Chapter 496: Chapter 496: Mother and Son Reunion

"Leo, is your name Leo?"

Finally, Hilda, sitting on the throne, spoke in a hoarse voice.

Without waiting for Leo to answer, she stood up and slowly walked down.

Leo’s breathing became rapid again.

He didn’t know why; clearly, he had been longing for this in his heart for a long time, but when truly facing his biological mother, he was incredibly panicked. If his brother wasn’t there, he would have just wanted to turn and run away.

Hilda walked up in front of Leo.

Eric wanted to give the two of them some private space. He comfortingly squeezed Leo’s hand, then gently let go. He signaled to Max and Arthur, and the three of them walked over to Sunflower and Clitus, quietly watching the mother and son.

Hilda’s expression didn’t change, but if one looked closely, they would discover her hands were trembling slightly.

She stood in front of Leo, seriously looking at the child before her who was still a cub, yet was already tall, handsome, and looked very healthy. His clothes were also beautiful; one look was enough to tell he had grown up being loved and spoiled.

Her eyes suddenly became moist: "I’m sorry, back then I abandoned you on the battlefield. I am not worthy of being a mother."

Leo didn’t know what to say, but the sacred bond of mother and child caused a dull ache in his heart, and his eyes began to redden.

"That year when I was pregnant with you, the war was very arduous. When I gave birth to you, it coincided with a counterattack by the Elves. The tribesmen took me away, but you were nowhere to be found."

Hilda’s voice became even hoarser.

That year, she led the warriors to fight against the Elves, fighting continuously for many days. When she was about to give birth, she found a quiet place, but because she was wounded and giving birth consumed a lot of her vitality, she fainted.

When she woke up, she was already on the retreat path. She struggled desperately to run back to find her child, but he could no longer be found. Such a small child, she had thought he couldn’t possibly survive.

The battlefield was covered in blood and corpses everywhere. Perhaps in their haste to find her, the tribesmen hadn’t noticed such a small child. The surroundings were full of the smell of blood, completely masking the scent of a child.

She couldn’t blame the tribesmen, only her own carelessness. For many years she hadn’t had another child; whenever she saw children, her heart would ache, not daring to look a second time.

Hilda summoned all her courage to pull the child into her arms, unable to hold back her tears.

Leo hugged her back, feeling bitter in his heart: "Mother."

Seeing this, Sunflower, Eric, and the others quietly retreated outside, returning to Sunflower’s residence to give the mother and son who had just recognized each other some private space.

...

After a moment of silence, Max took the wine glass in front of Eric away, replacing it with a glass of fruit juice, and asked Sunflower: "Over these years, did you guys not notice anything different?"

Eric was also suspicious: "That’s right, could it be that Leo’s father was also in that battle..."

"We really aren’t sure," Sunflower said awkwardly. "The nature of the Golden Lion tribe is different from ours. They usually regard females as superior, which you must know, but there is another point: the Golden Lion tribe rarely has fixed mates. Most of the time, several females share a male. After becoming pregnant and giving birth, they usually raise the child by themselves."

Clitus added: "So we completely didn’t realize Hilda was pregnant, nor did we know who she had the child with, or if that male beastman is still alive."

"Oh..." Eric suddenly understood. Speaking of which, nature seemed to be like that; he hadn’t expected the Golden Lion tribe to still keep this habit.

He suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Since coming here, the keen intuition of the Snow Wolf tribe had never been wrong. He abruptly turned his head and saw Arthur staring at his back with two glowing eyes.

What is this guy thinking now? What kind of look is that? Why do I feel like a piece of fatty meat? Eric scooted to the side.

Arthur, who hadn’t said a word from the beginning, just sat behind Eric. Now, acting contrary to normal behavior, he stepped forward and sincerely asked Sunflower:

"Is it only the Golden Lion tribe that is like this? Does the Wolf tribe have this tradition? Is it just lost now..."

Sunflower said embarrassedly: "You should ask the Little Patriarch this. How would I, a Tiger person, know? Besides, I’ve never heard of any Wolf tribe being like that."

Clitus looked at Arthur’s demeanor, and his mind suddenly flashed; he suddenly understood. Finally, he figured out why, for all these years, he always felt that the people around the Little Patriarch of the Hadu tribe were a bit strange.

So that was the truth. As if he had discovered an earth-shattering secret, he looked at Eric with respect. To be a Snow Wolf leading the Hadu tribe from a cub to its current scale!

Truly formidable, truly admirable!

Eric didn’t have the energy to pay attention to him. He hurriedly hugged Max, who had stood up in anger with fire in his eyes wanting to beat Arthur, and said with a mix of embarrassment and anger:

"What nonsense are you talking about? I don’t have that habit! Wolves only have one single mate! Stop thinking crazy things!"

...

Leo returned, his eyes red and his spirit somewhat distracted, unknown what he was thinking.

He was a mature child; except for when he was in front of Eric acting like a child, he had never been so lost in soul and spirit before.

Eric intended to ask, but Max held his hand and slowly shook his head.

Eric had to suppress the worry in his heart and let Leo be quiet alone.

They stayed here for a few days. Sunflower was Hilda’s capable subordinate; every day he had to lead warriors everywhere to search for traces of Au and also guard against their surprise attacks. The task of guiding Eric and the others around was given to Clitus.

After years of constant war, the kingdom still hadn’t recovered its vitality, and there wasn’t anything fun to do.

However, the beastmen here didn’t look like they had too much psychological trauma; they lived quite well, without the misery of people in chaotic times. It seemed the beastmen’s ability to withstand pressure and their survival skills were stronger than humans.

True, living on the Illusory Dream Continent, if their ability to withstand pressure was even a little weak, their tribe would have been exterminated long ago.

Even the timidest Rabbit tribe had given the first people to arrive at the Hadu tribe quite a shock.

After all, seeing someone with a body size comparable to oneself, with evasive eyes and frequently fearful red eyes, yet able to sob while lifting a heavy object weighing several hundred pounds and walking as if flying—who wouldn’t be terrified seeing that?

But for the kingdom to be this orderly after the chaos of war, besides the beastmen themselves having strong vitality, the leader also played a significant role.

Just this point alone showed that Hilda’s ability was stronger than the previous Beast King Au. Judging from the original novel, Hilda wasn’t seduced by power either; later on, she always cleaned up the mess Au left behind. After Leo succeeded the throne, he was also an excellent king.

However, although many high-ranking officials in the kingdom had now sided with Hilda, a large portion of beastmen only changed direction when they saw the situation was unfavorable. The hearts of these beastmen had been corroded by years of holding great power and gold flowing into their hands like water.

They would absolutely not agree to abolish slavery, thereby affecting their benefits. If these beastmen combined into a force, it would be enough to pose a threat to Hilda’s rule. That was why in the original novel, even after Leo became King, he couldn’t completely abolish slavery.

But at least under the efforts of mother and son, the kingdom finally stopped laying hands on other beastmen.

Clitus walked in front, saying somewhat embarrassedly: "Sorry, supplies are scarce right now, we can’t treat you thoughtfully."

Eric shook his head: "Right now you can still hunt to live, but when winter comes, food will decrease. The kingdom’s income this year is probably not as much as previous years; the amount of food exchanged is likely only enough for these beastmen to fill their stomachs."

For the kingdom’s beastmen to live affluently like before, it would likely not be that easy. This place had no production; under Au’s leadership, it basically became a country that reaped huge profits from selling slaves.

Those beastman elders who tried to learn from humans to slowly develop the economy were heavily ostracized because they were out of step with the times; the policies they proposed naturally weren’t taken seriously by anyone.

This place could be said to be a mess. Leo was a prince in name, but it wasn’t even as good as living freely in the Hadu tribe.

It was just that Eric couldn’t hide it from him forever. In the original novel, Leo would eventually be recognized, so it was better for Eric to actively bring him over.

In the original novel, Leo chose to stay in the Golden Kingdom, ruling the country with his mother, but now...

Eric was a bit listless and dispirited.

Having lived with Leo for so many years, and with Leo being the first relative to unconditionally trust him after arriving here, Eric was extremely reluctant in his heart.

Max comfortingly hugged his shoulder: "If you can’t bear to part with Leo, then bring him back. Otherwise, we can also visit him often."

"So you were worried about this. If they don’t release him, I’ll snatch him back for you." Arthur walked behind with crossed arms, acting as if he had a sudden realization.

Eric turned his head helplessly: "Don’t cause trouble, and don’t make decisions arbitrarily."

Arthur hmphed twice, having to give up, and walked alongside them in depression.

Unable to accept this scene, Clitus laughed dryly a few times and moved a few steps forward.

"Right, the Golden Kingdom is now in a difficult period. Besides food, many things will surely be lacking. When I get back, I’ll list a roster and have people bring you a batch of food, medicine, and clothes."

Eric changed the subject to business.

Clitus didn’t refuse; on the contrary, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Truly thank you for your help. The kingdom is now in the process of recovery, and Au keeps sending people to cause trouble, making it so we can’t even learn from the Hadu tribe to farm and feed ourselves."

Au still had contact with human merchant caravans.

The merchant caravans here were not the Halun caravan, but slave traders from the Kenya Kingdom. Basically, any beastman he caught, as long as they had a breath left, was sold to the Kenya merchants.

Although such despicable methods were despised by the world, Au’s faction lived more affluently than them because of it, which also caused dissatisfaction among some beastmen in the kingdom.

Originally, after the kingdom was established, these beastmen followed Au and enjoyed quite a few benefits. Now suddenly seeing such a big gap, almost returning to their primitive life from before, it truly made people unwilling.

After all, beastmen like Sunflower were still the minority.

The supplies exchanged from the Hadu tribe last time had allowed the kingdom to breathe a sigh of relief.

The clothes, white wine, and large amounts of vermicelli, dried potatoes, and dried sweet potatoes that Eric gifted additionally had helped the beastmen feel a comfort they hadn’t felt in a long time.

They thought the kingdom still had strong financial potential, so the suspicious whispers decreased significantly.

Hearing Eric’s words now, Clitus shamelessly did not refuse.

Eric and Max looked at each other and smiled. Max said: "Leo’s family is here; the Hadu tribe won’t stand by and watch. We also don’t want to see Au return to enslave beastmen. The Illusory Dream Continent needs peace."

"Peace, huh." Clitus sighed, looking at the magic beast flying in the sky, sinking into thought.

The word "peace" was too far away from the Golden Kingdom. From the establishment of this country until now, there hadn’t been many peaceful years.

Leo was no longer lost in thought. By the time he came out to confide in Eric, six days had passed.

If he hadn’t come out, Eric wouldn’t have cared so much and would have barged directly into the room to find him. After all, including the time on the road, he had been out for too long; the Hadu tribe couldn’t be without a manager for such a long time.

"Brother." Leo buried his head in his chest just like when he was small, his voice tiny.

Only, when he was small, he usually used the form of a little golden lion. Now his beast form was almost the size of an adult beastman; he couldn’t bury himself in Eric’s arms like that, so he had to use his human form.

Fortunately, I had foresight and didn’t let Max in, otherwise Max would surely be jealous again, Eric thought while rubbing Leo’s head.

"Brother, I’ve decided. I want to stay here and rule the Golden Kingdom with Mother."

After a long time, Leo finally raised his head, his black pupils full of worry, and spoke to Eric.

Eric wasn’t surprised by his choice; after all, in the original novel, Leo had chosen to stay in the Golden Kingdom. It was just that his heart was incredibly reluctant.

"Leo, you must think carefully. This place isn’t safe yet, moreover, the kingdom has gone through many years of war; the inside has almost been hollowed out. Staying here means suffering hardship."

Leo shook his head: "I’m not afraid of hardship, only afraid you’ll be angry."

"What is there to be angry about? Your life should be chosen by you; others cannot replace you. No matter what you choose, I will support you." Eric smiled and said.

"But I want to ask you, why do you want to stay here?" Eric asked.

The air was silent for a few minutes, then Leo said:

"I don’t want to be under your protection forever. I want to be a support for you, Brother. If I can rule the Golden Kingdom well, in the future, you won’t need to worry about being threatened anymore. The Elf tribe has Evan there; on this continent, the only place that can threaten the Hadu tribe is here. I hope in the future, Brother can live as you please, doing whatever you want."

Whether it was gathering all the Dwarves into the tribe or continuing to expand, as long as it was what his brother wanted to do, Leo hoped nothing could hinder him anymore.

Eric was choked up. He had thought of many reasons, but this was the only one he hadn’t thought of. Leo was finally no longer the cat-like little golden lion in his arms; as years passed, he had also grown into a man.

"Do what you want to do. Brother will forever be your backing."

The two hugged, letting their emotions surge.

Since Leo had decided, Eric didn’t plan to continue staying in the kingdom; he had been out long enough.

Parting was a bit sad, but seeing Leo grow up, Eric was actually very happy in his heart.

He didn’t have children, but at this moment, it was like seeing his own child grow up, incredibly joyful.

As he said, no matter what Leo decided, he would agree and support it.

Hilda personally led Sunflower to see them off. Before leaving, she insisted on stuffing a box of magic cores into Eric’s hands, not allowing refusal.

"The kingdom is poor now; these are all things I saved up from before. Thank you for helping me raise Leo so well. This place will forever welcome you."

Hilda looked at Eric gently and said.

Since that was the case, Eric didn’t refuse. He accepted the box of magic cores, finally hugged Leo who was reluctant with red eyes one last time, and the group set off on the road home.

Eric rode on Max’s back, boredly pulling at his fur:

"I don’t know where Au’s beastmen are hiding. I really want to find them and kill them all, so I won’t need to worry about Leo’s safety. Sigh, if I had known he wanted to stay here, we should have come later."

Max laughed: "Then I’ll take you back first, and I’ll return here to help Sunflower and the others find traces of Au."

While the two were talking, Gray circled disappointedly above their heads, calling out reluctantly towards the capital.

"I told you to stay there, but you insisted on following me. Keeping crying like that, I really don’t understand what you’re thinking," Eric said to it in annoyance.

Gray’s intelligence was equivalent to an eight-year-old human child; it could understand his words. Hearing this, it gave a soft cry, lowered its head, and flew forward.

Max’s voice came from below; transformed into a Snow Wolf, his voice was deeper: "It recognizes you as its master, so naturally it will follow you."

Could it be that magic beasts are like ducks, whoever they see when hatching is their master? Eric found it a bit funny, looking at Gray’s appearance and finding it quite pitiful.

Although he had brought Gray back to the tribe, since it hatched, Leo had been the one taking care of it. The affection between Gray and Leo was very deep.

"Hey, Gray, if you consider me your master, then I order you now to go back and protect Leo. Don’t let him encounter danger, do you hear me?"

Eric stood up and shouted.

Gray suddenly stopped in the air, let out a happy cry, spread its wings, and flew back towards the Golden Kingdom.

Eric couldn’t help shaking his head; magic beasts were truly stubborn, requiring him to give an order.

"Eh, where’s Arthur?" He wondered.

He had been so busy being depressed that only now did he realize there was absolutely no sign of Arthur in the sky.

One had to know that unless there was an urgent matter, this guy usually couldn’t be chased away no matter what. Yet now he was nowhere to be found; Eric felt incredibly baffled.

Max got annoyed as soon as he heard Arthur’s name, answering in a low voice: "Don’t know, ignore him. You couldn’t chase him away even if you wanted to."

Eric thought that was true. Arthur was a golden dragon, thick-skinned and fleshy; only he caused trouble for others. On this entire continent, apart from the Elves, no one could hurt him.

"Then let’s not worry about him, let’s go home!"

He rallied his spirits, grabbed the tuft of long fur on Max’s head, sat up straight, and cheered.