Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 243: Chapter 56 Duke and Duchess?_2

Hill looked up and noticed the magical beasts on the deck—all of them restless, likely soon to be taken away by signing contracts with others.

Indeed, while dusk lingered and the night was yet to fall, the magical beasts had intermittently signed contracts with players and left together.

Before each magical beast left, Hill earnestly blessed them, harboring a thought in his heart: if he really was favored by nature, then his blessings must indeed be beneficial for the magical beasts.

Hill soon felt it, a hint of light invisible to the naked eye, entwining around the bodies of the creatures he had blessed. He smiled faintly; the Natural Consciousness truly loved him and was willing to join him in blessing these departing creatures.

Hill raised his head, holding back a sigh.

Cunlü and Hard Wind, accompanying two large pigs, finally stood before him.

”Though it might not be necessary, I still want to tell you that these two can really eat. Moreover, their children, too, will be numerous,” Hill hesitated and said, ”I don’t want them to be hurt once they leave.”

”No matter how much the Duchess eats, she can’t spend dozens of Crystal Stones a day on me!” Cunlü said carelessly, ”I just have to pay the chef to bring the food over. My bag is big enough, and the Duchess can store the food in the Pet Pouch herself.

We both have easygoing temperaments! She even said that if the children become magical beasts, they’ll all be left in my care. I’ve gotten quite the bargain!”

Hard Wind also nodded and said, ”Being with the Duke is perfect. Because we are a couple, they were willing to sign contracts with us.” Hill closed his mouth, looking them over, so you just named them like that? Just to slightly avoid William, so you named them the Duke and the Duchess?

Hill worried a bit about the future children of these two pigs—whether they all would be named after ranks.

He only hoped that these two would stay far away from the Saral Nobles, otherwise a real dignity war would ensue.

”Both of them are high-level magical beasts. Especially the madame, nearly Mage Level in strength,” Hill still decided to make it clear, ”Even with such names, nobles wouldn’t feel much about it. But their children shouldn’t be named after ranks, unless they’re high-level.”

Cunlü puffed her cheeks in disappointment, ”I understand.”

She had been planning just that. Hill looked helplessly at Hard Wind.

”I’ll remember to stop her, at least not to use titles above Baron,” Hard Wind immediately said.

Hill quickly realized that this guy, reluctant to disappoint his wife but not wanting to invite trouble, probably planned to name the little pigs in some manner akin to lesser lords.

And incidentally reminding Hill, he still remembered Hill’s rank as a Baron and wouldn’t name any pig as Baron.

Hill shook his head smilingly, in this world, naming a high-level magical beast pig as Baron was an issue only Hill would care about, not anyone else.

But for low-rank magical beasts that belong to food, it’s absolutely forbidden.

Hill allowed only high-level magical beasts to come out, those who were low-rank, he had no intention of sending them out as it was not training but sending them to their death.

Might makes right, a creed written in every corner of this world.

Hill solemnly bestowed his blessings on the two pigs, and although he didn’t interact much with them, he really liked them.

The Duchess sensitively noticed this, turned around to look at Hill, and courteously curtsied.

Out of many, only this sow sensed Hill’s blessing.

Watching them leave, Adrian came out: ”You seem to really like those two pigs?”

”They were just livestock originally,” Hill said with a smile, ”If they hadn’t awakened as magical beasts, they would have ended up as my meal. Now, they are high-level magical beasts at Mage Level.”

Adrian nodded, ”Indeed quite remarkable.”

He suddenly reached out to pat Hill’s head, ”You always seem to like this kind of thing.”

Hill knew Adrian was thinking of Boen.

Adrian himself was naturally talented, born into a wealthy family, even as a second son, he had never suffered.

He didn’t quite understand why Hill felt that those who struggled from the bottom up to the top deserved respect and love.

In the eyes of the nobility, the admirable strugglers were people like Fran, born of lesser nobility who rose to the top through capability.

Not like Boen, who fought desperately to climb from the mud to the steps.

Hill didn’t plan to explain too much to Adrian; the profound difference in their values was not something he could clearly articulate.

The lively golden sailboat calmed down and began to turn back towards Hill’s valley.

Fran should have come out by now.

From afar, watching the flat land in front of the fountain where the tower was no longer visible, Adrian moored the ship beside Hill’s study’s balcony.

Sitting in the room, flipping through a book, Fran looked up at the two and asked, ”Why were you gone for so long?”

Hill squeezed next to his grandfather and recounted his plans for the high-level magical beasts in his domain.

Fran nodded, ”There are indeed too many high-level magical beasts in your domain. If it weren’t for the Undead Tribe causing trouble, they would have charged out long ago. This is good too. While the Undead Tribe is still in this world, they should continue to cultivate well.

Afterward, it will be beneficial to have a few demigod beasts advanced.”

Hill thought Fran was assuming the Undead Tribe wouldn’t last another 100 years in this world.

He hesitated for a moment but eventually shared the news about the upcoming arrival of the Undead Tribe from different countries and the potential decades later arrival with their children to the optimistic Fran.

Fran was stunned for a moment before saying, ”Then His Majesty the King will not be returning to the Starry Sky anytime soon.

Did they say the demon invasion will end after a week?”

”Yes.”

”Hill and I have discussed it. We’re planning to build a Magic Tower in Kexlote,” Adrian walked in, ”and I intend to take half of the merchant group there.”

”Go back and discuss your plans in detail with me,” Fran nodded in agreement. ”Hill, as per tradition, after a demon invasion, every country will celebrate. You and I will take a trip to the Capital.”

Hill nodded, ”Alright, Grandfather.”

He picked up Alice, who snuggled over, and smiling, said to her, ”No, the elves over there are too troublesome.”

Merkel sat upright on the side, ”Don’t worry. Our rest period is almost over, and we can continue to close up for cultivation now,” Merkel said.

Alice cried tragically, but she understood that this time Hill would not soften his heart to let her on the ship, and she merely meowed a few times miserably.

Fran shook his head, ”You really spoiled her. To not have become legendary yet as a Spirit of Nature.”

Advancement for a Spirit of Nature knows no boundaries; as long as the power is there, they will naturally evolve, stopping only at demigod.

Hill stuttered, unable to say much. It was indeed his fault for spoiling Alice, and without Merkel, Alice wouldn’t even have her current strength.

Merkel stood up, bit Alice’s neck, and decided the break was over.

”This leopard, why hasn’t she become legendary?” Fran asked, looking at the two cats moving away, puzzled.

”Like Hill, she’s also battling ancestral legacies!” Adrian leaned back on the couch, amused.

”That’s quite smart,” Fran remarked and turned to ask Hill, ”Can your Element Lords return to guard the domain before you leave?”

”They can,” said Hill. ”I can directly summon them both and let them fight it out in the Magic Cultivation Room, which I’ve expanded to its maximum size.”

Adrian laughed without words, ”You really are an expert at spoiling children, Hill.”

Fran stood up, ”We must go now. We need to prepare for Adrian’s trip to the Capital. You’ve about half a month, prepare yourself.”

Hill nodded, got up to see them off, and suddenly remembered something as they were leaving, quickly turning around saying, ”Uncle Adrian, find something in your town for Lina’s two kids to do.”

Adrian chuckled, ”Don’t worry, I won’t let them come with us to the Capital.”

”But if they aren’t doing well, they might just run off to find Boen,” Hill said anxiously. ”If there’s good work for them, they won’t give up so easily and go causing Boen trouble.”

”Right, I understand,” Adrian nodded.

”Thank you, Uncle Adrian!”

Watching the two ascend into the sky, Hill sighed, almost causing trouble for Boen.