Chapter 48: The Backgarden

"Welcome to the Everett Mansion's Backgarden."

Levi smiled with a welcome gesture.

Stepping back, he opened the glass door and headed inside, leaving the trio outside, hesitating to go in.

"Should we…?" Rip asked, unsure. 

Even without finishing the entire question, Chase knew what he wanted to ask.

Calm and undeterred by the confusing and odd situation, Chase answered, "We might as well go in, he did bring us here after all."

Saying that, Chase approached the door.

Thinking that Chase made sense, Rip followed after Chase, leaving only Blake who stood there, quiet and unmoving like a sculpture.

Noticing the absence of the sound of footsteps behind him, Rip looked back at Blake, puzzled.

"Aren't you coming?"

"…"

Blake was silent. 

He looked around at the unreal surroundings then back at Rip.

After a few seconds, he slowly nodded his head and trudged towards the door.

Click.

The door gently closed behind them.

Before the three of them entered, Levi, who had arrived first, plopped himself lazily but with an elegant posture onto a rocking chair. The rocking chair was decorated with a brown circle pillow half the size of Levi's chest and fitted with a soft, brown cushion on the seat.

Levi laid comfortably within the arms of the chair.

While waiting for the boys to make up their minds, he chatted with the only other person inside the glass viewing room of the garden.

"Ah~ It's nice here as always~" Levi stretched out his body and melted into his chair with no care for his image in his state of satisfaction. 

He could lay here forever and become a pile of goo. 

Sadly, someone interrupted his good time.

"Why did you bring them here?" A gentle and polite, but somehow sharp, voice asked.

The voice came over from a wide and oval chair hanging by an iron chain from the sturdy ceiling.

Levi closed his eyes, although there was practically no difference between his opened eyes and his closed eyes, and replied, "There was a bit of a situation, but this capable right-hand man of your brother solved it. Then an interesting idea suddenly struck me so I brought them here. You won't mind, would you, little Ian?"

"Would I mind… They are already here, aren't they? I can hear you smirking from over here." The teenager with dark-to-light shades of purple hair slammed his book shut and lifted his face to reveal a pair of light purple eyes carrying hints of sarcasm.

"Why ever would you say such a thing!" Levi gasped, as if shocked, but the curl on one side of his lips said everything.

Shortly after their jestful bickering, Chase entered through the door. 

A visible expression of surprise showed up on Chase's face. He did not expect to see Ian here.

Soon after, Rip and Blake walked in.

Rip was delighted to see Ian, while Blake showed no reaction at all to anything. 

Funnily enough, Rip's cheerful atmosphere clashed with Blake's gloomy atmosphere and produced a bizarre vision in Ian's eyes where he saw a gloomy Blake standing against a bright, cheery background while Rip smiled bloodthirstily against a dark, gloomy background.

Ian blinked. 

Bright and cheerful Rip.

Gloomy and quiet Blake.

Okay, everything was back to normal.

'That was weird.' Ian thought to himself, disturbed.

But he soon put that episode behind him.

Levi, "Why don't you all take a seat? Sit anywhere you like, I won't mind."

Then they all looked at Ian.

Ian, calmly, "I don't mind either."

Rip didn't know if it was his illusion, but Ian didn't look very happy for some reason.

Holding back his tongue, Rip decided not to ask him. Since Ian didn't show it on his face blatantly, then he must not want others to know.

The three of them quickly found a seat and sat down without any pretense. 

This delighted Levi because he thought he might have to go through all that "No no, I can't possibly", "Yes, you can", "No, I can't" hypocrisies—Ahem, politeness. So now he's glad he doesn't have to. 

Surprisingly, that happens a lot more than one would think.

Now with everyone all seated, Levi started telling Ian about what happened in front of the special training building. Adding in a few exaggerated words and expressions, even things that didn't happen occurred in the storytelling process with a calm and guiltless expression. 

It even made Chase and Rip cringe.

Luckily, Ian has long been used to Levi's devices and automatically filtered out the nonsense within his story.

Although annoying, this was in fact one of Levi's weapons in business talks, he mixes lies with 90% truth, making it hard for the other party to tell he was lying, especially with that flawless expression on his face that seemed to say he spoke nothing but the truth. 

If Chase and Rip were not there personally, they would have believed him. 

As for Blake, he was unaffected as always, however, unlike normal, he stared at Levi's unique clothes with an unknown look in his eyes.

Levi noticed and thought that he was admiring his outfit and smiled smugly. Finally someone who knows fashion.

"Okay, I understand now. I presume you will handle it?" Ian turned to ask Levi.

Levi nodded. "Of course. I can't have little Ian dirty his hands."

'Dirty hands, huh…' Ian's eyes showed a complicated expression before a cold calmness took over.

"Moving on… so why exactly are they here?" Ian once more brought this question to Levi. Ian was not shy at all about asking this question right in front of the three's faces.

"I thought we could chat and hang out," Levi casually answered. 

"Really… Then chat, I'll be leaving." Since he said it, he would do it. Ian took his book and walked to another door, different from the one Rip, Chase, and Blake entered through.

His action was so fast and unexpected that Levi was caught off guard, and by the time he reacted, Ian had already pulled the door handle. 

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Levi held out the palm of his hand towards Ian in a "stop" gesture. His hat falling off his body.

Ian paused, the door ajar, and turned his head around as his body shifted slightly. 

"What is it?"

Levi was speechless for a moment. Then he slowly stood up from his chair and walked towards Ian.

Flapping open his fan, Levi leaned in close to Ian and whispered.

Something flickered in Ian's eyes.

On the other side, the trio honestly sat where they were.

Waiting patiently for their superiors to finish talking, Chase's thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to last night. 

However, his decision still hasn't changed.

It's just that, being in this environment, the only recent, relatable content he could think about was the incident that happened just last night.

While Chase was thinking back on last night's incident, someone else happened to be thinking of the same thing.

Mixed in among the new employees, they were all heading to the Everett Mansion with Instructor Mary leading them for the last time.

Looking around herself in a natural manner, she, Kari, noticed three people missing from the group.

Looking back forward, she did not let anything slip from her expression.

Unconsciously turning around the small box in her pocket, she thought about what methods to use to bring the item back to headquarters as soon as possible.

She still couldn't understand the importance of what's inside the box to her organization. All she sees is ordinary jewelry.

Nor could she understand why they wanted it in such a hurry.

Her mind quickly formed a feasible plan that she could carry out in a few days while a part of her thoughts dazed about the value of the item. 

If her plan goes badly, it'll cost her identity, but if it goes well, she can continue to station here after she finishes this mission. Thinking about the rewards for this mission, her heart thumped in excitement. It had been so easy for her to obtain the item, and now the only hard part was getting it out. 

If she happens to successfully accomplish this mission while not exposing her identity, she bets her rewards will double. Just imagining it made her giddy. 

By the way, she also has to make a report to her liaison about what she had found out so far. 

This led her to think back on the three missing people of the group. She mentally noted down their special importance to the significant figures of the Everett Mafia Group. 

Ian Everett and Levi Ethans.

One was the only little brother of Angus Everett, the head of all Everett Corporations, and the other was the secretary and right-hand man of the head.

Whatever do they see in those three?

'I'll have to take special care to watch all of them. But that can easily be done. We're in the same batch after all. That connection alone can make us closer. And once I enter their circle…' Kari smirked with wicked triumph.

Soon, the group arrived at the entrance of the Everett Mansion.

They were all welcomed inside by the old staff who quickly resumed their post after they saved their positions inside the main mansion.

Squeak.

The sound of a pair of polished, leather shoes stepping onto the waxed marble floor gathered the attention of the new employees who were looking around in excitement at their new workplace. 

Although they have all been here before when undergoing the special training, as taking care of this place was part of the training program, being here now as an employee instead of a trainee gave it a fresh, new feeling.

Butler Srca clapped his hands. The surroundings instantly returned to the peacefulness it previously was in before the young group entered.

Instructor Mary stepped forward and said to Butler Srca after respectfully giving him a bow, "Butler Srca, I finished my last mission so I'll be taking my leave now."

Butler Srca's lips parted to reveal an impeccable smile. 

"Yes, of course, thank you for your hard work, Mrs. Mary. Young master Ian wants me to let you know that your efforts are in his eyes and he appreciates your loyalty to his family," Butler Srca said politely, bringing out young master Ian's name.

Awe shone in Instructor Mary's eyes as tears glistened. She was so moved to know that an insignificant subordinate like her was noticed by young master Ian. 

Butler Srca continued, "When there are more special trainings that have to be carried out in the future, young master Ian hopes that he can call you out to lead them. Would you be willing?"

Ian had been very impressed to hear the unplanned part of the speech Instructor Mary had given during the closing ceremony of the special training.

Impressed by the blind loyalty this instructor held towards his family. He thought she was usable and planned to change her position and move her here to take charge of the servants and maids beside Head Maid Eliza.

Though right now, Instructor Mary had no idea that her simple loyalty promoted her position many times over.

Instructor Mary nodded her head quickly as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

She exclaimed emotionally, "Yes! I would be willing! They helped me when I was at my lowest, how could I ever ignore their wishes?! As long as young master Ian needs me, as long as the Everetts need me, I will be at their beck and call!"

Butler Srca smiled, a sincere smile this time, "I'm glad to hear it."

After Butler Srca said his goodbyes to Instructor Mary, he turned to face the silent crowd. 

Suddenly, Butler Srca frowned with dissatisfaction. He did not spot any of the three figures he had wanted to see. 

"Where are Rip, Chase, and Blake?" He asked in a calm voice that was like the calm before the storm.

One of the employees hesitantly raised their hand. 

Butler Srca nodded for them to speak.

"They… they were taken away by Mr. Levi."