Chapter 6

The moment those words left his mouth, a chilling wave of killing intent exploded from Lord Stormwind. Even standing several meters behind him, I could feel the vast, overwhelming pressure of a true ruler. He was no ordinary beastman. Even if he'd withdrawn from the world for years, no new king had ever risen to take his place. That alone spoke to how deep his power ran.

After witnessing Lord Stormwind's true strength, Tyron finally calmed down. He only said, "Maybe we were mistaken. But I'd still remind you, my lord, don't let one woman drag the entire beastman race through the mud."

With that, he fled with Lily in tow.

Before she left, Lily couldn't resist one last jab. "Lord Stormwind, just wait and see. Seraphina will give birth to a ratman. Surely your noble bloodline wouldn't produce something so low and filthy?"

I knew she wouldn't stop there. In the days to come, she'd keep using her Surrogacy talent on me, over and over again.

Lord Stormwind walked back into the hall. He looked at my belly again, confusion flickering in his eyes. "How did this child come about?"

He'd stood up for me without knowing a thing, even called me his queen in front of everyone. I trusted his character completely now. He would believe me.

So I told him everything about my sister's talent and mine. I laid out all the humiliation and bitterness I'd endured, across both lives. Even the proud, solitary Lord Stormwind couldn't help but stiffen as he listened. When he looked at me again, his gaze had softened. He spoke gently, comforting me. "From now on, as long as I'm here, they'll never hurt you again."

I let out a long breath. In this life, I'd chosen the right path.

One day later, I gave birth without complications. It wasn't an ordinary ratman. Though it looked like a rodent, it had a pair of wings, and its cry sounded almost like a lamb's bleat. Those were the exact traits of a juvenile griffin. With my Bloodline Evolution talent, I really could give birth to ancient mythical beasts that had long gone extinct!

Through the whole delivery, Lord Stormwind dropped his usual cold demeanor completely. He fussed over me, stayed by my side, his concern written all over his face. Even though the child wasn't his, he was still thrilled. He held the little griffin in his arms, excitement lighting up his voice. "Heaven has truly bestowed such a miraculous gift upon us. Seraphina, you're incredible!"

Watching him like that, warmth spread through my chest. My child finally had a father.

I asked him to take the griffin to another room and come back, because I had something important to tell him. When he returned and asked what it was, I pulled him down onto the bed.

He looked startled, almost flustered. "Seraphina, what are you doing?"

I leaned in close, my breath brushing against his ear. "That griffin isn't really our child. I want to carry your bloodline."

He tried to push me away gently, concern in his voice. "No, you haven't recovered yet."

I let out a soft laugh. "We humans don't need time to recover. Besides, if I don't get pregnant soon, Lily will hit me with her Surrogacy talent again."

I had to get pregnant before Lily made her move. Hearing that, Lord Stormwind finally pulled me into his arms. He pressed a kiss to my cheek, his voice filled with anticipation. "You turned a ratman into a griffin. Seraphina, I can't wait to see what kind of divine beast you and I will create together."