There was evidence that Kebir had murdered several maids inside the villa at No. 67. But the reason guests feared Villa No. 67 was the downfall of the Kebir family.
Rumor had it that anyone who bought the house would suffer terrible misfortune.
Under such circumstances, the house had been sold relatively cheaply. After settling on the villa, Colin immediately paid for it. The villa was currently in the hands of the city government, so the blonde beauty told Colin that he could receive the property deed that very day.
After finalizing the house, Colin and Linda left the real estate agency. They turned another corner and arrived at a neighboring agency, but this one did not deal in property—it provided domestic staff.
The decor here was completely different from next door. The place had been divided into small private rooms, each furnished simply with only a long table and chairs.
A brown-haired beauty received them and led them into Private Room No. 4. She invited Colin and Linda to sit in the chairs behind the table.
"Miss, sir, what type of staff are you looking for?" The brown-haired beauty had lovely features and a graceful figure. She usually tried to charm her clients, but Colin had come with a female companion and was also too young, so she behaved rather properly.
"One butler, two financial advisers, and some coachmen, grooms, male and female servants, and gardeners," Colin answered seriously.
The brown-haired beauty's red eyes lit up, and she said eagerly, "Very well, sir, miss. Please wait a moment. I'll fetch the résumés."
She gave Colin and Linda a slight bow, then turned and walked out with light steps, closing the private room's door behind her. Before long, the brown-haired beauty returned. Not only had she brought the résumés, but she had also brought two attendants carrying black tea.
The two attendants placed the black tea on the table, gave a slight bow while holding their trays, and withdrew.
Colin picked up his teacup and took a sip. It was not particularly good tea, but it was acceptable.
"Hello, sir. These are the résumés." The brown-haired beauty sorted the thick stack of résumés by category and placed them before Colin. She could tell that he was the one in charge.
"You may leave for now. I'll look through them myself," Colin said, looking up at the brown-haired beauty.
"Certainly." The brown-haired beauty nodded and turned to leave.
"Colin, what kind of butler are you planning to hire?" Linda asked curiously.
"As long as he can manage a household. It would be best if he understands finance too." Colin shrugged, then began reading through the résumés one by one.
"Hayden. Thirty-five years old. His ancestors were all butlers. Began working as a manservant at fifteen, became the butler for Baron Turin at twenty-two, and left last year. Reason for leaving: the baron went bankrupt."
"Crowley. In his forties or fifties. His ancestors were all butlers. Began working as a manservant at thirteen, became the butler for Knight Hall at twenty-three, and left three months ago. Reason for leaving: Knight Hall went bankrupt."
"..."
As Colin read through the résumés, his brow furrowed deeply. These butlers were either middle-aged men whose employers had gone bankrupt, or complete novices, or people who had left because of illness or other personal reasons.
But then again, that was normal. Generally speaking, being a butler was a lifelong profession. One started as a manservant and worked until death. It was rare for anyone to leave midway.
Colin then looked through the financial advisers' résumés. Some were graduates of Will University, while others had left because the people they served had gone bankrupt or for various other bizarre reasons.
Financial advisers were not too troublesome; he could hire young people. But a butler was of utmost importance, and it would be best to find someone experienced. As for maids, manservants, coachmen, grooms, gardeners, and the like, they were not as important.
"Do you have any suggestions, Sister?" Colin asked Linda, feeling a little troubled. Linda gave him an innocent look, as if to say that her experience was no different from his.
Colin sighed and had no choice but to pick up the stack of butler résumés and continue selecting. Just then, he heard a middle-aged man pleading outside, followed by a woman's voice.
"Lina, please accept my résumé. Don't worry, I'll pay the agency fee."
"Hank, it's not that I refuse to accept your résumé. It's that no one will hire you."
"Lina, I know that no one is likely to hire me under the current circumstances, but my youngest son is ill, and my family is truly strapped for money. If I can't find work again, everything will be over. Please, help me."
The middle-aged man kept pleading while the woman kept refusing. Linda was somewhat curious, but Colin's heart stirred. Could it really be such a coincidence?
"Miss outside, please bring Hank in," Colin said after thinking for a moment.
"Yes, sir." The woman answered quickly, but she was not the brown-haired beauty from before. She was another receptionist, and the man who entered with her was Kebir's butler, Hank.
Hank looked haggard, though he had kept himself impeccably clean. When he heard someone calling for him, he had been filled with joy. But the moment he saw Colin, his heart went cold.
"Mr. Colin." Hank quickly came to his senses and hurriedly bowed, his face full of unease.
"Mr. Colin." The receptionist named Lina was startled as she recalled Will City's recent man of the hour. She then glanced at Hank and thought, This fellow really is unlucky.
Colin smiled. "Relax, Hank. I'm not here to trouble you." After a pause, Colin continued, "I looked into you beforehand. You're thirty-eight this year, and you became Kebir's butler at twenty-five. Over the following decade or so, Kebir's business kept growing larger. Many people praised Kebir for his business acumen, but I believe you, as his butler, must have played a part as well. I happen to need an excellent butler. How would you like to work for me?"
"You're willing to hire me?" Hank froze.
Lina froze. Linda froze as well. Linda tugged on Colin's arm and asked, "Colin, are you really going to hire him?"
Linda thought, Has my brother gone mad?
Colin shook his head at his sister, then looked up at Hank with a smile. "I believe you are a good butler, so why wouldn't I hire you? I just looked through these résumés. The annual salary requested by most of these butlers is around twelve Gold Coins. I'll give you the same salary. How does that sound?"
"Thank you, thank you so much, Mr. Colin. You truly are a benevolent master." Hank's eyes reddened as he bowed again and again.
"Go wait outside for now. Lina, is it? Please make him a cup of black tea. I'll continue looking through the other résumés," Colin said after nodding first.
"Yes, sir." The two hurriedly responded, then turned and walked out, carefully closing the door behind them.
"We bought Kebir's villa, and now we've hired Kebir's butler?" Linda shook her head, feeling as though she were dreaming.
"It is quite a coincidence." Colin shrugged indifferently. He then selected the financial advisers, male and female servants, grooms, coachmen, and gardeners. The others were one thing, but for the financial advisers, he directly recruited graduates from Will University.
Afterward, Colin had the agency summon those people and signed employment contracts with them on the spot. That same day, Colin also received the property deed for the villa at 67 Wright Street. Everything was ready except moving in.
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