Tia Alstreim’s face was bright as she greeted Davis, her two hands holding the door’s handles.
“Of course I would come. Did you think that I would renege on my words?”
Davis asked as he stepped forwards and reached out his hand as if he was going to grab Tia to punish her.
“Ah~ I didn’t.” Tia retreated with her nimble steps and replied, “However, the wait almost killed me!”
“Mhm? Do you love your big brother that much?” Davis teasingly raised his brows.
However, Tia’s expression faded as a blush appeared on her face. She gritted her teeth as if she was angered before her lips moved.
“Stupid big brother! You’re not supposed to ask this to a young maiden! And… I was j-just waiting for you for another matter, and you know it!~”
She spat her tongue out and turned around as if she had unfriended him.
Davis blinked at her exaggerated reaction but then recalled that she had just turned sixteen.
Reasonably, she might be becoming more aware of the opposite sex while considering that she had just begun to wander out these few months.
He wryly smiled, understanding that he had been inconsiderate towards a young maiden’s newfound feelings. But he also understood his own charm, so he really couldn’t tell which she had become embarrassed of…
“Davis…?”
A person suddenly appeared from the hall, wearing a white robe that elevated his splendid bearing.
“Ah, grandfather. It’s been such a long time…” Davis smiled as he walked towards Edgar Alstreim.
Edgar Alstreim’s lips widened in glee before he spoke.
“Ahahaha! Davis, my grandson! I heard that you’ve become even more powerful from Claire. However, she didn’t tell me what level you reached. Would you care to enlighten this old man?”
Edgar Alstreim seemed so happy that it appeared extremely genuine.
Davis could also tell that Edgar Alstreim was truly ecstatic as it didn’t seem to be faked, but it was also true that he had a hint of sorrowful emotion in him. He didn’t even need Heart Intent to understand this minute difference because he already knew about Lia Alstreim’s worsening condition.
How could Edgar Alstreim not be saddened?
“King Soul Stage…”
Davis spoke with a deadpan expression that Edgar Alstreim became stunned, his smile freezing before it became a bit amusing. Even Tia Alstreim, who had become dumbfounded, couldn’t help but smile as if she was entertained.
“Heavens…!,” Edgar Alstreim chuckled, “My grandson became a Soul King already? This matter puts a smile on my face.”
Davis nodded his head, not really bothered about their disbelief.
“No, really, this matter really does put a smile on my face…” Edgar Alstreim reiterated, nodding his head in assurance.
“I know, grandfather. So, instead of wallowing in sorrow, why didn’t you come to ask for my help?”
“Wha-?” Edgar Alstreim appeared confused before Davis continued.
“You never said that your wife was sick, grandfather.”
Davis raised his brows while Edgar Alstreim’s expression turned heavy. His neck was stiff, but he still turned to look at his daughter.
“Tia, what did I say to you about not disturbing your nephew?”
“Ah!~ Big brother, save me~”
Tia Alstreim instantly moved as she hid behind Davis, holding the hem of his robe. Her expression appeared worried as she looked at her father, seemingly petrified of his bitter words.
Edgar Alstreim looked like he had been given a shock as he came to a stop. He took a deep breath and heaved a sigh, looking tired.
“I apologize, Tia. I didn’t mean to criticize you…”
Davis looked at his grandfather’s apologetic expression before he turned his head and saw Tia’s worried expression.
Indeed, if an overprotective father suddenly was harsh on his daughter, then the daughter would surely find it difficult to endure and become emotionally traumatized.
“Father, I brought big brother to help mother…”
“Ha…” Edgar Alstreim sighed, “Tia, my dear. Nothing severe has happened to your mother, so don’t trouble your big brother, okay?”
“Liar…”
Tia Alstreim’s lips quivered as her eyes moistened, causing Edgar Alstreim to become stunned. She turned to look at Davis with immense pleading in her eyes.
“Big brother, please save my mother. I beg you…”
She sniffled, invoking the sympathy in the hearts of the two of them.
“You-!” However, Edgar Alstreim looked exasperated.
Davis reached out his hand and patted Tia’s head, soothing her as he bent his head to her level.
“You know where your mother is, right?”
Tia Alstreim nodded her head twice, her lips upturned.
“Good, take me to your mother.”
As if she had been waiting for it, Tia Alstreim quickly grabbed Davis’s strong hands and dragged him towards the hallway, entering the corridor.
“Tia, you! Wait! Davis…”
Edgar Alstreim’s expression changed as he followed them.
“Davis, I do not deny that Lia is sick, but it doesn’t require your concern…!”
Davis remained mute while being dragged by Tia. She took him through a few corners before arriving before a room. The door seemed to be unlocked as she just pushed and entered.
What came into their view was a neatly furnished and adorned bedroom. However, there was a person on the bed, seated cozily in front of the headboard, seemingly focused on reading a book in pure interest as their lithe fingers turned the page. However, they noticed the sound of the door opening before their expression turned bright.
“Tia~ Come here~!”
Lia Alstreim’s voice melodiously echoed as she waved her hand. She then belatedly noticed the man behind the door’s view, her eyes becoming wide.
“Oh my…” Her expression froze before she sweetly smiled, “Grandson, I certainly didn’t expect a visit from you.”
“Mother…!”
Tia ran like the wind as she came closer to the side of the bed, looking moved by the sight of her mother’s health that seemed good.
“Grandmother,” Davis smiled in return as he walked towards her, “You look rather bright for an overly sick person.”
“Mhm? Who said I was overly sick?” Lia Alstreim raised her brows, her beautiful purple eyes turning to look at Tia Alstreim.
“Tia, are you playing pranks again? And this time, on your lovable big brother? How naughty!”
She pinched Tia Alstreim’s cheeks as she smiled before she let go of her, heaving a sigh.
“Ah~ It is true that I’m sick with my middle dantian broken, but it isn’t something to deeply worry about, just a few relapses of pain that spreads throughout my body, and we’re good as new.”
Lia Alstreims smiled widely, brushing Tia Alstreim’s blonde hair, “You’re such a worrywart.”
“Is that so?” Davis kept a smile on his face, “Seems like I was truly worried for nothing.”
“Aha, that’s right. However, feel free to drop by and say hi to this ailing grandmother. I might feel happy enough to forget about the pain if a handsome man like you graces me with their presence, you know… Ahahaha”
Lia Alstreim winked at him before laughing by herself.
Davis turned to look at Edgar Alstreim and saw him smilingly shake his head.
“Well, I’d like to stop by every time I gain a breather, but I don’t seem to have something like that with cultivation on one side and my wives on the other.” Davis grinned.
“Of course, you’re a desirable man… Ahaha!”
“How can he not be? He has my blood in him! Hahaha!”
“Hehehe~”
Edgar Alstreim joined together, making it further fun that even Tia started laughing, a bit forgetting about her previous concern for her mother’s health.
Davis pursed his lips as he chuckled along with him. However, he shook his head.
“Grandmother, can you take the sheet off your lower body?”
“…”
Lia Alstreim’s smile froze along with her laugh. Even Edgar Alstreim’s expression froze while his laugh stopped, leaving only Tia laughing for a while before she realized the strangeness of it.
She looked at them, wondering why when Lia Alstreim’s cheeks became filled with a bit of blush.
“Oh, grandson. What are you even asking for?” She shook her head with a bit of ruefulness, “How could I take it off? Me and Edgar… we just did… you know…”
Her voice was filled with shyness, causing Davis’s expression to become rather awkward in difficulty.
“Oh, so grandmother is bare down there?”
“How naughty!~” Lia Alstreim looked taken aback before she looked at Edgar Alstreim.
“Haha, Davis.” Edgar Alstreim laughed as he found it amusing, “Your grandmother definitely doesn’t appreciate that kind of humor, so you might want to remain beware of that-“
*!~*
The sound of cloth rustling abruptly echoed as Davis yanked the sheet covering Lia Alstreim’s lower body into mid-air.
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock, their expressions varying.
“Ah! Big brother!!! What are you doing!?”
Tia Alstreim’s reaction was almost instant.
She pounced on Davis and used her hands to block his view by placing her palms over his eyes. She possessed an angered expression on her face as she didn’t think that her big brother would act outrageously towards her mother.
Davis stood rooted on the spot while having the same expression on his face. He let nature take its course, and Tia naturally spotted her mother’s abnormality. She caught a glimpse of her mother still wearing clothes underneath, the scene confusing her to no end.
Thinking that her mother was naked below the hips and was just wearing an upper robe garment, she angrily jumped on Davis to not let him see, but observing that her mother was still wearing a normal robe, her confusion turned into one of anger as she let go of him.
“Mother, you-!”
However, her wrists were captured by Davis, startling her.
“What kind of illness is this…?”
Davis’s expression was solemn as he looked at the soles of Lia Alstreim. Her skin was fair and smooth. However, there were blood-red spots that protruded out of her two feet, seemingly crystallized as they shone with a crimson gleam under the room’s light.
Tia’s expression that was deeply angered over her mother’s lie turned into one of horror as she belatedly noticed!
