Late at night. Terence Manor.
Malcolm's daily routine was the secret to maintaining his energy, especially during the preparation of the black-market alliance. All kinds of situations emerged one after another, but Malcolm was always able to solve them in an orderly manner without showing any signs of fatigue. He was already in his forties, but his body still looked like that of a twenty-year-old.
In the past, he would be lying in bed punctually at this time, but tonight, he stayed in the study for the first time.
He took a book from the bookshelf and flipped through it.
The few maids in the corridor did not even dare to breathe loudly. Everyone knew that Malcolm was not in a good mood.
Malcolm had always been a man of few words and expressions. He usually looked particularly old-fashioned, but when he heard about what happened on the beach, his expression became even more serious. Even from afar, one could feel a terrifying aura emanating from him.
Previously, when he was eating breakfast, a maid serving him was so scared that she dropped her plate. As a result, she was dragged out and whipped by the butler. Since then, the slaves in Terence's manor were even more silent.
Seeing that Malcolm had been in the study for almost an hour past his bedtime, no one dared to remind him. But they were also afraid of being punished for not reminding him.
The maids were in a dilemma. In the end, they focused their attention on a short black maid named Leah. She was Malcolm's favorite among all the maids. Unlike the other maids, even if she made a mistake, Malcolm almost never punished her. Because of that, she was even ostracized by some of the maids.
Leah did not say anything. She turned around and went downstairs to the kitchen. After that, she returned to the study with a glass of warm milk. She tidied up her clothes and knocked on the door twice.
Malcolm's voice came from inside. "Come in."
The black maid pushed the door open. Malcolm sat on the velvet sofa without looking up.
It was not until Leah placed the glass of milk on the table in front of him that Malcolm snorted. "Thank you. I have a guest tonight, so I'll be staying up a little later."
"Yes, Mr. Malcolm." Leah smiled, put away the plate, and was about to leave when Malcolm's voice rang again.
"Has anyone else entered my study recently?"
Rheia was shocked. For a moment, she thought that Malcolm had discovered that the letters had been stolen. She had only taken one letter, and she had returned it the very next day. She had no idea how Malcolm had discovered the anomaly.
Had she been so unlucky that Malcolm had rechecked the old letters on that very day and discovered that one of them was missing? But there were so many letters there, how could Malcolm remember where each one was? Most importantly, what should she do now?
Make up a thief that doesn't exist? Should I turn Malcolm's suspicions on him to make myself safer, or should I shift the blame to someone else?
At that moment, countless thoughts flashed through Rheia's mind, but they all happened in a split second. When she turned around, she had the right amount of confusion on her face. "Is there something missing? But according to your request, Mr. Malcolm, I'm the only one who comes in every time you clean up."
"I'm just asking. It hasn't been very peaceful lately, so it's never bad to be careful." Malcolm replied, "I'm just asking. He then pointed to the chair in front of him. "Since you're here, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Have a chat with me."
Rheia breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she had made the right bet. Malcolm hadn't discovered the missing letters. She straightened her skirt and sat on the chair. "What do you want to talk about?"
Malcolm put down the book in his hand. "Let's talk about books. What have you been reading recently?"
"I've been reading the Bible because many people around me have been reading it since I came to this world."
"Well, the fastest way to integrate into a culture is to understand its religion. Did you read the Book of Exodus? What do you think? The Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. Under the guidance of Jehovah, they escaped from Egypt and followed the prophet Moses. After many trials, they finally arrived at the promised land flowing with milk and honey. Did this chapter enlighten you? "
Rheia's smile became a little forced.
"Do you know what I like most about you? You rarely say things against your heart. If it were those guys out there, they would be telling me that they love their current life and would never run away or leave. " Malcolm adjusted his posture to make his waist more comfortable. "But the truth is, no one likes to be enslaved."
Rheia was silent for a moment. "Will Jehovah put an end to the suffering of my people now?"
"What do you think?" Malcolm asked. "Thousands of years ago, the Israelites believed in their Lord, so their Lord brought them away from the rule of the evil pagans. But now, you and I believe in the same Creator. Do you think he will free you from our hands?"
"Then where does our path lie? Will our children and grandchildren continue to be enslaved like us? "
"That depends on when you can truly integrate into our world."
The black maid wanted to say something, but Malcolm held up a finger. "When I say integrate, I don't just mean language, food, clothing, etiquette, or religion. These things are important, but the most important thing is here." Malcolm pointed to his head. "You need to think like us. Only then will you truly be accepted as one of us."
"But when that day comes, will we still be us?" Rheia asked.
"Good question. Civilization is the most barbaric thing in the world. It has only one theme, and that is conquest," Malcolm said. "It won't stop until it reaches its goal. If you insist on not being assimilated, the only path left for you is to be destroyed."
As soon as Malcolm's voice trailed off, someone knocked on the door of the study. The butler's voice came from outside. "Mr. Malcolm, the guests are arriving."
"Alright, that's all for today. You may leave." Malcolm waved his hand. The black maid bowed and opened the door of the study. Not long after she left, a man with a cloak walked in from outside. It was still drizzling outside, and his body was damp.
When the door closed again, he took off the cloak, revealing Frazer's face.
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