Chapter 510 - 333: The Lord’s Happiness for the Rest of His Life

It was a sweet, delicate voice, light and with a hint of nasality, like a young girl’s—the kind that sounded incredibly fragile.

It was a tone often adopted by women trying to get something out of you. Aspiring mistresses, in particular, all spoke that way—a type the Lord had privately labeled as "sweet-talking schemers."

But coming from Buji, the words meant something else entirely. If anyone dared to make a snide remark, the Lord, in his role as her newfound father, would personally hang them from the pillars outside High Cliff Castle for a good flogging.

"Not long after you left, Buji woke up," Tina said, her smile as lovely as a wildflower in spring. She seemed quite pleased by the Lord’s shocked expression. "I noticed she was always babbling like a baby trying to talk, so I started teaching her the common tongue. I never thought she’d learn so quickly."

"So smart!" the Lord praised with genuine admiration.

’Little Buji’ was always clever, but she had only ever been able to hum a few notes. He had thought she might never learn to speak, so this was a wonderful surprise.

"Father, I missed you so much! You have to take me with you next time," Little Buji pleaded, fluttering the two pairs of transparent, cicada-like wings on her back. She stood on the Lord’s shoulder on her tiny, rosy-white feet, her eyes filled with adoration. Wrapping her little arms around his face, she nuzzled against his cheek again and again.

’I’m not even married, just a single guy, and suddenly I have a daughter?’ The Lord had been inwardly resistant to the idea, but seeing Buji act this way, he couldn’t suppress a doting smile. He quickly reassured her, "Alright, alright. I promise I’ll take you with me wherever I go next time."

"By the way, why do you call me ’Father’?" Although he had already accepted this new, heartwarming role, the Lord was still very curious.

"Father, you gave me life," Buji said with a look that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The very first thing I saw upon my birth was your towering figure, shining into my life like the sun." She then clasped her tiny hands over her chest, her face a mask of pure adoration.

Even the thick-skinned Lord couldn’t help but blush. He clearly remembered that, following the principle of ’better safe than sorry,’ he had actually retreated behind the others, using that dumb dog Biefeng as a living shield.

"Buji, weren’t you and Biefeng playing over by the iron mine? How did you know Lord Levi was back?" Miriel of the Secret Silver Commerce Association asked, her curiosity piqued.

With the heavy snowfall, it would have been impossible for a large group to march from the iron mine back to High Cliff Castle in less than ten or fifteen days.

Yet Biefeng, a High Tier Magical Beast, was panting heavily from exhaustion, which meant they must have braved the snow and rushed back just today.

"The moment Father returned, I sensed his presence," Little Buji explained. She floated in a circle before landing in the Lord’s outstretched palm, giggling as Levi tickled her chin with his finger.

"Alright, you can go play for now," the Lord said, having thoroughly enjoyed his ’doting father’ moment. He let her go. "Your old man needs to eat dinner first."

"Biefeng, let’s go play!" Little Buji beckoned from the air. Biefeng shot a pleading look at the Lord, but a single glare from Levi—one that clearly threatened to break his "dog legs"—made the beast immediately and reluctantly escort the Forest Elf-like Buji out the door.

"So, Levi, how does it feel to suddenly have a daughter?" Tina asked, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. "And Little Buji is so adorable. It really makes me envious."

"Well, why don’t we just get married then? That way, my daughter will be your daughter, and you won’t have to be envious anymore," the Lord said, taking a large bite of a roasted leg of lamb. It sounded like he was joking.

But a blush crept onto Tina’s face, and in a voice as faint as a buzzing mosquito, she said, "Okay."

There was no drama at all, as casual as agreeing to grab a meal together.

It was something the two had already agreed upon. They had planned to marry after he returned from his trip south, but then too many things had come up, and Levi had to leave for Gonda.

Now that he was back, there was more than enough time to make the arrangements.

"I..." At that moment, Ashiru finally worked up the courage to speak.

After all, Levi had brought her to High Cliff Castle as his fiancée. She had never dreamed of becoming the official wife of the Lord of High Cliff Castle; she would be more than content just to be a concubine.

"Ashiru, dear, listen to me," Tina said, taking Ashiru’s small hand in hers and speaking with gentle warmth. "You’re still too young. You should wait until you’ve come of age to marry Levi. Starting married life too early would be harmful for you."

"Okay," the Little Princess nodded meekly.

"Tina, you have more and more the air of the Lady of High Cliff Castle about you," Miriel commented, enjoying the drama from the sidelines. Her face, however, held a hint of envy.

’Wouldn’t it be nice if my other half were a famous hero, too?’

Besides, her own situation was difficult. As a Half-Elf, her lifespan wasn’t as long as that of a Pure-blood Elf, but it was still two or three times longer than a normal human’s.

This meant it was difficult for her to fall in love with short-lived humans; it would only bring pain to them both.

At the same time, Pure-blood Elves tended to look down on Half-Elves like her. As a result, despite her flirtatious appearance, she had never truly fallen in love.

Tina gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

She knew it was impossible for Levi to have only one woman. With his terrifying stamina, she alone could never handle him. In private, Nanny Feder and the others often spoke to her about such matters.

That was why she was actually in favor of Levi having more women—the more the better. As long as Levi treated her well, she would be completely satisfied.

The Zor Elf, Heather, was off to the side cracking seeds, not participating in the conversation. Her eyes, however, darted back and forth as she was lost in some unknown thought.