"What a pity, I had intended to take you to the Farol Principality to see the world," Lady Anna lamented as she returned to the villa that evening, looking at Malin who had shrunk back to 1.3 meters. "But don’t worry too much, even though your bloodline has entered an active phase, it is after all your Frost Giant bloodline that has awakened first. The first bloodline to awaken has its advantages. Once you’ve stabilized, I’ll teach you a Spell Formation so you can switch freely between your two bloodlines, but each switch needs a buffer time, or else no one knows what you might turn into."
This was indeed heartening news from the Heavenly Kingdom for Malin, who was in self-abandonment, and he also heard of a new place: "Farol Principality, I’ve heard it’s a small basin country over the mountains near the southern province close to the East. What’s going on there?"
"There’s word of a cult leader causing trouble in the Eastern Region of the principality. This time, by the invitation of the Farol Principality, our Mage Tower and the local Church will carry out a joint raid, prepared to capture or kill the target," said Lady Anna as she approached her husband. "My dear, I will be away for some time."
"Leave the house to me and Manli, we’ll take good care of everything. And, bring back a pocket watch from the Farol Principality, how about that?"
"No problem, I’ve known for a long time that you are a dependable man," Lady Anna said with a smile and leaned down to kiss her husband’s forehead. "Wait for my good news."
"Lady, I think I’m fine. I can go with you," said Malin, his curiosity born from his mystical bloodline finally overcoming everything as he stood up.
"Is that so, my girls?" Lady Anna did not pay attention to Malin, but instead looked at the girls sitting on the blanket.
"Mr. Malin doesn’t need us holding him back," said Lillim with a smile, even though she was waving goodbye to Malin.
"A man should have his own determination, and going to battle is precisely where Mr. Malin’s determination needs to make choices," said Jessica after blowing Malin an air kiss goodbye.
"We have confidence that Mr. Malin will look after himself, just as we have confidence in waiting for his safe return," said the Big-eared Fox. Though she was seldom serious, at that moment, the devout expression on her face was genuine.
"Maya believes brother will come back safely, it’s just going along with everyone to beat a few fools," said Maya as she stuffed a piece of dried fish into Malin’s hand.
"Mom, Malin has grown up, just like me," said Faye with a smile.
The sound of a teacup shattering brought everyone’s attention to His Majesty Goethe who, holding only the handle of the cup, had a somewhat false smile. "I just couldn’t hold back my strength," he said.
Malin cocked his head—everyone is a man here, who’s going to believe you? Are you thinking of killing someone? I can see the murderous intent in your eyes. Do you know your daughter is toxic? Do you know that she and I have a purely platonic boyfriend-girlfriend relationship? Even if there’s something more, you can’t just kill me, right?
"Alright then, Malin, get ready, we will leave in ten minutes."
So Malin immediately returned to the arsenal to prepare, and Faye came with the girls to lend a hand.
Watching his daughter following Malin to the arsenal, Goethe sighed: "I’m beginning to understand why Manli’s father was so harsh with me back in the day."
"It’s not too late to understand now, my dear; His Grace the Duke is still around, you might find an opportunity to have a tea with him, two fathers can share the sorrows of their daughters preparing for marriage," said Anna with a smile.
"Dear, you can’t be ... Oh right, Faye is just engaged, she’s not married yet... Is it Margaret?" Goethe asked, looking at his wife.
His wife nodded with a smile, confirming: "Yes, Manli and I have chosen a date for her, after the Harvest Festival next fall, next summer Master Hoffman will hold the inheritance ceremony, which will put everyone at ease."
"That’s wonderful, remind me when it happens, I will definitely attend the ceremony. Margaret is also my treasure, a father cannot be absent from his daughters’ weddings," said Goethe with a smile. As her father, Goethe always felt guilty about Margaret, because he failed to bring her birth mother back home.
To this daughter, he would always be an unqualified father, so when she expressed her wish to leave The Capital, he immediately arranged for her to be sent to Carterburg.
It was the place where he and his mentor had first met, and also where he, Manli, and Anna had studied altogether.
There was Master Hoffman, one of the mentor’s most proud disciples, the greatest senior in his eyes, whose cult has been sacrificing generation after generation to seal a terrible secret. Goethe had heard from his mentor that only the greatest could bear such a tragic fate. He couldn’t break it because their foe was an Evil God-level entity.
That’s why Master Hoffman’s cult, with generation after generation of dedication to this world, was fulfilling a mission that shouldn’t fall upon mortals to complete.
"Furthermore, Anna, if Master Hoffman dies... A state funeral," Goethe said as he looked at his wife. "The long-lived, eventually pass."
"The strong, eventually fade," Anna replied, her smile gone as she sat beside Goethe and took his hand in hers.