Her face remained unchanged, and so did her name.
"You two are honored guests of Grant Manor, so of course you may roam freely. Zara, let's not disturb them." Zara Yun gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a voice called out, "Prince Julian, Lord Lucian, this place is filthy. Please don't dirty your robes here."
A hint of mockery appeared at the corner of Zara Yun's lips.
A filthy place?
Yes, the courtyard once home to the legitimate daughter of the Marquis now became a filthy place.
So how much better could Grant Manor be?
Lucian Fox noticed the mockery at the corner of Zara Yun's mouth, and his eyes curved slightly.
What an interesting little girl.
Zara Yun couldn't be bothered to argue with such petty people. Her strength hadn't recovered yet, so she couldn't act rashly. Without a second thought, she turned and left.
Prince Julian stared in surprise at Zara Yun's back, unable to help saying, "Zara Yun seems like a completely different person. She used to pester me about my third brother every time she saw me. It was so annoying. What happened today?"
"Maybe this is her true nature," Lucian Fox replied calmly.
Under the pomegranate tree, petals fluttered down.
The flower petals landed on his golden hair, making his stunningly handsome face look even more alluring.
A middle-aged man hurried in from outside, his face full of caution and tension. Seeing only Prince Julian and Lucian Fox in the courtyard, he visibly relaxed and said, "Prince Julian, Lord Lucian, this area is deserted and the people here lack manners. Please don't let it offend your noble selves."
Prince Julian just grinned and said nothing.
Lucian Fox, however, asked, "Who lives in this courtyard?"
The middle-aged man was caught off guard by the question.
If he answered truthfully, wouldn't that lower the status of Grant Manor?
After all, he was the one who had first badmouthed Zara Yun.
Lucian Fox didn't spare him another glance and said to Prince Julian, "Let's go."
With that, Lucian Fox turned and headed for the door.
Prince Julian laughed heartily and followed.
The middle-aged man glanced warily toward the house, then left as well.
Once the uninvited guests had all left, Zara Yun asked Tina, "Who was that fat man?"
Tina looked toward the door and replied, "That's Mr. Jarvis, the chief steward of Grant Manor and one of Lady Grant's most trusted aides."
"No wonder," Zara Yun nodded. "By the way, why does Lucian Fox have golden hair and golden eyes? And why doesn't he have any title?"
Tina pouted, "Miss, how would I know such things? They say when Lord Lucian was born, the world suddenly went dark—a bad omen. And with his special status, maybe that's why he has no title."
Zara Yun was utterly surprised.
This was getting interesting!
The setup of this world is nothing short of miraculous!
When I was born, the sky was filled with radiant light, yet I ended up lower than even the maids in the manor.
When Lucian Fox was born, the world turned dark, but now he’s the most handsome man in Glory Empire and a guest of honor wherever he goes.
So all those so-called prophecies are just nonsense!
At that moment, Shea came in with freshly brewed tea and said, "Miss, you may not know this, but Lord Lucian has no title because his status is too awkward. After all, he’s a royal descendant from the Northern Wolf Kingdom. Now that the Northern Wolf Kingdom is in turmoil, Princess Ling returned as a princess, without a proper consort. So Lord Lucian naturally can’t have a title. Otherwise, how would the other imperial consorts of Glory Empire hold their heads high?"
Shea had studied for two years, so she was a bit more knowledgeable than the others.
Zara Yun was clever and instantly understood.
No doubt, when Princess Ling married far away to the Northern Wolf Kingdom, there was another motive.
Otherwise, why did the Northern Wolf Kingdom fall into civil strife right after Princess Ling married?
Otherwise, why did the emperor of Glory Empire send troops to retrieve the princess as soon as the turmoil started?
Otherwise, why has Princess Ling always been in poor health?
Otherwise, how did Lucian Fox manage to grow up safely?
Some things really can't be judged by appearances.
Now, hardly anyone in the entire country can see Lucian Fox.
Maybe it’s not that he doesn’t want to see people, but that he can’t just meet anyone.
After all, his status really is too awkward.
As a child of both the Northern Wolf Kingdom and Glory Empire, he doesn’t truly belong to either, and both emperors harbor doubts about him.
It’s a real dilemma.
No wonder he never smiles and always looks so cold.
He must be keenly aware of his own predicament.
Thinking of this, Zara Yun touched her chest, feeling a faint ache for him.
Still, Zara Yun was sure that this man was far from simple.
Zara Yun wasn’t some sheltered lady—years of battle had made her a shrewd judge of character.
Lucian Fox definitely had a hidden card up his sleeve!
Just as Zara Yun was sizing up Lucian Fox, he was also speculating about her on the way back.
"Julian, do you really think she’s that crazy, lazy, and despised second daughter of the Grant Family?" Lucian Fox asked Prince Julian in a low voice.
"Of course! What else? You saw it yourself—her courtyard is practically a cold palace. Poor girl, to be rejected by Grant Manor like that, and still dare to mention her engagement to my third brother. Back then, my mother only agreed to the engagement because the Marquis had fought for the country. Now, it seems my father and mother don’t plan to honor it. After all, Miss Wendy Grant is much more impressive. By the way, Lucian, why are you interested in her?" Prince Julian asked curiously.
"It's nothing," Lucian Fox replied calmly, his golden eyes flickering.
He had caught a scent of battle spirit—something no other woman in Glory Empire possessed.
That woman was definitely not as simple as everyone thought.
This chapter isn't finished yet~.~ Click next page to keep reading!
So, why had she been hiding her fighting spirit all this time?
Lucian Fox found himself growing curious about Zara Yun.
He actually sensed the spirit of battle in a fifteen-year-old girl!
And it was the same fighting spirit as his own.
Who was she fighting for, and who was she fighting against?
Prince Julian and Lucian Fox had just returned to the main hall when someone immediately reported their activities to Lord Grant.
Lord Grant was only forty years old, in his prime, with a pale face and no beard, elegant and refined. It was hard to believe he’d once been a formidable general on the battlefield.
Lord Grant glanced at his eldest daughter, Miss Wendy Grant, who was playing the zither, then turned and asked, "Where’s Zara? Why haven’t I seen her for days?"
Someone quickly replied, "To answer the Marquis, the second young lady caught a cold a few days ago and still hasn’t recovered, so she’s been avoiding everyone."