At 9 a.m. in the Hillsdon district, within a luxury hotel. Caine picked up a beautifully packaged bottle of white wine, smiled, and handed it to the elder man across the table. "Mr. Asnyan, thank you so much for coming to speak with me today. This is a small token of appreciation—please accept it. I will make my decision no later than tomorrow, and at that time, I may visit you personally." This was a tactful way of indicating that Mr. Asnyan would not be selected. To be frank, Caine actually found Mr. Asnyan very satisfactory—he perfectly embodied his ideal of a butler: meticulous, well-mannered, professionally competent, and adept at handling various challenges. Among the three candidates, Mr. Asnyan was the one who lived the farthest and was the oldest; yet he had arrived thirty minutes early, patiently waiting outside, while both Ribak and Walter had only come a full fifteen minutes ahead. If it weren't for Arthaud, the Magic Mirror, pointing out that there were hidden clues concealed within the two of them, Klein would have chosen the elderly gentleman anyway. After all, his primary objective was simply to leverage the housekeeper's network, blend more easily and naturally into high society, and reach his intended targets. The bottle of white wine, on the other hand, was specially purchased at Intis Serenzo restaurant—each bottle priced at two pounds—because he anticipated that someone would be disappointed and return home without making it, thus wasting the round-trip carriage expenses. This would effectively enhance the image of Daven Thantès as a generous, well-mannered, and distinguished wealthy man. Moreover, he did not underestimate a housekeeper from a noble family. Throughout his professional career, such individuals had inevitably cultivated extensive connections with members of high society, numerous professional housekeepers, and countless servants across all three levels—upper, middle, and lower—thus possessing the ability to significantly influence a gentleman's reputation, which in turn served as an essential reference point for entering higher echelons of social life. In this current era, Asnières' hair has turned quite white, and the wisdom of time is reflected in his blue eyes. He has not declined the gift from D'Artagnan, carefully taking it, glancing at it thoughtfully, and then bowing with due respect: "I greatly appreciate this white wine from Calod, thank you for your generosity, and commend your grace." Calod? Yes, the waiter mentioned this yesterday. This is a winery from the Indeis Champagne region, renowned for producing mid-to-high-end wines, with several vintages considered truly exceptional. Indeed, a house steward knows more about wines than I do—well, just now Mr. Asnière said that the cellars of nobles and wealthy patrons are directly managed by a steward or an assistant steward. Does that mean I will eventually need my own cellar? The 2-pound wines are the most basic, and the 126-pound 1330 Ormille red wine isn’t among the best—how much would such a cellar cost? As he pondered this, Mr. Klein felt a slight tightness in his chest, questioning whether his remaining 2,888 pounds—excluding the gold coins—would last much longer. Had it not been for his experience as the "Clown," he would surely have shown signs of distress rather than smiling and saying, "Your preference is the greatest compliment I could receive, Mr. Asnière. Would you kindly ask Mr. Ribac to come in from the café?" Asynia agreed without hesitation, and within five minutes, Ribak knocked on the door and entered the living room. The man had neat, light golden hair, with a few subtle lines around his eyes and mouth—not very pronounced—and a healthy complexion, exuding a strong, masculine presence, clearly the kind of steward who could accompany his lord on hunting expeditions or even stand up to his enemies. After exchanging greetings, Caine smiled and invited him to sit, then spoke directly: "Forgive my directness. I'm not quite sure why you became Sir Indras's steward. Your father was the deputy steward of the Negan family, your grandfather served as the estate steward, and many of your ancestors served the duke and his relatives right up to their passage into the divine realm—so you should have followed a similar path. Due to the influence of Emperor Roessler, the longstanding tradition among the nations of the Northern Continent—of designating a noble's status as a combination of fief and title—had evolved into a preference for surname combined with title, with the older form reserved only for particularly formal occasions. Indeed, a small number of noble families had surnames derived directly from their fief names. Ribak stated frankly, "Although Baron Sindras secured his title through the Conservative Party, he himself is one of the most renowned bankers, investors, and entrepreneurs in the kingdom, among the earliest millionaires, and holds strong sympathies toward the New Party, willing to offer significant support. This has created tensions with many conservative nobles, including the Duke. "Therefore, to avoid putting the Baron in a difficult position, I voluntarily proposed to leave. He actually tried to persuade me to stay—he has been a very good employer." Klein nodded and then asked, "Do you believe in 'The Lord of the Storm'?" Ribak responded seriously, "Yes, the Lord has given us courage, enthusiasm, and a sense of responsibility." Klein asked a few more questions about the household stewardship, all of which were answered in detail. He then smiled and said to Ribak, "Could you please go down to the café and invite Mr. Walter up?" "Once we've discussed it, I'll make my decision. You may wait there for ten minutes." "Very well," Ribak got up immediately, bowed formally, and departed with a military air. As he left,克莱恩 sat back down, closed the door, and took a sip of his红茶, murmuring silently, "If we choose him, we'll need to establish ties with the current Duke of Negan and the Conservative Party—there may also be additional developments involving the previous assassination cases..." Not long after, Walter arrived and knocked on the door. First,克莱恩 exchanged a few polite greetings with him, then asked, "What's the issue between you and the butler of Viscount Conrad? As you know, I must clarify this point—I simply can't afford to risk offending a noble." Walter has a broad forehead, dark and lustrous hair, and warm brown eyes that are serious yet approachable. After a moment's thought, he said: "As an assistant to the butler, I originally took charge of the viscount's children. During this time, due to certain circumstances, I gained the favor of a prominent figure, which earned me the viscount's trust but also made the butler wary. Later, that prominent figure passed away unexpectedly, and the viscount's attitude toward me shifted. The butler became even less friendly, which led me to believe there was no point in waiting for a turnaround." The Viscount's children have met a prominent figure... Well, Talim also met Prince Edessa while teaching the young son of Count Conrad, though the Prince passed away a few months ago due to the great smog event in Bekland—this aligns with Walter's account. It seems the housekeeper was one of the peripheral victims of the incident. He's quite cautious and professional—never exposing his employer's shortcomings, not revealing details about the Prince, nor criticizing the Viscount's own housekeeper. If we choose him, there's certainly potential for further development. Caine listened quietly, recalling several connections. Then he shifted to more specific topics, expressing his desire to enter high society. After receiving satisfactory answers, he straightened his clothing and smiled, rising to say: "Allow me to introduce you again, Doane Tholos, my employer." Walter immediately bowed, saying, "Mr. May I be of any service?" "He always remained serious and composed, steady and unflustered, as though that were simply the hallmark of a butler's professionalism." "Two things," Klein chuckled. "First, deliver this bottle of white wine to Mr. Riback in the café below and convey my apologies and thanks. Second, engage a legal counsel to draft a professional contract involving you and the other servants." "Yes, sir." Walter bowed once again. As Klein handed over the bottle of Calod white wine, he casually asked, "Walter, how many servants do you think I should hire to avoid appearing unceremonious?" Walter took the bottle of Calod white wine and replied without hesitation, "You should first determine your place of residence—only then can you know exactly how many servants you'll need." "Hmm. What would you recommend? My requirements are simple—I wish to reside in the northern district, and I am a devoted follower of the goddess." Klein casually drew a red moon on his chest. Based on the information I've read in newspapers and magazines, a well-located garden villa in the city's upscale neighborhood rents at least three pounds per week—amounting to 156 pounds annually. Although this is not direct data, it can be reasonably inferred that a high-quality garden villa in the suburbs rents around two pounds per week, and a spacious, multi-room apartment in an upscale building is comparable—this is considered quite luxurious and accessible only to the upper middle class. Thus, we can make a preliminary assessment of the rental costs for affluent homes. Indeed, it's quite expensive—when we were in Tingen, me, Benson, and Melissa rented a townhouse without a garden, paying only thirteen shillings per week, plus an additional five pence for furniture usage. Our previous home on Minsk Street didn’t even reach one pound. Well, three pounds is three pounds—I still have 2,888 pounds—so even if I secure a better rental, it won’t matter. While waiting for Walter’s response, Klein silently recalled the rental details in his mind, calculating the weekly and annual financial commitments. Walter paused for two seconds, then replied seriously: "Mr. You may consider 32 Berkley Street—it's close to St. Samuel's Church, a three-story building with over a dozen rooms, a stables, servant quarters, and a rather large garden. Nearby reside a baron, a member of Parliament, and several senior solicitors... The interior is well-appointed, featuring several paintings and antiques. All the furniture and tableware are suitable to reflect your status. You may rent it for one year first, and then decide whether to purchase it outright." That sounds excellent indeed... Klein asked with a smile, "What is the annual rent?" Walter stated the figure with both seriousness and ease: "Including furniture usage charges, it's 1,260 pounds per year." (Note 1) "...," Klein thought, grateful he hadn't been drinking tea, or else he would have surely sprayed the butler. He drew upon nearly all of the 'clown's' control faculties to keep his expression from betraying any discomfort. Note 1: The information on housing rental rates comes from "How Much Is Money Worth in the Past?" and "A Study on Middle-Class Marriage and Family Life in Victorian England." The building rented for 1,260 pounds during the Qing Dynasty was used as an embassy; I am not sure whether it was appreciated in value. PS: I recommend the book "The Coming Storm." The dark, desperate world setting has a unique charm, and the protagonist's lazy system provides a balanced rhythm, preventing the narrative from remaining constantly tense.