Percy slumped back into his chair, looking utterly defeated. Until the SATs were over, he could kiss his carefree gaming days goodbye.
Suddenly, Scarlett asked, "Why isn''t this ce listed on any maps?"
She found it strange that a ce like this existed so close to the city center, yet no map contained it. She had checked every map she could find, and the only ce marked was Jondalia Gardens.
Scarlett knew about Jondalia Gardens. It was the biggestndmark in Yendale.
She had visited it in her previous life too. But all she had seen were a few free- roaming animals and a vast, crystal-clearke. She hadn''t seen any grand Eurofian-style architecture.
When they entered earlier, she had glimpsed theke and recalled walking along a short path that wound through a small forest.
After that, vibrant flowers and lush greenery surrounded them until they finally arrived at a grand estate.
Xavier spoke gently, "This ce used to be a political stronghold in thest century."
Scarlett immediately understood why it was not listed anywhere. It was highly secretive. Even the Quinn family seemed unaware that Yendale had a ce like this.
She boldly guessed that perhaps someone as powerful as a former president had once lived here. That was the only exnation for how the estate''s mystery had been preserved until now.
If this ce was part of Xavier''s family legacy, then his background was probably...
Before her imagination could run any further, Xavier said calmly, "Don''t overthink
it. I''m just an ordinary person. My ancestors were the impressive ones."
Percy, scribbling away at his assignments, couldn''t help but purse his lips. Perhaps that line could fool some innocent girl, but not him.
Xavier turned to Edmund and instructed, "Bring the map here for Ms. Quinn to see."
"Yes, Mr. Stroud," Edmund replied before leaving the room.
Percy suddenly jerked his head up. The map of this ce was supposed to be top secret. Yet Xavier was just casually handing it over to an outsider.
What the hell was going on?
Ever since Scarlett showed up, Xavier had been strangely approachable, even amodating.
Usually, no matter how many gorgeous girls tried to get close to Xavier, they were all driven away by his cold temperament and frosty expression.
Even Edmund would never smile at outsiders. But today, Edmund had actually smiled at Scarlett.
Something was definitely wrong. Way too wrong!
Could it be that Scarlett had some kind of magic that made people in power lower their guard around her?
But then why hadn''t the Quinn siblings been affected the same way?
Percy''s mind spun faster and faster, but the more he thought about it, the less sense it made.
Meanwhile, Edmund returned. He unfolded arge map in front of Scarlett.
Her eyes widened in shock. Only after seeing the map did Scarlett truly realize how massive this ce was.
Jondalia Gardens was merely a cover. It was just a tiny tip of the iceberg.
Even though the world was at peace now, there were still countless hidden sentry posts scattered beyond the Eurofian-style manor.
Beyond the gardens, the estate stretched into rolling mountains that continued all the way to the outskirts of the city.
At the
of the mountains, there
Con and even subway
were
It looked like a normal
urban area at first nce.
But nestled among the peaks were full-blown military bases.
This Eurofian manor was like a fortress cocooned by forests,kes, and mountains. Even if someone dropped a bomb on it, the explosion
might not even reach the center.
Scarlett was stunned that they were showing her such a detailed map. Weren''t
they afraid she might memorize it and tell someone?
Edmund was still smiling. He even began to exin theyout to her.
"Ms. Quinn, this mountain here is
where the Stroud family''s ancestral tombs are. If you''re wandering around, best not to go there,b
Edmund said politely.
He added, "And here. These are military bases. Please avoid entering by mistake."
"And also..."
Scarlett was at a loss for words.