Conflict (2)
Chapter 105
Ray, Jimy, and Count Phillip’s knights had all gathered in one place.
Ray looked around at those seated and took a deep breath to calm his mind.
He had fully anticipated that if Bella’s child were of royal blood, the situation could unfold this way.
However, Ray did not feel an overwhelming compulsion to convince Count Phillip at any cost.
If things went awry and they couldn’t reach an agreement, he could simply leave.
Though it was regrettable to abandon what he had built in the barony, for Bella’s sake, he could let go of everything.
That was what Ray had repeatedly told himself until now.
It was a kind of stubbornness—a belief that any connections he had formed in this world, aside from Bella, could be severed at any time.
But as the reality of leaving the barony approached, a small ripple of emotion stirred within Ray.
Every bond he had formed since falling into this world was tied to Phillip’s County.
Ray had intended to give his affection solely to Bella and love only her.
Yet, despite his resolve, many people had come to care for Ray and love him deeply.
Ray had always been confident that he could turn his back on those who loved him, but as the moment approached, he had to admit that his breathing quickened.
Ray exhaled deeply.
He pondered how to move the count’s heart but came up with no particularly sharp ideas.
After steadying his breathing, Ray calmly began the necessary conversation.
Ray didn’t reveal every truth to the count outright. Instead, he portrayed himself in a way the count could more easily understand—claiming that by chance, he had become the rightful heir to Harshia’s legacy.
The story began with the Magic Tower. Through a series of coincidences, he met the arrangements left by Resina, which guided him.
As a result, he successfully inherited the true essence of Harshia.
It was an absurd tale, but Ray had already proven himself to be the legitimate and sole successor of Harshia.
By wielding Moros, the imperial divine sword, and mastering the Spatial Blade, a technique lost for hundreds of years, there was no doubt.
“Chaos will return. The signs have already begun to appear.”
Ray then spoke about the Crown Prince.
A ranger testified that the Crown Prince had been resurrected through a deal with a demon, and Resina’s arrangement urged verification of the testimony.
Because of this, they urgently traveled to the Sigini Mountain Range, where they confirmed the Crown Prince’s pact with the demon.
In the ensuing battle, they successfully eliminated the Crown Prince and withdrew without conflict with the rangers due to a moment of clever thinking.
“That is why I do not believe these events happened merely by chance.”
It wasn’t just coincidence.
In other words, Ray was warning of a greater chaos yet to come.
“If I may humbly ask, I would appreciate the support of House Phillip.”
“…”
The count remained silent.
Ray’s story seemed fantastical at first glance.
Even though Ray claimed to have inherited Harshia’s legacy, mentioning chaos so casually felt premature.
However, Count Phillip was not like most ordinary people.
Most humans regarded the tales of heroes from centuries ago as fairy tales, dismissing them as such.
Even when consulting history books, few could truly grasp the unrealistic and absurd nature of those stories.
Thus, for most people, the stories of heroes from centuries past were nothing more than interesting myths.
Count Phillip, however, was different.
To the master of the Phillip family, the heroes of centuries ago were real, tangible figures.
Their struggles were passed down unaltered, not as exaggerated or fanciful records, but as simple truths.
Therefore, Ray’s words and the “inevitability” he spoke of weighed heavily and clearly on Count Phillip.
After a long silence, the count finally spoke.
“Leave us for now. I need time to think.”
Ray bowed deeply and exited the dining hall, followed by Jimy.
The count stared silently at the door where Ray had disappeared.
*
The count believed that removing Ray’s younger sibling would eliminate all risks.
It was a misconception. Ray himself was a potential threat to the Phillip family.
Not only had Ray inherited the Spatial Blade, but he had also received the imperial divine sword, Moros, once a symbol of the emperor.
Had the royal family been in a stable period, Ray might have been welcomed by the emperor.
But the current royal family was full of chaos. The remaining heirs lacked legitimacy regardless of their abilities.
In this situation, if the inheritor of the Spatial Blade were to officially reveal themselves, the royal family would likely react with great sensitivity.
Both Ray’s younger sibling and Ray himself were significant sources of instability.
Of course,
Ray’s future was nothing short of dazzling—and even frightening.
Before reaching adulthood, at just fifteen, he had attained the graduate level.
Moreover, having inherited the Spatial Blade, warriors of similar levels were no match for him.
One day, Ray would undoubtedly obtain the supreme power and skill that Harshia once possessed.
Such a future for Ray was undeniably enviable.
However, the count was unwilling to take the risk that excessive greed might bring.
Ray must be sent away from the barony.
When considering this decision, a question arose.
Would expelling Ray truly ensure the safety of the barony?
If Ray’s claims were correct and these events were inevitable, could Phillip’s County withstand the impending chaos?
The count knew the answer.
Rather than resisting the chaos, they would likely be swept away first.
The location of the barony was far too disadvantageous to endure the storm by simply keeping their heads down.
Perhaps accepting Ray offered a higher probability of preserving the barony.
This was the dilemma Ray had intended to plant in the count’s mind.
Time passed. The knights waited patiently for their lord to make a decision.
The count continued to stare at the door Ray had exited through and muttered to himself.
“We fell into ruin while guarding the cursed hero.”
This was a fact devoid of any exaggeration.
The Phillip family had fallen into ruin alongside the hero, and the ancestors of the Phillip family had lived out their lives on the fringes without ever fulfilling their ambitions.
Finally, after enduring for so long, the contract that had bound the Phillip family was nearing its end.
Though Count Phillip had no grand ambitions, he at least hoped for Alesya to regain her freedom.
With the regained freedom, whether they achieved anything or made mistakes that destroyed the family, he would be satisfied.
“And just as we thought we were finally free from the shackles of the past, the successor of the broken hero from centuries ago has found us.”
And this successor had a member of the royal family as a sibling.
“Is this our family’s destiny?”
The count lamented.
We fell following the hero, and now are we destined to perish following the hero’s successor?
Or,
Is it finally our time to rise again after so many sacrifices?
No one could provide an answer to this question.
Perhaps, if extraordinary luck were on their side,
As Ray and the count both hoped, they could live out their lives without revealing any ‘secrets’ to anyone and meet a peaceful end.
But that seemed closer to a distant fantasy.
The count’s expression turned cold.
*
After leaving the dining hall with Jimy, Ray handed over the baby to Andrei.
Holding the child in his arms, Ray headed toward the delivery room while asking Andrei, who followed behind,
“Has mom woken up?”
“Yes.”
“If there are any other people around the delivery room, send them away.”
Andrei complied without hesitation, possibly having received prior instructions from the count.
Ray removed the illusion magic he had placed on the baby and found Bella.
Upon receiving the child, Bella couldn’t hide her excitement.
It was a relief to have the baby she had glimpsed just before fainting back in her arms.
Bella sniffled for a while before awkwardly letting the baby nurse.
As Ray watched, he opened his mouth to speak.
“Mom, I have something to say…”
“Ooooh, I’m the mom!”
Bella smiled brightly as she gazed at her child.
Ray waited patiently for Bella to bond with the baby before trying to speak again.
However, Bella completely ignored him as if he weren’t even there.
Of course, just because she had a biological child didn’t mean she was treating her adopted son as if he didn’t exist.
As Bella’s ignoring continued, Ray furrowed his brows and grumbled.
“Mom, don’t act so smug just because you spread your legs once…”
“WHAT!!!!!!!!!!”
Bella instinctively screamed, then quickly hugged the baby protectively, fearing it might have been startled, and glared at Ray.
Seeing Bella’s flushed face, Ray decided not to bring up the topic of childbirth anymore.
Once Bella had calmed down somewhat, she checked the baby’s fingers and toes.
Five fingers on each hand, five toes on each foot—everything was fine.
Watching this, Ray suddenly asked,
“Have you decided on a name for the sibling?”
“Bella hesitated between Lea or Rachel. Which name do you think would suit a boy?”
Ray unconsciously rubbed his forehead a few times.
Judging by the sound of the names, it was clear they were meant to echo ‘Ray.’
After some thought, Ray replied,
“I like Lea.”
“Then let’s go with Lea.”
Despite her evident exhaustion, Bella’s eyes sparkled with affection as she looked at Lea.
While feeding Lea and smiling, Bella noticed something and became slightly flustered.
“But why won’t our baby open her eyes?”
“Even if she did open them now, she wouldn’t be able to see anything.”
A newborn’s vision can barely make out the outline of objects, if that.
Having experienced this firsthand, Ray knew how limited a newborn’s eyesight was.
Bella half-listened to Ray’s explanation and gently placed her finger on Lea’s eyelid.
As Bella lightly lifted the lid,
“Oh my…!”
She froze momentarily, startled.
Though Bella tried not to show it, Ray could clearly see her discomfort.
It was understandable.
Lea’s eyes held an intensity that was unusual for a young child.
More importantly, even someone from a remote village would know the distinctive traits of the imperial family.
Radiant silver hair and intense red eyes.
Bella, confused, turned to Ray.
“A, ah, son, why are her eyes red…?”
Ray responded nonchalantly.
“It’s because she’s a hybrid. Dragon blood mixed with human.”
Hybrids were exactly what Ray had hoped to avoid most.
‘Shit, really.’
What kind of person had originally thought it was a good idea to roll around with a dragon?
Shaking his head at the empire’s ancestor with abnormal desires, Ray was interrupted by Bella, who still didn’t fully grasp the situation.
“Hybrid?”
“Yeah, um…”
Ray scratched his temple.
“Royalty. My sibling.”
“…”
After a long pause, Bella, finally understanding Ray’s words, nearly fainted.
