manipulation: brainwashing

"Vienna! Vienna..

_Ah..did I..lose consciousness?

"Yes, yes, I woke up, stop shaking me and calm down

"How could I calm down when you all of a sudden collapsed in front of me.

"Okay, um... I think we should go back.

Returning to the hall, she saw an unusual scene.

She saw Mina with a red cheek and her mother next to her.

_oh damn, what's the matter,again.._

She shook her head and sighed as people attacked her.

'This is her daughter, isn't it?

'They say she's such a hypocrite

'constantly helps the poor and common people as a saint

'but isn't it funny?

'Like mother like daughter...my goodness

Argen, who was standing next to her, could no longer listen to this nonsense and covered her ears.

"What's going on? What did I do wrong again? I wasn't even here...

"Don't listen to them, they are just...

"What?

"They'll crush your bones and let themselves calm down... so don't pay attention...

"Yes, I know...they wanna just find a scapegoat.

Everyone was staring at her and seemed to be examining every corner of her body.

"There you are!

Ray ran to her and pulled her out of Argen's hands.

"What are you doing?

"Where have you been? I searched everywhere for you!

"Why do you need me?

"Your mother was looking for you...

"Mom? Why?

"I don't know, but it seemed like it was an urgent matter and you were nowhere to be found..

"I...ugh, I shouldn't have left...

"Well, the celebration has come to an end, so with this,farewell..

"Yes,wish you a good journey...

_and I'll have to listen to new criticism on the way home.._

They got into the carriage and no one had the desire to look at each other, the father stuck his face in the newspaper, the mother looked at her bracelet and Vienna looked at the floor and was silent like a fish in a well.

But suddenly something loosened Leila's tongue and she made her contribution to the evening...

"Where were you? Didn't I tell you not to move out of my sight? I searched you... do you understand how disgraced I was because of you?

"Sorry...

"I clearly told you not to cause problems... which ear did you listen to when you did exactly the opposite?

"I..

"Shut up!" Leila shouted.

You can't even imagine what humiliation I had to endure in front of the entire circle of society... if only you weren't there...

"Wife... calm down, there's no need to make a scene here

"Yes, dear...

"What did I do wrong?! You always shift the blame onto me, even without paying attention to how people treat me and how your high society throws mud at me!! Have you ever been interested in my condition? Even though I'm your daughter, I feel like a stray on the street, a dog that's kept on a leash! Yes, I never even asked you to give birth to me! Who are you to get rid of me? Why should I worry about everything when I am nothing to you!

_I would like to tell them all this and leave.. but I'm not in a position to organize strikes.._

"We've arrived... we'll talk at home, but for now, get yourself in order..

"Yes father...

------

"I have nothing to tell you, but you are prohibited from contacting the outside world, that's all.

Butler, make sure she doesn't disobey me.

"But..this is isolation!

"Shut up! This is a punishment for your actions, be more vigilant in the future," having said this, Leila slammed the door and left

"Mr. Ludwig..can you call Hilda?

"Yes my lady..

The butler at the Edingberg residence played an important role in maintaining order and comfort. His responsibilities included maintaining the cleanliness and order of the estate, receiving and caring for guests, and coordinating employees. Mr. Ludwig was responsible for carefully carrying out all the instructions of the owners, as well as for organizing events and maintaining the extensive premises of the residence. His position required high qualifications, since he was the representative of the owners and had to behave accordingly. The main goal of the butler was to ensure the comfort and well-being of the owners of their guests, creating an atmosphere of luxury and coziness in the residence.

Ludwig and his family were famous in high circles. his ancestors took part in significant social events, meetings of high society and receptions at the royal court. Ludwig, as the inheritor of his family's traditions, was an important figure, possessed of good manners, knowledge of etiquette and social culture.

He also had extensive connections in aristocratic circles, which could help him in his role as a butler. His activities at the Edingberg residence were closely connected with the maintenance of extensive balls, receptions and ceremonies, during which he had to demonstrate all his competence and skill.

"Milady, did you call me?

"Yes, Hilda, please give my letter to someone

"Um, but the madam forbade...

"Please, I beg you, I just want to let him know that I'm under house arrest so that he doesn't worry.."

She grabbed Hilda's hands and fell to the ground

"This will be the only letter, I assure you..

"Uff, good, but please don't make madam angry anymore."

"Yes, thank you Hilda

Taking the writing plume in her hands she began to write

'Dear Argen,

I am very sorry to inform you about my current situation. I was sent to house arrest due to a fight with my mother and unfortunately that means I won't be able to

attend our scheduled meeting. This really disappoints me, but unfortunately I can't help it.

I hope we can find another time to meet in the near future. I miss you very much and hope that soon everything will be restored and we can spend time together again.

With love and regret,

Vienna Edingberg'

Having placed the plume on the table and folded the letter into an envelope, she put her stamp and gave the message to Hilda.

"Here, please, deliver it safe and sound, in order to not get caught, it's better to go personally to the Mills mansion.

"Are you serious? about the duke? What is your relationship with him? You're not...

"Don't worry, we just have friendly relations, nothing more...

"Okay then, I'll be back soon..

-----

Vienna, locked under house arrest, was filled with an incredible atmosphere of silence and solitude. She enjoyed her time, spending hours reading, meditating and making art.

Spring in the empire revealed itself in all its unique beauty. During the week that Vienna was locked up, she was able to watch nature go through incredible changes. The first rays of the sun awakened the snow-covered fields, allowing them to bloom into vibrant shades of green. The first spring flowers were blooming under the windows of her house, filling the air with a sweet aroma. The singing of birds sounded especially bright and enchanting, as if nature itself was performing a symphony of spring awakening.

Vienna could see how the amazing beauty of spring penetrated every corner of the empire, transforming dull winter landscapes into picturesque scenes of bright colors.The days became warmer, and each new dawn brought new miracles of spring awakening.Every day the grass became greener, the flowers more colorful, and the birds sang more and more complex melodies.

Even though Vienna experienced unexpected isolation, she was still able to enjoy this amazing, transformative beauty of nature, which was able to give her peace and hope in such difficult times.

"Milady! your imprisonment ends today!

"Really? Great!

Can I go out already..?

"Aren't you going to have breakfast?

"I'm not hungry, and... I don't think I'll be out for long...

"But then take at least one accompanying person with you, I won't let you go alone..

"Sorry, but I need to meet someone, so I don't think it would be appropriate to even take Hans with me.

"You're not going to look for trouble, are you?

"Haha, don't worry so much... I'll just meet and come back

"Okay then, take care of yourself milady...

In 1800, the area around the imperial capital, Biverdity, was a vast expanse of lush forests and manicured fields.On the outskirts one could see numerous estates and estates of aristocrats, surrounded by beautiful parks and gardens. Rural life flourished in these lands, and local residents were engaged in various types of crafts and agriculture.

In the vicinity of Miverpool one could find small villages where simple peasants and artisans lived, engaged in textile production, blacksmithing, and other craft professions. The village houses were built of wood and stone, and the narrow streets were decorated with colorful blooming flowers.

On the outskirts of the city one could also see small temples and churches where local residents performed their religious rites and worship. Around the temples, beautiful gardens and squares were usually arranged, where residents rested and spent time in solitude.

Thus, the area around the imperial capital Biverdity was a place rich in history, beautiful nature and peaceful rural life that reflected the cultural and social diversity of the land.

---

"Argen! there you are!

"Vienna, glad to meet you, I didn't think that you would be released so soon, your letter was very sad and formal.

"Oh, this...don't pay much attention, I wrote it in front of my nanny, I don't think she would be happy to know what I do, so I decided not to talk too much about our connection.

"I see~

"Well, I think you've dug up a lot of information without me, and the twins also helped you.

Do you still need my help?

"Yes... these little damn things, instead of helping, on the contrary, only worsened the situation.

"They..?what happened?

"These little rats led me to the wrong person, and then ran away...

"I don't understand what you're talking about, tell me in detail.

'Jean Burton was a well-known and respected man in the city. He always strived to maintain order and justice, and his reputation was impeccable. However, one day his passion for gambling caused serious problems.

Horrible underground experiments began to take place in the city, which led to unknown deaths. Residents were horrified and demanded that the perpetrators be found and brought to justice. My father, not wanting to appear indifferent to what was happening, promised that he would find the criminals and bring them to justice.

Unfortunately, in his haste, the Duke turned his attention to the innocent Jean Barton and accused him of committing these terrible crimes.

But due to lack of evidence, he was released on bail.

But then my father died and I had to take over this business.

After meeting the twins, I realized that all this time we had been following the wrong lead.

These Two witnesses provided to him, confirmed his suspicions.He was confident that he had chosen the right suspect and believed that the case was solved.

But then they said that they simply had to lie because of Jean's threats, and he was the real criminal.

Duke Argen caught Burton and captured him, confident that he was right.However,it soon became clear that the witnesses were involved in the crimes and were together with the real criminal.

This was a blow for Argen - his oversight and carelessness led to the fact that an innocent man was sent to prison.

Stunned by this development, he decided to start the investigation again.

He was full of regret and remorse for his mistake, and was determined to bring justice.

But all the paths that he pursued and all the riddles that led him began to lead him astray.

carefully checking all the evidence and questioning witnesses.He turned to experienced investigators and experts to obtain additional information and assistance in the investigation. He didn't want to make any more mistakes and was ready to use every opportunity to find and bring to justice the real criminals.

Argen also began to contact the residents of the city, asking them to help in the investigation, to provide any information that could help find the real culprits.

During the investigation, he encountered many obstacles and difficulties. He had to overcome the false leads and false information that was given to him in the beginning.

Fab and Ian seemed to have vanished into thin air, there was no record of their existence anywhere, Izzola was also well camouflaged, and Lord Demyan showed no initiative after being backed into a corner.'

"Woah, and all this happened in such a short time? Well, how? Didn't they leave any traces at all?

"Nothing...

they thought like this until a man appeared in front of them whom they had never expected to meet.

The butler of the Binor family came to them and asked them to free their master from the clutches of treacherous women.

'Lord Demyan, once a noble and principled ruler, fell victim to Isola's manipulative tactics.Through a carefully orchestrated plan, Isola gradually infiltrated his inner circle, insidiously poisoning his mind and turning him into a puppet under her control. Using a combination of emotional manipulation and psychological coercion, Isola exploited Lord Demyan's vulnerabilities, making him merely a pawn in her evil plan.'

Vienna and Argen listened in shock to everything the mister was telling them, and made notes to themselves so as not to miss anything important.

'Isola's sister, a clairvoyant fortune teller, plays a key role in their underground experiments.

With her ability, she helps Isola predict the results of their actions, allowing them to stay one step ahead of their victims. This understanding allows Isola to manipulate situations to her advantage while simultaneously providing a false sense of security to those under their control. They use these powers for their own purposes, weaving a web of deception and enslavement throughout Lord Demian's domain.This all delves into the world of underground experiments within the domain Lord Demyan, exploring the ways Isola and her sister use to influence and dominate those around them.'

"Is this... is it all true? If they can brainwash their victims... then this will lead to unknown consequences..." Vienna was horrified after hearing all the bitterness of the truth.

"If that's the case, then we should move out immediately, that is, me.. and you, Vienna, return home, you shouldn't delve into all this."

"But..!

"Go home, I won't take you with me any further!

And... thank you for your assistance, Mister, you helped us a lot, but... can I ask why you just now went to the meeting with us?

"At first I thought that Sir knew what he was doing and tried to help him since I had sworn an oath of allegiance, but... after I found out that he wasn't doing this of his own free will... feelings of guilt began to gnaw at me, I could no longer endure and watch those mockeries that those sisters are perpetrating...

"Are you sure that no one commands them? Maybe someone is in their leadership..?

"I'm not sure about this, but... anything is possible, since that fortune teller constantly exchanged letters with someone, and I still haven't been able to find out with whom, it was kept in strict secrecy, but what I can say for sure is this the fact that the response letters were purple ..

"Can't be...

If the envelope was purple, then the sender is someone from ...

"How did you determine this?

"Do you know why the invitation was specifically purple? Because purple dye is very, very expensive since this dye is extracted only from the glandular mucus of mollusks.

"Means..

"Yes, this is definitely someone from the royal family...