CHapter 242


    Lome could sense Noelin’s wariness in her lines.


    He adjusted his smile and shed her an apologetic expression, “You’ve got me all wrong. Noe I


    didn’t mean any harm. You’re ra’s sister, right? I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce


    myself at the hospital. I’m not the bad guy here. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest move to approach you


    now, I admit. Sorry if I startled you”


    Noe gave him a fleeting look, her expression cool and detached, “What does it matter to me


    whether you’re a bad guy? You’re in my way Please move


    Lome rolled his wheelchair aside, watching as Noe disappeared down the tree–lined path without


    a backward nce, His smile faded as he said to himself, “She’s quite the tough cookie. But then


    again, she’d have to be one to run the Obelisk Organization.”


    An limping big guy emerged from the shadows behind Lome with a smirk yed across his lips,


    “You think a little chitchat is going to impress the Wise Fool? That devil is way tougher than you can


    imagine.”


    “She’s only siding with Palmer for the prestige of the Pock family. Us Richardsons are no


    slouches either,” Lorne said with a chuckle.


    Thorpe paused. He, as a towering and burly man, expressed his iprehension at Lome’s self–


    confidence at the moment.


    “Should I remind you that neither the Schnabel family nor the Obelisk Organization are short on


    cash? Maybe Wise Fool, that rich girl, is just taken with Vocalist’s pretty face”


    Lome snorted. “Pretty face? If she’s that shallow, then this will be a cakewalk. I’m as good–looking


    as Palmer, if not better”


    Thorpe’s smirk twitched into a grimace as he regarded Lomne. Such confidence these Harmonia


    Country folks had


    “I’ve got all the paperwork sorted. Proximity breeds fondness, and Ms. Schnabel will soon see Im a


    far better catch than her fiancé.” Lome imed


    A marriage contract among the elite meant little. Once Noe got to know him, she’d see his worth.


    Thorpe just shrugged helplessly. “Well, it’s your life. Just don’t mess with my mission.”


    Noe had just stepped into the grand hall when Mizar popped out from the side, “Boss, you ran


    into Lome out there? What’s his angle?” Noe’smunicator had still been on during her


    encounter with Lorne, and Mizar had overheard the exchange.


    “What he wants doesn’t matter. Where’s Master Rainer?”


    Mizar gestured towards the stage, “He’s been invited to y a piece at the opening ceremony next


    week. We’re here to help him out.”


    “Who invited him?”


    Master Rainer had been off the stage for years. Thest public performance was at a state banquet.


    Whoever had persuaded Master Rainer to y must be someone of significance.


    “Who else but the legendary former leader of the Pris Star, Gamick!? But when the master met


    him, he didn’t let me in on it. All hush–hush. Afterwards, he just said he’d honor them with a


    performance. Anyone who can get the teacher to y is certainly no ordinary person,” Mizar


    admitted with a trace of regret. All her prepared eavesdropping devices had been for naught, and


    she’d even earned herself a warning.


    Noe nodded slightly. Thest photo of Garrick with Hanter had also been left by Master Hector,


    which showed that the old guards truly had a connection with Garrick.


    Master Rainer’s return to the country was likely linked to Garrick as well.


    Noe’s gazended on the man standing beside Master Rainer. The long–haked man in a suit was


    grizzled, his clothes embroidered with dragons. Despite the evident wear of years, his features


    remained sharp, matching the man in the photo provided by Master Hector.


    Feeling Noe’s gaze, Garrick looked up, locking eyes with her from his position on stage


    As thest music note faded, Master Rainer scowled. “What are you staring for? it’s not like you’ve


    never seen him before!”


    He couldn’t believe Garrick had been in the dark about Harriet all these years. When Noe had


    joined Pris Stat he was certain Garrick must have heard something.


    Garrick remained unfazed, his eyes filled with appreciation as he looked at Noe, as if admiring a


    rare work of art.


    “Indeed, it’s a shame I’ve never met her before. If I had known about her sooner, I would have taken


    her under my wing. Pris Stor failed to hamess her talents. If I had been mentoring her, she would


    have surpassed her current self.” He imed.


    “Balderdash! Your twisted experiments never worked!”


    “You have no right to criticize my work. Haven’t all the stars of Pris Star shone brightly in their


    fields, bing leaders and inspiring


    172


    awe? Your achievements are the result of my experiments!”


    The stars of Pris Star indeed twinkled brightly in various domains, pioneering worlds remained


    forever shadowed


    new


    b


    paths and setting benchmarks. Yet, their inner


    Gamick’s founding vision for Pris Star was to hamess genius and ignite the future of humanity to


    its utmost potential!


    And he had seeded, as history bore witness.


    Master Rainer red at Garrick and said, “One day you’ll realize all your experiments were folly.


    I’ve no time to waste on your drivel Don’t forget what you promised.”


    “Don’t worry, Ill look after the girl. After all, she’s Harriet’s granddaughter. Seeing her, I’m reminded


    of Harriet’s younger days. Since she chose toe to this school, it’s fate that’s brought us


    together.”


    Master Rainer stood up, packing away his zither, “Fate is what’s meant to be, but what you’re


    plotting is nothing but schemes.”


    Gamck simply smiled and remained silent,


    As they left the grand hall, Master Rainer was quiet. After a while, he tumed to Noe, and his brow


    was furrowed with concern.


    “Noe, maybe it’s time to consider a different school. If it’s too much, we don’t have to stick with


    this university. Why not head back to the ind with the old–timers? We could bring the boys back


    too, at least they could keep you safe.”


    On the ind, Pris Star called the shots,


    The idea of leaving Noe in Imperial City right under Garrick’s watchful eye made Master Rainer


    uneasy.


    That madman had looked at Noe with such intensity earlier, a look Master Rainer knew all too


    well!


    To him, Noe wasn’t a person; she was a perfect specimen, a piece of data without a single w!


    Noe was surprised


    Was Gamick really that frightening to Master Rainer?


    “My family is still in Impenal City, master. Besides, running away isn’t my style.”


    “Why not just bring the Schnabel family over to the ind? If all else fails, we could just kidnap


    them and dump them on the ind!”


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Noe rubbed her forehead in exasperation, “This is Imperial City, not some remote bordend.”


    Getting the Schnabels to uproot their lives and move to the ind with her was wildly impractical.


    Marcel and ra had unique statuses that normally prohibited international travel.


    The Schnabels had their careers, their foundations in Imperial City. How could they abandon it all


    just for her sake, to lead a life cut off from the world?


    From the exchange Master Rainer had with Garrick, it wasn’t hard to deduce that some sort of deal


    had been struck.


    Master Rainer heaved a sigh.


    “Alright, as long as you’re aware of the risks that’s hur Barrick’s getting on in years anyway. He


    should realize that Pris Star isn’t under his thumb anymore!”