After frowning in thought for a while, Eirik swiftly dismissed the first option.
*Lay low and wait for the emperor's envoy?*
Wasn’t that essentially handing over his fate to someone else? This envoy of the emperor was rumored to be a master of the Savant rank., with considerable power. More importantly, he represented the will of the emperor. How could one feel at ease placing their life in the hands of such a person?
Furthermore, according to their intel, the vile emperor, having lost his beloved son, might very well direct his rage towards them. This option was definitely out of the question!
As for the third option—outright rebellion against the empire and joining the so-called Crimson Cloak Army—was hardly a wise choice either. Declaring war against the emperor didn’t bother him much. As a reincarnated soul from another world, he didn’t hold a strong sense of reverence for the emperor or the nobility of this realm.
*Nobility?*
What was so impressive about that? He was a reincarnator!
The foul emperor didn’t play by the rules; so what if he rebelled against him?
However, Eirik realized that, over the years he had spent developing his family, he hadn’t invested in any skills related to “warfare.”
Suddenly revolting against the empire, and he would still be lacking in strength. If he charged in unprepared, that path would be fraught with danger.
After much deliberation, he concluded that the second option was the most reliable: to lie low and become a hidden family. He would spend some time utilizing his extraordinary support talents to bring Pixie and their son up to speed. Once their son’s all-element affinity matured, that pathetic emperor of the Dawnstar Dynasty wouldn’t be worth a second thought!
“Hide away? Sounds good, sounds good! I’ll listen to my husband!”
Upon hearing Eirik's suggestion, Pixie nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at grains.
Watching this scene unfold, Elvynna clenched her teeth and let out a cold laugh, mocking, “Oh, so you’re just going to follow your husband’s lead? Can’t you have a mind of your own? Pathetic!”
As soon as Elvynna's comment was posted, it quickly garnered approval from several lurking onlookers, accumulating seven or eight likes in no time. Some even sent anonymous messages.
“Ha! This must be what they call love-struck, huh? Pixie, you’ve really embarrassed the Ravenshadow family!”
“He was originally dependent on your family, but now he’s become the head of the family. How about you just take his last name, Becker?”
A group of people joined in the ridicule. But Pixie merely chuckled, “Jealousy, that’s what this is—pure jealousy!”
“So what if I listen to my husband? He’s right, and I should listen to him! This is called being wise and open-minded!”
“Let’s be real, even if I am love-struck, so what? I have a golden-card husband and a son with all-element affinity! Do you have that?”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Pixie was brimming with pride now. She even boldly shouted at Elvynna, “Elvynnasenpai, you may have your opinions, but you had someone help you learn magic for over a decade. Yet, here you are, causing him harm in no time!”
“You…”
Elvynna wanted to argue that it was the Crimson Frost Duke who had killed Eirik, not her. How could she be to blame? But as she opened her mouth, she fell silent.
Though it was true that Eirik had fallen to the Crimson Frost Duke, the fact that she hadn’t been able to save him weighed heavily on her conscience. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have remained haunted by it all this time in the simulation, vowing to wait for his return in the cycle. Unfortunately, her lifespan was finite, and she couldn’t wait for that day to come.
“Humph! Just wait and see! Our family’s current predicament is only temporary. In a few decades or a century, the Dawnstar Dynasty will belong to the Becker family!”
【Before the emperor's envoy arrives, your family flees en masse, hiding deep in the mountains.】
【To escape quickly, you have no choice but to sell off your assets at a loss, suffering greatly.】
【Family assets -35%】
The system’s notifications flooded in one after another. Eirik winced at the sight.
This was a hefty loss!
Originally, after splitting from the original family, their assets had dwindled to only one-tenth of the former Ravenshadow family's wealth.
After years of hard work, they had finally managed to grow their industry a bit. Now, having retreated into the mountains, they were right back to square one; all the efforts of the past few years had gone down the drain.
“That damn emperor is no good! The Crimson Frost Duke was possessed by a demon soul, and I killed him. By all rights, I should be honored for avenging the original Crimson Frost Duke. That foul emperor should be grateful!” Eirik muttered to himself.
He mentally noted, This grudge? I’ll remember it!
The Dawnstar Dynasty had been established for thousands of years, far too long. Sooner or later, I’ll ensure that throne changes hands.
【You lead a large group of people, trudging through the nearby mountain forests, searching for a suitable place to settle.】
This journey was anything but peaceful.
They faced assaults from magical beasts, encountered traps, ruins, magical creatures, and countless unexpected events. To cope with these incidents, the family suffered significant losses—over half their original manpower was gone, and the consumption of Elemental Stones and magical items was beyond count.
Watching these scenes unfold made Pixie’s heart race; she felt like bursting into tears.
This pioneering venture was far too difficult!
She even began to doubt if listening to Eirik and leaving Aelsryel City to hide in the mountains was truly the right choice. They hadn’t even found a settlement yet, and the family was already suffering grievously. Even if they found a place to settle later, they would have to remain vigilant against the beast attacks, which would undoubtedly be a tough challenge.
Being a hidden family was no easy task!
However, when Pixie opened her adventure rewards, she suddenly fell silent.
【Congratulations! Eirik’s talent has activated 'Fortune Favor,' increasing this settlement reward with a purple item…】
【Congratulations! Eirik’s talent has activated 'Fortune Favor,' increasing this settlement reward by thirty percent…】
【Congratulations! Your personal guard has experienced numerous battles, with average strength now breaking through to Practitioner Lv5…】
Looking at the pile of newly added items in the warehouse and the breakthroughs among her subordinates, Pixie’s previously stiff face broke into a radiant smile.
These rewards were beyond abundant!
How could it feel like they had lost less than what they had gained?
The key was Eirik's "Fortune Favor" talent—how incredibly useful! In every unexpected situation, he always managed to find treasures!
This guy was just like those protagonists in novels, stumbling upon good fortune wherever he went.
How delightful!
Ahaha, is this the benefit of the gold card?
The child of fortune is incredibly strong!
As she thought back to her past life, she remembered how she had once fled alone into the vast forest outside the city, ultimately cornered by magical beasts and forced to drown herself in the river, dying in despair.
But this time, with Eirik by her side, the situation was entirely different.
Pixie joyfully jumped out of bed, dancing around the room with excitement.
“What’s gotten into our young lady? It’s almost dawn, and you’re still wide awake and so energetic…”
Her big movements startled the little maid waiting outside the screen, waking her up once more.
The little girl looked out at the sky, now turning a pale white, filled with confusion.
It seemed the young lady hadn’t slept a wink all night.
As her personal maid, she hadn’t rested well either and had dark circles under her eyes.
“Miss, it’s dawn; perhaps you should rest a bit?”
The little maid rubbed her eyes and mustered the courage to say,
“Dawn already?”
Pixie looked up in astonishment, realizing that she had unknowingly played all night long.
“Ugh… Sleep? What’s that? I’m still full of energy! I’m not sleeping today!”
*I haven’t even taken my husband and son to find the family’s new home yet! How can I sleep?!*
At that moment, Pixie was fully immersed in the simulation, completely lost in the experience.