Chapter 2182

Although Thalia cried often, she wasn't the type to do so without a proper reason. Shannon had considered that Thalia was simply worried because she and Benjamin couldn't return in time due to the space-time chaos, but that wasn't convincing enough. With Reuben's appearance alongside her, Shannon couldn't help but recall the incident she had recently witnessed, where a certain thousand-year-old powerful demon made his three-year-old sister cry… Naturally, she assumed he was the reason again. Frankly, Reuben felt wronged. He had done nothing but had been told off earlier. Louise watched as Thalia clung to Shannon, crying like a child. Emotions flickered in her eyes, and although she wanted to step forward, she knew all too well that Thalia no longer welcomed her. Neither she nor Reuben moved. Instead, it was Hector, arriving in haste, who finally cleared his throat and helped Shannon soothe their emotional mother. Thalia had only been overwhelmed for that brief moment. After confirming Shannon was safe, she soon calmed down. A few of the clan elders within the manor noticed the couple's presence and hastily made their way over. They had learned from Trevaris that Shannon had met the Ten-Tailed Elythune and that the latter had even revealed all ten tails. Their gazes toward Shannon oozed with anticipation. They couldn't believe she had actually manifested ten tails in less than three years! Due to their excitement to find out the answer, one of the clan elders promptly asked, "Shannon, I heard you obtained the Ten-Tailed connection. Is it true that you've manifested your tenth tail now?" The other asked, "When you were caught in the space-time chaos, was the divine soul of the Ten-Tailed Elythune harmed in any way? Say, would you let us examine it?" Their tone was drenched in impatience and concern, yet none of it was directed toward Shannon's well-being. Louise and Reuben instinctively furrowed their brows. Before they could speak up, Thalia, ignoring rank or seniority, lashed out at the elder who had spoken. She was already on edge because of this issue, so she snapped first. "Examine your ass! My daughter just returned, and instead of asking if she was hurt or scared, you only cared whether she had obtained the Ten-Tailed connection! "Would at least one of you treat my daughter like a living being? She trained hard for the Wynthorpe clan and the entire demon clan, but that doesn't mean she owes you anything! "You didn't raise or try to protect her once in the past, so what right do you have to stand here and tell her what to do?" He was, after all, a clan elder. Being scolded like that by a half-demon barely over 400 years old was a blow to his pride. His face darkened, and he was ready to snap back, only for Thalia to cut him off decisively. "What? How dare I speak to you this way? Well, how dare you speak to my daughter this way! Say another word, and I'll sneak in tonight and pluck every last strand of your fox fur! "And don't give me that seniority bullcrap!" Thalia was in full firepower mode, leaving the clan elder across from her so furious he could barely speak. Watching this unfold, Reuben felt a strange sense of comfort. Another indiscriminate attack—perfect. That way, she wouldn't yell at him, having already lashed out at them. The leading clan elder's expression darkened. Even if he knew the other elder had spoken out of turn, he couldn't just stand by and let a junior like Thalia berate them like that. He stepped forward, ready to speak, when suddenly, three sharp gazes locked onto him. Louise and Reuben glanced at him coldly, and the third came from Benjamin, who had been standing quietly behind Thalia and Shannon all this time.