Even though this was public praise and acclaim—an intense show of admiration that even seemed to intentionally lay the groundwork for Lynch to showcase himself—Lynch felt a chill creep over him, sensing deep-seated malice.
He kept Miss Valente’s training firmly in mind.
First, do not trust anyone who approaches you; until you clarify their intentions, treat them as enemies.
Second, when someone showers you with unrestrained praise, unless you truly possess achievements worthy of such pride, do not hesitate to categorize them as having ulterior motives. If someone paves a platform for you to perform, you must remain vigilant; this is the beginning of a conspiracy. Once your performance fails to meet the expectations they built, the higher they pushed you, the harder you will fall. The stark contrast will leave everyone with a first impression of you as dull and incompetent. Regardless of how many people witness this, within half an hour, all the guests in the hall will have heard of it, and within a day, it will spread through the entire upper class of Rhine City, effectively cutting off any possibility of collaboration with these elites.
Third, do not attempt to evade, especially malice from those in higher positions. Nobles are masters of rhetoric and stirring up emotions. Once you show any sign of evasion, they need only a few words to make everyone naturally perceive you as boorish, arrogant, or cowardly and incompetent. To avoid this, you must face the malice and provocation head on, skillfully resolve them, and shatter the malice directly.
This is the very purpose of your attendance. Everyone is watching, and everyone understands the situation. The more smoothly you resolve these challenges, the deeper the impression you leave on the high society circles. This is how you use the stage they built for you to perform your own act. Do not be nervous; there is nothing to fear. Relax your mindset. The Valente family stands with you—no, Mr. Lynch, Diana de Valente stands with you.
She was so accurate. She guessed everything as if she had seen it with her own eyes. She is truly the eldest daughter of a thousand-year-old noble house; her intuition for human nature and her sense for malice are like instincts. With this young lady’s help, there is nothing left to fear.
Pah, pah, pah! What am I saying? My apologies, senior; I was wrong.
Secretly slapping himself, Lynch bowed with a hand over his chest. Instead of following the Count of Lorand’s gesture of invitation to move forward, he made a polite gesture for the Count to lead, wearing a smile that was not quite a smile.
Regardless of the difference in age or title, if he had taken that step forward, the labels of arrogance, rudeness, and claiming undue credit would be impossible to shake off. A noble’s conspiracy often hides in these tiny details—everything conforms to etiquette, everything seems benevolent, but little by little, they accumulate until one is unknowingly trapped forever.
“Haha, good. Let us not keep everyone waiting. Let us go together, everyone.”
His bean-sized eyes darted around as the Count gestured to the group with a laugh. A burst of pleasant laughter erupted, and the crowd swarmed Lynch and the Count into the living room.
???
This is a living room?
It was much larger than the living room of the Randall residence, so vast that one could not see the other side at a glance; it could easily hold a ball for dozens of people. The exquisite furniture was antique and elegant, the stone carvings and murals on the ceiling were intricately crafted, and large oil paintings hung on the walls, ranging from landscapes to portraits and stories. Various ornaments were placed along the walls: ancient armor, damaged swords, small musical instruments, and old books.
“Detective, we met briefly at the City Council some time ago. At that time, you were talking with the Governor and two gentlemen from the City Hall, and I did not have the chance to look closely. Now that I see you, you are indeed quite dashing.”
Seeing that Lynch, despite being surrounded by the crowd, was sitting on a sofa to the side, smiling silently with a teacup in hand, a young noble in formal attire looked him up and down before giving a thumbs up in praise.
“Indeed, you are a member of the younger generation praised by even the Governor, Duke Vane. Your taste alone is worth our admiration. This outfit is clearly the work of a master; it is not something ordinary people get the chance to see.”
“Indeed, Baron. This is clearly the work of Master Christian. I tried to commission Master Christian for a formal suit last time, and I was waitlisted for a year. I never expected the Detective to own one. If it were me, I would treat it as a treasure and only wear it on the most important occasions.”
Another noble joined in the chorus:
“However, during that meeting at the City Council with the Duke and the two gentlemen from the City Hall, why did you not wear it? You are truly cautious. Could you not even bring yourself to wear it in front of those three? Otherwise, we would have all been able to admire your precious collection long ago.”
Hiss... another strike at the heart. Are they trying to label me as arrogant, implying I look down even on top-tier nobles? The problem is, when it comes to a battle of tongues, you lot are far inferior to the weaklings of Jiangdong.
Lynch smiled faintly and sighed deeply: “Like you gentlemen, I serve His Majesty the King and the Governor, and I serve all the residents of Rhine; this is my calling. But unlike you gentlemen, I am a detective. My job is to fight the evil that threatens the Kingdom. At that time, I was still battling traitors, and combat always carries risks. Master Christian’s work is simply a piece of art; if it were damaged, I would blame myself for a lifetime, so I had to hide it away. The Governor and those two gentlemen are also people of taste; surely they can understand my love for art and will not blame me.”
“Hahaha, indeed, indeed.”
The noble who asked the question let out a dry laugh.
“It is indeed a piece of art, radiant and brilliant, especially these cufflinks; they can truly be called treasures. I just feel like I have seen them somewhere before.”
“This? I had no choice; I borrowed them from a friend,” Lynch said, glancing casually at his sleeves. “My own pair was lost at sea half a month ago during the pursuit of a traitor, due to the ship’s explosion. I could not find a suitable pair to replace them in time, so I had to borrow a pair from a friend. It is a pity, but for the sake of the Kingdom of Lande and His Majesty the King, any price is worth paying, would you not agree?”
“Yes, yes.”
The noble who asked the question laughed dryly, not daring to push the issue further. But immediately, someone else beside him followed up:
“I heard the Detective set up his agency in the King’s District. That is not ideal, is it? The public security there is terrible. Even for the sake of protecting these ‘art pieces,’ you should pay attention to safety. Besides, what kind of major commissions can there be in a slum? Nothing more than small businesses worth a few pennies. Placing your agency there really affects the stature of your firm.”
So they want to use this to attack the stature of my firm and prove that I am nothing but an empty shell and a self-promoter.
Lynch stood up abruptly and said with a serious expression: “Although I am only a commoner, I am a citizen of Rhine City. To share the burdens of His Majesty the King, the Governor, and the thousands of Rhine residents is my duty. The residents of the Valley District and the Crown District are citizens of Lande, and the people of the King’s District are likewise citizens of Lande. They also have needs that require the help of a private detective. If their pleas go unmet, it will affect the residents of Rhine just as it would in any other district. For the happiness of all the people of Rhine, and for the honor of His Majesty the King and the Governor, I am willing to sacrifice my own interests and place my agency in the King’s District.”
“Good, good, good. You are indeed a young man highly valued by the Governor. Not only is your morality worthy of praise, but your taste is also quite unique.”
Another gray-haired attendee clapped lightly:
“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. To neglect one’s cane is to lose the grace of a Lande citizen.”
Trying to find flaws again, are we? Unfortunately, you walked right into the muzzle of a gun.
Lynch tapped his cane against the floor and said with a smile: “The old gentleman is right to instruct me. However, this is no ordinary cane. This is an antique from the Dark Age of the Third Age. It has witnessed the alternation of civilizations, the rise and fall of dynasties, and has seen the fall of the powerful and the extinction of life. Beyond its intrinsic value, it holds deep historical research value. As you know, I am a student of archaeology and was once an antique detective; I believe there is nothing more suitable than this cane to express my personal dignity. Moreover, this is a gift personally presented by Archbishop Trinlais of the Black Night Cathedral; even to express my respect for the Church, I should keep it by my side at all times, would you not agree?”
“Yes, yes.”
The old noble’s face turned pale, sweat pouring down as he shrank back awkwardly. However, a few claps of applause soon rang out from the side.
The Count of Lorand clapped his hands to draw everyone’s attention: “Enough, enough. Let us not talk about such boring topics. Since we finally have an archaeology expert like the Detective here, I have a few paintings in my collection that I have cherished for years. With the Detective’s great reputation, I invite you to offer a few words of professional critique.”
This is trouble. This is not something that can be solved by rhetoric alone; it involves history and art appreciation, which has already touched upon the blind spots of Lynch’s knowledge.
Am I going to make a fool of myself?
However, Lynch remained composed, nodded with a smile, and bowed with a hand over his chest: “My honor.”
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