Tenebrous Sovereign

Different Worlds

The next morning.

At the dining table, Gray was sitting at the head seat, holding a copy of the morning's residential area newspaper that had been delivered. It contained news from various places in the residential area as well as recruitment information from some factories. Jura was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast and bringing the prepared dishes to the table one by one. Everything was as usual.

Dean's biological clock rang on time. After getting up, he neatly folded the bedding, washed his face and mouth with filtered well water, and came to the dining room. He greeted the Jura couple with a "Good morning" and then tiptoed to his chair and started eating the breakfast vegetable rolls prepared for him.

At this time, Jura was also done. She brought her portion and sat opposite Dean, smiling and saying, "How is it? Is the taste good today?"

"It's a bit spicy." Dean took a bite. "I like spicy food."

"That's good." Jura smiled.

Gray put down the newspaper at this time and glanced at Dean, who was lowering his head and eating at the table, and said, "Dean, Auntie and I have chosen a marriage match for you. Prepare yourself today, dress nicely, and later, come with us to meet someone."

Because of Dean's request, Gray and Jura both temporarily referred to themselves as "uncle and aunt".

Dean thought to himself, it's coming. After the buffer from last night, he was now calm in his heart. He pretended to look up blankly and asked, "Marriage match? What is a marriage match?"

Jura looked at him and softly said to Gray, "Look, I said Dean is still young. It's not too late for a marriage match in a few years."

"At the age of thirteen, it's the legal age for marriage." Gray looked at her, his gaze seeming to cool slightly and said, "We're just going for an engagement. A few years in advance isn't bad."

Seeing that her husband's mind was set, Jura sighed in her heart and said nothing more.

Gray said to Dean, "Later, we'll take you to meet a beautiful big sister. You have to seize the opportunity and do your best to gain her approval. That way, you'll be able to eat a lot of delicious food and wear nice clothes every day and never go hungry again, understand?"

"Really? I will for sure!" Dean was calm in his heart but showed a surprised and happy expression on his face. After all, life is like a play, all depends on acting skills.

Only then did Gray show a smile on his face and said, "Good boy. Dean is a good child. Come, let's eat first."

Soon, the three of them finished their meal.

Dean showed eagerness, and such an active appearance made Gray feel relieved. The rest only depended on whether that young lady could like Dean or not.

"Come, don't rush. First, change into new clothes." Jura took out a brand-new small black suit from the closet, a bright red tie, and shiny shoes for Dean to change into. When he walked out fully dressed, Jura and Gray couldn't help but have their eyes light up. This small noble gentleman's outfit was perfectly presented on Dean. His snow-white complexion made him extremely fair, and his black and moist eyes were like stars.

"Really beautiful!" Jura sincerely praised.

Gray was overjoyed and laughed, "Very good. Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Dean also appeared very excited.

Jura was the last to go out and locked the door behind her. Coming to the street beside the lawn fence, she said to Gray, who was holding Dean's hand, "It's so early. There won't be any carriages coming this way, right?"

Gray smiled slightly and said, "I've already made arrangements. The Ivy family said they would send someone to pick us up." Just as he finished speaking, suddenly the sound of "clatter clatter" of horse hooves rang out. Dean immediately saw a magnificent carriage with golden silk-rimmed wheels galloping from the street corner. A silver-white flag was inserted on the roof, engraved with a white flower.

The coachman wore a black top hat and a black suit. He stopped the carriage in front of Dean and the others, jumped off the carriage, stood upright at his waist, and smiled, "Are you two Gray and Jura? The young lady has been waiting for you. Please get on the carriage." He turned sideways and placed his hand on his chest, making an inviting gesture. His gestures showed noble etiquette.

Gray's heart jumped upon hearing this. Feeling flattered, he said, "How could we trouble the young lady to wait for us? It's truly impolite. Get on, get on!" While saying this, he quickly lifted Dean onto the carriage compartment.

At this time, the coachman seemed to notice Dean as well. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes but then quickly returned to a polite smile.

Clatter clatter...

After everyone was seated, the coachman shook the rope and the carriage galloped away.

Dean turned his head and silently looked at the buildings that flashed by outside the carriage, as well as the pedestrians who gave way on the roadside, and the pairs of astonished and awe-filled gazes directed at the carriage. At this time, neither Gray nor Jura spoke and didn't instruct Dean on anything else, worried that it might be overheard by the coachman and passed on to the Ivy family.

The carriage was galloping steadily and soon passed under the huge wall on the south side. When the young guards at the city gate saw the white flower flag on the roof of the carriage, they all stepped aside and saluted by clenching their fists against their chests. After the carriage passed, they resumed their work and continued to check the identities of those passersby who wanted to enter the business district.

Is this the business district?

Dean looked at the clean streets outside the carriage and the pedestrians on the road who were dressed neatly and gorgeously. He immediately felt the difference from the residential area. Compared to the slum area, it was truly the difference between heaven and hell, not an exaggeration at all.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of an exquisite and elegant building at the end of the street. Dean saw a cardboard piano sign hanging on this building, painted extremely realistically. He couldn't help but be surprised. He never expected that in this poor and broken world, there would still be pianos remaining.

The carriage stopped at the main entrance. At this time, a young man in a black suit came quickly and looked at Gray and Jura who got off the carriage, smiling and saying, "The young lady has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me, both of you." He turned and led the way in front.

Looking at this magnificently and exquisitely decorated building that would never be seen in the residential area, Gray felt a bit of inexplicable nervousness in his heart. He straightened his back a little more and, holding Dean's hand, walked in front.

Entering the hall, the brilliant light of the agate-like oil lamps shone on the faces of the Gray couple. Jura was a bit better. She had been invited to the business district a few times for treating patients and was slightly calmer. Gray, however, was coming to such a place for the first time. Through the hand that held his, Dean felt that this man was trembling slightly with nervousness throughout his body and couldn't help but shake his head in his heart.

The gentle music flowed like running water. At a glance, Dean saw that the hall was extremely spacious. Many people were sitting here eating pastries, listening to music, and chatting softly. Their outfits were all extremely gorgeous. The fabrics were better than the thin thread and cotton used in the residential area. Some were silk, some were cashmere sweaters, and the colors were extremely bright. Compared to the common plain-colored thin thread clothes in the residential area, the contrast was very distinct.

The young man in the black suit made a gentle gesture and walked towards a separate seat inside.

Dean looked over and saw two figures sitting there. One was a middle-aged beautiful woman, about thirty years old, wearing an exquisitely tailored dress with a pleasant face and a very gentle appearance. Sitting beside her was a little girl of eleven or twelve years old. Her complexion was fair, she had brown hair, an oval face. Although she wasn't fully developed yet, she was definitely a beauty in the making.

This little girl also noticed the Gray family walking towards them. Her gaze swept past the two adults and landed on Dean, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

At this time, the middle-aged beautiful woman stood up and smiled at Jura, "Doctor Jura, thanks to you for my husband's illness last time. Today, he has official business to handle and couldn't come. I hope you'll excuse us."

Gray quickly said, "Not at all. Mr. Ai is busy with affairs. It's our intrusion."

The middle-aged beautiful woman smiled and said, "Sit down first."

"Yes, yes." Gray immediately pulled out the chair and sat down. Perhaps because he was too nervous, the chair leg knocked against the floor with a sound. Several people who were chatting softly in the nearby seats immediately turned to look. When they saw a white medal pinned on the veil hat of the middle-aged beautiful woman, their expressions changed and they withdrew their gazes.

After Gray and Jura sat down, the middle-aged beautiful woman's gaze fell on Dean, who was tiptoeing to sit on the chair. A hint of surprise also flashed in her eyes but then quickly subsided. She smiled at Gray and said, "This is the child you adopted, so fair."

Hearing her praise Dean, Gray was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Not at all. Unlike your young lady, who is so beautiful at such a young age and clearly very intelligent, inheriting your beauty."

The middle-aged beautiful woman smiled slightly and suddenly said, "Regarding the marriage match..."

Gray's body tensed up, and Jura's expression also became slightly nervous.

"If Anya has no objections, it's settled then." The middle-aged beautiful woman was unexpectedly straightforward.

Gray and Jura looked at each other and both saw the surprise in each other's eyes.

"Mother." Just then, the little girl suddenly spoke and said, "I want to go for a stroll with him." As she spoke, she pointed at Dean.

The middle-aged beautiful woman seemed to have expected her words long ago. Her smile remained unchanged as she looked at Gray and Jura.

Gray reacted and quickly said, "Of course. Dean, you accompany Miss Anya for a stroll. Remember to take good care of Miss Anya!" Saying this, he patted Dean on the shoulder to encourage him.

At this time, Anya had already gotten off the seat and turned to walk outside without looking at Dean or stopping to wait for him.

Dean looked at the encouragement and anticipation in Gray and Jura's eyes but was very calm in his heart. After greeting the middle-aged beautiful woman, he turned and followed behind Anya, leaving the hall together.

"This child is very sensible." The middle-aged beautiful woman looked at Dean's back and said with a smile.

"Just so-so..." Gray hurriedly said modestly.

...

...

On the street outside, Anya looked at the young man in the black suit who followed and waved her hand, "No need to follow. I'll just take a walk nearby."

"Yes, Miss." The young man in the black suit placed his hand on his chest and complied.

After he left, Anya continued walking ahead without looking back or speaking to Dean, as if she was strolling alone. Dean had long learned to endure loneliness. He quietly followed behind her and took the opportunity to look at the buildings on both sides of the street. From these local customs and practices, one could infer the general living standards and technological levels of this world.

After walking for a while.

Anya suddenly stopped. Dean was so absorbed in looking around that he almost bumped into her back. He only smelled a faint fragrant floral scent wafting from her clothes and quickly took a step back to create some distance.

At this time, Anya turned around. Her age advantage made her slightly taller than Dean by half a head. Her beautiful and fair oval face had no expression and just looked down at Dean calmly.

This cold feeling made Dean faintly guess a certain possibility and he quietly looked up at her.

Seeing Dean's calm and composed appearance, a hint of surprise flashed in Anya's eyes but quickly returned to a cold expression and said, "Have you heard of the opera 'Violet'?"

Dean was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect her to suddenly blurt out this unrelated sentence. Subconsciously, he was about to answer no. However, Anya didn't give him a chance to speak and continued, "Have you heard of Mr. Fitt's music?"

No. Dean was about to say.

"Can you do social dancing?" Anya's tone was cold and didn't give him a chance to answer. She continued.

Hearing this, Dean already understood. This wasn't a polite inquiry but an interrogation, and it was an interrogation with undisguised contempt. He silently and quietly looked at this girl.

"Can you do horseback riding?"

"Can you do fencing?"

"Do you have ideals and pursuits?"

Anya asked six questions in one breath and then calmly looked at Dean and said, "If you're a smart child, you should already understand that you and I are not from the same world."

Dean quietly looked at her beautiful face. He never expected such sharp and even harsh words to come out of the mouth of this child who was only three or four years older than him, and she said it as if it was a matter of course.