Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 448 - 387: Don’t Want a New Mom

"My sweet boy, it’s been so long. You’re getting more and more handsome!" Sang Luo’s heart swelled with joy as she kissed the top of his head.

Hephis blushed slightly. "I heard from Uncle Holy Monarch that you were asleep for a long time, Mother. How are you feeling now? I’m a bad son for not being able to stay by your side."

"Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine. With all your uncles around, what could possibly happen to me?"

Minos smiled at Hephis. "Perfect timing. Your mother was just talking to me about inviting you to stay at the Holy Palace for a few days. Vilina and Ares are always talking about their big brother and wanting to go play with you."

"Yes! Stay and play with us, Brother Hephis! The arithmetic and ancient poems Mother is teaching us are so hard. Could you teach us, please?" Little Rose’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Hephis, pouting and tugging his arm back and forth.

Having grown up mostly by himself, Hephis was very fond of the two Little Angels and couldn’t possibly refuse. "Okay! I’ll do my best to teach my little brother and sister!"

Sang Luo suddenly felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It was a good thing her little lion had come. He always got top marks in his schoolwork, making him the perfect tutor for the two Little Angels.

"Mother, Uncle Minos... I... I’d like to stay at the Holy Palace for a few months. Would I be disturbing you?" Hephis asked timidly.

Sang Luo’s heart ached for him. "My precious son, you can stay at the Holy Palace for as long as you want. The Holy Palace is your home, too. No matter what your father has done, you will always be my beloved child. And Ice-breaking City, Phoenix Palace, and the Sea Palace—they’re all your homes, too. Your uncles and your little brother and sister will always welcome you. We will always be the closest of family."

Hephis nodded firmly and buried his face in her embrace, his voice thick with emotion. "...I know, Mother."

Minos, ever perceptive, spoke in a gentle but slightly solemn tone. "Did you have a hard time in the Yalan Kingdom?"

Hephis tensed for a moment before quickly shaking his head. "No, Father is very good to me. He’s preparing to marry the Princess of Aus Country next month and has been very busy. I didn’t want to disturb him, so I thought I’d come stay with Uncle Minos for a bit."

Minos ruffled his short, golden-brown hair and smiled gently. "Your mother is right. The Holy Palace is your home, too. Stay as long as you like. Your little brother, your little sister, and I would be thrilled if you came over every day."

"Okay!" Hephis nodded firmly, his face breaking into a wide smile.

"You three go play for now. I’ll call you when dinner is ready."

Little Apple took Hephis’s hand and said sweetly, "Let’s go to the game room, Brother. I want to play Ludo!"

"Okay!"

After the children left, Sang Luo and Minos exchanged a look, and both sighed softly.

It’s impossible for a child to hide his feelings. How could she not see Hephis’s sorrow? The boy was so sensible, wanting to cause trouble for neither her nor Duotu. He just swallowed all his sadness and bore it in silence.

’Hephis knew very well that his mother had so many other talented children. He wasn’t special, and without the support of a doting father, he’d be the easiest one to overlook.’

’And now his father had a new love, and they might have new children in the future...’

’He was afraid of being abandoned by both his parents, of having no home of his own anymore.’ 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I’ll keep a closer eye on him from now on," Minos said.

Sang Luo was filled with guilt. "I’m to blame, too. I didn’t pay enough attention to him. I just assumed Duotu would take good care of his only heir, so I left our son with him without a second thought. I forgot that one day he’d remarry and have new children, leaving our little lion caught in the middle..."

Minos produced a white, gold-embossed invitation. "The Yalan Beast King’s engagement banquet is next month. Are you going, Luoluo?"

Sang Luo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You want me to go?"

Minos chuckled. "It seems you really don’t care about him anymore, Luoluo. I thought you might be at least a little... angry when you heard the news."

Sang Luo shook her head. "I may have a wandering heart, but when I break things off, I make a clean cut. I can’t stand lingering attachments. When I decide I’m done with someone, I’m truly done. What does his future marriage have to do with me?"

Minos nodded. "You have a healthy perspective on it, Luoluo. So, do you want to go?"

"...I was the former Queen of the Yalan Empire, after all. Showing up with an invitation to meet the future Queen would be like crashing the party, don’t you think? It’s better if you just have one of your Holy Envoys deliver a gift on my behalf."

"You’re mistaken on that point, Luoluo. The former Queen of the Yalan Empire was transformed long ago. You are my Holy Queen."

It was like a lightbulb went on for Sang Luo. "Oh, that’s right."

After dinner, Minos carried their two Little Angel children back to Chujun Hall to sleep. Sang Luo had specifically told him not to come over tonight, so he had obediently gone to stay with the children. She wanted to spend more time with her little lion, and there were also a few things she wanted to ask him.

"Son, do you want your father to get married?"

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden, Mother?"

"If your father didn’t have any children, who he married would be his business alone, and no one else could interfere. But he has a precious son—you. He’s getting you a stepmother, and that’s going to have a huge impact on your life. Your opinion is the one that matters most here, and I want to hear what you truly think."

’Duotu must have asked him what he thought beforehand, but Hephis would never show any resistance in front of his father.’

"I..." Hephis looked at his mother’s gentle face as tears streamed down his own. "I don’t want Father to marry a new mom."

Sang Luo reached out to wipe his tears. "Why? Is she not nice to you?"

Hephis shook his head, his voice choked with sobs. "She hasn’t been mean to me. She even gave me lots of gifts. But I can tell... she doesn’t really like me. I... I want you, Mother. I don’t want a new mom..."

"Okay, I understand now." Sang Luo stroked his head, her voice gentle. "My sweet boy, don’t think about anything else. Just go to sleep for now."

"Okay."

Hephis wiped his eyes and climbed into bed.

Sang Luo tucked him in and sat by the bed for a long while before quietly slipping out of the room, where she met Minos walking toward her.

"I’m going with you to the engagement banquet in the Yalan Empire next month."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. There are some things I need to discuss with Duotu face-to-face."

Minos watched her quietly for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright."

...

「Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye.」

The engagement banquet for the Yalan Empire’s Beast King and the Princess of Aus Country arrived as planned.

The Imperial City was bustling with excitement, adorned with festive lanterns and streamers. The screens on malls and skyscrapers flashed posters and videos celebrating the political union. Pedestrians stopped in their tracks to watch, a ceaseless stream of people whispering amongst themselves.

The Royal Palace welcomed the foreign envoys with the grandest of ceremonies.

Minos and Sang Luo arrived with envoys from the Holy Hall to offer their blessings.

It was the first time in centuries that envoys from the Holy Hall had come to bestow blessings upon a Beast King’s wedding celebration—and they were led by the legendary Holy Monarch himself! This sent the people of the Yalan Empire into a frenzy of excitement, and anticipation for the engagement banquet reached an all-time high.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Monarch, and Your Highness, the Holy Empress, the King requests your presence. This humble servant will lead the way for you both!"