Yarin’s POV:

In Lady Charlies’s description, I had a sense of déjà vu—Aunt Jordin seemed a lot like Eden as a child!

I really wanted to know why Eden was like this. After spending these past few days with him, I could tell he was a good person. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Eden? Well, this is why I can’t understand children. It was the case decades ago, and it’s the same now. Maybe that’s why the Moon Goddess won’t grant me a biological child," sighed Lady Charlies.

Eden wasn’t a pure-blooded werewolf. His father’s surname was Teal, while his mother was human.

Regardless of how they met, fell in love, and united during the close times of both races, by the time Eden’s grandfather discovered the situation, Eden had already spent five months in his mother’s womb.

Eden’s father insisted on marrying the human woman and making her his wife. And so, they were married and even had a son named Eden.

It might sound like a romantic love story, but the ending was far from romantic. Eden’s mother was human and followed the gods of the human side, while Eden’s father naturally followed the Moon Goddess.

After the passion for love faded, the couple’s differing beliefs led to disputes, causing them to give each other the cold shoulder. By the time Eden was three years old, his parents were already separated. Neglected by his parents during the years he needed their care the most, Eden grew up silent and withdrawn.

When Eden was five years old, his mother passed away due to illness. At this point, his father finally realized that the ephemeral disputes had never been worth sacrificing a loved one’s life for. But it was too late.

Amidst strong regret and heartache, Eden’s father gradually descended into madness. He prayed day and night to the Moon Goddess, begging her to return his wife. Of course, he received no response.

After prolonged dashed hopes, Eden’s father swung to the other extreme. He abandoned his faith in the Moon Goddess and turned to worship the god of his deceased wife, believing his own stubbornness had caused his wife’s mental torment, leading the god to take her away.

He not only went mad himself but also forced his son to follow suit. But how could the young Eden understand anything about gods? He only feared his father’s increasingly deranged behavior and suffered from being compelled to engage in bizarre actions.

Finally, one day, Eden’s father completely lost his mind. He actually attempted to use Eden as a sacrificial offering to summon back his wife’s soul. Fortunately, Eden’s grandfather caught him in the act.

Eden’s grandfather realized his indulgence and neglect ultimately harmed his grandson. Filled with regret, he locked up his now-insane son and sent Eden to be raised by Lady Charlies.

"The Teal Family is just a minor noble family. Although our population is large, Eden is the only descendant of our small household. When my father passed away, Eden would be the only heir unless I returned to inherit the title. But I’m already old, and I’ve been away from the family for too long. The title of the Teal Family would be no better in my hands than in the hands of my mad brother. That’s why Eden is now being educated as the heir of the Teal Family.

"But Eden’s been deeply influenced by the family. He harbors distrust and fear toward the outside world. I’ve tried my best to help him, but I’ve never been able to make him feel at ease."

At this point, Lady Charlies couldn’t help but choke.

"But Eden is a good child, isn’t he? Despite enduring such inhuman torment, he still maintains his kind nature. Sometimes I think, if Eden hadn’t been born into our family, he would have been so much happier. Ultimately, it’s all my worthless, mad brother’s fault!

"He was born when I was almost twenty, a latecomer to our family. He was spoiled from a young age, foolish, and stubborn. He actually dared to harm his only child!"

I never expected Eden’s childhood to be so tragic. The greatest pain in life came from one’s own family, enough to drive any adult mad, let alone a young child like Eden.

In the end, what did it matter which god was involved?

Eden’s father’s actions were entirely driven by his own arrogance and cowardice. He refused to accommodate his wife’s feelings, causing her to live in misery. After her death, he couldn’t face the truth and blamed everything on the so-called gods. Ultimately, he even tried to make his son a scapegoat. Such a man wasn’t worthy of being called a ’husband’ or ’father’.

I felt sorry for Eden, but I also knew that pity was the greatest form of contempt for him. His life didn’t need any more troubles to make him feel inferior.

I told Lady Charlies, "I see Eden as my friend. He’s a good person. He deserves happiness, not to struggle with past pains. I’m going to the same school as Eden soon. I hope I can help him somehow, create more wonderful memories, and dispel the shadows of the past."

These were my sincere words. It wasn’t Eden’s fault for anything. His parents’ disputes had nothing to do with him. He shouldn’t have been the one to pay the price.