When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 549: Chapter 429: Family Reunion Chapter 549: Chapter 429: Family Reunion After Aiwass returned to the Hall of Silver and Tin, the first thing he did was to have Lily call Hermes Manor and invite Minister of Palace Affairs Mycroft Hermes over.

By the time Aiwass and Isabel, who had returned to her original appearance, finished framing the painting, the jolly minister, who was as happy as a fat seal, wobbled his body and hurried over.

Though it was an emergency overtime before the New Year, Mycroft showed no resentment whatsoever and even seemed to be in a very good mood.

After he preserved the painting using the “Preservation Arts,” Aiwass curiously inquired what good things had happened to put him in such high spirits.

To his astonishment, the answer he received was, “What, Sherlock has returned home?”
Even now, he was still in the state of a shrunken child…

and he simply went back home like that?

Sherlock’s poor relationship with his family was something Aiwass already knew about.

He had lived alone for a long time, and before moving into Bishop Mathers’ residence, he even suffered from chronic nutritional neglect due to irregular diet and daily routines.

If Edward hadn’t been so vigilant, often rushing over in the morning to check on him and bringing breakfast, who knows what trouble Sherlock might have fallen into from starvation.

It wasn’t because he lacked money; it was that he’d grow too lazy to eat when he was busy.

But when he was free, he would go and have a proper meal, although alternating between hunger and fullness was even worse for his health.

In short, it was because no one took care of him.

According to Avalon’s customs of Authority, ordinary people couldn’t employ servants.

Only those with a certain standard of income and status, and who had founded a household, were allowed to employ a very limited number of butlers and maids.

The Hermes Family certainly had a quota, and Sherlock had a personal maid who grew up with him.

But when he left home, he didn’t just leave without his maid; he didn’t even take a penny from his family.

All of Sherlock’s earnings were either consultants’ fees from solving cases for the Supervisory Bureau or small payments for resolving private cases for others.

Sherlock had no habit of saving money; whatever he had, he spent.

Nevertheless, he lived a carefree life.

Previously, when Sherlock faked his death, he didn’t even choose to go home but instead stayed temporarily at Bishop Mathers’ place.

In his family, only his brother Mycroft knew that Sherlock wasn’t dead.

When Sherlock “resurrected” later, he simply sent a letter home to signal that he was still alive.

It was Bishop Mathers who urged him to go home for a visit, and Sherlock only roamed around briefly.

After proving that he was indeed alive, he left immediately—without even staying for the night or attending a dinner.

But to say that Sherlock held a grudge against his family?

…That didn’t seem to be the case.

At Sherlock’s “funeral,” his mother became very haggard due to his troubles.

She cried out in sorrow; such sadness could not easily be feigned.

And Sherlock’s father Arthur was also very downhearted, clearly quite concerned about his child.

Aiwass had always been curious about how exactly Sherlock had fallen out with his family.

But whenever he asked, Sherlock either kept mum or diverted the topic.

Aiwass didn’t want to press too hard and risk damaging their relationship.

Hearing Aiwass’s question, Mycroft could only awkwardly laugh along.

That was until Isabel and Ligeia also became curious and came forward to ask personally.

Mycroft had long guessed that Ligeia was Meg.

Thus, the loyal Chamberlain gave Ligeia a meaningful glance before finally giving an honest explanation.

As he listened, Aiwass started to feel incredulous.

Ligeia next to him was finding it equally hard to keep composure.

—Because the reason Sherlock originally fell out with his family was a third because of Meg.

It happened around the time Sherlock was about to graduate…

which was actually just a few years ago.

At that time, Meg took an interest in Sherlock, wanting to take him as her apprentice.

Sherlock had considerable talent in the Path of Authority, was very young, and was exceptionally loyal to the queen.

He was extremely intelligent, possessed leadership qualities and composure, lacked obsessions and preferences for the opposite sex, and was a man of integrity with no particular desire for power.

He was a near-perfect template for the Path of Authority.

Because he was young enough, he wouldn’t chase twilight years and become indolent and conservative; lacking in power obsession meant he wouldn’t seek Transcendence to plan a rebellion; and his indifference to beautiful women meant he wouldn’t easily fall for the Path of Love and get seduced by foreign spies.

This covered the three most common derailments in the Path of Authority.

At the same time, his intelligent mind could make him a qualified ruler, and his loyalty to the queen could enable him to serve the future Monarch.@@novelbin@@

One could say that Meg’s insight was flawless.

Moreover, at that time, Meg was nearing the end of her life.

She had to find a successor.

She wanted to fully train Sherlock to enter the Supervisory Court, then rise to the Arbitration Hall, and finally take over her position as the next Grand Arbitrator.

But it was at that time that Sherlock felt the impulse for the Path of Wisdom.

During his school days, he found unprecedented fulfillment, excitement, and contentment from deduction and puzzle-solving, finally realizing what he truly wanted to do.

The fact that Meg was nearing the end of her life was a tightly guarded secret known only to the high-ranking members of the Pro-Queen Faction and kept in strict confidence.

Sherlock’s father Arthur knew about this and felt extremely honored to have Sherlock recognized as the future Grand Arbitrator.