Chapter 17: Misunderstandings and Butlers
"Mr. Adrian is also a believer of the Goddess?"
Belin's eyes lit up. She had assumed Rolls would be a believer of the Lord of Storms; after all, it was perfectly normal for a successful young man—especially a highly "aggressive" barrister—to follow the male-oriented Church of Storms.
"I am a devout believer of the Goddess."
Rolls remained composed. He practicedly tapped four points on his chest in a clockwise motion, drawing the sign of the crimson moon.
In this world, faith in the True Gods was the mainstream. Both his predecessor and Mason Adrian had been believers of the Evernight Goddess. To ensure his identity remained flawless and for the sake of his own safety, Rolls naturally chose to hold the banner of the Evernight Goddess high. Following the Goddess meant he wouldn't get the short end of the stick.
Of course, mentioning his faith was a calculated move. He didn't want to continue the awkward small talk with Miss Belin. Through their brief conversation, Rolls had already gathered that Belin came from a fairly well-off family.
Belin's father was a small-scale spirits merchant who transported wine from Intis to Loen for sale every year. Though the work was hard, the income was high—after all, the alcohol trade had always been a high-profit industry.
From what Rolls understood, last year's import tax on alcohol in the Kingdom of Loen accounted for 57% of total customs revenue. Naturally, part of this was due to the Corn Laws, which had increased the cost of brewing and forced a heavy reliance on imported spirits.
Since Belin came from a good background and was working at the young age of twenty, Rolls was certain she was a believer of the Evernight Goddess.
Among the seven major churches, the Church of Storms and the Church of the God of Combat were the most male-oriented. The Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun followed. Meanwhile, the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom had a style entirely different from the rest—their discrimination was based on IQ.
The Church of the Evernight Goddess had always encouraged female believers to work and pursue professions. In aristocratic circles, many ladies and young misses had become literary critics, musicians, pianists, and painters because of this.
This trend had also influenced many middle-class women. However, due to their circumstances, they often had to take jobs with less "artistic merit."
The Church of the Mother Earth, like the Evernight Church, believed that women should have the same social status as men. However, they placed a heavier emphasis on fertility and childbirth, viewing it as the most sacred duty.
As for the Church of Steam, they remained neutral. In fact, because industrial development required more labor, they had been cooperating with the Evernight Church to encourage women to enter the workforce.
Belin blinked and asked with a look of anticipation:
"Then, will Mr. Adrian be attending the Moon Mass today?"
What does she mean by that? Does she want to go with me? She didn't come here to hunt for a rich bachelor, did she?
But since he had just claimed to be a devout believer, he couldn't exactly say no. If he didn't go, how was he supposed to "hug the Goddess's thigh" in the future?
Rolls slightly regretted bringing up the topic, but his expression remained unchanged as he replied:
"Of course. I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting the beautiful Miss Belin to accompany me?"
"Ah?"
Belin suddenly realized her tone had been misleading, causing Mr. Adrian to misunderstand. She waved her hands hurriedly.
"No, that's not what I meant! I was originally supposed to go with Delia today."
"Go where?"
At that moment, Delia walked over, having finished organizing a list of butlers that met Rolls's requirements.
"To attend the Moon Mass tonight," Belin said, standing up and walking over to Delia. "Mr. Adrian is also going to the Moon Mass today."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Delia's eyes. She looked at Rolls, who was sitting on the fabric sofa, and asked:
"Mr. Adrian is also a believer of the Goddess?"
"Yes."
Rolls stood up and habitually drew the crimson moon on his chest.
"Please, have a seat."
Seeing Rolls stand, Delia believed from the bottom of her heart that Mr. Adrian was a devout believer—completely different from those crude fellows who worshipped the Lord of Storms. She hurried to usher him back to his seat.
After Rolls sat down, Delia and Belin sat on the long fabric sofa opposite him.
"Belin's whole family are believers of the Goddess, but her parents have to attend a very important cocktail party today."
Delia paused. "That's why she dragged me along to accompany her to Saint Samuel Cathedral for the Full Moon Mass. After all, it will be quite late by the time the mass ends."
The Full Moon Mass wouldn't begin until the moon rose. Today was April 12th; the sun usually set around seven o'clock, meaning the mass wouldn't start until after seven.
Realizing he had misinterpreted Belin's words, Rolls felt quite embarrassed. Not knowing what else to say, he could only nod in agreement.
"After screening, I have two suitable butlers here. I'll give you a brief introduction first."
Seeing that Rolls wasn't inclined to chat further, and not knowing what had just transpired, Delia gave Belin a curious glance before beginning her presentation.
"The first is Mr. August, 52 years old. He previously served Viscount Barton. Later, because the Viscount passed away without heirs, the title was not passed down, which is why he came to our association."
How pitiful. To encounter something as unlucky as the extinction of a bloodline... Doesn't this Viscount have any relatives? As for illegitimate sons, they have no inheritance rights in the Kingdom of Loen.
As if sensing Rolls's doubt, Delia continued:
"Viscount Barton was granted his title for military merits in the Southern Continent, but he was also wounded because of it, which resulted in him having no children. Additionally, he had a volatile temper and poor relations with other nobles. However, after Mr. August became his butler, the Viscount slowly began to repair his relationships with the aristocracy."
Oh, I suppose Barton was made a Viscount as compensation, since he had no future to speak of.
However, this Mr. August did seem capable. While repairing a social network was impressive, he couldn't have done it alone; he would have needed the Viscount's consent, which was the truly difficult part.
"Mr. August is a believer of the Evernight Goddess, his political leanings are with the Conservative Party, and his requested annual salary is 120 pounds."
Rolls signaled for Delia to continue. He needed to confirm whether August was aware of the impending end of the Barton line beforehand; that would determine if the man was short-sighted.
In Loen, being a servant or butler to the nobility was not a dishonorable profession. On the contrary, it was highly sought after by common families. It offered not only the protection of the nobility but could also benefit future generations. Since noble titles were hereditary, the children of a former servant were easily accepted by the noble house.
Therefore, this potentially short-sighted Mr. August needed further observation. Rolls didn't want a butler who only cared about the present and ignored the future. Such a person might be beneficial for a time, but they could ruin his long-term plans—and he wasn't certain he could become half a "Great Old One" in three years like Klein.