Darkstone Code-Chapter 771 - 0769 is just as you think.

The old Countess sat on a chair slightly distanced from Lynch, raising her hand to smooth her hair.

Her hair was not messy, with a gemstone hairpin, looking not childish at all, but rather like she was holding onto the last tail of youth.

"My husband’s luck was unfortunate...," she began with this sentence, while Lynch listened quietly.

"It was just a fever; none of us paid much attention to his condition. After taking some medicine, the fever eased, and he told us everything would be alright."

"Can you imagine? In the morning, he told me he planned to do something for the children, but then fell unconscious by noon and didn’t make it through the night."

When the old Countess spoke about this matter, her eyes were no longer filled with sorrow. Initially, there might have been pain or tears, but as the event faded, it became an insignificant symbol in the long yet brief life.

This symbol only represented this page of life; it couldn’t embody the entirety, nor dictate joy and sadness.

"I am very sorry, madam...," Lynch uttered some pointless words because it was impossible for him to say "I am very glad" at this juncture.

The old Countess raised her hand to stop Lynch from continuing, shaking her head, "Actually, it’s nothing. I used to mourn, but now I’m accustomed to facing these things."

"Perhaps some people would consider me a cold woman, but I know my indifference is because life has compelled me to be so."

"After the old Count passed away, his brother, sister, and their children all fought for the heir’s position."

"He left so suddenly, without any will left behind, and we went through a very tough time back then."

The old Countess sighed, "Do you understand that feeling?"

"He did not give me any power, nor did he give his son any power, yet he allowed his siblings and even nephews to control the key points of the family, leaving us absolutely no chance."

"I took him with me, tried everything I could, and finally snatched back what originally belonged to us."

"During his growth, he was always anxious, everyone was stronger than us, everyone seemed to have ways to kill us, and yet he lacked a father to rely on."

"We walked a tough path, just as I mentioned earlier, but fortunately, we won in the end, which is the only thing worth celebrating."

Speaking about her child, the old Countess showed a nostalgic remembrance of his growth and a bit of anticipation for the future on her face.

She dazed for a moment and then smiled apologetically to Lynch, "I was distracted..."

Lynch very gentlemanly forgave her, "It’s alright, I can understand."

The old Countess smiled, "Throughout these years, he has shown great strength; sometimes he doesn’t seem like a child at all, I know he wants me to feel a sense of reliance."

"Now, the only person I can rely on is him; he is forcing himself to be mature, and this is perhaps seen as a good thing by many. He hasn’t brought me too much trouble in life and work."

"But I also know this isn’t his true self; he seems to be fine, but he actually has severe insomnia, often not sleeping until two or three in the morning..."

Anxiety.

Lynch immediately understood why the young Count had insomnia; it was due to anxiety.

Through the old Countess’s simple descriptions, a picture emerged in his mind—all the relatives wanting to steal what belonged to him, no one to rely on, young people sometimes are filled with confusion about the future.

Especially during adolescence, the acceleration of hormone secretion deepens emotional sensitivity, giving rise to anxiety, fear of suddenly losing what he holds dear or being harmed.

This anxiety persisted to the present, psychological changes weren’t so easily transformed, unlike what people often say that it gets better over time on its own.

All emotional and sensitive individuals are most prone to pushing themselves to a dead end.

When one lies in bed at night dominated by anxiety, filled with thoughts of how relatives would harm him, how he would protect himself, his mother, and the assets left by his father.

He simply couldn’t slow his emotions and nerves to let himself enter a normal resting state!

Lynch had such an experience too; after being captured, he didn’t relax from the tense state like some said, instead he grew more nervous.

Those who utter such words usually have relatively simple problems, sometimes so simple that there are just one or two issues, both of which are known.

Even the details grasped by the authorities are more meticulous than their own, granting them relaxation post-capture.

But for Lynch, the secrets weren’t just a few or dozens, he constantly worried about how they might pry open his mouth, leading to sleepless nights, difficulty sleeping, hair loss, and dark urine.

But later he figured it out, that he couldn’t get out for a lifetime anyway, so why make things difficult for himself?

Confessing what was known, ignoring what wasn’t, if worst came to worst, they could kill him.

Reality proved no one dared to act that way; indeed, some considered if silencing him would be more suitable, but upon weighing the potential cost of a failed attempt, this idea was ultimately abandoned.

Conversely, Lynch lived comfortably in the small room, those outside occasionally put money into his bank card ensuring he enjoyed the best of everything inside.

Except for not going out freely, not contacting others actively, inside wasn’t much different from outside.

After his number was sewn onto the clothes, he completely relaxed, even acting recklessly.

He treated life inside as sort of advanced study, a pathway essential for self-transcendence.

Thinking back to those past events, a hint of smile appeared on Lynch’s face, a smile only those who have experienced it can understand, one some call carefree.

The old Countess didn’t quite understand, sensing only that the room’s atmosphere had become lighter. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

She was even more unaware of how many things Lynch thought of in that brief moment.

She continued speaking, "During this period, he has had the best rest, about eleven at night, he would sleep on time and with the lights off."

"I haven’t seen him wear a faint smile in his sleep for a long time now, just like when he was a child, like a baby."

"No fear, no unease, no worries, only a faint smile."

"It’s all because of you, Mr. Lynch."

The old Countess looked at Lynch, "He admires you greatly; he always says you can solve some problems, he trusts you a lot."

Looking at Lynch, she was thinking of the words of a senior noble from the Secretariat.

That elder was a friend of her grandfather; their families were quite close. During her recent visit to the Secretariat, the old noble chatted with her.

They mainly discussed Lynch; in the old noble’s words, Lynch was a unique individual, secretly holding noble power before others even realized.

Among them, was the young Count.

The old Countess spoke of fearing the young Count getting too close to Lynch, which might influence future nobility status—non-hereditary nobility requires the Emperor’s favor.

If their relationship with the Emperor wasn’t close enough, relying on the Secretariat would be the only option.

She feared the young Count would be frowned upon by the Emperor, causing the nobility to end in his generation.

Yet the old noble offered another perspective, indicating the escalating difficulty for non-hereditary nobility succession, so why not consider stepping out?

The Federation’s development now surpasses people’s previous impressions, even the unbeatable Navy of Gafura was defeated by them.

If future favor possibilities are slim, moving to the Federation is an excellent choice.

The wealth they control ensures an affluent life for their family in the Federation, where money ranks higher than power.

Even if not intending to move to the Federation, given Lynch’s relationship with Princess Jenia, if any Imperial Family member willing to intercede on their behalf, there’s a substantial chance for the nobility to extend one more generation.

Therefore, whether gravitating towards either choice, maintaining a good relationship with Lynch is the best option.

"No matter what, he will be your firm supporter in the future, and I must thank you for the changes you’ve brought..."

The old Countess spoke, standing up and walking towards Lynch, "You are very young and remarkable, you may have seen many things, some of which I know nothing about, but I believe there’s one thing you’ve certainly never seen!"

...

The young Count arrived at the racing salon with a somewhat dazed expression; others called out his name several times before he reacted after someone touched his arm.

For nobles, "illicit affairs" have always been an interesting game; "illicit affairs" and "infidelity" sometimes are completely different concepts.

The young Count vaguely understood what his mother intended to do; he should have hated Lynch greatly, yet inexplicably, he didn’t detest Lynch as much.

On one hand, Lynch helped solve the longstanding issue post-heir succession, the issue of insufficient funds. Now, the earned money was enough to get everything running and start self-sufficiency.

Secondly, Lynch’s ability and demeanor captivated him; he admired Lynch, in many aspects, from various perspectives.

While Lynch managed many major matters, he still felt like a child, feeling a mix of inferiority yet trust and admiration towards Lynch.

That’s alright, isn’t this the nobility’s tradition?

He told himself this, smoothing over little discomforts in his heart.