ALL NOVEL chapter 30
Chapter 30: Not Yet Started, Already Ended
“Father, you called for me?”
After traversing the vast courtyard of the duke’s residence, Mu En finally arrived at the front gate, where he met Duke Long En Campbell, and…
“Hmm? Mother is here too.”
“Little Mu En, how is your health?”
Mu En’s stepmother, Noyas Campbell, was also at the gate. Upon seeing Mu En, she rushed over with a pained expression:
“The previous treatment spells didn’t have any side effects, did they? Sigh, I told you not to get too close to that princess; she’s a husband-killer. Look at what she’s done to our little Mu En.”
“Um… Mother, there’s no need to worry. I’m perfectly fine now.”
Enduring the suffocating embrace of his mother, Mu En forced a smile and said:
“If you don’t let go soon, I might just suffocate.”
“Hmph, what’s wrong with me hugging my good son?”
Noyas pouted like a young girl, reluctantly releasing Mu En.
“You spoil Mu En too much.”
Duke Long En Campbell chimed in, feigning seriousness:
“As a man, he should endure a bit more hardship; otherwise, how will he grow?”
“Hardship, hardship! Do you know your son almost lost his life because of so-called hardship?!”
Upon thinking of that matter, Noyas couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine, and her eyes immediately reddened as she clutched Mu’en’s hand and said:
“Little Mu’en, promise me you’ll stay away from that woman from now on, okay?”
“…I will.”
Mu’en’s lips twitched.
Of course, he wanted to keep his distance from Celicia for the time being; after all, he still didn’t know how to face her.
But wasn’t that engagement arranged by both of your parents? With the engagement in place, where could I possibly hide?
“Hmph, it’s all your useless father’s fault.”
As if seeing through Mu’en’s thoughts, Noyas couldn’t help but shoot a glare at Long’en beside her.
“He can’t even cancel an engagement.”
“Ahhahaha, after all, Celicia is His Majesty’s beloved princess. If I were to bring this up with His Majesty, I might just end up being served poison instead.”
Long’en scratched his head, chuckling awkwardly.
“Heh heh.”
Mu’en followed with a dry laugh, then changed the subject:
“By the way, did Father call for me for something?”
Mu’en looked behind the two and noticed a luxurious carriage had already stopped there, and the creature pulling it was not an ordinary horse, but a majestic griffin.
“Are you all going out? And you even brought a griffin; are you going far?”
“That’s right, that’s exactly what I wanted to tell you.”
Long’en sighed and said:
“Your mother and I are going on a long journey, and we might not be back for a while.”
“A while? How long is ‘a while’?”
Hearing his father’s words, Mu’en’s head buzzed.
I just formulated a series of plans centered around you, Father; what am I supposed to do if you leave?
“Well… I’m not sure, as there are just too many influencing factors, but in the short term, we probably won’t be back.”
Seemingly aware that his sudden departure might be unfair to Mu’en, Long’en offered an apologetic chuckle:
“After all, it all happened so suddenly; I can’t help it.”
“The suddenness means…”
“The Abyss on the western front; those damned demons are stirring again.”
“The Abyss…”
Mu’en was left dumbfounded.
The so-called Abyss refers to a special space occupied by the demon race, humanity’s mortal enemy, filled with chaos, death, and unspeakable horrors.
At the moment when the Demon God was sealed, the demonic race in the Abyss continued to use the Abyss as a stronghold, constantly launching attacks on the human continent, intending to counterattack and rescue the sealed Demon God.
The Leopold Empire, on the other hand, is the human kingdom that borders the Abyss over the largest area. Of course, this is related to the empire’s own strength and vast territory, but it also means that the empire bears immense pressure from the demonic race.
Therefore, whenever the Abyss stirs up some major commotion, the empire must be on high alert; otherwise, if the front line falls, one cannot imagine how many imperial citizens would be caught up in the calamity.
In contrast, when the movements from the Abyss force the massive empire to be on high alert, it surely indicates that it will not be a situation that can be resolved in a short time.
“Right, I just remembered.”
A flash of insight crossed Mu En’s mind.
“It seems this part was mentioned in the original book, the invasion of the demonic race, but in fact, this is just a feint, meant to confuse the human world, laying the groundwork for a certain plan of the demonic race three years later.”
“And that point three years later is precisely when the protagonist officially steps into the chapter of salvation.”
“Wait, three years?”
Mu En’s face turned a bit pale.
Does that mean my father will have to stay on the front line for at least three years?
What about my plans?
My teacher?
My safety?
My homebody existence, waiting until the end of time, then emerging to shock the world.
With my father heading to the front line…
Snap, gone?
Before I even had the chance to implement it, it’s officially ruined?
“Is it really necessary for my father to go?”
Mu En stammered, “Isn’t there anyone else?”
“I know you’re very worried about me.”
Thinking that Mu En was concerned about his safety, Long En comfortingly patted Mu En’s shoulder and said:
“But this time, I must go.”
“Why?”
“Because of this.”
Long En showed Mu En the badge on his chest.
It was the emblem of the Campbell family.
A sword that slays dragons.
The sword of the empire, the Campbell family, has represented the sharpest weapons of the empire since the dawn of the empire!
So when the war begins, I, Long En Campbell, must stand on the front line!
“Is that so…”
Mu En knew that nothing he said would matter.
“What about Mother?”
Mu En cast a puzzled glance at his mother, who was clearly planning to go along.
“Is Mother going to the front lines as well?”
“Of course not.” Noyas shook her head, “Your father is just giving me a ride part of the way.”
“Part of the way? Where are you going?”
“Back to our territory, the Campbell fief.”
“Huh? Why? Mother, why do you want to go alone…”
“Because…”
Noyas suddenly looked a bit shy.
“There’s something we haven’t had the chance to tell little Mu En.”
“What is it?”
“Actually…”
Noyas touched her belly, her expression filled with happiness as she said:
“You have a little brother.”
“Or maybe a little sister.”
Beside her, Long En held Noyas’s hand, his expression equally gentle as he said:
“How about that? Aren’t you happy?”
“Huh?”
Mu En didn’t know if he was happy at that moment; he only knew he was definitely shocked.
(⊙o⊙) What?
A brother or sister?
You two aren’t joking, are you?
Isn’t the Campbell family supposed to have only one heir?
“Alas, I never expected that I would break the Campbell family’s curse of having only one heir in my generation.”
The usually tough and valiant Duke of Campbell couldn’t help but shed tears of tenderness at this moment:
“Truly, the heavens are watching. I believe our ancestors would be very happy to know.”
“So.”
Noyas continued.
“In order to better nurture the baby, I will temporarily return to the countryside of the Campbell territory. After all, little Mu’en will be starting school soon, and staying at the duke’s residence would just leave me all alone. It would be better to go back to the countryside, where I can avoid those annoying noblewomen and find some peace.”