498: 17.
Goodbye Aileen 498: 17.
Goodbye Aileen Clouds veiled the sky, and the mist enveloping Belfast could not be scattered by the damp and chilly drizzle.
In the distance, Crescent Bay was reduced to nothing more than a foggy outline.
The desolate, pale grey was barred from one of Agate Lake’s most opulent estates.
Inside, Baron Joseph hosted a grand party, with guests’ carriages lined up in a long queue to the left outside the manor, while the accompanying coachn, who were not privileged to enter, were enjoying the food brought by the maids.
Even the most ordinary guest invited was a millionaire, so at that mont, a plain rented carriage intruding among them appeared strikingly conspicuous.
Just like Baron Joseph, being pushed in a wheelchair by a butler, moving among the guests.
The invited attendees did not look down upon this young and beautiful woman, seemingly oblivious to the missing legs beneath her resplendently violet gown; they raised their glasses, paying their respects to Baron Joseph as she passed by.
Just as countless eyes from the lavish carriages were cast upon them, the very focus of their attention, the ordinary carriage, paused briefly in front of the manor gates.
Without presenting an invitation, a re lifting of the carriage curtain for a brief exchange was enough for the maid to take the initiative and lead the carriage into the estate.
“Baron Joseph has been waiting for you for quite so ti, Mr.
Luli,” the maid, holding an umbrella, said, unable to restrain herself.
Luli responded with a calm, indifferent voice, “What does she want to say to ?”
…
“I deeply regret and am pained by the incident that occurred before, Aileen.”
The heavily made-up woman, unable to hide the ravages of ti, stood before the wheelchair with a “noble” intonation in her sigh.
The fiercely burning fireplace did little to warm the hall, which was left open at the entry, yet she still grasped a feather fan, gently waving it.
It was clear she was quite fond of the flamboyant dress she wore, for no other reason than insisting on wearing it to the banquet despite the squeezing out of rolls of flesh around her waist—of course, it might also be possible that all around her were supple flatterers, and no one told her the truth.
“Compared to being killed by an evil spirit, the outco now could be considered quite favorable,” said Baron Joseph, his voice languid with its distinctive hoarseness.
Most people believed that Baron Joseph’s farewell banquet and his departure were due to an encounter with an evil spirit—although that was not far from the truth.
They would not suspect that the cause stemd from a man’s suggestion.
At this very mont, that man was ascending the stone steps outside the door.
“There’s sothing I find curious,” said Baron Joseph, her hoarse voice as light as a cat’s, her eyes carrying a certain aning as they landed on the woman, “Monsters don’t appear in an estate without reason, do they?”
“Uh…
who knows, oh hehehe—” Aunt Mary showed a clear panic, covering her lips with the fan in a contrived laugh before turning and hastily departing.
Baron Joseph’s gaze narrowed slightly, watching as Aunt Mary walked away.
“Mr.
Luli has arrived.”
The butler bowed, whispering into Baron Joseph’s ear.
Her slightly curved eyes brightened instantly, turning towards the tall figure approaching the door.
Taking the glass that the Baron had cradled in his palm, placing it onto the tray of a maid, the butler pushed the Baron to greet Luli.
“You’re late,” said Aileen, her lazy voice losing so of its hoarseness.
“I had so personal matters to attend to,” Luli replied, his gaze falling on her dress, or rather, the empty space beneath its hem.
“May I invite you for a dance?” Aileen extended her delicate hand, smiling faintly as she spoke.
In front of Luli, she could afford to drop her noble deanor slightly.
The temperature around Luli dropped swiftly, and the guests nearby, as if coordinated, broke out in goosebumps—puzzled, they distanced themselves from the entrance.
Aileen showed the embarrassnt of being caught on the spot and then pretended nothing was amiss, saying, “Miss Anna is here too?
Then let’s talk about business.”
The temperature didn’t rise despite Aileen’s change of subject.
Before their baron’s recklessness could provoke further commotion, the butler interjected, “Miss Anna, you know the baron’s leg is gone, and he can’t dance.”
The cold chill that had pervaded finally dissipated.
As Lu Li walked to the corner window of the hall, he felt so not-so-kind glances surreptitiously sweeping in this direction.
The banquet didn’t seem as harmonious as imagined.
“I heard you’re leaving Ailen Peninsula for the Lennon Islands?” Aileen beca more relaxed with Lu Li, lazily leaning against the wheelchair as she spoke.
“Who told you that?” Lu Li asked calmly.
“Just sothing my servant told ,” Aileen replied nonchalantly.
“And where did your servant hear it from?”
“Well, actually, I’ve been secretly monitoring your movents, so as soon as you booked a ticket, I knew imdiately.” Aileen candidly confessed with a sigh, muttering to herself, “Do you have to ask in such detail…
Are you listening?”
Lu Li’s gaze left the familiar figure of the noble lady in the crowd of the banquet hall when he heard the call: “What was the matter you just ntioned?”
Aileen looked strangely at the hall before answering, “A farewell, and to watch a play.”
Lu Li stayed quiet, waiting for Aileen to continue.
In a world that was becoming increasingly dangerous, the nobles were transferring assets and families, seeking safer places.
So, like Lu Li, chose the Lennon Islands, while others like Aileen chose shelters.
Regardless, they had to arrange their estates before departing.
To sell or to securely arrange in hope that a day of change would co.
Being one of the wealthiest in Belfast and with no heirs or formidable connections to offend, Aileen faced harassnt from distant relatives and other nobles at this ti.
They wanted to bite off a large chunk of flesh from Baron Joseph.
The wealth-maintaining Baron Joseph had the best disguise: youth and beauty.
People were subconsciously inclined to think highly of an elder with a wise gaze, and to belittle a female baron involved in scandals with a bad reputation.
Thus, the farewell banquet in the hall was but a facade; next, Aileen would invite the appropriate people to the real “banquet.”
“What should I do?” Lu Li spoke.
“You don’t need to do anything; I can handle these minor matters.
Your presence will just give them a scare.
The more mysterious you appear, the more unsettled they grow,” Aileen said, looking toward the crowd at the banquet, her eyes curving fox-like.
“They must have already started to feel uneasy.”
The real banquet began soon after, and Lu Li accompanied Baron Joseph to the drawing room to wait.
The butler left to call those who needed to be at the “real banquet.”
The nobles summoned by the butler gradually left the noisy banquet hall and entered the silent drawing room.
Looking at each other, they seed to understand sothing and sat down quietly to wait for everyone to arrive.
Among those summoned by the butler was Aileen’s Aunt Mary; she entered the room fussing and loudly asking what had happened, but quieted down under Aileen’s indifferent gaze.
Soon, the twelve ornate chairs at the long table were occupied by lavishly dressed nobles.
Aside from Lu Li, the eleven people there, including Aileen, nearly monopolized a third of Belfast’s wealth.
Afterward, just as Aileen had said, there was nothing for Lu Li to do; his only purpose for being there was to make those people feel uneasy, satisfying Aileen’s wicked sense of humor.
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