Yuan and his wives arrived at the living hall after resting in his room for a while. As they entered, they saw Madam Layla, Ava, and Julie sitting on the plush sofa, wearing somewhat dazed expressions.
The entire hall was enveloped in an unusual silence, with the three women lost in thought.
Yuan and his wives exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what might have caused this sudden solemnity.
Rose, in particular, appeared anxious and worried, her gaze shifting between her mother and sisters.
“Mom, Ava, Julie, what’s going on? Why do you all look so serious? Has something significant happened in the village?” Rose’s concerned voice pierced through the quietude, rousing them from their contemplation.
They turned to Rose, their expressions gradually returning to normal, and noticed Yuan and his wives standing nearby.
Madam Layla, sensing Rose’s worry, shook her head gently. “Oh, it’s nothing to be concerned about. A little while ago, two individuals came on behalf of their Lord, seeking an audience with us tomorrow morning. It’s nothing more than that, my dear.”
“I see,” Rose nodded, understanding the situation.
She knew her mother and sisters had their hands full managing the city and overseeing new projects, especially after the recent mountain lord attack. They were likely engrossed in thoughts about the village’s development.
Rather than focusing on repairing the existing damage, Madam Layla opted for the further expansion of the village, foreseeing that rapid growth would save considerable gold coins, which could be allocated to other essential areas.
Yuan’s brow furrowed at his mother-in-law’s decision. He inquired, “Madam Layla, who is the other party seeking an audience with you?”
“Yuan, haven’t I told you to call me Mother-in-law, or simply Mother?” Madam Layla chided gently, a smile playing on her lips. She continued,
“As for the other party, it’s none other than the personal advisor to the king, Lord Ivan. He and his companions arrived here earlier today, around noon. Currently, they are lodged at the Silver Moon Inn.”
Rose’s mind raced with possibilities.
‘Could Lord Ivan be the mastermind behind those unidentified individuals snooping around, asking questions about Yuan and his wives?’ she wondered, her face reflecting her contemplation.
“Mom, do you think it’s possible that Lord Ivan is involved in the recent inquiries about Yuan and his wives in our village? I have a feeling he might be the one orchestrating it,” Rose shared her suspicions with her mother, her expression pensive.
Madam Layla nodded in agreement, acknowledging Rose’s concerns. “I’ve had similar thoughts, but without concrete evidence, we can’t be certain. All we can do is await tomorrow’s audience and discern their true intentions for coming to our village.”
“It seems that we can only wait for tomorrow to know their objective…” Lily, seated beside Yuan, mumbled in a subdued voice, disappointment written on her face.
Madam Layla observed Lily’s expression and nodded in agreement. “That seems to be the case here…”
A moment later, Yuan turned his attention to Ava and Julie, who were seated beside their mother. They gazed back at him with a shy, hesitant demeanor.
‘Are they feeling shy or something? Either way, they look adorable…’ Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at the two girls’ endearing behavior.
“Ava, Julie, how was your work today? Is it going well?” Yuan inquired, a warm smile on his face.
“Boring! All I did was run around collecting notes about the imported suppliers from other villages and cities…” Julie replied, her voice tinged with weariness as she took a deep breath.
“Is that so…” Yuan responded with a smile, turning his attention to Ava.
“Well, my work was actually quite easy today. I made a significant profit by selling the leather and bones extracted from the monsters you killed during the attack.” Ava shared with Yuan, a shy smile gracing her face.
“You’ve become quite capable, Ava…” Rose praised her sister, her smile filled with genuine pride. She was truly proud of Ava for sealing such a substantial deal and turning a good profit.
However, at that moment, a soldier abruptly burst into the living hall. Madam Layla and the others frowned at the soldier, including Yuan.
“How dare you interrupt my precious time with my family?” Madam Layla’s eyes flashed with anger as she glared at the soldier, irate at the intrusion.
She had been looking forward to this moment with her daughters, her son-in-law, and his other wives, finally able to spend quality time together after a hectic day.
“My Lady, please pardon my intrusion. I have brought an important news to you…” The soldier quickly said, a hint of fear in his voice as he addressed Madam Layla.
“Alright, tell me what important news you’ve brought?” Madam Layla ordered, her tone authoritative.
“My Lady, the guards who were patrolling at the gate sent me here to inform you that a carriage has arrived from the Magic Academy. Inside the carriage are two very high-ranking mages from the Academy.” The guard relayed the message promptly.
“What?! Mages from the Magic Academy???” Madam Layla’s face immediately shifted to a serious expression. Why would the Magic Academy take an interest in their village? Could they also be targeting Yuan and his wives?
This revelation shocked not only Madam Layla, but her daughters as well. Even Yuan’s wives were taken aback by the unexpected news.
“Is this a coincidence or something more? First, officials from the kingdom arrive, and now mages from the Magic Academy! It can’t be just a coincidence, can it?” Rose pondered aloud, her voice barely above a murmur, clearly surprised by the turn of events.
Meanwhile, Yuan and his wives listened calmly, their expressions composed. Anna, however, seemed a bit more concerned, but that worry soon dissipated.
She knew how formidable her son was when it came to combat.
Yuan and his wife, Xi Meili, were noticeably more composed compared to the others, seemingly unfazed by the developments outside the manor. They exuded an air of calm detachment.
Madam Layla then redirected her attention to the soldier and inquired, “Is there anything else, or was that the extent of the news?”
“That was all the news I had, My Lady,” the soldier promptly replied.
“Very well. You may take your leave. Additionally, increase security within the village. I want to ensure there are no disturbances,” Madam Layla ordered.
“As you wish, My Lady. I will inform the soldiers of this,” the soldier responded, bowing slightly to Madam Layla and Rose before departing.
Meanwhile, Tyler and Ryan returned to the Silver Moon Inn and made a beeline for the rooms where their Lord and the other members of their party were lodged.
The receptionist was taken aback by their sense of urgency. She couldn’t fathom why they were rushing so frantically to their room.
After arriving at the door of Lord Ivan’s room, Tyler knocked several times.
Knock! Knock!
Unfortunately, there was no response from the other side of the door, despite Tyler’s repeated attempts.
In a louder voice, he called out, “Lord Ivan, it’s me, Tyler. Please open the door. I have important news for you…”
Tyler suspected that Lord Ivan might be asleep, exhausted from the long carriage ride. He hoped his voice would reach him.
They diligently knocked on the doors of those who had come with Lord Ivan, but received no response. Confusion furrowed Tyler’s brow.
“Why isn’t Lord Ivan responding? Could he be absent?”
Ryan pondered for a moment. “Maybe they’ve gone exploring the village?”
As they debated the possibilities, a familiar voice chimed in from behind them. “What brings you both to our doors with such grave expressions? Has Madam Layla not agreed to our meeting?”
The pair swiftly turned, and indeed, it was Lord Ivan. Alongside him were Lady Eliza, Lady Diana, and Lord Joseph.
“Lord Ivan, Madam Layla has graciously accepted your request for an audience tomorrow morning. She emphasized the importance of punctuality due to her demanding schedule,” Tyler reported promptly.
“Excellent news! We shall pay her a visit tomorrow morning,” Lord Ivan responded with a pleased smile, his satisfaction evident.
However, Tyler’s countenance swiftly turned serious. “My Lord, there’s another matter of great concern. It demands our attention urgently.”
Lord Ivan and his companions furrowed their brows, clearly intrigued by Tyler’s grave demeanor. “What is it? I’m rather fatigued and in need of rest,” Lord Ivan responded, his weariness showing. 𝒆𝙣𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝙚𝙩
Tyler proceeded cautiously, “My Lord, we’ve heard rumors of two mages from the Magic Academy arriving in the village after your party. I suspect they might have motives similar to ours.”
“What did you say? Mages from the Magic Academy?” Lord Ivan exclaimed, his surprise evident. This revelation sent shockwaves through not just him, but also Lord Joseph, Lady Eliza, and Lady Diana.
‘It can’t be mere coincidence that the Academy’s mages arrived here on the same day as us. This can’t be a casual visit… I’m afraid they share our objectives,’ Lord Ivan thought, his face reflecting a mixture of seriousness and concern.
Gathering his composure, Lord Ivan addressed his companions, “Let’s move this discussion indoors. Such a grave matter can’t be addressed out in the open, can it?”