Chapter 55

Chapter 55: The First Visit

At the boundary between the sky and the sea, everything was white. An orange sun slowly rose from the sea, gradually turning into a blazing golden-white, as if only now fully waking up from a doze.

The white villa had five floors. In the middle, there was a prominent cylindrical structure, while on both sides were rectangular buildings. At the end of the rectangular sections were two large cubes, giving the overall shape. In fact, both sides only had four floors, with only the central section having five. The topmost floor was an elegant conical spire. The villa was mainly white, with dark purple roof tiles and corners, resembling Bavarian style in Lolan Hill’s memory.

Lolan Hill’s room was on the third floor to the left. Outside her window, birds chirped “Cuckoo” among the spruces. White light filtered through the gaps in the dark curtains, illuminating the bedroom. A young lady slept in a white nightgown, her silk-like hair scattered across the pillow, blanket, and her fair collarbone.

After the sun had risen for some time, the young lady reluctantly opened her eyes. She had woken up a little earlier but still didn’t want to get up. After sleeping in a tent and carriage for a long time, lying on the soft bed brought a faint sense of contentment and happiness.

“Might as well get up.” Since she wasn’t alone, she couldn’t just sleep whenever she wanted. She needed to consider her image. As she thought this, she slowly sat up, shook her head to clear her mind, then pulled back the curtain, letting the bright sunlight fill the cozy bedroom.

She tidied her hair at the dressing table and secured her hairband before realizing it was a new bedroom. She wasn’t sure where her clothes were. Looking around, she opened the adjacent white wardrobe and was momentarily overwhelmed by the array of dresses before her.

Were these prepared for her? She had arrived yesterday, meaning they could have been placed here before she entered the room last night. But how did they know her measurements? She had only appeared at the guild headquarters last night.

Lolan Hill randomly picked out a few pieces of clothing to try on and found them surprisingly fitting, not like standard sizes but tailored specifically to her measurements.

How did they manage to prepare them in advance? There was a time difference; when she appeared at the headquarters, it was just nightfall, but when she returned to rest, it was close to dawn, with nearly five hours in between. Was this professionalism?

Recalling the stewards she met yesterday, several were from tailoring workshops. They might have secretly prepared these. She would ask Chelsea and the others later.

Putting aside these thoughts, she chose a fitted white dress, which suited her taste with its subtle blue accents.

There were also Rococo-style elaborate gowns in the wardrobe, bell-shaped with arc-shaped petticoats and intricate pleats, trailing behind. This style was popular among Western nobility, but Lolan Hill found them too restrictive and uncomfortable, like beautifully decorated vases—pretty but not practical.

After a simple grooming, she pushed open the bedroom door. Four maidservants were already waiting outside, which was her request yesterday. According to Chelsea’s standards, twelve should be the norm. This waste of manpower made her sigh. She didn’t need so many servants to show her status, but considering she was unfamiliar with the place, she originally intended to keep just two.

“Good morning, Miss.”

The four maids bowed their heads. They were all quite attractive and young, holding towels, and led her to the bathroom.

For breakfast, they had cranberry bread and honey tea. After eating, Lolan Hill began asking Butler Cerese about some matters.

“How is Mr. Angus’s other child and his mother?”

“They live in a standalone mansion at No. 209 Orchid Street in Hope Lane. The area has good security, and we sent people to protect them covertly yesterday.”

“Alright, prepare an inconspicuous carriage. I’ll visit them secretly today.”

“Yes, Miss.”

After Carithes Guild ended its previous state of uncertainty and welcomed Lolan Hill back, orders started being dispatched from headquarters to distant branches, informing them of future arrangements and decisions. One steward after another left in their carriages, including an ordinary one mixed among them.

Lolan Hill put on a black cloak over her dress before getting into the carriage. As the wheels rolled over the cobblestone streets and turned several corners, they arrived at Orchid Street. This was where early nobles in Hope Lane lived. After Vergha declared independence, most nobles moved away, leaving those who stayed to be bought by wealthy individuals. The area generally had good security. However, the true elite of Hope Lane were not here but in the wider estates to the west, built after Vergha’s establishment, more modern and appealing.

Lolan Hill stepped down from the carriage. Butler Cerese, dressed formally, approached to knock on the door, while two elite guards, disguised as attendants, stood by the carriage, intentionally blocking the view.

The door creaked open. Under the intense midday sunlight, the woman inside seemed momentarily blinded, taking a moment to recognize the butler.

“Good day, Mrs. Mera. I am Cerese, who served under Mr. Angus. Do you remember me?”

“You, yes. You’re someone worthy of respect. You’ve helped me and my child a lot.”

“You flatter me. I was just following Mr. Angus’s instructions to help you.”

Cerese paused slightly, then stepped aside, revealing Lolan Hill to the woman.

“This is Miss Lacy, Mr. Angus’s daughter. She wishes to visit you. Is that alright?”

“Of course, of course. Please wait a moment, the house is a bit messy.”

After a brief wait, Lolan Hill was finally invited in, feeling a cool breeze.

Most of the curtains were drawn, making the lighting poor. Considering it was summer, it was normal to feel hot. The house was dry and cool, quiet except for the occasional sound of a pendulum clock in the hall.

A grandfather clock made of mahogany and brass stood in the center of the hall against the wall, covered in thick dust. In the quiet room, one could see specks of dust slowly floating in the sunlight filtering through the curtains.

Mrs. Mera poured two glasses of cold water from a porcelain teapot onto the table. The lid of the teapot had some dust, but fortunately, the water inside seemed clean, probably prepared yesterday or this morning.

Looking at Mrs. Mera, who wore a black dress, her face pale, with no accessories and slight wrinkles around her temples, despite being in her thirties, she gave off an air of old age. She looked at Lolan Hill with unease and tension.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Mera. There’s unfortunate news I must share today. Mr. Angus was attacked during his return journey and has passed away.”

As the young lady spoke, Mrs. Mera’s hand trembled, knocking over a nearby teacup, shattering it on the ground with a clear sound.