On a hillside in Blackwater City lay an open stretch of land surrounded by lush, shady trees. This was the Wilson Family cemetery, where generations of the family had been buried.
Duke Wilson led Merlin to several old graves and said softly, "Ancestor, this is where our forebears are buried."
Merlin waved a hand, and Duke Wilson respectfully turned and left, leaving Merlin alone.
As he looked at the names on the gravestones, Merlin's thoughts seemed to return at once to the Blackwater City of old. Back then, his father, Old Wilson, had still been an imposing baron. Now, however, Old Wilson had lain in this grave for who knew how many years.
"Father."
Merlin gently stroked the rough gravestone. Its icy chill seemed to seep into his heart. He had long grown accustomed to life and death, and had even witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations. Yet at this moment, standing before the grave, he was merely Old Wilson's son.
Then Merlin looked to the side, finding the names of Shirley, Avril, and even his daughter Consine, among others. He knew only some of the Wilson Family members from those early days. The other graves belonged to later generations of the Wilson Family, all descendants of his bloodline whom he had never met.
Merlin stood quietly before the graves, recalling scenes from the past as though they had happened only yesterday. Old Wilson's lifelong wish had been to ensure that the name "Wilson" lived on, and Merlin had helped him achieve that goal. The Wilson Family was renowned throughout the Black Moon Kingdom, one of its foremost families.
Thus, even in death, Old Wilson had departed content.
After an unknown length of time, a breeze blew past, carrying a hint of chill. At last, Merlin slowly turned