https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-674-Cardinal-Lanchi-s-Cost-effectiveness-is-Too-High-Part-1-/12585047/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-675-Lanchi-s-Overwhelming-Strength-Part-1-/12585049/
Chapter 674: Cardinal Lanchi's Cost-effectiveness is Too High (Part 2)
Chapter 674: Cardinal Lanchi's Cost-effectiveness is Too High (Part 2)
Christina, startled, took a few steps back and then hurried to the side of the kitchen maid, using the encounter as an excuse to leave the kitchen.
"What are you doing here, Mr. McCurse?" she asked, her heart still pounding from the close call.
"I... I'm a little hungry, and I thought I'd get some afternoon snacks. The master has given me permission," the butler replied, his gaze averted as if he were reluctant to lie.
"Hungry?" Christina questioned, finding his excuse unconvincing. How could he be hungry so soon after the servants' lunch break? Unless he intended to have six meals a day! But she quickly reminded herself not to trust this man too easily.
"Change all the ingredients in the kitchen. I don't like eating things that aren't fresh," Christina instructed the kitchen maid, determined to get to the bottom of this strange situation.
The kitchen maid hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. "But, Miss... I also felt that the ingredients weren't very fresh today, so I wanted to check as well."
"Do as she says," a voice interjected, and Christina turned to see Cardinal Lanchi standing there, his eyes narrowed as he regarded the kitchen maid.
"Yes!" The kitchen maid responded with a crisp salute and quickly left to carry out the order.
"..." Christina turned to face the butler, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"What gives you the right? Just who is the real young lady of the Earl's household between the two of us?" Christina finally realized.
It seemed that not just her family, but everyone in the household was abnormally obedient to this new butler, Mr. Rocky.
Mr. Rocky had just retrieved a large box of foil-wrapped pastries from the freezer and was now heading back, hugging the box.
"Just what kind of magic did you use to make everyone in this household listen to you?"
Christina followed him out of the kitchen, her tone challenging as she questioned him.
"With sincerity."
Lanchi replied.
"Are you making fun of me?"
If not for the fact that the butler had just "saved" her a moment ago, Christina would have lost her temper by now.
She still found this man extremely mysterious and dangerous.
"Someone asked me to teach your brother a lesson, so here I am, teaching him. As you can see, he's gradually transforming into a positive and ambitious young man," Lanchi added frankly.
"..."
Christina was left speechless.
This was outright cryptic!
She knew that her brother, Karl, was prone to attracting hatred and offending people.
But Christina couldn't shake the feeling that the person who asked Mr. Rocky to teach her brother a lesson didn't simply mean to discipline him; it felt more like a request to educate him.
At this point, Christina was thoroughly confused about whether Mr. Rocky was a good or bad person.
Before they knew it, the two of them had reached the end of the first floor, right outside the utility room.
"Alright, Miss, please stop here."
Mr. Rocky stood at the entrance of the butler's resting room, his eyes signaling for Christina to not step past the threshold.
Christina naturally halted her steps.
Before she could say anything, Mr. Rocky smiled and closed the door.
The sign on the door indicated that it was his nap time.
Even if she lingered, she wouldn't be able to hear any sounds from within the room.
Not even the sound of him eating the cake.
He had obviously cast a soundproofing barrier inside the room.
"What kind of person is he..."
Christina could only turn back, feeling frustrated.
So far, this butler hadn't revealed any flaws or given her any clues about his true nature.
...
The entire afternoon, Christina sat on the sofa in the mansion's reception hall, pretending to read a book.
In reality, her heart was filled with anxiety as she kept glancing at Mr. Rocky out of the corner of her eye, observing his every move.
As the minute hand made its rounds, she failed to notice anything unusual about the butler.
On the contrary, the more she observed him, the more convinced she became of his impeccable work ethic.
He efficiently managed the other servants while diligently performing his own tasks, ensuring the smooth operation of the Baptiste Earl's mansion and tending to the needs of its residents.
One could say that not a single action of his was unnecessary.
If she had to rate his performance as a butler, even she would give him a perfect score.
He was like someone who, once paid, would get the job done no matter what.
Unknowingly, Christina found herself lying on the sofa, snacking on potato chips as she read her book.
The chips on the table had been brought by a servant maid, who probably noticed that she was relaxing and thought she might want some snacks.
"Wait a moment."
Christina paused with a chip halfway to her mouth.
Had the servant maid been instructed by Mr. Rocky to bring her these snacks?
She quickly threw the half-eaten chip into the trash, treating it like a taboo offering.
Just then, Christina heard footsteps approaching the mansion's reception hall from the distant corridor.
"Mr. Rocky, it's almost 3:30 pm."
Her brother, Karl, walked over with a textbook in hand and called out to Mr. Rocky, who was standing by the wall.
"Young Master, please wait a moment. I'll be with you after I help the Madam select her evening gown," Mr. Rocky replied, glancing at his watch.
"Take your time, I'll wait for you in my room!"
Karl waved cheerfully at Mr. Rocky.
Christina, sitting on the sofa at a distance, held her book with one hand, her expression filled with suspicion.
"..."
Christina had a vague idea why her brother wanted to learn fashion design.
It was probably so that he could make new clothes for the demon maids he favored.
Karl had expressed this desire before, but Christina never expected him to be so diligent and proactive about learning!
Pariette, the Flower Capital, was renowned as the fashion capital of the Southern Continent. The annual Bosen Fashion Week in Pariette was one of the most anticipated events in the fashion industry across the Southern Continent, attracting top fashion brands and designers and setting the trends for the entire region.
Fashion designers and patternmakers were highly sought-after professions.
Pariette was also a significant educational and research center in the eastern region of the Southern Continent, boasting numerous world-class higher education institutions and research institutes, such as the Bosen Institute of Technology and the Pariette School of Higher Design.
In the past, when the family had hired professional design teachers from Pariette for her brother, he hadn't shown any interest in continuing his lessons for more than a few days.
Now, he seemed eager to learn, even willing to retake exams to enroll in a new school!
"I wonder where Karl found this Mr. Rocky and invited him here..."
She sat up straight on the sofa, her confusion evident in her muttering.
Not even the teachers from the Aloran Royal Academy carried themselves with the same elegance and grace as this man.
Time passed, and Christina, lying on the sofa, found herself unable to fall asleep, her mind filled with questions and worries.
The afternoon sun in the courtyard of the Baptiste Earl's mansion gradually turned into a deep golden orange, filling the reception hall on the first floor with its warm hues and the scent of blooming flowers, signaling the arrival of sunset in the Flower Capital of Pariette.
The orange glow of the setting sun now painted Christina's cheeks.
Just then, she noticed a figure walking past the reception hall.
"Butler."
Christina called out to the butler, who was about to leave with a briefcase in hand.
"Miss Christina, is there something you need?"
Mr. Rocky paused in his tracks.
"Just what have you done to my family?"
Christina stood up and walked towards him, determined to have a straightforward conversation with the butler, regardless of his intentions—good or ill.
She knew that if it came to a confrontation, she wouldn't stand a chance, just like the rest of her family, who had already fallen under Mr. Rocky's spell. Her resistance would likely be futile, like a moth flying towards a flame.
However, if there was room for negotiation, she would do her best to find a solution.
"I'm merely doing my job as a butler to the best of my abilities.
"That's what a butler does," Mr. Rocky replied.
"No, you're lying to me. You must have done something to them, like... like brainwashing them or something!" Christina asserted, her hands clenched into fists.
This guy was toying with her, and she couldn't stand it. She had never seen a butler who could make the entire household so enamored with him.
"..."
The butler turned around, a hint of regret in his eyes. "So, Miss Christina, this is how you see me."
He sighed. "Let me ask you a question. Have you ever considered your own desires instead of others'? Are all your decisions truly your own?"
Mr. Rocky set his briefcase on the small table, intending to have a heart-to-heart talk with her. "You were born into the wealthy Baptiste Earl family, received a good education, praised for your talents, and are eligible to inherit the family legacy. Eventually, you'll become a prominent figure in Pariette, the Flower Capital. Isn't that the path laid out for you?"
"Of course, my decisions are my own! If not, I wouldn't have chosen to study abroad in the Kingdom of Aloran!" Christina retorted.
His words annoyed her. While not offensive, she deeply disagreed with his implication.
"In my opinion, you must love Pariette, the Flower Capital, and the Baptiste family very much. Otherwise, you wouldn't have returned home during the holidays just a month after the start of the school year," the butler analyzed, changing the topic.
"Of course, I do," Christina admitted.
This was one thing she wouldn't deny; she took pride in being the eldest daughter of the Baptiste Earl family.
"Don't you think that you chose to study abroad in the Kingdom of Aloran to escape the Baptiste family's reputation? If so, it means that you care a lot about what others think and your family's negative reputation. Your decision to leave was influenced by others, and it might not truly reflect your own desires," Mr. Rocky asked sincerely.
"..."
Christina fell silent for a moment, taken aback by his question.
Seeing her silence, he continued, "On the other hand, your family members, whom you seem to despise, live much more freely. They don't easily bend to others' opinions like you do. Haven't you noticed that they seem more relaxed than you?"
Mr. Rocky, or Lanchi, continued, his voice gentle and soothing in the glow of the setting sun.
"No, that's not it! I... I don't despise them, absolutely not," Christina denied, shaking her head vigorously.
"Then let me ask you this: who has been brainwashed? Your family or yourself? Isn't it possible that the abnormal one is actually you?" Mr. Rocky asked, his eyes fixed on her.
"Brainwashed... my family or me...?" Christina mumbled, her hands clutching her head as she stumbled back a couple of steps.
The familiar scenes from her childhood, the ideas instilled by her family, the roadmap for her life—were they all wrong?
"No, that's not it," Christina muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.
She shook her head firmly, as if pulling herself back from the edge of a cliff. If she had believed him and started questioning her own beliefs, this composed man would have invaded her mind!
"You're definitely up to something!" Christina accused, pointing at Lanchi.
She felt she was starting to understand. This man might not be using magic, but he certainly possessed an unusual charm.
He was like a cult leader with hidden motives, infiltrating her family.
Christina recalled the news reports that two or three cardinals of the Resurrection Church were suspected to be in the Kingdom of Bosen. The thought filled her with dread.
But none of the Resurrection Church's bishops were known for brainwashing abilities, which made the situation even more perplexing.
"How can I break your contract?" Christina demanded.
At least Mr. Rocky seemed like someone she could communicate with. Even if her brother had offended someone and that was why he had hired Mr. Rocky, there should still be a way to get rid of him.
"Your brother paid 50,000 pounds to hire me. It's a five-year long-term contract. If either party wishes to terminate the contract early, the penalty fee is also 50,000 pounds," Lanchi explained with a hint of distress, his elbow resting on his arm and his hand on his cheek.
"What? I'd have to pay you 50,000 pounds if I fire you?!" Christina exclaimed in shock.
While this scenario was unlikely, she still couldn't believe it.
No one would willingly dismiss a butler they had paid so much to hire.
This clause seemed to be in place only to prevent the butler from breaking the contract.
"Yes, because if I were fired, it would be embarrassing for me. Future employers would see it on my resume and suspect that I had committed a serious breach of duty," Lanchi admitted with some embarrassment.
He opened his briefcase and took out a contract, handing it to Christina to peruse.
"Five... five thousand pounds?" Christina stammered as she flipped through the contract and spotted the clause regarding the penalty fee.
She was still a student and didn't have that kind of money saved up, nor had she inherited a portion of the family fortune like her brother.
If she asked her family for money to fire Mr. Rocky, they would certainly refuse!
Mr. Rocky took the contract back from Christina and placed it inside his briefcase.
"Well then, Miss Christina, my work for today is done," Lanchi said as he put on his hat and stood by the door, his emerald eyes sparkling with a hint of a smile in the fading light of the day.
"According to the contract, any family member can request my service for up to two additional hours per week. You can also participate in the Summoned Beast Competition as a member of our family. So, let's go to the competition together!" Christina blurted out, mustering her courage.
She had carefully memorized every detail of the employment contract she had seen earlier.
Even though she had never won any money at the Summoned Beast Competitions in Pariette, and Mr. Rocky didn't seem to possess any combat abilities, she just wanted him to suffer and hopefully quit on his own.
He might guess her intentions, but this was her only option.
"..."
"Sure, let's go," Lanchi agreed with a smile.
He would never break a contract.
(End of Chapter)
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