’Benjamin Morgan silently said a prayer for his brother.’
***
「That evening, after school.」
Just as Aurora Sinclair stepped out of the school gates, she saw a strange man wearing sunglasses and a mask standing next to Butler Sinclair.
"Young Miss, hurry... Beta is here with a delivery for you."
Aurora Sinclair walked over slowly. Tilting her head, she studied him for a long while as a faint scent of dicinal herbs drifted from him.
"You’re injured?"
Beta Morgan’s spine snapped straight, and he nodded again and again.
’He was so thoroughly covered, but she could still tell he was injured.’
’What a kind and considerate young woman!’
Aurora Sinclair opened her backpack and slowly took out a small glass bottle.
"For your wound."
Beta Morgan was deeply touched.
’No wonder the young master takes such good care of her. She’s an absolute sweetheart!’
He rembered the throat soothing pills she had given the young master. After analyzing them, he discovered the dicine was made from purely natural botanicals with no side effects. What’s more, its efficacy was even greater than the dicine produced by the Warner Family.
He had even made a special trip to the Warner Family, one of the Great Families specializing in dicine. The Family Head had nearly flown into a rage, claiming the formula was very similar to one of the Warners’ exclusive secrets and suspected soone of stealing it.
The Warner Family’s dicine all ca in specialized packaging; they would never use a simple bottle like this. Panicked, he’d quickly spun a lie and managed to fool the Warner Family Head.
Therefore, the dicine in Aurora Sinclair’s hand could only have been given to her by Ronan Warner, the Apothecary Hermit of Sunstone.
It was important to know that besides being a Warner, Ronan Warner was also the Sect Leader of the Verdant School, one of Veridia’s four great Hidden Sects.
The four great Hidden Sects were said to have existed for over a thousand years, but no one knew their true origins.
Their power ran unfathomably deep, and the general public had no idea they even existed.
It was said they had an unwritten rule: the four sect leaders could never leave the Sunstone region in their lifeti, and their disciples could not reveal the heritage of the Hidden Sects to outsiders. Only if Veridia faced a cataclysmic disaster could they reveal themselves to save the world.
Therefore, the people who knew of them were few and far between. Only the highest echelons of power and those closest to them had the right to know of their existence.
The only reason he knew all this was because his young master, Alvin Morgan, was the heir to the Morgan Family, and he was Alvin’s most trusted subordinate.
Beta Morgan stared at the bottle in his hand, his eyes burning with eagerness. He wished he could rip off his mask and use the dicine right then and there.
’This is a miracle cure!’
"My... He sent this for you. Study hard in your traditional painting class!"
With his bandaged hand, Beta Morgan handed her an exquisite wooden box and a stack of neatly pressed Xuan paper.
He’d almost been beaten to a pulp by Flynn Morgan just to get this set of art supplies for Aurora Sinclair. That guy was a Great Martial Master of the Eighth Rank—one rank below Dixon, but his fists were way tougher.
Aurora Sinclair accepted it with both hands and thanked him sincerely.
’Standing nearby, Butler Sinclair felt a warmth spread through his chest. He was so happy for his young miss. Professor Archer’s two students were both good kids.’
***
Butler Sinclair personally escorted Aurora Sinclair to the painting studio.
The owner was a middle-aged man nad An. He had strong brows and large eyes, and with his gold-rimd glasses, he had a very respectable appearance.
Professor Anson had quite a few students, all of them young girls around thirteen or fourteen. When they saw him, their faces held timid expressions.
"Aurora, have a seat here. I’ll teach you how to hold the brush in a mont." Marius Anson’s voice was gentle, carrying a soothing quality.
Aurora Sinclair slowly took out the brush Beta Morgan had given her and held it with perfect, standard form.
Marius Anson was a little surprised. ’Hadn’t he been told she’d never studied traditional painting before? That she was just so girl from the countryside who hadn’t seen the world?’
"Aurora, that’s excellent..."
Next, Aurora Sinclair painted every pattern he requested. The astonishnt in Marius Anson’s eyes grew. ’This is soone who doesn’t know how to paint?’
"Aurora, you know how to do traditional painting?"
Aurora Sinclair nodded.
Marius Anson was speechless. He stared at Aurora Sinclair’s beautiful face, a bitter feeling rising within him.
’He finally gets a pri catch, a girl from a Great Family no less. If he could get his hooks into her, he’d be set for life. But he never expected her to actually know how to paint. It completely ruined his plans.’
Marius Anson sized her up, his face unreadable as he calculated his next move. The interdiary who’d set this up had said she wasn’t as cold as she appeared—that she was simple-minded and incredibly easy to fool.
’If that’s the case, then he’d just have to speed things up.’
"Aurora, your skill level is clearly past the basics. Co with to another room to continue your lesson."
Aurora Sinclair nodded and began to pack her things.
Marius Anson led her to a small, private studio. Inside, there was only a wooden table and a comfortable sofa. The entire room was decorated in a cozy, romantic style.
The table was laden with snacks popular with young girls.
"Aurora, I prepared these snacks especially for you. Do you like them?"
Aurora Sinclair nodded, and Marius Anson was very satisfied.
’He pictured the interdiary’s promises. If he could successfully win her over, he’d be set for life.’
Marius Anson closed the door of the small studio and locked it.
"Aurora, co sit here. I’ll teach you the art of imitation..."
When practicing imitation, a teacher will typically demonstrate from the side, sotis guiding a beginner’s hand to show them how to make a stroke.
But Aurora Sinclair didn’t like strangers getting close and kept avoiding his touch.
Seeing that he could never touch her, Marius Anson beca annoyed. His brows gradually furrowed, and he said in a harsh tone, "Aurora Sinclair, what are you dodging for? I’m teaching you how to paint. How are you supposed to learn like this?"
Aurora Sinclair’s gaze was calm as she looked directly into his eyes. "I know how to do traditional painting."
"Knowing how... doesn’t an you paint well... Your sister, Stella Sinclair, beca known as a talented lady because she paints well."
Aurora Sinclair pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Marius Anson breathed a quiet sigh of relief. ’Why is her gaze so unnerving?’
He composed his expression, picked up a brush, and began to lecture seriously on imitation techniques. But Aurora Sinclair quickly rendered what he was explaining onto the paper, having no need for him as a teacher at all.
He was on the verge of a breakdown. He had no choice but to stop his "lesson" and let her practice on her own.
Ti passed quickly, and an hour went by in the blink of an eye.
Marius Anson realized he was getting nowhere with Aurora Sinclair. ’If every day was going to be like this, how was he supposed to beco the Sinclairs’ son-in-law and get his hands on a multi-billion-dollar fortune?’
He swallowed, his throat tight with frustration. Loosening his collar, he decided to make a move.
His hand slowly reached for her, but before it could make contact, he t those calm and cold eyes.
He froze, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.
’This girl is way too guarded!’
Seeing he didn’t approach again, Aurora Sinclair turned her head back and continued to quietly practice her painting.
Marius Anson’s face gradually darkened, and his gaze towards Aurora Sinclair turned sowhat malicious.
Suddenly, his eyes darted, and he said with a smile, "Aurora, I’m going to step out for a mont!"
Not ten minutes later, he returned, leading a very timid girl into the room.
"Yana, it just so happens your progress is the sa as Aurora’s. You two can practice this painting together, and I’ll guide you both!"
The girl nad Yana was very afraid of Marius Anson. When he reached out his hand, she instinctively flinched back.
The two girls sat at the wooden table practicing their painting, while Marius Anson occasionally gave pointers to Yana.
Suddenly, a strange, faint sound ca from inside the room. Aurora Sinclair turned her head to look...
Her gaze sharpened. She quickly pulled the spray canister that Alvin Morgan had given her from her pocket and sprayed it in Marius Anson’s face.
"AHH—"
Marius Anson’s body fell backward uncontrollably.
Yana, her eyes red-rimd, hid in Aurora Sinclair’s arms.
"What did you do to —"
Marius Anson looked horrified. He could no longer control his limbs.
Aurora Sinclair slowly walked over and looked down at him, her gaze stern.
"What are you doing? I’m calling the police! Soone! Help! SOONE, HELP—"
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