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Chapter 35 - Through The City Gate.

Annie greeted politely as usual, and Stella did the same.

Mrs. Linden spoke with a tone full of praise and kindness,"You look very beautiful, little Annie."

Annie replied with a warm smile,"Thank you, Mrs. Janeth, and you too."

Then she turned to Rosamund and said, "You look very elegant too. If you're ready, let's go now."

Rosamund smiled and said,"Let's go then."

The carriage was already waiting outside to take them to the city,

with five servants from the Loran family and five from the Linden family.

During the ride, the two were mostly silent,

speaking very little, only watching the view from the window.

Stella thought, "It really seems that Annie doesn't like her, but why? She looks like a nice girl on the outside."

Looking back, Annie was probably the reason why more than five nannies had left, even though the maids in the house had always described them as very kind and gentle.

Those nannies weren't bad at their jobs, quite the opposite, but they didn't last long.

"In any case, I should think of a way to get closer to her. Maybe I could..."

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a scene outside the carriage window.

There were men walking with several women, some young people, and children.

Their hands were tied, and they moved under the strict commands of the men holding whips and sticks, shouting orders as they went.

Neither Annie nor Rosamond noticed the scene. They didn't even glance in that direction, but Stella watched until the group completely disappeared from her sight.

"What an unfortunate bunch," she thought, fully aware that she could have been one of them too, if not for a stroke of luck that brought her to the people who helped her, especially Adam.

"If I hadn't met him that day, I wouldn't even know where to go now."

Even though she didn't get along with him, and they didn't see eye to eye, she still felt quietly thankful deep inside.

Slavery was still common and widely accepted in the Northern Continent. In the South, however, it had been abolished after waves of progress and reform.

Most slaves came from kidnapping, crushing debt, or from being separated from their families, especially children lost during wars or disasters.

Moments later, the carriage came to a stop.

One of the men stepped down and opened the door, offering his hand to help the young ladies out.

They were now in front of the city gates.

From a distance, the marketplace looked crowded and noisy, making it impossible to continue by carriage.

Eight guards accompanied them on foot, while two stayed behind to guard the carriage.

Stella looked at Annie and said calmly, "Miss, let me know if you need anything."

Annie gave a small, gentle nod while softly holding Stella's hand. It was a quiet, meaningful gesture, filled with unspoken trust and comfort between them.

At that very moment, Rosamund Linden, standing nearby, glanced at them from the side with a sharp, cold look. It wasn't loud or obvious, but it was the kind of glance that carried warning and jealousy.

Stella saw it clearly, even though Rosamund tried her best to hide what she felt behind a polite expression.

"Haha," Stella thought with a small smirk, "she's not like those elegant ladies in old stories. Those ones know how to pretend much better than she does. They smile sweetly while hiding their true feelings. Rosamund is still clumsy in comparison."

But even as she thought this, Stella reminded herself to stay cautious.

"Still, it wouldn't be wise to ignore her, people like her can be dangerous when underestimated."

The group started walking together toward the market district in the heart of the city.

It was a lively place filled with colorful stalls, fine boutiques, and the sound of people chatting, selling, and laughing.

The two began shopping, and their choices couldn't have been more different.

Annie picked dresses and clothes in soft, light colors, pinks, creams, blues, with gentle patterns and delicate designs that reflected her kind and calm personality.

Rosamund, on the other hand, selected more dramatic outfits made of velvet and silk, in deep reds, blacks, and purples. Her style was bold and full of pride.

She tossed each item she chose onto the arms of her assistant, who followed her silently. Yet when she turned away from him without a word, he showed a flicker of anger on his face.

All the while, Stella watched everything carefully.

Suddenly, a scene in front of her interrupted her thoughts.

A group of people about six men، were passing through the crowd.

They looked very different from the locals, dressed in dark clothes and with their faces covered by scarves, in the summer.

But what caught Stella's attention as they passed by was the emblem she noticed on one of them.

It was a symbol she had seen up close before,the emblem of the Caden family!

No one in the group seemed to recognize it except Stella. The servants with them only seemed focused on watching the two girls.

"What are they doing here? Did they come to cause trouble again?"

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

It was Rosamund, speaking in a calm but stern tone, "You! What are you still doing here? Miss Annie has already gone ahead to the other shop. Come on, focus on your work!"

"Damn, even this spoiled one is ordering me now!" Stella thought as she followed her from behind.

"But what should I do? Should I tell Liam? No, I think he has his ways of finding out. So there's no need to tell him now. I don't want any more problems, I have to deal with our princess first."

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