Chapter 98: Advice from Experience

“Goodbye, Lord Bolerum! It has been truly pleasant spending time with you! And thank you for your hospitality. I hope we can meet again in the future.” Miss Kately curtsied and then stood quietly, looking at George with her big, watery eyes, waiting for his reply.

“Then goodbye, Miss Kately! I am sure that day will not be far away.” George smiled warmly and returned the curtsy. ‘It certainly won’t be long. If nothing goes wrong, we will meet during the Autumn Hunt. Although the Kately family did not make such arrangements in the past few years, since matchmaking has started this year, it is inevitable for me to join such an event.’

After the simple farewell, Miss Kately turned and left, accompanied by a Maid. George then called over the restaurant staff to prepare for the bill.

“Sir, your total bill is 17 Gold Coins and 6 Silver Coins.” The waiter looked at the bill and immediately stated the final price without any fuss.

Hearing the price, George casually reached into his money bag, grabbed some coins, and tossed them onto the tray where the waiter was holding the bill.

Ding! Ding! Ding! After the sound, exactly 18 Gold Coins landed on the waiter’s copper tray. George then waved his hand to signal that no change was needed. Tipping the waiter in such a place was very common. Even though the waiter had not served him most of the time today, George felt it was not worth the risk of being criticized over such a small amount. Otherwise, rumors of Lord Bolerum being stingy would spread in a few days.

As for issues like the waiter stealing extra coins, there was absolutely no need to worry at the “O’Holly” restaurant. This was a gathering place for the upper-class elite of Nohan. There was a saying: if a stone fell from the sky and hit ten people, one might be a Knight, one a family Heir, one a wealthy man, one a politician, and one a Clergy member… The risk of doing anything wrong here was far beyond what a simple waiter could bear.

George walked along the Karada streets as night fell. The dim light from the shops and homes on both sides of the road allowed him to see the path clearly. However, for the convenience of others, he carried a long-handled Oil Lamp, which should have been the duty of a servant. But like most Heirs in Karada who hoped to become a Knight, George did not like having a Squire following him around. The only difference was that George was carrying a lantern he did not even need. Thinking of this, George touched his nose and self-mockingly thought, ‘Am I being too public-spirited?’

Even so, the cost of those 18 Gold Coins still made George’s heart ache a little! Do not look at how George used to spend money like water before; he never expected to become so stingy here. It was because George felt it was not worth it. His previous huge expenses had brought him greater benefits through his own efforts.

But for this matchmaking meeting, the restaurant made at least two-thirds of the profit. If the meeting had been held at his own Manor, not only would the cost be lower, but the food and service would also be better. Unfortunately, he had no say in this matter and wasted such a large sum for nothing.

‘That speech Miss Kately said when we parted was really flawless! It looks like her family prepared the answer before she left. Judging from the few words she revealed during our earlier conversation, she seems to have a fairly good impression of me. But that is all. This young girl probably wants to compare three houses before making a decision. Otherwise, the final answer would not have been so vague.’ George thought about the details of his encounter with Verina Keld Kately today. After confirming nothing was missed, he came to this conclusion. Touching his chin, George said, “It seems my charm is really not that great! I can’t even handle a little girl.”

After showing his pass and passing the inspection by the Guards at the inner city gate, George stepped onto the road of the Inner City again. The streetlights on the main road brightened George’s vision. When he reached his destination, George casually put out the lantern in his hand. From George’s point of view, the check at the city gate was not loose, but it was not strict either. For Nobles like himself, it seemed more like a formality.

However, George understood their difficulties. There were simply too many important officials entering and leaving the Inner City. Although not everyone could decide life and death with a single word, if he met a petty person and lost his job, it would not be worth it. Over time, this strange situation formed. If someone really wanted to sneak in, a Transformation Spell would solve it 100%.

Worried about security, George returned home. After confirming with the servants that his father was still in the study, George set off to report today’s results. After all, this was a major life event and could not be taken lightly.

Upon entering the room, George told Viscount Bolam everything that happened during the meeting in detail and shared his judgment.

Viscount Bolam thought for a while before speaking: “Your judgment is likely correct. That little girl from the Kately family has some affection for you to some extent. Moreover, besides Miss Kately herself, the two attendants who accompanied her today will likely have some say in the matter after they return. After all, since Miss Kately is still young, their evaluation of you will be used as a reference by her elders.”

“That’s good! My performance today was quite good. I don’t think there were any flaws.” George thought for a moment and then said confidently.

Viscount Bolerum gave a positive response to George’s performance based on his description: “Indeed, it was a very standard appearance. This method might not stand out, but it is the most stable. After all, everyone’s thoughts are different. What stands out to some might be a failure in the eyes of others. Before understanding the other party’s hobbies, your approach was a good choice.”

“I think even if we know the other party’s hobbies, we should not deliberately cater to them. Father, you know this choice is for a lifetime. Just because I can cater to them now does not mean I can do it for a lifetime! It would be hard to explain later. You don’t want this family to be in chaos in the coming days, do you?” George immediately refuted some of Viscount Bolerum’s points. He also emphasized the potential negative consequences of using such a method, adding, “Besides, if I act differently from my usual self, there will be flaws. If the other party discovers them, it might make things go in the opposite direction.”

Understanding George’s stance, Viscount Bolam immediately gave him a thumbs-up and said, “Since you have made your own decision, then follow this path. As a father, I fully support you. If this time does not work, we can just wait a few years.”

Seeing Viscount Bolerum’s smile showing two rows of neat, white teeth and hearing his words just now, George suddenly felt a vein popping on his forehead. He said angrily, “Is it that bad! Father, do you have to look down on your son so much? I am not that despicable!”

Viscount Bolerum shook his head repeatedly at George’s reaction: “No! No! Of course not. In my eyes, you are the best. Moreover, your deeds on the Territory over the years would make even the pickiest officials give you a thumbs-up. And in terms of strength, you are quite good among your peers.” Before he finished speaking, he immediately changed his tone and continued, “But this does not guarantee you will succeed this time. Although it is a political marriage, the feelings of the parties involved are very key in our Duchy of Nohan. And your competitors are not weak either! So you, kid, still need to work hard, or you really will have to wait a few years.”

“Father, what you just said sounds like advice from experience!” Seeing that his trick worked, George turned the tables and teased his father.

Hearing this, Viscount Bolam immediately stopped smiling and pretended to be angry with his mustache bristling: “Don’t think that calling you ‘Father’ a few times will make me pretend I didn’t hear that sentence! You should know that your father met your mother at first glance when we first met. When your father was young, I was quite a handsome young man! Your current good looks are largely my contribution.”

After saying this, Viscount Bolerum stroked his handlebar mustache. But his words were actually correct; Viscount Bolerum indeed had a handsome face. A perfectly proportioned forehead, a very straight nose; deep-set eyes, but large and bright. Coupled with his fine, smooth wheat-colored skin, he had the style of a Western sports star from before his transmigration.

Many of these advantages were inherited by George. However, it seemed due to his mother, George’s facial features appeared softer. He did not have the sharp angles of Viscount Bolerum. Combined with the fair skin brought by practicing the arts of The East, the whole person looked more scholarly.

George did not evaluate Viscount Bolerum’s narcissism too much. After all, there was a Knight named Val with amazing looks in the Territory, which made others’ appearances seem overshadowed by his brilliance. This meant that as the Lord of the Territory, Viscount Bolerum could only indulge in self-praise when no outsiders were around. George had no intention of breaking someone’s beautiful dream.