A Madman’s Guide to Chapter 28: \

Hearing Allenay's greeting, the fat on Thorn's face trembled. He turned his head to look at Allenay, producing a sound of fat squeezing vocal cords. "You're here? Good, then let's make it quick. I have an *elegant* dance salon to attend this afternoon."

He was wearing an extrely luxurious burgundy velvet overcoat. The double row of brass buttons was stretched taut, giving the impression that those buttons were bearing a burden they were never ant to endure.

This was truly an unbearable weight of life.

A white cravat hung on his chest, fastened with a ruby pin. His cuffs were turned back, revealing intricate thorn patterns embroidered with gold thread on the inner lining. The hem of his overcoat was slightly slit to facilitate walking, lest he be tripped by his own coattails.

His lower half was clad in jet-black wool straight-leg trousers with gold silk ribbon trim along the side seams. On his feet were ankle-high patent leather riding boots, the heels wrapped in thin sheets of gold.

Behind him, a maid followed closely, stepping down from the carriage and standing behind Thorn, her head bowed.

"Alright, it won't take too long." Allenay Odius's face still wore a placid smile. "So, do you wish to speak directly here?"

"How could that be?" Thorn seed insulted by the question, abruptly waving his left hand adorned with several large gemstone rings. The movent of his arm jostled his massive torso, causing the fat on his belly to ripple like water several tis. "Do you expect

to discuss matters standing up like so lowly servant?"

Allenay's gaze swept briefly over the rings on his hand, then he nodded slightly.

"You could sit in the carriage; I wouldn't mind," Allenay said calmly.

Thorn snorted a puff of air through his nostrils and let out an annoyed "Hmph!"

He ignored his younger brother Allenay, took a step forward, and headed straight for the open, wrought-iron filigree gate leading to the manicured garden in front of Allenay's villa.

Also being a Law Seeker, this granted him strength far exceeding that of a normal person.

And the greatest manifestation of a Law Seeker's ability on him was: it allowed him to walk like a normal person while carrying over four hundred pounds of fat and more than thirty different illnesses of varying severity all over his body.

Looking at it this way, he was practically a superman.

Allenay followed behind the Second Prince Thorn, raising his right hand slightly and making a small, discreet gesture to indicate that the guards and attendants stationed at the door need not intervene.

The attendants' bowed heads barely lifted, yet they clearly received their master's instruction.

Thorn Odius's massive fra nearly blocked the entrance to the villa garden path.

He walked in, bringing with him a mixed scent of sweat and expensive perfu. Allenay followed at a leisurely pace behind. Behind the two of them was Thorn's personal maid.

The maid was quite beautiful, wearing a clearly altered, sowhat revealing maid uniform. She followed with a respectful posture, head bowed, staying one pace behind Allenay. Her steps were small to avoid accidentally exposing herself by taking too large a stride.

Originally, male nobles shouldn't have maids following them; at most, they could have one or two personal valets. Because it would invite gossip, tarnish the maid's reputation, and lower the noble's own standing.

However, Thorn clearly didn't care about this.

His reputation was already bad enough.

Allenay glanced back, took in the maid's uniform that had been obviously shortened into a miniskirt, then turned his gaze forward again and sighed silently.

The two attendants in crisp, dark formal wear at the villa entrance had already bowed in greeting, but Thorn didn't even look at them. He strode directly through the doorway, past the ticulously trimd rose bushes, and into the suddenly expansive hall beyond the villa's main door.

The villa's main door stood open. Inside the polished, gleaming walnut doorfra was a spacious foyer.

"Tsk, this place of yours is still so shabby." Thorn surveyed Allenay's garden and the hall beyond the main door, his tone dripping with undisguised criticism.

Actually, compared to so middle-class or even baronial villas, Allenay's residence was sufficiently luxurious. But obviously, in Thorn's eyes, it remained crude.

Unlike the opulent complexity of other noble mansions in the West District or the palace itself, Allenay's dwelling blended royal grandeur with a simplicity approaching that of the church.

The walls were a soft cream color, hung with a few landscape oil paintings. The furniture had elegant, flowing lines, covered with high-quality yet modestly colored silk fabrics. There was a tasteful fireplace, a bookshelf holding basic books, a few chairs, a small table, and a sofa. The largest decorations were several pots of lush green plants, their leaves gleaming brightly under the light streaming through the large floor-to-ceiling windows.

Of course, these weren't the main point. The point was the materials these things were made of and the species of the plants.

Perhaps influenced greatly by Priest Ethen, Allenay had a considerable interest in plants. The garden outside the villa and the decorations inside were mostly plants possessing extraordinary effects.

A faint, clean scent reminiscent of old wood and candles in a church lingered in the air, clashing with the expensive perfu emanating from Thorn.

"It's practically like a penitent's cell. Our Prince Allenay's taste is truly unique." Thorn deliberately drew out the words "Prince Allenay," making his tone even more sarcastic.

"I simply find this more comfortable, Your Highness Thorn." Allenay's voice remained steady and gentle.

"You should have so interests of your own. Of course, I'm not talking about gardening or such, but interests more befitting your status. Although you have no qualifications to vie for power, you shouldn't disgrace the Royal Family."

"After all, you're keeping such close company with , the sha of the Odius."

His words sounded like advice, but his tone was pure mockery to anyone listening. Anyone could discern the underlying aning.

What are you pretending for? You and I are cut from the sa cloth.

"I'll consider it," Allenay nodded gently, making a "please" gesture. He didn't point to the large but clearly normal-sized armchairs in the living room. Instead, he indicated for his brother to take the six-seater sofa a bit further away—the only piece of furniture in the hall that could barely accommodate his massive bulk.

There was no helping it; after all, Thorn couldn't pack his fat away into his pocket.

Almost as soon as Allenay finished speaking, Thorn's personal maid, who had been lagging a step behind, imdiately stepped forward with quick, small steps. She deftly and carefully helped Thorn remove his luxurious velvet overcoat.

Thorn walked over without ceremony and plopped down onto the sofa. The sofa emitted a series of creaks. Layers of fat spread out over the cushions; his enormous body almost filled it, making it appear oddly stable.

The maid folded Thorn's coat twice, draped it over her arm, and stood behind Thorn with her arm slightly bent.

A servant from Allenay's household pushed in a refined silver tea cart. On the cart was a silver teapot, emanating the unique, fruity, llow aroma of Yorson black tea. The matching bone china teacups were so thin they were nearly transparent, their rims traced with delicate gold lines.

Beside them were several equally exquisite small plates holding a few types of pastries.

A few butter shortbread cookies, so almond tarts, and several slices of white bread cut extrely thin, exuding a pure wheat fragrance.

There was no extravagant caviar, no towering gold-leaf cakes, no pastry towers dripping with honey and cream that Thorn was accustod to enjoying. Although Allenay understood his elder brother's habits, it seed he had no intention of catering to them.

Although he appeared humble, his status was no lower than his brother's.

The servants kept their eyes downcast, their movents precise and silent. They poured tea, arranged the pastries, and placed the teacup and pastry plates on the small side table next to Thorn, ensuring he could reach them without significant movent.

"Are you really doing penance?" Thorn wore an incredulous expression, glanced at the sweets on the table, and didn't touch them.

Allenay showed no reaction throughout, simply choosing an armchair to sit in and waving his hand to instruct a servant to light the nearby fireplace.

"Alright, enough nonsense. I can't be bothered with all these roundabout ways with you." His small eyes, squeezed within the fat, fixed intently on Allenay, filled with impatience. "The land in Somir County can be transferred to you in a couple of days. Handle the procedures yourself. My private seal is with Baron Jasper. Whoever you want to place in the military, just ask him for the seal."

"But I need you to do a few things for ."

Allenay's posture was relaxed yet elegant. He also picked up a teacup, though he didn't drink. His eyes clearly reflected the mountain of flesh opposite him.

"Of course, Your Highness Thorn. This is a fair transaction." His amber eyes, dotted with starlight, calmly t Thorn's. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting soft shadows on his golden hair and serene face.

Thorn vigorously waved his arms, which were as thick as an adult's thighs. "I need your stance, Allenay! At the next council eting, you must stand by my side. Clearly, publicly support my proposal!"

Allenay listened quietly, his fingertips slowly tracing the rim of his teacup. "I understand your request, but you need to first tell

what your proposal is. Otherwise, I cannot agree directly. Without specific content, I cannot promise public support."

"Blindly taking sides is not wise for either of us. We need to jointly assess the risks and rewards."

"It's the sa as last ti." Thorn let out a short, contemptuous snort. "I need more say, enough say. I demand the expansion of the Lower House, a redistribution of seats, replacing all those obstructive old fossils."

His stubby fingers waved vaguely in the air, probably trying to mimic other capable nobles by making a gesture like "moving pieces on an invisible chessboard."

However, his movent actually looked more like a pig struggling because it was drowning.

Allenay took a sip of tea to hide the slight upward curve of his lips, which he found amusing.

"Of course, I can't directly say I want to insert my people; that's too blatant... I should say... I should say..." he mumbled, seeming to search for a sufficiently high-sounding excuse.

"Respecting the democratic will?" Allenay interjected at the opportune mont, his voice still gentle.

"Yes, respecting democracy." Thorn imdiately endorsed this phrasing. "The candidates should be decided by ... uh, by 'democratic will.'"

Just as expected...

Allenay smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.

"And also, all that ssy stuff like poverty relief funds and the like, reduce it all, lower it, lower it to the minimum. Give all the extra money to . I need Yur, lots and lots of Yur. Salons, balls, new estates, and..."

"Anyway, all that requires money."

He mumbled a few indistinct words.

"That's hard to say. Doing it too directly, even with my help, the council won't approve." Allenay's face remained gentle. He lightly set down his teacup; the base made an almost imperceptible sound as it touched the tabletop. He tilted his head slightly, a strand of golden hair slipping over his shoulder. "Moreover, if the number of poor becos too large, it will be difficult to explain to the church, and the nobles will lose face."

"Then make those scum work." Thorn spread his hands, speaking casually. "Who allowed them to eat without working? Why should we support these people?"

Allenay smiled and suggested, "How about this: we can use the local construction funds for poverty relief. Let those bankrupt poor people be responsible for so work that doesn't require much thought, just physical labor. As for the surplus poverty relief funds, I can find a way to get them into the hands of your people."

"Whatever, whatever, anything goes. Just get the money into my hands. I don't care about the process; that's what you need to worry about." Thorn waved his hand impatiently, not caring at all what his younger brother said.

After a pause, he continued in that deliberately drawn-out tone.

"Ah, right, one last thing."

His massive body leaned forward slightly.

"My dear brother, Joshua Odius, the great, wise Third Prince, the prince most like our father," his tone was full of sarcasm, drawing out the na in a deliberately elongated, mocking, almost recitative manner. "He seems to be acting more and more like father lately, getting along better and better with father. I think you need to cause him so trouble."

"Although you have no qualifications to vie for that position, I think my relationship with you should be considerably better than his relationship with you." Thorn lifted his chin, his expression sowhat twisted, trying to squeeze out a bit of false warmth. "After all, you've helped

with so many things, handled so many... little troubles. Haven't you?"

Allenay fell silent for a mont. The hall descended into brief quiet.

He raised his cup once more and took a small sip of the tea.

"Of course, I will do it." His tone remained steady, unchanged.

"Excellent!" Thorn grunted in satisfaction. His obese body shifted in the sofa, trying to find a more comfortable position. The leather creaked unpleasantly. "And you too, stop entertaining thoughts about things you shouldn't."

Allenay's face still wore a smile. He lifted his eyes, using those starlight-dotted eyes to gaze at the golden-haired fat pig before him.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness Thorn."