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The day after the letter was sent, Samuel indeed arrived at Hell Monarch Estate with two attendants. He specifically asked to see Sophie.
He came only after Rafael had left for work, which showed he wasn’t entirely dismissive of others. He just thought that Sophie, as a once-divorced woman, was easy to bully.
However, the gatekeeper was taken aback by his arrogance and immediately reported Samuel’s identity to Jacob.
Jacob stood at the entrance, his demeanor polite but his words icy, “Either leave immediately or face a beating.”
Behind Jacob were several guards, all brandishing whips. By the time Sophie arrived, Samuel had already left in disgrace.
Upon hearing Jacob’s report, Violet felt quite regretful. She had two slaps she wanted to deliver to Samuel, but hadn’t been able to. It was very frustrating.
Since that day, he had not appeared again, which made Sophie worry that he might direct his anger towards Leona.
A week or so later, Travis’ two senior guild members arrived on horseback.
Upon hearing that they had arrived, Travis asked, “You came by horse?”
“We rented them.”
Both senior guild members were dressed similarly, in thin cotton jackets with short, coarse fabric in a stone-blue color. They were around twenty years old, but their appearance was quite aged, with rough skin from daily labor.
Travis led his senior guild members to meet Sophie. As soon as Sophie saw them, she recognized them immediately and promptly saluted in greeting. “Leah, Alana, it’s good to see you.”
Violet quickly followed suit, offering her greetings as well.
The two young women had been taken in by Travis’ master. Leah was found in a basket, and Alana was found with nothing but a stone lock in her possession. Therefore, Leah’s birth name was actually “Basket”. But as she grew up, someone started to call her Leah, and everyone followed suit as “Basket” was an unappealing name.
Alana’s name meant rock, and there had been no changes in her name.
“Hello, Sophie. Hello, Vivi,” the two young women greeted with a dignified yet respectful demeanor, not feeling any inferiority just because they had entered a royal residence. Leah asked, “Has Shit Stick caused you any issues? If so, please let us know, and I will deal with him.”
Travis quickly covered her mouth. “Leah, I’m the training instructor here. You can’t call me that, or the soldiers will refuse to follow my orders, and I won’t receive my instructor’s stipend.”
Money was still important, so Leah changed her approach.
“Alright, I got it, Travis.”
Travis’ nickname was Rod.
Sophie and Violet were puzzled. Why was Travis now being called “Shit Stick” instead of just “Rod”?
They learned that after receiving a reward, Travis had bought many cosmetics and had been reprimanded by his master for being a “shitty stick”, thus earning the nickname “Shit Stick”.
In front of them, Travis reiterated, “From now on, in the prince’s residence, you must call me by my name. I’m Travis-not Rod, not Troublemaker, and definitely not Shit Stick!”
Violet shrugged. “You’ve been known as Rod for a long time. But if it makes you happy to be called Travis, then so be it. In our hearts, you’ll always be just a rod.”
Sophie instructed someone to take Leah and Alana to freshen up, and then to buy a few sets of clothing. They would head to Gracehold Estate early the next morning.
Since Rowan had asked Violet to deliver a prescription to Margaret at Ironridge Estate, they would need to pass by Valor Estate. As they passed Valor Estate, Violet peeked through the curtain but saw nothing unusual, so she ignored it.
After delivering the prescription to the steward at Ironridge Estate, they didn’t linger and quickly proceeded to Gracehold Estate.
In the carriage, Sophie went over the important points with Leah and Alana about what to be aware of once they entered the residence.
“We don’t take the initiative to hit anyone, or make the first move. However, do not let that courtesan concubine approach the duchess. If Mr. Langley comes to the duchess’ room to vent his anger and causes her to be heartbroken, you need to escort him out.
“Monitor the medicine she takes daily, and inspect her food with a silver needle. I know Alana understands some pharmacology. Arrange for the appropriate soups and such, but you don’t need to make them yourself.
“And remember, if there is any urgent situation that you cannot handle or is difficult to manage, ensure that one of you stays with the duchess while the other comes to inform me immediately.” Sophie provided detailed instructions, and advised Leah and Alana to minimize contact with the other people in the residence.
Although Sophie believed that Abigail wouldn’t harm Leona, she was wary that the family might look down on martial people. Thus, it was unnecessary for Leah and Alana to worry about the others’ opinions while carrying out their duty.
In summary, the main concerns were Samuel and Ruby.
Alana nodded in response. “Got it. Don’t worry, that courtesan isn’t worth much-she’s as insubstantial as smoke. Just a gust of wind, and she’ll disappear. You don’t need to be too concerned about her.”
“I know. Anyway, it’s better to be cautious. There are also rules in big households. Let me tell you…”
As Sophie was speaking, a foul odor suddenly wafted in from outside, accompanied by angry shouts and curses.
Startled, she turned to see Violet leaning against the carriage window, lifting the curtain to look outside.
Sophie peered over and recognized the familiar entrance-it was the gates of Valor Estate. The front of the estate had been smeared with excrement. The culprit was being dragged inside as he continued cursing Freya for insulting Mary. Despite being dragged, he seemed unafraid and continued his tirade.
Violet lowered the curtain, and turned away. “It’s been days, and it’s still not settled. I really want to see Blake’s face right now. Will he look upset or resigned?”
Sophie agreed that the situation had dragged on for quite a while However, given that the Marquis of
Jadehill’s household wasn’t accepting any apologies, it was likely to continue for some time.
“You really… Why did you lift the curtain?” Sophie remarked, noting that the smell had seeped into the carriage. She opened the curtain to let in some fresh air as they exited the alley.
“Just wanted to see the commotion,” Violet replied with a smile. “You can’t miss out on the excitement involving a scoundrel.”
Looking regretful, Alana said, “It’s a waste of that manure. It would be great for fertilizing vegetables.”
Leah nodded in agreement. “You’re right. People in the capital are so wasteful.”
At that moment, a carriage approached from the main street and turned into the lane they were on. Sophie had opened the curtain, and the person inside the carriage happened to do the same. Their eyes met, and Viola immediately ordered, “Stop!”
The carriage came to a halt in front of Sophie’s carriage. Viola stepped out.
She was dressed in a crimson dress embroidered with gold threads. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo, with a hairpin inserted at an angle.
Her expression was stern; there were dark circles under her eyes, indicating she hadn’t slept well. It was likely that she had returned early from her visit to her family to
Venet avoid the mess caused by the excrement incident.
“Greetings, Your Grace!” Viola greeted with a bow, but her tone was cold and aloof.
Sophie recalled what Violet had said.