My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Their journey to Valtheron was quite smooth. They took a carriage early in the morning, passed through the city’s teleportation gate, and arrived in Valtheron alongside a large convoy of knights.

Damon really did not need the fanfare, but his grandfather insisted on protecting his great granddaughter.

Therefore Damon had no choice.

The ride continued calmly toward the Brightwater Estate in the capital where they were meant to stay.

Halfway through the journey, Ranar, who had been sleeping the entire time, suddenly woke. When she did not immediately see her father, her face crumpled and she began to cry, convinced he had left her behind.

Damon cleared his throat loudly.

The sharp sound cut through her wailing. The baby turned in his direction, her small nose already red and wet as she sniffed hard. The moment her eyes found him, she stretched both arms toward him without hesitation.

Damon sighed and leaned over to take her into his arms.

“You really have a bad temper don’t you. Isn’t crying because you haven’t seen me a bit unreasonable. Where did you get this personality from.”

Luna rolled her eyes. Her brother was not serious. If his daughter had a troublesome personality, it very clearly came from him.

Soon they crossed the gates into the estate. It was massive, white walls stretching across a huge expanse of land. Knights patrolled the grounds in disciplined patterns. It looked like a palace occupying its own region of the capital city, and from here it was even possible to see the distant silhouette of the imperial palace.

Castles and palaces had a distinct difference. Castles leaned more toward being military installations than actual residences.

Palaces were simply displays of wealth and power, their true military usefulness negligible.

If that was the case, why were so many troops stationed here, and why was every one of them armed to the teeth.

Why were there so many magic users casting spells and runemasters engraving defensive and protective runes into the walls and ground.

Damon placed a hand on his head.

“Seriously grandpa what is all this.”

Baby Ranar watched him carefully. She lifted her tiny hand and placed it on her own head, copying both his expression and his gesture. She even paused to check if she was doing exactly what he was doing.

Damon gazed down at her and rolled his eyes. She was still a baby, so rolling her eyes was far beyond her ability, but she still attempted it.

She ended up rolling her entire head instead.

He smiled despite himself, finding her actions far too adorable. He pinched her cheek lightly just as the carriage door opened.

They stepped out of the carriage and were welcomed by a long row of maids and knights. At the front stood the head maid who was very clearly Jarvis in disguise, leading the reception with perfect posture.

Luna stopped briefly by the door before continuing forward. Damon noticed and turned to her with a slight frown.

“What is it. Did something happen.”

She shook her head slowly, a thin smile fixed on her face.

“It’s nothing. I was just feeling strange after my visit to the holy city.”

Damon’s eyes narrowed at the mention of that. About a year before his return, Luna had gone to the holy city with his grandfather on invitation.

By his estimate, it had been around the same time the temple’s actions began to change.

Apparently they had gone to meet a special dignitary.

It was not difficult for Damon to piece things together, or at least form a suspicion.

It was possible they had met Aetherus, the god of this world.

However, it was not just Luna who had been invited. A number of young nobles around her age, those with exceptional talents, had also been summoned.

By the time they settled in, it was already past noon. Luna and Damon began preparing to go out again. Somehow Luna had managed to befriend Xander’s wife, and they had grown quite close.

They were going to have lunch at the Ravenscroft Estate not far from their own.

Damon dressed in simple yet expensive fabrics that highlighted the natural elegance of the handsome young noble he was.

Their arrival did not bring any fanfare. It was only a quiet lunch among friends.

Soon Damon found himself seated at a table arranged in a garden pavilion, sunlight filtering through the open lattice above.

Xander sat opposite him, while Emilia and Luna faced each other. There was one more guest at the table, Lilith Astranova, who was also a friend of Emilia.

Damon watched Xander play the role of a kind and attentive husband, carefully placing food onto his wife’s plate.

His gaze slowly dropped to Emilia’s bulging belly.

A thin scoff escaped him, and his expression very clearly said what his mouth soon followed with.

“So you’ve been screwing aye.”

“Excuse me,” Xander replied sharply.

“Oops. I actually said that aloud. My bad. My bad. I meant to think it.”

Damon had indeed said it aloud.

Emilia’s face turned red. She placed a protective hand over her stomach and looked away, embarrassed but not surprised. She had known Damon long enough to expect this sort of behavior.

Slap.

Lilith and Luna smacked him at the same time, making Damon scoff in annoyance.

He picked up his drink and took a slow sip.

“I want to congratulate you. Should I call you Lady Highgon or Duchess Hightower.”

Hightower was one of the four great noble houses. By marrying Xander, Emilia, the illegitimate daughter of House Hightower, had been legitimized because she had married the future head of one of the four great dukedoms.

That alone raised her standing significantly. House Hightower now had influence within a rival house.

It was a political victory for them. In acknowledging Emilia, they also gave her the right to compete for leadership within the Hightower Dukedom. It was all politics, and Damon had no desire to be involved.

Except he was involved, because he planned to take away her child.

“I prefer Lady Ravenscroft if you don’t mind,” she said without hesitation.

Damon nodded slowly, then glanced again at her belly.

“So how many months along are you. As someone who had a virgin birth, I cannot understand how you people do this. Ouch.”

He was kicked under the table by both Lilith and Luna.

Emilia smiled softly, closing her eyes as she counted on her fingers.

“Six months and three weeks now.”

“I see, I see,” Damon nodded.

Xander glared at him.

“Whatever it is you want to say, keep it to yourself.”