Chapter 254: Many Ways to Kill You
Oliver looked up. “Ashley, why do you say that?”
Ashley smiled faintly. “There were some things I wanted to say to you. Since you are unwilling to see me, forget it.”
“I don’t seem to have anything to say to you, Ashley.”
“Really? What about Benjamin?” Ashley laughed coldly. Benjamin was the one who betrayed everyone.
Oliver’s pupils constricted. He turned and glanced at Isolde. Isolde said, “I need to talk to Clark for a while. Accompany Ashley to familiarize her with the residence.”
Oliver nodded and said to Ashley, “Ashley, please!”
Ashley walked down the stone steps with her head held high and chest puffed out, her posture proud. Marquis Eldermere’s estate was very large, but the environment was not complicated. The backyard was inhabited, and there were three buildings in the front yard: the main hall, the living room, and a party hall with a courtyard. As for the backyard, other than a lake, the rest were buildings and gardens. A path led to various places, and there were not many winding corridors.
Ashley walked to the lakeside, where a pavilion had been erected in the lake, accessible by a straight bridge. Ashley crossed the bridge and entered the pavilion to sit down. She looked at the lakeside scenery with satisfaction. This scene was actually not beautiful at all. Lotus flowers had been planted in the lake, but they, along with their leaves, had withered. There was no summer scenery, only the decline of autumn.
“Mr. Valois,” she said, looking at Oliver who was standing beside the pavilion and had not entered. She smiled faintly. “I’m not a ghost. Why are you afraid of me?”
Oliver said indifferently, “Some people are even more disgusting than ghosts.” He did not say that he was afraid; he only implied her repulsiveness.
Ashley smiled, her expression still arrogant. “Yes, there are indeed some people who are more disgusting than ghosts. Mr. Valois, are you a ghost or a human?”
“Is there anything you need to tell me about Benjamin?” Oliver did not want to talk nonsense with her.
“Sit down!” Ashley pointed to the seat beside her and said in an almost commanding tone.
Oliver still refused to sit. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll leave.”
Ashley sighed softly and frowned. “Am I that annoying to you? If it weren’t for me, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly for Zloimond.”
Do you really think you have the credit?” Oliver sneered.
“Everyone knows that I’m the hero who killed Kamari!” Ashley smiled smugly. “No one wants to know the truth. What the world wants to know is only the result.”
“You’re Kamari’s advisor. In other words, you’re also a traitor. What are you so proud of?”
“A wise man submits to circumstances. Even a little girl like me knows that. Your vision is far too narrow.” She stopped smiling and stared at Oliver. “Mr. Valois, to be honest, if you stand on my side, I guarantee that you will soar and be even more outstanding than your father.”
“You haven’t even entered the palace and you’re already forming cliques? It is forbidden for members of the harem and court officials to have private dealings. Don’t you know the rules?” Oliver said coldly.
“I come from the common folk. In the harem, I have no one to rely on. I need you in the court to be my support. You don’t need to doubt my strategies; once I enter the palace, I will surely gain favor. At that time, a good word from me in front of the King will be worth more than ten of your military campaigns.”
“Thank you!” Oliver rejected with a cold expression. “The so-called soaring success is not important to me at all.”
Ashley smiled. “Then I really misjudged you, Mr. Valois. Or perhaps it’s just that you don’t believe me? Why don’t I show my sincerity first and say that a few officials who colluded with Kamari will let you contribute to the King first?”
She was certain that Oliver would agree. It was just a hypocrisy. Oliver was nouveau riche and had Pablo’s support. However, he was not Pablo’s biological son. There were not many outstanding relatives on his biological father’s side. He needed to form an alliance with others and have someone from the harem to support him.
And his wife, Isolde, was clearly a little more noble than him. She had the Sharp family behind her. She was a princess under the care of Princess Aveline. Her brother was also going to marry Princess Bourbon, Marquis of Greystone’s daughter. How could a man be willing to lower himself in front of his wife? However, they were relying on each other; it could even be said that it was a deal. There was no reason for him to disagree.
“I’ll say it again. If you don’t have anything to say about Benjamin, I won’t accompany you!”
Ashley was a little stunned. Is he actually so stubborn?
She lowered her eyes and said, “He didn’t betray you. He just thought he was smart and thought he could get Kamari’s information from me. How can a martial artist be my match? Getting information from him is easy for me, so you don’t have to blame him.”
Oliver said, “Thank you for telling me!” After saying that, he turned and strode away. He did not want to stay here a moment longer.
Ashley looked at his back and was stunned for a moment. Then, she sneered. After all, he’s not the kind of man who can achieve great things.
He was foolish, loyal, and patriotic, and he was promising. She smiled and suddenly fell into deep thought. She had never met such a person.
The strong presence beside her made her quickly raise her head. She saw Isolde standing in the same position as Oliver. There was no expression on her face, but her eyes were cold.
Ashley said indifferently, “Princess Langley, do you have something to tell me?”
Isolde walked over and sat down.
Ashley looked at her disdainfully. “I heard that you came back from the manor.”
“So what?” Isolde asked.
Ashley’s face revealed a mocking smile again. “Now that you’ve been conferred the title of princess, the matters in the village should be in the past. As a princess, please familiarize yourself with the etiquette you should have. I’m Ashley, conferred with the title by the King. If I don’t ask you to sit down, you can’t sit. That’s the rule.”
Isolde crossed her legs. “I’ve always been an unruly person.”
Ashley smiled faintly. “It’s fine if you don’t accept it. I won’t mind. However, you will have to enter the palace to deal with other imperial concubines in the future. Will you be so unruly?”
“Don’t tell me about the rules. Just remember that you’re the King’s concubine. Don’t flirt with my man,” Isolde said coldly.
Ashley laughed. “Don’t tell me you think I like Oliver? Who does he think he is? Besides, even if I really seduce him, the person you should care about is him, not me. If you keep an eye on him, no one can seduce him.”
Isolde said domineeringly and coldly, “It’s one thing for me to keep an eye on him, but it’s another to warn you. Don’t put on a facade of righteousness in front of me. In my eyes, you’re just a treacherous traitor. Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re thinking. Is a concubine what you want to be? Let me tell you, you won’t be able to get the position you want in your life. On the contrary, you’ll die miserably because of your ambition. So, I’m warning you not to provoke my man. Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to kill you.”