Volume 2, Chapter 52 – Discussion

Marquis Xiumu’s heart was undoubtedly filled with immense excitement, and it raced so hard it felt as though it might leap right out of his chest! Upon learning that Xia’er, who had been missing for years, had returned home, Marquis Xiumu was overcome with emotion. After briefly delegating the post-battle duties to the Blizzard Knight Order, he ignored his adjutant’s advice and rushed home in a frantic blur, flying back to the Marquis Mansion surrounded by his azure battle aura!

Desperate to see his granddaughter, he questioned a maid and rushed toward Xia’er’s location; he could not wait to embrace the girl who had finally been found! For a moment, he didn’t even hear the words of the maid behind him.

He ignored the shouts of the other servants. At this moment, Xiumu had only one thought in his mind, and that was to see his granddaughter! Thus, Marquis Xiumu scrambled headlong into the bathroom!

However, the hot-headed Xiumu naturally met with his wife’s fist of justice! Just as he pushed open the door to the bath and before he could even see what was happening inside, Afnora’s iron fist, wreathed in lightning battle aura, rapidly expanded in his vision.

“Boom!!”

With a loud explosion, Xiumu was sent flying backward! His entire body was embedded into the wall not far away.

“You old geezer! Don’t you know how to knock?!”

Under the dumbfounded gazes of everyone, including Miss Yumo, the lord of Windward City was comically punched away by his wife…

Well then.

‘She’s a bit fierce 0-0.’

Glancing at the aggressive Afnora out of the corner of her eye, Miss Yumo couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

…

…

Dozens of minutes later, after finishing her bath and being forced by a group of maids into a cute white noble princess dress, Miss Yumo was led by Afnora to her “original” bedroom. This was also to meet her so-called “grandfather.”

“Xia’er? It’s really Xia’er!!”

Rеαⅾ οn КatReαⅾіngCαfе

Upon seeing the familiar pink-haired girl, the bruised and swollen Xiumu immediately burst into tears. His excitement was beyond words, and his entire body trembled slightly because of it!

In the next moment, after receiving a silent nod from his wife, Xiumu rushed forward without a word and pulled the pink-haired girl into his embrace.

“Welcome home, Xia’er.”

Holding his granddaughter after such a long time, Xiumu was filled with deep emotion. During this period, Xiumu had been exhausted by a series of events, including Yuan’er’s disappearance and the Abyssal Demon attacks. At this moment, that fatigue and the pain in his face seemed to vanish with the appearance of the child in his arms; a genuine smile finally surfaced on his aged face.

The maids standing nearby, Head Maid Zyra, and the old butler Odit all wore relieved smiles as well.

Feeling the constant goodwill being radiated toward her by everyone nearby, Miss Yumo frowned slightly. At this moment, she was quite conflicted.

What should she do?

After all, Yumo knew very well that she couldn’t possibly be their granddaughter; she was merely an Abyssal Demon borrowing her appearance.

The Xia’er they spoke of had likely died long ago, just as they had previously feared. As for Yuan’er, what kind of expressions would they have if they learned she had turned into an Abyssal Demon?

Glancing at the Marquis, who was hugging her with immense excitement, and the equally joyful Marchioness, Yumo slowly closed her eyes.

From the current situation, it was only a matter of time before Yuan’er finished accepting her power and became a demon king tier existence. Currently deep in slumber, she only needed a catalyst to wake up. Once that girl became a demon king tier, she would in some sense be Yumo’s daughter, since Yumo’s own power was integrated into her body.

In that case, regarding Marquis Duke and his wife, who were Yuan’er’s grandparents, perhaps she should look after their feelings out of a sense of morality.

Thinking of this, Miss Yumo abandoned her original plan to release her Shadow Essence. The fact that their granddaughter had become an Abyssal Demon would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to this family in the future. For now, she would let them peacefully enjoy the joy of their “granddaughter’s” return.

Additionally, this identity as the young lady of the Duke Family seemed quite useful to her.

Mengxi wanted to take her to the Ashurmos Church. In that case, her original status as a slave had to be settled; otherwise, it would be difficult to stay by Mengxi’s side later. If she stayed with Mengxi as the daughter of a Marquis, people like Kabane, who valued status and bloodline, would probably shut their mouths.

Reaⅾ oո КαtReαdіոgCafе

Oh, right.

There was also the fact that by becoming the young lady of the Duke Family, she would seemingly obtain the status of a crown princess candidate. At that time, she might even get to see the Chosen Son. Yumo was still somewhat curious about that mysterious Chosen Son, as he was, after all, a Chosen One meant to “save the world”.

Then, she had to let Mengxi and that Chosen Son meet. If they had a good relationship, they could work together to kill her in the future…

Only, she couldn’t help but feel it was a bit inexplicably annoying…

Whatever. No matter how she lived, for now, she would silently play the role of an “amnesiac” slave girl.

Thinking this, Miss Yumo completely gave up her resistance and allowed Marquis Xiumu to hold her in his arms. However, a moment later, she seemed to think of something and frowned, doubting her decision.

Come to think of it, if she really became the young lady of the Duke Family, she would likely have to face a rather troublesome problem…

Several hours later, at twilight.

Inside Marquis Xiumu’s office, he stared at the beautiful silver-haired girl who had been invited by the Blizzard Knight Order. Even the battle-hardened Xiumu couldn’t help but daze slightly until Afnora pinched the back of his neck hard; the sharp pain finally brought him back to his senses.

She truly was the Chosen Maiden. This beauty and temperament were indeed beyond what ordinary people could compare to; even the Fourth Princess, known as the Flower of the Empire, probably couldn’t match her.

After coming to his senses, Xiumu adopted the demeanor expected of the head of the Duke Family. He solemnly met the silver-haired girl’s beautiful lavender eyes.

“On behalf of the entire Duke Family, I thank you once again for saving my granddaughter, Miss Mengxi.”

As he spoke, Xiumu even gave a slight bow.

“As a token of our gratitude, I hope you will rest at the Marquis Mansion for the next few days. We will provide you with the grandest hospitality.”

Reаd оո KatReadіոgСαfе

Faced with the Marquis’s words, Mengxi remained silent for a moment. Her gaze drifted thoughtfully toward the pink-haired girl sitting on the sofa with Afnora. A flash of complex emotion appeared in Mengxi’s eyes, but it was quickly suppressed.

Afterward, Mengxi politely lifted her skirt and returned the gesture with grace.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Marquis. Then, may I ask how long I can stay here?”

“You may stay as long as you like,” Xiumu replied very courteously. “You are Xia’er’s benefactor; the Duke Family will always welcome you! We will treat you with the highest etiquette. By the way, if you have any needs, please let us know, and we will do our best to satisfy them.”

“Is that so?” Mengxi smiled slightly. “Thank you for your generosity, Lord Marquis. However, I do have one request that I hope you can grant.”

“Please, speak.”

“Could I take your granddaughter to the Ashurmos Main Chu-“

However, before Mengxi could finish her sentence, Marquis Xiumu shook his head firmly and interrupted her with absolute seriousness.

“I am sorry, but I cannot agree to that.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the smile on Mengxi’s face froze. Miss Yumo, sitting on the sofa, couldn’t help but raise a hand to her forehead.

Exactly. This was the point that made Miss Yumo quite conflicted. If she really became the young lady of the Duke Family, the old Marquis and his wife probably wouldn’t let her leave easily. If it really didn’t work, she would have to think of another way…

While Yumo was feeling conflicted, Mengxi calmed her emotions and turned a confused gaze toward Marquis Xiumu.

“Why is that?”

“I am sorry, Miss Mengxi. I know you plan to take Xia’er to the Ashurmos Main Church, but I do not want her to leave Windward City,” Xiumu said firmly.

Having just recovered his granddaughter, he had already decided to spoil her properly; naturally, he was unwilling to let her go to the Red Lotus Leaf Empire, tens of thousands of miles away. At the same time, although he felt grateful to Mengxi, Marquis Xiumu essentially still looked down on those fanatics from the Ashurmos Church.

Reαԁ оո ΚatRеαԁіոgСafе

Letting his granddaughter go to the Ashurmos Church? How could that be possible?! He would not agree!

Facing Xiumu’s firm words, Mengxi still maintained a calm expression. After looking thoughtfully at the conflicted Yumo, the corners of Mengxi’s mouth curled up imperceptibly.

“I understand your thoughts, Marquis Xiumu. But, what if your granddaughter—Little Mo, no, Xia’er—is willing to go to the Red Lotus Leaf Empire?”

?!!

“Xia’er is willing?”

Hearing Mengxi’s words, Xiumu pursed his lips in conflict and looked with a complicated expression at the pink-haired girl being held by his wife. Xiumu’s azure eyes revealed a hint of hesitation at this moment.

It was true that the current Xia’er didn’t remember them at all. If she really wanted to go back with the Chosen Maiden, what should he do? Should he stop her? But if he did, what would Xia’er think?

For a moment, Xiumu was at a loss for words and stood there as if paralyzed.

“Going to the Red Lotus Leaf Empire, huh…”

However, just as Xiumu was struggling, an ill-timed voice suddenly reached everyone’s ears.

“My apologies, Lord Marquis, but I believe the young lady of your family will neither stay in Windward City nor go to the Red Lotus Leaf Empire.”

Along with the sound of the man’s voice, the door to the office was suddenly pushed open. In the next moment, a white-haired man with a sharp gaze and an ordinary face, wearing a royal badge, stepped into the room.

“The young lady of your family is a crown princess candidate designated by the Imperial family. She should be heading to the Imperial Capital, Sky Dome, for that is where she truly belongs.”

Before his voice had even faded, the gazes of everyone present instantly darkened…