“Yes, my Lady,” Hester Thornton complied with a nod.
“First of all, the spy we planted in Wretched Seal Tavern to secretly collect information was easily found out by Vahn Cadieux. He is aware that we have an intelligence-gathering network.”
“Although it was just a feeling, I believe he also knew the agent was a witch instead of a normal lady without magic. This is in spite of the fact that our spies had altered their appearances and hidden their mana presence to appear like ordinary women or untalented witches that couldn’t land better jobs than bartending.”
“So because Vahn Cadieux found one of our spies and became away of the intelligence network in the city, he should die?” Helia Ashenborn casually asked, but her intentions were unclear.
“This… Well… it is because Vahn Cadieux poses a great threat to our security, my Lady. Vahn Cadieux easily found one of our spies upon his first visit to Wretched Seal Tavern. If we let him stay in our city, he might look for the other spies we planted in the city,” Hester Thornton argued.
“Imagine the damage Vahn Cadieux could inflict if he had ill intentions or something against us. Vahn Cadieux could sell his information to our rivals, compromising our security and endangering our lives. However…”
“However?” Helia Ashenborn casually sipped her wine and said, “After saying so much to kill Vahn Cadieux, now you’re hesitating, Hester?”
“There are some things I am uncertain about, my Lady. Although Vahn Cadieux claimed to be a commoner, he has shown exemplary manners and wisdom,” Hester Thornton mentioned.
“This isn’t something a regular household can produce—No, it would make more sense if Vahn Cadieux had been nurtured by a noble household of elitists. Only a man who has received extensive education from a noble household of elitists from a young age would develop such intelligence and exemplary etiquette.”
“If I hadn’t interacted with Vahn Cadieux, I wouldn’t have believed there was such an exceptional man. He is almost too perfect of a man—it’s almost like he had been raised for the sole purpose of serving and assisting witches, whether as a servant or husband.”
“For someone who wants him dead, you’ve started praising him a lot, Hester,” Helia Ashenborn teased.
Hester Thornton felt slightly embarrassed, but she hid it under her stern expression. After a slight cough, she said, “I’m just stating the facts as I see them, my Lady.”
“Heh,” Helia Ashenborn snickered before her eyes flickered with deep thoughts.
“Marquis Delarosa’s eldest daughter mentioned that Vahn Cadieux is her teacher and future betrothed, while Vahn Cadieux claimed he didn’t come from a noble household…” Helia Ashenborn began to think.
“If they are both speaking the truth, Vahn Cadieux might be an exceptionally-talented orphan that the Delarosa Household decided to secretly raise to be Linette Delarosa’s husband, who will assist her through life.”
“However, Marquis Delarosa only requested protection for her two daughters. There was no mention of Vahn Cadieux,” Hester Thornton mentioned.
“That in and of itself could be a form of protection for Vahn Cadieux,” Helia Ashenborn boldly assumed after brief contemplation.
“If those noble households hoping to establish a relationship with the Delarosa Household through marital bonding learned of Vahn Cadieux’s identity, they would see him as an absolute obstacle to be removed.”
“Perhaps, the Delarosa Household is testing us to see whether they could trust us. Is it because I don’t have any son despite having seven children?” Helia Ashenborn wondered before her blue eyes flickered in the next moment.
“Nevertheless, this could be our golden opportunity to build a closer connection with the Delarosa Household. We can’t kill Vahn Cadieux. On the contrary, we have to protect him at all costs. If he dies on our territory, we’ll fall out of favor with the Delarosa Household.”
“Hester, I’m assigning you as Vahn Cadieux’s personal bodyguard during his stay in my territory. You have to monitor and protect him from harm’s way. Can you do that for me?”
“Your wish is my command, my Lady. I won’t let Vahn Cadieux lose even a single hair,” Hester Thornton vowed.
“Good!”
…
…
…
Meanwhile, Vaan remained inside the guest room on the floor that was arranged for him, unaware of the wild assumptions made by Helia Ashenborn and Hester Thornton.
Helia’s Castle has five floors, but only guest rooms are on the ground floor. The rooms on higher floors are better, but the guest rooms on the ground floor weren’t bad either.
At the very least, everything was of higher quality than the brothel rooms made for comfort and didn’t look like some pig’s den.
‘I’ve already noticed this, but Lord Ashenborn is seriously rich. How does she amass her wealth?’ Vaan mused.
If Hester Thornton didn’t come for him so soon, Vaan could have gathered more information from the tavern.
Nevertheless, there were no what-ifs. He could only leave it for another day.
On another note, Vaan only had one week to teach Cyrena Ashenborn, the untalented child of Helia Ashenborn’s seven children.
‘Helia Ashenborn said her youngest daughter was untalented, but she did not specify the scope or area her youngest daughter was inept. If it’s very severe, one week is not a lot of time. I have to learn where Cyrena Ashenborn’s weakness lies so I can quickly come up with a suitable teaching plan for her,” Vaan mused.
Knock, knock!
Following the two sudden knocks on the door, Vaan shortly heard Hester Thornton’s voice behind the door.
“Are you still up, Vahn Cadieux? I’ve brought some materials that may prove useful to you before your lesson with Young Lady Cyrena tomorrow begins,” said Hester Thornton.
Vaan opened the door a few moments later and quickly glanced down at the stack of papers in Hester Thornton’s arms. “These are…”
“Cyrena’s health records, diagnosis, and insights made by Senior Witches and High Witches who have studied the art of healing,” Hester Thornton explained.
“Oh? This is just what I needed. Thank you, Lady Hester.” Vaan was pleasantly surprised by the timing.