Chapter 242
Avery did not know that Raul had already been demoted. After leaving the palace, Raul went straight to the inn where Margaery was staying. He had expected to find Joshua, Avery, and Andrew there, but instead of meeting his three sons, he saw Nathan.
But at this moment, Raul seemed lost and did not answer Avery. Joshua frowned deeply upon hearing the guard’s reply and said, “The imperial guards are the King’s men. For them to openly come and remove the nameplate means this is no longer the Chancellor’s estate.
“I just don’t know how many ranks Dad has been demoted this time.” As he spoke, he began to cough.
Avery felt a chill run through his body. “If Dad has been demoted, won’t we be looked down upon in Sinderin City?” he said.
The reputation he had cherished above all else was now reduced to nothing in that moment. Whether he still cared about it or not, it was already gone.
Andrew only felt his head buzzing. In the end, he ran out the door after saying, “I’m going to ask my master!”
Andrew’s master, Grace, was the King’s aunt’s daughter and now his cousin. During the late king’s reign, she was granted the title of princess and established her own residence. Her high status is self–evident.
Raul had placed Andrew under her guidance, grooming him in the traditional arts, with the expectation that one day he would succeed her and become a benchmark of elegance among Sinderin City’s cultural elite. He had never expected things to turn out this way.
Joshua called out to Raul several times, but he did not respond. Seeing that, he had no choice but to tell Avery, “Take a look at Dad. What’s wrong with him?”
Avery snapped back to his senses, suddenly realizing he was a physician. He stepped forward to check the father’s pulse. frowned deeply, and said, “Let’s help him back first. He seems unable to bear the blow and may need some time to recover.”
Joshua had no choice but to help Raul back with Avery. Lying on the bed, Raul murmured, “Margaery!” Then tears streamed down his weathered face.
Thinking that Raul had regained consciousness, Joshua hurried forward to ask, “Dad, what happened in the palace today? What did the King say?” However, Raul did not respond again.
In fact, the news of Raul’s removal as chancellor was not completely contained within the palace. Several of the princes learned of it as early as last night; it was only that the imperial edict had not made public, and everyone else remained in the dark.
Joshua looked at Raul, his heart aching and trembling. “Dad, what’s the point of calling her name again and again? She’s already severed all family ties. Our act of coming today to confess our guilt is nothing but self–humiliation…” he said.
At this point, Joshua was on the verge of collapse. Averyn felt distressed, too. “She truly is ruthless. All these years, I never realized that when she turned ruthless, her heart could be harder than stone”
Snowflakes drifted through the cold winter air as Margaery and Marc sat in the carriage, heading toward the black market.
Marc was a young general, but his appearance was surprisingly refined. His skin was fair, his features delicate and well- defined, giving him the air of a scholarly warrior. Sitting there, he looked somewhat restrained.
“What kind of house do you like? What furniture? What color?” He looked at Margaery, who sat upright in her corner, hands
1/3
Chapter 242
EL 55 vouchers
and feet neatly placed, like a mechanical doll, and asked.
His voice was gentle, except that it trembled slightly. The Eames family had no daughters; for three generations, there had only been men. Suddenly, such a grown–up younger sister appeared in the household, and he was thus at a loss.
Mainly, he didn’t know how to interact with a girl, and more than that, he had no idea how to care for a delicate flower in a household full of tough men.
Margaery looked at him and thought of Christina. A smile spread across her lips. “Any house is fine; the same goes for furniture. Sorry to trouble you,” she said.
‘Christina truly has good taste. When comparing Marc with Joshua, Joshua seems shabby. When comparing him with Russell, Russell seems plain,‘ Margaery thought to herself.
Seeing her smile, so beautiful it seemed to light up even the snowy day, Marc smiled as well. “Then you should live in a house you like. After all, it’s your home. If circumstances allow, it should be comfortable and make you happy.
“How about on our way back today, we stop by a furniture market. If you see anything you like, we can buy it as well,” he said.
‘He truly is the epitome of gentleness, Margaery thought, feeling moved, but she didn’twant to trouble the Carey family. Nonetheless, with such goodwill, it would be seen as disrespectful if she refused again, making them feel she didn’t want to get close to them. That would not be good.
Therefore, Margaery smiled and said, “How about moving in first. Perhaps I’ll like what’s already in there, and if I truly need anything else, we can go out again?”
“That sounds good,” Marc nodded, truly fond of this younger sister. ‘She’s such a good girl. The Wallen family must have been blind to ill–treat her, he thought.
After a while, Marc asked again, “Is there anything you particularly? Writing sets, music, chess, painting, tea, wine, makeup, clothes, jewelry…?” He asked gently, with great attention to detail, and with much warmth.
Margaery was amused. “How about this? When I visit Lady Christina, you come along if you have time?”
‘Christina likes Marc, but has never dared to tell. When they meet, perhaps their relationship will work out. A close confidante and a gentle elder brother, I can’t imagine how warm my days in the Carey family will be,‘ Margaery thought.
Marc did not know her thoughts and agreed, “That would be best. Lady Christina is also a woman and grew up with you, she must understand your thoughts.
“I’m your elder brother. I suppose there are some things you would feel awkward telling me.”
Marc did not ask any further questions. He only told Margaery to message him when she went out that day, and he would go along.
The two took a carriage into the black market. Marc introduced one by one. “Everything is traded here, whatever is unavailable in the regular market, you can find here.
“If you want to buy someone who doesn’t know martial arts, you can do so in the regular market. But if you want someone skilled in martial arts, you have to come here.
“Those who know martial arts are rarely sold. If they’re sold, they usually have a story behind them, which is not something ordinary people can resolve.
“Although this is the black market, the court enforces strict control, so all the businesses that are hard to manage are placed here. Look, antiques and curios are traded over there.
2/3
Chapter 242
55 vouchers
“In fact, it’s the people from the palace coming out to resell things. Even the ladies of the palace sometimes need to manage their finances. As long as nothing serious happens, the King usually turns a blind eye and does not interfere with them.” Margaery nodded as she listened, learning a lot. In the end, the two selected two men and two women in the black market.
“These are the best who have come in over the past few months. All four are assassins from the martial world, but after Stormshade Hall destroyed their base, they had nowhere to go, and without identification documents, they could only come here.” The seller came forward, beaming with joy.
Upon hearing this, Margaery couldn’t help but ask Marc, “Marc, is it okay… to buy people like this?”
Marc nodded and said, “Don’t worry. Those assassin organizations specifically raise orphans with good potential, even killing their parents and taking the children to train them as tools. Earlier on, Stormshade Hall took down those human traffickers.”
3/3
