As the morning sun painted the room with its gentle glow, Yuan remained nestled on his spacious bed, encircled by his wives. Suddenly, a tender sensation on his face roused him, and he blinked his eyes open.
Before him was his mother, Grace, her captivating features framed by an enigmatic smile. Yuan could tell it was her kiss that had stirred him from slumber.
Grace, her tone both shy and seductive, murmured, “It seems I roused you with my little…indulgence. You look so adorable and handsome when you sleep, I couldn’t resist kissing you…”
Yuan shook his head ever so slightly, drawing her face closer to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Good morning, Mom Grace. There’s no need to apologize. I was already on the brink of waking up.”
Grace beamed warmly at Yuan, planting a tender kiss on his cheeks. Feeling the soft touch of his mother’s lips, Yuan couldn’t help but smile, his mind adrift.
‘She’s truly unpredictable at times, but it’s her unique charm, and I love every facet of it,’ he mused.
With a graceful turn, Grace rose from the bed, addressing Yuan. “Darling, I’ll go freshen up. You can follow.”
“Of course, take your time,” Yuan nodded, a smile gracing his features as he turned his attention to his slumbering wives.
Moments later, after Grace had entered the washroom, his mother Anna stirred, awakened by the murmur of voices. Rubbing her eyes, she regarded her dear son with a sleepy yet affectionate smile. “Good morning, dear.”
“Good morning, Mom Anna,” Yuan murmured, drawing closer to share a morning kiss. Anna reciprocated, their gestures a tender exchange of affection.
As the other wives gradually woke, Yuan bestowed a good morning kiss upon each of them. Anna’s gaze wandered the room, but Grace was conspicuously absent. She turned to Yuan, concern in her eyes. “Dear, where’s Grace? I don’t see her…”
“Oh, Mom Grace used the washroom just before you woke up,” Yuan reassured her.
“I see…” Anna nodded.
A moment later, the washroom door creaked open, revealing Grace in a fresh attire, her expression as cool and collected as ever. “Darling, the washroom is all yours.”
Yuan headed to the washroom, returning a few minutes later with a revitalized air. Subsequently, his wives took their turns, with Rose making a brief detour to her own room for a change of clothes.
Some time later, Yuan and his wives gathered in the dining hall for breakfast. The entire Monore family had already assembled, awaiting the meal.
Madam Layla greeted them warmly, “Good morning, Yuan. You’ve all timed your arrival perfectly. Please, have a seat. Breakfast will be served shortly.”
“Good morning, Madam Layla. It appears everyone rose early today. Is there a special occasion?” Yuan inquired with a smile, settling at the expansive dining table.
Madam Layla shook her head, an awkward smile on her lips. “No special reason for our early rising. It’s simply that after you dealt with Lord Harrison yesterday, a weight has been lifted. We enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep, a rarity lately.”
Yuan and his wives anticipated this response, showing little surprise at Madam Layla’s words.
“We understand. That wretch was truly insufferable,” Anna remarked, her smile fading into a look of disdain.
“Let’s not spoil breakfast discussing that wretched man. The mere thought of him makes me queasy…” Lily chimed in, her tone nonchalant, yet her expression showed her distaste.
Laughter rippled through the group, their shared amusement over Lily’s vivid expressions. Lord Harrison had indeed possessed a face only a mother could love.
“I wanted to sever his head from his body the moment he leered at us. Never have I encountered such a repugnant individual,” Grace declared, her voice cold and resolute, sending a shiver through the Monroe family.
“Hahaha,” Madam Layla chuckled awkwardly, “Miss Grace, your humor is quite…unique. Haha.”
“But I’m not joking. I’m entirely serious,” Grace asserted, her tone remaining unyielding and icy.
At this moment, Ivy, carrying an array of dishes, arrived at the dining hall. She greeted them cheerfully, “Sorry for the wait. I was multitasking since some of the maids are still resting.”
Following her were a few maids, laden with trays of food, which they arranged on the expansive table.
“No need to worry, Ivy. We woke up earlier today, so it’s not their fault for being a little behind,” Madam Layla reassured her. 𝒆𝙣𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝙚𝙩
After Ivy had efficiently served breakfast, she quietly left the scene. Madam Layla looked around at the expectant faces and suggested, “Shall we begin? We wouldn’t want our food to go cold, would we?”
Anna eagerly agreed, “Definitely!”
Xi Meili’s eyes sparkled as she surveyed the lavish spread before her. “Wow, there’s so much food! Where should I start?”
She was genuinely puzzled by the abundance of delectable dishes. Anna smiled at her daughter-in-law, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. “Hehehe~ Don’t overthink it. Just pick any dish you’d like. Why not start with these pancakes? They smell wonderful.” With that, she handed Xi Meili a plate.
“Alright, I’ll try the pancakes first,” Xi Meili decided, using her fork to take a bite.
“Mmmm! They’re delicious!” she exclaimed, eyes shining with delight.
“Hehehe~” The others couldn’t help but chuckle at her enthusiastic reaction, though Xi Meili was too absorbed in her pancakes to notice.
With everyone tucking into their meals, plates were emptied and filled in quick succession. Yuan, Xi Meili, and Yuan worked through dish after dish, savoring every bite.
‘No matter how many times I see this, their appetites still astound me… Where does it all go?’ Madam Layla wondered, watching in amazement.
The Monore family, except for Rose who understood the secret, couldn’t fathom how someone as slender as Xi Meili could devour so much.
‘Given her true nature, it’s no wonder she has such an appetite. She’s essentially a living dragon,’ Rose mused, glancing at Xi Meili before resuming her own meal in quiet concentration.
Madam Layla couldn’t help but furrow her brows at Rose, her mind swirling with confusion. ‘When did Rose develop such an appetite? Isn’t she worried about gaining weight at this rate?’
She was taken aback by the sudden surge in her daughter’s appetite. Rose was consuming twice as much as before, a surprising development.
‘Did her appetite grow after spending the night with Yuan?’ Madam Layla pondered.
Meanwhile, in another location, Lord Ivan roused within the tent provided by the accompanying soldiers on their journey to Pinebrook village.
Upon emerging from the tent, he noted the absence of his comrades and thought, “Perhaps I slept longer than expected.”
Sighing, he reasoned, “It’s understandable. The journey was rather exhausting. They can’t fault me for a little extra rest.” Lord Ivan rose to his feet and stepped out.
As soon as he appeared, Lady Diana greeted him playfully, her beautiful smile lighting up her face. “Ah, Lord Ivan, you’re up! Good morning. Please, have a seat. Breakfast will be served shortly.”
“Good morning, Lady Diana, Lady Eliza, Lord Joseph. I apologize for oversleeping, especially as the leader of this mission appointed by His Majesty,” Lord Ivan spoke, his head slightly bowed.
Lady Diana reassured him, “No need for apologies. We only just woke up ourselves. The road here is far from comfortable compared to the capital and other towns.”
As a high-ranking official, she had mastered the art of concealing her emotions and maintaining a composed facade, which proved invaluable in her line of work.
Lady Eliza, now a master of concealing her true feelings, calmly responded, “Indeed, just as Lady Diana mentioned, there’s no need to apologize, Lord Ivan. You are the leader of this mission, after all. Maintain your dignity.”
A few minutes later, Joseph Baker fixed his gaze on Lord Ivan and inquired, “Lord Ivan, what’s our plan once we reach our destination? How are we proceeding from there?”
Lord Ivan wore a confident smile and reassured, “You needn’t worry about that. I’ve already dispatched some of our spies to Pinebrook village to gather information on the targets as soon as I received the mission from His Majesty. Once we arrive, we’ll simply follow the plan.”
Lady Eliza, recognizing Lord Ivan’s foresight, couldn’t help but smile slyly to herself. ‘Just as expected of a crafty strategist like Lord Ivan. He made preparations well in advance.’
“Hehehe~ I see, very shrewd, Lord Ivan… It’s no surprise, considering you’re the King’s personal advisor. You’ve assessed the situation before our arrival. That’s why you seem so assured,” Lady Diana remarked.
Lord Ivan gave an awkward smile. “Well, it will save us the trouble of identifying the targets. Time is of the essence, as we speak.”
“Absolutely,” they all agreed.
Later, after they shared breakfast, Lord Ivan approached the captain of the soldiers accompanying them on the mission.
“Captain, has everyone finished their breakfast?” Lord Ivan inquired.
“My Lord, everyone concluded their meal a moment ago. We’re now in the process of dismantling the camp. After that, we’ll be ready to resume our journey,” the captain, clad in silver armor, promptly reported.
“Very well. Once you’re prepared, we’ll continue our journey. We’ll be resting inside our carriages,” Lord Ivan instructed.
“Understood, My Lord!” The captain nodded and hastened off to assist his comrades, ensuring a swift departure from the location.
As the captain departed, Lord Ivan settled into the comfortable seat inside the carriage.
“Are we set to depart, Lord Ivan?” Joseph Baker inquired as soon as Lord Ivan took his place.