The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 395 Ch.394 Lillian

Old Shelley was a talkative man. If you ignore the sadness in his eyes and the names he avoided in his words, he was a talkative, gentle old man who liked to start a conversation.

He must be popular.

He told Roland about his experiences, some from the waking world and a few from the sleeping world.

For example, the customs of other countries, the trinkets brought back by ocean-going ships, the similarities and differences between nobles and merchants, private behaviors, and some special plots. Roland had heard some of them from Randolph, but not others.

He is indeed experienced and very good at making friends with people.

At least after a few topics, Roland had a good impression of him.

"...In fact, I never thought that I could enter a dream again." When talking about what happened before, Old Shelley's voice gradually sank: "I participated in a hunt within the alliance. We sneaked into a dream at the same time and hunted the monsters in it..."

He took a puff of his pipe, and the smoke blew out from the other side of his mouth.

"I'm a little hurt."

He said.

"I swear I will never dream again and spend my last days peacefully - I didn't say I was going to die soon."

Roland laughed twice in cooperation.

"But I didn't expect..."

“I would never have thought…”

He took a few more puffs, picked up the thin iron rod on the table, lowered his head, and pressed the ashes in the bowl into a small hill.

"I am very grateful to you for saving my friend, Mr. Shelley. Is there anything I, or the bailiff, can do for you?"

Rose beside her opened her eyes wide.

Who?
Who saved me?

This old man with harsh words?
"John is already crazy. I cannot allow the heir of the Shelley family to be a madman." Old Shelley waved his hands and took the last few puffs: "I would rather save a young lady with a promising future than bring a disaster out of a dream..."

He did not mention the matter of his 'daughter' at all, but instead began to take credit for it in front of Roland.

Experienced businessman.

"I hope this will earn your friendship, Mr. Collins. After all, we will be working together for another . . . fifty years."

Roland smiled and said, "Of course, Mr. Shelley, I owe you a big favor."

Rose: ?
Fifty years?
What are these two people talking about?
"Lillian, I asked someone to prepare a small gift for you...it's perfect for you,"

The tobacco burned out, and the old man knocked on the bowl and threw the ashes into the plate: "Don't you want to go downstairs and take a look?"

Rose took a deep breath and said with a fake smile: "I don't lack gifts, old man."

"Go and have a look, Rose." Roland pulled a cigar out of his pocket and took the scissors handed to him by Shelley. "The study is getting more and more crowded."

The girl frowned slightly, stared at Roland for a while, lifted her skirt, and didn't even turn her head.

He slammed the door.

"She has a bad temper," Roland slowly peeled off the ring tag on the cigar, his golden eyes gloomy, "Why did you save my friend?"

"Pack."
-
whee.

James Shelley pushed the lighter toward him.

The handsome young man calmly lit it, shook it, and let the smoke roll around his tongue several times before crossing his hands and revealing his true feelings.

He seemed a little annoyed.

"Mr. Collins, I gave up my only child, intending to save an executive officer, but is she?"

The old man stared at Roland behind the smoke and asked in a deep voice: "She is just a newly initiated ritualist, a robber, a thief - is this the result of my son's life?!"

As he spoke, he became so excited that tears came to his eyes.

"One is better at pretending than the other."

"The Shelley family has no heir. After I die, this property will be devoured by the wolves that are watching... Mr. Collins, you are still young and don't understand how much hardship an outstanding businessman has to go through to maintain his family business - especially in London, a city that eats people..."

The old man's arrogance reveals a kind of bewilderment that is worthy of sympathy. This is the compassion a young man should have for an old man who is about to die.

"What should I do? The friendship of the Inquisition cannot restrain the greed of those monsters, and I am not favored by time and noise..."

The more he spoke, the more excited he became. He was in pain, crying, and trembling. Roland could even see the bulging tendons and blood vessels under the age spots when he clenched his fists.

He seemed really sad, very sad.

"What should I do?" He was a little confused, his lips trembling.

"Sir, I saved your friend - even though she was not very popular, I did save her and let her live to see this not-so-beautiful world again..."

"Me? I lost my only son..."

James Shelley burst into tears, not caring about showing his ugly appearance shamefully to a young man who was almost a stranger.

Roland also put on a sad expression and deliberately asked, "Then how can I help you? I really don't know how to repay your kindness. If I were in charge, I would ask the Tribunal to reward your courage... But this won't bring back what you've lost."

Shelley shook his head.

Open the glass box on the table, pinch out a thin piece of straw cake, tear it open, and crush it.

Rub it very slowly.

"I don't know, Mr. Collins. Now, the only way, the only way to help me and repay Shelley..." He sighed, looked up at Roland, and seemed a little embarrassed to speak: "...Young man, I really have no other choice."

"There are too many people eyeing Shelley, and I can't just find someone with unknown background to get involved and destroy the foundation of the Shelley family." As he spoke, he scattered the crushed tobacco in his hand into the leather plate.

Roland was puzzled: "What do you mean..."

"The Shelley family needs an heir."

"An heir who at least 'looks real'. With this heir, the Private Alliance will fulfill their promise to me. And those hyenas eyeing Shelley will no longer dare to come forward and bite - sir, I want an heir who doesn't have to be too qualified, but can fool people..."

He is very candid.

"I owed Miss Vansittart a debt of gratitude. I saved her life, and that ensured that certain things would not happen."

"To be honest, I talked to her a lot before you came. Although she has a dark past, she is absolutely loyal, brave, and honest. Compared with those little monsters who are eager to exchange their teeth for gems, I think this girl is a better choice."

"She is, in some ways, very similar to me when I was young."

Old Shelley picked up the pipe, shook it, pinched the tobacco that was cooling in the leather plate, and gently stuffed it into the bowl, pinch by pinch.

The movement was slow and delicate, and paired with his old-fashioned but status-appropriate vest and loose shirt, it gave off a peculiar sense of beauty that "this is how it should be."

"Besides, she is your friend. The Shelleys are only too happy to gain the friendship of the Inquisition."

It's been a long circle.

Old Shelley's performance was extremely realistic.

Of course, Roland thought he was not bad either.

"You're really average."
-
Why didn't you talk so much just now?

"I'd love to."

"You mean to ask my friend to 'pretend' that he is a Shelley child?"

"To be precise, it's 'the bloodline that has just been found' -" James Shelley looked at Roland steadily, "She will receive the same treatment as John, except that we both know the answer. Other than that, she is no different from the heir in every way."

Roland looked embarrassed: "Oh, this sounds like a good thing, but it still requires the consent of the person involved. Have you mentioned it to her?"

James Shelley shook his head.

He pursed the cigarette holder, took a few puffs, then turned on the fire and swallowed it in small sips a few times.

“Don’t you want your friends to live a good life?” The old man looked at him.

Roland was a little annoyed, as annoyed as an unstable young man: "Of course I hope so!"

James Shelley breathed a sigh of relief: "...That's good, sir. To be honest, I asked the girl to leave and not get involved in our conversation because I didn't want to ask for a favor - I saved her, but if she didn't want to, Shelley wouldn't force her... Maybe I can find someone else."

He held his pipe and pressed the corners of his eyes with his other hand, looking increasingly tired.

"I am so tired, sir, so tired. I lost my son, and now I have to face all kinds of troubles."

"But I won't use my kindness to coerce a helpless girl."

"I could tell from her words and the unruly soul hidden in her flesh and blood that she must have had a painful past, a lonely childhood, and a restless life..."

"I pity her, so I dare not use this life-saving grace to force her."

"Shelley would not do such a disgraceful and vulgar thing."

But you are doing it.

Roland knew that this old fox was good at hiding its tricks in its fur, and only a small part of it could be seen when it was wet and shaken off.

At this moment, through the rolling flames, Roland could clearly "see" that in addition to him and Shelley in the room, circles of white ripples were also spreading out from behind the crack in the door.

Who else could have made the breathing sound and was hiding at the door and eavesdropping?

Cunning businessman.

"No, I need to think about it for a few more days..."

At this point, James Shelley strangely retreated.

He kept shaking his head and spoke weakly: "The Shelley family is not very stable. As an heir, you have to face all kinds of dangers - dangers. How can a girl be willing to face those endless storms and rolling waves?"

"I can't hurt her."

“Maybe I’m too anxious…”

"Her? She loves it, okay?"

Just as the old man was becoming increasingly withdrawn, the door was roughly pushed open - or kicked open.

Miss Green, who had eavesdropped on the whole conversation, came in huffing, her soft-soled cloth shoes making a thudding sound.

Like a mad rabbit, it rushed to the hunter aggressively: "It's me!"

James Shelley looked stunned, with only the pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth still emitting white smoke: "...What?"

"I said, it's me."

Rose raised her head and patted her chest. "I am not afraid of taking risks, old man. I will repay a favor. Since you saved me, I must repay you when you are in trouble. If you ask for my name, you will know that Vansittart is loyal to his friends."

She brushed her curly hair from her forehead and stood next to Roland in a show-off manner.

"Besides, I have an executive officer."

"Don't be confused, I am the best candidate."

Old Shelley was deeply moved.

Almost started crying again.

Roland: ...

"She's not even as smart as the cow."

What a disastrous contrast.

Various aspects.

(End of this chapter)