"I really hope Herbert can join our plan; he will be of considerable help to the plan," Audrey explained. "From some recent intelligence I gathered, I found that the real Ivan Baindite did not die of illness but rather poisoning, and there have been inquiries about his life and death status for the past six months.
"Fortunately, the steward is afraid of revealing that his young master is dead, fearing suspicion of neglecting his duties and potential investigation into Ivan's estate, which he has embezzled in various ways. This fear led to a cover-up of Ivan's death under the guise of illness. Even more fortunate, in his desperation, he came to us, providing us with a rare opportunity, which will be the biggest plan we have ever executed.
"However, it is evident that someone does not want Ivan to exist, or perhaps someone does not want Sether Castle to have a direct heir. Sether Castle has recently seen a series of changes in ownership; Count Old Medin accidentally fell off his horse and died while hunting. His two sons met tragic ends as well—one was killed by a falling chandelier on the day of inheriting the title, and the other fell seriously ill and died two months after taking office.
"It is said that before his death, the Count was planning to sign an important document that he claimed would help Sether Castle through its most difficult times. No one has ever heard of any crisis at Sether Castle; everything is running smoothly, and the lord has no outstanding debts. On the contrary, through trade between South Harbor, the lord earns a monthly income of twenty thousand gold francs, enough to equip a heavy cavalry squadron, not to mention investments in South Harbor.
"Although the exact figures are unknown, the Count's investments in South Harbor bring him an annual income of at least fifty thousand gold francs. With such income, it is hard to imagine Sether Castle facing any financial issues. The Count's death has made the situation even more mysterious, indicating that there are hidden motives at play.
"Therefore, I am confident that the death of the real Mr. Ivan was also due to unknown reasons. Hence, I hope Herbert can be a bodyguard for our young friend. At least until Ivan Baindite secures his inheritance, he must not die due to reasons like illness."
Audrey detailed her findings from the past few days.
"It's obvious. With the successive news of the lord's deaths at Sether Castle, I already had a hunch about what was happening. Do you think that steward came to us on his own? He was directed by someone else to find me. I can even guess who that person is and why they directed him to us. Herbert has been helping you all along, but he is not suitable for a public appearance. Herbert is most powerful when he operates in the shadows," the old man said.
"Yes, but do you think the person behind the scenes might betray us at a critical moment?" Audrey expressed her concern.
"Betraying us would not benefit him in any way; on the contrary, it would harm him more than us. That person just wants to maintain the current situation peacefully. Once Sether Castle loses a legitimate heir, someone can openly vie for the position. Any change is not beneficial to that person; the success or failure of this plan is of greater concern to him than us," the old man continued with a smile. "Audrey, what you lack now is a grasp of the practical situation. You have seen too little; although your mind holds more than mine, you do not know what is currently most important and useful. You need to understand human nature more; your knowledge is already vast."
"But I prefer to stay in the study," Audrey said.
"I hope you can take over my role. This plan may be my last action; I am getting old and want a more peaceful way of life, perhaps becoming a wealthy landowner like Pam, or maybe moving to South Harbor in the future." With that, the old man waved his hand, indicating that Audrey could leave.