Chapter 1123

Frederick and Hazel stepped into Augustine’s living room. The atmosphere was dense with unspoken expectations, and the space was dressed in quiet ostentation. Every carved beam, gilded screen, and lacquered panel exuded the opulence of old money and older ambition. Hazel’s eyes swept across the room’s lavish furnishings, pausing briefly on Augustine’s stooped figure. The old man sat alone in the host’s chair, nursing a cup of tea, his presence as commanding as the room’s decor—though age had clearly stolen much of his vitality. She couldn’t quite tell whether the extravagance surrounding him had always been a hallmark of this place, or if it was Augustine’s own taste that had turned it into what now resembled an ancient emperor’s private court. A man buried deep in the mountains, still craving the reverence of the world. How ironic. Augustine finally set his teacup down with a soft clink, his piercing gaze locking onto Frederick. "Sit." He didn’t so much as glance at Hazel, as if she w