Chapter 150 Angelina's Tea Party 19

The lady in the dark yellow dress nodded: "We rested very well, but we suddenly heard a great commotion and were a bit worried about whether Angelina had encountered any accidents, so we came together to check on her. How is Angelina now?"

"Lady Angelina will surely be grateful for your concern. The sound just now was caused by a clumsy Servant who knocked over a bookcase in the study, and the falling bookcase caused others to collapse as well, which is why there was such a loud noise. I am truly sorry for startling you ladies."

"The Lady is quite alright, but she happened to be reading in the study when the Servant knocked over the bookcase. She was too close to the scene of the accident and was startled. The Lady needs to rest now and will not be receiving visitors for the time being. I am very sorry."

The one in the light pink dress expressed understanding: "The sound was terrifying even from so far away; my heart was pounding scarily, let alone for Angelina who was so close."

The one in the gold-red dress, however, had a different question: "If the Lady is very exhausted now, then perhaps the tea party this afternoon should be temporarily cancelled. Angelina's health is more important."

"Yes, it would make us feel bad to have Angelina entertain us while she is unwell..."

"No, there is no need to worry," the butler bowed slightly, "the Lady has specifically instructed that the tea party this afternoon will not be postponed. It will still be at 4:30 PM. Ladies, please attend on time. Before then, please rest well and wait with peace of mind."

Although the ladies were somewhat worried about Angelina's condition and indicated that it wouldn't matter if the tea party were postponed, and they were not in a hurry to leave, the butler declined them one by one.

After pacifying the three ladies, the butler knocked on the doors of the remaining ladies, informed them of the source of the noise, apologized for startling them, and finally stated that the tea party would proceed as scheduled.

Lin Xiangjun must have been the last one to arrive; her room was in the position furthest to the side.

Taking advantage of the time while the butler was notifying the others, she returned to her room early, put away her cloak, changed out of her soiled clothes, cleaned herself up roughly, and ensured she would be presentable when the butler arrived.

"Guest."

The butler entered the room, but he did not repeat what he had said to the other ladies. He bowed slightly, his tone devoid of inflection, yet the words he spoke caused Lin Xiangjun to suddenly grip her sharp knife tightly:

"Guest, your trail has been discovered."

Lin Xiangjun looked at him guardedly.

The butler gently pushed up his monocle: "I imagine you must be very curious about how I was able to see through your disguise. Please do not be nervous, Guest; I have no malicious intent. Saying this is not to threaten you, but simply to prove my sincerity in cooperating."

"Cooperation?"

Seeing Lin Xiangjun react, a slight smile appeared on the butler's face:

"Yes, cooperation."

...

Angelina walked down the stairs alone.

The wind blowing from underground was chilly, raising goosebumps. The clothes she wore were thin, yet she seemed not to feel the cold, not even knitting her brows.

The basement was quite large, with several medium-sized candlesticks standing in it, and the light was barely clear enough.

In the center of the basement was a camellia, taller than a person, with flowers the size of an adult's palm, the color pink to the point of being bewitching, emitting a sweet, cloying fragrance in the dim basement.

Under the camellia tree were twelve kneeling humanoid figures. The camellia's branches wrapped tightly around them, like twelve massive cocoons.

Angelina walked up to the camellia tree, not even glancing at the twelve "cocoons" on the ground.

"This time, it seems a troublesome Guest has arrived."

It was a voice that could not be distinguished as male or female, a bit like a version of Doubao without emotions.

"It is very troublesome, creating quite a stir, but she doesn't have any real ability. So far, it is still controllable, so there is no need to worry too much."

"Angelina, you should be more careful," the voice reminded.

There was no one else in the room except for Angelina and the "cocoons" on the ground that were neither dead nor alive; there was only that terrifyingly large camellia in the center, its branches trembling slightly.

The one speaking... was the camellia?

Angelina snorted coldly, her tone not sounding very convinced: "I know, I don't need you to manage me. Even if she is capable, at worst I'll just lose a pinch of tea leaves and a few sugar cubes. Is there a need to be so worried and afraid?"

The other party sighed softly, still without any change in tone, which sounded exceptionally strange.

"As you wish, Angelina. I was just giving a reminder."

"I know, I'm not some muddle-headed fool. If you die, do you think I'll have a good ending? Don't nag endlessly like an old mother; you're just annoying me."

Thus, the camellia tree shook its branches and stopped speaking.

Angelina fanned the air in front of her nose and said with some disgust: "Anything else? If not, I'm going upstairs. It smells like dead bodies here, it's stinking up my clothes, it's truly unbearable."

"After the tea party ends, come down and take them away. Next time, find me some healthier women. These have too poor an absorption capacity; they cannot satisfy my needs. Also, control those Servants; don't let them touch my things again."

These sacrifices were already frail, and now that a portion had been stolen, It was naturally displeased.

Angelina snorted coldly again.

She thought of those "mice" who didn't follow orders and only knew how to cause trouble in the castle, and her heart grew irritable, her voice carrying some resentment:

"Who asked you to keep those useless fellows! They only know how to wander around the house, trick those brainless pig-like things out of their rooms to eat them, or take away the Guests who break into my bedroom and study. I am clearly the owner of the castle! Yet they never listen to my orders!"

"Damn it, why do you have to keep those useless failures? Why must you create them? You are adding a burden to yourself and me! If they weren't there, we could..."

"Quiet, Angelina." The camellia tree's voice had no inflection, but inexplicably, Angelina heard a stern warning in those words.

"This is the rule, and no one can violate it."

"Your castle must have White Bow Tie Servants, and it must also have Black Bow Tie Servants—if you still want to be the owner of your castle securely, then be obedient and do as I say."

"The owner of the castle is Angelina, but Angelina does not necessarily have to be you."

"The things I can give you, I can certainly take back at any time. Remember my words, Angelina."

Angelina shuddered, her arrogance instantly extinguished. She replied with a weak "Okay" and fled the basement as if escaping.