Chapter 21

The baron’s tone was icy and distant. As soon as he finished speaking, Lady Lloyd burst into tears. “How could you treat me like this… You can’t treat me like this…”

“Why must you be so upset? Have I done something wrong?” the baron responded coolly.

“I am your mother, yet you call me a guest, and you ask me why I’m upset!”

Lady Lloyd’s hysteria did not move the baron. He replied slowly and calmly, “This manor, everything here, belongs to me. If you are not a guest, then are you the master here?”

She clutched her chest, as if unable to bear the blow, and collapsed to the floor, looking up at her son. Large teardrops welled up in her eyes and rolled down her gaunt cheeks. She lamented, “I know you hate me, and I hate myself too—I failed to take care of you. But I’ve repented. Can’t you forgive me? I beg you, please forgive me.”

Seeing Lady Lloyd so distraught, the baron did not even furrow his brow. He said coldly, “Mother, you’re overthinking this. Your unreasonable behavior makes me question your mental state…”

Lady Lloyd suddenly shuddered and stared at the baron. “No, you can’t send me to an asylum…”

“Of course I won’t, if you’re not ill,” the baron sighed. “Did you come here because you need money?”

She wiped her tears, stood up from the floor, hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and nodded. “I need some money. You only give me a pittance each time, like you’re dealing with a beggar, forcing me to come begging every time…”

“How much do you want?” the baron cut her off abruptly.

“I want… £2,000!” Lady Lloyd said.

“£2,000? That’s enough to buy an entire village,” the baron said coldly.

“You are so wealthy! You…” Her words were cut short. The baron quickly wrote a check and handed it to her. “Take it. This is the only thing you will ever get from me. Please leave Miles Manor this afternoon. I do not want to see you again for at least a year.”

After Lady Lloyd left, the baron returned to his work in the study, seemingly indifferent to what had just happened. Yet, by evening, he picked up his violin again and played that sorrowful tune…

At the turn of spring and summer, it was the season for gatherings among the nobility in the capital. Mornings were for horseback rides, afternoons for tea and conversation, and evenings for lively balls. Every noble, every gentleman, was a participant in these festivities. There were also ambitious social climbers who seized the opportunity to network with the powerful, doing everything they could to rise in status.

As a member of the nobility, the baron naturally could not miss such events. Miles Manor grew busy as its master prepared to depart for his residence in the capital.

The capital was a true metropolis, a stark contrast to the leisurely life of the countryside. At the time, the city was hailed as one of the greatest in the world, boasting the most advanced factories and the largest docks. Merchants from all over the globe gathered here, making it the largest hub for goods distribution, which fueled the city’s prosperity and wealth.

Unlike rural manors, urban land was densely packed and expensive, with buildings standing row upon row. The closer one got to the affluent districts, the higher the land prices, and the smaller the available plots for construction became.

The baron’s villa in the capital was a three-story mansion, with neighbors all being distinguished nobles or gentlemen, and merchants were rarely seen on the entire street. This villa was mostly left unused, as the baron only visited occasionally, usually residing at Miles Manor. Thus, for the servants here, the baron’s visit was a significant occasion, and the entire villa was refreshed, clearly having been meticulously tidied up.

This villa was not as grand as Miles Manor, and the servants’ rooms were always insufficient. Just as I was about to squeeze into a shared room, Austin told me I could stay in the guest room next to his bedroom, making it convenient to find me anytime. Perhaps because I had risked my life to save him twice, despite the awkwardness between us, he still trusted me deeply. His study and bedroom were both open to me. This also meant that, if I wished, I could access anything around the baron…

That evening, I accompanied the baron to Count Gerard’s banquet. As mentioned earlier, the hierarchy among servants was starkly evident. Unsurprisingly, the count’s servants were more esteemed than the baron’s, a gentleman’s servants outranked a merchant’s, and a wealthy man’s servants held higher status than those of the poor.

At the banquet, this hierarchy was on full display. As the baron’s personal valet, I appeared quite respectable in front of many gentlemen, even receiving deference from quite a few—until they realized I was actually a servant. Count Gerard, around forty, was a typical nobleman. He always wore lavish robes, donned long wigs, had pale skin, and sometimes even wore makeup.

The count’s relationship with his wife was quite strained, yet he had fathered many illegitimate children with maids and mistresses. Every day, his sole pursuit was indulgence. Despite his lofty status, he was financially strained, which made his bond with the baron particularly close—likely one of the most frequent visitors to Miles Manor.

As the count’s “intimate” friend, Austin was warmly welcomed, with almost the entire count’s family coming to greet him. For the baron, they had even prepared the most comfortable and luxurious guest room. An ordinary person would have been overwhelmed by such favor, but the baron seemed effortlessly at ease, as if long accustomed to it.

The banquet’s decor was exceptionally unique, as if stepping into a greenhouse. Tall palm trees were placed around, their large, spreading leaves stretching toward the ceiling, as splendid as fountains. There were also rubber trees shaped like columns, their dark green, layered leaves almost obscuring the guests in the corners. I supposed such arrangements might have been designed to facilitate private conversations between gentlemen and ladies.

Amidst this sheltered foliage, the baron was conversing with a beautiful young lady—none other than the count’s daughter, Lilyanna. She said, “…they outlined the cosmic system and thereby calculated the movements of the stars and the seas… All natural philosophy can be deduced mathematically. What a magnificent discovery, isn’t it?”

Unlike those simple-minded noble ladies, Lilyanna was not only beautiful but also highly intelligent. The topics she discussed with Austin were beyond my comprehension entirely.

The baron seemed deeply interested in these topics, engrossed in conversation with Lilyanna. They discussed planets, comets, the moon, the cosmic system, and even the romantic escapades of certain mathematicians, as if the topics could stretch on endlessly.

Lilyanna’s emerald-green eyes remained fixed on the baron, her gaze brimming with affection. Her voice carried a mesmerizing charm, her thin red lips parting and closing, exuding an indescribable allure.

For some reason, I felt a strong aversion toward this young lady. Though it was my first time meeting her, I secretly mocked in my heart: “Why bother wasting her efforts, the Baron doesn’t like women at all.” I even couldn’t help thinking how vulgar it was for her to so brazenly seduce a man.

However, I then recalled the Baron once telling me that he wished to marry, that even a loveless marriage could excite him. Yes, so what if Austin likes men? He would still marry eventually, taking a woman as his wife.

This woman would undoubtedly be extraordinarily beautiful, of noble birth, well-mannered, intelligent, and wise—just like Lilyanna before me. Their conversation seemed so harmonious, not only matched in status but also sharing common interests. Perhaps one day, the Baron would propose to her.

And compared to her, what do I have? I’m just a farmer’s son, completely uneducated. Could we ever discuss such profound topics? Do we share any common interests? The Baron and I were never equals. If the gap between Lauren and me was like heaven and earth, then the distance between the Baron and me was even more insurmountable.

Just as I was lost in these complicated emotions, the Baron took his leave from Lilyanna. “I’ve enjoyed this evening, but I’m rather tired now. Please excuse me.” The Baron gave a slight bow.

“Oh, please allow me to escort you,” Lilyanna replied softly.

The Baron frowned slightly and said flatly, “No need to trouble yourself, a servant can assist me.” With that, he walked through the crowd and left first.

I hurried after the Baron, and when I glanced back unintentionally, I saw Lilyanna gazing deeply at his retreating figure.

Did she love him? If she truly did, then that would be good… I murmured in my heart. From that day on, I began trying to read some profound books.

In the Baron’s study, I found several books he had once read. Among them were Sir Isaac Newton’s “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” and Joseph-Louis Lagrange’s “Algebraic Solution of Equations.” I didn’t know what I was doing—in truth, I couldn’t understand these books at all. Whether it was music, literature, or mathematics, these fields were far too obscure for me. Perhaps nobles were simply different; they could comprehend these books, while I was like a dull ox.

Even so, I stubbornly forced myself to read them, thinking that even if I couldn’t understand, memorizing them might be worthwhile. I hoped that one day, if the Baron brought up these topics, I could at least converse with him a little instead of being utterly ignorant.

Until one day, I fell asleep on the sofa with a book in my arms. It wasn’t because I was too tired—the content of those books simply made me drowsy. When I opened my eyes, Austin was standing before me, glancing at the book in my embrace and raising an eyebrow slightly.