The long corridors of the Valecrest Manor carried their usual atmosphere of quiet discipline as maids and attendants moved through the halls with practiced efficiency, their footsteps soft against the polished floors beneath the warm glow of the hanging chandeliers.

Near one of the intersections stood the head butler alongside several attendants and maids, calmly issuing instructions while holding a small ledger in his hands.

"The west wing guest rooms are to be prepared again before evening," he said in his steady voice. "And ensure the inventory from the northern storage is checked personally this time. I do not want another discrepancy."

"Yes, head butler!"

The servants bowed respectfully one after another as they listened carefully, none daring to interrupt while he continued organizing the manor’s operations with smooth precision built from years of experience.

Damon approached quietly from the far end of the corridor, observing the scene without speaking or disturbing anyone. His gaze lingered briefly on the head butler directing the servants before the old man finally noticed his presence.

"Young master..."

The moment those words were spoken, every attendant and maid nearby visibly flinched before hurriedly lowering their heads.

"Y-young master!"

Damon gave only a simple nod in acknowledgment as he stopped near them, his eyes moving calmly across the gathered servants before settling once more upon the head butler.

The old man followed his gaze.

Then understood immediately.

"You are all dismissed for now," he said calmly.

The servants bowed once more before quickly leaving the corridor, none daring to linger longer than necessary. Damon waited silently until every last person had disappeared around the corners of the hall before finally stepping closer.

Then his voice lowered.

"I need the records of everyone working within this estate," he said quietly. "Their backgrounds, when they joined, through whom they entered the manor... everything."

For the first time since Damon arrived, genuine puzzlement appeared on the head butler’s face.

But before he could ask a single question, Damon answered it himself.

"We have too many enemies," he said calmly. "And I have noticed certain anomalies inside the academy. I need to verify something before things spiral out of control."

The head butler’s eyes widened slightly.

"Young master... y-you mean—"

"Shhh."

Damon raised a finger lightly, immediately silencing him.

The head butler tactfully closed his mouth at once.

Damon looked at him quietly before asking again,

"Can I get those records?"

The old butler hesitated visibly this time.

"Young master... t-this..."

Damon’s expression shifted subtly then, his tone softening just enough to sound convincing without appearing forced.

"I only understood everyone’s importance after entering the academy," he said quietly. "Out there... nobody will tolerate my actions or stand on my side simply because I am the heir of a duke."

His gaze lowered slightly.

"As the heir of the Valecrest Duchy, I am naturally the target of schemes."

While speaking, Damon carefully observed the head butler’s expression changing little by little before continuing further.

"Please do not tell father..." he added quietly. "B-but there was even an assassination attempt on me."

The head butler’s eyes widened far more visibly this time.

Damon let a faint pause settle before continuing.

"It was only after coming so close to death that I truly understood my own mistakes," he said calmly. "And now... I am trying to improve."

His golden eyes steadied.

"I just need to ensure there is nothing within this manor that could harm my family."

That final statement seemed to settle something firmly within the head butler’s mind, as the hesitation lingering within his expression slowly disappeared after several long moments of thought. Then, at last, he gave a decisive nod.

"Come with me, young master."

A faintly satisfied expression appeared within Damon’s eyes at those words, though outwardly he maintained the same composed demeanor.

...Plan succeeded.

Without saying it aloud, he quietly followed behind the head butler as the old man began leading him deeper into the Valecrest Manor. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The path they took gradually moved away from the commonly used sections of the estate, passing through quieter corridors rarely visited by ordinary servants. The atmosphere itself seemed to change the further they walked, the elegant openness of the manor giving way to something more concealed and controlled.

Eventually, the head butler stopped before what appeared to be an ordinary wall.

Then—

Mana stirred faintly.

The old man drew a symbol through the air with practiced precision, and the wall silently shifted apart, revealing a hidden passage concealed behind layers of illusionary enchantments.

Damon observed everything quietly as they entered.

...As expected of a duchy.

The hidden passage extended far deeper than he initially anticipated, branching occasionally through multiple secure corridors reinforced with magical inscriptions etched directly into the walls themselves. Several additional security formations activated briefly as they passed, only to deactivate again after recognizing the head butler’s authority.

After several minutes—

They finally arrived.

A massive archive spread out before Damon’s eyes.

Towering shelves filled the enormous underground chamber from end to end, thousands upon thousands of books, ledgers, records, and scrolls arranged with meticulous precision beneath softly glowing mana lamps. The sheer scale of stored information alone carried enough weight to reveal centuries of accumulated power and control.

The head butler stepped forward calmly before raising a hand once more, drawing another intricate symbol through the air.

Mana rippled.

Then several large floating record tomes materialized before them instantly, hovering neatly in the air.

The old man turned toward Damon.

"You may search everything here, young master," he said respectfully. "You will find all the information you require."

Damon nodded lightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"I appreciate it."

The head butler hesitated briefly before adding another condition.

"However... all records must remain inside the archive. No one is permitted to take them outside."

Damon nodded immediately.

"I understand."

The head butler seemed visibly relieved by the smooth agreement, but before he could leave, Damon spoke once more.

"And... one more thing."

The old man paused.

Damon’s expression softened slightly again, carrying just enough hesitation to appear genuine.

"Please do not inform father about this matter," he said quietly. "He is already occupied with the breach that opened within Valmont territory. I do not wish to burden him further."

Meanwhile, inwardly—

...Tell him if you want to.

Damon remained completely calm behind the performance.

I already have a perfect reason for checking these records.

The assassination attempt was real.

The head butler looked at Damon silently for a moment before finally bowing deeply.

"As you wish, young master."

Then he turned and left the archive quietly, leaving Damon alone amidst the countless records hidden beneath the Valecrest Manor.

The underground archive remained completely silent after the head butler’s departure, the only sounds within the massive chamber coming from the faint hum of mana lamps and the occasional turning of pages as Damon began moving through the records one after another.

One large tome floated before him while several others remained stacked nearby, their pages opening and shifting through mana automatically whenever Damon gestured lightly with his fingers. Names, designations, service histories, bloodline records, recommendations, disciplinary reports, transfers, promotions, and assignments filled page after page in meticulous detail.

Damon’s golden eyes moved steadily across the information without pause.

...I can finally uncover your truth, Sahira.

The thought surfaced quietly as he continued searching.

One servant after another passed before his eyes.

"Lorian Vestal — Third Outer Grounds Supervisor. Entered service through hereditary family assignment. Father previously served under the eastern barracks..."

"Marla Fen — Kitchen division. Recommended by former head maid after six years of probationary service..."

"Cedric Hallen — Stable management. Transferred from northern territory logistics after military injury..."

Damon continued flipping through the records calmly, his focus sharp as he examined every detail carefully rather than skimming over them.

Some records were ordinary.

Some revealed hidden power structures within the manor itself.

Others exposed how deeply interconnected noble households truly were.

Several servants had entire family lines tied to the Valecrest Duchy for generations, their parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents having served within the manor long before they themselves were born. Certain children had been registered into service almost immediately after birth simply because they were born from existing attendants already loyal to the estate.

...So even the servants here are practically raised inside the duchy itself.

The deeper Damon searched, the clearer the structure became.

And yet—

Still no trace of what he wanted.

Page after page continued turning.

Book after book finished.

"...Not this."

Another page turned.

"...Not this either."

Another.

"...Still nothing..."

Damon’s brows gradually furrowed more with every passing hour as the records continued advancing chronologically from oldest to newest. The more he searched, the stranger the situation began to feel.

Where is her file...?

There was no way Sahira simply did not exist within the archives.

Every single servant had records.

Even temporary workers.

Even deceased attendants.

Yet Sahira’s name refused to appear anywhere.

The silence within the archive grew heavier.

Then finally—

One page appeared before him.

Damon’s eyes stopped instantly.

His movements froze.

For the first time since entering the archive, genuine shock surfaced visibly across his face as his eyes widened slightly while staring at the information before him.

Then slowly—

His brows furrow

ed deeply.

"T-this..." he muttered under his breath.

His gaze remained fixed upon the page.

"...How is this even possible?"