Chapter 673: The Surviving Son
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 673: The Surviving Son
"What do you mean, 'terrifying tsunami'? They are all wonderful girls. You’ll understand once you meet them, Father," Muen retorted with a straight face.
After all, what ill intentions could a gentle senior sister, a cute Saintess, and an obedient maid who grew up in the Duke’s estate possibly have?
As for a "tsunami" or whatever, his father was clearly overthinking things. Wasn't he still alive and well?
Even if he had experienced a tiny, microscopic bit of trouble and danger along the way.
Just a tiny bit.
A tiny, tiny bit...
"..."
While Muen was busy comforting himself, Lorne’s gaze toward his son grew increasingly pitying.
To think he’s already reached the stage of self-delusion... Just what kind of women has this kid provoked out there?
They couldn't be terrifying figures like high-ranking state officials or Church Saintesses, could they?
"Anyway, don't worry, Father. How many love battlefields do you think I’ve survived by now?" Muen crossed his arms and nodded with conviction. "I have always moved people with my true love. A tragic end like being hacked to death with a cleaver will absolutely never happen to me!"
"I never said anything about being hacked to death with a cleaver..."
Lorne’s mouth twitched as he muttered under his breath.
As Muen spoke, Lorne could almost see a group of burly men in suits, carrying a coffin on their shoulders, singing and dancing as they marched toward the boy...
Maybe I should pick out a good burial plot for him in advance. I have a feeling he’s going to need it one day...
"Let’s not talk about that. Right, how is Mother doing?" Muen didn't want his poor heart to sink back into the horrors of the love battlefield, so he shifted the conversation back to the main topic.
"When you arrived, did you not go to see her?"
"No. To save time, I had the Indra King jump me directly into the Abyss. Otherwise, I wouldn't have entered the fortress from the front."
Muen shook his head.
If he had taken the normal route, he could have indeed stopped by the Campbell territory to visit his mother while she was recuperating during her pregnancy.
However, that would have delayed his journey by at least two days. Moreover, given that his mother was even more doting than his father, she would have surely tried everything in her power to stop him from heading into the dangerous Abyss. After careful consideration, Muen had chosen not to visit.
It would be the same if he visited on his way back after the victory.
But...
"...Speaking of which, calculating the time, Mother should have given birth by now."
As the topic came up, Muen suddenly realized the discrepancy.
Too much had happened over the past year. Unexpected situations had cropped up one after another—from the Academy to the Lower District, then to the Holy City, then fighting back to Belland... and now to the Abyss Defense Line. In this past year or so, he hadn't been able to truly stop and rest.
It was only now that it hit him...
His mother had been recuperating for well over a year now.
But why hadn't he received any definitive news about it?
Even if he had forgotten, the people at the Duke’s estate would surely have sent word to him immediately.
"Is it a younger brother, or a fair, soft, fragrant, and cute-enough-to-kiss-at-first-sight younger sister?" Muen asked.
"That is a massive difference in descriptions."
Lorne tugged at his beard and rolled his eyes. "But I’m sorry to say, even your old man doesn't know."
"You don't know? Mother didn't even tell you that? Did you make her angry again?"
Muen looked at him suspiciously. He wondered if his father, who looked so upright and stern, was actually...
"What are you talking about? Do you think everyone is like you?"
Lorne glared at him. "It’s just that your mother hasn't gone into labor yet. How am I supposed to know if it’s a son or a daughter if she hasn't given birth?"
"Huh?"
This time, Muen was genuinely stunned. "She hasn't given birth?"
He silently lowered his head and began counting on his fingers.
No matter how he counted, from the moment his mother left the Duke’s estate claiming she was going back to her hometown to rest for the pregnancy... the number of months had far exceeded what he could count on two hands.
Could it be... that this timeframe was actually normal?
After all, this was an isekai. Maybe the gestation period for children was just longer...
"I don't know what you're thinking," Lorne said, "but I can tell you straight: normally, a pregnancy lasts ten months before labor, just like when you were born."
"Then why this time..."
"Haha... perhaps it's because the little fellow this time is quite extraordinary."
Lorne threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"I was shocked when I first found out, too. I even brought in people from the Church to check, but everything was normal. Afterward, I personally flipped through many books and learned that some powerful bloodlines, or exceptionally unique geniuses, do indeed stay in their mother's womb for a longer period."
"Is... is that so?"
"It definitely is!"
Lorne looked certain. "As expected of the Lion King’s child—so unique even before birth. Since you’ve gone and betrayed the traditions of our ancestors, I think I’ll let the little one inherit the Blood Lion Inheritance instead!"
"...Father is wise."
At this point, Muen actually felt a sense of relief.
It seemed his unborn brother or sister was perfectly healthy, and the Campbell family’s Blood Lion Inheritance had found a suitable successor.
No matter how one looked at it, this was a win-win situation.
No wonder his father was so quick to cut ties with him; having a "backup account" that was a guaranteed genius certainly provided plenty of confidence...
"In that case, I can rest easy."
Muen braced himself with his hands and rose from the bed.
His issues weren't major, and during their chat, his body had recovered some of its mobility.
"We’ve talked a lot; Father must be tired. I won't disturb your rest any longer."
"Mm."
Lorne nodded. "Go out and find Donnik. Have him show you around the fortress. This place is much larger than just the path from the gate to here."
"I understand."
Muen turned and pushed open the door.
There was no one else outside the room; it seemed Verner had given orders that no one was to disturb them.
Just as he was about to leave, Muen suddenly looked back.
At this moment, the peaceful and close expression he wore when facing family had vanished, replaced by a look of extreme gravity.
"Father, may I ask you one more question?"
"Ask."
"If you had to name the person in this fortress most likely to betray the Empire and collude with the Demon Race..." Muen asked carefully, "who do you think it would be?"
"You... what do you mean by that?" Lorne’s eyes suddenly narrowed. Even lying in bed, he instantly radiated the intimidating majesty of the Lion King.
"It’s nothing. Just some questions that I can't find answers to for the moment."
Muen turned his palm over, revealing a small piece of magic material engraved with an Imperial serial number.
"For example... how did something like this, produced by the Empire, pass through the only point of contact between the Empire and the Demon Race—this very fortress—and circulate to the other side?"
*
After Muen left, the room returned to silence.
Duke Lorne Campbell lay quietly on the hospital bed that was, for him, far too meager, staring at the undecorated ceiling.
"His little habits are exactly the same, but in the big picture, he really has changed significantly."
He murmured in a low voice:
"The Goddess has blessed the Campbell family. To think that boy actually turned his life around..."
The Campbell family had produced only a single heir per generation for ages. There had been many crises and accidents during that time, yet the bloodline had never been severed. Whether it was a curse brought by the Blood Lion Inheritance or a so-called coincidence of fate, many speculated, but no one could truly say.
However, the moment he learned his wife was pregnant, Lorne... had actually prepared himself mentally to lose a son.
But his disappointing eldest son hadn't met with an accident. On the contrary, he had become quite impressive.
Meanwhile, the little one who should have been born long ago had yet to arrive in this world.
One couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection... For instance, had the eldest son, who was supposed to have been struck from the Campbell records, changed his own unfortunate fate and walked a different path, causing this "Blood Lion Curse" or "Destiny" to get stuck?
Or was there some other possibility he didn't know about?
Regardless of which it was...
Lorne suddenly smiled.
"It’s a good thing in the end, isn't it?"
No matter how close the speculation was to the truth, there was one thing he was absolutely certain of.
His dear son, Muen Campbell...
Had just been standing right there beside him, safe and sound.
That was enough. That was more than enough.
"However..."
With a crunch, Lorne easily crushed the magic material in his hand into a ball. His face turned cold, and a chilling light flashed in his eyes.
"When such a good thing is happening, for some piece of trash to suddenly dare ruin my mood... that is very, very bad."