https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-673-It-s-Easy-to-Invite-Linchi-Hard-to-Send-Him-Away/12585045/
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Chapter 674: Cardinal Lanchi's Cost-effectiveness is Too High (Part 1)
Chapter 674: Cardinal Lanchi's Cost-effectiveness is Too High (Part 1)
Two days later.
The Baptiste Estate.
In the flower capital of Pariette, the August sun caused the air above the cobblestone streets to shimmer slightly. A carriage slowly came to a halt in front of a mansion located in the bustling district.
This was the generational estate of the Baptiste family, its wrought iron gate, adorned with morning glory vines, now bore a faint layer of rust from the passing of time. Towering white poplar trees stood guard on either side of the entrance, their majestic presence safeguarding the garden's solemnity and tranquility.
A golden-haired young lady alighted from the carriage.
She wore a thin summer dress, sleeveless, with a perfect silhouette that extended from her shoulders down to her neatly trimmed fingernails.
The loose design seemed airy and lightweight.
Her figure, slightly visible through the thin fabric, was likely due to her diligent exercise regimen.
She hadn't returned home in a month.
Her name was Christina, the eldest daughter of the household. She had an older brother who was five years her senior, as well as a younger sister. Her cousins, both male and female, also lived with them.
Indeed, the Baptiste estate was quite a large family.
Christina loved her family dearly.
The previous month, she had gone east to the Kingdom of Aloran and enrolled as a first-year student at the Aloran Royal Academy.
Now, with the public holiday, she had returned.
The Kingdom of Aloran's public holidays usually lasted a week, and including the previous weekend, there would be a total of nine days off.
If one skipped classes for another two days, they could enjoy an eleven-day long vacation, which was more than enough time to return to the Kingdom of Bosen.
Although the local reputation of the Baptiste Earl family had never been particularly good, they continued to enjoy endless wealth and prestige due to the achievements and legacy of their ancestors.
However, her family had always been kind to her.
She had been spoiled since childhood.
This had led to her being known locally as the "Evil Young Lady Christina Baptiste."
As she grew older and interacted with her peers, Christina gradually became aware that some of her family's behaviors and habits were foolish.
Because of this, she had chosen to study abroad in the Kingdom of Aloran.
In her new environment, she felt reborn.
People no longer held prejudices against her, and instead, the manners she had cultivated since childhood led them to view her as a true graceful young lady.
"It's so wonderful."
The air of Pariette, the flower capital, caressed Christina's face after a long absence.
This month of campus life had been very pleasant.
Of course, she missed the flower capital of Pariette every moment.
Given the opportunity, Christina had returned without hesitation.
She believed that her family must have been as adorable as ever.
Christina proudly lifted the back of her hand and lightly flicked her golden hair.
Indeed, everything was within one's grasp.
As long as she worked hard, she was confident she could become a countess with an excellent reputation.
One day, she would shed the infamous label of the "Evil Young Lady."
"By the way, I heard that Senior Karen is also coming to the Kingdom of Bosen to take the Platinum-level Card Maker exam. I wonder if I'll have the chance to meet her."
Christina muttered to herself as she carried her small suitcase.
In their Aloran Royal Academy, the senior card maker, a third-year student, was quite popular and admired by many. She was the type of angelic woman Christina aspired to be.
Soon after enrolling, Christina had heard numerous stories about the achievements of her seniors.
Of course,
There was also last year's Ikelite academic visit, from which only half of the students returned.
It was said that the Ikelite Academy's student council was full of unimaginable brutes capable of doing anything.
The principal of Ikelite Academy was also a person surrounded by scandals, with a reputation that constantly fluctuated like a bungee cord, and the outrageous news about him only seemed to increase.
After much consideration, Christina had opted not to study abroad at the tumultuous Ikelite Academy but had chosen the more stable and reputable Aloran Royal Academy instead.
In the short time it took, the driver who had brought her back had unloaded her larger luggage, and the familiar maids greeted her and took her bags.
"Miss, the master and mistress are both at home. It's lunchtime now, and they weren't sure when you'd arrive, so they didn't wait for you. But if you go to the dining room now, you should be able to join them for lunch." The maid said.
"No problem. By the way, has there been any news from the mansion this month?" Christina asked, nodding.
Today being Saturday, her family was most likely at home.
"Not much, but if I had to say something, it would be that we have a new butler."
"Okay."
Christina chatted with the maid as they walked into the courtyard, where a row of neatly trimmed flower beds came into view.
From vibrant red roses to refreshing blue bells, each flower swayed gracefully in the summer breeze, and the path was divided by meticulously pruned hedges, making their walk feel like a journey through a fairy tale world.
In the distance, the mansion's intricately carved window frames and balcony railings were adorned with stone-carved flowers, each detail a testament to the craftsman's exquisite skill and the owner's opulent taste.
As she gazed at the distant mansion, Christina's heart filled with warmth and excitement.
While her life as an exchange student in the Kingdom of Aloran had been fulfilling, whenever she thought of home, an overwhelming sense of belonging surged within her.
Soon, Christina re-entered the grand foyer of the Baptiste Estate.
She strode through a series of corridors and passageways, eventually reaching the spacious dining room on the first floor of the mansion.
This was a room spanning hundreds of square meters, filled with the subtle fragrance of antique furniture. Tall windows allowed soft natural light to stream in, illuminating the tablecloth and silverware. A long dining table dominated the center of the room, laden with Bosen-style delicacies. Flecks of light danced upon the cutlery, and the crisp clinking of porcelain added a touch of liveliness to the quiet afternoon.
"I'm back!"
Christina waved cheerfully to her family members lounging in the living room.
They were gathered around the dining table, with her father seated at the head, her mother, brother, and little sister on one side, and her uncle, cousins, and cousins-in-law on the other.
"... "
For two seconds, the dining room remained silent. The family members seated at the long table merely glanced at her, offering faint smiles before resuming their meal.
They did not greet her with the enthusiastic welcome she had expected.
"?"
Christina wondered if there was something amiss with the way she had entered.
"Christina, take a seat."
Baptiste, the count, gestured for her to sit down.
"Oh, okay."
Christina was briefly taken aback but quickly regained her composure and pulled out the chair next to her little sister.
As soon as she sat down, a maid promptly brought her cutlery.
Everything seemed perfectly normal.
The family maintained their table manners, and no one stood up, but they calmly welcomed her return as if emulating a sort of elegant ritual.
This unexpected calm left Christina with a sense of puzzlement, prompting her to wonder if she had missed some new family rule.
"By the way, who is this?"
Christina's gaze casually swept across the dining room to her father seated at the head of the table as she asked.
She noticed the unfamiliar figure of a man dressed as a butler, standing by the wall, ready to attend to their every need.
He was a handsome young man with brown hair and a gentle demeanor, his emerald eyes exuding an approachable aura.
"Mr. Rocky McCurse, our new butler," replied Count Baptiste briefly.
"..."
Christina felt that not only her father but also the other family members subconsciously glanced at Rocky before speaking or making decisions, as if worried about offending him.
This butler's status far exceeded that of an ordinary servant and even influenced the behavior of the family members.
Despite her curiosity, Christina maintained her manners during the meal, carefully observing her surroundings and trying to find answers in these details.
And this butler, sensing her curiosity, occasionally glanced at her with a friendly gaze.
The lunch proceeded in this subtly tense atmosphere.
Christina couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong.
But she had a nagging sense of unease.
Just as she was trying to adjust to the unusually quiet dining atmosphere...
A small accident suddenly shattered the thin veneer of peace.
Bang!
Christina's uncle, a gentleman she had always thought to be graceful and calm, accidentally knocked over his glass of water.
Perhaps because her gaze had met the butler's a few times, making him feel nervous under the butler's watchful eyes.
Clear water quickly spread across the table.
All the family members turned to look at him.
Including Christina.
It wasn't a big deal, but she was surprised to see her uncle make such a blunder.
What surprised her even more was...
Her uncle's face turned pale instantly.
In his flustered state, he actually stood up from his chair, almost as if it were an instinctive reaction, and deeply bowed to the brown-haired, green-eyed butler, his voice trembling as he repeatedly apologized: "I'm so sorry, please forgive my carelessness."
His attitude wasn't like that of someone apologizing to a servant but more like someone facing a highly respected elder, full of fear and reverence.
Christina's eyes widened in shock, and the air in the dining room seemed to freeze.
She looked at her other family members in astonishment.
But...
None of them spoke up, their expressions complicated.
"Mr. Rocky, I am truly, truly sorry!"
Her uncle immediately knelt on the ground, trembling as he apologized to the butler.
"It's quite all right," the butler said with a gentle smile, helping her uncle up and quickly cleaning up the mess on the table. He straightened her uncle's napkin and invited him to continue eating.
"Enjoy your meal."
His voice, though not loud, carried an air of undeniable authority, making it hard for her uncle to do anything but obey.
Then, her uncle's face lit up with happiness, and he sat back down to continue his meal, looking like a child who had just received encouragement from a teacher.
And the brown-haired, green-eyed butler quietly returned to his place by the wall.
"......?!?"
At that moment, Christina felt a sense of fear and confusion like never before.
Even though it was midday in the summer, she felt a chill run down her spine, and her back stiffened involuntarily.
What was going on?
The entire dining room was filled with an eerie atmosphere, as if some evil presence had invaded her beloved home, corrupting its warmth and turning the Baptiste estate into a feast for some sinister deity.
Despite all the red flags, the rest of her family seemed completely oblivious to the strange dynamics between her uncle and the butler, happily continuing their lunch.
The silence in the dining room made Christina increasingly uneasy.
At best, her family seemed to have found inner peace, a sense of true calm, as if they had discovered a new faith that filled them with contentment. At worst, they seemed to have undergone a mental transformation!
She even began to suspect that her entire family had become cultists!
As Christina glanced back at the butler standing by the wall, she saw him waiting for their commands, like a puppeteer behind the scenes, silently smiling as he watched his puppets perform a family dinner theater.
Christina dared not say anything.
She could only suppress her fears and try to see the situation in a positive light, accepting what was happening.
After all, this was the heart of Pariette, the Flower Capital.
If someone were to commit a crime against her family here, the entire city's security would be at stake.
The clock on the wall showed that it was not yet one o'clock in the afternoon.
The Baptiste family had finished their lunch.
As usual, they gradually left the dining room, each going their separate ways.
Seeing her family disperse, Christina felt a sense of normalcy return, and her heartbeat slowed.
The butler, Mr. Rocky, began his work, directing the servants' afternoon tasks.
Although Christina felt that the danger wasn't as imminent as she had initially thought, she still sensed that something was amiss in the household.
The strange vibes during lunch were definitely not normal! !
Just thinking about those eerily green eyes made her shudder.
On the first floor of the mansion, Christina walked nonchalantly, her peripheral vision catching her father and mother still chatting with the butler in the dining room.
She couldn't hear what they were talking about.
But she saw her father smile with delight, as if he had found a kindred spirit, and her mother's cheeks flushed at his praise.
Soon, the butler exited the dining room.
Her brother, Karl, approached the butler.
"Mr. Rocky, do you have time this afternoon?"
"Of course."
"Then I'd like to book some of your time."
"No problem, let me check my work schedule."
Christina watched, incredulous, as the butler and her brother walked past her toward the second floor.
Even her usually carefree brother was acting like a gentleman, addressing the butler with respect and calling him "Teacher."
Her brother followed the butler, chatting about academic topics like a student walking with his professor.
Christina was deep in thought, wondering why her family seemed so distant, as if they were being controlled by some unseen force. Her uncle and brother's behavior was the most suspicious, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Suspecting the use of magic or enchanted drugs, she decided to investigate the kitchen, hoping to find some evidence to expose the butler.
As she rummaged through the cabinets and drawers, her heart raced with anticipation. However, her focus on the task at hand left her unaware of her surroundings, and she accidentally left a storage box hanging precariously from the cabinet.
Just as she realized her mistake and braced for the box to fall, a familiar figure appeared beside her, gently catching it before it could cause any harm.
"Miss, that was dangerous," the butler, Mr. Rocky McCurse, said with concern, his emerald eyes fixed on her.
(End of Chapter)
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