Chapter 29: Molten Evil Ghost

"Even if he had a child with a female adventurer without your consent?"

Noah's main emotion was surprise. After all, in the current era, let alone noble families, even ordinary peasants do not have a say in marriage.

Freedom and love are very unfamiliar and distant words for most humans, not to mention putting them together, which is beyond the recognition and understanding of the current era.

"What's the problem with that?"

Hearing the Lady's rhetorical question, Noah was somewhat at a loss,

"Aren't you picky about the woman's background?"

"As long as Tidel likes her, what do we have to be picky about? Besides, she's not the only one he found."

"Not the only one?!"

Noah immediately felt dumbfounded. No wonder the mother in front of him didn't care. Such behavior does make it hard to believe that guy would really fall for those female adventurers of commoner origin.

He was just a bit confused about how Tidel, who had already shown his playboy nature, would end up playing out a cliché and vulgar drama of a hidden identity noble heir falling in love with a commoner adventurer on his training journey.

It turns out he completely misunderstood; the guy wasn't playing innocent, but rather started a commoner harem route. How much true emotion and how much impulsiveness there was is hard to judge.

"Don't talk about that spoilsport. Though he suffered a lot during his training, for the most part, he lived more comfortably than you imagine. That's why I say even if he breaks through, he may not be willing to come back."

"I see."

The topic about Tidel naturally came to an end, and the focus shifted to his adoptive father Casius, who had ascended to legend status more than half a year ago.

Noah was very curious about what significant changes his adoptive father and the Augustus family underwent after his promotion. Although he could foresee some of it, it couldn't compare to hearing it firsthand from those who experienced it.

"The Kingdom didn't offer much benefit, just expanded the territory as usual, elevating it to Duke Territory, though there were some differences..."

Since Casius was a newly ascended legend, sought after by all nations, it was naturally impossible to deal with him like they did with the border nobles before, giving the Augustus family some uninhabited Barbaric Land where no one could be seen.

Previously, the Kingdom did so, which could be understood as a disdain for border-expanding nobles; but if they did the same to a legend, that would be contempt and insult, and mishandling could lead to major trouble.

Thus, this time the lands given to the Augustus family were numerous territories within the Kingdom.

However, although there were human cities built on these lands, with habitation and reproduction, because they were near the border, they still appeared somewhat barren and sparsely populated. Therefore, the territory ruled by Casius, who was elevated to Duke, was two or three times larger than a normal Duke Territory.

Moreover, because the lands given to the Augustus family all at once were too vast, they naturally encompassed many border nobles' territories.

The Royal Family was too lazy to move these nobles, so with a big pen stroke, they directly handed all these nobles over to the Augustus family, making them vassals loyal to Casius.

This order seems like the Royal Family being unwilling to bother, or looking down on the border-expanding nobles, but with some thought, it's clear this was done out of necessity.

If the Royal Family still wanted to retain nominal control over these border nobles, they would either have to move their territories or give more of the Kingdom's lands to the Augustus family.

The former was naturally impossible, involving too many interests that would make any King's head explode, but if not moved, anyone could guess, even with the sole of their foot.

Faced with a nearby legend and a Royal Family a thousand miles away, which noble could maintain loyalty to the Royal Family? Moreover, since there was little loyalty to begin with, they might as well go with the flow and throw everything to the new legend as a favor.

"The Royal Family is truly generous!"

Although with some thought, one can see it was the best decision made by weighing the pros and cons, Noah had to admire the Royal Family's generosity.

Because in a way, it was equivalent to helping the Augustus family establish a Duchy, just without officially declaring it.

"Generous? This is just the old King not being senile; he needs Casius to guard here. In comparison, those added territories are nothing."

Selena didn't care for the Royal Family's grant, deeming such a reward as right and proper.

"Are there very dangerous creatures in the wilderness?"

Noah picked up on the hidden resentment and dissatisfaction in the Lady's tone and immediately asked.

"Of course there are, and more than one, or why do you think there's no decent noble sealed in this area? It's just because the environment here is too harsh!"

"Dangerous? Legendary monster?"

After his adoptive father's ascension to legend but still being called dangerous by his stepmother, Noah couldn't think of anything other than legendary creatures.

Mere Extreme Intent Level monsters were hunted by his adoptive father and his Knight Order countless times.

Thinking of this, Noah couldn't help but become serious. If the Augustus family had problems, it would certainly affect him, so he had to take it seriously.

"Currently known threats include a swarm of destruction insects, a large passage to the Dark Territory, and we found signs of a Molten Evil Ghost."

"Molten Evil Ghost?"

Noah's eye twitched slightly. This was an extremely famous legendary undead creature, counterpart to the Frost Corpse Demon, also known as the Frost Corpse Demon.

"Thanks to that evil ghost, we haven't seen many monsters from the Dark Territory in recent years. However, once Casius kills that ghost, we'll probably have to deal with underground incursions again."

"Is the adoptive father confident in killing the Molten Evil Ghost?"

Noah was somewhat shocked.

"Almost, he assured me that by the end of the year he could definitely bring me the head and Soul Crystal of that ghost."

"The adoptive father is incredibly strong!"

The Golden Dragon couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. The Molten Evil Ghost is no legendary doorkeeper.

This thing is terrifyingly strong because it has both the properties of the undead and elemental creatures, while possessing legendary-level spell-like abilities. Most outrageously, this thing can cast Arbitrary Gate at will.

Simply put, a Molten Evil Ghost is a mobile live volcano that can teleport over short distances, utterly insoluble.