“What is the current dynasty and name of His Majesty the King of Astrian?”

Sedric asked in the Astrian language. Deborah was surprised twice – once at his perfect pronunciation, and again at why he would ask such a question.

“The, the current king is King Franz, Your Maj- I mean, Your Highness.”

Abigail, the first interviewee, stammered. Afterwards, Sedric did not ask Abigail any more questions. He simply smiled kindly and said, “Thank you for your efforts.”

Clara, the second interviewee, answered correctly the question that had tripped up Abigail.

“You know that a certain poet’s poems are being used as another language among the noble ladies, don’t you?”

“Of course. I can even recite all of Butler’s poems.”

“Very good. Then please recite the poem ‘Summer Rose’ in Geman.”

Sedric asked the question in Geman. Clara understood the question but couldn’t answer easily.

Deborah, maintaining her composure while looking at her documents, thought that Sedric would say “Thank you for your efforts” to Clara just as he had to Abigail earlier.

“You’ve worked hard.”

‘Oh, I guess not.’

The tone was similar, nonetheless. Afterwards, Deborah imagined what kind of question Grace, the third interviewee and the only one who had survived so far, would have to overcome.

‘Economics? Culture? History?’

However, as if Sedric could see Deborah’s thoughts, he asked a question completely different from her expectations.

“Alright. Then do you have any questions for me?”

Grace, who must have thought she was doing well in the interview but in reality had been unable to hide her flustered expressions at each question and often furrowed her brow in concentration due to nervousness, asked back.

“Pardon?”

“Haha. Don’t you have anything you’re curious about? For example, about your future life here, or how your salary will be paid.”

Sedric said with a relaxed smile, speaking comfortably.

“Feel free to ask anything you wanted to ask the master, or even things you found difficult to ask. It’s all fine.”

“Ah…”

As Grace looked at Sedric cautiously, he spoke in a calm tone.

“It’s really alright. Honestly, this situation of having an interview with someone other than the master probably wasn’t very pleasing to you, so you should at least enjoy this bit of luck.”

His kind smile and pleasant voice offered the same serenity one feels when a frozen body slowly thaws in the warmth of a fireplace.

This excessive relaxation of tension was clearly not good. Because the interview was not over yet.

‘Sedric Rearford, Sedric Rearford…’

Deborah looked straight ahead, repeating his name.

‘I knew he was no ordinary person, but…’

All the interviewees were Anna Franklin’s rivals, carefully selected by Deborah. She didn’t have enough familiarity with them to cheer them on, but because of this cruel and harsh interviewer, she found herself rooting for them.

‘Hang in there. And please don’t be fooled. This person is doing this on purpose.’

But unfortunately, Grace didn’t hear Deborah’s mental encouragement.

“Well then.”

Afterwards, Grace asked questions that one would typically be curious about. Is the salary paid the following month? How do we live? Together with the other servants?

Sedric maintained a gentle attitude as he answered. Deborah thought it would be fine if she only asked those kinds of questions. However, the situation where kind answers were given to every question made Grace let her guard down.

“Is the young lady who will be learning perhaps a family member of Mr. Baker?”

The advertisement posted by Zen Baker stated that they were looking for a home tutor to teach etiquette and knowledge to a lady before her debut in central society.

‘There wasn’t any other explanation, so it’s natural to be curious, but…’

At that moment, Sedric answered with a natural smile.

“No.”

“Then, if I may ask, which family’s young lady is she?”

Sedric answered with a slight smile.

“She is the daughter of Count Blaise.”

Surprise flickered in Grace’s eyes. She hesitated for a moment, then smiled and replied.

“I see. It would be a great honor if I could pass on what I’ve learned to her.”

Sedric nodded with a smile as if agreeing with her words.

“Thank you for your time. We will contact you later.”

Grace’s interview ended like that. She stood up with a satisfied expression.

Airin, the last interviewee who had answered all questions correctly and received the same invitation as Grace, replied coldly like this.

“I have none.”

“You have nothing to ask?”

Sedric’s face still wore a neat smile, but his voice and eyes carried a certain weight.

“No.”

“Are you really not curious about who the young lady you’ll be teaching is, or what kind of master you’ll be serving?”

It was like a quiet reprimand towards an irresponsible person. Airin hesitated, unable to hide her bewilderment, but soon gathered herself and answered.

“The information in the job advertisement was sufficient. I think any other details I need to know can be explained after I’m hired.”

Airin looked straight into Sedric’s eyes. Their gazes met intensely, as if in a staring contest.

“If that’s what you say, I have nothing more to add.”

Sedric was the first to close his eyes. He then said to Airin what he had said to Grace.

“Thank you for your time. We will contact you later.”

After Airin left, only Deborah and Sedric remained in that spacious room once again.

“You really didn’t ask any questions. You weren’t watching me, were you?”

Sedric said to Deborah.

“Of course not. Mr. Rearford was so kind that I had nothing to say.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Sedric said as he neatly organized the documents with a leisurely hand.

“Which of the two did you think was better, Deborah?”

“By two, do you mean Miss Grace Smith and Miss Airin Brown?”

Sedric smiled leisurely, as if he had expected her to confirm again.

“Yes.”

“Both ladies were very knowledgeable. It’s difficult for me to say which one is better.”

Deborah gave a stereotypical answer with a troubled expression. Sedric nodded, his lips pulled into a full smile.

“I understand. I will report today’s interview content to the master, so you don’t need to worry much about this matter.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Deborah replied like that and thought.

‘Hmm, was that answer a mistake?’

Through this interview, Deborah felt she had definitely learned what kind of person Sedric was. He was a good person, but one who also made sure to secure his own interests while wearing the face of a good person.

‘And he has no qualms about deceiving people.’

Of course, this was a special situation called an interview. And if Sedric had really been a bad person who enjoyed being above others, he wouldn’t have acted so blatantly next to Deborah.

‘Anyway, there’s nothing good about being looked down upon by someone like this.’

Sedric thought as he stared at Deborah’s hands, which were cleaning up faster than his, and her face with a faint smile.

‘I think I know what kind of person she is.’

She is indeed a good person. The words she just said with a smile weren’t lies either. But it would be troublesome to think that her visible attitude was all there was to her.

‘She probably answered like that because she doesn’t care which of the two gets chosen.’

There’s no need to give an opinion, so she just brushes it off with a smile.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen this type.’

Sedric hadn’t lived that long, but because his past job was a bit special, he had met many people. But he had never met someone like Deborah before. Someone who has stubbornness but no greed…

Zen returned to the mansion in the early morning, closer to morning than night.

Sedric, looking as neat as if it were midday, greeted him.

“Welcome back.”

Zen barely managed to stop himself from asking “What about Deborah?” and instead asked something else.

“…How was the interview?”

Sedric said as he followed Zen, who was heading to his study rather than his bedroom.

“Master, would you mind whichever home tutor is chosen?”

“What kind of question is that out of the blue?”

“All the interviewees were quite similar.”

Sedric, who answered like that, explained what had happened today. By the time Zen sat down at his desk in the study, the story was wrapping up, and Zen, who plopped down in the chair, frowned and opened his lips.

“I think I told you to help with the interview, so why did you act on your own?”

Zen could easily imagine Deborah sitting uncomfortably next to Sedric with a faint smile.

“What are you saying? I swear I only stepped in because Deborah was feeling burdened.”

Zen, swallowing a sigh, said.

“Anyway, are you saying both Grace Smith and Airin Brown are not good?”

“No. Both have decent knowledge.”

“Then?”

“Smith’s confidence was good to see, but she seemed likely to take interest in unnecessary things, while Brown seemed to have more tact than Smith, but her desire to be hired no matter what was too intense.”

The reason she kept her mouth shut wasn’t because she wasn’t curious. She looked afraid of making a mistake and failing because of it.

“Does she have debts or something?”

“I didn’t look into it separately so I can’t be sure, but probably. Not just anyone can have such desperate eyes.”

“In other words, doesn’t that mean Brown would be easier to handle?”

People who are desperate for money are easy to use. Because money solves everything. But Sedric couldn’t possibly not know this simple fact.

“Why are you torn between the two?”

“Well, Smith seemed to have a better personality? I’d say she might lead conversations more pleasantly?”

Sedric answered with a shrug. Zen let out a laugh as if dumbfounded. Zen seemed to think Sedric was joking. Sedric had been serious.

Sedric recalled Dia’s face, looking around nervously like a frightened mouse.

‘She’d probably be terrified in front of someone as stern as Brown?’

But, well. As long as the home tutor teaches well, that’s all that matters.

Just as Sedric was organizing his thoughts like that, Zen asked an unexpected question.