Chapter 47: Uncle and Nephew

Carl only followed Garling into his bedroom. After the two left, the golden-armored guards who had been lying on the ground for a long time finally managed to get up, gasping for breath as they looked in awe at the backs of Garling and Carl.

Some people are just born to be kings.

As they entered the palace, Carl observed his surroundings. The palace was stark and white, with spotless walls and minimal decorations—far simpler than the grandeur he had expected.

For the residence of the head of the Figarland family, this place seemed a bit too modest.

Garling led the way in silence. His bedroom was large, with stairs that led underground.

When they reached the underground chamber, a black door appeared before Carl. For some reason, Carl suddenly felt weak.

The closer he got to the door, the stronger the feeling of weakness became. Carl had to force himself to keep moving.

Garling showed no sign of being affected. He turned around, glanced at Carl, and said, "Do you feel like your whole body is paralyzed?"

Carl pressed his hands against the wall to support himself, nodded slightly, and asked, "Is this door made of seastone?"

"Yes, it's pure and has a strong restraint on those with abilities. It can even nullify abilities without direct contact. It's also one of the hardest substances in the world."

Carl tried to activate his ability, but as Garling said, not even a trace of darkness emerged within him. He couldn't use the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit at all.

Not only was he unable to use his abilities, but his body also grew weaker, causing him to stagger and nearly fall.

Garling had anticipated this and stepped forward to help Carl. Carl's breathing was labored as he said, "I'm sorry, Uncle Garling, I really can't muster the strength."

Garling chuckled, shook his head, and said, "No need to apologize, your performance is already impressive. When Darian went through this, he fared even worse than you."

"Was he a Devil Fruit user?"

"He wasn't before he came here. He took the Paramecia Blood-Blood Fruit from inside this chamber."

Carl narrowed his eyes slightly. This was a strange fruit to him.

But one thing he knew for sure was that since this fruit was kept in the Figarland family's secret chamber, its power would not be inferior to those in the Valley of Gods.

Garling's next words confirmed his thoughts, "The last head of the family, your grandfather, was a user of the Blood-Blood Fruit. After his death, the family went to great lengths to recover it. Darian wanted this fruit, so I gave it to him."

Carl had little memory of his grandfather, as no one in the family had ever mentioned him. He couldn't help but ask, "The power of this fruit should be very strong. Why didn't you consider eating it yourself, Uncle Garling?"

Garling shook his head and said, "I have no interest in Devil Fruits, and this one's power is too evil. It corrodes the mind of its user. My father went mad just a few years after becoming a user. If he hadn't regained some sanity at the last moment, I wouldn't have had a chance..."

Garling paused, his face showing pain.

Although he didn't continue, Carl guessed that Garling had most likely killed his father with his own hands.

Thinking of this, Carl's expression turned strange because, in the future, he would also kill his own father.

The difference was that Garling was forced into patricide, whereas Carl would do it willingly.

At this moment, the uncle and nephew fell into a heavy silence. After a while, Carl broke the silence, "If this fruit is so dangerous, why did you give it to him?"

Garling sighed and said, "Darian was always worried about me taking over as the leader of the Knights of God. After I became the head of the family and gained control of this chamber, he asked for the fruit. Initially, I refused."

Carl curled his lips, thinking, So you gave it to him anyway?

Knowing that Darian's strength would be further enhanced, Carl felt a little unhappy and casually asked, "What? Did he kneel down and beg you?"

Garling choked on these words. He glared at Carl angrily and said, "With his pride, how could he kneel to me? He promised that if I gave him the fruit, he would no longer interfere with you. I also wanted to ease tensions with him, so I finally agreed."

Garling's voice was calm and gentle, but it sent a shiver down Carl's spine.

He finally understood why Darian hadn't made any moves against him after all these years.

Garling's words deeply moved Carl. As someone who had lived two lifetimes, this was the first time he truly felt the warmth of family.

Thinking of Garling's silent support over the years, Carl looked at him and softly said, "Uncle Garling, thank you."

Garling was stunned. Although this wasn't the first time Carl had called him uncle, he could clearly sense that the emotions behind it were different.

Due to his childhood experiences, Carl not only hated Darian but also harbored hostility towards the entire Figarland family. Even though Garling had always helped him, there had been a wall in Carl's heart.

But now, after learning what Garling had done for him, that barrier had completely vanished.

Garling was pleased, but he had always been reserved and rarely showed his true feelings.

In simple terms, he wasn't good at expressing himself.

He turned away awkwardly and finally managed to say just three words: "You're welcome."

Without waiting for Carl to respond, he carried him to the door, took out a golden key from his pocket, and inserted it into a hidden slot.

Garling turned the key, and the door made a deep, muffled sound. He pressed his hand against the door and pushed, the heavy doors slowly creaking open.

Just from the sound, Carl knew the door was heavy. He couldn't help but think that if it were him, even with the key, he wouldn't have the strength to open it.

So what would he do when he became the head of the family? Would he have to bring Lucia with him every time he came here?

A conflicted expression crossed Carl's face. Bringing Lucia along was fine—she was one of his own.

But what troubled him was the thought of leaning weakly into Lucia's arms like a little girl and letting her open the door for him. That was a bit too embarrassing...

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