Supreme Magus novel Chapter 3676

Orpal read about the pregnancy on the news like everyone else. Yet while the rest of the Kingdom sent congratulations and rejoiced, the Undead King triple-checked his plans to ensure no one of his Thralls would get near Kamila.

The Gernoff didn’t take the news well either.

"Constable Kamila Verhen is nothing but a dot on our map." A slight tremor in her right hand was the only sign of how upset Jiza Gernoff was. "Pregnant Kamila Verhen, however, makes Tezka the Suneater look as scary as a puppy dog.

"Suspend all operations regarding the Verhen Mansion. If the Guardians consider us a threat, they’ll erase House Gernoff from the face of Mogar."

***

Verhen Mansion, a few days later.

"Well, it seems we have become official members of the Brood." Lith said while opening the many packages he received on that day. "Dragons don’t give out gifts only for weddings but also for newborns."

Each box came from one Dragon bloodline and contained at least a couple of Adamant ingots and white crystals. It wasn’t much, but there were lots of Dragon bloodlines and as many packages.

"Don’t get used to it, little brother." Surtur helped Lith to arrange the gifts in the Mines and the Crucible. "You are considered the first member of a young and poor bloodline. Everyone sooner or later goes through this phase and knows how hard it is.

"Our siblings want to ensure you have enough resources to protect your children and expect you’ll return the favor to younger bloodlines once you are established."

Each Dragon bloodline had sent gifts only for Raldarak, but that only until their gesture had stung the Phoenixes’ pride. Salaark’s Nest had sent twice the ingots and crystals as materials for Raldarak’s armor and a belated gift for Elysia’s.

At that point, the Brood couldn’t back down and matched the Phoenixes’ gifts.

The Dragons claimed it was just an oversight. That they had never intended to skirt their duty toward Elysia. Yet Lith didn’t believe for a moment that so many Dragon clans could have forgotten half the package just to realize their mistake the moment the news of the Nest’s richer gift spread.

Beggars couldn’t be choosers, so he thanked everyone and stored the materials, taking care that the shares of the two children wouldn’t get mixed up.

"Oh goody!" Lith snorted. "So I have to cough up one Adamant ingot and one white crystal every time Grandpa has a one-night stand?"

"I resent that!" Leegaain snarled.

"Only once you are established, but yes." Surtr chuckled. "Consider that no Dragon likes it more than you do, but without their help, would sixteen years be enough to get enough materials for two armors? Even with the tower?"

"They would, if I’m okay going broke." Lith pondered. "Let’s be honest, this stuff isn’t enough for an armor unless I have the corpse of a Divine Beast to coat with it. Let alone a weapon."

"That’s not something anyone will give or expect from you, little brother." Surtr replied.

"I know." Lith sighed.

***

"Congratulations, Kamila!" Kelia was one of the few people truly happy at the news.

Friends and family had been much harder than the Royals to placate. Filia, Frey, and Rena’s father-in-law had taken the secret as a personal offence.

"I can’t believe you’ve hidden my grandson from me!" Zekell grunted, and the children nodded.

"Technically, you’re not the grandfather, Dad. But that’s not the reason we kept you in the dark." Senton saw the hurt in his father’s face and rushed to explain. "It’s because whenever there is a pregnancy in the family, you get the look."

"What look?" The blacksmith asked.

"This look." Sirma, his wife, shoved a mirror in his face.

Zekell’s reflection was starry-eyed and had a huge grin ear to ear that was so out of character that even he found it unsettling.

"Everyone in Lutia knows that look." She said. "Not to mention you start giving discounts."