"What was up with that expression?" Ian asked in a daze.
"Don’t think much of it. He is the Chief Headguard, after all," Caroline said, standing up with both letters in her hand. "Since you appointed Trevor yourself and he did not beco the official headguard of this estate through the proper channels, Vincent ca to check him out. He wants to see if Trevor is a spy or if he is working against us."
"So, if your guy is clean, there is nothing to worry about. But if he is even the slightest bit suspicious, he will have to go," Caroline added, pulling out a small tal tray from a cabinet and a box of matches.
"What do you an when you say he has to go?" Ian asked cautiously.
"Of course, dear, don’t be naive. He would have to die. I bet that’s the real reason Vincent ca here," she said flatly. She then struck a match and set fire to the two letters she had placed on the small tray.
Ian just watched the papers burn quietly. Inside, he was really hoping that Trevor would be completely clear of suspicion.
"Aren’t you going to ask what was in the letters that I am burning?" Caroline asked Ian with a curious look.
"I am curious about the contents. But you burning them ans you don’t want the information to leak, so I suppose you are not going to tell either way even if I ask," Ian said. He picked up his pen again, wanting to continue doing the paperwork right where he left off.
"Look at you being smart for once," Caroline said with a big smile on her face, walking back to sit down in her chair. "I can tell you what was in the first letter, at least. It was about the guard issue. The Family Head will not allow us to hire new guards from the outside. They are worried about the assassins that are targeting us. Especially since they want you dead more than anyone in the family, the assassins would not miss the chance to sneak in as new hired guards. So, they are just going to send a few trusted guards from the Main House, and your Aunty will send so too."
"I see," Ian said, spinning the pen in his hand. ’It does make sense. Hiring outside people right now would prove to be way too risky.’
"Those Main House guards should be here by tomorrow afternoon, and the ones from your Aunty’s Estate will arrive maybe the day after tomorrow in the morning. After every guard is here and organized, Vincent will head back to the Main House... with you," Caroline said calmly.
"What?!" Ian said in shock, dropping his pen. "What do you an, go to the Main House? Why do they need there?"
"You do know that your cousin Adam is ill, right? The Family Head thinks that he might not even last until next year. And since Adam is his only child, you will be the next in line to beco the Family Head." Caroline paused to let the weight of what she just said sink in. But to her surprise, Ian didn’t even look surprised at all.
"I kinda knew that much already. What I want to know is why do they need there right now?" Ian asked.
"They said they want to teach you about the duties of Family Head. But I am sure those old hags just want to assess you to see if you are fit to be the Family Head," Caroline said with a pissed-off expression.
’She must an the elders of the house—the guys who used to serve my grandfather. Although they are not of our bloodline, they contributed to the family so much. Most of them were with my grandfather when he bought the nobility title, and so even helped our businesses grow to the point so becoming part of founders of the rchant Union. Even if their personal strength is weak, they are still a very big deal in the family.’ Ian sighed internally, thinking those guys were going to be a lot to deal with.
"So, how long will this take?" Ian asked.
"I don’t know. They never specified your return date in the letter, but I am pretty sure you will co back with us after the banquet is done," Caroline said.
"Banquet?" Ian asked, confused.
"Huh? Did I not tell you before? There is going to be a small family birthday banquet held for Adam at the Main House at the end of this month," Caroline said.
"No, you didn’t say anything about it. And since it is the end of the month, that ans it’s in exactly three weeks, right?" Ian said, counting the days in his head.
"Sorry, I guess I forgot since I was always so busy with paperwork. I didn’t have ti to tell you kids. But don’t worry, Vincent will take about a week here in the estate first. So you will only have to spend two weeks there," Caroline said, trying to reassure him.
"A week?"
"Yeah, a week. He will want to get to know the new Headguard here once Trevor is cleared of suspicion. And if Trevor is not clear and he dies, Vincent will have to find a new Headguard from the new guys that co here tomorrow. He would then have to stay to see if the new head guard is good at controlling the n here, issuing orders and many things. So, it will take him at least a week to finish his business here. So you still have so ti here," Caroline explained.
"I understand. In that case, we should stop talking, and hurry up and finish this paperwork if you don’t want to be left all alone doing it yourself while I’m gone," Ian said to his mother.
"You are the one who talks a lot. We should have been done ages ago," Caroline muttered, holding her pen and writing down numbers.
"Mom, you are the one constantly asking things like, ’How do you do this?’ and ’I don’t understand this,’ and ’Why did you put the number on this side?’" Ian said, mimicking her voice. "It is because I am working and teaching you at the exact sa ti. That is why it is taking longer! I could have been completely done by now if I was alone," Ian said with a smug look on his face.
"Is that the way you talk to your mother?!" Caroline snapped, glaring at him with a scary-looking face. "I didn’t raise you to talk back to ! If I say you are the one who talks too much, then you are the one who talks too much. Do you understand ?!"
"Yes, ma’am," Ian just nodded, sweating slightly. He definitely did not want to argue with her when she made that face.
"Good, now you better hurry up and not slack off" she said, her voice suddenly turning incredibly sweet again.
’Sigh. She always throws the "mother card" when she loses an argunt with . Well, at least she isn’t angry with anymore about pressuring her to destroy her Aura Core earlier. Still, I wonder what the real reason is that she doesn’t want to destroy her core. And was in the other letter she didn’t say at all,’ Ian thought, looking at his mother who was busy working.
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