Family
“So, you really are that Queen Sisi’s descendant? That’s a surprise,” remarked the man, expression stern as he examined the family tree.
Queen Sisi’s family tree was simple. Presumably, none of her descendants had much desire to reproduce. Some branches ended due to not having descendants. Also, her partner was left as a question mark. Nobody knew who her husband was. Nobody knew who created the second wise Queen with her.
The young girl nodded, while the man laughed. While he gently ran his hand over the family tree, the man pointed out, “I do know her, and I spoke with her in the past. I must say she’d most probably be so furious to see you two in this shape that she’d beat you to death. Queen Sisi, who was swathed in luxury, would never have thought her descendants couldn’t even afford electricity.”
“She gave us the same extravagance but didn’t teach us how to earn enough money as ordinary people. She was a Queen, so she could have everything she wanted. I’d say that we are very displeased with her,” responded the girl, tone neutral. “I want to know who you are. I am your master. I don’t mind using a command spell to force you to come out.”
“It’s not worth using a command spell on me. I told you already: I was just the imperial family’s slave businessman,” answered the man, nonchalantly drumming on the floorboard with his cane. “You wouldn’t recognise me even if I told you my name. History has no records of my existence. I’m essentially a stone that the river swept away and buried deep in the dirt. Miss, I suggest you don’t waste command spells. After all, we don’t know what we’ll face next, do we?”
The young girl indifferently looked into the man’s eyes. He wore a polite smile and looked back calmly. She surrendered and stepped back in the end. Voice calm, she claimed, “Among the ancient families, ours must be the worst off.”
“Which families are rather well off, then?”
“The most affluent and prosperous families are Ross Clan and Lin Clan, which was formerly headed by the legendary prime minister, Lin Dongqing.”
“What?!”
News that would’ve been on any newspaper drew an incredibly intense reaction from the calm man who always wore a polite smile. He grabbed onto one of the girl’s shoulders and questioned, “What did you just say?! Who does the family consist of? Lin Clan? That’s impossible, absolutely impossible! I knew Lin Clan. I attended their family of three’s funeral. They don’t have any descendants! Lin Clan can’t possibly have existed until now!”
“It is true,” responded the girl, calmly smacking the man’s hand off her. “Lin Dongqing’s only son, Lin Chucheng, enlisted in the military and died in the final spring offense while Lin Dongqing was healing in the elven forest on the other side of the world. He came home immediately after hearing of his son’s demise, only to find his beloved wife, Veirya, hanging. Yes, she was heartbroken and fell into depression, which led to her death. Veirya’s mother, Angelina, blamed herself for failing to take care of her daughter and letting Lin Dongqing down. Therefore, Angelina departed and was never seen again in history. Though the war ceased not long after, Lin Dongqing succumbed to his illness during the ceasefire negotiations.”
Everybody knew about that part of history. People had all sorts of ideas when the legend fell so suddenly and rapidly. Some even thought that he was poisoned or he exchanged his life for the empire by turning himself into a bargaining chip. However, no one found any evidence to support the theories.
Sweating, pacing back and forth as if he was on edge, the man reeled, “Yes, yes, I know that. I attended their family of three’s funeral. I know that… I… I met him. I understand Lin Dongqing. What happened after? Lin Dongqing didn’t have any other descendants, so his family should’ve vanished. How could they still be around?!”
“Because he had an adopted daughter, Leah. After Lin Dongqing passed away, a succubus stated that she was Lin Dongqing’s illegitimate daughter. After countless questions and appearance examinations, it was confirmed that she was indeed his illegitimate daughter. The girl went on to revive Lin Clan, which became Lin Clan. That is why succubus blood runs in their entire family… Why did you have such a big reaction to Lin Clan? I summoned you with a coin, and your reaction… Could you be the legendary prime minister, Lin Dongqing?”
“No, I’m not. I have no right to be him. I’m just an ordinary businessman. I served the imperial family. Well, mainly Lin Dongqing.” The man took in a deep breath and rubbed his face vigorously. With a helpless smile, he added, “I’m just lamenting the past. You haven’t met Lin Dongqing, but I have. I’ve never seen such a jerk. He was jerk from beginning to end. He could lie to anybody’s face with a straight face. That includes family. He had many affairs behind Veirya’s back, yet kept babbling about how he loved her. He never spent time with his son, yet forced his son to do this and that and to live how he wanted his son to live. He was the most shameless bugger I ever met.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard him evaluated in that light.”
The girl didn’t seem interested in Lin Dongqing anymore, and the man didn’t inquire any further, allowing the silence to disperse their feelings.
She then inquired, “You must have your reason for participating in the Holy Grail, right?”
“What about you?” asked the man, mocking himself with a self-loathing smile, “Sorry, I just asked the obvious. I know you’re after money, correct? I happen to be on the same wavelength. I’m a businessman. Businessmen will do everything for money, especially after getting a taste of money. It’s impossible to forget the joy of it once you’ve had a taste.”
“You became a heroic soul for money?”
“Didn’t you summon a heroic soul for money?”
The man patted the girl on the shoulder. Though she grumpily knocked his hand away again, she had no counterargument to offer. Realising he asked to be shown contempt, the man chuckled. He knocked on the ground with his cane and conveyed, “All right, it’s late now. Let’s get some sleep for now. The war should be starting tomorrow. I hope the six of them all kill each other tonight, and we can just pick up the Holy Grail once we wake up. Of course, that’s all in dreams.”
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