Chapter 604 - 409: The Awakening of the Young Girl_3
Cecil felt somewhat reluctant to part, as she had grown to regard Lis as a true friend after these days together.
However, Ricardo did not allow her to reside anywhere outside the Elf Station; every elf with the Illiser family bloodline was of great importance to them now.
Even with legendary protective artifacts at their disposal, they could not be completely at ease, since at most these items could only block a single attack, and who knows how many assailants lurked in the shadows.
After bidding farewell to Cecil, Lis departed.
Since he planned to gather some intelligence during this period, he needed to act quickly.
Being unfamiliar with the Bolin Kingdom, the information from places like the Mercenary Guild and the Assassin Guild would probably be as unhelpful as before; the best course of action would be to seek out local influential figures with greater clout.
Like the Bloodline Prince, Lord Burns.
Sensing the marks he had planted earlier, Lis walked towards that direction.
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In Acot City, at the Burns family Mansion,
This was a special mansion that stood alone on a hillside at the city's outskirts.
Special because, unlike the rest of the city's architecture that was inclined towards the Elf style, the mansion resembled an ancient castle forgotten by history.
The old castle was shrouded in thick, dark hues as if stained by the years. The stone walls were mottled, and the ancient bricks under the moonlight emitted a faint, cold glow, as if whispering tales of endless vicissitudes. The windows of the castle were tightly shut, the curtains thick, as if rejecting the prying eyes of the outside world, or perhaps guarding some secret.
Amidst these dark tones, the castle seemed even more mysterious and eerie, like a forgotten corner quietly awaiting some brave adventurer to lift its veil.
If it weren't for the solemnly dressed servants who constantly entered and exited to maintain the place, others might really think this was some kind of forgotten haunted house.
But even though the name of the Burns family was not familiar to most in the Bolin Kingdom, it was a well-known yet mysterious entity among the Kingdom Nobles.
As one of the few Duke families of the Bolin Kingdom, members of the Burns family rarely showed themselves to others, spending much of their time within their family estate, seemingly uninterested in the kingdom's power and wealth.
However, nobody dared to provoke this family. Those foolish enough to offend or enrage the Burns had themselves and their entire families disappear overnight.
Only then would others remember that the Burns family was the sole nobility existing since the foundation of the Bolin Kingdom, and there were even rumors that the history of the Burns family predates that of the Bolin Royal Family.
Even the Bolin Royal Family treated the Burns with utmost respect, never meddling in the affairs of the Burns family for countless years.
For this reason, no one dared to offend the Burns family any longer, and even the name of the family had become somewhat of a taboo.
However, recently, this name had once again surfaced among the Acot City Nobles.
The reason was simple: a Burns heir had suddenly appeared in Acot City.
What stirred more curiosity was that this heir was a high-born yet incredibly beautiful white-haired girl, who had captured the hearts of many noble youths upon first sight.
...
In the Burns Mansion, within the tranquil bedroom,
a white-haired girl of about seventeen or eighteen was peacefully asleep on a large bed, her gentle breathing complementing the serenity of the moment.
The setting sun's amber light filtered through the partly-closed curtains, casting a mystical veil over her flawless features and silvery tresses. Her hair was soft and delicate, subtly rising and falling with her breath, carrying a tranquil beauty.
The girl wore a simple, thin blood-red nightgown, which fit her exquisite figure snugly. Under the sunlight, the crimson hue of the dress appeared even more vibrant and profound, as if it pulsated with the vitality of life. The neckline was open just enough to reveal her delicate collarbone and slender neck, giving off an elegant and enchanting allure.
Her long and delicate legs, as white and flawless as ivory, lay gently bathed in the sunlight that brought out the subtlety and luster of her skin. A light blanket covered her, soft as clouds, seemingly adding a touch of allure and mystery.
The entire bedroom was immersed in a tranquil and cozy atmosphere, as if even the air was filled with the girl's fragrance. This white-haired girl was like a princess from a fairy tale, sleeping in her own dreamland, waiting for a brave prince to awaken her.
"Mmm～～～"
Before long, the girl rolled over on the bed like a kitten just waking up, propped herself up, and slowly arched her back halfway into the air, lazily stretching.
The girl, sitting up, yawned softly, extending her long, pale arms forward, her body bending into an elegant curve, casually displaying the lightness and beauty of her figure.
She blinked in bewilderment, glanced at the gradually dimming sunlight outside the window, rubbed her stomach with her small hand, and then came back to her senses:
"Hungry...
Should I continue to attend those galas hosted by the Nobles?
The girl tilted her head, somewhat hesitant.
She thought those flattering Nobles were too weak, each harboring their ill intentions.
The whole gala was utterly boring, except that the food was quite good, which was her only motivation to accept the invitations.
Even so, she lately found herself growing tired of it and couldn't help but long for her time in Bright City.
Those were the good old days, with endless delicious food to eat, much more interesting than now!
After a while, the girl, prompted by her protesting stomach, finally got up. She decided to head to the mansion's kitchen today and scrounge up something to eat.
Knock, knock～
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the respectful voice of the maid came from outside.
"Lord Angela, I apologize for disturbing your rest."
"You have a visitor...
The maid's voice paused for a moment, then continued:
"A gentleman who claims to be Mr. Lis from Bright City."
Thump!
As soon as the maid's voice fell, a loud noise suddenly came from inside the bedroom. The maid was startled and hurriedly pushed the door open to check on the situation.
Could something have happened to Lord Angela?
The moment the maid opened the door, she saw a white figure flashing past her.
Accompanied by the thumping of footsteps, the girl's figure rushed downstairs, her clear voice brimming with surprise.
"Lis!"