Standing under the cherry blossom trees, Manfred was even more eye-catching than the brilliant cherry blossoms, and most of the nearby cherry blossom viewing students kept a considerable distance from the strange-looking gentleman, so much so that there was a vacuum around Manfred. None of the students knew Manfred, so they had been stealthily pointing fingers at Manfred.

Manfred's cherry blossom viewing is a little different from ordinary people, and when others look up at the cherry blossom trees and admire the cherry blossoms that have drifted from the treetops, Manfred can raise his hand to pluck the flowers. Even when he walks in the cherry blossom forest, his bare head will touch the branches of the trees from time to time and a patch of powder snow, so he has far more petals on his body than ordinary people.

Manfred, who was admiring the flowers, suddenly felt that someone was watching him. This feeling is different from the way ordinary people look at themselves, Manfred has long been accustomed to being watched by people on the road, and the eyes that can make him vigilant must not come from ordinary people.

Looking back, he saw someone who would care him a lot.

He held out a hand to Swain and made an inviting gesture. Swain thought for a moment, then walked over to Manfred's side, walking beside him.

"I didn't expect to see you here. Sven, who was walking beside Manfred, was more than a head shorter than Manfred, but there was still no uncomfortable expression on his face, "Lesson Thirteen has a mission in this school?"

"Of course not. Manfred smiled and shook his head, leading Swain deeper into the woods, which were less crowded, "I'm a biology professor, though I don't teach at this school - you know, we sometimes need some normal identities where we can see the light. I heard from my friends that the cherry blossoms here are beautiful, so I came here to enjoy them. ”

Swain was noncommittal to Manfred's words, but more interested in what he revealed. "Biology professor?"

"That's right. Why, doesn't it look like it?" Manfred laughed, both joking and self-deprecating.

"I just came over from Professor Ranke and talked to him about something academic. I've heard that Professor Ranke has obtained a lot of valuable material from a colleague who is a professor of biology, and that generous gentleman is you, Professor Schneider?"

"Oh, you know Professor Ranke?" Manfred didn't answer him directly.

"Just met. Swain paused and looked at Manfred, "I didn't expect you to have information on the disappearance of the twenty-third Earl of Glamorgan and the Franconians, and so easily handed it over to Professor Ranke." I wonder if I'll have the pleasure of taking a look?"

"I've given everything to Professor Ranke, you should look for him. "For me, it doesn't make sense for something to rot in my hands, it's better to give it to those who can really play its value." If you are also a history lover, you should be able to understand Professor Ranke's cherishing and love for these materials, although I am not. ”

Sven flicked off a cherry blossom petal that landed on his shoulder. "That's right. "Instead of being as tough as he was when they first met, he skimmed the matter lightly.

Manfred was also a little surprised by Swain's tolerant attitude. His impression of the young Earl Jericho was arrogant and tough, and at the same time he gave the Count of Hecatet and His Majesty the Emperor an evaluation of the earl that no one else could see, and now he was so eloquent that Manfred did not expect. If it was someone like Professor Ranke, it would have been fine, after all, the professor who was only focused on academics did not know Manfred's identity. But Swain did know the background of Manfred's Thirteenth Lesson, and he shouldn't have been convinced so easily.

"What are your plans for Lesson 13, or what are your plans, these actually have nothing to do with it. For an unrelated person like me, there is no need for sufficient evidence to prove anything. Sometimes part of the clue is already the original thing I need to know. ”

Swain's words were incoherent, and Manfred frowned and thought for a long time without figuring out what he was trying to say, or what he was implying about. He looked at Swain's face, the young man was looking sideways at the dancing flowers blown by the mountain wind, and the same face still didn't make him see anything.

Probably his expression was what he meant. Manfred thought helplessly.

Although he couldn't grasp Swain's attitude, he didn't want to be led by the nose all the time, so he planned to take the initiative himself. "You should have attended the meeting held by the Metternich family some time ago. ”

"Ah, yes, it was an impressive night. ”

Looking at Swain who was silent, Manfred's eyes also stretched into a line, and he said with mystery and playfulness: "And at that party, the director of our thirteenth section, Maxsimian No. Hecate, Earl of Glamorgan, was attacked and was dying for a while. Fortunately, now that he is out of danger and has come to his senses, he can tell us who attacked him. ”

Swain didn't react, as if he hadn't heard the big news that Manfred had thrown out.

"You haven't met our director yet. ”

"Do you want to introduce me?"

"I don't think so. Manfred opened his mouth, and a gust of mountain wind suddenly blew in the mountains, "Didn't you already see it that day, isn't it the Count of Hecate you wounded?"

Shaken by the sudden mountain wind, a large number of cherry blossom petals could no longer continue to grasp the branches, and they were forced to drive down. These involuntary cherry blossoms floating in the air were pushed by the mountain wind and smashed towards Swin and Manfred.

Sven didn't move, letting the petals fall on him. He patted his clothes and looked at Manfred, there was no way that such a level of verbal offensive could stir up his emotions.

"Really, then, the nosy gentleman that day was Count Hecate. ”

Admit it, it looks like he's really not worried. Manfred thought to himself, maybe Count Hecate's speculation was correct, the emperor really wouldn't really attack Jericho directly, and Swain was also at this point, so he had nothing to fear.

"Are you trying to say it was an accident?"

"If it weren't for the accident...... Sven shook off the petals in his hair, "Will Count Hecate make it back alive?"

Manfred clenched his fists, he became a little excited, and even his teeth began to dance with joy. That's right, that's it, Sven Noe Jericht, you're exactly what I thought you were. Be more arrogant, be more arrogant, and become someone worthy of being my opponent, unfettered. There is no one in sight, and the final hell must be fought by me and you for the crown made of bones!!

"You're the same person as I am, and I'm looking forward to it. Manfred stared at Swain, his eyes lit up with a red, ominous light, "It's a pity that it's not the time yet, I hope you don't leave the imperial capital so soon, I'll wait, and please look forward to it, I've been preparing for a big drama for a long time." ”

Manfred's figure disappeared into the sea of flowers, accompanied by his maniacal laughter.

"Well, then I'll take a look, your true face. ”

————————————————

While Swain and Sofia were still stranded at the Astrad I School, a letter from Fort Midnight had arrived at Jericho's mansion. Since the master was absent, the letter was delivered to the butler.

The butler, frightened by Swain's many threats, got his mind set when he got the letter, and he walked into Swain's study with the letter, and sent all the servants far away to make sure they didn't pass near the study.

He followed the pattern of the envelope, found an identical envelope, then pulled out a few pieces of stationery, wrote a random greeting, and stuffed it into the empty envelope. The difficult thing to do is the mud sealing, which is the Midnight Raven, the family crest of the Jericho family, and this kind of seal is only found in Midnight Castle, except for the one in Swain's hand.

This gave the butler a real headache for a while, but he quickly thought of a solution. Swain's dresses had midnight crows on the buttons, so he cautiously crept into Swain and Sophia's room to find the black gowns Swain usually wore.

The butler's heart that sneaked into the director's room was beating very hard, and he had already arranged it in the study, and there would be no one to pass by, but it was different here, he hadn't given any orders. Although the average servant would not walk in for no reason, he had to worry about what would happen if someone saw him enter.

So he checked around several times before entering, and after making sure that there was no one nearby, he quickly flashed into the room, and then closed the door with the softest sound.

The furnishings in the room are the same as before the master left in the morning, even the windows are open, and the ginkgo tree outside has also emitted new leaves, showing a lot of vitality.

A gust of north wind blew in through the window, making the housekeeper, who already had a ghost in his heart, couldn't help but shudder. He cursed quietly and hurried to close the window. And just as he walked to the window, he was startled by a croaking and fluttering, and his heart was about to jump out of his throat.

A crow flew up from the ginkgo tree, seemingly to the roof. The housekeeper who saw what was going on breathed a sigh of relief, and it was easy to scare himself by doing such a thing. The calmed butler continued his course of action, and he opened the closet, which contained only some of the clothes that Sven and Sophia usually wore, most of which were in the cloakroom.

Seeing the wardrobe where men's and women's clothes were mixed, the butler pouted. The aristocrats are all like this, and they make it like a civilized faction, and in fact, they even start with their own sisters. With hatred for Swain, the butler pressed the button against the mud. Fortunately, the coat of arms of the midnight crow is symmetrical, otherwise the opposite pattern on the left and right would have aroused suspicion.

After making sure that there was no one in the hallway outside, the butler opened the window again and restored everything inside to its original appearance. Fortunately, as a housekeeper, he always wears gloves, so he doesn't have to worry about handprints.

After doing so many things and worrying for a while, the housekeeper can finally settle down. He did this not only to get revenge on Swain, but also for his own sake. He is already in his forties, and the housekeeper of any family chooses a loyal and reliable person with a clear family background, so if he is driven away by Swain, he will not want to change the court from other nobles, even if he really finds the main family again, he will not be able to be such a beautiful and well-paid housekeeper now, he can only be a subordinate, and his age as a subordinate will not have a bright future, unless he meets a new nouveau riche.

But after all, this is an unavoidable thing, and he still wants to be practical and obtain tangible benefits for himself. He had heard of the conflict between his master and another important figure in the Jericho family, his own father, and although the butler mocked the filth of these nobles in his heart, the news was still good news for him. He planned to secretly sell some of Swain's key information to the Viscount Jericho, so that he could get a sum of money, and then he could go to the countryside to buy a few pieces of land, or go to other cities to buy some real estate, and no longer have to serve others, and look at the faces of those nobles.

Trying to suppress his excitement and nervousness, he explained to the other subordinates, and then prepared to leave for Viscount Jericho's mansion. How much money would the viscount give? The butler was thinking about it all the way, and before he knew it, the journey was over.

When the butler came to Viscount Jericho's mansion, Viscount Jericho was not there. This is not surprising to the butler, Viscount Jericho is the commander of the imperial capital garrison of the Ministry of the Interior, and he is also busy with official business on weekdays, and if the butler is allowed to discuss these matters with the viscount in person, even the butler himself feels uncomfortable, after all, he betrayed his son, even if this son and he are now enemies, but who can tell whether the hatred between the nobles is true or false.

Because of the identity of the housekeeper and his special request, the doorman did not inform his wife, but directly invited Ramrem, who was the most trusted by the master's family in this mansion, to come forward.

After listening to the butler's use of a series of embellishments to hint and disguise, Ramrem roughly understood what this middle-aged man who had been saying superfluous words was going to do. Quietly turning around his thoughts, Ramrem nodded lightly and dismissed the butler with a faint "I will inform the gentleman".

Ramrem's cold attitude disappointed the butler, but fortunately he finally got a sum of money, although the amount did not meet his expectations, but he knew that as long as there was a first time, there could be a second time, not to mention that this money was equivalent to a year's salary for him.

However, what he didn't expect was that Ramrem, who got the letter, had a cunning light in his eyes instead of loyalty.

————————————

Sophia and Gladys quarreled for a while, and eventually the two ladies quickly regained their reserve. Sophia, who had calmed down, thought of her brother again, and looked at the time, she couldn't help but feel worried that her brother hadn't shown up.

Gladys, who was quietly observing Sophia's expression, saw the wrinkles between Sophia's beautiful eyebrows, and thought of the scene she saw when she came in just now. Miss Sophia, who had made her first impression of great elegance and nobility, fell asleep on her bed, still dreaming of her brother's name. Gladys couldn't help blushing at the thought of this, this crimson fantasy really made her, a girl who was very small physically and mentally, feel shy, but there was also a little bit of anticipation.

The two girls had their own thoughts, and with the commotion just now, neither of them spoke for a while. In silence, the door opened, and Swain, who had spent a lot of time on the road, finally arrived.

"Brother!" Seeing that her brother finally came, Sophia couldn't help but be overjoyed and jumped directly into her brother's arms, and Gladys, who was next to her, saw this scene and immediately lowered her head with a red face, and then confirmed her guess in her heart.

"I've been waiting for a long time, I'm sorry, I'm delayed on the way. Swain put Sophia down, although Sophia's figure is very slender, but Sven can't hold her all the time, it's unbearable.

Sophia, who enjoyed her brother's touching and pampering, immediately behaved like an obedient kitten and stood obediently beside her brother. Swain's gaze could finally turn to the room, and the first thing he saw was Gladys sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What a coincidence, Miss Ranke, we meet again. ”

"You, hello, Brother Swain...... Ahh

The Jericho siblings were also confused by her garbled words, Sophia tilted her neck slightly, looking at Gladys suspiciously, while Swain did not react. As if he hadn't heard Gladys's abrupt "elder brother" just now, he continued: "Just now, I met with your father, Professor Ranke, and we talked for a while. ”

"Eh—have you seen my father?" Swain's words immediately pulled Gladys out of that terrible state of confusion, and her attention was completely diverted, "It's a rare thing, ah, but with your academic research, I must have had a good conversation with my father." ”

"Indeed, the professor gave me a lot of useful materials and information. As he spoke, Sven suddenly threw his left leg back, drew a large circle in the air with his right hand and put it on his chest, bent slightly to Gladys, and performed the aristocratic etiquette of a knight's era.

"Last time I was in a hurry, allow me to introduce myself again. I am Count Midnight, the current head of the Jericho family, Swain no Jerichault, my sister Sophia no Jerichault, and the Winston No. Jerichault whom I discussed with you is my grandfather. ”

Gladys was first startled by Swain's exaggerated salute, and then shocked when he heard Jericho.

"Eh——?"