Everyone has difficult circumstances they’d rather not reveal. Despite his future-worthy achievements, regrettably, he was currently penniless.

In truth, if blame were to be assigned, both his becoming a notorious swindler and his current status as a nationwide fugitive were entirely due to “those people’s” incomprehensible persistence.

‘You want to pull out? Listen, Sion. The only way to leave our organization is as a corpse.’

‘Alright, I’ll give you a special option. Bring 500,000 piso as an exit fee. Then I’ll let you leave with your body intact, heh heh heh.’

500,000 piso. If his memory served him right, he had cursed immediately upon hearing that absurd condition. Demanding 500,000 piso to cut loose a mere low-level informant? That amount could buy an entire newly constructed building in the prime area near the imperial palace and still have money left over.

In essence, it was an ultimatum telling him not to even dream of escaping.

But Sion was a stubborn man. For three solid years, he had used every means necessary to end this suffocating underground life that had continued since his childhood.

And as you can see, the years of crimes where he had stopped at nothing had left him with a life as a fugitive and an opportunity to seize a second life.

That was enough for him. Because he had desperately wanted it. To escape this self-destructive cycle where the more he achieved with the organization’s tag attached to him, some part of his personality was eaten away.

And finally, that day had arrived. To build the new life abroad that he had longed for, he naturally needed funds. The experienced swindler Sion decided on Ponten as his final stage. Right after seeing a job posting for a butler position for the lady of House Irone, one of the kingdom’s most prestigious families, in Ponten, where he had initially gone to temporarily hide.

The posting listed an enormous salary, even considering it was for a ducal family’s butler, along with the requirement that it was a one-year replacement for a butler on sick leave. Of course, nothing but the money-related details caught his eye.

‘Half a year at most… That’s plenty of time to rob the sickly lady’s mansion.’

Though it was a villa separated from the main house for recuperation, the Irone estate in Ponten was enormous in scale. Moreover, it was common knowledge that great nobles scattered their honey pots across their various grand mansions.

His goal wasn’t the substantial salary earned by dutifully serving as a butler. It was to infiltrate as a butler and get his hands on “something that could serve as settlement funds abroad” hidden in the Irone villa.

Without hesitation, Sion headed for the villa in Ponten, where a jaw-dropping sum awaited him as a retirement fund from his fraudulent lifestyle.

* * *

“Your name?”

Sion immediately perceived that Adollo, House Irone’s head butler, was no ordinary stickler. From his snow-white hair fixed with wax without leaving a single strand loose, his pointy mustache that was certainly trimmed daily, and his piercing hawk-like gaze, Sion was certain.

“Daniel.”

“Hmm…”

Why ask when you can clearly see it on the resume? Instead of showing a satisfied smile at his falsified credentials, which would have been appropriate, Adollo stroked his beard while making a disapproving sound, displeased about something.

“Daniel, you say…”

‘Could it be he doesn’t like my name?’

Sion was considerably taken aback by Adollo’s obvious displeasure.

‘Perhaps I should have used a different name.’

While an amateur would have fled with their tail between their legs, the reason Sion was taking his time in Ponten wasn’t simply due to confidence.

One target per region, without exception. The longer the tail, the more likely it gets stepped on—this was his principle and personal creed.

Even in areas with many tempting prey, there were no exceptions. After pulling a job, he would leave without looking back. Not only that.

Whenever he settled in a new area to start his next job, he became a completely different person. Doctor, teacher, driver, even a mafia member.

There was no role he couldn’t handle. Sion, who perfectly performed as fabricated fictional characters, changed his name, appearance, and even his voice, thoroughly deceiving people of all ages and genders.

A trusted business partner, the only reliable subordinate, a once-in-a-lifetime final lover—identity forgery was as routine as eating for him, making any role easy.

His targets either couldn’t imagine that Sion had betrayed them even after being swindled, or they didn’t realize they had been defrauded until after he disappeared. This happened countless times.

All these accomplishments were due to Sion’s obsessively thorough cleanup. Yet the baroness’s vault, which he had brazenly emptied in his haste, claiming it was his last job anyway, had become the root of his troubles.

“Why did you come all the way to this rural village from abroad?”

By the time his futile reminiscence continued, Adollo finally moved on to another question. Sion’s lips, which had been anxious about raising suspicion in an unexpected area, curved into a fine line.

“As stated in my resume, I’ve been working as a butler throughout my career and came to Bladen due to civil war in my country. Being a foreigner, it would be difficult to get hired directly in the capital, so I plan to build experience in Ponten for about a year before moving to the capital.”

Conveniently, there was a neighboring country currently embroiled in a noisy civil war that made life there unbearable.

When previously disguised as a businessman’s secretary, Sion had perfectly forged a letter of recommendation with the seal and signature of a ducal family from the war-torn country. It would be difficult to verify his credentials by requesting information from a country at war, so even if they wanted to know the truth, there would be no way.

Moreover, the family had owned the country’s leading business before the war broke out, so they must have had connections with House Irone.

Adollo nodded after carefully comparing the recommendation letter Sion had brought with some document he had prepared—probably a document from the civil war country’s ducal family that House Irone possessed. Sion truly considered himself a master of navigating life’s complexities.

“Honestly, looking at your experience alone, there’s nothing to fault. If anything, you’re overqualified as a replacement.”

Even Adollo’s hawk-like sharp eyes were ultimately deceived by Sion’s forged documents.

The tense atmosphere seemed to be tilting in Sion’s favor. He showed not a trace of nervousness. Even if there was no way to verify his experience, carelessly fabricating credentials without considering the consequences would be exposed in practical work.

In other words, Sion had the ability to back up his false credentials.

“Hmm…”

Perhaps as a final formality, the elderly man, who seemed close to retirement, stared at Sion as if performing mind-reading, still finding something unsettling. Sion maintained his impeccable demeanor, but inwardly he enjoyed the futile gaze.

The badge of acceptance would soon fall into his hands anyway.

“You’re hired. Start tomorrow.”

Everything was too easy for him.

* * *

Sion was the only butler in this mansion besides Adollo. Adollo, who had been the butler at the main house, had apparently followed Agate, whom he had served since childhood and held in special regard. He had not left her side for a moment during her recuperation period, which was now entering its third year.

“This is Daniel, who will be working as our new butler starting today. Though he has ample experience, he’ll need time to adjust, so everyone please help him settle in.”

Adollo seemed to have taken charge of managing the estate in place of the ailing lady, handling everything flawlessly. The servants gathered in the lobby followed him without objection, proving their trust in him.

After brief introductions with the maids gathered in small groups and the kitchen and garden staff, Adollo led Sion to a room at the far left corner of the second floor. Having met everyone in the mansion except one person, it was obvious where he was being taken next.

“You must serve the young lady with complete devotion.”

“Of course.”

“…I don’t know what kind of people you’ve served before, but the young lady requires special attention. You must keep that in mind.”

“I understand.”

‘Is he trying to intimidate me? Or marking his territory?’

Sion didn’t even feel like snorting at the unnecessary advice. Nevertheless, he stiffened his expression to appear more solemn than anyone else.

“The young lady’s physical condition has worsened due to her mental illness. She was always physically weak, but never to this extent.”

Adollo’s shoulders trembled slightly as he suddenly stopped ten steps short of the room. Sion, who had stopped alongside him, inhaled sharply in astonishment as he watched the old man’s skinny back quiver.

‘Ha! Is he crying right now?’

“…The young lady was once brighter, more cheerful, and kinder than anyone. But after that incident three years ago… her life changed completely.”

Adollo, who had unexpectedly turned toward Sion, took out a handkerchief—a butler’s essential item—and wiped his already moist eyes. Watching him, Sion barely maintained his focus and responded as if genuinely sympathetic.