Chapter 131: Interviews

The morning was grey.

Emeric sat in the study. The ledgers were open. The numbers were better. But they were still a mess. Too many expenses. Too many projects. Too many things that needed his attention.

He needed help.

Someone who could manage the estate’s finances. Someone who could keep the books. Someone who could tell him what he was doing wrong before it was too late.

He reached for the system.

---

[SYSTEM QUERY RECEIVED]

[ASSET MANAGEMENT — HOUSEHOLD]

[CURRENT STATUS: INADEQUATE]

[RECOMMENDATION: HIRE AN ACCOUNTANT. SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE IN NOBLE HOUSEHOLDS. SOMEONE WITH TALENT FOR MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS.]

---

He thought of the skill he had used on Tatia. The one that let him see her emotions. Her deception. Her worth.

Empathic Resonance. He could use it to assess someone. To see if they’re honest. Capable. Trustworthy.

He stood. Crossed to the door.

"Graves."

Graves appeared within minutes.

"My lord."

"I need an accountant. Someone who can manage the estate’s finances. Someone with experience and a talent for this." He said gesturing at the open books in front of him.

Graves seemed to be deep in consideration for a small moment.

"There are a few that come to mind, my lord. But they are... expensive. And not always trustworthy."

"Find me the best. I’ll pay whatever it costs."

Graves inclined his head.

"I’ll send word to the capital. It may take a few days."

"Do it."

Three days later, the first candidate arrived at midday.

He was young. Well-dressed. His hair was slicked back. His smile was too wide. He carried a leather folder and a quill like they were props.

"Baron Halden. A pleasure. I am Master Vellin. I have managed the finances of three noble houses. All of them thriving."

Emeric gestured to the chair. "Sit."

Vellin sat. Crossed his legs. Launched into a speech about his experience. His credentials. His connections.

Emeric listened. Nodded. Reached for his skill.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MASTER VELLIN]

[EMOTIONAL STATE: NERVOUS, EAGER, DISHONEST]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: YES — EXAGGERATED CREDENTIALS]

[ASSESSMENT: NOT TRUSTWORTHY]

---

Emeric closed the skill.

He could have sworn he was lying from the start but he needed to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He leaned back.

"Thank you for coming, Master Vellin. We’ll be in touch."

Vellin blinked. "That’s it?"

"That’s it."

Vellin gathered his folder. Stood. Bowed. Left.

Graves appeared in the doorway.

"Next, my lord?"

"Next."

The second candidate was older.

Grey-haired. Thin. His clothes were worn but clean. His hands were ink-stained. He carried a single ledger that looked worn from use.

"Baron Halden. I am Master Corwin. I have managed the finances of one noble house. For twenty years. Before the previous baron dismissed me."

Emeric gestured to the chair.

Corwin sat. Opened his ledger. Showed his work. His methods. His results.

Emeric listened and like clockwork, his information popped up.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MASTER CORWIN]**

[EMOTIONAL STATE: CALM, HONEST, RESIGNED]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: NONE]

[ASSESSMENT: TRUSTWORTHY — BUT MAY NOT BE RIGHT FOR THIS ROLE]

---

He was honest. At least that counted for something.

"Thank you for coming, Master Corwin. We’ll be in touch."

Graves sent in the next candidate like clockwork.

The third candidate was a woman.

She was middle-aged. Her clothes were practical. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She carried nothing but a small leather case.

"Baron Halden. I am Serena Shay. I have managed the finances of two noble houses. Both of them were in debt. Both of them are now solvent."

She had moved to sit before he offered her a seat.

He noted it with a frown but put it out of his mind.

She sat. Opened her case. Pulled out a parchment. A full breakdown of income and expenses. For both houses. Before and after.

Emeric studied it.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MISTRESS SERENA]

[EMOTIONAL STATE: CALM, CONFIDENT, HONEST]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: NONE]

[ASSESSMENT: TRUSTWORTHY — HIGHLY COMPETENT]

She was confident. Perhaps a little too confident.

He thanked her and stood up.

"Thank you for coming. My butler will see you out."

She stood up and left.

The next one was a commerce student named Tobin.

He was seated after a few minutes.

"Baron Halden. I am Master Tobin. I have studied at the Academy of Commerce. I have read every book on financial management. I am ready to serve."

Emeric did not waste time to probe for the information he needed.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MASTER TOBIN]

[EMOTIONAL STATE: EAGER, NERVOUS, NAIVE]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: NONE — BUT LACKS PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE]

[ASSESSMENT: NOT READY — NO REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE]

---

He figured this much already.

Tobin did not have enough experience that qualified him.

He smiled and let him speak his fill.

"Thank you for coming, Master Tobin. We’ll be in touch."

Tobin blinked. "That’s it? But I have studied—"

"We’ll be in touch."

Tobin gathered his books and disappeared through the door.

Graves appeared.

"Next, my lord?"

"How many more?"

"Three, my lord."

"Okay. Send in the next one."

The next few were quite interesting.

Emeric studied the next one.

His name was Dorn, a dwarf who was good with numbers.

That in itself was a weird coincidence because of its rarity.

He told him about his previous job experience and how it went bad.

The experience had been similar to the previous baron Verity.

"Tell me what he did wrong."

Dorn opened his ledger. Pointed at the numbers.

"He borrowed too much. Spent too much. Invested in foolish ventures. He taxed the village into ruin. He borrowed from the Guild at rates he couldn’t afford. He—"

"I know all of that. Tell me what you would have done differently."

Dorn met his gaze.

"I would have invested in the land. The farmland. Planted crops. Sold the surplus. I would have built a mill. A granary. I would have made this estate self-sufficient."

Emeric reached for his skill.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MASTER DORN]

[EMOTIONAL STATE: CALM, HONEST, RESOLUTE]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: NONE]

[ASSESSMENT: TRUSTWORTHY — HIGHLY COMPETENT]

---

Emeric closed the skill.

---

The next one was a shrewd looking man named Phillip.

Emeric wasted no time probing him to reveal what he had known all along.

---

[SKILL ACTIVATED: EMPATHIC RESONANCE]

[TARGET: MASTER PHILLIP]

[EMOTIONAL STATE: CONFIDENT, DISHONEST, GREEDY]

[DECEPTION DETECTED: YES — FALSIFIED RECORDS]

[ASSESSMENT: NOT TRUSTWORTHY — POSSIBLE EMBEZZLEMENT]

---

Emeric closed the skill.

"Please see yourself out."

His smile faded for a second but he got himself back.

"I would look forward to hearing back from you."

Then he left.

The final candidate came and left.