Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill

Chapter 96: 96:Little Ray’s Burden

The crowd erupted into cheers. Flowers filled the air, falling gently over the couple. Rony cried louder than anyone, his sobs mixed with laughter.

Ethan stepped closer to Lia, his eyes fixed only on her. He lifted her chin gently, and without hesitation, pressed his lips to hers. It was not a hurried kiss but one filled with warmth, care, and promise.

Lia’s wolf ears twitched wildly, her tail swaying as if it could not contain her joy. Her eyes shone as she leaned into his embrace, answering his love with her own.

The cheers grew louder, echoing across the courtyard. Some clapped, some laughed, and some wiped away tears. It was a moment carved into memory, a bond sealed not only before the people but also in their hearts.

Ethan and Lia stood hand in hand, looking at each other with unspoken words.

The wedding ceremony ended with that kiss, but the promise it carried would last for a lifetime.

Now it was time for celebration.

……..

Miranda sat at a long table, her eyes wildly shining as she held a spoon. “Ohh, this is so tasty!” she cried, scooping up ice cream and shoving it into her mouth.

Beside her, Nina held two small children who wriggled happily in her arms.

“Do you want some too, little Nera, little Herion?” Miranda asked. Without waiting for an answer, she scooped another spoonful and fed it to the giggling children. Their laughter rang out as they clapped their small hands.

Miranda quickly scooped more for herself, humming happily.

At the side, Ray rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply. “Haah… why is this girl so easy to please?”

But as he looked around at the wedding, his heart grew heavy. The decorations, the smiling faces, the songs,all of it felt distant to him.

His thoughts turned restless.

A new mother. A new person entering their family.

Accompanying her would be new children, his brother and sister, born from someone he had never known before.

The feelings inside him were tangled. Happiness did not come easily. It was like a fish bone stuck in his throat, making it hard to breathe.

He walked slowly through the reception, watching people laugh and eat. Everywhere he turned, he saw joy. Yet inside him, unease swirled.

From what he had learned, men and women could marry more than once.

Love between only one man and one woman was told in stories, but in reality, such things were rare.

Families needed children. A noble house could not survive without heirs.

He remembered reading about noble families who fell into ruin because their children were too few, or too weak. Some houses even vanished when all their children died young.

And behind all this lay the matter of potential.

He even wondered if his family was taking more wives and producing more children, because all the children born till now had weak or no potential.

This thought was eating him.

As these heavy thoughts filled his mind, Ray walked without looking, and his foot struck something hard.

“Tahh!” The sound rang out as he stumbled back.

A long shadow cast over him. He looked up quickly and froze.

His father stood before him,staring at him sharply.

Ethan sighed and bent down, lifting Ray up onto his shoulder with ease. “For God’s sake… can you stop walking around with that goofy rotten face? From miles away I hear people saying the eldest son is crying because I took another wife.”

Ray stared at him, his lips pressed tight. Meeting his father was always a comfort, but now he felt pressure, as if a heavy stone pressed on his chest.

He swallowed and finally asked, “Father…”

“Yes?” Ethan’s tone was calm.

“What’s my potential? Am I faulty?”

Ethan paused and looked at him with confusion. Then, without warning, he flicked Ray’s forehead.

“Ouch!” Ray cried, rubbing the spot.

“Where did you learn that nonsense?” Ethan asked, his brows drawn.

“It’s not nonsense,” Ray said in a low voice. “I’m worried. I’m worried that I’m not worthy of being the eldest. What if I can’t handle everything?”

Ethan’s expression softened. He understood. The boy’s heart was heavy with doubt, thinking his father had taken another wife because his potential was too weak.

Ethan sighed and placed a firm hand on Ray’s shoulder. “Ray, if you are asking about your potential, I cannot tell you for sure. But one thing I know. It does not matter.”

“It doesn’t matter..Who decided that..Are you taking me as a fool like Miranda that can be easily swayed.”

“That’s rubbish…Potential doesn’t matter anymore.”

Ray looked up, his eyes wide.

“Because,” Ethan continued, his voice steady and firm, “there is living proof that a man can break through the limits placed on him at birth. Potential is not chains. It can be overcome.”

Rat blinked a few times and looked at Ethan with sharp eyes.Then slowly, a small laugh slipped past his lips.

“Father, even though I am a kid, I still have some brains. I am not like Miranda. Don’t think you can fool me.”

He let out a small huff and pouted, his expression oddly cute despite his serious tone.

Ethan smiled gently and caressed Ray’s hair. “Do you really think I would joke with you on such matters?”

Ray’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. “Then who is the person you are talking about?”

“What do you mean who?” Ethan asked back calmly.

“Isn’t that person carrying you?” Ray said, his voice trembling slightly.

“You…” Ethan sighed softly. “Yes.”

Ray’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at his father’s face, trying to find even a single hint of a lie. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find it. His father’s expression remained calm, without the slightest crack.

Ray realized at that moment that he actually knew very little about his father’s past.

All he truly knew was that Ethan had come from the borderlands near the Empire and somehow made his way here. People often whispered about Ethan’s great potential, saying that his talent was extraordinary and far above the rest. They said he achieved in years what took others decades.

But in truth, Ray himself knew nothing for certain.