“A few seconds later, Rowena and Silas heard footsteps on the other side of the door, and soon they heard someone knocking.
Knock! Knock!
“Who’s outside?” Rowena called out, turning her gaze towards the door.
“Miss Rowena, It’s me, Ivan, along with Lady Eliza, Lady Diana, and Lord Joseph. We’re here to check on Mr. Silas…”
Hearing Lord Ivan’s voice, Rowena and Silas exchanged a glance. Rowena then approached the door.
“Oh, it’s Lord Ivan, and also Lord Joseph, Lady Eliza, and Lady Diana. Please wait a second, let me open the door for you…” Rowena swiftly made her way to the door and welcomed Lord Ivan and the others inside.
“Please, come inside and have a seat. Mr. Silas just woke up from his unconscious state a moment ago…”
Following Rowena’s invitation, Lord Ivan and the others entered Silas’s bedroom. They found Silas seated on the bed, appearing somewhat melancholic but not as despondent as they might have anticipated.
Lord Ivan and his companions took the available chairs in the room. Observing Silas’s expression, Lord Ivan couldn’t help but think, ‘Even though he’s become a cripple, he’s holding up remarkably well. This kind of resilience is fitting for a combat instructor at the magic academy.’
“Mr. Silas, are you feeling okay? You lost quite a lot of blood at the Monroe family. We were quite worried about you,” Lord Ivan inquired, wearing a reassuring smile.
He continued, “We couldn’t have come any sooner, as you know, Lord Joseph here was also injured by Yuan and he just regained consciousness. I hope you and Miss Rowena understand our situation, which is quite similar.”
‘Hmph! Worried my ass… I know you arrived here just to gawk at my condition. Now you all have ruined my alone time with my dear Rowena… Sigh!’ Silas muttered inwardly, letting out a sigh of resignation.
It’s clear that Silas didn’t appreciate the kingdom’s officials being in his bedroom, where he’d rather be alone with Rowena. He muttered curses in his heart against them.
“Well, I’m feeling perfectly fine now, thanks for worrying about me, though… However, I’m still regretting my decision. Now that I think about it, I realize how foolish I was. Without knowing, I had stuck my finger in a lion’s den…” Silas remarked, maintaining a calm demeanor.
Lord Joseph nodded in agreement, saying, “I can understand your feelings, Mr. Silas. I’ve been through something similar, although my case wasn’t as serious as yours. I, too, was bested by that bastard…”
“I see… So, we’re both in the same boat, huh? What a coincidence!” Silas exclaimed, releasing a long sigh.
A while later, Silas fixed Lord Joseph with a serious gaze and asked, “Lord Joseph, are you planning to seek revenge on Yuan for what he did to us?”
Silas’s words about revenge caused Lord Joseph and the others to furrow their brows. While Lord Joseph had already abandoned such thoughts, hearing them from Silas was surprising.
‘Is this guy trying to dig his own grave by contemplating revenge against Yuan? Did he lose his senses after that beating?’ Lord Joseph wondered, gazing at Silas with astonishment.
Rowena, too, regarded Silas with an awkward expression, thinking, ‘What is this fool thinking? Seeking revenge against Yuan? How foolish.’
“Mr. Silas, truth be told, I’ve let go of the idea of revenge after careful consideration,” Lord Joseph stated with a composed demeanor.
Silas, intrigued, inquired, “Why’s that?”
“Well, considering how unbelievably strong he is, it’d be suicide to go up against him again. I doubt anyone within our kingdom is powerful enough to take on that monster. So, thinking about revenge at this point would be futile.”
“I see your point, Lord Joseph. It would indeed be a suicide attempt if we tried to seek revenge on Yuan… It seems I’ll have to let go of the idea of revenge against that bastard, at least for now,” Silas said after considering Lord Joseph’s words.
Rowena couldn’t help but shake her head at the last part of Silas’s sentence. ‘This guy is still fixated on revenge even after realizing how ridiculously strong his opponent is… What am I going to do with this stubborn fool?’
It was evident that Silas couldn’t shake off the thought of retaliating against Yuan for his crippling injuries. He seemed to overlook the fact that it was his own foolish arrogance that led to this outcome. After all, who told him to provoke Yuan by thinking of punishing one of his wives?
The exchange of words between the two parties continued for a few more moments.
—
Meanwhile, Yuan sat in the back garden of the manor with his wives and the Monroe family, excluding James, whom Madam Layla had sent to oversee the construction work. She wanted to ensure the workers were diligent and not slacking off.
“Yuan, was it the right decision to cripple Mr. Silas, considering his influential position as one of the key teachers at the Magic Academy? I’m quite concerned about the potential repercussions from the Academy,” Madam Layla expressed, wearing a serious expression.
She worried for Yuan’s safety, partly because he was now her son-in-law, and her daughters cared for him deeply.
“No need to worry. I have a good sense of their strength. Knowing that one of their best combat instructors was defeated so easily and left crippled, they won’t dare to come after me or my wives,” Yuan reassured after exchanging a quick glance with his wives, who smiled back at him.
‘Sigh! He’s still so affectionate with his wives, even when we’re discussing such a serious matter… Well, they’re young and full of energy, I suppose it can’t be helped,’ Madam Layla sighed inwardly, shaking her head as she watched Yuan dote on his wives.
“Since you’re sounding so confident about it, I won’t think about it anymore,” Madam Layla said a moment later, placing her trust in Yuan’s words.
A moment later, Madam Layla inquired, “By the way, Yuan. How long do you all plan to stay here? Aren’t you intending to go to the capital?”
“We’ll be resuming our journey to the capital in a few days. We’ve lingered in this village longer than anticipated, so it’s best for us to continue our journey as soon as possible,” Anna promptly replied to Madam Layla, knowing her to be as shrewd as a fox.
Yuan nodded with a smile and explained, “Indeed! We’ve overstayed our initial plans, and we can’t afford any more delays. We’re giving Rose, Ava, and Julie some time to spend with you since they’ll be joining us on our journey.”
Madam Layla’s expression became a little awkward and tinged with sadness upon learning that her dear daughters would be leaving with Yuan and his wives in a few days. “So, Rose, Ava, and Julie will be following you?”
Seeing her mother’s melancholy look, Rose approached her and sat close, speaking with a smile, “Since Yuan is my everything now, I naturally have to go wherever he goes. Besides, daughters eventually have to leave their parents’ home after marriage, right, Mom?”
“Sadly, yes. Daughters do have to leave their parents’ home once they get married… Sigh,” Madam Layla acknowledged after a moment, releasing a long sigh.
Though she understood that her daughters would one day leave her side, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness. It would be a long time before she could see her daughters again after they left. She looked at Rose, Ava, and Julie, saying, “However, I never expected that day would come so soon…”
Ava and Julie also gazed at their mother, their eyes brimming with emotion, for they too felt that this moment had arrived too quickly.
A few minutes later, Yuan turned to Madam Layla. “Madam Layla, how much do you know about the capital?”
Hearing this, Madam Layla seemed a little puzzled and asked, “Why do you ask? Don’t you know yourself? Besides, didn’t I tell you to call me mother-in-law? Why do you keep calling me Madam Layla?”
“It’s a bit embarrassing, but the truth is that I don’t know much about the kingdom myself. Although Lily has been to the capital, she doesn’t know much herself since the Magic Academy she attended was in a separate area. That’s why I’m asking you,” Yuan admitted, a slightly awkward smile on his face.
Madam Layla chuckled. “Well, since you asked, I’ll tell you as much as I know about the capital. However, even I know only a little about it, as I haven’t been there in a long time.”
“That’s perfectly fine. As long as it’s of some use to me.”
“Alright then,” Madam Layla agreed with a smile.
She proceeded to tell Yuan about the capital, sharing everything she knew about it. Yuan and his wives listened intently, absorbing every detail. As Madam Layla continued, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the garden began to be illuminated by the twinkling glows of fireflies.
Unbeknownst to them, Yuan and his wives lost track of time while engrossed in Madam Layla’s words, only realizing it had grown dark. 𝚍ｏ𝚟𝚕.ｏｒｇ
After a while, Madam Layla finished her account of the capital and suggested, “It’s quite dark now. Let’s head inside. You all should take a bath and freshen up before dinner is ready.”
Yuan and his wives nodded, following Madam Layla’s lead as they made their way back into the manor.