A Single Mother's Farm of the Gods
Chapter 299: Secret Relationship

Chapter 299: Secret Relationship

"Secret Lover?!"

Everyone was shocked at the sudden revelation that Alessa had told everyone. That wasn’t something they would expect to hear from her after seeing their recent exchange just now.

"Wait, if he is your secret lover and he is the father of Mier, then why is he seemingly not caring at all for your safety and your baby’s safety? He seemed to be working more as an official diplomat than caring about the wellbeing of his family?" Elaina frowned.

"It’s not like he didn’t, it’s more like he can’t. As you can see, my father did not like him to be my partner in life and was always vocal about his opinion on our relationship and kept on discouraging me from marrying him even though he passed all the trials that are done by those men who are courting Princesses like me. It was one of the traditions that has never been broken and he completed it just to ask for my hand in marriage and gain the approval of my father."

"And even though he did complete those trials, your father still didn’t want him as your partner?" Princess Margaux frowned. "I thought your father is someone who cares more about the traditions being fulfilled rather than breaking them?"

"Kinda ironic, isn’t it? My father is one who wanted to fulfill a tradition no matter what it took by sacrificing an innocent baby but then proceeded to nullify the qualifications and his victory over those trials was declared void due to him not liking his origins."

Elaina rubs her chin and glances at Alessa. "Let me guess, this Fohl guy is a commoner or something similar in your kingdom, yes?"

Alessa nodded, cementing the big reason the King of the Merfolk was so against Fohl’s achievements.

"As a result of those things, since our marriage was not finalized, we decided to keep our relationship a secret, and that relationship has made fruit. And since my pregnancy cannot be hidden forever, my father ended up discovering it. And since my expected day of birth is also the time at the beginning of the Sacrificial Ritual, my father immediately decided to choose my baby as the sacrifice."

Elaina remembered this when Alessa revealed the main reason she was running away from the Merfolk kingdom but the additional info made her story more detailed.

"What happened to Fohl by then?" Julia asked, curious about what happened next.

Alessa sighed and seemed to recall a very bad memory, still, she decided to share it with the girls.

"Fohl is the main reason why my baby and I are still here. He is the one who allowed us to escape and get into the human land. A few days after I gave birth, my father demanded me to give my baby as an offering. Because I refused to offer Mier, I escaped and went to Fohl who is happy to see our baby safe and healthy. However, we couldn’t stay for long and had to escape to his secret place where we stayed for a few days, but it didn’t last long as someone from his neighbors seemed to have spotted us and decided to tip the guards. In an effort to stop the guards, he decided to fight back and gave us time to escape. The last thing I heard is that he was captured and was tortured."

"Then how come he became an official now?" Elaina asked.

Alessa shook her head. "That is something I don’t know. Considering that it has been a while since I left the kingdom, any news related to him is something that I have no idea of. But I am glad he is still alive. However, since he is working for my father now, I don’t want to meet him in the meantime. I would rather remain as it is right now and get no connection to him. Since my father might still be behind all of this, I don’t want to be a victim of manipulation and be part of the scheme that is using my feelings for Fohl. This is for the safety of my child."

"True. Considering that your father wanted to take you back no matter what it took, he might be trying to use Fohl as a way to win you back and return to your previous life. It is best to remain vigilant even if you love the person before you. If he is indeed being used as leverage just for you to go back to the kingdom, then it is best to remain the same stance as you have now."

Alessa nodded and when she was on the verge of crying, the girls started hugging each other. She wanted to cry, but she held back her tears.

"I won’t cry. I will be strong for my daughter."

...

...

...

That night, Alessa couldn’t sleep much. The Harvest Goddess is already in her deep sleep and Mier is also sleeping comfortably and yet, she couldn’t receive a wink of sleep. Feeling that she would not be able to drift to dreamland while lying on her bed, she decided to head up to the surface and breathe the fresh air in the night.

"Am I still bothered that I met Fohl this morning? Is my worries the main reason I am not able to catch some sleep right now?" Alessa mumbled to herself as she headed up to the surface and landed on the ground.

The wind is cold but it isn’t as cold during the winter season. It is more calming and having the cold wind blowing is enough to calm her nerves. Sitting on the bench that Elaina made where she would sit to take a break from work, Alessa closed her eyes, as she felt the air touch her skin. A feeling that she never experienced when she was still staying in the Merfolk Kingdom.

She looked around the farm which is only illuminated by some hanging lamps that are powered with glowing stones to avoid accidents like fire. Still, even with those lamps, it is hard not that bright around. Compared to the lively farm during daylight hours, the farm at night is peaceful and only the various sounds of insects making noises and some other critters that only come out at night are constantly making those little noises. The difference is very big.

As she was still admiring the farm’s whole structure, Alessa suddenly hears a soft whisper. A whisper calling for her name.

"Alessa...Alessa..."

She looked around the place and expected to see the Harvest Goddess pranking at her and scaring her...but to her surprise, no one else was around. The Harvest Goddess she expected to be scaring her was not there. It was only her and no one else.

"Is anyone else in there?" Alessa asked the one whispering though she was not sure if she was even talking to someone or if she was just imagining things.

"I am here. Look into the water."

The little whisper instructed her to look into the water and so she did. As soon as she looked, she saw a familiar-looking fish. One that she has seen from time to time and one of the last things that she has seen before she left the Merfolk Kingdom.

The fish gave a little splash, indicating that the one calling for her is indeed the little fish...

"Fohl?! Why are you here?"

"Hush, I came here in disguise and tricked my associates that I had already gone to sleep. We are staying in one of the inns in town and we have yet to return to the sea. This is just a way to ensure that no one will know that it was you and me who are currently talking and please don’t use my name to call me right now. Just call me Malt right now."

"Didn’t I tell you that I will not return, earlier this morning? Why are you still insisting?"

"No, no. I didn’t come here to continue our previous conversation, Alessa. In fact, I am more than happy that you didn’t accept the offer immediately. This was a trap set up by your father and he allowed me to leave the prison and become the ambassador to move your heart into agreeing to the terms and conditions he applied."

Alessa grits her teeth in anger. Her assumption is correct. The will and all of that stuff like taking over the throne were all just bullsh*t that was invented by her father.

Then she looked at the fish who named himself Malt.

"But why did you agree to his terms?! I thought that you are captured by him and yet you are now helping him?"

Malt sighed. "There’s no other way. Because I can’t escape jail, I have to accept his terms, otherwise, it will be a death penalty for me. I still don’t want to die as I have yet to fulfill my duties as a husband and as a father of our child. I will do whatever it takes to survive and reunite with you two."

Alessa’s tears started to fall after hearing these words. He sacrifices everything just so he can reunite with them. The only wall that is stopping him from doing so is none other than her father.

"Listen, I have no time left before they suspect I was not in my room. We will be staying here in this town for a while since we are not about to go home without you in tow. I will try my best to deter the soldiers who accompanied me and delay everything to ensure that they will have a hard time doing anything. However, I will have to also work for them so that I can fool them about this matter. I will have to work something to prepare for my big escape. Also, tell the farmer who met with us earlier to be vigilant and enhance security. There will be a few soldiers who will try to infiltrate and try to kidnap you in the process. You should be careful."

Alessa wanted to ask Malt something more but he immediately cut her off. "I will answer your questions at a later time as I don’t have much time left here. But remember, if I met you with soldiers, don’t bother listening to my words, it is most likely all just lies or traps by your father and I am just working with them. And the most important thing is I still love you and our child, Alessa. Please take care of our baby and yourself."

After saying that, Malt dived underwater and disappeared into the stream.

"Wait!" Alessa wanted to follow him but he disappeared.

However, now that the truth is out, Alessa now has a new motivation. Perhaps asking for Elaina’s help might be a good idea. If Fohl is doing everything in his power to reunite with her and her baby for good, then she also needs to do something instead of waiting. She can’t just let Fohl carry all the burden and become a damsel in distress.