Beside Malinda stood the Bernice family's butler.
At that moment, the butler looked utterly at a loss.
Not only had he failed to stop Malinda, allowing this guest to enter Bernice Manor directly, she had even made it to the door of the Hidden Study.
And why had the door opened outright?
The butler was baffled.
Bernice was taken aback as well.
Mr. Bernice looked questioningly at his butler-when he had brought Arthur into the Hidden Study earlier, Bernice, who already had a plan in mind, had secretly notified his personal valet to tell the butler to stall for time.
He had trusted his butler to manage it.
So why was Malinda outside the door?
Had she overheard them?
Impossible. He had commissioned the soundproofing here.
Not only was it soundproof, it also prevented anyone from spying through Mystic Arts.
As such, no one inside or outside could possibly learn what was happening on the other side.
Feeling his master's questioning gaze, the butler faltered.
He lowered his head in shame.
Neither man noticed the raven standing on the roof. Muninn's almost human gaze swept over Bernice, mockery surfacing in the bird's eyes.
While Bernice and his butler were puzzling over this, Arthur and Malinda swiftly exchanged glances that amounted to roughly two sentences-
Fleece him good!
You got it!
Smiling, Arthur stepped aside, and Malinda walked straight in.
Then, quite naturally, she slipped her hand around Arthur's arm.
The ease of that gesture left Bernice stunned again.
The only reason he had dared make such an excessive demand earlier was that he knew certain things.
Yes, knew.
Not merely heard rumors.
But the scene before him made Bernice realize that his sources were most likely out of date.
At the same time, he was inwardly astonished by the young