One of the Behemoth guards asked, “Vice General, shall we return to the mansion first?”
“Yes. The mansion.”
First, I had to see my mother.
After so long away, I worried about how she was doing. After meeting the duke, the resentment I once felt toward her had faded somewhat. She had never treated me well, but perhaps that was simply fate.
I needed to tell her about meeting the duke.
When I entered the Behemoth King’s mansion, it looked exactly the same as before—vast and imposing.
“You may all rest,” I told the guards coldly. “There’s no need to follow me. Wait for me at the gate tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Vice General.”
Looking at the familiar yet distant courtyard, my heart felt confused.
Is this really my home?
After a long sigh, I walked into the courtyard with Black Dragon, heading straight toward my mother’s residence.
The servants hid far away from us.
It seemed that, from beginning to end, I had remained a piece of ice lodged in their hearts.
When I arrived at the door, I heard a sharp, shrill voice coming from inside.
"Pa! You lowly human, this midwife will beat you to death! That devil’s son of yours and that little beastly bastard Lei Long are gone. Let’s see who will defend you now! How was that? Did it feel great being hit? HAHAHA, you dare to stare at me? Are you tired of living?! Pa! Hmph! Don’t worry, I will not beat you to death. If I beat you to death, where would be the fun in that? Where would I get another plaything later on?"
After listening that far, I could no longer restrain myself, bursting into my mother’s room like an arrow. The room was in an incredible state, with things scattered everywhere. At this moment, a fifty-year-old lionwoman held my mother by her hair; her fat, fierce-looking face was disgusting. This person was Lei Hu’s mother, the third wife of my father, Lei Ao , and also the cousin of the Beastmen King.
There was no one in the family who would dare to provoke her, but a rather flattering adjective was generally used to describe her—bitch.
There was blood on the edge of mother’s mouth; overall, she looked far worse than she had before I left. Her clothes were torn, and she was staring ruthlessly at the ugly woman.
"Let go of her." My voice was an ice-cold whisper straight out of hell.
When the ugly woman lifted her head and saw it was me, her expression changed slightly and she let go of my mother. "Oh. I thought it was someone calling for a funeral, but it looks like it’s just a lowly hybrid; look at yourself—all skinny and weak. Compared to my Lei Hu, the difference between you and him is as if between the heavens and the earth—"
I stepped forward and, with a swing of my right arm, I sent the ugly woman flying. She rammed heavily into the wall of the room. Looking at my mother in such a bad condition, my eyes became wet.
I reached out my hand and propped up her thin, weak body. "Mother, I am back. You have endured a lot." Mother looked at me with a trace of liveliness, but did not speak.
The body of the woman was quite sturdy; although she was thrown, she didn’t sustain much damage from the fall. She let out a shrill scream and stormed toward me. "You little animal dare to hit me? This old woman will tear you apart!" She looked like she had finally gone rabid.
I kicked her away without using much strength. With my back to her, I said, "No need to struggle. Today is when your life ends." After saying that, I gently put mother on the bed and covered her properly with a quilt. "Mother, you can rest here for the moment. I will take care of that vixen now and will be back soon. You must take care of your body. I have finished the request you gave properly. Wait for a few moments and I will give you all the details, okay?"
Hearing my sentence, mother’s eyes clearly displayed more spirit as she pulled at my clothes. "Is that true? He... is he still well?"
I gave a light smile. "Wait a moment and I will answer all your questions soon. But please rest for the moment; otherwise, you won’t have the strength to listen to my story, right?"
A tear rolled down mother’s cheek, her voice choking with emotion. "Thank you."
Hearing her thank me made my heart ache. You shouldn’t be thanking me. I am your son, and will be forever.
After finishing my speech, I took a deep breath and stood up. The vixen glared at me fiercely. "You... you dare to do anything to me?"
"Wait a little longer, and you will know." I grabbed her collar and, lifting her without effort, I dragged her outside.
How could a woman like her not resist? As I dragged her toward the big courtyard, she struggled as if her life was on the line, scratching and biting. But how could she hope to injure my sturdy Behemoth body like that? As the servants around us saw what was happening, they noiselessly hid far away; clearly, they knew what was coming.
I called the closest person. "You, come over here." If I remembered correctly, this snakeman was in charge of cleaning the courtyard. The snakeman came up to me trembling, shooting glances at the woman. With a shaky voice, he said, "Third Young Master, you called?"
I ordered with a heavy voice, "Go and gather everyone out of their residences, regardless of age or gender. Also, call the eight Behemoth guards that arrived with me. I have something to announce."
The snakeman tentatively asked, "Even the first Madam?" The first Madam was Lei Long’s mother, who had been bedridden for the past few years.
"Except the first Madam and her servant, gather everyone else. Act quickly or I will break your legs."
"Yes, yes! This lowly servant will go immediately."
The ugly woman hissed, "What do you want to do? If you dare touch me and my Hu-er comes back, you will be minced into ten thousand pieces!"
I snorted coldly. "Mince me into ten thousand pieces? I don’t know whether he’ll be able to do so in the future, but at the moment, he doesn’t have what it takes. I am afraid he’ll need to wait for more than half a year before he can even hope to stand up and walk. I took care of him before coming home."
Lei Hu was this woman’s treasure. She shuddered. "You... what did you do to Hu-er? No, that’s not possible. You are no match for him! Liar! Liar!"
"Hmph, wait a moment longer and I will show you the truth. Don’t worry, he’s not dead—no, he just has a few broken bones. But I don’t think you’ll be as lucky, because this time Father won’t appear to save you again."
The woman experienced fear for the first time. She shivered. "You... you want to kill me?"
I snorted without answering. Shortly, all the people who lived in the mansion arrived. Father , my eldest brother Lei Long , and my second brother Lei Hu weren't home, so I was the master right now. I was no longer the Lei Xiang everyone looked down upon since youth; ever since I killed the first Behemoth guard, my position inside the family had started to change.
The snakeman came up to me and bowed. "Third Young Master, everyone who is at home is here..."
I replied coldly, "Alright. Stand aside."
I looked around. Besides my various stepmothers, most of them were servants and guards, including the guards I brought with me. I pointed at a Behemoth guard who had returned with me from the frontline. "You, come here."
"Vice General, your order."
"Tell this woman what her son—who is also my second brother—is doing right now."
The Behemoth guard looked at the woman blankly and said, "Vice General Lei Hu is recuperating right now."
This one was really like a log. I raged, "Tell her how Lei Hu was injured! Do you need me to teach you how to speak?"
The guard was so terrified of me that he took a step backward. Remembering the day I beat up Lei Hu, his eyes displayed a trace of terror. "That day, Vice General Lei Hu insulted Vice General Lei Xiang. Because of that, Vice General Lei Xiang beat and injured Vice General Lei Hu. After that, King Lei Ao intervened and saved Vice General Lei Hu. This is the reason he is recuperating right now. King Lei Ao also announced in front of everyone that if anyone else insults Vice General Lei Xiang in the future, there will be no way of letting them off lightly."
Although this Behemoth guard was inarticulate, he had described the base of the situation. I waved my hand. "Step down."
"Did you hear that clearly? Your son is not invincible. Anyone who insults me and my mother will not end well. If Father had not interfered that day, your son would already be in hell. Since Father said those who insult me will not be let off lightly, then today I will punish you for him."
The vixen had lost her previous flame and arrogance. She said blankly, "But... but he is your brother and I am your stepmother."
I laughed sadly. "Brother? That mongrel is a brother? Has he ever seen me as a brother even once since childhood? In his eyes, I am nothing but a hybrid. And you, who has insulted and beaten my mother... today I will let you pay back a hundredfold."
I suddenly lifted my head, my eyes bloodshot, terrifying everyone around me so much that they unconsciously took several steps back.
"Today I called you all out here because I want you to know: If any of you dares to bully my mother, this one here will be your example. Unless I die, no matter who it is—even if it’s my own father—I will fight him to the very end. Do you understand?" My voice was filled with dense killing intent; the temperature of the whole courtyard seemed to sink below zero. Everyone could feel an ice-cold chill in their hearts.
A stepmother who normally had good terms with the woman opened her mouth. "She is your stepmother; you cannot do this to her. Let’s wait until your father is back to discuss this matter, okay?"
I snorted heavily, narrowing my eyes to slits. With a cold gaze, I looked at the stepmother who dared to come forward. "Stop blabbering nonsense over there; you’re no better. However, you are right; she is my stepmother. Sigh..." While saying that, I nodded.
Everyone sighed in relief, believing I had changed my mind. Just as they relaxed, I let out a furious roar: "DIE—!!!"
My right hand struck down rapidly; Mad God Chi bursting forth.
I struck the vixen squarely on the head. Her body was reduced to a pile of minced flesh, blood splattering everywhere. My entire body and face were covered with the blood of my mother’s tormentor.
The stepmother who had defended the ugly vixen fainted on the spot. Several women turned ashen and began to vomit, while all the others trembled as they looked at me. With my entire body reeking of fresh blood, I stood in the middle of the courtyard like an Asura who had just walked out of hell.
“This is your example. Did all of you see that clearly?”
Under the pressure of my imposing manner, nobody dared answer.
I repeated loudly, “Did all of you see that clearly?”
The servants stuttered fearfully. “W-we saw it clearly.”
My expression eased. “Clean this place. Gather this minced flesh and find somewhere to bury these rotten remains. Those with nothing to do can disperse. And don’t forget what I said today.”
After saying this, I did not immediately visit Mother. After all, you couldn’t visit her while your whole body reeked of blood. After changing into clean clothes, I felt much more relaxed.
When I returned to Mother’s room—which had already been cleaned by the servants—she was just as she had been before I left, lying quietly on the bed.
“Mother, I am back.”
I walked to her bedside and sat down. Mother turned over and struggled to sit up. I hurriedly supported her and placed a pillow behind her back.
Mother took a deep breath. “Tell me. Tell me everything.”
Looking at Mother’s aged and withered face, a surge of bitterness rose in my chest. If this continues, I am afraid she will not last more than a few years.
I reached into my pocket, took out a Bloodstone and a Turquoise, and handed them to her.
Mother was stunned. “This is Bloodstone and Turquoise. Why do you have these things? They are of the best quality, and their price is sky-high!”
It did not seem like Mother intended to keep them. Thinking quickly, I said, “He gave them to me so I could bring them to you. Otherwise, how could I possibly have something so valuable?”
Mother’s body trembled. Reaching out, she grabbed the two gems tightly. With teary eyes, she murmured, “Oh Linden… oh Linden… have you really not forgotten about me?”
“Not only has he not forgotten you, he has missed you deeply.”
Suddenly Mother grabbed my hand anxiously. “Quickly, tell me. How is he?”
I held Mother’s ice-cold hands and said gently, “Don’t rush. I will tell you everything slowly.”
I helped her lean back again. When I saw that she had calmed down a little, I continued.
“It happened like this. When I arrived in the Dragon God Empire, I entered Tianshou Academy to study martial skills and magic.”
“Tianshou Academy?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
Mother let out a long sigh. “I studied at that academy too.”
I smiled and nodded. “I know.”
“Did he… did he tell you that?”
I nodded. “Yes. After studying there for a short time, I met an admirable girl. We started spending time together. She is gentle and cute, and she was very kind to me. Her name is Zi Xue.”
Mother frowned. “You are a Beastman. How can you have that kind of relationship with a human girl? You will ruin her.”
My heart ached. In Mother’s eyes… am I forever nothing more than a beast like Father?
“Hear me out, alright? Without this girl, I would never have found the Linden you spoke about.”
“Why?” Mother asked, unable to hold back her question.
I smiled faintly. “Because Zi Xue is Linden’s daughter, and Linden is now the Duke of the Dragon God Empire, holding power across every level of society.”
The sentence struck Mother deeply.
“Duke? So he married someone else after all. He truly forgot me… should I be happy?”
Mother laughed mockingly, but tears rolled uncontrollably down her face.
“No, he didn’t forget you. Linden… ah, no, he became part of the royal family and changed his name to Ji Dian. In his heart, you are still the most precious person to him. He only married someone else because he had no other choice, just like my grandparents—they also had a political marriage.”
“Political marriage?”
I nodded. “Yes. Otherwise, even with his talent, Ji Dian would never have reached such a high position before turning forty. When he saw the item you gave me last time, he looked just like you. He could not suppress his excitement. He told me that he had gone to the Beastmen Kingdom countless times to find you, but he never found anything.”
Mother froze. “He came to find me? He came here looking for me? How could he possibly find me?”
I sighed. “Yes. If you remain here, he will never find you. But he always hoped he might see you again.”
I could see that Mother was suffering terribly inside. Her tears flowed endlessly. I held her ice-cold hand.
“Don’t be like this, Mother. The Duke said that no matter what you have become, as long as you are still alive, he would give up everything just to find you.”
Her eyes suddenly brightened. “Did… did he really say that?”
I nodded. “Although we have not had much contact since childhood, have I ever lied to you? Duke Ji Dian told me everything about the past between the two of you. He truly has missed you from the bottom of his heart.”
Mother gave a bitter smile and shook her head. “Let him keep that illusion. It is impossible for me to see him again. Right now, I probably look more like his mother.”
Suddenly I made up my mind and said resolutely, “Mother, do you want to return to the Dragon God Empire and see Duke Ji Dian again?”
Mother did not answer directly. Instead, she asked calmly, “You would betray your father and betray your clansmen just to let me go home? Don’t joke with me.”
The sorrow in my heart surged uncontrollably. I laughed bitterly as tears streamed down my face.
“Clansmen? Who are my clansmen? In almost everyone’s eyes, I am just a hybrid.”
“Mother, you have a home. Your home is the Dragon God Empire. That is where you belong.”
“But what about me? Do I have a home?”
“I don’t have a home. I am alone. I am a hybrid of human, demon, and Beastman.”
“I don’t have a home. I don’t have a home!”
A sweetness rose in my throat. The overwhelming grief and anger forced a mouthful of fresh blood out of my mouth.
When Mother heard me say I had no home, her expression changed. She reached out as if to grab me, but stopped halfway and withdrew her hand.
I laughed bitterly. “As long as you wish it, I will take you back to the Dragon God Empire. Of course… not right now.”
Mother’s eyes looked lifeless as she murmured, “I cannot go back anymore. I have no face left to see them.”
“The Duke does not mind how you look.”
Mother almost shouted, “But I mind! I cannot return to him looking like this. I would only bring him trouble.”
Now Mother cared only about the Duke. Who is left to care about me?
Perhaps Zi Yan and Zi Xue.
Are they thinking about me?
Zi Yan’s refined and elegant presence… Zi Xue’s gentle and sweet demeanor… their images kept surfacing in my mind.
Right. If they are still thinking about me, then perhaps I am not completely alone in this world.
Thinking this, my heart felt slightly more at ease.
“Mother,” I said calmly, “what if I had a way to restore your youth and beauty?”
Mother’s eyes suddenly shone like the dawn. Hope rekindled in them. She did not dare think too far ahead, but her heartbeat quickened.
“If I had a way to restore your youth and beauty, would you be willing to return to the Dragon God Empire?”
Mother smiled bitterly. “Do you think you are a sage? I fear that not even a sage could restore my youth and beauty.”
I raised three fingers. “Give me three years. You have already waited so long—you will not mind waiting another three years, will you? Within those three years I will restore your beauty, and then I will take you back to the Dragon God Empire. You do not need to worry about anything else. Just follow what I say.”
Mother sat upright and stared at me. “Is… is that true?”
I nodded seriously. “First, you must eat three meals a day, every day, on time. I will also tell them to bring you more nourishing medicine. Second, since you recognize the two stones the Duke gave you, you should already know how to use them. You must keep them close to you every day. Lastly, wait for my news. What you must do now is fill your heart with hope—hope like spring. Only with that will your youth return.”
Mother remained silent for a long time.
Finally she said slowly, “Thank you… why are you so good to me?”
I felt slightly agitated. “Didn’t I tell you not to thank me?”
After saying that, I walked toward the door in large strides. When I reached the entrance, I turned back.
“I am not being good to you. I only wish for your happiness, because you are my mother no matter what… even if you do not love me.”
After saying that, I turned around and left the place that filled my heart with grief.