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Norman’s eldest son, Mikhail Whitfield, cautiously asked, “Dad, Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to keep outside? After all, she’s here on official business.”
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Mikhail was also a military man who had once been the Royal Guard’s commander. He had retired before the late king’s death. As the Duke of Oakspire’s heir, he was poised to inherit the title once his dad passed.
Norman’s title could be passed down for three generations. Even if they did nothing, their wealth and status could endure for another three generations. However, Mikhail had a more gentle temperament and approached matters with caution. He was the complete opposite of Norman, hence Norman never liked Mikhail much. He thought Mikhail was too timid.
Among his five sons, Norman preferred his fourth son, Gareth Whitfield. But as a concubine’s son, Gareth was at a disadvantage. With an eldest son, a second, and a third son in line, it was unlikely he would ever inherit.
“What’s inappropriate about it?” Norman shot his son a cold glance. “What are you afraid of? You’re too cautious, and you lack the ambition needed to accomplish great things. You’re scared of a mere woman.”
“Yeah, what’s the worry? Let her knock. The door won’t open for her today. If she has the ability, she can come in herself,” Gareth quickly chimed in, supporting his dad’s view.
Gareth held a low??anking position as the armory officer in the Ministry of Defense, a role that may not seem prestigious but was crucial as it involved overseeing weaponry. Just as he was about to head back to the ministry, he heard that Sophie had arrived with her men. His dad immediately ordered everyone to stay inside, so he sent someone through the side door to request leave from work, as the others had already left.
He shared a similar temperament with Norman??mpulsive and fiery. His years of stagnation in promotion were undoubtedly related to his explosive nature. However, Norman appreciated this trait, believing that decisiveness and a bit of anger were essential for commanding respect.
again.
After Gareth spoke, Norman looked at him with approval before scolding his eldest son
“When will you have half the guts of your fourth brother? Then, I might feel at ease. With your overly cautious demeanor, your children and grandchildren will become as timid as you if the title is left in your
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hands.”
Mikhail was used to his dad’s reprimands by now, so he didn’t get angry. Instead, he maintained his calm demeanor.
“She’s here on official business, so there’s no need for us to oppose her. Our household is not the only one she has questioned. She’s been to other noble farrelles as well. It’s better to cooperate than to confront her unnecessarily, right?”
“Pathetic!” Norman shot a glare at his eldest son.
Gareth snorted with a haughty expression. “Mikhall, our family has no ties with Grand Princess Eleanor. What could she possibly want from us? She just wants to show off??o let everyone see that she can waltz into Oakspire Estate without consequence. She’s trying to establish her authority here.
*Prince Yuvan has been in Valken for years, so why did she question his household first before us? It’s because she’s a bully who picks on the weak, right? Just look??oes she dare approach Lord Kendrick’s household? Lady Adelaide is from the Quinton family, after all. And what’s more, that woman didn’t even go to the Quinton family’s residence first, but came to ours instead. Isn’t it because she’s just looking for an easy target?”
Norman had always valued Gareth’s opinions, as the two shared the same mindset. In fact, Norman also thought of Sophie in the same manner as Gareth did.
Once Gareth spoke up, everyone nodded in agreement, primarily because Norman had shown his support first. He never hesitated to express his approval for his fourth son.
In contrast, Mikhail’s objections seemed weak and feeble. Despite his diminished state, he felt compelled to voice his thoughts.
“Gareth, you’re mistaken. The Capital Guard has its own methods for handling cases. Lady Sophie hails from a military family and has made contributions on the Southern Frontier battlefield. If she were incapable, His Majesty wouldn’t have set a precedent by assigning her such an important task.
“Moreover, she’s not investigating just any case??he’s dealing with a treason case. The fact that she’s acting on official orders means she could have summoned us to the Supreme Court for questioning. Instead, she came to us directly and waited outside for nearly an hour. Her actions demonstrate her respect for our family.”
He paused to take a breath before he continued, “Dad, this case involves many parties. They probably have limited time to spare. If it weren’t necessary, they wouldn’t have come here. I believe we should invite them in. Whatever they ask, we can cooperate. If she was trying to use our family to establish her authority, waiting outside for so long isn’t the way to do it. By doing so, she’s actually showing consideration for us. She respects you, Dad-“
Norman was becoming increasingly irritated by Mikhail’s rambling. He raised a hand, cutting his son off with a furious shout.
“Shut your mouth! If she truly had respect, she wouldn’t be here! What dealings do we have with Grand Princess Eleanor? Though we receive numerous invitations from her every year, we only accept a handful, and that’s merely to facilitate young couples meeting for potential matches!”
“But there has been some contact-“
“Did you not hear me? Shut up!” Norman’s disappointment was palpable as he stood up. “Men! If they knock again, bring a bucket of water and pour it over them to chase them off!”
“Dad, you mustn’t do that!” Mikhail quickly rose to stop him, urgency in his voice. “That would not only insult Commander Devin, but also humiliate His Majesty!”
Mikhail felt a knot of worry tighten in his chest.
Norman had achieved great military success, but he was a military general from the late king’s reign. Norman looked down on everyone because of the title Sigmund had given him. Due to Norman’s temperament, Sigmund had already been displeased with him during his reign. However, Sigmund had tolerated it because of Norman’s past military achievements and the fact that nothing major had happened.
But the current king’s position was shaky, and he was wary of powerful families. The Duke of Oakspire’s family couldn’t afford to behave as recklessly as they had under the previous king’s reign.
Mikhail had warned his dad countless times, but the older man never listened. With Gareth stoking the fire, Mikhail was genuinely concerned.
Did they not consider why the Whitfield family’s men had never been promoted in the court?
The people in the estate naturally followed Norman’s commands, especially the older veterans who had served alongside him. They shared Norman’s temperament and decisiveness.
Without hesitation, they grabbed two buckets of water to douse Sophie.
“Commander Devin, watch out-
Michael noticed what was happening. But before he could finish his warning, Sophie had already vanished. Then, he heard a surprised shout from inside
“How did you get in here? How dare you breach Oakspire Estate? How bold of you!”
The two buckets of water missed Sophie completely as she deftly avoided them, her movements elegant as she glanced at the two veterans.
They both had white hair and wrinkled faces.
That was fine. Sophie respected her elders!
Without saying a word, Sophie strode forward. Since Norman had not commanded them to act, the guards could only try to block her way.
However, they were no match for Sophie. With a few agile leaps, she reached the entrance to the main hall just as Norman bellowed, “She will not step foot through the doors of my estate today!”
Once the words left his lips, he turned to find a young official he didn’t recognize standing at the entrance, pursued by his guards.
‘Sophie remained calm, and a sly smile graced her lips. “I’m sorry, but I already stepped through the doors of Oakspire Estate.”
Gareth shot up from his seat and glared at the guards behind him. “What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you not to open the door? Who let her in?”
“I came in myself. I waited for an hour. When you didn’t open the door and planned to douse me with dirty water, I had no choice but to offend you by intruding,” Hald Sophie, stepping forward.
Her gaze swept across those present. Norman was the oldest, and he was flanked by two men who must be his second and third sons.
Before coming here, Sophie had looked over portraits of those who served in Norman’s household, so she had a general idea of their appearances. One of the men, wearing a stone??lue brocade coat, looked anxious and frustrated. When he saw her, a flicker of surprise crossed his features.
That must be Norman’s heir, Mikhail.