NOVEL WEB Chapter 141
Chapter 141: Fabre in the Four Heavenly Houses
“Ugh, it’s more chaotic than I expected.”
I thought being a governor came with some respect and a nice stash of loot, but boy was I wrong!
“I don’t wanna eat this!”
“Aida, think about the folks outside who’d kill for a crumb! Stop whining!”
Aida, my little sister, hurled her bread aside and burst into tears, while our father, Count Bradley Somerset, put on his serious face and scolded her.
Glancing at our sad excuse for dinner—a suspicious soup and hard-as-rock bread—I realized the dining hall of a noble house wasn’t as fancy as I’d imagined.
I tried to dip the bread into the soup, but the moment I tore it apart—
Crack!
Was that wood breaking?
—
“Ah, yes—let’s talk about the problem. So, the ‘Black Worms’ are overrunning the city, creating big trouble for Princess Guando’s new husband, the governor.”
A tale he spun about how ancient disasters tend to be blamed on spiritual problems or some random scapegoat. I imagine the new governor is dealing with a witch hunt because of it.
“So, what I need from you is to head to Akyang and either find the cause of these Black Worms or help with the extermination,” the Beggar Emperor continued.
Oh, so the Martial Forest Alliance is counting on me to lend a hand while Guando is tied up by royal affairs, and they’re sending the emperor’s favorite? Yikes!
“Basically, you want me to be the pest control for the Princess’s little worm problem?”
“Precisely!”
It felt like someone was inviting me to be a consulting expert on insect handling.
‘Consulting? Seriously? I barely showed my skills, and now I’m getting hailed as a genius! What’s up with that?’
But it was a delicate situation, and I was not in any condition for a lengthy trip. Especially since the Princess came directly to beg for help from the Martial Forest Alliance.
And what about Mo-ji and So-ji? If they left alone, they’d be a whole different problem—those two turn into a mess when I’m gone.
It was tricky to travel with them since Seol-i was about to pop any minute now, making things even messier.
After a month and a half of errand running and helping Shin Tu, I was starting to run out of options.
I felt stuck without a solid plan.
“Sigh… so what do we do about it?”
“What’s bothering you?” the Beggar Emperor raised an eyebrow, concerned.
I sighed again. “I want to help, but with the baby on the way and Mo-ji and So-ji being clingy, it complicates things. Plus, I can’t just wander into a crowd with these little ball of chaos hanging around.”
He smiled, “Don’t sweat it! Word came from the governor that bringing some toxic critters might win us some brownie points with Princess Guando.”
“Wait, a ship?”
“No, a boat! The best one from the Zhuge Clan, swift and spacious enough for a sweet ride. Trust me; it’ll be just for you and your critters!”
A personal cattle—err, I mean, poison transport? SOLD!
With seven remaining great venoms to catch, this opportunity couldn’t be passed. Even if I knew it’d be tricky to manage all my little friends.
‘The only thing standing between me and those elusive critters is a boat. Getting to Hainan Island? Count me in!’
“What do you think, Master Artisan?”
“Son-in-law, if it’s doable, I suggest you take it. This might not seem useful right away, but favor doesn’t run dry.”
And there it was—considering royal ties meant this was no longer just about me.
Hearing the suggestion made my thoughts tumble.
“Pest control trip? Well, I might as well get into the groove,” I decided, mentally preparing for the adventure.
—
Moments later, I was interrupted by the flustered voice of Hua Eun outside.
“Dad, can I steal you for a sec?!”
“What’s the hurry?”
“It’s kinda important! Can I take Wei So-ryong for a bit?!”
I had a good feeling she was in a pinch over something vital.
So I excused myself and opened the door. To find Hua Eun, looking pale and pale as a ghost.
Seemed she was trembling with urgency.
“Whoa! What’s going on?”
“Seol-i… she’s about to give birth!”
“WHAT?!”
It was like a jump scare out of nowhere!
“Earlier, she snuggled up with Bin, and now… now she’s trying to drop eggs!”
“Let’s go!”
We dashed to her place, and right there was Seol-i, frozen and clutching onto her Ice Orb.
“Long! Come here, something definitely feels off!”
Hua Eun and I stormed in, and Seol-i jolted up from the table, while Bin frantically circled her like an overprotective dog!
“Okay, stay back! I’ve got this!” I shouted as I approached.
– Squish!
I had more experience taking care of critters than people, but things were about to get wild.
“Please don’t be stuck!”
My heart raced, knowing a first-time mama could go through anything.
‘No egg binding, please!’
“Don’t worry, Seol-i. Daddy’s here!”
Just then, a steady stream of… liquid.
“Water?!”
That was not a good sign.
—
“Here comes trouble!”
But then… instead of a clutch of eggs, something wiggly slipped out.
“WAIT! Is that a baby?!”
“I know, I wasn’t expecting this either! Seol-i just gave birth to a tiny little lizard!”
“Adorable!”
Seol-i didn’t lay eggs; she gave birth like some lizards do!
“Quick! A cloth!”
“Right here!”
Using the cloth from Hua Eun, I whisked away the slimy stuff covering the newborn, and it emitted a shrill, adorable wail.
– Squeak!
It was cuter than all my wildest dreams—making everyone in the room squeal with delight!