Read Daily Updated Light Novel, Web Novel, Chinese Novel, Japanese And Korean Novel Online.
Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 2155: A New Face
Chapter 2155: A New Face
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Wearing a new face, Adam leaned against the window, his figure concealed by the curtains. At present, he was in a house in Lords’ Borough.
The resident lay knocked out cold on the bed behind him, completely oblivious to the uninvited guest who had taken over his master bedroom.
Rain pattered against the windowpane, trickling down the glass as Adam gazed at the villa compound across the street.
It belonged to Havel Norwood.
The estate was considerably larger than the surrounding properties, enclosed by tall stone walls and an ornate iron gate. Several trees lined the driveway, their branches swaying gently in the rain.
Even after its owner had disappeared years ago, the estate had remained remarkably well maintained. Maids and servants continued to run the household, tending to the gardens, cleaning the rooms, and managing the daily affairs of the property.
From the outside, there was little indication that the master of the house had been missing for so long. Adam narrowed his eyes as he observed the compound in the rain.
I wonder how many people are spying on his villa at this exact moment, he wondered.
There was a reason the servants continued to maintain the estate despite its master’s prolonged absence.
The property still belonged to the grandson of the previous Known Lord. Regardless of how much animosity existed between the various political factions, appearances had to be maintained. Allowing such an estate to fall into disrepair would only invite unnecessary gossip and speculation.
But there was another possibility.
Perhaps those searching for Havel Norwood had kept the estate under secret surveillance. They might be waiting for the man to return, or watching for anyone who showed an unusual interest in the property.
After all, if someone came looking for Norwood, wouldn’t it make sense to keep an eye on his residence?
Adam narrowed his eyes as he continued studying the villa across the street.
That raised another question.
Just how many people were looking for Havel Norwood?
As he watched the maids and servants preparing to finish their shifts, Adam’s thoughts drifted back to Genevieve.
This was already his third day surveilling the villa. And it was becoming increasingly difficult to lie to her about his whereabouts.
Genevieve had never questioned him directly. She trusted him enough to give him his privacy, and he appreciated that. Yet every time he had to make up an excuse for his absence, he felt a pang of guilt in his heart.
He hated lying to her. But what choice did he have?
Adam sighed inwardly as he stroked the auburn band on his finger.
She’s probably already figured it out, he thought.
Genevieve was an observant woman. She might not have questioned him, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t noticed the inconsistencies in his explanations. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had already realized he was hiding something from her.
And that already made him feel worse.
He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to come home, sit beside her, and share the troubles weighing on his mind instead of keeping her in the dark.
But he didn’t want to.
Not when he was investigating something that might involve powerful factions and dangerous conspiracies. He had no idea how deep this matter ran or who might be watching his every move.
The last thing he wanted was for Genevieve to get caught up in it.
He could bear the guilt of lying to her. What he couldn’t bear was the thought of her being dragged into this mess because of him.
Just a little longer, he told himself.
Once he had a clearer picture of what was happening, perhaps he could tell her more. Until then, keeping her out of it seemed like the safest option.
Adam let out another sigh and returned his attention to the villa.
Just then, movement caught his eye. His target—a servant—had emerged from the estate. Adam’s expression immediately turned serious as he watched the man leave the compound and make his way toward Trades’ Borough.
It was time to proceed with the next phase of the plan.
***
Tegan was one of the many servants employed at Norwood Villa.
He was a simple man who lived alone. Day in and day out, he worked at the estate of a master who had been missing for almost a decade.
The strange thing was that, despite their master’s prolonged absence, the servants had been instructed to continue maintaining the estate as though nothing had happened.
The gardens had to be tended, the rooms cleaned, and the household affairs managed. Even after all these years, they were expected to keep the villa ready for a master who might never return.
Of course, Tegan had no particular interest in the affairs of the nobility. He was paid to do a job, and he did it. As long as his wages arrived on time, he had little reason to complain. Besides, it wasn’t as though he had anything better to do.
Today was supposed to be just another day. Wake up. Go to work. Tend to his duties. Return home. Have dinner. Sleep.
Then repeat the same routine the following morning. And the day after. And so on.
After finishing his shift, Tegan returned to his modest home in Trades’ Borough. He ate his dinner, washed up, and finally retired to bed, exhausted after another long day of work. He settled beneath his blanket, oblivious to the other presence inside his tiny apartment.
Adam emerged from the shadows and towered over the man. He retrieved a small capsule, held it close to Tegan’s nose, and snapped it in half. Odorless smoke wafted out of the capsule, and the man inhaled it.
"Sleepy, sleepy." Adam smiled.
This muscle relaxant was something he had developed in one of his many experiments. It would knock its target unconscious for thirty hours. When they woke up, they would never realize that they had missed an entire day of their lives.
Tegan was a simple man who led a simple life. Adam had no intention of hurting the poor fellow. He just wanted to knock him out cold.
He scooped the man off the bed and gently placed him in the space he had made beneath the floorboards.
Adam tilted his head thoughtfully. Then he grabbed a pillow and placed it beneath Tegan’s head. Finally, he sealed the floorboards shut.
Then Adam took Tegan’s place in the bed.
Tomorrow, he would infiltrate Havel Norwood’s villa.
