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

Chapter 227: 227:The Life Of Hardship

The Blank estate morale was at all times high.With changes happening here and there,Blank was getting stronger everyday.

Amidst all this,a certain visitor appeared that stirred the things.

“Diana.. I hope you are doing well?” A gentle voice resounded.

“Father…” Diana muttered in shock as she looked at the rough figure standing before her.

He had an ear missing, an eye patch, and several scars running across his face. His posture was slightly stiff, yet he stood with pride.

And this was none other than Baron Fenwick.

Diana never imagined the man who once carried an impeccable expression and a cold demeanor would be reduced to this state.

“Father this..” she whispered with trembling eyes.

“These are all the spoils of war..” Baron Fenwick spoke with a bitter smile tugging at his lips. His voice held heavy fatigue.

Then his eyes fell on the two little cutiepies hiding behind Diana with shy expressions. One peeked out from behind her dress, while the other pressed his cheek to her leg.

“Are these my grandchildren?” he asked softly as he slowly knelt down. His large, scarred hands rested gently on his knees.

But the children clutched onto Diana even harder.

One was a lovely little girl with bright eyes and soft hair. The other was a quiet boy who looked nervous but curious.

Diana tried to maintain her smile and spoke calmly.

“Mera… Wales… Come and meet your grandfather.”

Hearing their mother’s voice, Mera peeked out again. Her little hands fidgeted, and she stepped forward with tiny hesitant steps. Wales followed, holding her hand tightly.

Baron Fenwick’s expression softened in a way Diana had never seen before. He smiled warmly, lowering himself even more.

“Hello there,” he said gently. “I am your grandpa. I am very happy to meet you.”

Mera blinked shyly. “Hello… Grandpa…” she whispered.

Wales nodded and murmured softly, “Grandpa… nice to meet you…”

Baron Fenwick chuckled lightly. His heart melted at the softness of their voices. He reached out slowly so he would not frighten them.

“Come here,” he said with warmth. “Grandpa won’t hurt you.”

Mera finally stepped closer and placed her tiny hand on his palm. Wales followed after her. The Baron gently lifted them both and placed them on his broad shoulders.

“Up you go,” he laughed softly as Mera giggled loudly at the sudden height. Wales held onto his head and smiled shyly.

Baron Fenwick walked around in small circles, giving them a playful ride. Their innocent laughter filled the room, and he let out a relieved breath, feeling a kind of joy he had forgotten long ago.

Diana watched all this with a complex emotion rising in her chest. The man before her was the same cold, ruthless father who treated everything as pawns for the rise of the Fenwick name. Yet here he was, carrying her children with a gentle smile.

As he grabbed the children and continued giving them a ride, Diana finally spoke, her tone cold.

“Father.. I hope you aren’t having any wretched plans because I won’t let this slide.”

Baron Fenwick froze slightly at her words. Then he noticed the strong presence radiating from her.

“Intermediate Mage… How?” he whispered in shock.

“You don’t need to know that.” Diana replied sharply, her gaze firm.

Seeing her clear refusal to explain, he shook his head helplessly.

“I swear I didn’t have any such plans.. The only reason I came was because Duke Salvos asked me to send a message.”

“And also..” He looked at the two grandchildren sitting on his arms.

“I know you won’t believe me but I really wanted to meet them.. How to say… this feeling of being a grandfather.”

He paused, his eyes softening in a way that looked almost unfamiliar.

“The moment I heard that I have become a grandpa, my resolve for nobility faltered a bit.”

Diana did not know what to say. She stayed silent and let him play with the children.

After a while, when he finished playing with them, he asked quietly, “Where is Baron? I wanted to meet him.”

Hearing this, Diana’s expression turned pale.

“This..” she whispered.

Baron Fenwick frowned as he saw her change.

“What… Is there a problem?” he asked firmly.

Yes,there was indeed a problem but she just didn’t know how to describe it.

……

As the end of the war entered its final phase, there was one unexpected industry that saw a sudden boom. It was none other than the quarry business.

Due to the heavy destruction caused by battles and the fights between Star Knights and cultists, countless buildings had been destroyed. This increased the demand for enormous amounts of high-quality marble and sturdy rocks, which the academy purchased in large quantities from the quarries.

However, while the noble owners and merchants who managed these quarries enjoyed this prosperous period, the laborers saw no such benefit. In fact, this time of year brought even more overwork and exhaustion for them.

Yet unlike other mines, the Crystal Mines of Blanks had a different atmosphere around them.

Boom. Boom.

The quarry was a basic and under-equipped facility. There were only pickaxes, massive hammers, and large iron spikes scattered around. Workers ceaselessly chipped away at a massive stone mountain, cutting it down little by little.

“Hit it in order! Don’t slack off on your form!”

“Hey, you idiot! Stop screwing around! You moron!”

“Don’t let your guard down! One mistake and you will be the next one crushed!”

The foreman’s shouts filled the air. In a job where a single wrong move could mean death, tempers were short and harsh. The workers themselves were not bad people. They were just focused on survival and earning their wages.

Suddenly—

Crack.

“That idiot!”

One of the new workers had made a mistake. He struck the stone the wrong way. A fissure spread dangerously across the rock face.

Rumble.

“Ah… oh no!”

“Stop standing there like an idiot! Run, you fools!”

The foreman’s gruff voice echoed across the quarry. Safety protocols were made for situations like this. The only thing they could do was run for safety as fast as possible.

The workers scattered at once.

“W-Wait…!”

One of the inexperienced laborers froze in fear. His legs trembled and gave out beneath him.

“Gus…!”

A colleague tried to help him, but it was already too late. The rocks were falling.

Boom. Boom.

Massive boulders crashed down. Dust and debris filled the air. The workers watched in horror as it looked like their comrade would surely be crushed.

But then..

SWISH

A strong hand pulled the frozen worker out of harm’s way at the last moment, dragging him clear of the falling rocks.

“…Huh?”

“Snap out of it. How long are you going to sit there?”

“…I, thank you.”The man spoke looking at a figure who wore jeans and a tank top..His face was covered with a mask but those white hair glistening under dim light seemed to give an intimidating sensation.

“Don’t mention it. This job clearly isn’t for you. Find something else.”

“…”

“Y-Yeah, thanks…”

The shaken worker nodded weakly, still trembling from the close call.

“Ehan! Thanks a lot. If it weren’t for you, we would be picking up a corpse right now!”

“Not a corpse. There wouldn’t even be a body to collect,” the man replied calmly.

“God, could you stop with the morbid jokes, Father?” Ray shouted in frustration as he swung the pickaxe down again.