Of the four countries occupying territory within the Azure Continent, the Sirc Kingdom was the only one predominated by human cultivators. Although other races like elves, dwarves, and beastmen could also be found in the bordering towns and cities of the Sirc Kingdom, their numbers were low, and they rarely, if ever, held any power in the areas where they resided.
At the northernmost part of the Sirc Kingdom was a small town named Lakar. It was a famous town situated between Everium Forest and Sol City. Although its territory was significantly smaller than other cities, Lakar still boasted a variety of guilds and prefectures for merchants and cultivators. The fact that its location was near a forest where monstrous beasts could be freely hunted was one of the best attractions for cultivators looking to earn a fortune.
Within the Luo Family Manor, a brown-haired man in his thirties was pacing back and forth outside a room. This man was the current head of the Luo Clan and the governor of Lakar, Rein Luo.
At the moment, Rein's wife, Amaria, was giving birth to their second child. Technically speaking, it should be their first child, but given the circumstances a few years ago, they had no choice but to adopt a child since the Luo Clan believed that Amaria was unable to conceive.
Now, five years after they had adopted their first child, Amaria, who was thought to be infertile, had suddenly become pregnant, leading to constant celebrations throughout the entire town of Lakar.
A slow creaking sound almost stopped Rein's heartbeat. As a cultivator, he was a man who could stand up to the most powerful officials of the Sirc Kingdom, but as a husband, he was just a man who cherished his wife more than anything in the world.
An old woman with a head full of white hair and a face covered in wrinkles walked out of the room. As soon as she did, Rein couldn't help but let out a flurry of questions, "Maester Mai, how's my wife? What about my child? Are they safe? Did anything happen? Is everything okay?"
The moment his wife told him she was about to give birth, Rein was instantly overwhelmed by anxiety. Three hours had passed, and since then, the only thing Rein did was pace back and forth outside the room, mumbling incoherent words as clumps of sweat poured from his body.
Maester Mai gave him a wide smile before speaking, "Rein, you should calm down. Both the mistress and your child are safe and sound. Your newborn child is a boy. Mistress Amaria is currently resting with your child inside the room. It's okay to enter now, but before that..."
Maester Mai took a handkerchief from the pocket of her dress and wiped the sweat off Rein's forehead. With a smile on her face, she fixed Rein Luo's appearance as she spoke, "You have become the governor of Lakar, yet you're still the same as when you were a child. You really must fix that anxious face of yours. Go greet Amaria and your newborn child with a smile on your face."
Maester Mai patted Rein on the shoulder before clearing the way. Taking a deep breath, Rein excitedly went inside the room, walking as gently as possible.
Unknowingly, a bright smile soon bloomed on Rein's face. All the anxiety and fear he felt suddenly vanished into thin air as his eyes fell on his newborn child. His wife, as radiant as the sun, greeted him with a smile as she cradled the delicate child in her arms.
"Rein… it's our child." Tears streamed down Amaria's face as she called out to her husband. It had almost been a decade since they married, yet they had never been blessed with a child, leading them to adopt a suitable heir for the Luo Clan.
Rein treaded his way toward the bed as tears welled up in his eyes. He took a seat beside Amaria and gently caressed his wife's beautiful silver hair while looking at their newborn child.
"Finally, Amaria… the gods have blessed us. We shall call our child Raizel… a rose that bloomed amidst hopelessness," Rein spoke as he used his free hand to touch the cheek of the newborn child.
"Raizel…" Amaria muttered as she gazed at the sleeping child in her arms. At that moment, all she had in her mind was that she was truly blessed by the heavens. The pressure of being unable to conceive had vanished, unlocking one of the knots in her heart.
Five years after their marriage, the Luo Clan thought Amaria was infertile, and they gave Rein Luo a choice: get a concubine or adopt a suitable child.
Since Rein wholeheartedly loved Amaria, he never considered the first choice for even a second, leading them to adopt a child. Now, five years after adopting a child, Amaria had suddenly become pregnant, truly a miracle.
While both Rein and Amaria were cherishing their newborn child, a small girl hurriedly entered the room, clumsily running toward the bed—it was the child they had adopted five years ago, Rhea Luo.
"Father, Mother, is that my brother?" The little girl, Rhea, looked intently at the baby in her mother's arms. Curiosity and excitement were written all over her cute little face.
Rein shifted his gaze toward the little girl. A gentle expression appeared on his face as he carefully lifted the delicate baby into his lap, giving the little girl the opportunity to take a closer look at her brother.
He then patted Rhea's head as he said, "Rhea, this is your brother, Raizel. As his older sister, you need to take care of him, okay?"
"Yes, father." Rhea's eyes were glued to the baby even as she spoke. A bright smile was plastered on her face as she excitedly muttered, "I have a little brother, I have a little brother!"
She was just a six-year-old girl, and living in a place without anyone her age made her feel lonely. The arrival of her brother meant she would finally have company other than the old and middle-aged folks running errands in the Luo Family Manor. This, of course, made her feel really happy.
After a while, Rein, realizing that it was already getting late, stood up and spoke, "Amaria, we should rest. Rhea, go back to your room and sleep. You can see your brother again tomorrow, alright?"
Amaria, upon hearing Rein, suddenly felt exhaustion all over her body. Although she was a talented and powerful cultivator, it didn't mean she had unlimited stamina. The excitement and relief after giving birth had pushed all her tiredness away, but now the exhaustion overwhelmed her as she soon fell asleep.
Rein kissed both his wife and newborn child on the forehead before carrying Rhea back to her room. After such a tiring day, all of them deserved a long rest.