Chapter 195 Case File 3: The Mystery of Rose Villa Begins (11)
"They're just a bunch of anecdotes from the past, true or false," Winston frowned. "If we're still skeptical about whether such a princess really existed, what's the point in investigating them? It's nothing but superstition and sophistry! His Majesty the King is ruling the country wisely, and Madame Butterfly has invited us here, but she keeps talking about the past. What's her intention?"
"Your Excellency is worrying too much." Madame Butterfly bowed. "I always enjoy exploring anecdotes and interesting stories, especially mysteries lost in history. It was by sheer coincidence that I stumbled upon this villa. Whether it's the romantic story of King Rudolf and the Queen, or the roses and butterflies of this villa, I'm deeply captivated and can't let go.
"I spent a fortune restoring this villa, abandoned for decades, to its original state. I also invited several scholars to delve into the villa's historical records, and finally came to a conclusion. King Rudolf did have a princess, and the queen gave this villa to her. In other words, this villa should have belonged to the descendants of that princess."
"Does the princess have any descendants?" a noble asked curiously.
Madame Butterfly raised the corners of her lips and said, "What I desire is nothing more than to legally acquire this villa from that descendant. To this end, I am willing to strike a deal with him. I have invited all of you here because you may have some connection to Rose Villa, or you may have extraordinary abilities and be able to provide me with some clues to find this descendant..."
She waved the small golden folding fan in her hand and covered her red lips lightly: "Coincidentally, everyone is more or less seeking my help."
The expressions of most of the nobles in the hall suddenly changed, as if Madame Butterfly had touched a sore spot. Some looked around nervously, some had gloomy faces, and some cowered and pretended that it had nothing to do with them.
Winston frowned slightly. Although he had expected this, he was still shocked by the power of connections that Madame Butterfly secretly controlled.
"The rules of this game are simple. It will last for three days," Madame Butterfly said with a smile. "The entire villa has been renovated. All the documents, records, and furnishings are exactly as they were when the princess lived here. During these three days, each guest may explore the villa on their own, searching for clues. If you find any clues, or if you possess intelligence, you may directly trade with me."
"As long as you help me truly own this villa, I will also help you solve your problems. By the way, legend has it that the princess once owned a rare and precious sapphire brooch - the Heart of Tiara."
She smiled mysteriously and said, "Perhaps this gem brooch is hidden in some corner of this villa~"
"Well, the game officially begins now. Everyone is free to move around. You can call our butler, Richard, for anything you need. If you need any food, drinks, or beverages, you can ring the summons bell and make a request based on the menu for the day. Also, I will be hosting a dinner in the banquet hall at 8 o'clock tonight. Please arrive on time."
As soon as Madame Butterfly finished her words, she took a step back. Suddenly, white smoke erupted from the ground beside her, completely covering her figure. Everyone saw a blue-purple butterfly take off from the smoke, staggering and flying out of the window. When they looked again, there was no trace of Madame Butterfly in the hall.
The guests could not help but let out exclamations, while Count Valentine, who was enjoying the fun, laughed and applauded.
"...playing tricks," whispered Winston.
"Interesting." Vivian propped up her chin with her pink fan. She looked around the room, scanning each noble. "So, who are the insiders, who are the connected ones, and who are the busybodies just here to join in the fun?"
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"This is completely different from the script-killing game I imagined!" Jiang You returned to the kitchen with a pile of empty bowls and couldn't help but complain to Andre, "So, Madame Butterfly is just trying to use these nobles who need her help to find the princess's heir and seize this villa from him?"
"It looks like this at the moment," Andre said, putting the pile of empty bowls in his hand into the sink.
"I thought it was some old mystery!" Jiang You scratched her head, and when her eyes swept across the pile of empty bowls, she realized something. She rushed out of the kitchen and found the butler in the living room who had not yet left: "Butler Richard!"
"Well, Master You, is there anything you need?" the butler asked. "The seafood you ordered will be delivered tomorrow morning."
"Oh, okay! But that's not what I wanted to talk about," said Jiang You. "I'm only responsible for cooking, so who will wash the dishes? That's a separate price."
"Don't worry about that." The butler clapped his hands, and a little maid came out from nowhere. "This is Leila. She's in charge of cleaning the kitchen and dining room. You can use her as you please."
Jiang You was finally satisfied. She glanced at the little maid named Leila, who had black hair and black eyes, a round face and big eyes, and looked very young.
She was only as tall as Takuyu's shoulders, and was wearing a classic black and white maid outfit. Although she looked like a doll, her expression was very wooden - like a carefully carved mannequin.
So Jiangyou took the maid Leila back to the kitchen and pointed to the pile of empty bowls. The little maid rolled up her sleeves and went forward to wash the dishes without saying a word.
With the biggest problem solved, Jiangyou breathed a sigh of relief. He sorted and organized the food already cooked in the kitchen, then turned off the stove and said to Andre, "Those guests just finished their meals. I don't think they'll order again for three or four hours. Should we go for a walk around the villa?"
The dinner is at 8pm, so it would be more than enough if we start preparing from 3pm. If that doesn't work, we can still use the Crucible of Time to cheat. Jiangyou is not panicking at all.
——As a worker, you must combine work and rest and slack off occasionally!
Although this script-killing game did not develop as Jiang You had expected, but instead turned into a large-scale reality show of aristocratic interest exchange, Jiang You still felt it was quite interesting after careful consideration.
Forget about anything else: Rose Manor, a token of love given by the previous king to the queen and later given to the reclusive, mysterious princess, would probably be considered a famous tourist attraction in later generations. Not to mention the one-of-a-kind, precious sapphire brooch, the Heart of Tiara, that Madame Butterfly pointed out so thoughtfully at the end... Jiang You couldn't help but wonder: if a customer actually found that brooch, would they keep it for themselves, or would they give it to Madame Butterfly in exchange for a profit?
The poor, money-loving and gossipy Skeleton Lich rubbed his bone claws excitedly, wanting very much to join the nobles' team to join in the fun and have a great adventure in the manor.
Andrei couldn't help but laugh: "Come on, I'll take you to see the sea of roses first."
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