Chapter 52: The Heir to the Title

It took Anran a moment to find her voice again. Her cheeks flushed as she stammered, "W-who said anything about you carrying me…?"

Seeing her reaction, Richard smiled and decided not to tease her further.

However, he noticeably slowed his pace, his right hand gripping her arm to steady her, bringing her closer to his chest. It was a supportive gesture—something like an escort. At first, his movements were a little awkward, but he was patient enough to adjust to her rhythm.

Lester stood silently, watching the two figures walking away together until the girl disappeared into her house in the distance.

In the blink of an eye, a gust of wind swept through the night, and Lester appeared before Richard.

"Richard, I must admit, I'm surprised," Lester said, his smile as gentle as moonlight.

Richard glanced at him but said nothing, perhaps feeling no need to respond.

Lester didn't mind the silence and continued, "Now, can you tell me what happened at the old school building?"

This time, Richard didn't hold back. He walked beside Lester, recounting the incident in detail. The atmosphere between them was harmonious, a stark contrast to the tension earlier.

"So, those people didn't even know who supplied the drugs?" Lester asked, a slight frown creasing his brow.

His expression was unusually serious. He had only been away from Rosewood for two weeks, and yet something this significant had happened. And it was clear that this wasn't the first incident. Who would dare to bring such harmful substances under their noses?

"Do you doubt my hypnosis skills?" Richard asked, his tone calm and even softer than before, devoid of any irritation.

In truth, Richard and Lester had always gotten along quite well. Their earlier confrontation was unusual. And Richard's seemingly aggressive tone was something Lester had never heard before—perhaps even Richard himself hadn't noticed it.

Lester chuckled, "Of course I'm not questioning your skills. It's just that the situation feels off. It seems the mastermind is incredibly meticulous. Who did you give the remaining drugs to?"

"I've already taken them back to the castle and handed them over to Sheffield," Richard replied. "I'm sure we'll have some answers in a few days."

Lester nodded, approving of Richard's handling of the matter.

The Byron family had served the Morris family for generations, earning their utmost trust. The position of head butler, or steward, had always been held by a member of the Byrons, and Sheffield Byron was the current steward—their most trusted confidant.

"Richard, you've handled this well," Lester praised.

Richard shrugged indifferently. "It's nothing. I just delegated the task. Now that you're back, the investigation at the school is in your hands."

A smile spread across Lester's face. "I'm sure you would've handled it perfectly even if I weren't here—"

But Richard cut him off, "Enough, Lester. You know I have no interest in family affairs, let alone inheriting the title."