Chapter 21: Pregnancy (Seeking Collections)

, The Mysterious Calamity

Black Stone Manor.

Aaron Sotos sat upright at his desk, using Chinese to write down the secrets he had gathered over these past days:

【First Stage: Unburnt — Breathing Technique, Meditation Method, Unburnt Ritual】

【Speculation: Using ascetic means to temper oneself, causing the Dark Spirit to awaken?】

【Second Stage: Burning Son, cultivation method currently unknown】

【Third Stage: Darkness Chaser】

These were all things he had pieced together by eavesdropping and peeking while in Black Sun Town; they should be largely consistent with the truth.

It had cost him many days, but Aaron felt it was entirely worth it.

He paused, then continued to write:

【Judging by various clues and traces, the High Priest must have a conspiracy; perhaps they intend to use the Unburnt as an Offering, or... it relates to the 'Eclipse Ritual' and some great undertaking...】

After writing this, Aaron let out a long breath: "In that insane world, how could a saint possibly exist? The so-called savior is likely just a lie!"

He could fully imagine how desperate those Scavengers would be when the mystery was finally unveiled.

Aaron put away his notebook, stood up, and walked to the edge of the window, exhaling a breath that instantly turned into frost.

At this moment, the manor was blanketed in silver, clearly having been hit by a heavy snowfall.

He rarely donned a cloak, stepped out of the villa, and left a long trail of footprints in the snow.

'I have already explored the cultivation method of the Unburnt well enough; perhaps I can try... awakening my own Spirituality...'

While thinking, Aaron scooped up a handful of snow and molded it into a snowball.

"My Lord!"

Just then, a slightly chubby young man wearing a grey scholar's robe came running over quickly, holding a letter in his hand, his face flushed red.

"What is it, my Scholar Albert?"

Aaron asked with a smile.

This was a student recommended by the castle scholar, the second son of a Knight family, who had studied grammar and etiquette for ten years and also had a rough grasp of Herbalism; he now served as the scholar of Black Stone Territory and the manor steward.

"Huff, huff..."

Albert was not physically strong, merely plump, and was now panting: "A letter from Sotos Castle, Lady Sylvie is pregnant."

"That is good news."

Aaron said this casually, then suddenly felt something was wrong: "When was it conceived?"

"Calculating by the months, it was during the month of the wedding," Albert replied.

"Oh, then there is no problem."

Aaron nodded.

He kept his subordinates under strict control, and none had offended Sylvie, so he was ninety percent sure it was Colin's seed, not the bloodline of those thugs.

But what Colin himself would think was quite intriguing.

Moreover, with Lady Sonia in the castle who feared no chaos, the scene would surely be very lively...

Sotos Castle.

"Have you heard? Lady Sylvie is pregnant..."

"This is truly the blessing of the Green Grandmother!"

"I heard from the scholar's servant that the lady's pregnancy is a bit strange... perhaps it was conceived while she was being snatched away."

"Do you want to die? Let the Winter Forest Wolf take you away, daring to say such things!"

A group of servants gathered together, whispering, when they suddenly saw something and scattered like startled birds and beasts.

High on the wall, Colin, dressed as a noble, looked out from a window, his face ashen.

Originally, he had been quite happy to hear the news of his wife's pregnancy, but somehow, rumors had begun to circulate within the castle.

This made Colin's heart feel as if it were being twisted by a knife; after all, he had known of his bride's unchastity on their wedding night, though fortunately, the Green Foresters did not care much about this.

But such rumors were something he could not tolerate!

"Cannot be angry, cannot be angry!"

"I know very well that this is a trap set by Lady Sonia; it is highly likely she is the one spreading it, I must not step into the trap..."

Colin breathed deeply, but upon returning to the room and looking at Sylvie Davis, who was embroidering, especially at her already slightly rounded belly, that nameless fire flared up again.

Sylvie had a smile on her face, radiating maternal glory, and when she looked up and saw Colin's expression, she could not help but be startled: "My dear, what is wrong?"

"Aaron... what kind of person do you think my brother Aaron is?" Colin suppressed the anger in his heart and asked tentatively.

"Your brother, Aaron... he is a very contradictory person, both cruel and a gentleman."

Sylvie said involuntarily; although she knew he was the one who had breached the castle, she could not deny that he had restrained his soldiers and stopped the atrocities.

Furthermore, during the time she was held captive, he had been quite polite to her.

It could be said that if not for him, she might have already died in the castle and would not have her current life at all.

Mentioning Aaron, Sylvie's view could not help but be complex.

"A gentleman? A gentleman!"

Colin, however, was like a lion provoked, suddenly grabbing a ceramic pot from the table and smashing it on the ground.

Crack!

Ceramic shards splattered, clear water flowed across the floor, half-reflecting Sylvie's pale face: "You... what are you doing?"

"Tell me, whose seed is it in your belly?"

Colin's eyes were bloodshot, breathing heavily, almost wanting to draw his sword and point it at Sylvie.

"Swear by our shared faith, Colin, this is your bloodline."

Sylvie murmured, suddenly understanding something: "Aaron... he didn't do anything to me."

Yet she did not know that such matters always become more obscured the more one tries to explain them.

Upon hearing this name, Colin was already so angry he wanted to kill someone.

"Ahhh!"

He screamed wildly and overturned the table.

Amidst the intense argument, Sylvie's stubborn yet sorrowful voice rang out: "If you don't believe me, I've heard the herbal tea prepared by the castle scholar is very effective; you can try it, try killing your own child with your own hands..."

Bang!

Listening to the commotion that could be heard even from a distance, Jinni frowned, then very ladylike, lifted her teacup and took a light sip.

Beside her, Lady Sonia said triumphantly to her daughter: "Look... Colin is just an idiot. It's a fact that anyone with eyes can see, yet he just can't discover it, or rather, he chooses to torture himself. All of this stems from his jealousy and fear of that person! My daughter, remember, jealousy and fear can destroy a person more effectively than swords!"

"Will Colin really order the scholar to prepare an abortifacient tea?" Jinni asked with some concern.

"He won't!"

Lady Sonia answered with great confidence: "Colin is not that decisive a person, and besides, the Count knows everything; he wouldn't let Colin do such a thing..."

Suddenly, this woman smiled much like a fox: "The Count urgently needs a child who mixes the Diji bloodlines of both sides to consolidate his rule. Even if the rumors are true, it doesn't matter; after all, they are both his grandsons, his bloodline..."

"If this child is gone, it would actually be a Great Joy; if he is born, it would be equivalent to reminding Colin of today's events every single moment, tearing open his shameful scars. Guess what will happen as time goes on?"