Touching the " Ninth Law " talisman in his pocket, Klein adjusted his height and appearance details, becoming indistinguishable from Amyrius Rieveldt.
He left through another door in the storeroom and walked along the quiet corridor toward the main building of the governor's mansion.
Along the way, waiters and maids occasionally passed by, but none of them dared to look directly at Klein. As soon as they saw his admiral's uniform, they all stepped aside and bowed their heads in greeting.
Anyone of similar height could probably blend into the banquet hall wearing this outfit... It has to be said, sometimes it's easier to Acting of an important person Acting an ordinary person... Klein kept his eyes straight ahead, maintaining that serious posture, and walked unhurriedly towards the passageway paved with black stone bricks.
A melodious and beautiful tune drifted in, while elegant wall lamps on either side burned gas, illuminating the dark environment.
As Klein approached a lounge, he saw the door open, and a middle-aged man emerged as if waiting.
The man had black hair and Blue Eyes, and his facial features resembled Amyrius's by about 50-60%, except that his forehead was higher, his eye bags were slightly swollen, and the corners of his mouth did not droop.
He was none other than Amyrius Rieveldt's younger brother, Auston Rieveldt.
This gentleman had also served in the navy and rose through the ranks to the rank of colonel based on his merits in the Southern Continent. Later, he grew tired of military life and, due to the need for political balance, accepted a commission to become governor.
During his five or six years in Oravi, valuing the island's location and resources, he encouraged the Levitt Family to acquire large amounts of farmland and estates, thereby acquiring a vast amount of land for himself.
This is not to say that it was obtained entirely through power. The Aston and Levitt Family paid enough money, even taking out a loan from the bank, and did not seize the land that originally belonged to the Feysac at a very low price, as they had done on the East Coast of Balam.
Of course, if he weren't the governor of Oravi, and his brother weren't the supreme commander of the navy in the Central Sonia Sea, the Levitt Family wouldn't have been able to persuade their target to sell his prime farmland or estate so easily.
The test has begun... Klein calmly approached and stopped in front of Auston Rieveldt.
Aston glanced around and said in a low voice:
"How's that matter been decided?"
What is it...? Klein was initially bewildered, then recalled a passage from the document, "If Aston requests a private conversation, or directly inquires about an answer to a certain matter, tell him that you will give him the answer when you leave Oravi."
Just as Amyrius had predicted, all I need to do is pay attention to my attitude and tone, and, well, the unique vocabulary and pronunciation of the Loen nobles... Klein nodded slightly and said seriously:
"Wait a few more days."
I'll tell you the answer when I leave Oravi.
Aston didn't suspect anything and chuckled softly:
You seem to be waiting for something to give you the strength to make a decision.
The matter that forced Amyrius to act alone? Klein's heart skipped a beat, and he spoke with practiced ease in the tone of a superior:
Stop speculating.
After speaking, he turned and strode towards the banquet hall.
Auston Rieveldt watched his brother's retreating figure, his expression gradually turning cold, and he shook his head slightly.
Upon entering the banquet hall, Klein looked around and walked towards the long table where the food was laid out, occasionally stopping to exchange a few words with those who approached him.
During this process, he discovered that he didn't need to understand the topics the conversation was bringing up; simply nodding occasionally was enough to keep the conversation going in a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere until the end.
Sure enough, being a big shot made some aspects of the Acting easier, but correspondingly, other things became difficult... Klein overcame numerous "obstacles" and finally arrived at the long table.
He casually picked up a plate and told himself that Amyrius liked fish, beef, and lobster, but disliked chicken and goose, so he avoided roast chicken and Backlund roast goose, and instead opted for steak, pan-fried bream, and Oravi lobster baked with cream cheese.
Because the metal containers were either lined with asbestos, had burning coals underneath, or contained containers filled with hot water, the food remained at a sufficiently warm temperature. When Klein took his first bite, he was so moved that he almost lost his composure.
He made a concerted effort to maintain the image of Amyrius, carrying his plate and conversing with all sorts of people, including port city councilors and naval agents, listening very attentively to their words and occasionally stuffing food into his mouth.
He noticed that a young man in a tailcoat was always following him at a short distance.
The other person had neatly combed blond hair with a slightly high hairline, light blue eyes, and a refined and gentle appearance.
Just like in the photo, Amyrius's secretary, Luan... Klein controlled himself, not bothering to look at the other person, and finished filling his stomach completely before the banquet ended.
After leaving the governor's mansion, Klein boarded a carriage protected by the general's guard and sat down next to the wine cabinet.
The blonde secretary Luan, followed him inside, her leather boots clicking silently on the thick, soft carpet as she moved to the opposite side of Klein.
He sat down, but only a third of his buttocks touched the seat.
The carriage began to move, and Luan took a stack of documents from the black briefcase he was carrying:
"Your Excellency, this is the summary account for 1349 submitted by the Oravi Naval Base."
Klein reached out and took it, casually flipping through a few pages and glancing at it.
What? A roll of toilet paper costs 1 pound? The naval base's bathhouse has been renovated twenty times in a year? Klein only did a rough calculation and discovered all sorts of absurdities.
Isn't this accounting method too simplistic and crude? I could even Door Opening a course for them, specifically teaching them how to get reimbursed... Klein seriously considered what kind of attitude he should show.
In his view, the biggest challenge in impersonating Amyrius was deceiving Luan.
This is not to say that Governor Aston and Miss Cynthia were less familiar with Amyrius than their secretary, but rather that Aston, as the younger brother, might help his brother cover up any problems he might discover, even if he received Psychological Suggestion. Similarly, as the mistress, Cynthia, being attached to the Admiral, had a tendency to help cover things up.
Of course, the possibility that Cynthia is a spy, or being used by a spy, cannot be ruled out, but she is not as dangerous as Luan, who is the Overseer himself.
We can't expose even the slightest problem... What would Amyrius's attitude be towards such a report? Would he be furious, or would he feign fury? No, the people at the Oravi Naval Base wouldn't be so bold as to submit such an obviously problematic report, treating Amyrius as blind. They must have some certainty and tacit understanding... Since there's no similar situation in the records, Klein can only make a judgment based on his own experience.
Moreover, he was certain of one thing: the report from the Oravi Naval Base was either something Amyrius hadn't anticipated, or something he considered unimportant, merely a matter of schedule that could be easily dealt with.
Regardless of the possibility, it can be handled with the usual attitude of a superior: remain silent... Klein closed the file, handed it back to his blond secretary, Luan, and said expressionlessly:
"Put it on my desk."
The subtext of this sentence is "I will take a closer look," but its meaning can vary depending on the interpreter's perspective.
If the attack on the Oravi Naval Base was a surprise attack, it means the Admiral is somewhat displeased and awaits an explanation.
If this was something both sides understood in advance, it meant that Amyrius wanted to gain even greater benefits. As for whether this would offend anyone, Klein didn't care at all Amyrius Rieveldt anymore, and he believed that the true Demigod had plenty of ways to suppress his subordinates' anger.
In addition, he was particularly grateful that Amyrius was not Demigod of the Church of Storms; otherwise, at this point, he would have had to consider whether to simply nod in approval of the report or angrily throw the document back and, incidentally, send a few people into the sea to feed the fish.
"Yes, Your Excellency." The blond secretary, Lu Er, remained expressionless, as if he had expected this, and stuffed the documents back into his black briefcase.
For the rest of the journey, following Amyrius Rieveldt's habit, Klein leaned against the side of the compartment, half-closing his eyes as if he were thinking, but he wasn't thinking about anything.
Luan remained silent, refraining from speaking rashly.
The towering, black gas lamps flashed past as the carriage approached the naval base and turned into a house with a garden and lawn.
As soon as Klein stepped onto the steps, a butler opened the door, and servants stood respectfully on either side.
The living room of the house was elegantly decorated, with landscape oil paintings hanging on the walls, plaster sculptures, simple vases, and other items on display. A light yet lingering fragrance permeated the air, refreshing the senses.
Klein, who should have relaxed, was instead secretly tense when he saw a beautiful young lady dressed in casual home clothes approaching.
She was probably in her early twenties, with lustrous blonde hair cascading down her back. Her Blue Eyes seemed to hold a hidden radiance, exuding both feminine grace and a touch of girlish charm. She was none other than Cynthia, the mistress of Amyrius.
Klein suppressed his unease and forced a smile onto Amyrius's serious face before opening his arms.
Cynthia nestled into his arms, tiptoed, and whispered with a smile, her cheek pressed against his:
"General, the hot water has been boiled and placed in the bathtub for you."
They've been keeping an eye on when the dinner party will end... Being a mistress isn't easy... Amyrius does enjoy hot baths, for relaxation and contemplation... To avoid noticing their cheeks pressed together, Klein lets his mind wander.
As a sexually normal man, he should have felt awkward but also slightly enjoyed the closeness with the beautiful woman. However, the temporary contract left him with no extra impulses, and all that remained was discomfort.
"Very good." Klein praised, then gently pushed Cynthia away with his hands that felt a little awkward.
Knowing that the Admiral disliked being intimate in front of the servants, Cynthia stepped aside and led Klein upstairs to the bathroom, where she had prepared a bathrobe.
After doing all this, Cynthia instructed the servants not to come upstairs unless they heard the bells ring. Then she returned to her bedroom, took off all her clothes, and changed into a pure silk nightgown.
The neckline of the robe was plunging low, revealing an alluring expanse of snow-white skin, and between those cleavage hung a peculiar necklace pendant, which resembled a black rhinoceros horn shrunk to the length of a finger joint.
Cynthia took off the necklace, tucked it under her pillow, and then left the bedroom with some embarrassment and hesitation. She went to the bathroom outside the general's bathhouse, mustered her courage, and turned the handle.
Click! Her hand stopped, realizing that the bathroom door had been locked from the inside.
Cynthia looked bewildered, then instinctively pinched the skin twice more.
Click, click, the bathroom door remained completely still.
P. S.: Happy New Year to everyone, and may everything go smoothly in the Year of the Pig!