Adrian and the others had a pleasant dinner. Everyone was in good spirits, especially Lionel, who was particularly interested in Axel's medicinal herbs. Despite the darkness, he went out to the field to inspect the plants.After dinner, while Adrian was enjoying a cup of tea, Joe rushed over with alarming news."The former butler heard about Hendrick taking over his position and is on his way to teach Hendrick a lesson right now!" he reported.‘Damn it!’ Adrian recognized the gravity of the situation and knew he had underestimated Lucien.Sebastian was the kind of man who would fool around from dusk till dawn without any care for the manor. Instead, it was Lucien who was in control of everything. It was highly likely that he did not dare seek his revenge on Claude after being chased away by Adrian. However, since he had not been able to gain anything from it, he was going to have his revenge on the villagers. "Take me to Hendrick's place!" Adrian said.Marissa tagged along. Rozi
Bam! Lucien saw the door of the neighboring fly open. He instantly dropped his weapon and ran off. Claude stepped forward, taking out a balm as he said, “Here's some medicine for your bruises, madam. Apply it to your body, and it should relieve the pain. If you still feel unwell tomorrow, come find me at Medicis Manor.”The old woman was immensely grateful. A man who had just come out of the house saw Adrian and, mistaking him for the attacker, grabbed Adrian by the collar.The old lady shouted, “He's not the one who hit me, you idiot! Let him go!” The man’s fist froze in mid-air and looked at Adrian suspiciously. “Who is he? I don't recognize him.”“This is Adrian and a friend of mine," Claude said smilingly, “Stop messing around, Wilmer. Adrian’s a good person, so you shouldn't be laying your hands on him."Wilmer Pullman immediately apologized and asked, “Aren't you the guy who fired Lucien?”“I am,” Adrian said, straightening his clothes. “You have a problem with that?”
“I’m a messenger your sister sent," Adrian said calmly. "Lucien isn’t a good person, and he’ll surely trouble you again. It’s best if you head back to Medicis Manor."A woman's head peeked out from behind Hendrick. "My husband has never managed an estate. He has only ever handled straightforward tasks. I fear he may not be up for the job.""How are you managing your own household?" Adrian asked softly.Hendrick nodded as he lit up a homemade cigar. "Pretty well. My house is in good order and we live a prosperous life, though I'm a bit stubborn."Claude was delighted. "I hate managing trivial matters. If you're willing, you can treat Medicis Manor as your own home."“Really?” Hendrick hesitated. He could not believe such good fortune had fallen into his lap. Claude's offer to make him Medicis Manor’s majordomo must come with a motive—perhaps it was out of respect for his brother-in-law.Adrian, sensing Hendrick's interest, urged, "You should make up your mind quickly. There are se
Lucien froze in his tracks. Having been on the receiving end of Adrian's wrath, he was well aware that Adrian was not one to be trifled with. He cast a glance at the burly man, hoping the latter would intervene.Sure enough, the burly man’s expression darkened. "You bullied my cousin and now attempt to shift blame onto him. Tsk! What absurdity!""Josh is right!" Lucien immediately adopted an arrogant tone. "Absolutely absurd!"At this, both erupted into raucous laughter. "Hahahaha!"Smack! Smack!Unable to tolerate their arrogance, Marissa charged forward and slapped them both.Josh, Lucien’s cousin, was caught off guard, and his expression instantly turned ferocious. He retrieved a whip from his belt and flicked it toward Marissa.Swish! Swish!Marissa quickly stepped back, knowing she was no match for Josh. She had not predicted this attack at all.Josh’s attack missed its target, cracking against the ground and creating fissures that reached Adrian's feet.Adrian himself r
Clapping echoed from the darkness as a group of people emerged, cheering and encircling Adrian. Among them stood an old man with a lengthy beard, who warmly grasped Adrian's hand."Thank you for ridding us of this threat. Lucien relied on Greenhursts’ power to tyrannize our village. Every household suffered under his oppression,” the old man said.Adrian withdrew his hand and addressed the elder, "Your village is under Medicis Manor's jurisdiction. You needn't fear the Greenhursts.""They’re our cousins, so we dare not oppose them. Without you, we'd have been bullied to no end. Now, we can hold our heads high," the elder said gratefully, unconcerned about Adrian's lineage.Claude, embarrassed, hung his head low. Medicis Manor was independent and not under the control of Greenhursts, yet the villagers who lived around the manor were harassed, leaving him with undeniable responsibility."This is my fault, Chief Llyod. In the future, if there are any issues, feel free to look for me
Francine gazed at Adrian's back with wide eyes, her face flushing crimson when he turned back and caught her staring.Adrian looked away and noticed someone coming out of Medicis Manor. Upon a closer look, it was Rozi. He hurriedly went up to her, saying gently, "Why aren't you resting at this late hour?""I was worried about you," Rozi said cheerfully, "Where's Marissa? Why isn’t she back with you?""She's occupied with something," Adrian calmly responded, taking Rozi's hand and attempting to lead her back into the manor, but Rozi had already glimpsed Francine assisting with chores."That girl looks pretty. Who is she?" Rozi asked."Her name is Francine," Adrian answered nonchalantly, "She’s the granddaughter of the village chief, Chief Llyod. She might serve Claude soon. You don't need to worry about her."Rozi smiled, saying, "I'm not jealous, just surprised. She looks too refined to be someone from the countryside."Adrian shared the same impression. But since he could not i
Francine's bashful demeanor had been a clear sign of her deep affection. It did not seem like an act. But how in the world could she be attracted to him?Adrian's silence distressed Rozi even more. Tears cascaded down her face. "Adrian, this is all my fault. You have to distance yourself from me.”"No, this isn’t your fault!" Adrian shook off his reverie and gently clasped Rozi's hand. "Someone must have orchestrated this against me."Lionel disagreed. Adrian, being a formidable warrior, was not an easy target. Lionel found it implausible for someone to plot against him or get close enough for such a scheme."You might’ve come into contact with something unusual that caused these changes," Lionel suggested."No." Adrian was certain he had not interacted with anyone strange. The only thing he recalled was standing under a black locust tree and catching a faint fragrance. "I'm sure of it."Rozi was unconcerned about that. She instead asked, "Lionel, can you heal him?""Why, of cou
Adrian grasped Rozi's hand firmly. "Your aging is stabilized for the time being. Don't worry, this is just a minor setback. We're both the same age now, so there's nothing to worry about."Pfft!Rozi burst out in laughter, her earlier sadness dissipating in an instant. Adrian had a knack for remaining composed even in the toughest moments."I want to go with you,” she insisted.Adrian declined firmly, "My condition is acting up. If you are affected again, even if I find the Green Plum Grass, it might not work."Lionel nodded in agreement. He then stopped Adrian, who was about to leave. "I'll stabilize your condition first. It should be able to keep your condition under control for three days. If you do not find the Dragonbone Whip by then, your aging will double.""But how do we remove the poison from him?" Rozi asked, worried.Lionel responded confidently, "I'm currently suppressing it forcibly. Even if Adrian is exposed to Dragonspittle Poison again, it won't affect him."The