Though it was public admiration and praise, showered with great enthusiasm, and even intentionally set up as a platform for Lynch to showcase himself, Lynch felt a chill run down his spine, sensing a thick layer of malice.
He kept Miss Valente's training firmly in mind.
First, do not trust anyone who approaches you; until you understand their intentions, treat them all as enemies.
Second, when someone praises you to the high heavens and does so without hiding it, unless you truly have achievements worthy of pride, do not hesitate to categorize them as having an ulterior motive. If someone sets up a stage for you to showcase yourself, never let your guard down; that is where the conspiracy begins. Once your performance fails to match their prior praise, the higher they built you up, the harder you will fall. The sharp contrast will leave everyone with a first impression of you as foolish and incompetent. No matter how many people witness this firsthand, within half an hour, every guest in the venue will likely have heard about it. Within a day, it will spread throughout Rhine City's entire high society circle, essentially severing any possibility of you collaborating with these middle-to-upper-class figures.
Third, do not try to run away, especially from the malice of those in higher positions. Nobles are masters of wordplay and emotional manipulation. Once you show any sign of evasion, they need only a few words to make everyone naturally perceive you as crude, insolent, arrogant, or cowardly, incompetent, and unworthy of your reputation. To avoid this, you must face the malice and provocation head-on, defusing them skillfully and shattering all ill intent directly.
This is precisely your purpose in attending. Everyone has eyes, and everyone understands what is going on. The more smoothly you defuse it, the deeper the impression you will leave on high society. Only then can you use the stage they built for you to perform your own play. Do not be nervous; there is nothing to fear. Relax your mind. The Valente family stands with you—no, Mr. Lynch, Diana de Valente stands with you.
So accurate. She had guessed everything perfectly, as if she had witnessed it with her own eyes. As expected of the eldest daughter of a millennial noble family, her reading of human nature and her instinct for malice were like second nature. With this girl's help, there was truly nothing to fear.
Bah, bah, bah! What am I saying? I'm sorry, Senior, I was wrong.
Giving himself a mental slap, Lynch placed his hand over his chest and bowed. Instead of stepping forward in response to Count Lorand's inviting gesture, he offered a faint, ambiguous smile and made a polite gesture of invitation with somewhat unrefined etiquette.
Regardless of the difference in age or noble rank, if he had taken that step forward, he would never be able to shake off labels like arrogant, insolent, or conceited about his achievements. A noble's conspiracies were often hidden in these tiny details. Everything seemed to conform to etiquette, and everything appeared well-intentioned, but as they accumulated bit by bit, they would unconsciously leave a person completely unable to recover.
“Hehe, very well. Let us not keep everyone waiting. Come along, everyone.”
His bean-like eyes darted around as the Count gestured merrily to the crowd. The group burst into pleasant laughter, crowding around Lynch and the Count as they entered the drawing room.
???
Was this a drawing room?
This place was far larger than the drawing room of the Randall residence. One could not even see the opposite side at a glance. It was spacious enough to host a ball for at least dozens of people. The exquisite furniture was simple and elegant, the stone carvings and painted murals on the ceiling were intricately crafted, and large oil paintings hung on the walls, depicting everything from landscapes and portraits to narrative stories. Various ornaments lined the walls: ancient suits of armor, damaged swords, small musical instruments, and old books.
“Detective, we met briefly at the city council some time ago. At the time, you were conversing with His Excellency the Governor and the two gentlemen from city hall, so I did not have the chance to observe you closely. Now that I see you, you are indeed quite elegant.”
Seeing that although Lynch was surrounded by the crowd, he merely sat on a side sofa, holding a teacup and smiling without saying a word, a young noble dressed in aristocratic attire sized him up and gave him a thumbs-up in praise:
“As expected of the younger generation praised even by His Excellency Governor Duke Vane. This taste alone is worthy of our admiration. This suit is clearly the work of a master; it is not something ordinary people ever get the chance to see.”
“Indeed, Baron. This is clearly Master Christian's work. The last time I wanted to ask Master Christian to tailor a formal suit for me, the waitlist was a year long. I did not expect the detective to have one in his collection. If it were me, I would surely treat it as a treasure, only bringing it out to wear on the most important occasions.”
Another man dressed in noble attire chimed in, playing along:
“However, during your meeting with His Excellency the Duke and the two gentlemen from the municipal government at the city council last time, why did we not see you wearing it for such an important occasion? You really are cautious. Could even those three not warrant you wearing it? Otherwise, everyone would have been able to admire your precious collection much sooner.”
Hiss... More malicious insinuations. Are they trying to label me as arrogant, someone who does not even respect top-tier nobles? The problem is, when it comes to playing a war of words against a crowd, you lot are far inferior to the weaklings of Jiangdong.
Lynch smiled faintly and sighed deeply. “Like all of you, serving His Majesty the King, His Excellency the Governor, and all the residents of Rhine City is my natural duty. But unlike you, I am a detective. My job is to fight against the evils that threaten the kingdom. At the time, I was still fighting treasonous criminals, and combat always carries the risk of damage. Master Christian's work is practically a work of art. If it were to be damaged, I would probably blame myself for the rest of my life, so I had no choice but to keep it safe. His Excellency the Governor and those two gentlemen are also men of taste; I am sure they can understand my love for art and would not blame me.”
“Hahaha, indeed, indeed.”
The noble who had asked the question let out a dry laugh.
“It is indeed a work of art, radiant and beautiful, especially this pair of cufflinks. They are practically gems. I just feel as though I have seen them somewhere before.”
“Oh, these? It could not be helped; I borrowed them from a friend at the last minute.” Lynch glanced at his sleeves and said casually, “My own pair was lost at sea due to a ship explosion while I was tracking down the traitors half a month ago. Since I could not find a suitable replacement in time, I had to borrow a pair from a friend. It is a bit of a pity, but it was for the benefit of the Kingdom of Lande and His Majesty the King. Any price is worth paying, don't you agree?”
“Yes, yes.”
The noble laughed dryly, not daring to press the matter further. However, someone else beside him immediately seized the opportunity to ask:
“I heard that you set up your agency in the King District, Detective. Is that not a bit unwise? The public security there is terribly poor. Even if only to protect these 'works of art,' you ought to be mindful of your safety. Besides, what major commissions could a slum area possibly offer? It is nothing more than petty business worth a few pennies. Keeping your agency there really drags down the scale of your business.”
So they are trying to use this to attack the scale of my agency, aiming to prove that my reputation is unearned and that I am just a braggart.
Lynch stood up abruptly and said with a solemn expression, “Though I am merely a commoner, I am also a citizen of Rhine City. Sharing the burdens of His Majesty the King, His Excellency the Governor, and the thousands of citizens of Rhine is my bounden duty. The residents of the Valley District and the Crown District are subjects of Lande, and the people of the King District are subjects of Lande just the same. They likewise have areas where they require the assistance of a private detective. If their needs go unaddressed, it will affect the citizens of Rhine just as much as any other district. For the happiness of all Rhine citizens, and for the honor of His Majesty the King and His Excellency the Governor, I would rather sacrifice my own interests and establish my agency in the King District.”
“Well said, well said! As expected of a young man highly regarded by His Excellency the Governor. Not only is your character commendable, but your taste is also quite unique.”
Another gray-haired guest clapped lightly and said:
“Impeccable, truly impeccable. It is just a pity—why did you not choose a better cane? A cane represents the dignity of a Lande gentleman. Neglecting your cane is somewhat unbecoming of a Lande gentleman's grace.”
Trying to find flaws again, are we? Too bad you walked right into my trap.
Lynch tapped his cane on the floor and said with a smile, “You are quite right to instruct me, Elder. However, this is no ordinary cane. This is an antique from the Dark Age of the Third Age. It has witnessed the changing of civilizations and the rise and fall of dynasties, and it has personally experienced the fall of the powerful and the extinction of living beings. Aside from its inherent value, it possesses deep historical research value. As you know, I am an archaeology student and used to be an antique detective. I believe nothing could be more fitting to represent my personal dignity than this cane. Furthermore, this was a gift personally presented to me by Archbishop Trinlais of the Church of the Black Night. Even if only to show my respect to the Church, I ought to keep it by my side at all times. Wouldn't you agree?”
“Yes, yes.”
The old noble's face turned pale, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. He shrank back in embarrassment, but soon, a few claps rang out from the side.
Count Lorand clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. “Alright, alright, let us move past these tedious topics. It is not often we have a professional archaeologist like the detective in our midst. I happen to have a few paintings in my collection that I have treasured for many years. Since the detective is so renowned, I must ask you to offer a few words of appraisal from a professional perspective.”
Now this was trouble. This was not a problem that could be resolved through clever rhetoric alone; it involved history and art appreciation, which directly touched upon Lynch's blind spots of knowledge.
Was he about to embarrass himself?
Yet Lynch maintained his composure, nodding with a smile as he placed his hand over his chest. “It would be my honor.”
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