Chapter 6 - First Tale VI

Today I am suppose to be getting a new employee, she was scheduled to come last week but a slight mistake from the administration made it this way. This is an interesting turn of events if you ask me. Yesterday, that young man arrived and today will arrive this young lady. Two people, completely unrelated to the happenings in the manor, I don't mean to say that there are no other people unaware of those. But the person who arranged her to come here was the late Mr. Kingwood, the reason is not something I was informed... so having her come along just like that without knowing her 'objective' would be unwise.

Since I don't want to deal with her right now... having someone else do it would be the best solution. Yesterday came along such a person, he came due an invitation letter. Now, that is normal... the last few months the current 'head' of the house has been sending such invitations to different people, all to get them to come as guests. He thinks he is being subtle about it, but his poor tries to look for someone that could help him to get out of his current problem are easy to see.

He had almost secured the 'head' position of the family but that incident happened... it was awful.

Sadly, he would still technically not be able to take that position officially, that woman would not allow it. She would look for a way to make such a thing harder.

I am not sure how she found out, but she also started seeking those guests in order to get that something from them. That just makes things a bigger headache.

So far they have not found what they look for, many of these guests are what I would say were either clients or business partners of the late Mr. Kingwood. But for what I know they look for a particular individual that the late head seemed to trust, not many people actually saw him, so that explains their hardships trying to locate such person.

While I was having those vague thoughts I hear a knock on the door to my office.

I guess something came up.

"Come in"

Soon, a young man came through the door.

"Sir, There was apparently a small incident where Mr. Eric crashed his car, there were no injuries"

Again huh... I don't know how the heck he thinks it's normal to crash that often. He is just that bad at driving, but he totally denies his fault in any accident. I feel like a bigger headache is coming.

"So it happened again. Where is the crash site? Who was involved?"

For some reason he never gets hurt that badly. I am not sure if that is such a good thing... because he is the only one with that luck.

"Sir, it happened just in from of the manor, he crashed into Mr. Edward's car"

I could not help but sigh at the mention of who he crashed

"What exactly happened? If you mentioned 'no injuries', Does it means the both of them?"

"The other car was parked at the time of the accident, Mr. Edward was not there when in happened"

"That is good news at least"

"What should we do?"

"You already know the protocol to deal with this kind of accident, contact the related personnel and have them take care of it"

"Yes Sir"

With that he went of to do what I told him.

Having new personnel is not always good, I can only say that the reason is the old employees were fired and new people took their jobs. That itself is not a problem, some personnel were at the age to retire... but many were not, not to mention they fired a great deal of them at once. Leaving the ones that stayed behind with a bunch of novices that need to be taught even the smallest things. As an example you can judge their performance this time, there was no need to come in person, a simple call would've been enough. This incident is something they were taught to deal by themselves unless there were some complications. In conclusion, they just had to let me know it happened, but instead they came to ask for something they were taught and instructed before.

Their lust for control is absurd. It is ruining this family... this was not what the late Mr. Kingwood wished to see. As expected, I will have to follow that plan. But first, I will have to put together the troublesome elements. I wonder who will they both react when I do this, I just had a pretty amusing idea.

At the thoughts of troubling those two 'new elements' a smirk appeared on my face that with my looks just makes me look like a straight villian.

I can't very well deny the claims of people that my personality is rotten, but with all the problems coming up... I just need a hobby to relieve stress.

********************************************

An hour when by until I finally got the call that said the new employee was here, I had Ms. Allison go and bring her to my office.

Miss Allison Highlander, She is a fine employee, sadly... like most people here, she is working with a hidden agenda in mind, and like most people here... thinks that she hides it well enough.

Such a things are mean less for me, whether she hides it or not will not change anything. She is one of the few competent individuals hired to work here, so I have not choice but to rely on her. As long as she does her job, I won't have any problems.

They sure are taking their time.

After waiting several more minutes I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in"

"Excuse me"

As they enter I finally saw the newbie, she had bright golden hair tied in a pony tail, deep blue eyes full of curiosity... Why curiosity? She keeps glancing around the room randomly. Even though in CV there was a particular part that explained her high level education and training, she is severely lacking in experience in conducting herself, her self control seems weak.

I have no much to say, they can study all they can... but to be truly skilled is something you prove with practice. Now, I am not sure why she followed through her training to come here but... I will keep all external factors together for now. Maybe later they will have some use, in the meanwhile she will have to deal with the other one... in this amusing way.

I had to do my best to not smirk at the thought of what is to come.

Having enough of my silence and the newbie looking subtly (not at all) everywhere, Miss Allison started the conversation.

"Mr. Arthur, I have brought the new employee"

"I can see that. Young lady, I am Arthur White, your new boss"

After she hear me talking she straightened her back and stopped looking around.

She then introduced herself.

"Hello Sir, I am Jeanne Saphir. I just arrived today, I'm pretty excited to finally start working here"

I can see that, she has a big smile on her face and her body has an aura brimming with cheerfulness. Guh... I am bad with this kind of people.

I wonder why is she that excited, this job is not such an interesting thing to do. For a moment I thought that maybe she actually has a wrong idea what she came here to do, but it does not matter anyways. At least she looks motivated enough so she may take the assignment I prepared for her without much trouble. Not like it will change a thing if she does not like it.

"I am glad to hear that, then... without further ado, I have an assignment for you"

I did not know she could smile even further, she seems even happier.

Miss Allison looked at me with a raised eyebrow, clearly suspicious of me. But she said nothing about it.

"Is that so Sir? What is it about? I am ready for everything"

"That is a really good new. Starting today you will be working as a maid"

"Huh?"

The look on her face was priceless, she is still smiling but her smile is frozen. She clearly does not know if what I said was a joke or it's the truth.

Even Miss Allison is having a hard time keeping her cool.

After a minute the newbie finally came to her senses.

"Ahmm... S-sir? Is this some sort of joke?"

"Not at all, I did ask you to be a maid"

"But Sir, I was suppose to work as a guard before work as the young lady's attendant. I don't think I will earn the necessary experience to do so"

"You will be doing your job"

"Huh... Sir?"

"I know you don't believe me, but I think you should allow me to explain it first"

She still looks at me skeptically but said no more and awaited my explanation.

So much for her accepting without asking questions. I am not found of explaining things but this time it would be bad idea not to do so. This request is close to sexual harassment just looking at the new maid attire that our 'dear' Mr. Eric asked... and our 'dear' Mr. Raymond 'reluctantly' accept it and made it happen. They fight in most occasions but not on this kind of ideas.

"You see, yesterday we had new guest arriving late at night. He also came in a rather peculiar and suspicious way. But he has shown to be a normal person. Now, he proved that he was 'invited' here, but he is still under suspicious. If he actually has a hidden agenda it could be dangerous, but having our 'guards' keeping taps on him would making keep his act... but if we had something like a maid following him it would making him lower his guard"

"That... looks like a possibility. So you want me to be that maid?. It sound like a bonafide job. If it's to protect the young lady of any danger I will gladly do it"

Young lady huh... Can't be to serve that old snake the reason she is here then. I will have to look more into it later.

"Yes, but keep in mind that those are only suspicious. You can not act recklessly for any reason. If he is actually one of guests of Mr. Kingwood, it could spell trouble to mess up with him. So this is a very important mission"

"Understood Sir. When do I start?"

"It's good to be motivated, you will start after lunch. In the meanwhile, you will learn the basics of the manor and employees working there from Miss Allison. I also have to get your maid uniform and inform the related parties about your new 'job'. Do remember that you will have to act like a proper maid, otherwise he will start suspecting"

"Yes Sir"

With that said they were preparing to go out when I called for Miss Allison.

"Wait, Miss Allison please remain here for a moment, Miss... Jeanne, you should wait for here on the first floor. She will go in a minute"

The newbie just went out to walk to the first floor as she was told, and I started talking as soon as her steps faded on the hallway.

"What do you think?"

"You have an awful personality as always. That was close to sexual harassment. When she sees the outfit she will wear, you may find yourself in trouble"

That comment annoyed me a little, but she is blunt as always... although I was not talking about that.

"Not that. Stop playing around"

"I could say the same thing to you"

"Enough, I was talking about her... What is your evaluation about her?"

"...There is not much to say, I did not interact that much with her. Her CV was quite impressive, her knowledge covering from economy, politics to things like self-defence, the use different kind of vehicles from land, water and air. If she says the truth, she was taught to be the perfect attendant... but"

"But? Is there something bothering you?"

"I could be mistaken, but she does not look the part, no matter how inexperienced she is, the way she acts does not look like someone with such a CV. This leaves us with two possibilities, one, it's that she is taking her inneptitude... or two, that she is a fake. Both possibilities hard to believe I'm their own right"

"That is quite troubling... I guess I will have to put some people to keep an eye on her too. In any case, I was ready to have some guards assigned to that duty to keep that pair in check in case that something happened"

"You are wary of the young man too?"

"Are you not?"

"He is strange, but I feel not treat from him. Different from the newbie, although hidding something... he feels normal. More like, many of the guests that came feel the same way. So I don't find him that odd"

"As long as he stays that way, we won't have any problems, right?"

"That is true"

"Now, for that newbie, I will have you take her measures and inform the manor to have someone bring the right size for her outfit. I will have them be on stand by, let us have that ready quickly. She needs to learn quite a number of things before she goes into the manor. Have her act the closest you can to a personal maid, it won't seem weird since a few of guests have them. Having her act perfectly would be hard in such a short notice so... let's have some of the other employees give her support from the shadows. That's it for now, you may leave"

"I will have it done"

As I hear the door close, I take a deep breath and think about the thinks I have to prepare, taking mental notes to see if I missed anything.

For now that should be enough, this 'plan' will mostly depend on that young lady. I am not sure if she will be a good actress or not, but hopefully this will keep them busy for a while. In the meantime, I will ask whether or not there is some sort of agenda for the young man before making any other plan.

It would be a shame if something happened to any of those two, from all the people that has come some far... they are the easiest to deal with.

*****************************************

A great deal of my time is wasted correcting mistakes of the guards I am suppose have already instructed... made. Some of them are understandable, but there are many that are clearly due carelessness.

I was never found of many of these clowns that were hired only due their 'connections' but now they just give me reasons to fire them. Unless they have a solid 'excuse' to explain themselves... they are done for. But right now I can't allow more holes in the security, I can't fire them until I have the new ones ready to work.

What to do with them... I can't fire them, but their carelessness will spell trouble in case of emergencies. Since they have gotten comfortable with their groups of work I could just disperse these 'groups' sending them to other parts and not meeting to often, that way I will at least weed out the most useless ones.

What a headache... I need a rise. A secretary would be nice too. That is not asking for too much, right?

While I think pointless things, my phone started ringing. The thing is... that is my personal one. Not related to work... so it shorten the list of people that could call me, Who is it this time?.

I take a look at the phone at check the number. Not one I can recognize. Well well, this is something that does not happen often. My curiosity makes me want to answer it, but my guts tell me I should not since it will be more trouble... sadly I am a curious individual.

I take the call.

No one speaks, so I guess I will have to start the conversation.

"Who is it?"

I should go straight to the point, after all... not many can get my personal number, and this particular person made a incognito call. If someone wants to hide their identity, they either want to prank someone or they are involved in some sort of suspicious business.

Now... which one is it this time.

"... ... ..."

Silence huh.

"What do you want?"

"...Garden"

There was answer this time, it was a male voice. Not one I am familiar with.

"What about 'Garden'?"

"Statue"

He ignored my question.

"What is that suppose to be?"

"... ... ..."

No answer again.

Ah, he hung up.

What a weird phone call. Well, I have something interesting in my hands now. I could use a change of pase.

I know of many gardens, but let's take a wild guess and think he was talking about a garden in the manor. I think there is a high chance he was talking about it considering my work. Even then, there are quite a number of 'gardens', but the word 'statue' reduce the number for a bit.

The search could take a while. I thought of doing most by myself and some other guy but I guess I will need more than one guard with me.

I can spare a couple of hours. So I will go right now. Most of those gardens are close to the manor so I can go through most of them on foot.

I should make people go in pairs, I can not say for sure that we may not find any danger. Going alone could spell trouble.

As for who comes with me. Anyone will do, I am not that picky. I don't expect much either.

I make a call to have a few of the more 'competents' one to go and wait for me at the manor. Then I prepare to leave.

*******************************************

When I go down to the first floor I take a look around, the place is empty except a couple of guards working at the reception and a lonely guy that to be going the locker area. I guess he will do.

I get close and talk to him.

"You there, I need you to come with me for a moment"

He did not answer and keep walking.

Did he not hear me? He looks familiar, but since I am not seeing his face I can not tell.

This time I use a stronger tone to call him.

"I was talking to you, young man. I said I need you to come with me for a moment"

This time it looks like he heard me and turned to face me. He instantly opened his eyes wide and said.

"I am sorry, my shift just ended and I was half asleep"

It seems he recognize who I am rather quickly.

Night shift are always tough, but bad luck I still need him to come. So he was the one from last night huh, that's why he looked familiar.

"Never mind that, come with me for a moment"

"But Sir I-"

"You can consider this extra hours, it will be paid separately, now... the others must be waiting for us. Let's go"

"No, but waiting for what?"

"I will explain on the way"

This time I did not wait for any other question and just started walking. Behind me I could hear the hurried steps of the guy I just talked to. Good, he is following me.

I wonder what will we find there.