Maggie nodded, and Aldrich knew he couldn’t shake her determination now.
However, having grown up in the werewolf community and understanding the nature of werewolves, he knew how deep-seated the werewolves’ ignorance and stubbornness had reached. The werewolf system, as Urania complained, indeed had serious problems. Backwardness and self-imposed stagnation were prevalent among almost all werewolves, except those in the southern continent, and change could not happen overnight.
The werewolves of the Blue Moon Pack respected Grace mainly under the condition that she was, first and foremost, a werewolf.
Grace was well aware of this fact. So later, she left the Blue Moon Pack without looking back, because she knew that once she was no longer a werewolf, all her achievements would be erased.
In addition, since the fall of the Moon Goddess these years, the werewolf society would stir up a new local war every once in a while. Most werewolves no longer blindly believed in the Moon Goddess’s blessing but turned to various other questionable practices. Some collaborated with vampire royalty, some recruited wizards privately to deal with competitors in the shadows. There were hardly a few who earnestly adhered to werewolf principles.
“But I think you can wait a little longer regarding revealing that you’re the daughter of the Moon Goddess. Sometimes, an overly noble identity doesn’t bring applause and praise. You might also hear some unpleasant voices. I think part of the reason you want to publicly acknowledge the identity of the Moon Goddess’s daughter is because of me, right?”
Maggie nodded. “Mrs. Jenkins said that my identity would help you in the election for Alpha. If you can become the Alpha, the turmoil among werewolves could come to an end. I think what she said makes sense, so I want to do everything I can to help you.”
Aldrich didn’t know how to broach this topic with Maggie. People harbor greater malice towards those in high positions-fabricating your private life, concocting your personality and character, describing things that never happened vividly. Unaware individuals might think these people were all novelists. Both he and Grace had walked through this malice, with one being more indifferent and the other more eager to escape.
He had heard Grace praying to the dark sky in the moonlit corridors of the palace at night, without light. At that time, he didn’t understand why she didn’t choose a night with a big and bright moon. Later, he realized that the inner pain of Grace couldn’t be confided under such a pristine moonlight. That pain could only be heard by herself and the palace walls that wouldn’t betray secrets, along with the cruel, silent expanse of darkness.
They couldn’t dissolve that malice through self-denial, only by diverting attention with other things.
He didn’t want Maggie to bear such pressure. Maggie’s past was so unbearable; she should have grown up in a better environment instead of facing the coercion of adults and working in rooms with oily floors, doing the most arduous work for the smallest wages. She had finally obtained the identity that originally belonged to her.
“It’s okay; this matter is not urgent at the moment,” he said. “You can go see the Grand Elder first.”
Maggie tilted her head, looking at him with confusion, as if wondering why he would voluntarily give up such a good opportunity. After a while, her inner conflict seemed to have gone through several rounds of struggle. “I will. Are you sure you really don’t need the identity of the Moon Goddess’s daughter? At least, they won’t question your child’s mother anymore, indirectly affecting you.”
Aldrich smiled bitterly, thinking that even if he publicly acknowledged the identity of the Moon Goddess’s daughter, there would still be people fabricating new conspiracy theories. Perhaps some might even think he concocted his partner’s identity just to compete, completely ignoring the fact that Maggie had done more for the werewolf society than most werewolves.
People who were dissatisfied with you would always find various reasons.
“It’s okay. I’ve been working hard for so long; I won’t be easily defeated by something like my partner’s identity,” he smiled. “Have confidence in me; I’m not someone who can be easily defeated.”
Maggie also smiled, with a hint of worry in her expression. It was evident that Aldrich was uneasy about her intention to publicly declare herself as the Moon Goddess’s daughter, but she couldn’t understand the exact reason behind his unease. “That’s good. I’ve always believed you are the best, so I’ll go to the Elder Council now.”
“Let Urania and Mrs. Jenkins accompany you. Urania’s status carries weight, and her words and actions have significance. Let her take you, and you won’t be too restricted,” he suggested.
Maggie nodded. “Alright.”
Urania was already waiting there. “You guys are so slow.”
Aldrich walked towards her. “Urania, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Urania glanced at Maggie, and Maggie nodded to her. The two of them walked to the other side of the pillar, their shadows concealed by the light cast by the pillar.
“Is there something you need to specially explain by coming over?”
“Can you be absolutely certain that Maggie will become the next Moon Goddess?”
“How can I be sure? The selection of the Moon Goddess has a certain degree of randomness. Before her power appeared, even if she was the daughter of the previous Moon Goddess, I never thought she could become the Moon Goddess. It was only after she discovered her own new power that I judged she might have the potential to become the Moon Goddess. Why do you ask? Don’t you want her to become the Moon Goddess?”
“I don’t not want her to become the Moon Goddess,” his gaze was somewhat dim. “Maybe I just don’t want her to know what those in high positions go through every day. I don’t want the world’s malice to touch her, only flowers and hugs waiting for her.”
Urania shrugged. “As long as people are alive, they will encounter the world’s malice.”
“I want to shield her from that malice,” Aldrich’s eyes were full of seriousness.
In the past, Urania might have mocked this person’s naivety. But this time, she suddenly felt that sometimes naive idealism was also a kind of extreme romance, like a rose field flourishing in a desolate desert, growing amidst the contaminated fields, half as tall as a person, with golden waves of grain.
“I understand. If I’m here, I’ll help shield her from some idle gossip.”
She didn’t need Aldrich to express those words himself. This was the child she had watched grow up, and most of the children here were the ones she had watched grow up. She loved everyone in this land, every flower, every leaf, even though she had been utterly disappointed with the world. Yet, she remained hopelessly attached to everything that happened in this land.
So she was willing to fulfill every one of their wishes, even if those wishes were sometimes truly absurd and seemingly unattainable.
Aldrich performed the most solemn court etiquette to her. “Thank you, Urania. We admire and depend on you so much, like a divine being.”