69novels 0056 He was like a pitch-black sun.
0056 He was like a pitch-black sun.
The waiter lifted the unconscious Quintus Guilliman and carried him back to his room.
Marcus Guilliman watched this scene and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
He was worried that Quintus's sudden fall asleep might indicate a health problem, but he was also worried that Quintus's actions might anger Zhou Yun—there was probably only one teacher in the entire Macurag who could gain the child's approval.
"Lord Zhou Yun, please forgive me. My son is brave but not cautious enough. He must have been worried about his younger brother's studies, which is why he made such an offensive move." Marcus Guilliman apologized to Zhou Yun repeatedly.
Is that really all there is to it? Zhou Yun smiled but did not answer.
Marcus was sincere when he said this; he wasn't lying. But what was Quintus thinking?
His body bore the marks of alcohol and debauchery, making it hard not to associate him with...
"I had no idea my dear brother was so kind," said the short, blond dwarf with an ugly face, pursing his lips.
"Shut up, Tiberius," Marcus hissed. "Go back! Don't embarrass yourself here."
Tiberius Guilliman—Zhou Yun unearthed the dwarf's identity from the scholar's memories. He was Marcus's eighteenth child, and was studious from a young age. Once, while reading in the Grand Library of Macurag, he had a chance encounter with Consul Connor, and Connor praised his knowledge.
For a long time, the child was quite favored by Marcus.
When Marcus discovered that the child was only growing older but not taller, was a born dwarf, and had fertility problems, the child was quickly rejected by Marcus, who regarded him as a disgrace to the family and demanded that he not go out at will.
"You said I should go back, so I will go back." Tiberius bowed to Marcus. "That's why you're treated like a father."
After saying that, the dwarf turned and ran away, disappearing without a trace.
Marcus was so angry that his face turned blue. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and barely managed to maintain his composure before apologizing to Zhou Yun and the long-haired old man.
"Your Excellency Zhou Yun, Elder Kepi Euro, please forgive my two disappointing children."
"It's alright, the two children meant well." Zhou Yun still had a smile on his face, but his gaze did not linger on Marcus. Instead, he looked at the old man with long white hair.
"Teacher Zhou Yun, do you remember me? We've met before." The old man smiled and took a step forward, extending his hand to Zhou Yun. The scent of his perfume filled Zhou Yun's nostrils. "I happened to be there when you were gambling with Governor Jia Lan last time."
"Now that you mention it, I remember, Mr. Capi Euro, right?" Zhou Yun also reached out and shook hands tightly with Mr. Capi Euro.
The elder's hands didn't look like those of a man in his fifties; they looked more like those of a young man.
Zhou Yun's will permeated the elder's mind.
He was cautious by nature, constantly using his own thinking to probe the superficial thoughts of those around him. And since this old man, Kepi Euro, seemed to have quite a bit of interaction with Jia Lan, Zhou Yun naturally wanted to see what he was thinking.
Gentle, calm, compassionate... There was no malice directed at Zhou Yun, nor any trace of indulgence or debauchery.
He looked like just an ordinary old man.
"I've also met your niece. I have an apartment building for sale, and your niece inquired about the price."
Kempi Euro released Zhou Yun's hand, revealing a rather gentle smile, and said:
"Unfortunately, someone died in that apartment building, so we couldn't reach a cooperation agreement."
"You want to buy a house?" Upon hearing this, Marcus Guilliman seemed to have seized an opportunity.
He really didn't want Zhou Yun to have any opinions about him or the Guilliman family, and he was worried that Zhou Yun would not be able to teach the child wholeheartedly because of today's unpleasantness.
He knew how difficult it was to educate that child, and he thought that if he didn't appease Zhou Yun, Zhou Yun might give up.
"I have a villa near Proyana Avenue, a little smaller than this one, which I can give to you if you don't mind," Marcus Guilliman said to Zhou Yun.
His attentiveness was not for himself, but for the child, the heir to Connor, and even more so for the future prosperity and development of the Guilliman family.
How generous... But Zhou Yun had no intention of being polite. Since it was offered to him for free, he wouldn't feel embarrassed.
"Then I thank you for your generosity." Zhou Yun nodded in thanks.
Marcus Guilliman breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Zhou Yun was willing to accept the offer.
He can have as much money and houses as he wants, but there's only one teacher in all of Macurag who can earn that child's respect.
As long as Zhou Yun can wholeheartedly teach that child, these are all minor problems. The Guilliman family is a large and wealthy family that has been a prominent family since before the era of the War King. They have no shortage of material possessions.
If spending these things is enough to make the Guilliman family prosperous, then even after ten thousand years, Macurag will still have the same surname as them.
Marcus Guilliman quickly arranged for a waiter to take Zhou Yun to receive the villa next to Proana Avenue.
"That's really impressive." After Zhou Yun left, Kempio said to Marcus Guilliman.
"It's just a villa," Marcus Guilliman shook his head. "As long as he can teach...my child well, this small sacrifice is well worth it."
Capio smiled. This Lord Marcus was indeed loyal to Connor, but he was far less wise than his brother.
Capio was not impressed by Marcus's generosity, but by Zhou Yun... For ordinary people like them, tens of thousands of dinars would be a huge sum of money, and a villa worth at least three or four hundred thousand dinars was something Zhou Yun didn't even flinch at.
When he accepted it, there was little joy or greed in his eyes.
Capio's experience told him that this behavior was no longer a matter of psychological quality; the person probably had a mental illness.
Capio had only ever seen this symptom in one type of person: slaves who had been tortured to the point of mental breakdown.
Those slaves either frantically chased after everything they could get, or they became indifferent to everything and took a detached view of the world.
The latter is often more powerful than the former.
Zhou Yun was similar to the latter, but the symptoms of the slaves that Capio knew were not as severe as Zhou Yun's, nor were they as powerful.
If he had to describe it, Capio felt that Zhou Yun was like a dark sun hanging in the sky, seemingly empty but actually possessing immense power.
He must have gone through immense suffering to be forged into this form.
Capio became increasingly interested in him.
"I won't disturb you any longer today," Capio said, bowing to Marcus Guilliman. "I have an appointment with Lord Jalan today, and I hope that Lord Marcus can do as I just said and put in a good word for me with Lord Connor."
"The church reforms I want to pursue still require the support of the two consuls."
That night, in a private room at the bathhouse.
Lipo sighed and looked at Quintas and Cicero sitting in front of him.
Quintas covered his head, looking drowsy.
Cicero's eyes were vacant, his face showing the emptiness left by debauchery, and his eye sockets were frighteningly deep.
Noticing Lipo's gaze, Cicero slowly raised his head and looked at him.
"Libo, lend me some more money."