Lex easily caught the owner of the voice; she was a sixteen-year-old girl whose privileged life had blessed her with a beautiful face, fair and delicate skin full of luster, and especially her soft, shiny golden hair, which seemed to carry the brilliant sunshine of summer, flowing with a golden glow under the lights.
Her features were bright, her eyelashes curled, and she wore a complex, vibrant red dress, like a blooming fresh flower.
Though her words were full of mockery, her azure eyes, like a lake under a clear sky, subtly revealed restrained concern.
Lex certainly knew who she was.
This was his younger sister, the treasure of Disraeli, Harribel!
Influenced by the original owner's memories, a wave of doting affection surged in Lex's heart; it seemed this much-maligned young master was very fond of his younger brother and sister.
It was just that this younger sister's words and actions didn't quite match; she clearly cared for her elder brother, yet her words were sharp.
"Bell, I don't recall ever teaching you to speak to your brother so impolitely."
A voice as gentle as a spring breeze echoed in the hall, as an elegant woman gracefully walked in. On her no longer young face, in her brows, in every faint line, there was an overflowing sense of tolerance and warmth.
Although her dress was simple, it looked noble when worn. Even though summer had arrived and the weather was gradually warming, she still wore long-sleeved clothing.
Lex knew she wore long sleeves all year round because her left hand had once shielded him from shattered, flying glass, leaving an unhealable scar.
If it weren't for her, the faint scar below his left eye, like a tear stain, wouldn't be the only mark; his entire eye would have been blinded.
She was the mistress of this house, the mother of Lex and his siblings, Amelia.
"Welcome home, Lex."
Lex felt an uncontrollable surge of emotion, putting down his younger brother, stepping forward, and embracing his mother.
"Good evening, Mama."
He felt his eyes moisten, his nose sting, and intense emotions well up from the bottom of his heart.
Even when he saw his father, he hadn't experienced such strong emotions.
Amelia smiled and gently patted Lex's back: "Alright, the journey was tiring. Go wash up and get some rest early."
Lex agreed and released his hands, stepping back a few paces.
Amelia turned around and softly called out, "Matthew, come over here."
A young man, similar in age to Lex, walked over. He was dressed in a valet's uniform. He had darker skin, light gray hair, and eyes as red as flames.
"This is your personal valet."
Since he had an impure relationship with a maid, the family no longer provided him with maids, so Lex was not surprised at all.
The valet named Matthew bowed slightly and respectfully said, "Sir, your room is ready."
Lex nodded slightly, about to return to his room to wash up, when he heard footsteps, and then the gray-bearded butler Sebastian hurried into the house.
"Sir, Kaosi has arrived."
Hearing this name, a picture emerged in Lex's mind.
A middle-aged man in his fifties, with light golden hair, sparse eyebrows, dark brown eyes, a slightly plump build, but a dignified appearance. Although he still wore a wedding ring, he was, in fact, a widower. After his wife's death from illness, he had never remarried.
This was the Chief of Enki Town's Police Station.
What was he doing here?
Lex thought of the police officers seen at the inn on Mermaid Road. He didn't stop, walking and thinking, arriving at his room.
After washing, he changed into comfortable pajamas and opened the window. He saw the lights on in his father's study below, and behind the curtains, he vaguely saw a somewhat stout figure.
The Chief of Police stayed for a long time; he had not left even when Lex went to sleep.
The next day, after breakfast, Lex's family traveled by carriage to St. Witt's Church, a church belonging to the Church of the Night Goddess.
As a family of church believers, it was perfectly normal to go to church to pray after their son returned home safely.
Afterward, Lex did not return with his family but left with his valet Matthew, using the excuse of 'walking around.'
They arrived at Memorial Square. The square was named to commemorate the 'White Rose War,' a war in which Enki Town was once burned to the ground, with only a few buildings in the Town remaining to this day.
This square was one of them, though it had undergone some renovation. Now, besides it, there was also the ancient city gate outside Enki Town and several other ancient buildings.
In the square, numerous white doves, unafraid of humans, chased after the feed people threw on the ground.
In the distance, a group of people wearing gray-blue worker's uniforms and peaked caps gathered, among them many homeless people with patched clothes, listening to an Old Lady give a speech.
Lex found an inconspicuous corner in the square and sat down, casually taking out some feed and throwing it on the ground. In a moment, his feet were surrounded by white pigeons.
Looking at the slightly reserved young valet beside him, Lex casually said, "You wouldn't happen to know of any single ladies in the Town, young and pretty, who can be visited without bringing gifts, only money?"
Matthew's expression became a little awkward, and he cleared his throat: "Sir, if you engage in such socializing right after your return, I'm afraid it might be inappropriate."
I think so too, and I was just joking, you don't need to look at me like that, really.
Lex smiled and shrugged: "Then let's change the subject. Tell me, has anything interesting happened in the Town while I was away?"
On his way back, he had already been considering how to change his reputation to gain more family support.
He had envisioned several plans, but ultimately realized he didn't know Enki Town that well.
In the original owner's memories, his impressions of this Town were mostly of bars, art salons, and those bright, open, or reserved ladies.
And the last part of these impressions was particularly profound.
There was nothing Lex could do but gather information himself.
Matthew responded after a brief thought: "Sir, Enki Town is not large, and truly interesting things are few."
"I can only think of a few things."
"Not long ago, an old man named Ayn suddenly bought a large number of livestock, saying he wanted to open a farm, but there has been no further action since then."
Lex tried hard to recall but couldn't remember who Ayn was.
Matthew continued: "Also, your father's farm, and the livestock raised by several families outside the Town, have been visited by wild wolves from the mountains. The Baron has already entrusted Lyon, a famous hunter in the Town, to organize other hunters to go into the mountains and hunt those wild wolves, whose origin is unknown."
The valet raised his arm and pointed to the Old Lady who was speaking animatedly: "Additionally, Old Lady Paris recently suddenly claimed to be a favored one of the Night. Of course, St. Witt's Church does not acknowledge this, but that doesn't stop the Old Lady from giving speeches in the square every day."
"A favored one of the Night?"
Lex was truly stunned for a moment and couldn't help but look at the Old Lady.
The Old Lady had a head full of silver hair, deep nasolabial folds, a hooked nose, and an eerie expression. She looked more like a witch than some favored one of the Night.
She wore a patched dress and carried a basket covered with a blue checkered handkerchief, though he didn't know what was inside.
"However, the most sensational thing is undoubtedly a recent murder case."
Pausing, Matthew said, "Oh, no, if we count the one at the 'Blue Fish Inn' last night, then it's already two cases."