Lord of Rot

Wells said, ”Guy’s letter says that Lady Jie Lin is truly pregnant.”

”Yes,” La nodded.

The pregnancy was real. When the child in her belly was born, they would become the heir to Longship Castle, regardless of gender.

La said, ”But Guy isn’t certain if the child is Baron Wado’s.”

”That means he doesn’t have complete control over Lady Jie Lin.” Wells’s sagging, old face strained to pull itself into a smile. A minor surprise like this didn’t feel wrong to him; on the contrary, it made things feel more normal.

’If things go too smoothly, you start to feel a sense of crisis. But it’s different when there’s a small, manageable surprise.’

Wells said, ”COUGH COUGH, whether it’s Baron Wado’s child or not, that child must be real.”

’Right now, we control all of Longship Castle. We can take whatever benefits we want without even notifying the Baroness. Is there anything more comfortable than this?’

They wanted peace in Waterfall Land more than anyone.

It takes at least a decade for a child to grow up. With that much time, Shanzhang Castle was determined to seize all the benefits for itself. What did it matter if they were left with a useless baronial title?

Therefore, the legitimacy of the child in the Baroness’s belly had to be guaranteed.

’When the child is born, Monkey Territory must be the first to help.’

”I understand, Father!” La nodded.

But hearing no response, La looked up in confusion, only to find Wells leaning his head back, mouth agape, completely still.

La was startled. ”Father!”

”Urgh—!” Wells suddenly made a sound.

Although he didn’t know what had just happened, one thing was certain: Wells wasn’t dead.

”Whew.” La breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment there, he really thought he could declare himself the Monkey Lord Baron.

’Good thing I held myself back.’

Wells said, half-dead, ”We old bones... one by one, we’re reaching our time to die.”

”Father, you can still live for a long time,” La said with great sincerity. ”Now that Magic has appeared, our scholars have done a lot of research on it. Some Knights have even gained Extraordinary powers similar to Guy’s. We will definitely find a way to let you live longer.”

But Wells didn’t respond to this. Perhaps living longer wasn’t very important in his eyes.

He said, ”I heard Duke Leopold is already bedridden. I’m dying of old age, but the hidden wounds he sustained from his wars are also enough to take his life.”

The Duke would die, but there was a high probability he would die later than Wells.

Anyone could see that if Wells failed to draw a single breath, he would die on the spot.

”Alright, you may go.”

”Yes!”

La Bill left the room.

He was met by a girl in a long skirt. She stopped when she saw La. ”Brother, how is Guy?”

”Annel,” La said helplessly, ”Father has already said that it’s impossible for you and Guy to marry. You should consider other nobles.”

”But... it was agreed before that I would marry Guy,” she said, lowering her head and pursing her lips.

”Things are always changing.”

La comforted his sister, ”I will help you find a more suitable husband. He will definitely be more outstanding than Guy. I previously met Kunber Aix of Red Heart Castle. He has reached a marriageable age, and his mother is the King’s sister.”

”I’ll go see Father myself.”

”Remember to use a gentle tone,” La urged. ”Father’s health is not very good.”

”I know.” Annel lifted her skirt and walked forward quickly.

La Bill, however, was quite relaxed.

Although he also detested the changes in Guy, if Guy’s abilities were used well, he could possess two territories in the future—and two territories occupying crucial locations at that.

’When it comes to a great contributor, I am quite magnanimous.’

...

”This Red Dragon’s meat is tender, HAHAHA, watch my super discharge—FUCK! Dammit, I missed!”

”The tail’s cut! Wait, it’s charging!”

”SHIT! I got run over!”

Leech’s eyes snapped open.

He was drenched in sweat.

He threw off the fur pelt covering him and fanned his clothes, letting the cool air slip in.

Last night, he had a dream. In the dream, he led his Corpse Ghosts to besiege a giant Red Dragon, and they even managed to sever its tail.

It was just that his luck was a bit bad; he got charged by the Red Dragon and was sent packing.

But Corpse Ghosts were destined to lack such rich emotional expression, which just went to show that dreams were the opposite of reality.

Leech got dressed and went to the main hall, where he saw Arkke.

She hadn’t needed to control insects recently, so she was helping out around the castle.

”Good day, my lord.” Arkke stopped in front of Leech to greet him, intending to leave right after.

”Wait.” Leech reached out and pressed down on Arkke’s head.

What a big cowlick.

”My... my... my lord...” Arkke’s cheeks flushed red.

”You went to sleep after washing your hair last night, didn’t you?”

”...Yes.”

Leech tried a few times and found the cowlick on Arkke’s head to be incredibly stubborn; it refused to yield no matter how he pressed it down. ”Wet it and comb it; it should lie flat then.”

”Yes.”

”Mm, go on and get busy,” Leech said.

Arkke nodded and left quickly, almost running into a wall.

”Ah, youth is a wonderful thing.” Leech watched Arkke scamper off. She was only 13 years old after the new year, but she looked much more mature than her actual age.

A young, lively girl running around the castle looked so full of youthful energy.

There was another option, but the mature Leech didn’t dare take it.

’It’s definitely not because I’m afraid to challenge my own weakness!’

After breakfast, Leech looked at the letters he had received in reply. They were from Roaring Castle in East Port, Green Forest Castle in Linta Bay, and Longship Castle in Waterfall Land.

All were responses to the letters he had sent out during the new year.

Leech casually opened one of the letters.

It was the reply from ’Red Rose’ Evangelina Leopold.

In the letter, she wrote that some people had been asking for her help to buy Porcupine Brand noble soap. She had practically become the Porcupine Brand’s spokesperson in East Port, and even joked that she should ask Leech for compensation.

’This isn’t a good sign.’

’She’s the kind of girl who likes to make little jokes to herself.’

Leech put the letter down, deciding not to think about it for now.

The letter from Green Forest Castle was simple. Stacy and Fami Port would be coming to Porcupine Castle to attend his birthday party.

He didn’t really have any feelings about his birthday. It was extravagant and wasteful, just pointless.

But nobles always needed an excuse to gather. If there was no reason, they would create one.

The letter from Longship Castle made Leech sigh.

Lady Jie Lin’s letter was even simpler.

The little one in her belly had kicked her.

”Am I the one trying to build a connection here? No, I’m the one being connected with!”

After a full meal, one’s mind inevitably wanders. ’Overthrow the Four Gods Sect and implement a polygamous system?’

’Since I’ve transmigrated to a feudal Otherworld, shouldn’t I be a bit more thoroughly feudal?’

’After all, I only have this one little weakness. If I don’t try to challenge my weakness, it will become my downfall!’

He just thought about it, and that was all.