Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 80

“Gasp!”

 

Hubert’s face turned pale with shock.

 

“Ppii…”

 

A small red bird, about the size of a baby sparrow, let out a faint chirp, as if embarrassed.

 

“Oh, it’s just a bird.” Hubert let out a sigh of relief, only to jump again in surprise. “A bird? Out of nowhere? Is the window open?”

 

But the window was firmly shut.

 

Hubert stared at the bird, filled with curiosity, and muttered to himself. “This little thing looks just like the Phoenix.”

 

It was that moment.

 

“Ppi! Ppii!” The bird suddenly hopped up and perched on the back of Hubert’s hand. It was as if saying, ‘That’s right! I look like the Phoenix!’ Its bold action was completely at odds with its tiny frame.

 

Hubert’s eyes widened in astonishment. “What on earth… are you?”

 

* * *

“Gasp gasp, Grandfather locked Epirosa’s room!” Nicholas, who had been chasing after Hubert, returned, panting heavily.

 

Gale’s face twisted as he stepped out from behind the iron door. “What did you say?”

 

“I called out to him, but he didn’t even respond. What on earth is he doing…?” Nicholas grumbled. “He’s old, yet how is he so fast? Moreover, he was carrying Epirosa. But I still end up chasing him way behind.”

 

“Brother, are you seriously bragging about being less fit than Grandpa right now?” Stella scolded Nicholas.

 

The truth was, Hubert was stronger and more physically capable than most young men in the empire. But Stella’s mocking tone only provoked Nicholas.

 

“What did you just say?” Nicholas’s eyes narrowed sharply.

 

It was at that moment. Bang! The iron door slammed shut with a deafening noise behind the Gale family. It was as if they were being kicked out.

 

Gale shouted angrily. “Damned door! You scared the hell out of me!”

 

“Calm down, Father. At least we got some results,” Stella said, trying to soothe Gale.

 

“Yes. The divine beast really did attack Epirosa.”

 

“There’s no doubt about that. For some reason, Epirosa had earned the divine beast’s hatred.”

 

“A reason, huh…” Gale, deep in thought, suddenly clapped his hands. “That’s it! The curse!”

 

“What?”

 

“Didn’t we put a curse on Leonoe, Epirosa’s mother? Since Epirosa spent so much time with the cursed Leonoe, the divine beast must instinctively reject her as well.”

 

Nicholas tilted his head, puzzled. “But that wasn’t the case on the first day Epirosa met the Phoenix, was it?”

 

It was the day Gale had received the empty shell of an egg and mistakenly thought he had been chosen as the successor, overjoyed at the time. Nicholas’s unusually sharp observation made Gale’s brow furrow deeply.

 

“Father, what’s important is the fact we witnessed with our own eyes.” Stella interjected, trying to shift the mood. “Just like Lord Maddux said, the divine beast attacked Epirosa. This is a huge deal.”

 

“You’re right! You’re absolutely right. Since Father saw this with his own eyes, there’s no way he’d entrust the household to such an ominous child. We can figure out the reason later!” A sly smile spread across Gale’s face as he listened to Stella’s words.

 

“Let’s go see Grandfather. If we bring a doctor with us, he’ll open the door,” said Stella.

 

* * *

When Gale brought Blanche’s family doctor, Hubert opened the door for them.

 

“She fainted from shock. She just needs to rest.” The doctor reassured them not to worry.

 

“Then, when do you think she’ll wake up?”

 

“It depends on her usual health condition, but it shouldn’t take longer than today. It’s just a simple shock.” The doctor confirmed again with certainty. Yet the worry didn’t leave Hubert’s face.

 

I won’t feel relieved until I see Epirosa open her eyes myself. Hubert pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down. Watching him from behind, Gale frowned.

 

“You may leave now.” Gale ushered the doctor out.

 

Epirosa lay unconscious. And now, only Hubert and Gale remained in the quiet room.

 

Hubert seemed to have forgotten Gale’s presence, his gaze fixed solely on his granddaughter. A bitter emotion churned deep within Gale. It was a feeling he had once felt so intensely, now repeating itself. Gale soon recalled the past, when he had persistently felt this emotion. It was always like this whenever Leonoe was in the mansion!

 

No matter how hard Gale, as the eldest son, tried to make a good impression, Hubert only had eyes for Leonoe. Even when Gale swallowed his pride and flattered him, Hubert preferred Leonoe, who never bothered with flattery and always spoke her mind.

 

I felt so relieved after driving Leonoe out and no longer had to see that sight! But now he was feeling the same thing because of Leonoe’s daughter! It felt like his stomach was twisting, and he couldn’t stand it.

 

Why does Father lose all sense of rational judgment whenever it comes to people like Leonoe! No matter how clever Leonoe was, he was still the eldest son! No matter how pitiful Epirosa seemed, she was still an ominous child who was attacked by a divine beast! This time, Gale resolved to correct Hubert’s misguided thoughts.

 

“Father, something feels ominous.”

 

Hubert’s eyes rolled back slightly at the sly tone of Gale’s voice. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Has there ever been a precedent where a divine beast attacked our family?”

 

“Attacked?” Hubert was dumbfounded. For someone who had observed divine beasts for so long and aspired to be a successor, not being able to distinguish between an attack and an act of empowerment by a divine beast was absurd. Just as Hubert was about to correct the misunderstanding, Gale spoke first.

 

“There was once such an incident in the imperial family, but as far as I remember, there has never been a case where a member of the Blanche family was attacked by a divine beast.”

 

Hubert’s eyes turned cold. The precedent of the Unicorn attacking the imperial family. That was the time when a divine beast attacked a prince who had attempted to assassinate the emperor, its master.

 

“Are you saying Epirosa is in the same situation as that prince back then?” Hubert’s voice was icy.

 

Gale flinched. “N-No. I’m only saying this out of concern. Since it’s unprecedented, shouldn’t we find the cause? It’s for Epirosa’s sake. And also…”

 

Unprecedented, indeed. The Phoenix granted power to a child who isn’t even the heir and even gave her a small fragment of itself.

 

Unaware of Hubert’s thoughts, Gale kept running his mouth. “Our family’s identity lies in the ‘divine beast’. But I’m not sure if it’s right for Epirosa, who was attacked by a divine beast, to take charge of the household. What if this angers the Phoenix…?”

 

Hubert swallowed a sigh as he read his son’s petty intentions. How can he be this foolish! Instead of worrying about his niece, Gale was trying to attack her with misguided judgment.

 

Hubert turned around. His expression was colder than Gale had anticipated, and made Gale freeze in place. “Keep everything that happened in the underground greenhouse today a secret. Tell your children the same.”

 

“What? But—”

 

“If this matter leaks outside, I will punish your entire family, regardless of who the culprit is.”

 

“Fa-Father!”

 

Gale couldn’t understand. The problem was with Epirosa, so why was his family being punished for it?

 

“Even so, we can’t entrust the household matter to a child rejected by the divine beast! If you don’t trust Stella, then perhaps you could give more responsibility to Benjamin—”

 

“That matter has already been decided. Stop arguing about it!”

 

“Father, but—” Gale couldn’t keep his mouth shut until the end.

 

Hubert’s eyes burned with vivid anger. “Your niece is sick and bedridden, yet all you care about is your own gain! Pathetic fool! Get out!” He commanded coldly. His

 

Hubert’s icy demeanor was enough to make Gale’s knees tremble, leaving him unable to say another word. Terrified, he fled the room as if running for his life.

 

“Father, what happened?”

 

Stella and Nicholas, who had been waiting outside, rushed over.

 

“Did you manage to persuade him? Did Grandfather say he’d let me take charge of the household?”

 

“Be quiet!” Gale shouted at his daughter, venting his frustration from his encounter with Hubert onto Stella. He even shook off her arm and stormed off without looking back.

 

“Fa-Father!” Nicholas hurriedly ran after Gale.

 

Damn it, what on earth. Stella frowned, still holding onto the arm that Gale had shaken off. So annoying. Why is he taking it out on me? He’s the one who couldn’t convince Grandfather properly!