Visitors

Alexander nodded in confusion.

The man stepped forward, dressed in a crisp white suit. His features were unremarkable, yet he radiated an undeniable charm. With a cheerful wink, he asked, "The one claiming to be the second young miss of the Wil family?"

"Yes, and you are...?" Alexander was about to ask more when he spotted Edward following behind.

Clearly, this man was no enemy. Alexander relaxed slightly, only to hear him whisper with a gossipy tone, "You did the right thing running away. That young lady and her lover are deeply involved. I reckon Viscount Will forced her to come today, specifically seeking out outsiders like you... you know how it is."

The implication left Alexander momentarily stunned.

Tang Feiliu thought how tragic this girl was—having someone she loved yet being forced by her father into arranged marriages. But Alexander was no stranger to the subtle nuances of aristocratic gossip. He was a native to their decadent survival rules. This little hint was enough for him to understand—this lady was likely in trouble, unable to hide it anymore, and was hastily seeking someone to marry to save face.

Alexander felt a surge of anger.

He knew this world was rigidly stratified. He knew that to these nobles, he was nothing but a country bumpkin. That the noble lady had taken an interest in him was likely only because of his appearance. To some, it probably seemed like he was the one climbing the social ladder.

But Alexander was furious nonetheless.

Angry at his own flattery, angry at his wavering resolve. For that girl truly was a beautiful and dignified lady, born of noble blood. When such a girl stood before you and fluttered her eyelashes, it was hard to escape the sweet trap she wove.

But Alexander didn't just want that... Perhaps he hadn't known what he wanted before, but now he knew profoundly what he didn't want.

His expression darkened, and Tang Feiliu, completely baffled by his words, dared not pry further. Raven, however, read Alexander’s mood—a feeling any man could understand. He knew that while this was the code of their trade, many men of honor, especially those with real skill, loathed being marked as targets.

With sympathy, Raven patted Alexander on the shoulder before turning his curious gaze toward Tang Feiliu. With a warm smile, he struck up a conversation: "Young sir, how did you come to know Edward?"

Raven exuded an air of debonair charm. To Tang Feiliu, he radiated the kind of vintage, soft-focus elegance reminiscent of old film stock—in short, a man who seemed to glow from within. His pale golden hair wasn't neatly restrained, some strands falling loosely over his shoulders. His every gesture was expansive and generous, reminding Tang Feiliu of his modern-day friends.

He carried none of the haughtiness of nobility nor the awkwardness of common folk—just an exceptionally cheerful and endearing young man. So Tang Feiliu smiled and took up his thread, murmuring softly, "And how did you come to know Edward?"

This counterquestion caught Raven off guard. Clearly, Tang Feiliu's appearance was deceptively misleading. His attire made him look like a well-behaved, beautiful doll—golden hair, blue eyes, long legs, and a sweet aura. Sitting there with his brother, they resembled two fondant cakes drenched in thick icing, though Tang Feiliu seemed sweeter and more tempting. Yet, he hadn't expected such a gap between personality and appearance.

Raven perked up immediately, sitting down to continue. "I've known Edward since we were kids. You know what? The first time I ever climbed through a window in my life was because of him!"

This Raven seemed to be one of Edward’s rare close friends. As Tang Feiliu listened to the detailed stories, his eyes lit up. He and Raven began exchanging questions and answers about their encounters with Edward.

But unexpectedly, after just a few sentences, Raven began seriously inquiring about the techniques and details of his rescues. Their conversation thus drifted to sea merchants, then on to the cholera outbreak and the reforms that followed... Raven was stunned. "So the medicine I took back then, that Dr. Charlemagne... did you fund him?"

Even Edward hadn't known that Raven had contracted cholera during his travels. The chaos outside nearly cost him his life in that unfamiliar town. Yet now, as he recounted it, his eyes sparkled with excitement. Tang Feiliu was surprised to discover that though Raven initially seemed unreliable, as he spoke, he revealed himself to be a genuinely entertaining character. Most importantly, he genuinely loved hearing stories from sea merchants and had a sociable nature. Consequently, some of Raven's insights were remarkably fresh, aligning perfectly with knowledge Tang Feiliu possessed. Indeed, Raven's accounts of his experiences left Tang Feiliu thoroughly captivated.

Standing nearby, Edward—who had never truly traveled beyond attacking enemy cities or ambushing foreign nobles—watched Tang Feiliu seated with Raven. The two blond figures in white robes seemed bathed in a faint halo of holy light, as if little angels flapped their wings and sang behind them.

It was an almost divine scene—pure and untouched. When they smiled at each other, it felt as though no earthly impurity could touch them.

A shadow drifted over Edward's heart. He'd listened silently to their conversation until Tang Feiliu turned with a smile to ask him a question. Only then did he notice his boyfriend wearing that rare expression again—a turbulent mix of struggle and ferocity, as if locked in an unseen battle with someone.

Tang Feiliu's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Raven, then back at himself. For some reason, he suddenly felt he understood Edward's train of thought.

Edward's unease stemmed fundamentally from this place. Deep down, he still feared Tang Feiliu existed in a realm beyond his reach. And the only place that could unsettle the Dark Duke, the only place he could never reach... was a place bathed in light and warmth.

No matter how intriguing Raven's words sounded, Tang Feiliu couldn't bear to listen anymore. He stood up abruptly, took a few steps, and embraced Edward, who was still standing nearby. He whispered, "Have we been gone too long? Won't anyone come looking for you?"

Edward had been feeling miserable, but seeing Tang Feiliu rise with a smile beside him, then feeling himself embraced, the chill and pain in his body were instantly pulled from his very bones. Edward gently held the person in his arms and murmured after a moment, "Mm. Shall we go out for a bit and then come home?"

"Sure. I want to go home and eat something delicious. The food here is so mediocre, nothing like my cooking..." Tang Feiliu said with a smile. He waved to his brother, reminding him to come home together later, then took Edward's hand as they walked out together.

Behind them, Raven watched the entire process of his friend being soothed. He stared in disbelief for a long moment before turning to Alexander beside him and muttered, "...Holy crap, did you see that? My god, Edward is actually this easy to placate? Then why did he beat me up for ten years!!!"

Alexander had been wallowing in the humiliation of being outshone tonight. First, his younger brother had shoved a mouthful of dog food down his throat, nearly choking him. Now, this mysterious adult—whose attire and entrance suggested high status and authority—kept ruining the mood beside him. Alexander couldn’t afford to dwell on his own feelings anymore. He perked up and chimed in, "You’re absolutely right, sir."

Lavin, satisfied with the response, continued his heart-wrenching rant. Alexander stood on the balcony, exposed to the evening breeze, grateful it was midsummer night. Had it been winter, caught between the biting wind and the relentless nagging—not to mention the agony of nearly being used as a scapegoat by the noble lady—he would surely have lost the will to fight on.

As Raven spoke, his tirade had evolved from condemning Edward to recounting the nightmares of his youth.

Alexander had assumed this would be over in a few minutes of polite chatter, but to his astonishment, he found himself listening to this unreliable, self-proclaimed Marquis Raven ramble on for an entire night!

Had the banquet not drawn to a close, and his brother sent for him, he might never have escaped!

This dinner was supposed to be like Johnson's—circulating among potential partners, engaging in lofty discourse, sharing a smoke, or perhaps securing another assignment before His Majesty... But all those plans had vanished into thin air!!!

Johnson, however, reaped a bountiful harvest. His soap factory had recently brought in a hefty profit, and now he secured numerous new orders. By year's end, retail soap would likely be sold throughout the city of Nat.

Not only that, Johnson secured several other business opportunities. The orders he received tonight alone exceeded the total from the past several years combined.

Meanwhile, Alexander had gained nothing and endured a night of constant complaints. Had it not been for the good news the next day, he felt he would have been so enraged that he would have taken to his bed.

Fortunately, after an inexplicable delay of over half a month, Mr. Allen arrived at the imperial city with his servants and numerous hired workers in a grand procession.

He brought the newest construction crew—skilled workers that Allen had trained step by step while Tang Feiliu was renovating the estate.

While Black Swan Castle also employed such workers, its servants rarely left their posts. Moreover, in terms of skill, Mr. Allen's elite team had assisted numerous local gentry in renovating their estates—this project was simply on a grander scale.

Alexander met with Tang Feiliu and Alan on behalf of the latter, who was unable to leave today. Mr. Alan presented himself with restrained courtesy. Alexander had previously met this elegant gentleman during the winter. Mr. Alan was a dashing gentleman brimming with mature charm, possessing the captivating allure of a seasoned gentleman. Yet now, after only a short time apart, he appeared noticeably thinner. Despite his efforts to look presentable, a sense of despondency hung over him. He seemed as though he had suffered a tremendous blow, appearing almost gaunt.

Alexander and Allen weren't particularly close, so he couldn't pry much information. After exchanging pleasantries, Allen introduced someone even more unexpected—a girl dressed in a tattered skirt and an outdated, patched hat. A maid helped her down from the carriage. Her face looked weak, but she forced a smile and said to Alexander, " Sir, please forgive my abruptness, but you mentioned last time at the tavern that if I wished, you could provide me with a position..."

It was Laura, the second daughter of the Vincent family!

The rosy-cheeked girl from the tavern had vanished, replaced by someone gaunt and frail, even her freckles seeming to lose their sparkle.

It turned out Laura had been driven to desperation by her own brother. Coincidentally, a heartbroken Ellen had sought to avoid Rogers' wedding. Laura had secretly climbed onto the freight wagon that night and traveled far beyond Southden Parish before being discovered. Kneeling on the ground, she recounted her ordeal—Laura had imagined the worst possible outcome, but when her mother too fell ill with cholera, and despite knowing there were places to get medicine on the Black Duke's lands, her brother wouldn't spare a single penny to buy medicine for his poor stepmother, Laura knew her last shred of hope was gone. Swallowing her pride, she borrowed money from her only friend to stew medicine for her mother. After giving her mother final instructions, Laura gambled everything on this one chance.

Over these months, every commoner in the domain knew that Lord Lance and the Dark Duke, working with Physician Charlemagne within the imperial city, had developed a cure for cholera. It saved thousands upon thousands. While plague ravaged the world, throughout all of York, cholera never caused widespread trouble.

For all intents and purposes, York was likely the cleanest and most hygienic place on the entire continent.

Thus Laura found her mother's illness peculiar—no one else in the family had fallen ill, yet it struck her mother, who stubbornly refused to let her daughter be sold off.

Laura had been driven to desperation. She never expected the man sent to collect Mr. Allen would be this Alexander fellow. Her original plan had been to seek work as a female laborer in the Imperial City, as rumors suggested openings... After her mother's ordeal stripped away Laura's last shred of hope, her sole thought became: she must survive.

The more those people tried to kill her, to make her life unbearable, the more she would cling to it. And she would live beautifully, forcing them to watch—to see that she would never give them the satisfaction of seeing her defeated!

Author's Note:

Thanks to Tangyuan Nuonuo for the landmine.

Sorry I couldn't get to the computer yesterday—pre-holiday chaos has me swamped. My gym trainer went home for the holidays too, so I haven't worked out in over a week. My back feels like it's going to snap from sitting too much.

With the New Year approaching, has everyone been keeping up with their workouts?