1
However, she knew clearly in her heart that the truly violent and brutal torture like a fierce storm was just beginning to show its first signs at this moment.
Sure enough, the desire for conquest in Ivan's heart swelled rapidly. He was no longer satisfied with the previous slow encroachment on Susanna like a silkworm nibbling at mulberry leaves. In his mind, only by completely conquering Susanna and ruthlessly trampling and ravaging her could he extinguish the raging fire burning in his chest. And at this moment, under the roasting of the anger, a more intense and blazing lust also spread wantonly in the depths of his soul.
Ivan even realized that he was filled with a violent will, and that powerful and strange force also surprised him. It was like a wild beast trapped in a cage, eagerly looking for an outlet to vent and trying to break through all shackles and restraints.
Nevertheless, to Ivan's slight relief, when he imposed this violence on the prostitute who he considered to be of low status in his eyes, not a single ripple of guilt arose in his heart. On the contrary, he secretly thought that perhaps this was a strange way to avoid hurting others. At least he firmly believed so himself.
Admittedly, Ivan's heart was full of the anger and lust that urgently needed to be vented, but the skills that Susanna had taught him in the past were like sharp blades, deeply engraved in the depths of his memory without the slightest forgetfulness. At this moment, the techniques he displayed were skillful and delicate, just like a real expert who had been immersed in the dark art for many years, systematically destroying Susanna's body and will step by step and plunging her into an endless abyss.
His hands, as if surrounded by magic, were like magic wands that controlled life and death, freely plucking the emotional strings of Susanna. Making her sometimes let out coquettish moans because of the endless and indescribable pleasure that seemed to come from the depths of her soul. The moans were soft and charming, as if they could penetrate the barriers of the soul. Sometimes she sang loudly because of the uncontrollable excitement, and the high-pitched howls were like the terrifying cries of owls in the dark. Sometimes she sobbed softly because of the unbearable pleasure that rushed in like a tide, and the tears rolled down like broken strings of pearls.
Ivan embarked on his carefully planned conquest journey. However, the conquest he pursued in his heart was by no means as hasty and reckless as a storm. In his perception, that rapid and violent way of conquest could release power in an instant, but it lacked a profound charm and artistic beauty. What's more, the object of conquest he faced this time was Miss Susanna, the woman who had made him suffer great humiliation. This was destined to be a long and arduous protracted battle, just like a life-and-death duel between two peerless masters in the dark abyss, with every move and every gesture full of endless calculations and struggles.
In fact, Ivan had secretly sworn in his heart that even if Susanna finally chose to surrender in this cruel contest, his road of conquest would never stop abruptly. He wanted to completely crush Susanna's pride and dignity and let her sink completely in endless humiliation before he could dissipate the deep hatred and anger in his heart like a bottomless abyss.
To Ivan's great delight, in this contest with Susanna, what he possessed was not only brilliant strategic plans and exquisite tactical skills, but he also held in his hand a brave legion as if forged from steel. The birth and growth of this legion were all closely related to Susanna. At first, it was Susanna who cultivated and shaped it with her own hands, and then it underwent countless strict trainings and tempering by her, making it possess invincible and powerful strength. Now, this legion that had once been carefully trained by Susanna was, under Ivan's command, turning its spearhead and launching the most violent attacks and ruthless ravages on her. Such a dramatic reversal, in Ivan's view, was really quite interesting and ironic.
Finally, under Ivan's continuous and fierce attacks like a surging tide, Susanna's will defense line, like an ancient and crumbling castle, finally collapsed with a loud crash, and she chose to yield and surrender. At that moment, Ivan's heart was filled with the joy and pride of victory, as if he were a king who had conquered the world, looking down at the land he had conquered under his feet. However, Susanna's bitter pleas full of pain and despair failed to stir up a ripple of pity in his heart as hard as stone.
Ivan was still immersed in the unfinished pleasure of conquest. He decided to give Miss Susanna a short breather for a moment, allowing her to gather the strength for the next round of pain during this short rest. This short pause was just the calm before the storm, a carefully prepared prelude for welcoming more violent and powerful waves of attacks.
He rummaged through the depths of the secret drawer of the dressing table and took out those mysterious tools that were usually used to add interest. In Ivan's hands, these tools had now become deadly weapons for him to continue conquering Susanna.
Ivan tightly grasped Miss Susanna's limp legs with both hands and lifted them high, as if displaying a trophy. Then, his demon-like "legion" re-entered the once fiercely contested "battlefield". However, this time, what Ivan was manipulating in his hand was a wooden mysterious "weapon". Slowly but firmly, he invaded the other mysterious "passage" behind Susanna. There, because it was filled with the deadly solvent of hallucinogenic powder, it was like a cursed death zone. Previously, Ivan had always been afraid to set foot there easily.
However, with the strange help of the powerful effect of the hallucinogenic powder, Ivan's ruthless attack this time finally became the last straw that crushed Miss Susanna's will. Her once tenacious will completely collapsed and disappeared at this moment.
Susanna had already chosen to surrender originally, but her inborn stubborn character made her still stubbornly cling to the last shred of dignity and propriety deep in her heart, trying to find a way of surrender that she could barely accept.
But at this moment, this once beautiful, charming, and alluring young lady finally completely broke down under Ivan's endless torture. She could no longer endure the pain and suffering like the fire of hell, and could only use her shrill and delicate voice to call out, sending out pleas full of pain and despair and having lost all dignity. The heart-breaking and tear-jerking crying sound was like a tragic elegy, and even in the heart of the coldest and most ruthless person, it could stir up a ripple of pity and sympathy.
But Ivan completely turned a deaf ear to these pleadings accompanied by coquettish moans, as if he were a deaf and hard-hearted demon, indifferent to all the miseries and pleadings in the world. On the contrary, Susanna's pleadings for mercy became the best seasoning to enhance his so-called "male dignity" in his eyes, making him more and more immersed in the distorted pleasure of conquest and unable to extricate himself.
Ivan continued his inhumane conquest. Susanna's voice was like a sad song with ups and downs. From the initially high-pitched, passionate melody full of struggles and resistances, it gradually became low and hoarse, as if submerged by the dark tide. In the end, it even began to choke and sob, as if the strength to cry and shout had been completely drained. Her body's struggles and tremors also changed from the initially strong and powerful ones that even Ivan found it rather difficult to suppress to weak and powerless ones, as if she were a trapped beast that had its teeth and claws pulled out, only having the posture of struggling but having lost all the strength to resist.
Ivan did not feel pity for Susanna and let her go because of this. He was like an experienced and ruthless executioner, always examining Susanna's every pain and struggle with a kind of almost cold focus and dedication, checking whether she had reached the limit of pain that her body could bear. In his heart, only when Susanna was completely swallowed up by pain and her soul and body were trembling and begging for mercy at his feet could his distorted desire for revenge be satisfied.
In the dark memory of South Port, Ivan had witnessed with his own eyes how the executioners imposed punishments on a captured one-legged thief. That long and cruel punishment lasted for a whole long afternoon. The thief's painful wails and desperate struggles were still deeply imprinted in Ivan's mind until now. And at this moment, on this exquisite and gorgeous "execution platform", he was carefully torturing Susanna with a more delicate and cruel means. The dressing table was already in a mess, with various items scattered all over the floor, like the ruins after a fierce war, witnessing all the sins and pains that had happened here.
Ivan never let Susanna go until he noticed that Susanna's breath was getting weaker and weaker, like a candle in the wind that could go out at any time. Her body began to twitch uncontrollably as if possessed by a demon. Her face became as pale as paper, without a trace of blood. Her body became icy cold because of the large amount of sweat oozing out. What Ivan held in his arms seemed no longer a living life but a cold and stiff corpse, emitting the smell of death and despair.
Only then did the fire burning like a raging fire in Ivan's chest gradually go out. He picked up Susanna from the dressing table full of water stains and dirt. Susanna's body was already as limp as mud, and her waist had no strength to support the weight of her upper body. Her buttocks and thighs were covered with cold and slippery mucus, and the touch was disgusting. It took Ivan a lot of effort to barely hold this woman who was much taller than him, as if carrying a heavy cross, and every step was full of difficulties and struggles.
Fortunately, the bed was right beside them. With great effort, Ivan carried Susanna to the bed and lay on his side, embracing her as they slept. Although he had stopped the cruel "conquest", his body didn't withdraw from Susanna's body, as if it was still silently proclaiming his victory and conquest in a way.
Everything seemed to be the same as usual. However, in the past, it was always Miss Susanna who, as the superior victor, gave Ivan those orders that deeply humiliated him, just like the defeated had to serve the victor in a servile manner. But now, for the first time, Ivan, as the proud victor, had the supreme power to station troops in this conquered "territory". He could command Susanna as he pleased and make her spend the rest of her life in pain and humiliation.
Lying on the bed, Ivan experienced the taste of conquest and victory for the first time, and it seemed to be the most wonderful enjoyment in the world, making him intoxicated and unable to extricate himself.
...
The first ray of sunlight in the morning, as usual, shone on the bed through the gap in the curtain. Ivan slowly woke up. The first thing he did was to massage Susanna's whole body like a highly skilled masseur. However, behind this seemingly gentle act was his distorted desire for revenge. He also used the flirting and teasing skills that Miss Susanna had taught him before, like invisible sharp blades, stimulating every inch of Susanna's skin and every extremely sensitive part of her body.
Ivan hadn't forgotten how the terrible after-effects, like a nightmare, had brought him unforgettable pain when he experimented with the magic powder on himself. After using the hallucinogenic powder, the body's sensations would become extremely sensitive, and any slight stimulation would be magnified dozens of times, as if being placed in a terrifying world where sounds and touches were infinitely magnified. Therefore, even the slightest discomfort would turn into unbearable pain, like the sharp teeth and claws of a devil, ruthlessly torturing one's will and plunging one into an endless abyss of despair.
Ivan looked at the two swollen and red parts of Miss Susanna's body and secretly guessed in his heart that the pain there was definitely not just a slight discomfort but must be a severe pain that burned the soul like the fire of hell.
Even Ivan himself could sense that there seemed to be a violent and raging aura surging in his heart, as if a provoked beast was ready to launch a more fierce attack at any time. However, when he imposed this violence on Susanna, the prostitute whose blood he thought was "dirty" in his eyes, he didn't feel the slightest uneasiness or guilt. It seemed that in his heart, Susanna was just a toy that could be manipulated and tortured at will and wasn't worthy of any pity from him at all.
Ivan's massage and teasing were obviously quite effective. When he saw Miss Susanna's painful yet powerless struggle, saw her heartbroken and painstakingly enduring expression, and saw the tears rolling down her cheeks, Ivan actually felt a bit soft-hearted in his heart, as if there was still a glimmer of humanity that hadn't been completely extinguished deep in his dark heart. But in an instant, the humiliation that Susanna had once inflicted on him flooded back into his mind like a surging tide, completely drowning out that faint light of humanity.
"Your body must be aching terribly. You want me to give you a massage, right?" Ivan gently scratched Susanna's body with his fingernails. He knew very well that this kind of stimulation would make Susanna feel a strange kind of comfort, a strange feeling mixed with pain and pleasure.
However, seeing Susanna's body involuntarily trembling and twitching because of these scratches, it was obvious that the magnified stimulation was no longer just simple comfort but an extreme experience that could make one's soul almost leave the body, as if a soul wandering between pain and pleasure couldn't find an outlet for relief.
"Or, if you want your body to feel better, I have a magical potion here that can make you get rid of the pain. However, the consequence might be that at night, you'll find even more terrifying pain waiting for you. Are you willing to accept this treatment that's like drinking poison to quench thirst? If you are, just blink your eyes." Ivan leaned close to Susanna's ear and asked softly, with a trace of imperceptible playfulness and cruelty in his voice.
After saying this, he also licked Susanna's earlobe quite skillfully, just like what Susanna had done to him before. This seemingly gentle act had now become another means for him to take revenge on Susanna. Every movement was filled with his deep resentment and distorted desire for her.
This little revenge gave Ivan a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, as if he had achieved the final victory in an evil game. He could enjoy the fruits of victory to his heart's content without any moral burden.
Ivan was quite happy to enjoy Miss Susanna's alluring moans. And her beautiful big eyes that blinked repeatedly became even more charming in his eyes. The fear and despair in her eyes became the most delicious seasoning in his eyes, making him more and more intoxicated in this distorted pleasure.
Susanna's response was within Ivan's expectation. No matter how stubborn this young lady was, she couldn't possibly have as strong a willpower as Mr. Hyde. In his eyes, Susanna was just a weak woman who was doomed to submit and beg for mercy under his torture.
Ivan pushed Susanna's legs to her chest with satisfaction. He found his beloved magic wand from the pile of "toys" on the dressing table, wiped it clean, and then poured the hallucinogenic powder solvent into Miss Susanna's body again. Each of his movements was skillful and cold, as if he was performing an evil ritual, and Susanna was the helpless sacrifice in this ritual.
Satisfied, Ivan left Susanna lying there like that and walked into the living room like a victorious general, striding with his head held high to have breakfast.
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Ivan felt that the day was especially bright and sunny. The brilliant morning sunlight shone obliquely through the window of the living room, dyeing everything with a lively color. The row of flower fences in front of the garden living room window was blooming with gorgeous flowers enthusiastically, and the two pots of chlorophytum on the eaves and at the door also looked particularly green and lush. Although it wasn't the season for orchids to bloom, it was already a rare and beautiful scene.
As usual, Miss Betty had been waiting there already. She was wearing a blue dress, a very light blue, which matched her quiet and elegant temperament perfectly. This plain and elegant long dress didn't have much decoration, just a row of lace embroidered on the edge. In Ivan's opinion, this elegant lace decorated it just right, adding a touch of youthful flavor. Without this lace, it would be too solemn.
Apparently, Miss Betty needed to go out today. Ivan looked at Miss Betty. Although Susanna and Betty were equally beautiful, Miss Betty was dignified and elegant like a holy angel, looking at him with a serene and slightly shy expression, as if a gentle and considerate wife was looking at her beloved husband. At least that's what Ivan thought. She couldn't be compared to that shameless prostitute Susanna.
As the morning sun just rose, the soft sunlight fell like a light veil, endowing everything in the world with a warm and beautiful glow. Ivan's state of mind gradually became clear and bright, as if it had been gently wiped by those rays of sunlight, restoring the peace and tranquility of the past.
He keenly sensed that the anger that had once surged in his heart, the lust that had flowed like a hidden tide, and the violent and fierce aura that seemed capable of crushing everything in the world were now melting away slowly like the remaining ice in spring under the warm sun, and finally disappeared without a trace. In Ivan's cognitive world, the evil and fierce side of himself would only be fully revealed when facing a woman like Miss Susanna who had no sense of shame and would sleep with anyone. As for Miss Betty, he only had respect and love in his heart, treasuring her as carefully as a rare treasure. Moreover, Miss Betty was destined to be his life-long partner. Whether it was to continue the bloodline of the Meding family that had been precipitated over time and inherit its glory, or to rightfully hold the power of Thorsburg firmly in the hands of the Meding family, Ivan was sincerely grateful for this arrangement carefully planned by Miss Old Meding, as if he had found a bright light in the dark night.
As usual, Ivan walked gently and slowly sat down beside Miss Betty. A graceful and good-looking maid, like a lively fairy, floated over and placed the carefully prepared breakfast on the table. On the plate were four exquisitely prepared oysters. On the plump oysters was spread a thick sauce made by skillfully mixing honey and fresh lemon, with an attractive color and emitting a sweet fragrance and a fresh fruity aroma. Although these delicacies could be easily eaten in just a few bites, Ivan deliberately slowed down the pace of eating, as if savoring the most precious delicacy in the world, prolonging the time of this breakfast as much as possible. For him, every minute and second spent with Miss Betty was the most precious treasure in life, extremely precious and intoxicating.
For some reason, Miss Betty had a hesitant look on the table, with her expression full of shyness and indescribable entanglement. Ivan could understand what was on her mind at a glance. The reason for this was actually not difficult to understand. After all, the door of Ivan's bedroom was like a never-closed heart. Miss Susanna's moans and pleadings must have already quietly reached Miss Betty's ears like the unrestrained wind. Besides, as a mature adult, how could Miss Betty be completely unaware of the ambiguous relationship between Ivan and Susanna? However, the strict and orthodox upbringing she had received since childhood was like an invisible shackle, tightly imprisoning those hard-to-speak words and making it impossible for her to say them out.
"Miss Betty, do we have an arrangement to go out today?" Ivan took the initiative to break the awkward silence, his tone gentle, like a flowing brook.
"Yes, today is the family celebration of the Tornum family. They invited us warmly, so we should go to the appointment." Miss Betty raised her head slightly and replied softly, with a hint of expectation in her voice.
"Family celebration?" Ivan frowned slightly, and a puzzled look appeared on his face. This was obviously a blind spot in knowledge that Audrey hadn't covered when teaching him.
Miss Betty could obviously keenly capture Ivan's confused expression and knew that this was a rather special and little-known thing.
"Centuries ago, it was on this day that the Tornum family, through a series of complicated marriage arrangements, like carefully weaving an airtight giant net, finally merged into a family that now has a significant influence in the south of France. Legend has it that on that significant day, more than ten members of the Tornum family simultaneously wore gorgeous wedding dresses. They formed a solid and unbreakable alliance through marriage, as if erecting a majestic monument in the long river of history." Miss Betty patiently explained in detail, with respect and familiarity for that period of history in her eyes.
"Is it really worth sacrificing personal happiness for the glory and prosperity of the family?" Ivan couldn't help muttering to himself. This was a puzzle that had lingered in his heart for a long time and deeply puzzled him.
After he had been involved in the complicated social circle of the upper class for a long time, he was surprised to find that among the married couples, it seemed that only Baron Lonna and his wife and his nominal mother, Miss Lisa, were truly united by pure love. Most marriages seemed to be controlled by an invisible hand and were more or less mixed with utilitarian impurities, often combining for the sake of family interests. Of course, there were also many marriages like that of Baron O'Neill, who had achieved rapid advancement and prosperity, where both husband and wife took what they needed from each other. Whenever Ivan thought of the picture of the handsome Baron O'Neill walking with his ugly, pampered, and arrogant wife, he couldn't imagine that there was even a spark of love between them.
Miss Betty hesitated for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons in her heart. Obviously, she needed to think carefully before answering this profound and complex question. However, in the end, she couldn't find a perfect answer either.
Miss Betty lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Perhaps this is the fate inherent in being a noble. While enjoying a wealthy and comfortable life, one also has to make sacrifices to maintain the prosperity of the family. However, marriages formed for the continuation of the family are not just painful sacrifices as you might imagine. In most cases, such marriages can still bloom with warm flowers and be filled with sincere emotions, like the twinkling stars in the quiet night sky. Although they are not dazzling, they are enough to comfort people's hearts."
After saying that, Miss Betty shyly lowered her head and quietly savored her breakfast, looking like a budding rose, charming and moving. Ivan stared at Miss Betty, secretly wondering in his heart whether what she had just said was using other people's affairs to express her true feelings. Deep in her heart, was the marriage contract with him formed because of the family mission really as warm and affectionate as she said?
After breakfast, Ivan and Miss Betty walked hand in hand and stepped into the luxuriously decorated carriage together, slowly driving towards the seemingly ordinary mansion of the Tornum family.
In the carriage, Miss Betty summoned up great courage, like a warrior about to go to the battlefield. After trying for a long time, she finally asked softly, "Ivan, I... I heard the sounds coming from your room yesterday... They seemed very different from usual... I heard Miss Susanna's painful pleadings. Even as an outsider, I couldn't help but feel a bit of pity and intolerance in my heart... However... However, you seemed... seemed indifferent to all this... Forgive me for speaking bluntly... Ivan, you seem a bit too cruel and heartless."
When she said the last sentence, a solemn and serious look flashed across Miss Betty's face for a moment, as if a cloud had suddenly blocked the sun.
Ivan slowly stretched out his hand and gently placed it on Miss Betty's knee as if he were taking care of a rare treasure, and then stroked it very gently. This was the technique of soothing people's hearts that Miss Susanna had taught him. Although he had never thought of using means on Miss Betty, obviously there was no more effective solution than this in this awkward and tense moment.
Sure enough, under Ivan's gentle touch, Miss Betty's solemn gaze gradually melted away like ice and snow, becoming soft and warm, as if the warm sun in spring had shone on the earth again.
"Miss Susanna has always been wantonly humiliating me. You don't know that she regards humiliating men as a game that can bring her extreme pleasure, and trampling on others' dignity as a pastime and enjoys it so much that she can't extricate herself. Because in her depraved and lustful life, she can't find other ways to give her enough stimulation and pleasure."
"I admit that yesterday I was deliberately taking revenge on Miss Susanna. I firmly believe that I have such a right, after all, I am the direct target of her vicious words and deeds. The most ironic thing is that the means I used to take revenge on Miss Susanna were all taught by her. Her such behavior is undoubtedly self-inflicted. You really don't need to pity or sympathize with her." Ivan said nonchalantly, with a trace of uncontrollable anger and unwillingness in his tone.
"In your eyes, is Miss Susanna such a worthless woman? What you said about her makes me feel uneasy and confused. Perhaps you didn't notice that there are actually many shining points on Miss Susanna. If you could really understand her with your heart, you would find that it's really unfair to describe her as 'depraved'..." Miss Betty said softly, with sincerity and persuasion in her voice.
"Enough! Don't mention Miss Susanna again!" Ivan scolded Miss Betty so harshly for the first time in his life. The moment the words came out of his mouth, he regretted it deeply, and his heart felt as if it was tightly grasped by an invisible hand.
Ivan was horrified to realize that the violent emotion had already taken root and spread in his heart like the seeds of a devil without his knowing. He hurriedly and nervously apologized to Miss Betty again and again, begging for her forgiveness and understanding, looking like a child who had done something wrong, with guilt and uneasiness all over his face.
"Please, don't mention Miss Susanna again, okay?" Ivan pleaded almost helplessly, with a tremor in his voice.
"Ivan, I really don't want to see you become a cruel and heartless little tyrant. In fact, there are violent factors lurking in your character, which makes people around you fear you. In fact, you may not know that many people here are quite afraid of you. Even the always majestic Count Levy will become careful and cautious in front of you, as if walking on thin ice."
"Ivan, it's a good thing that you have an awe-inspiring dignity, but you mustn't let violent emotions dominate your heart. You mustn't be so cruel to Miss Susanna. There are many things in the world that you don't know yet. One day, you will surely regret what you've done today. Promise me that you'll treat Miss Susanna well in the future." Miss Betty said softly, and her solemn tone was full of earnestness and expectation, as if a devout believer was praying to the heavens.
"As long as it's Miss Betty's request, I'll comply without hesitation." Ivan quickly agreed. "However, can we stop arguing about Miss Susanna's affairs? This topic has already made me feel bored and tired."
Hearing Ivan's response, Miss Betty knew in her heart that her painstaking persuasion hadn't completely moved this stubborn young man. She sighed helplessly, and the sigh was full of worry and concern for Ivan.
"What's the Torum family's celebration like? What aspects should I pay attention to?" Ivan cleverly changed the topic, trying to break the suffocating dull atmosphere.
"There's nothing special. But there's one thing that might confuse you. In the Torum family, the celebration is also a good time for lovers to express their love for each other. Didn't you have a hard time understanding the marriages of nobles formed to maintain their families before? The Torum family allows free love within the family. Because internal marriages within the family can help enhance cohesion, the family is quite in favor of free love within it." Miss Betty explained.
Hearing what Miss Betty said, Ivan began to have a headache again, because this was also a topic he really didn't want to mention. If how to treat Miss Susanna was related to his dignity, then the entanglement with Miss Fanny made him feel full of shame. For this gentle and quiet baron's daughter, he was filled with guilt in his heart. This sense of guilt grew heavier and harder to let go as time passed and as that young lady regarded him more and more as her admirer, weighing more and more heavily on his heart. Moreover, Ivan really couldn't think of a way to explain everything to Miss Fanny without hurting her. He always hoped that the young lady would take the initiative to cut off this emotional bond, which was really a selfish thought. But asking him to directly tell Miss Fanny that he had never liked her was something Ivan couldn't do no matter what.
The sun was still shining brightly outside, and the streets of Thorsburg were still busy and lively. The horses pulling the carriage were still running briskly on the flat roads of Thorsburg, and the surrounding buildings were still magnificent. However, Ivan had long lost his good mood in the morning. The troubles in his relationship entangled his heart, and guilt and uneasiness were like two cups of bitter medicine, torturing his heart. Ivan sat quietly in the carriage and remained silent until they arrived at the mansion of the Torum family.
The mansion of the Torum family still looked shabby and dilapidated, but the woods beside the mansion were hung with all kinds of ornaments. Those ornaments looked very light. Ivan guessed that they were made of light-weight wood, but since they were wrapped in bright silk satin on the outside, he wasn't completely sure about his guess. The ornaments were hung on the slender branches and swayed with the wind. Besides the ornaments, there were also silk ribbons and small bells hanging on the branches, so the woods echoed with a clear and pleasant ringing sound. Under each big tree, there were neatly stacked gift boxes carefully wrapped in beautiful brocade. Boxes of various sizes were stacked there like pyramids.
To Ivan's surprise, it was the members of the Torum family who were busy in the woods, while the servants seemed very idle. Miss Betty explained softly in Ivan's ear, "This is the tradition of the Torum family. On this special day of the family celebration, in order to make every member of the family remember that they are descendants of the Torum family, before the celebration starts, most of the work is done by the male members who are nobles themselves. The specific division of labor is all determined by drawing lots."
"Interestingly, once, Lord Torum, the head of the family, had extremely bad luck and drew the lot to work as a kitchen hand. As the most authoritative person in the Torum family, Lord Torum could only peel potatoes and chop onions under the command of the cook for the whole afternoon. Since then, Lord Torum has hated potatoes and onions deeply, which is a well-known funny story in Thorsburg."
Ivan got off the carriage and was immediately greeted warmly. The one who greeted him was a young man about his age. Apparently, this young man had drawn a very lucky lot. Ivan chatted casually with the young man for a few words. He actually hoped to find a companion of a similar age. After all, it was really boring to always deal with those elders like earls, viscounts, and barons. Although those young ladies were about his age, when he was with them, Ivan felt as if he was an exhibit being watched, and that feeling was really bad.
Facing a big shot like Ivan, the young man seemed too reserved. Compared with Ivan, although the young man thought he was a few years older, he felt ashamed of his own abilities and knowledge. In his opinion, he couldn't compare with the young lord at all. Moreover, the young lord's reputation as a perfectionist also made the young man feel very nervous. He was afraid that if he made a mistake for a moment and left a bad impression on the young lord, that would be a great sin. The young man had heard his father say several times that when he met the young lord, although he had been careful, trembling with fear, and had made sufficient preparations in advance, he was still found to have deficiencies by the young lord. When the young lord pointed out the omissions to him, considering that he was a member of the Torum family, he wasn't severely reprimanded, but it still made him break out in a cold sweat. If his father was like this, how could he handle it with ease?
Ivan could naturally guess the reason for the young man's reserve. He thought it would be better to visit Lord Torum. Even if he had to peel potatoes or chop onions with him in the kitchen, it would be much better than facing this overly nervous young man here.