Divinity through Family Expansion

...

Several months passed.

While Alden and Jennifer doted on Adelina, it was clear that nurturing a child with D-Level aptitude evaluation came with unique challenges. The toll of childbirth had been much harder on Jennifer this time, leaving her physically drained.

Determined to help her recover, Alden spared no expense. He spent half a year's income from the territory on an advanced magic potion designed to restore vitality. The cost—several hundred gold coins—put a strain on their finances, but Alden didn't hesitate.

To make up for the loss, he took to hunting monsters in the nearby forest during his spare time.

With his strength as a 6th Rank Intermediate Knight and his mastery of the Gale Sword Technique, Alden could easily slaughter low-level monsters. In just two weeks, he hunted many wind wolves, water rabbits, and earth insects near Nightbloom territory.

Each kill brought valuable materials—fur, bones, meat, and magic cores—that could be sold for gold. By the end of his hunts, Alden had earned over a hundred gold coins, easing the family's financial strain.

Encouraged by his success, he made monster hunting a regular activity, balancing it with his duties as a father and husband.

...

A year passed in this manner.

At Jennifer's insistence, Alden reluctantly agreed to use protective measures during their intimate moments, giving her body a chance to fully recover. Without a new child, the system rewards ceased, and Alden's cultivation stagnated.

But he didn't let this stop him from improving their lives. Drawing on his knowledge from his previous life, Alden established a brewery in his territory, Nightbloom Village.

The beer he produced was affordable, unique in flavor, and well-marketed. It quickly gained popularity in nearby towns, bringing prosperity to the region and significant income to the Ashleigh family.

In less than a year, their wealth multiplied, and the Ashleigh barony rose in status among the local nobility.

However, Alden knew better than to hoard this success and attract trouble. He formed partnerships with influential nobles in surrounding areas, giving them sales rights. This alliance of shared interests solidified the Ashleigh family's position and influence while avoiding possible trouble.

Despite these achievements, Alden's focus never strayed far from his ultimate goal: expanding the family.

Jennifer, having rested for over a year, finally agreed to try for another child.

Alden spared no effort in preparing for the pregnancy. He purchased high-level magic potions to nourish both Jennifer and the future baby, ensuring the best possible conditions for another talented offspring.

Several months later, Jennifer became pregnant again.

This time, Alden's determination to raise an even more gifted child was stronger than ever.

...

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, another half a year went by.

Jennifer's belly had grown significantly during this time.

Alden spent his days accompanying his wife and playing with their child.

Their life was peaceful and carefree.

But this peace didn't last for long.

Earlier today, a hunter spotted m an advanced demon beast, the Flaming Gorilla, lurking in the forest to the west of Nightbloom Village.

As soon as the news spread, the entire village was thrown into panic.

After all, on the Ondoria Continent, it wasn't uncommon for demon beasts to destroy entire villages.

People feared the Flaming Gorilla might attack at any moment and hunt the villagers.

This growing fear disrupted the village's daily life and production.

"We must deal with this as soon as possible," upon hearing about it, Alden immediately made up his mind.

The Flaming Gorilla had to be eliminated. Its presence near the village was too dangerous, and was an unstable factor affecting his and his family's growth.

The constant threat of an attack made it impossible to ensure security. Merchants were hesitant to visit, and the villagers were on edge, ready to abandon their homes.

Alden couldn't allow the territory his family had worked so hard to develop to fall into ruin because of this monster.

There was only one solution: he had to kill the Flaming Gorilla and restore order.

But defeating such a high-level demon beast was far from easy.

You have to know that demon beasts were inherently stronger than knights/mages of the same rank.

As a high-level fire-attribute demon beast, the Flaming Gorilla boasts a wide array of fire-based magic along with exceptional melee combat skills.

Its battle prowess is astonishingly strong.

Once it reaches maturity, its power rivals that of a 7th-rank advanced knight.

With Alden's current 6th-rank strength...

Even with the aid of a destructive 5-star combat technique, defeating the Flaming Gorilla alone would be nearly impossible.

Even in the best-case scenario, victory would likely come at a steep cost, leaving both sides gravely injured.

"It looks like I'll need some help," Alden muttered, s he contemplated the situation.

After organising his thoughts and without wasting any more time, he set his plan into motion.

He instructed the butler to head to the Adventurer's Guild and post a mission for the advanced rank demon beast extermination.

To ensure quick results, Alden even offered an exceptionally high reward of five thousand gold coins for completing the task.

This was but a small sacrifice as the losses would be unimaginably more than this number if the demon beast were to let be.

The promise of such a hefty sum was undeniably tempting.

It must be said—this strategy worked brilliantly.

Within two days, a small adventurer team called "Purple Lilac" accepted the mission.

Upon hearing the news, Alden wasted no time. He welcomed the adventurers to his estate to discuss the details.

...