Chapter 37: Heilon (2)
The room prepared for me was, of course, top-notch. Even the food that was served was exactly to my taste. How did they know what I liked? Well, there was no denying that it was delicious. Additionally, the capital offered a much wider variety of ingredients than the cold Heilon, so I could try many different foods, and everything was tasty. Everything was impressive. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
As expected, living well meant eating good food.
It was only after I was full that I could barely remember the purpose of my visit.
“Celine, I have come to this mansion at Abel’s command.”
To be honest, if I were in her position, I would find those words annoying, as if they were unpleasant to hear. However, Celine’s eyes brightened with enthusiasm.
“Oh my, of course! I will guide you.”
Then, all I could hear was Celine’s explanation, starting with the history of the mansion. As we wandered around the estate, she provided detailed information.
Most of the items in the house were old but well-maintained. Celine even gave me a book that was several years old as a gift. Of course, no matter how favorable someone’s attitude might be, one should not judge people solely by their outward appearance, as there might be something hidden beneath the surface. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
With that thought in mind, I meticulously scanned the piles of ledgers. I was looking for any signs of a double ledger but had not found any so far. What I did find was that the ledgers for recent years were recorded in great detail, from employee salaries to management of entries. However, I had only read a fraction of the ledgers. There were many more, accumulated over the years, that I hadn’t yet reviewed.
I sighed inwardly. It might take months to go through all these ledgers. However, detecting embezzlement within them would be relatively straightforward, as it was nearly impossible to get past a thorough scan. Still, it would be a lot of work. I wondered if Abel had sent me here to avoid reading these ledgers himself. Ha.
“Celine… I suppose I’ll need to stay in the mansion for a while to go through all these documents.”
“Yes, I understand, My Lady.”
Celine smiled softly at my words, showing no sign of discomfort. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“The clothes you brought do not match the weather in the capital. It would be a good idea to call someone from the boutique to get some new clothes.” Celine’s expression suggested she had been prepared to arrange everything I might need during my stay.
“No, there’s no—”
At that moment, Celine looked at me with the gentlest smile in the world. Her gaze was as if she were looking at her own granddaughter, and she spoke softly.
“You will definitely need it, My Lady.”
Respect the elders. These two words suddenly crossed my mind. If not, I would be the stubborn person in the southern land going against a gentle old lady. To be honest, I wasn’t used to dealing with this type of person. I felt much more comfortable facing someone arrogant like Abel.
“Well, then, please proceed.”
Celine smiled brightly. “Yes, I understand.”
“Oh, but can I use the office?” The ledgers were kept in the office. It would be a lot of work to move them to another place, and I didn’t think these important ledgers could be moved just to accommodate me. However, as a precautionary measure, usually only family members were allowed in the office. So, it was better to ask.
Surprisingly, Celine answered happily. “Of course, Lady Fiona. May I bring you some tea?”
“Yes…”
A couple of minutes later, Celine brought tea and desserts. I liked all of them—they matched my taste perfectly. Now I was getting goosebumps. To keep people in one place, you didn’t have to physically bind them. Being in such a well-cared-for place that satisfied all one’s needs would naturally relax the mind. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I needed to get out of this place before the start of the original story. I hoped it would be possible. Seeing the pile of ledgers, I sighed inwardly. I had to finish quickly. Because no matter how I looked at it, it felt like my feet would be tied up if I stayed for too long.
***
However, Celine was a formidable opponent. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
After a while, I saw a picnic box filled with various light foods enter the office.
“Celine, what’s this?”
Celine, who was beside me, answered swiftly, “For flower viewing, Young Lady.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to tour the capital…” Celine replied with a cloudy expression.
Of course, I had mentioned that before, but I had planned to do that after finishing all this work. “I don’t think it would be possible since I haven’t finished looking through all these ledgers yet.”
“Sometimes, Young Lady, you need to take a break to clear your mind.”
Then, Celine poured tea into an empty teacup in a picturesque manner. She looked so dignified that it seemed a waste for her to be just a manager of a mansion. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Damn. I felt like I would become a huge piece of garbage if I continued to resist. The worried face of Celine, with her fine gray hair, had the effect of instilling a great sense of guilt in anyone who faced her. She smiled gracefully, as if she were saddened by my reluctance.
I should have refused her, but when I looked at her, I couldn’t help but go along with it. I sighed lightly. “Let’s go, flower viewing.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
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