novelraw Chapter 559: Meeting the Mother-in-Law
Chapter 559: Meeting the Mother-in-Law
Colorful petals bloomed to their heart's content, yet setting them in Fisher's eyes didn't appear chaotic. Somewhere amidst them came the sounds of children playing and causing a ruckus. Surprising that it sounded very far away, but from this not-insignificant volume, one could tell the number of children was very large.
After arriving in this floral paradise, Raphaela and Fisher didn't move around rashly. After Fisher sized things up for quite a while, a white Dragonewt female wearing red attire came forward from among the flowers, appearing to be an attendant within the Myriad Flower Court,
"Lord Raphaela."
"Where is Mother? I want to go see her now."
That attendant imperceptibly cast a glance at Fisher behind Raphaela. Her eyes didn't reveal much surprise, merely replying to Raphaela,
"Lord Yali'er is in the Ancestral Court, she has already waited for Lord Raphaela for a long time."
"..."
Hearing this, Raphaela was slightly stunned. Subsequently, she took a deep breath, and only after pausing for a second did she turn her head and say to Fisher,
"Come with me, Fisher..."
"Alright."That attendant didn't follow them. Instead, after finishing the report of Yali'er's instructions, she turned her head and headed in another direction.
"After my father was killed by humans, my mother became my closest person. She is a very wise and very gentle Dragonewt, having always given me support when I faced difficulties and helplessness. I am the only female among her children, and precisely because of this, I trained and hunted with my older brothers since childhood, it was her who taught me the gentleness and kindness of a female."
Watching the attendant go far away, Raphaela led Fisher into the gaps of the flower bushes in another direction. While walking, she also reminisced looking at the surrounding flowers, involuntarily sharing about her own mother with Fisher.
In reality, humans had deeply pondered more than once what a so-called "partner" truly meant.
In Fisher's eyes, the wondrousness of the union of a pair of lives lay precisely in that it tightly connected two originally separated, distanced trajectories after a certain point of contact. After that point, their life trajectories would gradually converge, they would transform into a single entity, supporting each other, trusting each other, and accompanying each other.
Their originally divided pasts would be re-cognized in a third-party manner. When you heard of her past, that would also transform into your past.
In a traditional country like Cardu, the word for "marriage" was actually polysemous; it also had another meaning: "becoming one".
In Cardu, the partner's parents would become your parents, and her siblings would become your siblings.
Hearing Raphaela recount her own mother at this moment, Fisher had also gained some novel personal experiences.
Although this wasn't his first time marrying, due to Valentiina's family reasons, such normal experiences were somewhat lacking in the Holy Matrimony. He didn't expect it to be made up for in the Dragon Court at this moment...
Why say "normal experiences"?
Because thinking about it carefully, aside from Raphaela, the families of the other ladies who had relationships with Fisher either didn't have relatives, or basically all had passed away (Elizabeth even more so). Then there were those like Jasmine... mm, the kind where Fisher was certain he would inevitably be stabbed upon meeting them.
"What about your brothers then?"
"Two are still alive, all the others died in battle... the ones who died in battle were all on relatively good terms with me. They firmly believed in my ideals and were willing to fight for me, but I failed to protect them well."
Speaking of this, Raphaela's tone also lowered slightly. She continued to say,
"When my father was still alive, my mother had a total of thirteen children; after my father left and I led my tribesmen to migrate to Sunset Valley to establish the Dragon Court, my mother still had eight children; but over these few years, she only has three children left, including me. I am very... guilty regarding this, so I didn't dare come meet my mother for a very long time, I was afraid she would blame me."
"Now she rarely pays attention to Dragon Court affairs anymore, only focusing on nurturing the descendants of the Dragon Court and handling various symbolic ceremonies. She basically has stayed in the Myriad Flower Court without ever leaving. And I also didn't dare tell her the difficulties and dangers the Dragon Court and I faced anymore, lest she worries... Fisher, when we meet Mother later, regarding the impending war, don't tell her and make her worry, just let her rest well here, okay?"
Fisher grasped her hand and apologized to her,
"Okay, sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up."
She shook her head, smiling slightly as she said,
"You didn't know, it's fine... This is war, if we fail I will also die, it's no big deal."
Fisher could keenly sense the unease in Raphaela's words. Clearly, this unease was directed toward Barbatos's impending army. The past of her exchanging blows with Barbatos and being defeated after a few moves was still vivid in her mind. Defeat had turned into terror, inlaid in the shadowy places of her heart that she was unwilling to face.
But she hid such emotions very well, and even if Fisher caught it, it was only for a single second.
"...We have arrived, Fisher."
Very quickly, they crossed that dense sea of flowers and arrived before a spacious white hall.
At the end of that hall was a wall with neat recesses. Within each square recess, a flickering candle was lit. Looking closely, what was burning amidst the candlelight seemed to be pieces of dragon scales of varying colors. It seemed every dragon scale represented a specific Dragonewt, their memories preserved by the candlelight and remaining here for descendants to memorialize.
In front of the wall stood a Dragonewt quietly gazing at the front. She possessed a golden dragon scale, and even though she wore extremely plain white clothing and a white robe, lacking any jewelry to complement her, she still appeared resplendent.
Before her long golden hair, an elegant yet weather-beaten face revealed a touch of sorrow.
"Mother."
"...Raphaela, you're here."
Hearing Raphaela's words behind her, the slightly older Dragonewt also turned her head back to look at her with a smile. The slender golden dragon horn on her head wound about, and upon catching sight of Fisher beside Raphaela from the corner of her eye, a golden ruffle fluctuated.
"Aunt Yali'er, hello, I am Fisher Benavides, nice to meet you for the first time."
"Mother, this is the Tail-Compatible Partner I told you about previously."
The scales on Raphaela's body lay flat one by one, and the tail behind her also swayed slightly. Every single one of these traits demonstrated the truth of her words.
Yali'er was slightly stunned. Subsequently, the smile on her face rippled once again. Sizing up Fisher with a glance, she said gently,
"Hello, Fisher."
She pointed at the table and chairs beside the candelabra, subsequently saying,
"Please take a seat, I have long prepared for this."
Raphaela was slightly stunned, very quickly understanding the bottleneck of Yali'er's advance preparation,
"Long... wait, it was Kexir and Faxir they..."
Yali'er covered her mouth and smiled, saying,
"They were originally sent by me to keep an eye on you. You don't know how naughty you were when you were little. In the past, besides those you couldn't beat, you beat all your other brothers; how could I feel at ease not having them watch you... Although in the end they also got captured together with you. Now, although they are already your subordinates and no longer obey my orders, if I were to ask about matters like this they would willingly tell me."
Raphaela blushed slightly, embarrassedly twitching her own ears and tail. Along the way, she also very lady-like reached out to tuck the red hair by her ear, seemingly wanting to salvage her image from her mother's mouth.
But she didn't expect the Fisher beside her to nod in agreement, saying to Yali'er,
"Indeed it is so, I saw it very early on."
"Ha?"
Raphaela gritted her teeth in anger. Just about to act out tsundere-ly, but considering she was still currently in front of her mother, she only glared indignantly at Fisher. Subsequently, she said to Yali'er,
"Mother, back then when I and Kexir, Lar and the others were captured by humans, it was Fisher who rescued us. The fact that I could finally return to my hometown was also thanks to Fisher. On the way, he taught me a lot and helped me a lot."
"So that's how it is, no wonder..."
Hearing this, Yali'er cast a glance at Fisher. It was only then that she stood up and turned around to fetch drinking water. She didn't continue on this topic, instead asking,
"Have the war affairs in the Dragon Court subsided a bit recently?"
Raphaela was slightly stunned, subsequently opening her mouth to say with a smile,
"...Ah, it's gotten a lot better, but we still can't relax."
"That's good then..."
Yali'er placed two cups filled with water steeped with unknown leaves before Fisher and Raphaela. Raphaela took the cup and drank directly, while Fisher expressed his thanks and took a tentative sip.
Mm, it was sweet.
Looking at the Raphaela drinking water, Yali'er smiled slightly. Subsequently, she looked at the Raphaela and Fisher before her, suddenly having a flash of inspiration. Smiling, she proposed thus,
"Since this is the case, why not take advantage of this time to have a baby first?"
"Pfft!"
Raphaela abruptly coughed, the tea she drank instantly choking in her throat. This caused her to pat her own chest while scorching steam continuously billowed out from entirely over her body,
"Cough cough... cough cough..."
Even Fisher, who held his cup, froze in place, blinking his eyes to look at Yali'er who wore a smile and appeared extremely expectant. Clearly, this sentence had also given him quite an impact.
"Cough cough, M... Mother! What are you saying?! B-Baby... baby?"
"That's right, an adorable mixed-blooded Dragonewt baby. You have also reached the age for childbearing. When your older brother was your age he had already birthed four litters with your sister-in-law, yet you don't even have one, how can this do?"
"Four... I..."
Raphaela's face turned beet red. She extended her own claws and bent her own counting fingers, temporarily at a loss for what to say.
The tail behind her patted Fisher's waist, both shyly and restlessly, seemingly wanting him to think of a solution.
Even Fisher temporarily hadn't accepted such a leap in thought to be clear.
One must know that before entering, all his thoughts and considerations were prepared for this mother-in-law to accept him. Now they hadn't even stepped half a foot into the topic regarding this point, and Fisher hadn't even had time to clearly see the difficulties and challenges he faced, when smack, the words "It is time for you to have a baby" smashed onto Fisher's face.
What does this mean?
Has he already passed? His mother-in-law already accepted him just like this?
For a time, a myriad of thoughts flowed through Fisher's heart, but he truly didn't squeeze out a single fitting sentence.
"Why be so shy? Ah my, haven't you already done it long ago?"
"Done... I... Mother..."
"Then what about the recent period since Fisher returned? Based on our Dragonewt's interest, you definitely stay together every day, right? Could it be you are taking contraceptives?"
"..."
Raphaela was already completely speechless. Although it was previously unmentioned, Raphaela's defense level was much higher than Renee's. But the issue was, what kind of person was Renee? The kind to possess no defense at all, so comparing them like this Raphaela was naturally far stronger.
But she absolutely wasn't an elder who had seen through the vicissitudes of life like her own mother; naturally she also couldn't say these things out loud without a change in expression either.
"So what I'm saying is, giving birth to a baby for us Dragonewts is very quick anyway, it only takes a few months to give birth to the child. This way I can also help you take good care of them... What's more, Fisher is human. I heard in the past that mixed-blooded children are very difficult to surface, let alone being a child between a Dragonewt and a human. Since this is the case, how can it do not trying more? You should only fear wanting them and being unable to..."
Yali'er's worry was naturally unnecessary, because Fisher's Breeding Rank had long reached an unknown immense height.
Really calculating it, if not for the reproductive restriction of Mythical Species, he would have reached the heavens long ago under the "ravaging" of a scourge like the Demi-Human Completion Handbook, merely becoming the type to make someone pregnant with a glare.
Theoretically, the objective conditions completely permitted it, but regarding having a child, Fisher genuinely felt this matter remained open for discussion.
Thinking rationally, if Elizabeth knew he had an heir with someone else, if Renee knew he had an heir with someone else first, if Helaire knew he had an heir...
That image was too beautiful, like a firework about to blast a hole through the sky, Fisher simply dared not imagine.
Therefore, ever since Fisher's Breeding Rank increased to a certain level, he had always paid attention to using contraceptives, unless it was a situation without such necessity.
As for Raphaela herself, she currently also had other matters to be busy with, and hadn't paid too much mind to this matter. Anyway, at that time she and other females were basically unclear of thought (with one person exception); it was all left for Fisher to worry about...
Digressing too far. Fisher cast a glance at the expectant Yali'er before him. Just about to use the current tense situation as an excuse to dodge this subject, he once again thought of Raphaela's injunctions when coming in, thus he once again altered his words in his mouth.
He smiled, nodded, and said,
"Okay, I will exert myself."
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!!"
In a split second, the sound of a boiling kettle sounded beside Fisher's ear. Raphaela was already entirely flushed right now, her entire body wrapped in escaping steam.
Facing Yali'er's expectant gaze, Raphaela lowered her head a bit. Reaching out, she gently hammered Fisher's shoulder, while simultaneously whispering in a small voice,
"I... I will also exert myself..."
In truth, behind Fisher, her tail was already jabbing covertly and frantically toward Fisher's back; she was truly so ashamed and annoyed to an extreme to act this way.
It's just that Fisher's body was already like an iron wall, letting her move up and down freely didn't matter at all.
"Good, this is good. No rush, you guys try first, I also have some secret ancestral medicines here, I'll bring it back for Fisher later..."
Before she finished speaking, Raphaela beside her immediately shook her head and waved her hands repeatedly, saying continuously,
"Ha, for Fisher? Don't, Mother... that... no, it's better not to, really no need! He is already plenty, an-anymore..."
Yali'er was slightly stunned. Subsequently, smiling, she cupped her own chin, nodding and saying,
"Alright then, not wanting them is also fine, as long as you're satisfied."
"V-v-very satisfied! Rather, to say... slightly less like that... also fine..."
The atmosphere here was unexpectedly harmonious, even Fisher didn't expect it would directly enter a chattering-about-family-affairs segment.
Was it that Raphaela's mother was too open-minded or Gou Wen truly too stingy; Fisher couldn't help but doubt this point.
Of course, he felt Gou Wen was right, and wouldn't shamelessly tell Gou Wen to learn from Yali'er, otherwise, once these words were out of his mouth he truly would have to be sliced into a thousand pieces...
But honestly speaking, the current atmosphere was very nice. A kind and gentle Yali'er very quickly made Fisher drop his guard and previous preparations, diving into this rare familial warmth together with Raphaela.
"Thud thud thud!"
"Rustle... rustle..."
Right at this moment, under the illumination of the candlelight on the wall—whose specific purpose Fisher didn't know—urgent footsteps and the rustling sound of branches suddenly transmitted over from the sea of flowers outside the Ancestral Court.
Yali'er stood up to fetch more water for Fisher and Raphaela again. Fisher wanted to act on her behalf but was gently rejected by Yali'er.
Raphaela turned her head to look, only to see Kexir appearing anxiously before the Ancestral Court,
"Lord Raphaela, there's..."
But from the corner of her eye, when Kexir saw Yali'er who was currently pouring water, her originally anxious tone also shifted slightly, becoming a bit calmer,
"Raphaela, there are matters needing your handling within the Prayer and Blessing Tower."
Fisher cast a glance at Kexir, spotting the travel-worn state upon her. If his guess was correct, this urgent dispatch actually came from the military camp outside the Dragon Court, completely not originating from the Prayer and Blessing Tower at all.
But evidently, the order that Raphaela didn't want Yali'er to worry was thoroughly implemented; Kexir kept this firmly in mind.
"I..."
Hearing this, Raphaela was slightly stunned. She looked at Fisher beside her and Yali'er, who returned with water and had a bewildered expression, momentarily appearing somewhat hesitant.
"What's wrong, Raphaela, did another major event happen?"
"Not... really, it's just some matters within the Dragon Court. Although it's not severe, I still need to go. I can't leave everything to Jasmine to handle, right?"
"That's also true, Raphaela, over these years Jasmine has also broken her heart for our Dragon Court. She was originally unrelated to all this, entirely contributing selflessly out of a chest full of goodwill, you must remember this fact..."
"Ah, of course I remember."
Raphaela opened her mouth, the expression on her face appearing slightly awkward. But very quickly she adjusted her own expression, standing up and saying to Yali'er,
"Then Mother, I will take Fisher and leave first, we still have matters to be busy with, we'll come visit you another day."
"You go on ahead, why take Fisher away? Don't tell me he can also help you handle affairs in front of others? What's more, this is my first time meeting my son-in-law, you still haven't told me the story between you guys..."
"This..."
Raphaela glanced at Fisher, seemingly inquiring his opinion.
And Fisher cast a glance at Yali'er before his eyes. Subsequently, he also said with a smile,
"Since this is the case, just let me chat with Aunt Yali'er here, it's fine, Raphaela."
Yali'er looked happily at Fisher, clearly favoring the words he spoke.
And Raphaela looked at Yali'er, then at Fisher. Such a harmonious image made her slowly lay down her worries. Finally, she also nodded, saying to Yali'er,
"Then Mother, I will let Fisher stay here and accompany you. He is very knowledgeable, knowing many things, and absolutely won't disappoint you... I still have some matters to be busy with, I will return once I finish handling them."
"Alright, go ahead, Raphaela."
Yali'er smiled and nodded. Following that, she watched as Raphaela followed Kexir out of the Ancestral Court, slowly leaving the Myriad Flower Court.
Fisher watched Raphaela go far away, rendering the atmosphere in the Myriad Flower Court slightly silent as well, leaving only the floral fragrance for company.
Fortunately, the gentle and understanding mother-in-law Yali'er wasn't the type of elder who was good at killing conversations and full of pressure. Fisher only saw her gaze slowly shift away from her daughter leaving at the end of the sea of flowers in the distance. Subsequently, she smiled, looking at Fisher who remained before her eyes.
She gently pushed the tea cup infused with fragrant leaves in front of Fisher. Afterwards, she gently brought his gaze and attention back,
"Fisher, have some tea."
"Ah, thank you."
Fisher turned back to face Yali'er across the table. Modestly grasping the tea water she handed over in his hand, he extremely gentlemanly enjoyed the courtesy of the other party.
Yali'er also had tea in front of her, but she only took a sip and put it down, placing both her hands above her thighs and quietly watching Fisher enjoy the tea.
Sizing up Fisher before her eyes for quite a while, only when his slow-drunk tea was about to touch the bottom, she then suddenly opened her mouth and spoke a sentence,
"Fisher, I want to ask for your opinion..."
"Please don't be polite, Aunt Yali'er, please speak, what's the question?"
"How do you plan to handle the intimate relationship between you and our Priest Jasmine?"
Behind Yali'er, the candlelight filling the wall all swayed, as if wanting to completely ignite that elegant floral fragrance.
The motion of Fisher putting down the tea cup also stiffened slightly. His expression was bewildered as he looked at the mother-in-law before his eyes, whose smile was gradually fading and was looking directly at him.
At this moment, Fisher's mind only had one thought: if, he means if...
If he now said he wanted to leave with Raphaela, would his mother-in-law agree?