Child Contains Husband of Others
23

"...."

Erekleus took a breath before walking closer to the girl.

He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand at all.

If Erekleus had not been raised in the Narendra family, he would have probably let Mute abort his womb that night. There was no interest in Erekleus in Mute, even a little. He was just like his brother, nothing more.

But unfortunately Erekleus has the name Narendra. Narendra Family.

Remember Sanya? He's not Narendra. He was the son of a descendant and descendant of the descendants of Trika, through the path of Iaros, illegitimate son of Trika, wife of Narendra. But Sanya is recognized as Narendra because two hundred years ago, her great-grandmother lived as Trika Narendra.

No Narendra can get out of Narendra. There aren't.

If I do not protect him, your worst fate is not hunger and poverty, Erekleus said in his heart. Your worst fate is that your descendants are tortured like Aunt Sanya once was, doctored by day and night until they no longer deserve to be called alive.

But Mute doesn't understand. All he understood was that he did not want to be the third person.

The third person is not even a problem here. Not even the hundredth. The problem was that the child Erekleus was to be born in was not supposed to be.

"Stay here." Erekleus could only use this way. "I beg. I want you here."

Act as if he loves her a little. If Mute feels Erekleus loves her, at least she will have the motivation.

"Because of the child?" Mute. "You're this because of your son? You don't want to marry because you have a wife, you don't want to kill her because she's your child, but you don't want to let me go either. What do you want exactly?!"

Erekleus hurriedly hugged her. "I told you to take care of you."

The man made sure he hugged her tightly to make her believe that at least it wasn't a lie.

"I'll take care of you, Little Girl, so calm down. I'm not gonna act like a badass."

"But you—"

"Focus on your pregnancy." Erekleus hastily cut him off. Swiping Mute's stomach still flat. "Focus on your baby."

Then for Mute to stop thinking about the negative— and drag on due to the pregnancy hormone—Erekleus pulling it away.

"Let's go look around. There are so many things you want to see in this place. The lake, the forest, so many things. Come on, I'll lead you directly."

Inevitably Mute was forced to stop saying his wishes. Moreover, Erekleus suddenly acted like he wanted Mute and it made Mute see hope.

Doesn't it matter here? Can he be worthy and at peace with Ariadne?

*

Ahelois stared coldly at the sight of Erekleus and Mute riding a boat on the lake as if things had improved. Had it not been for Arkas' orders not to harass the pregnant woman, Ale would have even wanted to push her into the lake.

"Why are you just silent like a fool?" Ale could only vent on Ariadne. "You let your husband go with another woman, who was pregnant with Narendra's illegitimate child. Why are you being so stupid, Aria?"

"I just follow the orders of my Young Master, Miss," replied Ariadne politely, because the status of Narendra's daughter is like a master to all Narendra's wives.

"You forgot history?" Ale stared hard. "You forgot the fate of Narendra's last bastard son? One of them rotted in confinement and the rest died without offspring. Narendra's illegitimate children always lived a life of suffering and that's why they were always abolished. Then now you're acting sweet, pretending to forget because your husband's acting stupid?"

"Young Miss—"

"I assume you're challenging me right now." Ale walked over. "You're forcing me to be rude. I'll make sure the girl dies and the next one is you. Unless you stop Erekleus' stupid behavior."

He has to decide everything. Killing the child of his sister or letting the child be born and disrupting Narendra's system.

"I wish I could do something too, Miss," murmured Ariadne watching Erekleus there. "I wish I could."

*

Mute can't help but be distracted by all this. The lake they climbed was like a lake that could be lived by hundreds of sharks. Is there a crocodile down there? If they fall they will die?

"Your face is pale."

Erekleus is grateful to have distracted Mute. Now he is no longer depressed about the future, but thinking about whether he will be eaten by crocodiles.

"What's up, Mutia? Are you afraid to get on a boat?"

Mute kept peeking into the water. "You're not dead?" he said innocently.

"depends. If you can swim, maybe not?" Erekleus. "There are no sharks or crocodiles here. There are only fish. Where might we release the beasts into the lake that the women often enjoy."

Mute pouted, feeling ridiculed because he was stupid. "This is also two hundred years old?"

"true."

Mute was stunned when he thought he wasn't.

But he should not be astonished at the lake, because when Erekleus took him on a horse, Mute needed a stock of surprise that saw more of a very long settlement stretching behind the giant building.

"That's my home" said Erekleus, pointing to a wooden building but it was sturdy and luxurious.

In front of the house was a sign bearing his name.

"Main buildings are usually only occupied by members of the main family. My First Brother, of course, then Second Brother as well, Uncle Leader, his wife. Although there were many rooms left over, we preferred to stay in this simple house."

Mute blinked in amazement. "That's plenty. Are there hundreds of people living here?"

"Yes. Narendra's number is now close to three hundred family members."

His own words instead made Erekleus remember that the restrictions of the descendants of Narendra had also been applied. A new regulation was made fifty years ago, that the members of the Narendra family should not be more than three hundred people.

That's because if it's too much, it's very difficult to control everything and this family will be divided.

It is only fitting that Ale is furious, Erekleus thought suddenly. Ares now must have a headache thinking about our numbers. Most likely I will be banned from having children in the future, as punishment.

There are a lot of rules in this family. The price to pay for living as a Young Master.

Is this worth it? Erekleus suddenly thought of that.

Is the kid in Mute's stomach worth fighting for? Or should he give up and wait for the right moment, according to the rules?

"Definitely exciting." Mute suddenly broke his reverie. "Your family is many and lives together. Must be exciting, right?"

Erekleus could not answer because his heart was busy pierced by facts. This young lady would be completely alone if Erekleus gave up.

"Yes, it's so exciting." Erekleus smiled warmly. "Even if there's a lot of shitty stuff."

*