Chapter 97
“Chairman, I have a favor to ask.”
Hermann’s eyes widened at my calm words.
For a moment, he looked confused, as if he didn’t understand, then he asked seriously,
“What is it that you would have me do?”
“Hmm… I need someone investigated.”
“Investigated?”
Hermann paused thoughtfully, then nodded.
“It’s not much, but our Avner does have what could be called an intelligence network. Though, in truth, it’s more mine than theirs…”
Hermann was naturally a man of leadership.
He was calm, rational, and capable—the ideal type for a chairman.
But his hidden strength, the one often overlooked, was exactly what he had just mentioned: his intelligence network.
That was why I had once called him a “dark-minded old man.”
“Chairman Hermann may look gentle, but he’s a formidable old man. Lady, always be careful around him—you never know what he’s hiding.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“Literally what I said. Though he appears harmless, he has spies and informants spread throughout the entire Empire, like a spider’s web. I was shocked myself.”
I had learned this, of all people, from Lady Larien.
She was a branch of the Avner family who had recently become my etiquette tutor.
“Chairman Hermann even found my husband, who ran off after having an affair with a maid.”
“A-a maid…?”
“He hid so well that I spent ages running around with a hammer, but I couldn’t find him anywhere.”
“Eek…”
“Eventually, rumors spread. People said that a branch of the Avner family was prowling the back alleys at night with a hammer in hand.”
It didn’t take long for the news to reach Hermann.
Naturally, he was concerned about the Avner family’s reputation and tried to dissuade Lady Larien.
He told her to stop risking herself running around after her husband with a dangerous weapon.
But Lady Larien had a stubborn streak that could outmatch anyone in the Avner branch.
Of course, she ignored his advice.
Eventually, Hermann made a decision.
He would personally find Lady Larien’s husband.
“I spent months searching and couldn’t find him, yet the chairman did it in half a day. I should have killed him back then, but that old man blocked me so desperately…”
“L-Lady Larien…”
“But in the end, it worked out. If I had become a murderer, I wouldn’t be by your side now, would I? I still have so much to teach you.”
Lady Larien said this with a casual smile, as if it were nothing.
But the words I heard that day stayed with me.
Especially Hermann’s intelligence network.
“Can your network investigate nobles too?” I asked.
“It can be said so. Any information you want can likely be obtained,” Hermann replied.
“How on earth?”
Hermann cleared his throat before speaking.
“As you know, Lady, I started from the bottom to reach this position.”
His eyes became serious.
“I met my wife at twenty-one, became connected to the Avner family, and it’s been over forty years since.”
Hearing it directly made the years feel even longer.
“In recent years, Avner has slowed down, but it wasn’t always so. Even entering the Council of Elders was extremely difficult.”
“What do you mean by difficult?”
“You are perceptive, Lady, so you’ll understand. One must navigate human relationships, anticipate responses, and react swiftly to information.”
“I see, I understand.”
“So I deployed agents across the Empire early on. Quick action is the key to competitiveness, and competitiveness leads to success.”
I listened quietly, but inwardly I couldn’t help but marvel.
‘I’m glad I chose Hermann as my second aide.’
Hermann was far more capable and intelligent than I had anticipated.
“So, if you give the order, Lady, I will gather the information to the best of my ability,” Hermann said, his face full of ambition, as if he were already ready.
I nodded and finally got to the point.
“I want information on one person.”
“Who is it?”
“The sister of Duke Longton. Philomena Longton.”
Hermann’s eyes widened.
“Philomena Longton?”
Soon, he nodded, as if he understood the reason.
“Is this related to when you said you wanted to uncover Longton’s weaknesses?” he asked.
I was a bit taken aback. I had mentioned wanting to find Longton’s weaknesses a few days ago.
But the reason I was giving this order now wasn’t about that.
‘It’s because what Jayden said sounded exactly like something Philomena said in a previous life.’
I wanted to see if there was a connection between the two.
Still, I nodded in agreement.
“Yes, exactly. We’ll be going to the Capital soon, so we must prepare.”
Hermann nodded, clearly impressed.
“That’s not difficult. Duke Longton may be tricky, but Philomena Longton should be easy.”
Then he asked,
“What exactly do you want me to find out?”
I took a deep breath and began to give him every instruction I had thought through.
Time passed.
Seniana adapted to the Avner mansion incredibly quickly.
I walked around my empty room, fastening the buttons of my thin coat tightly.
Lately, the weather was growing colder.
The harsh northern winter was approaching.
After putting on my coat, I reached for a book on the shelf.
“Ah!”
I twisted my hand and stumbled backward in surprise.
“Ouch…”
Despite trying to dodge it, a thick book fell on my foot, hitting the fourth toe on my left foot.
I touched my reddened toe, frowning.
‘In the past, Miel, Soya, and Teacher Ann always helped me…’
I suddenly felt the absence of the three acutely.
Ann and Soya were in the Evehill area, and Miel was attending to Seniana.
Looking at my injury, I muttered to myself,
“I don’t have time to go to the apothecary… what should I do…”
The toe immediately turned red and swollen.
Of course, such an injury would heal quickly with Lubarina, but I didn’t even have time to fetch medicine.
After a brief hesitation, I pressed a handkerchief onto the wound.
Once the bleeding slowed, I stuffed my foot into my furry slippers.
It stung as it rubbed, but I gritted my teeth and endured it.
As I turned to leave the room, I saw how empty it had become.
Over the past few days, my room had been stripped almost completely bare.
Everything from birthday gifts to clothes and jewelry.
Seniana had taken it all, claiming she liked it.
The mansion staff knew what had happened.
They all worried about me.
When Seniana wasn’t around, they tried to stop her from taking my things.
But I always shook my head.
“Ria, it’s because I want to get along with Seniana. She’s just borrowing things until she has her own…”
I treated Miel the same way.
She came to my room almost daily, looking upset.
“Miss, you could tell the master to hire a new maid. I’m your personal maid, so why…”
But each time, Seniana would arrive suddenly and drag me away.
Honestly, Seniana was desperate to bring everyone close to her.
She tried with Arwin, who seemed friendly to me, and even the head chef and his wife.
In the end, she even approached the mansion’s butlers, Roger and Wendel, trying to get close.
Of course, no one could refuse her, as she clearly appeared to be the daughter of the late Lady Isabel.
Arwin, not tied to the Avner family, openly kept his distance.
He smiled and chided Seniana gently, in his way.
And afterward, he always came to me, worried about me.
“Ria, are you really okay? You look so thin. Hmm?”
“Arwin, don’t come near me for a while.”
“What?”
“Just for now. And play with Seniana.”
“Ria, what on earth are you saying?”
