Chapter 16: The Lawson Family

Ethan stayed at Lili's house until almost dawn before he left. During the night, Lili kept inviting Ethan to her room, insisting she couldn't accept the payment unless she "provided her services." Ethan politely declined each time. However, before leaving, he did visit Lili's room—not for that reason, but to wake her and remind her of the instructions he had given.

Once assured that everything was clear, Ethan returned to his inn. When he arrived, he found a four-wheeled carriage parked outside, adorned with the Lawson family's crest of a giant bear. Waiting for him was Angus, the knight he had met the previous night.

Angus raised an eyebrow as he saw Ethan approaching from outside but quickly relaxed and smiled.

"I was wondering why you weren't at the inn. Did you perhaps spend the night somewhere less loyal to my lady?"

"If I told you I spent the night being chased by an assassin, would you believe me?" Ethan replied with a smile.

"Whether I believe you or not is irrelevant," Angus said, opening the carriage door. "Please, get in. My lady is waiting for you."

"Thank you. You're quite the gentleman," Ethan said as he stepped into the carriage.

Angus followed and sat directly opposite Ethan. After instructing the driver to start, he scrutinized Ethan from head to toe.

"No injuries, no signs of fatigue, but you do have a whiff of blood about you. It seems you dealt with the assassin."

Knowing he couldn't hide the truth from Angus, Ethan replied vaguely, "Barely. He managed to scratch my back." He wanted to end this topic quickly.

"Oh, really?" Angus smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Just a scratch, and it took you all night?"

This comment raised Ethan's suspicions. His gut told him Angus was hiding something. Otherwise, why pry so deeply and think so critically?

"In fact, we spent the whole night walking the streets. He was patient, but so was I," Ethan responded evasively, not revealing any details.

"Oh, how interesting. Two men wandering the streets all night!" Angus continued to smile.

Ethan's smile remained, but his mind raced. "Angus must know something. I never mentioned the assassin's gender, yet he assumed it was a man. Either they're in league, or Angus already knew about the assassin."

However, Ethan didn't confront Angus directly and instead shifted the conversation. "Sir Angus, you have my fiancée's perfume on you, and despite your neatly groomed hair, there are still some disheveled strands. You must have had a busy night.

"I'm not jealous, but let me give you some advice. Your wedding ring is quite beautiful. If you dye it, trust me, knowing how noble circles work, you'll end up with a green hat on your head.

"If I can notice it, so can your wife. So perhaps you should worry more about her than about me."

Angus's smile froze, and his face turned serious. He said nothing more.

Pleased that Angus had fallen silent, Ethan leaned back and closed his eyes for a brief rest.

He had no idea how long the carriage ride lasted—it could have been a day, a year, or just a minute. When he awoke, they had arrived at the Lawson family's estate within Marlow City.

The estate was a massive stone structure with five levels, painted entirely in blue, surrounded by thousands of square meters of lawn and a fountain, exuding elegance and luxury.

As Ethan alighted, he saw Angelina, dressed magnificently, waiting at the entrance along with several dozen well-dressed men and women, presumably members of the Lawson family.

Seeing so many people at once puzzled Ethan. "What's going on?" he wondered.

Angelina, noticing Ethan's bewilderment, approached and linked her arm with his.

"You finally arrived! Your suit is ready, and today is our engagement party."

"So soon? I thought today was just to meet your sister?" Ethan was genuinely surprised.

"Is there a conflict between the two?" Angelina smiled. "The Lawson family is decisive; once we make a decision, we act swiftly. You'll get used to it."

"Heh," Ethan chuckled. "I should have guessed, given that you came to find me personally. But I like it this way. Where's the suit? I'll change myself."

"Follow me."

...

With the help of several maids, Ethan enjoyed a refreshing bath and changed into a grand noble's robe. After being thoroughly groomed, he joined Angelina at the engagement party.

Engagement parties in this world were simple. An elderly priest blessed the couple, marking the ceremony's end. Then came the banquet, where guests mingled and got to know one another.

Ethan maintained a polite smile as he accompanied Angelina around the room, meeting and greeting guests. Each introduction involved a brief chat and mutual compliments, and by the end of it, dusk had fallen.

From these interactions, Ethan gleaned some insights. Though many nobles attended the party, most were local to Marlow City. Few were direct members of the Lawson family, and those who were present were mainly peripheral, unimportant members. None of the core family, not even Angelina's parents, were there.

Moreover, despite being the viscount's eldest daughter, Angelina seemed to be treated poorly. Even the maids felt free to order her around.

Ethan recalled an incident from earlier. After his bath, Angelina mentioned her dress lacked a belt. A maid, who had failed in her task, blamed Angelina for pointing it out and commanded her to fetch one from upstairs. To Ethan's surprise, Angelina complied without complaint.

This was vastly different from what Ethan expected and reminded him of his past, where he was treated like a lowly servant. He felt a sense of solidarity with Angelina.

He called her back, then walked out of the bath stark naked and slapped the maid so hard that she lost a few teeth. The maid immediately changed her attitude, promptly bringing a belt with a swollen face.

During a break in the banquet, Ethan and Angelina found a secluded spot. Ethan sighed and said, "Does your family look down on you, or is it me they disdain? After today's display, it's hard to trust in your promises."

Angelina, though outwardly nonchalant, spoke with a hint of bitterness. "Probably both. So, you must succeed! Govern the territory well and prove them wrong, so they'll regret ever looking down on us!

"But don't worry. My sister supports this, and she's the family's favorite."

"It's rare to see you angry," Ethan smiled, finding her endearing when she encouraged him. "I'll do my best. But can you promise me one thing?"

"Name it."

"If you like muscular men, choose one or two and stick with them. Don't cast your net too wide," Ethan said, concerned about his future reputation.

Angelina widened her innocent eyes. "What's the difference?"

"There's a big difference!" Ethan sighed. "If you're discreet, people will just think you're a bit loose. That's common among nobles; no one will gossip.

"But if you're with everyone, it's a different story. I'm your husband in name. If you give me a green hat, fine, but I don't want to come back and see every man smirking at me, calling me their comrade. It's hard on my heart."

"Ha!" Angelina laughed heartily. "Deal! If you make the family eat their words, I'll stay faithful to you alone."

"No, no," Ethan hurriedly interrupted. "Let's stick to our original agreement. You do your thing, I do mine. We're married in name only. Just don't embarrass me too much."

"Deal!" Angelina chuckled. "Now, let me take you to meet my sister. She's been waiting upstairs for quite some time."