Free Web NovelChapter 395: Chapter 86: The People of Antiquity, All Living Past 100 Years
The festive air from the Harvest Festival had yet to fully dissipate when another special day arrived in the Monte Territory.
The moon was exceptionally full and brilliant, its clear light spilling like quicksilver over the land, gently tracing the silhouettes of the castle, the fields, and the distant mountains.
In the Monte Territory, this would have been just an ordinary autumn night, but after Murphy’s arrival in this world, it had taken on a dual significance.
It was a night of reunion known as the "Mid-Autumn Festival," and it was also Murphy and Aurora’s twentieth wedding anniversary.
The castle’s main kitchen was especially bustling tonight, filled with a sweet aroma quite different from the usual smell of baking bread and roasting meat.
In a rare occurrence, Murphy had spent the entire afternoon there himself.
His wheelchair was parked beside a long, wide oak table. Aurora, wearing a simple apron, was at his side, helping—or rather, simply keeping him company.
Her gaze would occasionally drift to the deepening twilight outside the window, a hint of private nostalgia touching the corners of her lips.
Twenty years ago, on this very night and in this very castle, she had become her brother’s wife.
Candied rose petals were blended with mashed red bean paste, while toasted nuts were mixed with a gleaming syrup.
Flour, oil, lye water... Murphy’s movements were practiced and precise.
When he needed to handle multiple details at once, a three-inch, Dark Gold Flying Sword would even appear, assisting with stirring, cutting, and shaping in a series of precise and nimble movements.
Finally, plump, round discs of dough, each stamped with a simple floral pattern, took shape in his hands before being carefully placed in the oven.
Aurora watched in silence. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help; she simply knew that Murphy wanted to do this all by himself.
The glow from the oven fire danced on her golden eyelashes, casting a happy sheen. All she needed to do was be by his side, just as she had been every day for the past forty-two years.
When the freshly baked mooncakes were served on the round table in the small sitting room, a unique, sweet aroma—a blend of caramel, nuts, and nectar—filled the air.
The crusts were a warm, golden-brown and slightly puffed, the patterns stamped on top clear and charming.
Kaiden and Alina were already waiting, and Eleanor had also been summoned from her magic research laboratory.
"It’s time for mooncakes again," Eleanor said, looking at the familiar pastries on the plate as a hint of nostalgia flickered in her dark eyes.
Over the years, this holiday and food, unique to their family, had become a warm imprint of ’home’ in her mind.
Kaiden picked one up and took a bite. "It has a very unique flavor. Rich and sweet."
Alina also smiled and picked one up. "Father’s cooking is always so wonderful."
Just as she brought it to her lips, the scent—a mix of oil and cloyingly sweet fruit and flowers—suddenly overwhelmed her. Her brow furrowed, and a sudden wave of nausea churned in her stomach.
"Ngh..."
She quickly set the mooncake down and covered her mouth, her face instantly paling as she fought back the sudden wave of queasiness.
"Alina?" Kaiden noticed at once, anxiously steadying her by the shoulders. "What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Aurora’s sharp gaze fell on Alina’s pale face and her pained expression. Then, she glanced at the rich, sweet mooncake she had set aside.
She set down the cup of tea she was about to hand to Murphy and hurried over.
"Don’t hold it back, child," Aurora said, her voice gentle and calm. She first motioned for Kaiden to help Alina sit securely, then knelt, reached out, and hovered her warm palm an inch above Alina’s lower abdomen. A minuscule thread of Life Energy spread out like a silent ripple.
After a few seconds, a flicker of joy flashed in Aurora’s azure eyes. She took Alina’s slightly cool hand. "Your period... has it been late this month? Have you been feeling tired lately, or have you developed an aversion to certain smells or foods you used to like?"
Weakened by the bout of nausea, Alina leaned against Kaiden. Hearing Aurora’s words, a blush crept up her cheeks. She nodded, shy and a little flustered. "Yes, it’s late... by about ten days. I’ve been feeling so lethargic lately, with no energy at all. Just now, when I smelled the mooncake..."
The smile on Aurora’s face bloomed fully. She straightened up and turned to Murphy, who had been watching quietly, her voice filled with irrepressible excitement and joy. "This is it, there’s no mistaking it! Alina’s pregnant! We’re going to have grandchildren! The Duval Family will have a third generation!"
Kaiden froze, as if he hadn’t quite processed his mother’s words. It wasn’t until Aurora repeated herself with a laugh that he snapped out of it. The sheer shock of the news left him speechless for a moment. He just hugged his wife tightly, his eyes wide as he looked from Alina to his parents, a wide, unstoppable grin spreading across his face.
A smile danced in Eleanor’s dark eyes; she was genuinely happy for Kaiden and Alina.
The atmosphere in the sitting room was instantly filled with this nascent joy.
Murphy maneuvered his wheelchair closer. His expression remained serene, but his gaze fell upon Alina, who was nestled in his eldest son’s embrace, her face a mixture of shyness, apprehension, and the nascent bliss of first-time motherhood. His eyes lingered for a moment on her still-flat stomach before turning to the excited and flustered Kaiden. He nodded slowly.
"Excellent. The Mo Family will welcome a new bloodline."
’Yes, the Mo Family.’
His surname in his past life had been Mo, and in this life, he went by the name Murphy.
As a Legendary Knight, he possessed the right and the power to establish and bestow a family name.
This name did not belong to the ancient Duval family, nor was it a simple derivative of the Monte Territory. It was the mark of his own Legend, an extension of his will and his Path.
