Chapter 3971: One More Sacrifice (Part 2) After all, the Ernas had many enemies against whom they could defend solely due to their noble status as Archdukes. Without it, the Gernoff had no need to dirty their hands since someone was bound to kill Jirni and everyone who might restore the Ernas’ glory. "Still. I want to thank you all for your efforts in keeping our family safe and together. Tulion, Gunyin, thank you for your hard work. You have my word, I’m doing my best to put an end to this situation." Jirni gave her sons a small bow, flustering them to no end. "Please, Mom. This is nothing." Gunyin tried and failed to make her stand tall. "I’ve worked my whole life for the moment when I’d take your place in Court. I should be the one apologizing to you for my poor results." "And I don’t deserve this at all." Tulion found himself incapable of straightening Jirni as well, as if his mother were a statue carved out of a rock. "I gave you and Dad countless headaches over the years. "The little I’ve done doesn’t even start paying you back." "Your results aren’t poor, Gunyin." Jirni replied. "If I weren’t for my prolonged and unexplainable leave of absence, our enemies in the Royal Court would have no leverage against you. "They can push us around because my refusal to attend the events of the Royal Court borders on insubordination. For what everyone knows, there’s nothing that prevents your father and me from performing our duties, and we are just abusing our authority." "It would be enough for me to go back to work to shut them up for good, but I’m the only one who knows your mother’s plans and can put them into action without endangering the rest of you." Orion said. "As for you, Tulion, don’t worry about us." Jirni turned to look at her prodigal son. "Worry about your many bastard children. They are your responsibility as you are ours, and they carry the Ernas blood." "Of course, Mom." Tulion gave her a deep bow to hide the pallor of his face. The many children he had out of wedlock were the only part of his foolish past that no good deed could right. Even nobles weren’t allowed to have more than one wife, and if not for Tulion occupying the bottom of the Ernas’ line of succession, having so many potential heirs would have thrown the Household into chaos. "Lucky, thank you for being a good and loyal friend." Jirni patted the flaming red fur on the Ry’s head. "I trust you always to keep Dripha safe." Lucky didn’t like where the conversation seemed headed, but he just nodded. "Friya, Quylla, there are no words to express how proud of you I am." Jirni said. "Not only for your ability as mages, but also for finding such good husbands." At those words, Morok took a step back as if she had slapped him. The nicest thing Lady Ernas had ever told him was that she appreciated how his powers as a Tyrant would make *her* grandchildren healthier and live longer than any human baby. "I never expected our family to grow so much after what happened to my Little Flower." Jirni said, making the last piece of the puzzle fall into place inside Morok’s head. "I’m still grieving my baby girl, but I’m happy. "Happier than I probably should be allowed to be. Which is why I invited you all for this walk without Dripha." Jirni placed her hands on her daughters’ wombs and used Invigoration to take a long look at the unborn babies. ’I know why she’s being so kind to me.’ Morok thought. ’She wants me to stop Quylla!’ "I have a very long, complex plan in mind, and many details are out of my full control." Jirni said. "Against the power of the Gernoff, cunning can only bring me so far. I’m doing my best, but there is no telling if it will be enough. "Hence, I’m going to ask you one more sacrifice. No matter what the Gernoff do to me, if I fall at or into their hands, I want you to do nothing." "What?" Her children said while Orion remained silent, clenching his fists. "You heard me. I want you to promise me right now that you won’t endanger your lives in a foolish pursuit for revenge." Jirni replied. "Gunyin, your wife, children, and the rest of the Ernas family depend on you. "Until Dripha comes of age, you are the only one who can lead our Household and ensure its survival. Don’t give the Gernoff a reason to come after you." "You have my word, Mother." Gunyin bit his cheek until it bled, but from the outside, he seemed stoic. "Tulion, as I said, there are too many lives that depend on you. Focus your efforts on helping your siblings and nurturing the next generation of Ernas that you have sired. There may be more than one Phloria among them, and even if there is none, I don’t want any of those children growing up resenting you like you resented us." Tulion opened his mouth to answer, but Jirni didn’t let him. "Don’t lie to me. I’ve been an absent mother, but I’ve always known your heart. You resent me for spending so much time with Gunyin and your father for putting all his energy into training Phloria. Isn’t this the reason you felt there was no place for you in the family?" "It is." Admitting it out loud tasted like poison on his tongue, but it also lifted a burden from Tulion’s chest. "You have my word too, Mother." "Friya, Quylla, you may not carry the blood of the Ernas, but that just means you can’t inherit my noble title. You are still Ernas and can carry on our legacy. Soon you’ll be mothers, and I forbid you from making my grandchildren orphans. "If something were to happen to you, the part of me you carry would die with you, and no one would tell your children stories about their grandmother. They won’t get to meet me or know me either. "My grandchildren would speak my name only to curse me for taking their mothers away. To curse you for loving a dead woman more than them. Do you understand me?" As Morok expected, Jirni addressed Quylla and Friya, but looked at him and Nalrond. "Yes, Mother." Friya, Quylla, and the Tyrant said after a painful moment of hesitation. "Last, but not least, I need your promise as well, my love." Jirni turned to look Orion in the eyes, and the shocked expression on his face told everyone that this wasn’t part of the speech Jirni had rehearsed with him. "What is this madness?" Orion swallowed hard as his jaw muscles tensed. "We’ll fight together to the bitter end. That’s our pact and the only reason I risked everything to Awaken. I will promise no such thing." "I swear to the gods, if this is another of your tricks, you and I are going to have a problem. If you have another of Vastor’s meat puppets to fake your death like with Quylla, just say it." "I have no puppet, but not because I didn’t think about it." Jirni shook her head.