Chapter 2026


    Chapter 2026


    The man was reading the news. He lifted his cup when his servant leaned to his ear. “Master Cameron


    is back, sir.”


    The man hummed and finished his tea slowly. He raised his head just in time to catch a dashing young


    man striding into his courtyard with his hands on his back, who raised his brow and hollered, “Miss me


    yet, pops?”


    The man ced a cover on his teacup and frowned. “Forgot your manners now that you‘ve been


    seeing the world for a while?”


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    His attention drifted to Noce standing behind him, and he froze. He turned back to the papers and


    rose to his feet suddenly, grumbling, “God! I gave you one job, brat. I told you to make money, but the


    only currency you‘re good at is trouble, isn‘t it? You keep bringing freaks home!”


    Noce narrowed his eyes but did not say anything.


    The youth circled behind the man and started massaging thetter‘s shoulders. “Whoa! Calm down,


    Dad. I saved him while I was at the sea, okay? You told me nobody sane and good would think saving


    a life is bad, remember? Rather make friends than enemies, you said. I follow your advice like the good


    son I am.” Sunny Southern sneered. “You mean, you ‘selectively follow my advice like the ‘selectively


    good‘ son you are.” He turned back to Noce and observed the young man. Had he not read the


    news, he would have never guessed the kid to be a bigshot. “So, a member of the Knowles family of


    Yaramoor?”


    Noce gave a little nod. “Your reputation reaches me, Mr. Sunny Southern, but I didn‘t expect mine to


    reach you.”


    The older man stood and waved. “Since my son rescued you. Since you clearly look fine and


    unharmed, I shall return you to your home tomorrow.” Noce raised his eyelids. “I‘m sorry, but not so


    soon, sir.” Sunny regarded him pensively. A momentter, he looked away. “Come with me to my


    study.” Noce nodded and followed him inside. Cameron watched the two disappearing by the door


    with his arms crossed. The family butler approached him apprehensively. “Master Cameron, if I may...


    This stranger is a little worrying. We don‘t know who he is or why he‘s here on the ind. Does he have


    any motive?” Cameron smiled. “I bet he has a motive, all right.” His eyes drifted to the newspaper on


    the coffee table. He picked it up, his eyes narrowing a little in scrutiny.


    Noce and Sunny stepped into the study. One could catch a small fragment of the forest beyond the


    squared–shaped windows. The room was incredibly well–lit and left nothing in the shadows–its owner‘s


    assortment of vintage pens and brushes, his collection of books, and


    the formidable arrays of antiques and calligraphies. Sunny took his seat behind the coffee table and


    picked up his teapot. “Tell me why you‘re adamant about staying on our ind.” Noce was candid.


    “I‘m looking for someone.”


    Sunny pressed the lid against the pot and sloshed its content. “Oh, yes?” “His name is Donald. He


    escaped prison in Yaramoor, came to the East Inds, and joined Fabio Puzo.” Sunny paused in mid–


    action and looked up. “That Matthews kid?” Noce was not surprised that he knew him. “So, you know


    him.” Sunny snorted under his breath and drank his tea. “Please. I know more than just that name. I


    know all about him buddying up with the Skull Club, too. The syndicate rules Southeast Eurasia and


    practically monopolizes its entire entertainment industry. “Matthews Sr. was where they got their


    money, but the Skull Club got smarter. They realized Matthews Sr. was trying to take advantage of


    them and got particrly incensed about him


    always taking the biggest cut of the profit. “They got hostile, so Matthews Sr. got terrified of possible


    retribution and came to me for help. The Skull Club yed nice, for my sake. Matthews Sr. would have


    never been able to leave Southeast Eurasia otherwise.


    “As for his son, Donald? He came here two years ago, seeking my protection, but I didn‘t let him stay.”


    Noce fell into a pensive silence. He had already been aware that the Skull Club was helping Donald.


    Bear was a Southeast Eurasian, so it seemed palpable that Donald‘s father had left his son some


    connections and names to fall back on in Southeast Eurasia.