Chapter 9 The Steward

At nine o'clock in the morning, in a high-end hotel in Hillston District.

Klein picked up a bottle of beautifully packaged white wine, smiled and handed it to the opposite old man, saying:

"Mr. Asnia, thank you very much for coming to have an interview with me. This is a very small gift, please accept it.

"I will make a decision tomorrow at the latest. At that time, I may come to visit you."

He was using a tactful attitude to express that the other party lost the election.

Frankly speaking, he is quite satisfied with the old gentleman Asnia, who perfectly fits his imagination of a butler, rigorous, decent, professional, strong in understanding, and good at dealing with all kinds of troublesome problems.

As the one who lived the farthest and was the oldest among the three butlers, he actually waited patiently outside the door half an hour earlier, while Ryback and Walter were only a quarter of an hour earlier.

If "Magic Mirror" Arrods hadn't hinted that there were some extra clues hidden in the latter two, Klein felt that he would choose this old gentleman. Anyway, his main purpose was to use the butler's contacts to mix in more easily and naturally. High society, exposed to the corresponding target.

And the bottle of white wine was bought at the Intis Serenzo restaurant, considering that someone must return disappointed today, wasting the carriage fare. Each bottle is worth 2 pounds.

This can effectively plump up the image of Dwayne Dantès, a mysterious rich man who spends a lot of money and is very elegant.

In addition, he also believes that a butler from an aristocratic family should not be underestimated. In his past professional experience, this type of person must have known a large number of high-class people, many professional butlers and countless servants, covering the above The middle and lower levels can effectively affect a gentleman's style evaluation, which is a necessary reference for entering a higher-level social circle.

In the current era, the 55-year-old Asnia's hair has turned gray a lot, and his blue eyes have accumulated the wisdom brought by the years. He did not refuse the gift from Dwayne Dantès, took a look at it, He saluted meticulously:

"I'm very fond of this white wine from Callaud, thank you for your generosity and praise for your grace."

Carlod? Yes, the waiter introduced yesterday that this is a winery in the Champagne province of Intis, which is famous for producing mid-to-high-end wines, and some of the vintages are considered top-notch. Hey, a butler knows more about wine than I do. Kind of knowledge, too, as Mr. Asnia said just now, the wine cellars of nobles and rich people are directly in charge of the butler or a butler assistant... Does this mean that I will have a wine cellar in the future, 2 pounds It is the bottom type, and the 1330 Ormere red wine at 126 pounds is not the best... How much does such a wine cellar cost... Thinking about it, Klein felt a little tight in his chest, and suspected that the gold coins had been removed from his body. 2,888 pounds won't last long.

If it weren't for the experience of the "clown" stage, he would definitely lose his composure at this time, instead of smiling and saying:

"Your like is the greatest compliment to me, Mr. Asnia, please invite Mr. Ryback from the coffee shop below."

Asnia agreed without hesitation, and within five minutes, Ribak knocked on the door and entered the room to wait for the living room.

This gentleman has neatly combed pale blond hair, and there are a few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, which are not too obvious. He has a healthy complexion and a masculine temperament. He looks like the kind of housekeeper who can accompany his master to hunt or even fight against enemies.

After greeting each other, Klein asked the other party to sit down with a smile, and said bluntly:

"Forgive my confession, I don't quite understand why you became the steward of Baron Syndras. Your father was the deputy steward of the Negan family, and your grandfather was the deacon of the family's manor. Many of your ancestors served Yu Duke and his relatives, until you return to the embrace of God, and you should have such a life trajectory."

Because of the influence of Emperor Roselle, the countries in the Northern Continent originally liked to use fiefdom plus title to represent a nobleman, but it has become a surname plus title. The former is only used on special formal occasions. Of course,

There are also a small number of noble surnames directly derived from fief names.

Ribak replied with a standard smile:

"Baron Syndras is a new nobleman and a friend of the old duke, so I was sent to his home to help him and his family adapt to the life of nobility and master the corresponding etiquette."

The old duke he mentioned refers to the father of the current Duke Negan, Pallas Negan who was assassinated last year.

"Then, why did you leave the baron's house later?" Klein asked after deliberation.

Ribak said frankly:

"Although Baron Syndras relied on the Conservative Party for his knighthood, he himself is one of the most famous bankers, investors, business owners in the kingdom, one of the earliest multi-millionaires, and has strong views on the new party. Compassionate and willing to provide some help, this caused him to have conflicts with many conservative nobles, including the little duke.

"So, in order to avoid embarrassment for the baron, I offered to leave. He actually kept me. He is a very good employer."

Klein nodded, then asked:

"Do you believe in the 'Lord of the Storm'?"

Ribak responded seriously:

"Yes, the Lord has given us courage, zeal and responsibility."

Klein asked a few more questions about the butler's domain, and got detailed answers, so he smiled and said to Ryback:

"Please go downstairs to the coffee shop and ask Mr. Walter to come up.

"After talking with him, I will make a decision. You can wait in the coffee shop for ten minutes."

"Okay." Without any fuss, Ryback immediately got up and saluted, and left with a very military style.

After watching him go out and closing the door, Klein sat down again, picked up the black tea, took a sip, and said silently to himself:

"If he is chosen, he should establish contact with the current Duke Negan and the Conservative Party. Additional developments may include some circumstances of the previous assassination..."

Not long after, Walter arrived, knocked on the door and entered.

Klein exchanged pleasantries with the other party first, and then asked:

"What conflict do you have with Viscount Connard's steward? You know, I have to figure this out. I can't take the risk of offending a nobleman."

Walter had a broad forehead, shiny black hair, and serious brown eyes, but it didn't make people feel unable to talk. He thought for a few seconds and said:

"As the butler's assistant, I was in charge of the Viscount's children at the beginning. During this process, because of some things, I was appreciated by a certain big man, so I was valued by the Viscount and guarded by the butler.

"Later, the big man passed away unexpectedly, and the viscount's attitude towards me changed accordingly. Mr. Butler was even less friendly. This made me think that there is no need to wait for a turnaround."

The children in charge of the Viscount met a big man... well, Talim also met Prince Edesak during the process of teaching Viscount Konrad's youngest son, and the prince met him because of Backlund a few months ago. Died in the smog incident... This is in line with Walter's statement... It seems that the housekeeper is a marginal victim of the incident... He is still very cautious and professional, and he did not expose the employer's shortcoming, and did not reveal the prince's Regarding the matter, I didn't say anything bad about the Viscount Butler... If you choose him, the extra development is worth looking forward to... Klein listened quietly and thought of something.

He turned to ask some professional topics and expressed his desire to enter the upper class. After getting a satisfactory answer, he straightened his clothes, stood up with a smile and said:

"Let's get to know each other again, Dawn Dantès, your employer."

Walter saluted immediately:

"Sir, what can I do for you?"

He has always maintained a serious and rigid look, calm and unflappable, as if he thinks this is the professionalism of a housekeeper.

"Two things." Klein said with a chuckle, "First, help me bring this bottle of white wine to Mr. Ryback in the coffee shop below, and convey my apology and thanks. Second, ask a solicitor , draw up professional contracts, including yours and the rest of the servants."

"Yes, sir." Walter saluted again.

Klein handed the white wine to the other party, and asked casually:

"Walter, how many servants do you think I should hire without being rude?"

Walter took the bottle of Caroline white wine and replied without hesitation:

"You should first determine where you live. Only in this way can you know how many servants you need."

"Well, do you have any suggestions? My request is very simple. I live in the North District. I am a devout believer in the goddess." Klein casually drew a crimson moon on his chest.

According to the information I read from newspapers and magazines, the rent for a garden villa in a high-end neighborhood in the city must be at least 3 pounds per week, which is 156 pounds per year... Although there is no direct data, it can be inferred that, A very good garden villa in the suburbs is about 2 pounds per week, and a room of several rooms and halls in a high-end apartment is similar. This is rated as quite luxurious, and it is a place that only the upper middle class can afford to rent. This tentatively deduces that the rent of the rich man's house...

It’s really expensive when you think about it. When I was in Tingen, Benson, Melissa, and I rented a townhouse without a garden for 13 soli a week, plus an extra 5 pence for the use of furniture. I lived on Minsk Street before. That house didn't cost a pound...

Hey, 3 pounds is 3 pounds, I still have 2888 pounds, it doesn't matter if the rent is better, it doesn't matter... While waiting for Walter's answer, Klein silently recalled the house rental information in his heart, and calculated the rent per week and every year. money paid.

Walter thought for two seconds, and replied seriously:

"Sir, you can choose No. 32 Boklund Street. It is close to St. Samuel's Church. It is a three-story building with more than ten rooms, with stables, servants' rooms and a considerable garden. Barons, MPs, SCs...

"The furnishings in it are very particular. There are many famous paintings and antiques. All the furniture and utensils are enough to set off your identity. You can rent it for a year first, and then consider whether to buy it as a whole when you are satisfied."

Sounds pretty good... Klein asked with a smile:

"How much does it rent for a year?"

Walter reported the figures solemnly and skillfully:

"Including the use of furniture, £1,260 per year." (Note 1)

"..." Klein was thankful that he wasn't drinking tea, otherwise he would have sprayed the housekeeper all over the face.

He used almost all the control ability of "Joker" to keep his expression from appearing abnormal.

Note 1: The house rent situation comes from "How Much Money Was Worth in the Past" and "Research on Marriage and Family Life of the British Middle Class in the Victorian Period".

The 1,260-pound building was rented by the Qing Dynasty as an embassy. I don’t know if it was paid a premium.

PS: I recommend a book "Tomorrow's Calamity". The background of the dark and desperate world has a different kind of charm. The protagonist's lazy system keeps the whole from being tense and relaxed.

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