Chapter 2232

2232 - Gifts

"I wish you good health, Grandfather."

"I'm glad to see you sitting up again, Grandfather."

"I've always wanted to meet you, Grandfather!"

Robin found the strength within himself to keep a smile on his face, joyful. The scene before him cleared all the fog from his chest and all the problems from his mind.

Peon's sons and grandsons stood in a line, the youngest first, then the next oldest, and so on. They would step forward, kiss Robin's hand resting peacefully on his knee, say a kind word so he could hear their voices, then step aside to give way to the next person.

Usually, Robin would have pulled his hand away. Robin had never let anyone kiss his hand or foot before; he only asked his allies and followers to bow, not even kneel, and he wouldn't even allow his enemies to do so.

But today, he did not refuse...

This was not submission or humiliation, but an expression from the children of their love and gratitude for the life Robin had given them, and this was evident on their happy, eager faces.

Or perhaps they were eager for the gift?

Robin almost chuckled at the thought, but his body did not comply.

"Grandfather!" When it was the turn of the last of Robin's granddaughters, she opened her arms, stepped closer, gently hugged his neck, and kissed him on the cheek, then on his hand. "I am Rufina, your eldest granddaughter!"

"Hmm... a good girl, you have the enthusiasm of your Aunt Zara." Robin's smile grew slightly.

"Hey, move away from your grandfather, you little rascal, can't you see he's tired!" Peon stepped forward and lightly tapped Rufina on the back of her head, so she went and stood in line again.

Then Peon turned back to Robin with a big smile, "What do you think of your grandchildren, Father? Have I done well?"

"Heh heh," Robin let out a strained laugh, "I doubt you had a direct hand in raising them... We should thank your wife more for that."

"Ah~ I won't argue with that." Peon scratched his head with a chuckle.

"Hmm..." Robin's eyes swept over his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, "It's a pity I didn't prepare anything for this meeting, otherwise I might have made you some Merged Techniques or something like that... but I see that most of you have good laws and good ranks, so there's no need for that anyway."

Robin slowly released his spiritual sense around him until he found his spatial ring, and gently inserted his spiritual sense into it as if he were putting his finger into a hole full of thorns.

Then he smiled, "Let each of you extend your hand."

Whoosh

Whoosh

A number of Space Rings emerged from that ring, and each one flew gently until it fell expertly into the hand of one of the boys or girls.

And immediately they began to examine them.

"This…?" Astonishment and amazement filled the faces of the fifty.

"I haven't given you anything yet, and I don't know your personalities or what you like or dislike, so I gave you something no one would argue over." Robin smiled, "Each of you gets a billion Pearls to spend as you wish." Then he swept his gaze over them, "With this amount, you can buy fourth-level planetary equipment, retire from everything, get married, focus on raising children and managing businesses in your spare time, purchase coordinates of valuable planets and try your individual luck there…"

Then he stopped his eyes on his eldest granddaughter, Rufina, "This is a lot of money for you, and what you do with it will determine your future and tell me about your characters… Use it well."

"Hmm, a good speech, it makes you look like the gift means something even though you only thought of it just now." Caesar nodded in admiration.

"Thank you!" And Robin had no intention of arguing either.

Trying to hide anything from Caesar was nothing but wishful thinking.

As for Theo, he smiled, "Only Lord Robin can give away fifty billion Pearls as gifts while being unprepared."

"What are you waiting for? Go on, thank your grandfather!" Peon shouted to snap his small clan out of their daze.

"Th-thank you, Grandpa!!" The fifty officers, generals, and officials bowed deeply.

Their minds were not present, wandering far away, thinking about what they could do with a billion Pearls.

Their special status grants them unlimited study resources and training materials, but this is restricted by need. If one of them needed a specific plant for attunement, the headquarters would bring them the best kind in the universe. But as for cash, they still relied on their salaries from their jobs, just like their colleagues. They had never seen this much money before!

"Father, this isn't fair." Zara pouted slightly. "You've never given us this much money before."

"Pfft—" Caesar looked away. "Talk to your future husband to bring it to you." Then he glanced toward Robin. "I heard that old lady has plenty of dreamy suitors."

"Who are you calling an old lady?!" Zara pointed at Caesar indignantly.

"Hehe..." Robin finally let out a strained laugh. "Thank you, kids... I needed this..."

Then he sent a grateful look toward Peon in particular.

He knew that gathering gifts and showing off one's children were the last things a quiet, aimless person like Peon cared about. He had worked hard to come up with this charade and gather his children just to ease his burden and lift him out of his gloomy, sickly mood.

"Well, now I'm feeling better," Robin narrowed his eyes slightly with a gentle smile. "Now, tell me what happened after I lost consciousness."

Then he turned around very slowly. "And where are Morgana, Althera, and Blokan? Did something happen to them?" He raised an eyebrow. "And what about Holak, who went to summon you?"

"..." Caesar and the others exchanged glances. Finally, Caesar turned back to Robin seriously. "It's better for you to see for yourself. Words won't explain the situation."

"...?" Robin looked wary, and his heart stopped for a moment. Could it be that something major had happened after he lost consciousness?

"Fowler, help your grandfather out," Peon gestured to one of his sons, then clapped his hands. "Come on, everyone, let's head out first."

"Yes!" Peon's grandson stepped forward toward Robin, bowed slightly, "Excuse me," then raised his head and hands, beginning to emit purple soul power that wrapped around Robin and lifted him slowly. He then started guiding him toward the door.

Robin remained amused by the fact that his grandson's son was a Royal Soul Master. He felt safe surrounded by this number of his loved ones and children—he felt content.

But his content expression didn't last long.

As soon as he left the glass house, he began to hear the noise that the array had been blocking, and he saw the scene that the illusion arrays had been hiding...

At that moment, the mountain was completely besieged by death and fire.