Chapter 253 Broken Wings
Inside the magnificent palace, all the beasts knelt on the ground, not daring to look directly at the distinguished guests.

Supreme devotion and fear.

Duotu stepped through the gate and saw several holy messengers in the temple. They were wearing sacred white robes and cloaks that covered most of their faces, with golden wings embroidered on their chests.

He was the king of a country, but he was not allowed to perform etiquette.

"I wonder what the Holy Temple has sent an envoy to do for you?"

"When I heard that the empire had given birth to a descendant of my angel clan, I naturally brought the child back to my clan to raise him. I hope Your Majesty will bear the pain and give him up." The leading archbishop stepped forward. He was wearing a noble dark red robe and holding a golden gemstone scepter in his hand.

A condescending look and a tone that brooks no argument.

Duotu stared at them without saying a word, holding his son in his arms who still didn't understand the situation, and his face became increasingly uglier.

Another Holy Envoy spoke up arrogantly, "I hope Your Majesty will not waste our good intentions."

"The Holy Temple sent us here to 'negotiate' this time. If Your Majesty is unwilling, don't blame us for 'inviting' Your Majesty to return to the clan land."

"Your Majesty, please hand over the child."

This tone is not for discussion, but just a routine announcement.

A holy messenger stepped forward and stretched out his hand to... grab the child.

"This is my son! I raised him little by little, what qualifications do you have to take him away!" Duotu took two steps back holding the child. He was like an annoyed beast, and a low growl came out of his chest and between his teeth.

The Holy Envoy was about to speak, but a young man to the right of the Archbishop raised his hand to stop him, "Your Majesty also loves his son dearly, we understand."

"Can……"

The Holy Envoy moved his lips, said nothing more, and quietly retreated.

The others seemed very respectful to the young man.

Duotu also set his eyes on him. The young man was wearing a white holy robe that was no different from the other holy envoys. He had a tall and elegant figure, and a very gentle and holy temperament. The only difference was that he had a white silk covering his eyes, but it seemed that people could feel his gaze, silently searching through all things.

The young man "looked" at the cub in Duotu's arms, a smile on his lips, "What a cute offspring, can I hold it?"

The sound is elegant, mellow and extremely pleasant to the ear.

Duotu looked alert and refused to hand over the child. "You want to take Hephes away? Is there no turning back?"

The archbishop still insisted, "Not long ago, it awakened the blood of my angel race, and it should return to the temple to receive inheritance."

"What if I say no?"

Another divine messenger stood up and said, "The Alans Empire is under the jurisdiction of the Holy Church. Your Majesty should also know that you are just a puppet of the Holy Church. If Your Majesty does not agree, we can replace him with a more obedient monarch."

"Noah, don't be unreasonable."

The young man spoke in a gentle voice, but did not stop him from continuing. After he finished speaking, he looked at Duotu, who had an unpleasant expression, and changed his words to a more gentle one, "...Your Majesty should know very well what the consequences are for an angel who does not receive the inheritance."

Duotu's attitude seemed to relax, and a trace of pain appeared on his face, "I..."

Hephis in his arms felt his father's body trembling. He worriedly touched his father's face with his claws and said softly, "Don't be afraid, father. Hephis will not leave. Hephis will always stay with you."

The young man smiled more deeply, "What a well-behaved and lovely child. Your Majesty probably doesn't want its talent to be buried in this small place."

Duotu suddenly hugged the child tightly, burying his face in the little lion's fur. After a moment, he looked up at the Holy Envoy, his eyes were bloodshot, and his tone became calm, "Please give me a few days to think about it."

The young man said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I hope you will consider it carefully."

The archbishop knocked the scepter on the ground three times and said, "We will come to take the child back to the temple in three days. I hope Your Majesty will give us a satisfactory answer."

The holy messengers left.

The orcs in the temple do not have to suffer from that terrifying oppressive force.

Heru, the confidant, came over and looked at Duotu and Hefeth in his arms worriedly, "Your Majesty, are you really going to send the little prince away?"

As soon as the Holy Envoys left, Duotu suddenly became haggard, his shoulders and back could no longer stand straight, and he muttered to himself, "What they want... is just the blood of the angels..."

"His Majesty?"

Seeing him like this, Heru became even more worried.

Duotu figured something out and quickly regained his composure, saying calmly, "It's okay, I'll think about it carefully."

Without saying anything else, he left.

His Majesty has not attended court these past two days. He has only been absent twice in the seven years since he ascended the throne.

One was the seven days of the queen's funeral.

Next time, it’s this time.

He locked himself and his children in Taoyuanwu and never came out again.

There is only one night left before the deadline mentioned by the Holy Messenger.

That night, it was stormy and dark.

Hephes fell asleep early.

Duotu walked to the window and closed it.

Perhaps the wind outside was too loud, or the rain was too sudden, hitting the window hard and waking the child.

Hephis rubbed his eyes, trying to identify the direction of his father in the dark night, and said in a low voice, "Father, it's so late, why don't you sleep?"

Duotu walked to the bed and held his son in his arms. He looked at him for a long time and said softly, "You don't need these wings. Cut them off like your father did."

Cut off the wings?

W-what do you mean?
Hephis seemed frightened, "Father...what are you talking about?"

Duotu took out a sharp dagger.

"My dear son, tell me, tell your father that you don't need this pair of wings, right?" His voice became more and more crazy, and seemed to carry a hint of appeal, "Tell me quickly, you don't need it!"

A loud thunderclap sounded outside the window, illuminating the man's crazy and distorted expression.

Hephis screamed, his body trembled, and he cried out in fear, "No, no, father, Hephis is afraid of pain and wants wings..."

"Father, please don't take my wings."

"Wuwu Hefeis doesn't want this..."

"It hurts to dig out the wings..."

"Daddy... wuwu daddy..."

"Bang!"

Dotu suddenly stumbled back, gasping for breath, and the dagger fell to the ground.

As soon as he loosened his grip, the child escaped from his arms.

Duotu stared at the little lion huddled in fear in the corner.

The scene back then seemed to overlap with the scene before my eyes.

His body seemed to suddenly lose all strength, and he fell to the ground dejectedly, his eyes red, and he grabbed his messy blond hair like crazy.

"Hephaest...Hephaest..."

He called his son's name over and over again, trying to call him back.

He couldn't believe that he had this idea and wanted to cut off his own son's wings!

"I'm sorry, father shouldn't have done that, I was wrong..." He covered his face and cried, suppressing his sobs.

He just wanted to keep the child.

Without these wings, it will be just an insignificant discarded chess piece, and no one will take a second look at it.

Hephis looked at his father's painful expression and slowly forgot his fear.

It walked over carefully and hugged its father. Its tender voice was a little tearful as it shook its head and said, "It was my father who raised Hephes himself. I will not leave my father..."

"My favorite person is my father. I won't follow anyone else..."

Duotu hugged his son tightly, holding on to his only comfort.

"do not leave me……"

I still have to sort out the outline of the rest of the story today, so I won’t update any more. Go to bed early, my darlings. Good night!