radicalducati Chapter 318 Your Highness
Chapter 318 Your Highness
Chapter 318 Your Highness
That day, Anne felt she had done a very poor job of "lecturing" the insane princess.
The princess, in a frenzy, reached out to Anne and called out to Anne's daughter.
Fortunately, Jonas had told Anne beforehand that the princess would suddenly adopt any woman as her daughter.
Nevertheless, Anne couldn't help but think of the princess in the days that followed.
This was the first time someone had ever called her daughter.
When she was little, Annie would act cute and call Aaron "Dad".
Aaron always had a look of disgust on his face.
Anne wanted Aaron to call her "daughter," but he always refused.
Aaron is Anne's closest person and the one most likely to treat her like a daughter.
Even so, no one ever called her daughter.
Now, however, it is being called upon by a madman.
Anne wasn't sure whether she should be happy or not.
But she's long past the age where she would lament that she wasn't as old as her parents.
Although it still touches me somewhat, I don't care too much about it.
However, Anne felt quite sorry for that princess.
Her closest people were either dead or missing.
He even went mad because of it and locked himself in that dark, sunless dungeon.
If her daughter really saw her like this, wouldn't she be heartbroken?
throat·-.
In short, Anne wished the princess a speedy recovery.
But Anne would never dare to go back to that dungeon again.
Anyone who has witnessed the princess's madness once knows how wise Jonas was in not sending women to see her.
Then the next day, John Justinian arrived in the capital.
To welcome him, Buckingham Palace held a grand banquet.
Unfortunately, Anne wasn't of a high enough rank to be seated.
She could only stay in her small room, eavesdropping on the hustle and bustle over there.
Anne was just a lowly heraldic valet, with no status or bloodline, so naturally no one would invite her.
She is indeed good-looking, but Annie would never use her appearance to please anyone.
Even so, Anne eventually met John.
John went to the House of Armor to visit Jonas.
The two seem to have a good relationship; at least they can talk to each other.
John was a handsome man with blond hair, a high nose, and a well-defined jawline.
Seeing him, Anne couldn't help but think.
If Lord Wayne Justinian had been a few years older back in Sun City and had inherited his father's good looks, perhaps Anne would have been tempted too.
John stayed in the capital for about five days. I heard that he wandered around the city and made friends with the various nobles in Platinum Castle.
As for what his purpose was, it's really hard to guess.
But he was ultimately just a passerby, and the storm in Platinum Castle would not cease for a moment because of his departure.
The tiny Platinum Castle was packed with thousands of people.
The bustle here is something even a middle-class nobleman could not imagine.
Anne has adapted to this place, but she doesn't like it.
Everyone wears a mask, and Anne must too.
Even Jonas cannot be completely trusted.
If Anne were to say these words to Jonas, he would certainly agree wholeheartedly, nodding repeatedly and praising them.
But Annie also had a tough time.
The miscellaneous tasks that required the Heraldic Constable's attention were too numerous to count.
Moreover, most of the tasks that Anne was assigned to do were ones that would offend people.
After all, the Heraldic Attendant was just a minor official, and the other party could usually afford to offend him.
The real reason for sending Annie was to let the other party yell at her and vent their emotions.
Anne was already used to it; all she had to do was listen quietly.
But we must absolutely stick to our original stance.
And now, Anne has been assigned to do something that will offend someone.
Anne wasn't sent to Jonas.
The Prime Minister, for the first time ever, convened two royal meetings in one day.
I guess there's something important they need to discuss.
Jonas had to attend a meeting, so he handed over the duties of sitting in the Herald's Chambers to the Herald.
The Heraldry Academy has two Heralds officers, with Mr. Merrick having higher seniority.
Therefore, if Jonas is not around, he has the final say in everything.
However, this person was a complete opportunist, spending more time by the side of the eldest prince than in the Heraldry.
Merrick would inevitably get involved in anything concerning the eldest prince.
She even went so far as to argue with Jonas.
Jonas seemed to have gotten used to it, only choosing to refute Merrick on rare occasions.
Regardless, both men were Anne's superiors, and Anne always had no choice but to obey their orders.
The person Anne is about to meet is related to the eldest prince.
Not long ago, the eldest son of the eldest prince also came to the palace.
The eldest prince, accompanied by Reuven Sinclair, visited all the nobles in the court.
His goal, of course, was to integrate his son into the court's social circle.
Anne thought he even wanted to get a position in the court for Luwen.
However, unless new positions are created, Lu Wen is definitely not suitable for other jobs.
As for public office as a servant, given Lu Wen's status, he probably wouldn't bother with it.
Lu Wen was even less qualified to be a herald, a job that required specialized skills.
Other important positions also involve very heavy responsibilities.
When the Imperial Council appoints officials, it will inevitably consider many factors, but the most important one is whether the candidate has the ability to complete the mission.
For example, the position of city defense inspector is currently held by Alexander Coolidge.
In just a few months, the palace's defenses became many times more stringent than before.
If it were Young Master Lu Wen, he probably wouldn't have this ability.
Lu Wen is already over thirty years old, and it might be quite difficult for him to learn from scratch.
Therefore, Lu Wen remained idle in the palace.
But clearly, this isn't someone who can stay put.
A few days ago, Lu Wen was arrested and imprisoned in the royal city for fighting with other customers in a brothel.
In the end, it was up to the eldest prince to personally go and rescue the person.
While it was not uncommon for nobles to frequent brothels, it was considered a huge scandal if they were weighed.
This will not only affect Lu Wen, but will also inevitably take a hit to the reputation of the eldest prince.
Anne could imagine how furious the eldest prince must have been.
As a result, Lu Wen has been confined to his room by the eldest prince and is not allowed to leave.
And the Heraldry Academy needs to send someone over to give him a lecture.
Clearly, even Merrick didn't like Luwen, otherwise, as a member of the eldest prince's faction, how could he miss such an opportunity to get close to the young master?
And so this task fell to Anne.
In the past, Jonas had told Anne about Mitchell, the former eldest prince, who had also been imprisoned for various reasons, but Jonas usually personally mentored him.
That's true, back then, kings did more than just sleep.
There wouldn't be as many things going on in the palace as there are now, so Jonas certainly has time for that.
In the blink of an eye, Annie had arrived at Reuven's door.
There were two soldiers guarding the door.
It's probably the eldest prince who deliberately arranged this to restrict Lu Wen's movements.
Anne knocked on the door: "Your Highness Reuven, I am Anne Booker from the Heraldry Institute, and I have been sent to explain some knowledge to you."
Soon, the door was opened.
The moment Lu Wen saw Anne, his languid face instantly became alert.
Anne wasn't too surprised; she was used to people being amazed by her appearance.
She bowed again, and only then did Lu Wen come to his senses and let Annie in.
The door closed.
This was also a small room, not much bigger than Anne's room.
It seems that there are not many empty rooms left in the palace, otherwise the Sinclair family would not be receiving this treatment.
At this moment, Lu Wen said:
"What's your name?"
"Your Highness, Anne Booker."
"Booker? Hmm—I've never heard of that surname before."
"It's a rare surname; there aren't many people who inherit it," there are only two in total.
Lu Wen nodded: "Then, Miss Anne, please have a seat!"
Anne sat down in a chair and got straight to the point:
"Your Highness, my task is mainly to explain aristocratic etiquette and court etiquette to you. Please listen patiently."
If there's anything you don't understand, please feel free to interrupt me, and I'll explain it to you in detail.
"Okay! Okay! No problem!"
Lu Wen smiled broadly and sat down opposite Annie.
Anne opened the thick book and began to read aloud to Lu Wen.
Lu Wen didn't ask any questions, but he also wasn't paying attention.
Anne could feel his gaze lingering on her.
Let him be.
Anne only needs to complete her duties and then she can leave.
Although the task was tedious, at least it wasn't tiring, and it was a rare moment of relaxation.
Suddenly, Lu Wen asked:
"Miss Anne, how old are you?"
"Sixteen years old," she said, "but she'll be seventeen by winter."
"You're really young," Lu Wen said with a smile.
"Um,"
Anne smiled politely and continued reading.
After a while, Lu Wen asked again:
"Miss, have you ever harbored feelings of love for anyone?"
Anne shook her head, then prepared to continue.
However, Lu Wen interrupted, "Really? That's a real shame. You know, I was only fourteen when I first fell in love!"
Anne frowned slightly; she had no interest in this man's past.
Moreover, she had a vague feeling that this was definitely not a touching story.
But Lu Wen paid no attention to Anne's attitude and continued talking to himself.
That's true. How could someone who's been pampered since childhood possibly consider other people's feelings?
Lu Wen never intended to listen to Annie's lessons or reflect on them from the beginning, so chatting like this to pass the time was more interesting to him.
Therefore, although Annie wanted to stop the conversation, she couldn't stop it at all.
"She was the daughter of one of my father's knights. I confessed my love to her and took her around my family's manor. She quickly fell in love with me."
"Unfortunately, my grandfather, who is now the king, stumbled upon us naked while he was taking guests to admire the flowers, and my first love was kicked out of the castle."
"And he was heartbroken for a long time because of this, until he was redeemed by another woman."
Looking at Lu Wen's nostalgic expression, Annie felt disgusted.
But he paused, and Anne immediately seized the opportunity:
"Your Highness, we should continue the lesson."
"It's okay to take things a little longer," Lu Wen said with a grin. "Annie, have you ever longed for love?"
Anne replied calmly, "Herbalists dedicate everything to heraldry. I am a member of the Court of Heraldry, and I have served the Platinum Grandeur and the Sinclair family for my entire life. I expect nothing more than this."
Lu Wen suddenly widened his eyes: "What a coincidence!"
Anne frowned, puzzled.
"You see, I'm a Sinclair," Reuven said with a grin. "Annie, shouldn't you serve me too?"
Anne had a bad feeling: "I'm serving you now."
"No," Lu Wen said, walking toward Anne. "I think your service could be a little more considerate. I mean, you could press yourself against my body."
That's an idiot; he hasn't learned a single lesson.
Anne didn't panic at all; she simply closed the book and used it as a shield to protect herself.
And he got up and retreated towards the door:
"Please calm down, Your Highness. The eldest prince is already furious about what happened before. If you continue to offend court officials, you will likely face even harsher punishment."
"A harsher punishment?" Lu Wen sneered. "Just a longer lock-up, or a few days in the dark dungeon. I am the eldest son of the eldest prince, the eldest grandson of the current king! You don't think they'll chop off my head for that, do you?"
Anne couldn't refute it, because what Ruven said was true.
The law is often not very effective in the presence of nobles, let alone royalty.
Fortunately, Annie had already retreated to the doorway.
She tried to open the door and escaped into the hallway.
Even if Lu Wen were incredibly bold, he wouldn't dare do anything to Anne in public.
However.·
The door remained closed.
Anne took a deep breath.
The door was locked from the outside.
"Hahaha, do you think I don't know what you're thinking?" Lu Wen laughed. "Those two are indeed here to watch over me, but they're also my father's men."
"They will naturally obey my orders. Before closing the door, I instructed them not to open it without my permission!"
"No...-."
At this moment, Anne finally started to panic.
She pounded on the door, calling for help, but no one answered.
Suddenly she felt a tremendous pulling force coming from the back of her collar—
Anne was easily thrown to the ground.
Then, Lu Wen pressed forward.
Anne tried to resist, but her strength was no match for that of the nobles who had to train in swordsmanship from a young age.
Lu Wen roughly stroked Anne's face with his hand, and Anne felt herself crying.
"Oh! My little darling, you are so lovely! So beautiful, and still a virgin! God have mercy! This confinement is worth it! I would gladly spend half a year in the dungeon for you."
Anne tried to resist, cry for help, plead, and hurl insults, but to no avail. Then Lu Wen pulled out a dagger from his waist and cut open Anne's clothes. Anne was terrified. Then Lu Wen ripped it off, and Anne's upper body, except for her bra, was completely naked.
But Lu Wen leaned in, seemingly intending to use his mouth to remove Anne's last piece of clothing.
"Bang!"
Just then.
The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Ah!
Anne couldn't stop crying no matter what!
She knew she was saved!
It's Jonas!
Lu Wen released Anne and stood up to question Jonas:
"Master Jonas, this is my room! How dare you trespass!"
Anne immediately hugged herself tightly and folded herself up as much as possible to avoid being seen by others.
And look back at the current situation.
Jonas laughed and replied, "Lord Luwen, I've come to take away my heraldic squire. We've sent the wrong person to you!"
"No, I want her!"
"It's not up to you to decide this matter, but rather Jonas stopped abruptly at this point."
He gaped, his eyes bulging outwards, looking utterly astonished.
His gaze seemed to be fixed on Anne's bare back.
After a moment, Jonas came to his senses.
Anne had never seen Jonas's cuteness so serious.
He said nothing more, but went to take off his coat of arms and covered Anne with it, then helped her up.
"Alright, Annie, let's go back."
"Stop!" Lu Wen grabbed Annie's arm and wouldn't let go. "My bedroom, do you think you can just come and go as you please?" The physical contact terrified Annie so much that she wanted to vomit. However, Jonas suddenly stepped forward and slapped Lu Wen hard across the face.
Not only was Lu Wen stunned, but even Anne hadn't expected Jonas to do this.
After a long while, Lu Wen finally came to his senses:
"You dare hit me? I am the eldest son of the eldest prince, the current king's—"
"Don't try to scare me with the same words you use to scare others," Jonas said, his eyes icy. "Even if it were your father, I'd still hit him."
In this Platinum Castle, everyone has to give me some respect.
"You can complain to him, and after he hears it, he will definitely bring you to apologize to me and beg me to slap you again."
"Who do you think you are!" Lu Wen roared.
“Just a herald, who happens to have some power,” Jonas said. “Now, there’s more than one person who wants to be king.”
I never intended to help anyone, but I wouldn't mind opposing certain people.
"I personally handled over 70% of the connections within the palace. With your brain, you probably couldn't figure it out."
Alright, stop wasting my time. I'm not in the mood right now. Go tell your father.
After saying that, Jonas led Anne out of the room.
Anne burst into tears only after they reached the hallway.
"Don't cry," Jonas suddenly whispered in his ear, "You can't cry. You can't let anyone see you being weak."
Annie immediately stopped crying, letting the tears fall freely.
"Don't worry," Jonas said. "I'll protect you. No one can hurt you. It's good that you made it in time. When Merrick said he was sending you to that idiot Reuven, I knew it wouldn't be good."
"But it's so good that you came! Haha! Brilliant! Brilliant!"
Hearing this, Anne had no idea what Jonas was talking about.
Soon, they returned to the Heraldry.
There were several other heraldic officers in the Heraldry at that moment, and Jonas ordered them all to leave.
Those men didn't understand Jonas's meaning, and Jonas suddenly roared:
"Get out, all of you!"
Jonas's beard collapsed.
But he paid no heed.
After everyone had left, Jonas ripped off the coat of arms that was covering Anne's body.
"what!"
Anne screamed and quickly covered herself.
She glared at Jonas with anger and fear.
So, he's that kind of person too?
"Annie—" But his tone suddenly softened, "Turn around?"
"Huh?"
Annie was puzzled.
Jonas didn't say much, but instead went around to Anne's back.
Anne felt Jonas's hand roaming over her back.
She longed to call out to Aaron, to call out to Lola.
At this point, Jonas asked:
"Where did this scar—this flame-shaped scar—come from?"
"Huh?"
Answer me!
"I don't know, I've had it since I was little."
Who are your parents?
"I have no parents; I was raised by a librarian!"
"Hahaha! Hahaha."
Jonas suddenly threw his head back and laughed, tears welling in his eyes.
Anne couldn't understand why Jonas was acting this way.
But Jonas suddenly knelt before Anne:
"You're finally back, Your Highness! It's so good you're not dead!"
"This is the palace?"
Annie was confused and asked in bewilderment.
Although she was still upset and tears were streaming down her face.
But she also sensed that Jonas seemed to have done this for some special reason.
"That's right! Your Highness!"
Jonas, kneeling before them, bowed his head deeply.
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty Caroline Sinclair!"
"Your Highness, this is it!"