Each With Their Own Thoughts

Each with Their Own Thoughts (Second Revision)

(The plot is undergoing major revisions starting from this chapter. Please read it again. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm going to squat in the corner and cry!)

Viscount Crowell clearly had no head for schemes and intrigue. Hearing this, he was rather surprised and said, "Could the family in the imperial capital send someone to punish Nicholas? York was obviously the one in the wrong. Nicholas only attacked because he lost his temper for a moment."

Li Junshan rolled his eyes helplessly. A father like this was really... really adorable.

"I don't know whether anyone from the imperial capital will come," Linda said with a faint smile. "But I'd guess that before long, Nicholas will definitely have to go to the imperial capital. Haven't you noticed? Since last year, any youngster in the Harriman Family with some aptitude has been taken to the imperial capital, haven't they? Nicholas, are you willing to go?"

Li Junshan nodded, then realized she could not see it and said, "I definitely have to go. I still have many questions about summoning arts. They may only be resolved through systematic study."

Crowell was not stupid either. He immediately understood, and his face broke into a broad smile. Just then, he heard someone come in from outside.

"My lord, it's a senior priest and an apothecary. They said Earl Ross sent them to treat madam's injury," Raymond said as he walked in and bowed.

"Quickly, invite them in," Crowell said excitedly. Linda, on the other hand, looked completely calm, as if it had nothing to do with her.

Two people came in from outside then. One was a middle-aged man dressed in white, with a triangular silver pendant hanging over his chest. The other wore a black robe embroidered on the chest with a white cross and carried a small satchel made from the hide of some unknown magical beast.

"Mr. Crowell, I apologize to you for my rudeness earlier." The middle-aged man in white bowed in salute as soon as he came up.

"No need to be so polite, priest," Crowell said calmly. Knowing that his son would receive the family's attention, the noble bearing he had not shown for so long once again radiated from him.

The priest exchanged a few more pleasantries, then gave Li Junshan a fearful glance and led the apothecary toward the inner room. Linda had already lain down on a long chair with Tina's help. The priest and the apothecary went over, asked pardon, and began to examine her carefully.

"How is it?" Li Junshan grew somewhat anxious after seeing them examine and discuss for quite a while.

"Young master, there is no need to worry," the priest hurriedly said. "It is nothing serious. There is only some pooled blood. It can recover."

As he spoke, the priest took out a silver rod more than half an arm long and silently chanted something. After a while, a beam of white light projected from the tip of the silver rod and sank into Linda's left eye. Immediately after, another beam of white light flew out and entered her right eye.

"Close your eyes and rest for a while first." The priest was clearly somewhat exhausted. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "It will be fine in just a little while."

At this moment, the apothecary opened the small satchel he carried with him and used several little wooden sticks wrapped in silk cotton to dab some strange medicinal liquid that gave off a faint, fresh fragrance, gently wiping it over Linda's eyelids.

"This is Firefly Grass liquid. It can speed up blood circulation," the apothecary explained with a faint smile when he saw how tense Crowell and Li Junshan were.

Crowell and Li Junshan had no attention to spare for him. Raymond led them out to be entertained outside, while the two of them did not even dare breathe loudly, watching the quietly lying Linda with tense expressions.

After a long time, Linda's eyelashes trembled gently, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her lively eyes were clear as water. She sat up, looked at Li Junshan, and smiled. "My Nicholas really is different from before."

Crowell and Li Junshan were overjoyed and rushed over together to embrace her.

Earl Ross was furious. From the time he came back until now, he had smashed a total of seven tea sets and three antique vases, including a purple crystal screen he had liked in the past.

"Bastard." Feeling only the resentment in his heart, Ross grabbed the fourth antique vase in the room and hurled it heavily to the floor. With a crash, it shattered into pieces.

"To think he dared act so insolently in front of me. No one in Floro City has ever dared treat me like that." Ross's anger blazed.

"My lord," Bertrand said quietly from the side, "in truth, you need not be too angry. This matter may not necessarily be a bad thing for you."

"How so?" Ross looked at his personal guard, panting heavily.

Bertrand said respectfully, "A group of thieves kidnapped Young Master Nicholas in Floro City. At the time, another young man who happened to be passing by was killed by the thieves, so everyone thought Nicholas was dead. In order to continue the Harriman Family title's succession in Floro City, you agreed, at the joint request of Viscount Crowell and Mr. York, for Viscount Crowell to pass the title to Mr. York. Later, Nicholas escaped from the thieves and returned. Seeing that York had taken away the title he should have inherited, he came into conflict with Mr. York.

"Young men are hot-blooded, so it was inevitable that he would fail to hold back when he attacked. Later, the matter grew somewhat larger. However, under your mediation, my lord, York was willing to return the viscount title to Mr. Crowell. At the same time, through this incident, you discovered that Young Master Nicholas had become a summoner, a summoner with an unknown number of very powerful summoned beasts, and that this summoner very easily defeated a Great Battle Master and a Great Summoner."

Ross's eyes lit up. Stroking his neatly washed beard on his chin, he said, "You mean I should write a letter and send what you just said to those old fellows in the imperial capital?"

Bertrand bowed and said, "My lord is wise. If you do not hurry, I estimate it will not be long before this matter reaches the imperial capital. By then, anything you say will be too late, and you will be constrained at every turn."

"Good." Ross slammed the table, startling the maid beside him who was cleaning up the vase shards so badly that she shuddered. She hurriedly lowered her head and swept.

"Will there be any issue with Crowell..." Ross frowned slightly and lowered his head in thought.

"My lord, you know Crowell's temperament. With a little appeasement, there should be no problem. It is only that getting Nicholas to accept our version may take some effort."

"What on earth happened in these past six months?" Earl Ross looked helpless and said, "I saw Nicholas a year ago. He was shy and bashful, not daring to say even one extra word, no different from his father. How did he become like an entirely different person in half a year?"

"Tell York to get out of the viscount's estate before tomorrow afternoon, then have the imperial court handle the title transfer documents. Mm, you go with him and take a look too. Don't let anything go wrong. Have Crowell move back into the viscount's estate tomorrow. I'll go over then and discuss the specific matters with them while I'm at it."

"Yes, my lord." Bertrand bowed in salute and withdrew.

This night was destined to be an extraordinary one for everyone in the Harriman Family of Floro City.

York's residence was deathly still. The servants coming and going all lightened their footsteps and desperately held their breath, afraid that one careless mistake would bring fatal disaster upon them.

Just now, a maid who had accidentally knocked over a teacup had been ordered by York to be dragged out and beaten to death with sticks, and this very maid had still been deeply favored by the master the day before.

The room was silent. York's obese body was buried in a wide chair. His legs were wrapped in thick bandages, and the scent of medicine filled the air.

Sitting opposite him was Feixi, wearing an indifferent expression, her eyes full of hatred.

"When you return to the imperial capital, tell your elder brother Brandon about this," York said, the fat on his face twisting. "He is only an intermediate mage right now, not a match for that Nicholas. For now, he must endure."

Feixi nodded and did not speak.

"Since last year, Marquis Sweet has been selecting large numbers of talented and outstanding young people from the family in every field. Since Brandon could win his regard and be sent to Imperial First Academy, Nicholas will definitely have a chance too."

"This vengeance must be taken, but not now. Brandon's temperament has always been perverse, and he cannot tolerate others. You must persuade him not to be impulsive." As York spoke, he shifted his body, but unexpectedly, a burst of intense pain came from his legs, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"I don't know what sort of opportunity Nicholas encountered. In half a year, he became a summoner and even defeated Earl Ross's Great Summoner. As for the things I've done, perhaps because of Brandon, those above will not treat us too harshly. At most, it will cost more money."

"What is money?" York endured the sharp pain and said, "I have no other ability in this life, but money is not something that can trouble me. Feixi, remember this: in this world, strength will always do the talking."

"You should return to the imperial capital tomorrow," York said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Then he continued, "If Brandon tries to make a move against Nicholas, you have to find a way to stop him."

Feixi still only nodded in silence. As she looked at the thick bandages on York's leg, her eyes were filled with rage.

Late at night, Claur's temporary residence, which had been bustling all day, finally quieted down. More than a dozen guards, both in the open and in hiding, protected the estate.

The vast residence was silent now. In the simple basement in the rear courtyard, a sliver of light seeped out through the cracks in the wooden planks covering the entrance.

"Young Master is completely different from before." Two guards were pacing back and forth above the basement when one of them said in a low voice, "To be honest, the old master's temperament was too weak. Like Young Master is now—that feels satisfying."

"What are you talking nonsense for?" The other guard glared at him, then looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he finally broke into a smile and said quietly, "I feel the same way. You know, Young Master went missing for half a year, and after he came back, it was like he'd become a different person. He's so charismatic. My wife was even blaming me before for following the old master and not leaving; life at home was almost impossible to get through. When she finds out tomorrow that I got ten gold coins all at once and my monthly pay went up by another two gold coins, she'll probably die of joy."

"Heh heh." The other guard laughed and said, "Same here."

As they spoke, the two of them looked around, then headed toward the front courtyard.