Greystone Family's Illegitimate Child

All this, about the spiritual fruit that many people are hunting, about Ryder Stonehaven who got a secret letter from an important person, about Adair who got lost in another world. Also, about who Anya Stamp really is? It would never have happened if the events of ten years ago had never existed. 

Ten years ago, in Arcanum World, the kingdom of the gentle valley, in a town far away from the palace of Pramban, there was a town nestled in an ancient pine forest. A very beautiful city, with the sound of the noisy wind called the city of whispering pines. 

Right at the eastern corner of the town, there was a castle where the honorable Greystone family lived! With a thousand stairs as a bridge to the gate. There, Elera Greystone grew up to be a persecuted girl. 

"Useless child! How dare you show your rotten face in front of the nobles!" 

Lord Greystone was furious. It was just now that his large residence had several honored guests from the neighboring town. In fact, among those guests was the Duke whom he respected the most. How could his illegitimate son dare to show his face?! Even offering tea to those nobles!

"You're just a thick-faced foal! Your position is even far below that of a servant. How can someone so disgusting show her face in front of the honored guests!"

The girl, Elera Greystone, just looked down at the floor. It wasn't that she was afraid, but rather she was disgusted. Every time her father would find fault with her, no matter how small, then, he would justify the harsh actions Elera would receive as punishment. 

Earlier, when the nobles arrived, Elera was leisurely walking to the stables when the servant in charge of bringing out the dishes accidentally tore her shirt at the waist. Not wanting the nobles to wait too long, without thinking twice the servant handed Elera the tray he was carrying and told her to go with the other three servants. That's it! 

Lord Greystone had slapped Elera twice after the nobles had excused themselves, and as if that wasn't enough, he still continued to nag and blame his daughter.

Rixi Greystone, Elera's older half-brother, ventured forward, "Father, I'm sure Elera didn't do it on purpose. There must be a reason why she came to serve the guests."

Mr. Greystone became even angrier. He didn't like anyone defending his illegitimate daughter. "As if what he did to Elera was wrong! "What reason?! This rotten child must just want to defame our family by exposing herself in her hobo outfit in front of the guests! She wants everyone to know that Lord Greystone mistreated his servant!"

Behind them, Araxi Greystone, Elera's older sister, looked at the incident with a cold snort. He then left so as not to see any further events. 

Rixi said again, "Father, perhaps there was such an urgent matter that Elera had no choice."

Elera clenched her hands into fists. Even though she was the daughter of the honorable Lord Greystone, she was not like a horsekeeper's daughter who could only stay in the stable every day. Elera was even allowed to sleep in a small hut right next to the stables!

"Foul child! You should have told me your mistake and reflected by not eating for three days!"

Rixi almost opened her mouth to defend herself again. To her, the three-day suspension was too severe for the innocent Elera. However, before she could speak, an icy voice interrupted her, "I didn't do anything wrong! Please give me the punishment!"

"Ignorant child!" Mr. Greystone landed a hard punch through the air and hit Elera's chest without touching. 

"Aw!"

When Elera was hit by her father, she let out a mouthful of blood and was thrown back five meters. Elera's body did not stop until it hit the wall of the hall and half of her body was inside the wall. 

In the next second, Elera's body fell, and she made a large hole in the wall behind her. 

All the servants watching from afar hissed in horror, and Rixi was no exception. Elera fell into a coma and couldn't wake up, but she was still breathing.

"Look at this little bastard! Even with his ignorance, he can still breathe!"

Lord Greystone was one of the few knights allowed to master light magic to the master stage in the entire kingdom of the soft valley. He knew how fatal the blow he delivered to his daughter's body was. For an ordinary person, that body should not have just gone into a coma! 

Why are people who master light magic up to the master level restricted? So that it wouldn't be used carelessly, so that the peace of the gentle valley kingdom would be maintained. Yet, Lord Greystone misused that power to beat his innocent daughter! 

Elera was indeed in a coma, but her ears were still functioning properly even though she could barely move any part of her body. In her closed eyes, Elera heard her father's nagging voice and two hurried footsteps approaching her.

One of the footsteps stopped, and Mr. Greystone's voice came back, "I have a task for you, you'd better leave now!"

Then Rixi's voice rose in response, "but, Elera he ...."

"The more you worry about that stupid bastard, believe it or not, I can eliminate him in one clap right now!"

And Rixi could only silently obey. 

Meanwhile, Elera's mother, Celestia, arrived and was very surprised by what had happened, "Elera!" She then ran as fast as she could towards her daughter's helpless body. However, before she could get there, a large hand grabbed her arm. 

Celestia had just returned from the market to buy supplies. Before she could put down her purchases, a servant came hurriedly and said that Elera was being punished. 

"Stay where you are! Just let that bastard take his punishment!"

Celestia, who was only a servant, no longer cared about her position. She brushed off Mr. Greystone's hand roughly and ran towards Elera. "Elera, dear!"

Lord Greystone hissed coldly, "I told you to leave her alone!"

Celestia looked at the Lord. Greystone with great emotion as well, "you also said you wouldn't take his life!"

"There's no point in keeping a jinxed child!"

Celestia couldn't stop thinking, "You're the one who made Elera come between us!"

The sound of chattering teeth could be heard with the naked ear. When recalling the events of sixteen years ago, Mr. Greystone's emotions rose to the point of wanting to kill his illegitimate child immediately. "I told you to abort her. If you had listened to me back then, my life wouldn't be like this!"

Celestia was just a servant who happened to be pregnant because of Mr. Greystone. In the past, Mr. Greystone often told the maid to abort her pregnancy, but what to say, various ways have been done, even almost making the maid's life almost fly because of it, the baby still obeyed fate and was born in this world. And managed to bring great shame to the Greystone family.

Lord Greystone hated Elera's birth so much. However, if he suddenly killed his own biological child, wouldn't the rumors become even worse?

At that time, the Greystone family tower house was completely overwhelmed with happiness with the birth of the soul's dream daughter, Araxi Greystone, and on that day, the same day, Elera's baby was born in the stables. And Celestia was only accompanied by one of her companions.

On the one hand, Lord Greystone rejoiced with his wife and family. On the other hand, one of his biological daughters had to fight her way out of the mother's womb in the stables. Mr. Greystone's wife, who is the biological mother of Rixi and Araxi, apparently knew nothing about the pregnancy of her favorite servant. Until finally, the rumors reached her ears.

It's true, the power of gossip is greater than the slash of a sword! 

Lord Greystone's wife was a kind, gentle and loving woman. So when she found out that her favorite servant had given birth to her husband's child in the stables, she felt very guilty and hurt.

It is said that it was because of this overthinking that Lord Greystone's wife became sickly and eventually died two years after Araxi's birth.

Many times Mr. Greystone's wife would daydream and mumble incoherent words. In a way, she felt very guilty thinking about how her servant felt. They had given birth on the same day, to the same man's child, yet she was given a great feast and a good reception everywhere.

While the maid had to try desperately to endure the disgrace herself, hiding from the public and giving birth in a stable.

But on the other hand, she felt sick. She had given all her love to her husband. Well... Although it's actually quite normal for a master to his servant. But for a woman like her, it was really painful. What's more, she had to continue to see the servant and her husband's child living in humiliation under her feet.

Back then, on the day of Lord Greystone's wife's death, Lord Greystone had actually raised the sword to kill Elera and her mother.

However, thinking of his reputation more than anything else, he lowered the sword and walked away.

Now perhaps the rumors were unpleasant to hear, but if he really killed Elera and Celestia, then the rumors would be deadly to hear.

Her father had let Elera live, but she had never been more than a horse keeper.

However, Rixi, who had inherited her mother's traits, never minded that. She even considered Celestia as her own biological mother.

"Don't you have a little conscience for your daughter?"

Mr. Greystone was made to laugh loudly by Celestia's words. One hand held his stomach and said, "Who do you say my daughter is?" in a dismissive tone.

In her heart, Elera really wished that her mother would just leave her immediately. She didn't want Celestia to keep swallowing dirt from her father's mouth. However, what was to be said? In a coma like this, apart from just listening to the pain radiating throughout her body, what else could she do?! 

Not wanting to ignore Mr. Greystone's words, Celestia immediately took Elera's head in her lap and tried to move it. 

"In my entire life, I never imagined that I would have to live under someone's gaze!" Both of Mr. Greystone's hands were clenched into fists. Every time his memory reached his wife's body lying helplessly, it kept rolling until slowly the reluctant gazes of the people out there began to demean him. 

They kept talking about him having an illegitimate child and being accused of not being able to take care of himself! 

While it was common for nobles to their servants, there was a big difference in this case. At least, the nobles out there could still keep their households intact and harmonious. However, in Mr. Greystone's case, he even lost his wife after the birth of his illegitimate child.

Lord Greystone closed his eyes, one fist of his hand gave off a bright light, bluish-white in color, dazzling to the eye. All the servants who only dared to look from a distance held their breath. It had been a long time since they had last seen such a bright light from their Master's body. 

Celestia, who had just managed to stand up with Elera in her arms, felt an extremely strong killing aura from above her. And when she looked up, she saw Lord Greystone shouting, "perish you!" And in one fell swoop, that fist shot into the air, right into Elera's weakened stomach. 

Elera's body was thrown back again. This time it was worse. Her body did not even stop until it managed to smash through the wall that was originally just a hole, and fell six meters after breaking through the wall. 

Like a toy she no longer liked. Elera's body lay helplessly beside the kersen tree in the back garden, making the few officers who were tending the garden stunned with shock.

The atmosphere in the room was getting colder, everyone was holding their breath, and when Celestia came to her senses for the first time, she shouted loudly, "Elera!" and ran over the shattered part of the wall towards the body of her child in the garden. 

Araxi, who had gone to the garden to avoid Elera's troubles, was stunned. Was the problem really that bad that her father had put Elera into a coma?! She got up and went over immediately. 

Not to Elera, but to the room where his father was boiling again after seeing Elera's chest and abdomen that still showed life. "A bastard does have a thousand lives!"

The light on Mr. Greystone's body had not dimmed. In fact, the bluish-white light was now even brighter until Mr. Greystone's body could almost no longer be seen. The fist in his hand grew bigger and stronger. Just before Mr. Greystone struck Elera again with his light fist, a small hand gently holding his wrist.

"Father, isn't it the case that if you finish him off now, the rumors in society and the upper class will get even worse?" Araxi bowed his head, saluting, before returning to say, "Outside, the talk of you having an illegitimate child still continues, even without you intervening, no one will ever take kindly to the arrival of an illegitimate child. Elera will always be in a bad light wherever she is. As for you, wouldn't it be better if you pretended to be nice to her? Pretend to educate her like me and Rixi. That way, rumors will say that you're someone who is fair and wise."

The bluish-white light on Mr. Greystone's body had not yet dimmed. But he managed to answer Araxi's words, "For ordinary people or light mages like us, all would not have the ability to live after taking two blows that could even crush a wall. However, that little bastard can still even breathe properly after getting them. Isn't it only dark magicians who have the power to resist fate?!"

Lord Greystone was the one who knew best how much of an impact his punch had. In fact, if Elera had not moved at all as a result of the blow, all her bones would have fallen out and her life would have been mentally distant. There had never been anyone who had been hit like that and still managed to survive; only Elera, the bastard child, had! 

Araxi was still holding Mr. Greystone's wrist: "All the dark witches have been wiped out by the greatest warrior in the past. In this arcanum world, who doesn't know about that legend? Perhaps it is true that Elera has a drop of dark witch blood in her. But even if you screamed at the world until your vocal cords broke to justify your murder of her, would anyone believe you?"

In the world of arcanum, who doesn't like to hear a good rumor? As one of the most honorable and powerful people in the town of Whispering Pines, in addition to having many fawning and kind people towards him, of course Mr. Greystone had many enemies who would be happy to hear of his downfall. During those sixteen years, Mr. Greystone had managed to refrain from killing his illegitimate son, and changed public opinion that he was a good father. He would not let those sixteen years of sacrifice go to waste! 

"Father, outside people often talk about a father having a child with a maid. But among those people, does anyone really know what the Elera they're talking about looks like? They just keep talking nonsense that no one knows the truth about. But, all the residents of this large residence know the ins and outs of our family. When her father kills her, it's not impossible that one of them who was friends with Elera will spice up the news!"

Mr. Greystone's eyes closed, and the bluish-white light on his body began to dissipate. "I don't want to hear a single word about today's events in the future. For anyone who is able to discuss it, then prepare to lie in the pit of death!"

After saying that, Mr. Greystone immediately left the room, which somehow felt warm again after his back was out of sight. All the servants, who had almost lost their lives due to not breathing properly for too long, immediately flocked to Celestia and Elera's helpless body. 

With help from the servants and some horse guards, Celestia managed to carry Elera's body to the small house beside the stables. 

In the distance, Araxi saw the scene and clenched his hands into fists. His teeth bit hard on his inner lower lip. All this time, even though he was born of the same father and the same day as Elera, he always felt that all the attention of the residents of the large residence, except for his father, was focused on Elera. Rixi was no exception. His older brother was a kind and fair person, but Araxi would always be jealous if Rixi was constantly with Elera.

"Servant!"

A servant who was left behind turned around, facing Araxi with a deep bow. "Yes, Miss?"

Araxi took out a money bag from her pocket, then threw it at the servant, "find a physician outside, and treat Miss Elera's wound well!" After that, he walked away so arrogantly. 

The servant immediately ran to the small house beside the stables. He found the house full of servants and horse guards who were trying their best to treat Elera, even if it was only what they could. 

"Good news, good news."

The few servants who were inside glared at the servant who had just arrived and said words that were unbecoming at that moment. 

"Miss Araxi gave her money bag to summon a healer from outside!"

All the residents of the Greystone Tower's great residence knew, of course, that the professional healers in the residence were forbidden to treat Elera. So, it was a face-saving move for Araxi to call in an outside physician. 

"Then, count how many coins Miss Araxi gave!"

The servant eagerly opened the coin pouch he was carrying and counted. "There are two hundred silver coins in all, and twenty-five gold coins!"

Another servant said,

"To treat Miss Elera's comatose body, it can't be done by just any doctor. We'll have to hire a good doctor!"

"But these coins aren't enough to hire a high-ranking physician!"