"Hah, hah..."
On the moving carriage, the large golden retriever panted with an innocent expression, obediently lying at Audrey's feet.
It tried hard to act normal, making itself look like an ordinary hunting dog worth 300 pounds.
If Silas hadn't sensed the existence of Beyonder characteristics within it, he would have been completely fooled.
Silas calmly watched it. The golden retriever gradually couldn't hold on anymore, lying down and curling into a ball.
"Miss Audrey, are the Beyonders in your household very strong?"
After staring at the golden retriever for a while, Silas suddenly asked.
"...I suppose?"
Audrey reached out to pet the large dog and tilted her head in thought.
"Based on their previous performance, they probably aren't as strong as you."
Is that so?
Silas felt a bit uncertain, because the situation at Earl Hall's household exceeded his understanding.
They'd actually fed a dog a potion, making it a Beyonder creature. If that was the case, this family's foundation might be even deeper than he'd imagined.
With such concerns, Silas rode the carriage to the front of Earl Hall's villa.
Miss Audrey's home was also located in the Queens District. Compared to Viscount Glaint's manor, Earl Hall's villa was even larger.
Including the courtyard, garden, and servants' quarters, it occupied an extremely vast space in the prohibitively expensive Queens District.
If this were in the East District, such a large area would have at least three to five hundred people crammed together living there.
They would only be able to share one toilet while also enduring severe cold and filth.
According to Fors, Audrey's father, Earl Hall, was a member of the House of Lords and also a shareholder in multiple major banks.
In his youth, he'd seized the opportunity of social reform, sold his hereditary land to enter the business world, and earned massive amounts in gold pounds.
Even in Backlund where the wealthy were as numerous as clouds, his net worth ranked among the very top.
Through the carriage window, Silas glanced at the villa and saw a large group of servants who'd come to greet them.
"Mr. Anderson, I'll trouble you."
Audrey said to him.
"I understand."
Silas nodded, then instructed his sister, "Cecilia, put on the mask."
His sister obediently put on a half-face mask, covering her overly conspicuous features.
"Swoosh."
At the same time, Silas's body instantly melted, turning into something like ink pooled on the ground. The black shadow surged and dove into his sister's shadow.
"That's amazing."
Fors praised sincerely.
This was Silas's "Stealth in Shadows" ability. Ordinary people would find it difficult to detect.
Even Beyonders would need to be the type with particularly keen perception, or possess corresponding Beyonder items, to possibly discover it.
"Creak..."
Just as Silas merged into the shadow, the carriage door was opened.
"Miss, you're finally back."
A young and capable maid appeared outside the carriage, supporting Audrey's arm before she could step down.
Behind her, maids were lined up in two rows.
"Annie, is the honorable Countess at home?"
"Of course she is. The Countess is waiting for you behind the villa."
Annie said quietly, "She said she wants to see what kind of impressive person you've brought this time."
"That's wonderful. I'm sure I won't disappoint her this time."
Audrey said with a smile as Annie helped her down from the carriage.
The golden retriever closely followed, jumping down from the carriage, looking as if it didn't want to stay inside for another moment.
The master and servant walked straight ahead, with maids on both sides following in sequence.
As a matter of course, one maid held an umbrella to shade Audrey from the sun, another lifted the hem of her dress, and another took charge of the dog.
The remaining few were responsible for welcoming the other passengers from the carriage, respectfully inviting the young lady's guests into the villa.
Quite the grand display.
Silas thought.
Fors seemed somewhat unable to adapt to such a scene. But for some reason, Xio appeared quite calm.
Led by servants, the three entered the Hall family's courtyard.
There are Beyonders, quite a few of them.
Hidden in the shadow, Silas sensed the auras of the surrounding Beyonders.
Mm, mainly concentrated inside the villa, basically mid-Sequence Beyonders. If they were only Beyonders of this level, then Silas could basically feel at ease.
"Please wait a moment. Miss Audrey will be here shortly."
The servant led them to a reception room and respectfully served black tea and pastries as hospitality.
Of course, the group wasn't careless enough to eat and drink casually. They only tasted the black tea slightly.
After about ten minutes or so, Audrey arrived with her personal maid. As for that golden retriever, it hadn't continued following.
In the short time they hadn't seen her, she'd already changed into a sky-blue dress, well-tailored and form-fitting, highlighting the unique youthful and sweet aura of a young girl.
When I get the chance, I'll get one for my sister too.
Although hidden in the shadow, Silas could still "observe" the outside world with special perception.
He'd already figured out that the Hall Earl family was indeed among the top wealthy, but perhaps because they'd only become rich in recent decades, the family's foundation hadn't caught up yet, and their accumulation in the Beyonder field was still somewhat lacking.
"Miss Cecilia, are you ready?"
Audrey asked with a sweet smile. "My mother is already waiting with the household guards."
"Anytime."
Silas heard his sister say, "However, I hope they can return my weapons."
When entering, they'd been asked by the gatekeepers to leave their weapons, which were properly kept by the servants.
"Oh, those should have already been sent over there."
Audrey said.
So the group rose again and moved toward the back of the villa.
"Is the Countess going to continue watching today too?"
Fors asked quietly.
"That's right."
Audrey smiled in reply, but for some reason, her tone carried some helplessness.
In fact, she really was helpless.
Because her mother, the Countess Hall, thoroughly enjoyed watching the tests.
Initially, the Countess had watched the tests only from a responsible mother's attitude, wanting to screen candidates for her daughter.
But after encountering multiple Beyonders and witnessing various elaborate ability clashes, the Countess had clearly become interested.
She even actively urged her daughter to invite more Beyonders over and demanded that the household guards not hold back, striving to extend the testing period.
Behind the villa was an enclosed clearing that looked like a place normally used for exercising horses. Now, on one side of the clearing, sun umbrellas and a tea table had been set up.
A graceful and beautiful noblewoman sat at the table, casting her gaze toward them.
"Good afternoon, honorable Countess."
Audrey lifted her skirt and curtsied to her mother.
"Very well, Audrey."
The extremely well-maintained Countess smiled and nodded, then cast a curious gaze toward the only masked woman in the field.
"Is she the one who's here to take the test this time?"
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