A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 263 Upper Class and Lower Class (Part 2)
Xia Dai'er went back to her room and happily took a 20-minute nap.

At 8:10, the maid Betty woke the young lady up again and then did her makeup.

Girls of this age possess skin that makeup cannot replicate; with just a touch of lip gloss, their eyes and brows are strikingly beautiful.

In fact, according to the rules of high society, underage girls are not allowed to wear makeup, which aligns with the definition of "purity" in many religions. However, with the development of the times, the exorbitant profits of the cosmetics industry have led to ubiquitous advertising, making it hard for teenage girls not to be tempted. And in order to attract more young believers, even the most rigid Eternal Church has gradually stopped making strict rules about makeup, which is an interesting sign of progress.

Xia Dai'er has recently become obsessed with makeup; the pile of Dongguo fashion magazines on her desk is a testament to what she's been studying late into the night. If she put that same energy into learning etiquette, Ms. Elaine wouldn't be having such a headache.

"Isn't the fragrance a bit too strong?"

Xia Dai'er lightly sprayed a layer of her newly bought perfume onto her forearm, and then professionally used the fan-smelling method to appreciate it.

A while ago, the girl encountered some troubles and became very depressed. Feeling sorry for her daughter, Jenny gave her back the allowance that had been stopped, so Xia Dai'er was able to go on a shopping spree, filling her dressing table with glass bottles and jars like a perfume counter.

Betty, who was braiding Xia Dai'er's hair, smiled shyly, "I can't really smell it. I just think it smells pretty good."

Chaldale's personal maid has nimble hands and can tie her hair into pigtails just like a magazine model. But when it comes to topics like fashion and normal girls, these slave children, who were selected and bought from a young age and subjected to tedious servant education, naturally cannot fit in.

"Does it smell good? Then you can have it~" Xia Dai'er smiled and stuffed the newly opened perfume bottle into Betty's apron.

"Young Miss, I can't take it."

"Don't worry, my older brother is in charge now. If the steward tries to talk you out of line with the rules, I'll have my brother protect you."

"Young Master Elon... to protect me?" Betty's face flushed inexplicably. "Thank you, Miss. I will cherish this opportunity."

Elon was the limit of imagination for these maids who had grown up on Branson Manor.

Handsome, dashing, young and promising, upright, and never making things difficult for the servants—it wouldn't be surprising if a young master with such qualities had many illegitimate children with the maids—but Elon has never been involved in any scandals with any women.

"Hehe, you can use anything here if you like," Xia Dai'er said, pointing to her dressing table.

From a young age, her parents often taught her not to be too kind to servants, especially the maids who lived nearby. Humans are creatures of gratitude and fear of power; there are too many instances where being too kind to servants has led to them taking advantage of you or even suffering losses. But perhaps influenced by her brother, Chaldale couldn't bring herself to treat these girls her age as "personal possessions" to be used at will.

Although she was a maid, Betty could afford the perfume if she gritted her teeth. Chalier didn't have any ulterior motives of 'bribing' or trying to get closer to her. She just naturally thought that since Betty liked it, she would give it to her.

Today's schedule was school, not a date, so Xia Dai'er didn't choose to wear perfume, but only applied some fragrance to the area between her breasts and lower abdomen.

This is a huge problem. No matter how perky or firm it is, there will inevitably be some flesh pressed against the skin. After being outdoors for a while, it's easy to sweat, which feels sticky and uncomfortable and impossible to wipe away. So it's necessary to keep this area cool.

After tidying up her appearance and carefully braiding her hair, Xia Dai'er changed into her school uniform—a pure white robe resembling an academic gown, with the outline of a nun's habit visible in its cut, completely covering her skin.

Wearing such thick long sleeves in the summer is certainly stuffy, so I only wore underwear underneath. Fortunately, there was no risk of exposure since I was in an all-girls school.

She slipped on a pair of elegant brown leather boots, put on snow-white silk gloves, and walked along the corridor, smiling as she responded to the greetings of the servants along the way. Her pink pigtails entered the dining room at a leisurely pace.

With its red patterned carpet, mirror-like gold-leaf painted walls, and an overwhelming array of furnishings that made it feel cramped, this restaurant looked more like a royal residence than its neighbors'. The servants standing on either side, each a beautiful young woman with a striking presence, stood with the upright posture of honor guards, holding towels, wine glasses, and cutlery, ready to be summoned.

Jenny was always resentful that the Branson family didn't have a title, and she wanted to make everything in her house match the lifestyle of the nobility. This was obviously a bit too much, but in her opinion, it was just right. The airport, which was like a money-printing machine, gave her all the confidence.

The long table in the dining room could seat thirty people. This wasn't even the family's dining room for entertaining guests. On this spacious table were only a few extremely bland dishes. Mother Jenny and brother Elon sat at the front of the long table. Although they were a family, they couldn't hear each other chewing.

The head seat at the long table was empty; that seat belonged to Chaldar's father, but the ailing Reeve hadn't had breakfast with his family for two whole years. Chaldar felt this was inappropriate, so she plopped down in the head seat, making the three of them look like a triangle huddled together, giving the impression of a home.

The servants behind quickly brought out breakfast. It was clear that this was not the first time the girl had sat in this seat, and the two people beside her had long since resigned themselves to this impolite behavior.

Breakfast was simple: two slices of unappetizing whole-grain bread, a boiled egg without oil, and a bowl of raw mixed vegetables that hadn't been cooked at all. Jenny believed that eating vegetarian food every day was good for her health, and this was a "recipe" she had bought at a high price from a shaman.

A pug with a gloomy face was lying next to the dining table. Hakimi was also eating vegetarian food, and his already ugly face looked even more miserable against the backdrop of the food in his bowl.

"Elena said you were late for etiquette class again?"

The mother frowned in displeasure and asked why her daughter hadn't even said good morning to her every day.

Xia Dai'er remained silent, burying her head in her vegetable scraps. Let her talk; her mother hadn't been in a good mood lately, probably because of the council's affairs.

It seems the council is going to hold a hearing on the brother, and the father needs to attend. Chaldale doesn't quite understand, but the family doesn't have a good solution either. Elon and Jenny were just discussing this matter, but they stopped talking about it after Chaldale came in.

"Sleep a little longer, it'll help your brain grow." Elon smoothed things over for his sister, then said to the maid beside him, "Could you please pour my sister a glass of milk?"

The maid didn't move at first, hesitatingly looking at Jenny. Seeing that she didn't object, she heated up a cup of milk for Chalier.

"Why are you drinking milk? Can't you drink water?" Jenny said to her son in an annoyed tone, "Breast milk is meat, it will ruin this wonderful vegetarian meal."

"Dale is still growing, and she needs meat, eggs, and milk every day until she turns eighteen," Elon said confidently, spouting what sounded like nonsense to those around him.

"I'm on a diet lately." Xia Dai'er held the milk in both hands, sipping it like a little goldfish. She quite liked dairy products; pure white milk was one of the foods promoted by the White Sect, and she always wondered if her love for milk was related to her age.

“What do you mean by turning eighteen? Whose child turns eighteen?” Jenny sighed. “Your sister’s coming-of-age ceremony is getting closer and closer, and Reeve’s illness… sigh. Even if she misses the hearing, what about her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony? What will people think if she doesn’t see her father on her sixteenth birthday?”

"The eldest brother is like a father." Elon kept spouting strange remarks.

"Woof~!"

Hakimi said that he was his uncle.

Xia Dai'er immediately saluted the little dog beside her and whispered, "Hello, Uncle." She then poured some milk into the dog's bowl, and the little dog wagged its tail happily.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Jenny said with a dark face. "We're in big trouble, Elon."

Xia Dai'er pouted in dissatisfaction and protested, "Mom, you can't take your bad mood out on me and my brother! What if I get upset too? I'll take it out on Hakimi, and then Hakimi might bite you, and the cycle will keep going until we're both in a bad mood! He calls it the 'Hakimi effect'!" Xia Dai'er raised her index finger and snorted, "The Hakimi effect!"

Hakimi barked, whether in protest against the strange word or against Chaldale's accusation that he bit someone.

Elon asked with great interest, "Did Quinn say that?"

Hakimi silently pricked up his ears.

Xia Dai'er nodded, and started talking non-stop when she mentioned her boyfriend: "He also said that we should eat more meat, eggs and dairy products. He's researching ready-made meals for me so that I don't have to eat vegetarian food every morning—cough, just kidding."

Realizing she had let something slip, she glanced furtively at her mother and found her staring at her with a serious expression.

"No matter what, you can't spend the night with him outside before your coming-of-age ceremony. What kind of behavior would that be?"

"Tch, so old-fashioned."

"Have you talked to him about the coming-of-age ceremony?"

Xia Dai'er nodded and chuckled, "He said he'd step on my feet while dancing, so don't mind."

Jenny gracefully forked a wild vegetable, put it in her mouth and chewed, her expression relaxing slightly.

"So what if he steps on it? Even if he jumps as stiffly as a duck, as long as he can wear Grindelwald's robes, that's fine."

The thriving Branson family may not need a Grindelwald teacher to support them.

But if Elon loses the election, the Branson family will have to face retribution for his radical political views.
Then it's very necessary.

After Chaldale and Quinn became married, all three of them could be considered family members of the Academy's staff. The protection of the families of Academy faculty members was enshrined in the Aswell Constitution, which served as an unbreakable shield in Aswell, allowing the Branson family to retain most of their wealth and power.

But as her daughter grew increasingly graceful, Jenny recalled the wealthy businessmen and friends who had been visiting her lately. Some mentioned it casually, while others openly expressed their desire for a marriage alliance, including some powerful distant relatives.
Jenny felt a pang of heartache. As a woman, especially a beautiful one, she knew all too well how captivating her daughter was. If it weren't for the need to secure a future for her son, she would have even considered using all her connections to invite Prince Ron to his coming-of-age ceremony. She believed her daughter would mesmerize everyone.

Unlike nobles, princes are young people most easily blinded by love. Princes who do not inherit the throne do not need to consider the benefits of marriage alliances, so there are always stories of ordinary girls rising to the top.

This is the best way for the Branson family to obtain a title, and in Jenny's eyes, marrying into royalty is far happier than marrying a madman who spends all his time practicing arcane arts.

"Mom, brother," Xia Dai'er suddenly said weakly, "should I talk to him about the hearing? He should be willing to help."

Jenny was somewhat tempted, but Elon shook his head immediately.

"The college does have a veto power, but that power is in the hands of Dean Hermes, who is just a teacher."

“He seems to have a good relationship with Hermes.” Xia Dai’er’s eyes lit up.

Quinn didn't tell her much about the academy, but he had placed the black snake scale on the table while taking off his clothes. The girl was curious, so he mentioned it to her.

“If he had the ability to persuade the academy’s higher-ups,” Elon said slowly, “that shouldn’t be used here. You two don’t need to worry about it; I have a way to handle the hearing.”

"That black guy from the Western Continent in Sewell?" Jenny said unhappily. "Black people aren't exactly trustworthy. Gangs are always low-class; you can't rely on their methods."

Elon smiled but didn't say anything more.

He didn't really have any expectations.

In Eswell, there is a law that all personnel changes must be postponed during a state of emergency.

The last time Eswell declared a state of emergency was in March, when more than forty people died at a jewelry store.

That would just be another repeat of the same thing; there are plenty of hordes of insects to kill in this city.

“Oh, and by the way,” Elon said seriously to his sister, “you absolutely cannot tell Quinn anything about Father, especially if he asks—”

"I'm sick."

Xia Dai'er said irritably, "I know, Dad's just sick, is it necessary to remind me so many times?"

After dinner, the three family members went out separately.

After Reeve fell ill, the Branson family business was taken over by his wife. This noblewoman displayed a skill that even impressed her earl father, managing various businesses with remarkable efficiency. Under her operational planning, the airport flourished, and everyone would agree that Reeve was lucky.

But this didn't come without a price. During her son's busy campaign, Jenny's schedule was practically overflowing with work. Mornings were spent visiting companies and attending meetings, followed by handling the complex trade at the Southern Continent Airport, and evenings were dedicated to social events.
This breakfast, consisting entirely of vegetable leaves, was actually the only time she could spend with her children.

Although he scolded his daughter at breakfast, he still kissed her forehead before leaving and told her to be careful on her way to school.

Elon also reminded his sister to hold Hakimi's hand when they went out, as he had been assassinated in Seville a few days ago, and there were probably many people eyeing his family. Things had been unsettled in the city lately; last night, there was even a battle between superhumans at King Ron's manor, and the suspects hadn't been caught by morning.

That's only a hundred meters away from Branson's house.

Xia Dai'er naively believed that dogs could bite away bad guys and protect her safety. The big dog chewed and chewed.
Before going to school, she went to the most secluded house in Branson Estate and knocked on the door.

There was no response from inside, but the girl still whispered:

"Dear Father, I'm going to school now. I hope you recover soon."

She truly believed that her father had an injury that was difficult to heal.

So I prayed from the bottom of my heart that I would get better soon, and then the whole family could happily eat breakfast together.
(End of this chapter)