Chapter 11 Going Out to See Clarence
When word got out that Cressida had arrived, the laughter inside the room died down.
A moment later, a servant came out to escort her in.
Inside, it was warm as spring, with two basins of premium silver charcoal burning.
By the carved window, mother and daughter Clio and Rose sat close together, teasing a bird in a cage.
The moment Cressida saw the red-tailed hawk, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
That was the bird.
The red-tailed hawk wasn't fully grown yet, only about the size of a cat.
But its talons were already sharp enough to tear away flesh and skin when it clawed at a wound!
Cressida casually glanced at the servant standing by the cage.
It was an unremarkable woman with her head lowered, her clasped hands seemingly holding a whistle.
"Why are you here?" Clio's tone was flat. "The household has been busy lately. You don't need to come pay your respects."
Cressida turned to look at her. "Mother, I've been back for several days now. Why haven't I seen my wet nurse Ingrid?"
Back then, after Clio gave birth to her, she believed the doctor's words and blamed Cressida for stealing away her firstborn son's life. She threw her directly to the wet nurse Ingrid to raise, never asking about her again.
Ingrid had treated Cressida like her own daughter.
Clio sat down in a chair, her expression unchanged.
Tatum came over to serve her tea. When passing Cressida, she didn't even dare lift her head.
"She's getting old. We sent her back to her hometown to retire a few years ago," Clio said.
"Ingrid is only about fifty, the same age as Tatum. I want her to come back to serve me."
Clio immediately frowned. "Must you cause trouble at a time like this? Servants who've been sent away can't just be brought back."
Rose also stepped forward to persuade her. "Sister, do you feel there aren't enough people serving in your courtyard? The household has been busy and chaotic lately, and we're short on staff too. Please don't be upset."
"I have a few clever and quick-witted girls in my courtyard. How about letting them come serve you first?"
Those girls had just been beaten because of Cressida not long ago.
If they really came, they'd surely try every trick to trip her up.
Cressida changed the subject. "No need. The matter of Ingrid can wait."
Both Clio and Rose were somewhat surprised.
She was being this reasonable?
Cressida suddenly added, "I haven't been out since returning to Emerald City. I'd like to go visit Mr. Fisher."
When Cressida was young, Clarence had been hired to come to the house to teach her martial arts.
"Go if you want, but your father instructed me not to give you money freely, worried you'd spend it recklessly."
Cressida suppressed the cold smile at the corner of her lips. "I don't need money. Mother, just have someone prepare a carriage. I'll visit Mr. Fisher and come right back."
No money needed—that made everything easy.
Clio had Tatum go notify the stable.
Seeing that things were settled, Cressida prepared to leave.
"Sister," Rose called out to her, untying her own cloak and offering it. "It's windy outside. Wear my cloak first so you don't catch cold."
Cressida gently brushed away her hand. "I only use my own things."
With that, she left the main courtyard.
Rose sat back down beside Clio looking dejected. "Sister still can't accept me."
"Why bother with her? She has a hard heart."
"But Mother, letting sister go out alone like this—shouldn't we send someone to follow her?"
"No need. The Clarence she mentioned is an older man who runs a martial arts school in Emerald City, teaching all sorts of riffraff. He's nothing special. If she wants to go, let her go. Besides, the coachman will be with her. Nothing will happen."
Cressida sat in the carriage heading into the city.
If leaving the estate didn't require informing Clio, she wouldn't have gone to see her today.
If she had directly asked to go out, Clio definitely wouldn't have agreed.
So she first brought up Ingrid's matter.
Three years ago, when Cressida was still at the border, Chris had told her that when he returned to Emerald City, he hadn't been able to see Ingrid. He'd heard that people from the Hamilton Mansion had sent her away.
Now thinking about it, the Hamilton family sent Ingrid away because she knew Cressida had disguised herself as a man to join the army.
To keep that secret, they wouldn't let her stay, much less let her come back.
Cressida had first made a big request. When it couldn't be satisfied, she made the smaller request to go out.
Clio agreed readily and quickly, just to get rid of her faster.
Going out was Cressida's real goal. As for Ingrid, she would find a way to locate her.
The carriage stopped in front of the martial arts school Clarence ran.
White mourning banners still hung along the entire street, pedestrians were few, and business at the martial arts school was slow.
The coachman tied up the carriage at the entrance and watched as Cressida entered with Emma.
In the front courtyard, a bald man sat cross-legged in meditation under a pine tree.
He was about fifty years old with a kind face.
Cressida walked over. "Mr. Fisher."
Clarence opened his eyes. After seeing her clearly, he smiled.
"Cressida, you're back?"
"Yes, Mr. Fisher. Is Mr. Franklin here today?"
"He's in the back courtyard teaching students. Be careful when you go—don't get hit by accident."
With that, Clarence closed his eyes again, entering meditation.
This was his daily practice. Cressida never disturbed him during this time.
The entire martial arts school was divided into front and back courtyards.
The front courtyard was where Clarence taught students martial arts. The back courtyard was more of a private area, used for the two teachers to give one-on-one instruction to students with special status.
When Cressida was young, she often practiced martial arts and struck wooden posts in the school's back courtyard.
She followed the corridor to the back courtyard.
Just as she walked through the gate, she felt a sharp gust of wind rushing straight at her face!
Cressida dodged to the side, and a pine cone smashed onto the ground.
She turned to look. A seven-year-old boy named Anthony, dressed in fine clothes and wearing a necklace around his neck, looked adorable as snow and ice, his eyes full of mischievous energy.
He'd nearly hit Cressida but didn't apologize. Instead, he stuck his tongue out at her, then ran around wildly.
Several attendants followed behind him, shouting anxiously, afraid he'd fall or bump into something.
"Boy! I've told you many times—no playing with slingshots in the back courtyard!" Ivan Franklin, wearing practical robes, chased after him.
He was vigorous and ruddy-faced, his shout booming like a bell.
Passing Cressida, he suddenly stopped, the anger on his face turning to joy. "Cressida, you're back?"
Cressida clasped her hands. "Mr. Franklin."
The old man before her was her true teacher—Ivan.
He had an impressive background: former commander of the royal guard.
At fifty, when Doyle's father Lester Russell died and Doyle became the new king, Ivan voluntarily resigned. Because of his close relationship with Clarence, he often came to help at the martial arts school. Cressida had learned all her fighting skills from him.
"Find a place to sit. I'll come after I deal with this boy." With that, Ivan strode swiftly after Anthony.
"Stop right there!" Ivan shouted with his hands on his hips.
Anthony made a face. "You're forcing me to learn hidden weapons. They're not even impressive—not as good as my slingshot."
Just as he finished speaking, a pine cone flew past his ear.
Anthony turned around in shock, only to see that the pine cone had hit dead center on the target!
Because of the tremendous force, it was embedded in the target, leaving Anthony stunned.
He couldn't help but look toward Cressida, who had thrown the pine cone.
Then he watched as Cressida threw two more pine cones. Both times, they landed in the exact same spot, directly piercing through the bullseye!
Ivan clapped his hands, his eyes showing appreciation. "Cressida, haven't seen you in years. Your skills have really improved."
Looking at Anthony's wide eyes, Cressida brushed the dust from her fingers.
"Skills you haven't mastered properly won't seem impressive. But once you learn them well, anything in your hands becomes a weapon."
Anthony immediately ran over and grabbed onto Cressida's arm.
"I want to learn this! Teach me!"