Chapter 270
I stood by the edge of the room divider that day, really taking in its craftwork for the first time. It was an exquisite piece of embroidery, every stitch a testament to luxury, set in a frame of rich, gold-threaded mahogany. As I stepped further in, a projector slowly descended with a click: “Of course, it’s my sister p>
The screen lit up, revealing the woman who had claimed to be my sister that day.
“Let me properly introduce myself I’m Lily Williams. A member of the Bravenland royalty, albeit from its most economically powerful yet hidden branch. We didn’t choose to stay hidden; circumstances forced us after our parents were murdered in your Crestview Metropolis. My brother’s gone missing, my sister too, leaving me to keep our people concealed. By walking into my room, you’re taking on the destiny of our whole clan. We’re up against the tyrant of Bravenland, who’s been eyeing our wealth and has been attempting to annex our branch. I’m currently in Bravenland to attend a banquet they’re hosting. Now that I’m exposed and seen as the sole heir by the cold-hearted nobles, they’re plotting my demise. But I’m not so easy to kill. That’s the gist of it. Anything else you want to know can wait till I make it back alive. I’m glad you came looking for me; I was prepared to face whatever comes, to keep you out of this, living a normal life. But now you’re here, I will protect you with my life p>
The projector turned off, the screen rolling up silently.
I was at a loss for words. Lily spoke of death so casually, a concept far too familiar to her.
Just then, Helen knocked on the door, “Claire, Mr. Hilton knows you’re here and he’s on his way p>
Blinking, the thought of seeing him now made me waver. I wanted to be stronger, not always relying on Max to take the hits for me.
“Maybe Mr. Hilton doesn’t need your protection. Wouldn’t it be better if both of you grew stronger together? Why do you think you need to be apart to grow strong?” Helen whispered from the other side of the divider.
“I’m not ready to see him just yet. Tell him to wait in the living room, or… ask Goldchain to arrange a room for him p>
Helen paused, unsure of who I was referring to.
“Goldchain is p>
Goldchain himself appeared, saying, “Did you call for me, new master? Goldchain, is that my new name? I like it, I’ve always had a thing for gold p>
I couldn’t help but grin, settling into
the armchair Lily had used that day. My family, my brother, my sister, my folks they all wanted to protect me, to keep me as their last line of defense. en
Leafing through the books Lily left behind, many written in scripts I couldn’t decipher, I could make out from her sketches that Bravenland was a land of stark contrasts. The wealthy had mines and many wives and children, leading lives of decadent chaos, while the poor were left to eat dirt or die in the streets, uncared for by the rulers whose mineral wealth kept the nation
running.
The noise from outside grew louder until Goldchain’s voice boomed, “No, the new master said you’re to wait outside, or rest in another room if you’re tired p>
A cold snort from the hallway: “Move, before I make you p>
I covered my face, knowing all too well Max was furious. He’d probably carry me out of defiance, and any protest would be swiftly dealt with. “Claire Floyd, you’re really pushing
YOU
limits p>
“Let him in,” I barely managed to say to Goldchain at the door before Max strode in, oddly enough, in pajamas.