Chapter Thirty-Three: Learning to Consume

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After stepping outside, Virak led Diaz to find Colin, who was waiting for them. Colin was dozing off in the hall and was gently tapped awake by Virak. “Finished talking?”

“Yeah, Diaz is in your hands for now. Change him into clean clothes and find him a place to stay,” Virak instructed.

“Got it. I’ll drop you off first, then take care of it,” Colin rubbed his eyes and stood up.

Virak draped an arm over Colin’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

“When did you get so polite?” Colin turned to Diaz with a smile. “Let’s go, Diaz.”

The three of them got into Colin’s car. Colin had the driver first drop Virak off at home, then took Diaz to settle the other matters.

Back at the estate, only Fletcher was waiting for Virak in the hall. It was a stark contrast to ten days ago when, after Virak had been out less than two hours, the Carmine family was on high alert, with none of them able to sleep easily.

“Master Chris, you’re back,” Fletcher bowed. “I’ll take you to your room.”

“Mm.” Virak followed Fletcher upstairs to the bedroom.

“Several days ago, important documents were stolen from the estate. I mistakenly suspected you and struck you for it. I deeply apologize for that,” Fletcher said apologetically after entering the room.

Though Fletcher’s lofty demeanor suggested he didn’t truly care, it was mainly a fear that Virak might harbor resentment, which could affect upcoming matters. Virak understood this well but pretended not to mind. “Anyone would be anxious in such a situation. It’s alright, Mr. Fletcher.”

“What did Mr. Colin take you out to do today?” After some formalities, Fletcher routinely asked about Virak’s outing.

Virak was prepared, only telling Fletcher about what he had witnessed at the underground fighting arena that evening.

Upon hearing this, Fletcher realized something. “It was my oversight. Although Master Chris isn’t extravagant, he usually carries some money when going out for emergencies. From now on, I’ll prepare two thousand gold Kron for you in advance. You’ll also need to completely discard your old spending habits. Don’t be stingy over a few copper Kron when you’re out.”

“Understood, Mr. Fletcher,” Virak nodded.

“You learn quickly; I can’t find fault in any aspect of you yet. But this is just the beginning. In the future, you will impersonate Master Chris to participate in work and attend more and more events. Every second will be a test,” Fletcher warned, unable to find flaws but urging Virak not to become complacent.

“I will continue to study diligently,” Virak replied humbly as always.

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Fletcher smiled. “Mr. Carmine plans for you to officially start work next Monday. There’s still time, so you’re permitted to travel freely these next few days to gain more experience and meet people. Any thoughts?”

This was good news. The Thomas family’s vigilance toward him was gradually waning. Since he needed to push the plan forward during this time, he wouldn’t need to waste effort coming up with excuses.

Virak did not hide his joy but chose his words carefully. “I want to visit some famous places, but that might make me seem like a newcomer from out of town. So I’ll pick from places Master Chris often goes to.”

“You’re smart. With such logical thinking, I won’t worry about you getting into trouble when you go out,” Fletcher said approvingly.

This was exactly the impression Virak wanted to give. If he always acted foolish and caused Fletcher to worry, he might not be allowed to roam freely. Showing some modest cleverness allowed him more freedom.

“Tomorrow I’ll arrange a driver and a private car for you. From then on, just report to me before going out. With a driver looking after you, you should stay flexible,” Fletcher continued advising.

Having a dedicated driver would inevitably cause some inconvenience for Virak, but it was reasonable, so he did not object. “Alright.”

“Get some rest. It’s already one in the morning, and I can barely keep my eyes open. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Mr. Fletcher.”

“Good night.”

After Fletcher left, Virak lay in bed feeling the most relaxed and comfortable he had since arriving in Lazein.

The situation had opened up; various plans were steadily advancing. The Thomas family’s attention was drawn away by the assassination attempt and theft, and because Virak was so low-maintenance, things had become much easier.

Virak had originally planned to think through some countermeasures tonight, but there was nothing troubling him this time.

After nearly half a month of intense pressure, the sudden leisure left Virak unsure of what to do next, as he wasn’t sleepy thanks to the smooth progress. He stood by the window, gazing out over the endless noble estates.

He, once mildly germophobic and thrifty just to have a single room in the slums, now held wealth he had never dared to dream of and led a rebel organization that the Bresse government feared.

And this was only the beginning.

Virak didn’t know what the future held, but he knew his ambitions would not stop here.

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“Lazein.” Amid such perilous circumstances, Virak was for the first time so calm and composed. He narrowed his eyes slightly and parted his lips softly. “Good night.”

...

Friday, July 28.

Early morning, Virak was woken by a servant and joined the Carmine family for breakfast. During the meal, Carmine casually asked about yesterday’s events, and Virak answered properly. Since both the betting and purchasing of Diaz had been done under Colin’s name, there was no way to trace it back to him.

After the Carmine family left, Fletcher took Virak to meet his new driver.

“This is Mr. Chris, and you will be responsible for all his travels from now on,” Fletcher introduced. “Your previous driver resigned due to personal matters. This is Daniel, your new driver.”

“Hello, Daniel.” Virak found the tall, slender young man somewhat familiar and shook his hand while recalling.

“Hello, Mr. Chris. It’s an honor to serve you,” Daniel replied enthusiastically.

Fletcher said, “Alright, Daniel, you can leave for now. Mr. Chris and I have some things to discuss.”

“Understood, Mr. Fletcher.” Daniel withdrew.

Seeing no one else around and without hesitation, Fletcher took out ten thousand gold Kron. “To cultivate your spending habits, Mr. Carmine has specially prepared ten thousand gold Kron for you. Your task over the next three days is to spend all of it wherever you want. Requirements: you cannot buy anything under one hundred gold Kron in value, and you cannot buy things obviously uninteresting to Master Chris.”

Virak accepted the ten thousand gold Kron in surprise, the sincerity mingled with a hint of falseness. “I must spend it all?”

“Of course.” A look of disdain flashed once more in Fletcher’s eyes. “If it’s not enough or there are special circumstances, come find me again.”