Chapter 667: Surprise!

Chapter 667: Surprise!

“Heh… heh-heh… heh-heh…”

Delon subconsciously reached out and slammed his hand around his wife’s wrist, a heavy, ragged wheezing escaping his throat.

He had words he wanted to say, questions he wanted to ask, but under this violent surge of emotion, he seemed to have temporarily lost the capacity for speech, like a driver who suddenly forgot which pedal beneath his feet was the brake and which was the gas.

Madame Tangli did not grow angry, much less urge him; she simply let her husband grip her wrist, not finding his reaction the least bit strange.

The appearance of Karen was not only hope for the future, but a redemption for the past, especially at an age where counting one's remaining days made more sense than counting from the beginning...

To receive such a surprise, no amount of agitation could ever be considered an overreaction.

Tears began to spill from the corners of Delon’s eyes, and taking a deep breath, he released his wife’s hand to wipe his eyes, though the more he wiped, the more unstoppable they became, and the redder his eyes grew.

Ultimately, he squatted all the way down, burying his face in both hands as his shoulders began to shudder, weeping soundlessly.

Madame Tangli squatted down beside him as well, draping one arm around her husband’s neck while her other hand gently stroked his head.

Though at home, from their courtship to marriage and now through half a lifetime spent hand-in-hand, Delon had never really possessed the status of a traditional, conservative noble patriarch.

Yet he had always fulfilled his duties as a husband and a family head while remaining steadfast in his faith; one could argue he had not done well enough, but one could never say he had not given it his absolute all.

If his wife had not been a woman like Madame Tangli, he would have truly been an exceptionally excellent head of a household.

A man like him rarely ever cried, and so, when the rare moment arrived that he actually needed to, he tended to weep quite clumsily and unseemly due to a utter lack of experience.

Only after a long while did Delon lift his head from his wife’s embrace, wiping his face with his sleeve as he asked with an expression where a burgeoning smile had not yet dispelled the remnants of grief:

“Is it true?”

It was a foolish question, for the very reason he had lost his composure so utterly before was because he knew that if these words came from his wife’s mouth, they had to be true, given his thorough understanding of his wife’s lineage.

The Art family possessed a blessing from the God of Eternity; they were the most sensitive of all to the resonance of blood relations!

Yet he still wanted to ask again, still wanted to hear the affirmative answer from her lips once more, terrified that this was a dream where he had reached out to catch a butterfly, only to wake the next moment to empty hands.

Madame Tangli smiled warmly. “Delon Goumang, I am telling you with the utmost formality: Karen is indeed our daughter’s son, your biological grandson.”

“Heh… heh-heh… Hahaha!”

Delon gently pushed aside his wife’s supporting hands and plopped himself right down onto the floor, letting out an unbridled, unrestrained laugh.

This workshop was sealed by an isolating barrier, so there was no need to fear that any commotion made here would be heard outside.

Once his laughter finally subsided, Delon pointed a forefinger at his wife, but immediately realizing that such a gesture lacked respect, he retracted it and instead shook a fist toward her:

“My dear, you knew all along, didn't you? You knew about Karen's identity very early on, didn't you? From… from…”

Delon began to rapidly sift through his memories, recalling every single encounter between his wife and Karen, and to his astonishment, those subtle details could actually be traced back to their very first meeting!

On that occasion, while sitting at the dining table, his wife had held onto Karen's hand and refused to let go.

At the time, he hadn't even thought it unusual; Karen was handsome, well-mannered, a benefactor to their family, and a good friend to their own grandson, so it seemed entirely natural for his wife to take a liking to such a young junior.

Thinking back on it now, he had been a fool back then, an absolute giant fool!

“You recognized him the very first time Karen came to our house as a guest!”

Delon asked in a booming voice, not in accusation, but out of jealousy—yes, a profound, intense jealousy!

You didn't slowly piece together clues or deduce it through logic; you recognized him the very first moment you laid eyes on him!

Madame Tangli nodded, deliberately averting her gaze from her husband to look at the formation diagrams on the wall, as though this veteran warrior had suddenly developed a profound interest in arrays in her old age.

At the same time, she replied quite nonchalantly:

“That's right.”

“Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you tell me sooner!”

Delon questioned loudly.

By what right did you get to toss and turn in bed at night, giggling to yourself without letting me know? By what right did you get to secretly rejoice all by yourself without sharing it with me!

I have missed out on so much joyful, happy time!

“Karen’s identity is somewhat sensitive, and I was afraid that if I told you, you might go and report your own grandson.”

Hearing this reason, Delon stood up in a fit of rage, glaring at his wife as he shouted:

“Am I an idiot? Why would I go and report my own grandson? He is my own flesh and blood, how could I possibly do such a thing? How could you think of me that way!!”

Faced with such an “overbearing” husband, Madame Tangli was not frightened in the least; she also stood up, extending a index finger to poke and prod against her husband's chest.

She poked until the old man lost his footing, stumbling backward repeatedly.

In other households, “I can crush you with a single finger if you dare act up” was a hyperbolic warning, but in the Goumang household, it was a statement of fact.

At close range, his wife truly could poke him to death with a single finger, and as for why they would be at close range... they were husband and wife, sleeping in the same bed.

“I am saying, shouldn't you first reflect on why you give us that kind of impression?”

“I…”

Delon was momentarily at a loss for words, and having served as a whetstone for most of his life, he automatically accepted a token of introspection under his wife's words and began to reflect.

“Delon, Karen is my grandson. He lost his mother at a young age, came here all on his own to make a living, and has suffered greatly, so I will not allow anyone to dare harm him under my nose, not even you.”

“I won't, I absolutely won't,” Delon bit his lip. “I will protect him, even if it costs me my life!”

Madame Tangli shrugged, offering a disdainful snort. “From the look of things, he doesn't seem to need you to protect him with your life. In fact, I reckon even your current position as Bishop was actively secured for you by him.”

Delon frowned and said, “When you said that before, I didn't quite believe it, but now that you say it, I suddenly find it makes perfect sense. It must be exactly so.”

The bishop originally in charge of the various formation departments in this district had indeed made a mistake, but it wasn't an exceptionally severe one; it just so happened that the leadership at the top of the district was in turmoil at the time, leading to a large batch of bishops being ousted, and he was dragged down along with them.

Thinking about it now, wasn't that his own grandson helping his grandfather secure a promotion!

At this thought, a smile crept onto the corners of Delon’s mouth once more; Karen truly was thoughtful.

Immediately afterward, the smile vanished as he suddenly realized that if even a promotion required his grandson's assistance, then he, as a grandfather, was truly losing face!

“As things stand, what you need to do for him is simply keep this secret well, because haven't you noticed? It has always been Karen helping your Goumang family.

He saved Eisen and Kathy, he treated Eisen's illness, he promoted Richard, and he helped you get promoted—your Goumang family hasn't actually given him anything of substance.

Even last night when I took you along to intervene, the truth is, whether you came or even whether I came wouldn't have made much of a difference. You saw it yourself, Karen resolved the problem effortlessly using his own strength.

Delon, I only hope you can stay clear-headed and remember the words you just spoke, remember them forever.

You are his grandfather first, and only then are you a believer in the God of Order.

I am warning you, if you disappoint me in this matter…”

Madame Tangli’s gaze turned cold:

“I swear, I will personally finish you off with the very kitchen knife I used to cook for you for most of your life.”

“You worry too much, my dear,” Delon did not offer a fierce retort but instead began taking deep breaths. “I believe that my grandson, Delon’s grandson, will never do anything that violates Order.

Even if the Grand Priest himself told me that he did, I would only believe that the Grand Priest was mistaken.”

Madame Tangli looked at her husband with considerable surprise and smiled. “Old man, this is the first time I've discovered you could actually be this clever.”

In one stroke, he had completely resolved the conflict between faith and family, which was to firmly believe that a conflict between them could not possibly exist.

"So our daughter didn't die in that special mission?"

Although he was absolutely certain his daughter hadn't been pregnant when the tragedy occurred—and even if, by some wild stretch of the imagination, she had secretly conceived with her boyfriend, the pregnancy would have been too early to show, making it utterly impossible for her to give birth at the mission site in such a short window—he still couldn't help but harbor a faint, naive hope: since their grandson was alive, could their daughter be alive too?

He knew all too well the reason behind his son's psychological affliction.

Madame Tangli shook her head and replied, "No. The situation back then was dire, a guaranteed death trap. But among her companions, there was someone with an extraordinarily powerful father. He personally entered that place to rescue his own son, and brought our daughter out along with him.

Then, to repay him for saving her life, our daughter married his son and subsequently gave birth to Karen."

Delon: "..."

If the woman standing before him weren't his lifelong wedded wife, the old patriarch would have truly wanted to snap: Are you jesting with me!

Madame Tangli smacked her lips and said, "But if you ask me, I think our daughter must have hooked up with that man before the mission. Based on my observations, her behavior at home during that period was indeed a bit unusual; she even took to daydreaming.

That look on her face was exactly like how I used to sit on the reef by the sea when I was young, thinking about you whenever you weren't home..."

Madame Tangli cut herself off.

"I don't understand. Are you saying our daughter already had a boyfriend back then?"

"Yes, most likely. They had intended to be together all along. She seemed the type who would have chosen to elope even if you, her father, disapproved."

"How could that be!"

"Didn't you intend to abandon everything and run away with me back then? And just look at Richard's obsession with that girl from the Fersher family. Your Goumeng family truly has a tradition of this."

If the person who had handed over his own service saber to that repulsive Fersher family right in front of him weren't his own biological grandson, anyone else would have been ground into mincemeat by now.

"No, no, that's not what I'm asking about. I'm not questioning her affection. I believe Karen was born out of my daughter's own free will, because there is no malice in that child.

What I want to know is that 'along with him' you just mentioned. What kind of place is that, where someone can just walk in at will and rescue people as a side thought?"

Madame Tangli spread her hands. "That's even easier to explain. Just because you, as a father, couldn't do it, doesn't mean another person's father couldn't."

"I..."

"It's just that although they were rescued, both of them were contaminated because of that special mission. That man tried every conceivable method to help his son and our daughter suppress the corruption, but in the end, he still couldn't save them.

However, he granted them a beautiful period of time. We should find solace in the fact that our daughter happily married the man she loved, gave birth to her own son, and lived to see her boy learn to walk.

In the final chapter of her life, our daughter was very happy.

Moreover, at the final moment of her life, her husband ended his journey right alongside her. They wouldn't be lonely, not ever."

"But why... why didn't she send word to the family?"

"You investigated that special mission yourself. You should know exactly what classification it was and what secrets were hidden within. That secret is something only the very highest echelon within the Holy Temple has the right to know, isn't it?

Have you forgotten what kind of resistance, and even warnings, you encountered when you looked into it?

She kept quiet out of fear of bringing calamity upon the family. She missed home, but her yearning transformed into a shield for us.

Furthermore, I can tell you with full certainty that a corruption even that man couldn't resolve... must involve the ultimate mystery. It is highly likely connected to the gods."

Delon pursed his lips and swallowed hard.

Then, he finally voiced the most crucial question of all:

"Who was the man who rescued our daughter?"

Who on earth could pull people out of that place, and save two at once?

Who on earth could prolong the lives of the infected under a corruption of that magnitude?

And who on earth... dared to conceal such a massive secret without fearing discovery?

Madame Tangli clapped her hands gently and replied quite casually, "You know him too. It was Dis."

Delon's entire face froze once again. This time, he finally gathered the courage to point a trembling finger at his wife's... shoe upper:

"So, Karen's surname is..."

"Inmeles."

...

In the living room, Inquisitor Dark was in high spirits after resolving the dilemma before him.

Some people racked their brains trying to exploit nepotism, but for Inquisitor Dark, unless it was absolutely necessary, he truly loathed begging the Goumeng family for anything.

Many of his colleagues envied him for having a Spell-Adjudicator for a wife and a powerhouse like the Goumeng family as his backing, but only he knew the bitterness and pressure entailed.

How he wished his wife could remain exactly the same in every other way, yet be nothing more than a minor divine servant, or even just an ordinary person.

He felt quite happy and content working and chatting every day with his subordinate servants at the Inquisition, whereas every visit to the Goumeng manor felt like stepping onto an execution ground.

However, he could only bury these thoughts deep in his heart, unable to voice them to anyone, not even his wife.

In fact, every time such a thought crossed his mind, a deep sense of moral guilt would wash over him. His excellent wife, with her stellar family background, had already sacrificed so much to preserve the self-esteem of a worthless husband like him!

As a wife, she had never looked down on him, so what right did he have to be so sensitive?

Consequently, as a token of appreciation, he never made excuses to avoid visiting the Goumeng manor. He always showed up on holidays when he was supposed to, even though he knew he possessed the least presence at the dinner table.

Yet he would still repeatedly initiate conversations, trying his best to liven up the family atmosphere for his wife's sake, even if it made him look foolish, like a total joke.

Richard took the initiative to chat with his uncle-in-law. The two conversed about work and complained about professional hassles, which made Inquisitor Dark feel quite gratified. According to the current hierarchy, his nephew, who had now become the director of the Whip of Order office, actually held a higher status than he did.

But this kind of chat gave him a deep sense of inclusion, knowing his nephew was actually willing to listen to his shared professional experience.

Karen sat on the other side of the sofa, picking up a newspaper to skim through. He didn't join the conversation, as his participation would only disrupt the harmony.

Mr. Eisen walked out of the kitchen, carrying a glass of water in his hand.

Richard instinctively stood up to receive it; he happened to be thirsty, and this sudden display of paternal care touched his heart.

But Mr. Eisen walked right past him.

Seeing this, Inquisitor Dark stood up. Being of the same generation as Eisen, he said, "You really are too kind..."

But the glass of water didn't land in Dark's hands either. Instead, Eisen placed it directly in front of Karen.

Seeing this play out, Dark found it entirely normal.

It appeared that his brother-in-law's condition had truly improved, and remarkably well at that.

"Thank you." Karen reached out for the glass, only to see Mr. Eisen produce another small cup and dump the ice cubes from it into his water.

"You prefer ice water."

"Yes, thank you."

Karen took a sip from the glass. To get Mr. Eisen, who suffered from severe social anxiety, to go to such lengths, it could only be driven by the profound affection an uncle held for his nephew.

Just then, Madame Tangli emerged from the basement and called out to Karen, "Karen, the old fossil is calling for you to go down. He has something to tell you."

"All right, Grandmother."

Karen set down his water glass, stood up, and began straightening his divine robes.

Once finished, Karen walked toward the basement stairs. Along the way, Madame Tangli stood waiting, whispering, "The old fossil is currently busy washing his face."

"Heh." Karen let out a soft chuckle.

Madame Tangli offered a warm, grandmotherly smile and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

She knew that he was reluctant to take on such trouble, and a large part of it was out of respect for her.

After all, who would willingly acknowledge a grandfather for no reason, especially one who had not only failed to help him but instead required his assistance, and had not provided a single day of upbringing?

Therefore, she was deeply moved that Karen was willing to "play the part."

Karen walked down the stairs and entered the workshop.

Behind the workshop desk, Delon sat behind the desk with an air of solemnity, his hair dripping wet.

Delon stood up, but lost his balance, his body lunging forward, forcing him to prop both hands on the desk just to keep himself from collapsing completely onto it.

He immediately stood back up, one hand supporting himself on the table, the other pointing at Karen before drawing it back, then attempting to wave before drawing it back again:

"You..."

"I..."

"That..."

The meticulous array master, at this moment, resembled a defective puppet crafted in the Lemar Pottery Gallery, his physical gestures and linguistic thoughts appearing so entirely uncoordinated.

Karen, however, could understand Delon's emotions; at a time like this, no amount of words could match a simple, practical action, so he opened his palm, within which an exquisite Rubik's cube emerged, beginning to rotate with an elegant, rhythmic beauty.

An excited glow flashed in Delon's eyes, and a smile of pleasant surprise surfaced on his face.

Finally, he was no longer stuck, opening his arms wide and shouting loudly at Karen:

"Karen, you are my grandfather!"