Capítulo 1381: Chapter 1381: The Eavesdropper

“Psychologist?”

Mr. Enriques looked at Shard with some surprise. Shard nodded, having heard Dr. Schneider describe his work:

“Marital issues can lead to some psychological problems. Of course, they’re just minor issues, not real illnesses, such as depression, loss of appetite, fear of sharing a bed at night, or preferring to smoke in the alley next to the house after work instead of going straight home. If you have these symptoms, a psychologist could help you manage them.”

Shard added:

“Don’t take the psychologist’s medicine; those are just placebos. Just talking to them is enough.”

In this era, there are no effective medications for psychological problems.

Mr. Enriques nodded, obviously moved by Shard’s suggestion:

“Yes, maybe talking to a professional would be better… I have a friend.”

He cautiously looked at Shard but relaxed when he saw Shard had no particular expression:

“He learned about some parts of his wife’s past… not a very bright past, and he’s been in a bad mood because of it. I think we could visit a doctor together.”

Shard smiled:

“Does your friend still love his wife?”

“Of course.”

Mr. Enriques replied without hesitation.

“Then, does his wife still love your friend?”

“Yes, on the night of the wedding banquet, she even knelt down, begging for forgiveness for her past disloyalty.”

Mr. Enriques added quickly:

“That’s what I heard too; he’s a very close friend and tells me everything.”

“I wouldn’t forgive someone for someone else randomly. But if they both love each other and there’s just one issue causing a rift, that means the marriage can still be saved.”

Saying this, it wasn’t that Shard thought casually breaking up a marriage was wrong, but he saw that Mr. Enriques had no intention of leaving the marriage; he was just troubled by that matter:

“Now, presented before you—cough, cough—I mean your friend, are only two paths. One is to resolve this issue, and the other is to let the emotions ferment until the marriage breaks. Neither of us is the person involved, so we can’t make decisions for others, but he surely has his own thoughts and knows what he wants.”

“But what if he himself is unsure? Oh, Mr. Watson, people always fail to see themselves clearly.”

Mr. Enriques continued to inquire.

Shard fished out a small copper coin from his pocket; it was a Copper Penny, roughly equivalent to 1.4 pennies:

“Then flip a coin.”

“Let luck decide?”

“Of course not.”

Shard placed the small coin into Mr. Enriques’s hand:

“When you flip this coin, at the very moment it reaches its peak and begins to fall, you already have the answer you want in your heart.”

He encouraged:

“Try it, I mean, let your friend try it.”

Mr. Enriques put down his wine glass again and flicked the small coin with his thumb. Both of them looked up, watching the coin fly into the air before Mr. Enriques caught it on the back of his hand.

“Do you have the answer?”

Shard asked.

Mr. Enriques stared blankly at the covered coin, suddenly bursting into laughter:

“I have the answer; I have the answer. Yes, he still loves her, and she deeply loves him too; he knows she loves him deeply, and she knows how to love him. Although there’s still the issue, but…”

He sighed softly, but the melancholy and sorrow in his tone had disappeared.

Mr. Enriques and Shard looked out of the window again, the glass clearly reflecting the image of the two gentlemen in suits and white shirts, also reflecting the lively party behind them, although the figure of the lady talking in the dim garden was somewhat blurred.

“Thank you, Mr. Watson; I know what to do now.”

“Why thank me? I haven’t made any decisions for your friend; I just gave some unrealistic advice. After all, I’ve never been married myself.”

Shard raised his wine glass, and Mr. Enriques clinked his with Shard’s, handing over his business card:

“You’re welcome to visit me; the manor outside the city is just for the wedding, I also have a house in the city… bought by Maggie’s father.”

Mr. Enriques and his wife both hail from Baron families, but the former’s family is relatively down-and-out, while the latter holds a prominent position locally.

“I will go when I have time, so I look forward to our next meeting.”

Shard said politely, watching Mr. Enriques walk towards the door, seemingly wanting to have another talk with his wife.

[Do you think they can reconcile?]

“She” suddenly asked.

“What a strange question.”

Shard smiled as he watched Mr. Enriques’s back:

“What does this have to do with me? Getting involved in other people’s domestic affairs is the dumbest thing to do. So, I didn’t give him any advice.”

Earl Granger is the overall in charge of the soon-to-be-completed shipyard, and he must also have attended this banquet. Seeing that Margaret was still busy for the moment, Shard thought to find the Earl for a talk, maybe he could get clues about gemstones or such.

But after making a round in the banquet hall, he still didn’t see the Earl’s figure. So he found Margaret’s maid to inquire, only to learn that Earl Granger was meeting with the Prince.

Margaret often complained that her brother didn’t do much, but to say that Prince William did nothing would certainly be wrong. With spring about to arrive and the construction nearing the end, Prince William, aside from dealing with his business with Osenfort, was also starting to pay more attention to the shipyard matters.

Of course, this could also be because Ston Osenfort’s scam was already in its final stages.

Their meeting location was the reception room on the second floor. To prevent the Earl from leaving there and going somewhere else, Shard went up to the second floor to wait. And upon entering the corridor, he thought since he was already there, it wouldn’t hurt to eavesdrop on their conversation, or else it would have been a waste of effort climbing the stairs.

Thus, taking advantage of no one’s attention, and using the cover of Illusion Technique from the corridor window, he transformed into a swarm of Red Butterflies and flew outside, then along the outer wall to the left, quickly arriving at the location of the reception room window.

Fortune was very much with him, as the window curtains were not drawn. Earl Granger was sitting on the sofa, while Prince William, dressed in a red dress coat, was standing by the window. He was facing inwards with his back to the outside, holding a wine glass in his hand.

So Shard manifested his form, crouching directly on the windowsill, and listened through the glass to their conversation inside.

The last time he saw Prince William was at Mr. Enriques’s wedding banquet, and there was a Low Ring Sorcerer with him, but this time the Circle Sorcerer was at the door, so Shard didn’t have to worry about being discovered squatting by the window.

“…then let us toast to the smooth inauguration of the shipyard and prepare for next year’s negotiations with the Draleon People.”

Prince William clinked his glass in mid-air with Earl Granger, seemingly in a good mood. Earl Granger also respectfully raised his glass, taking a small sip, his eyes exceptionally sharp:

“Your Highness, the final installment of the construction funds, can it be allocated as planned by the end of this month?”

The glass goblet was lightly placed down:

“Since the start of construction, every planned allocation has been delayed by a day or two more than the previous one. Now this final installment involves local workers’ wages and more than half of the contractors’ remaining payments, so it must reach the account before the inauguration.”

Shard could only see the back of the Prince’s head, unable to see his expression:

“The construction funds…”

Prince William’s tone was somewhat frivolous, whereas the Earl’s expression was extraordinarily serious.

“Earl Granger, you should know, the funds are managed by the Kingdom Treasury Department. What kind of person Earl Grandet is, we all understand. The money will definitely arrive, don’t be so anxious.”

“Many people count on this money to make a living come spring… Last time I discussed this with Her Highness Margaret, she said she would find a way.”

The mention of Margaret seemed to displease Prince William:

“Don’t consult Margaret about everything, she’s a Princess, and I am the Prince. Moreover, what is the use of Margaret’s promise? Isn’t she busy meeting with those country bumpkins from the Stonemason Guild recently, where does she have time to handle this?”

Earl Granger hesitated:

“But… if this money isn’t soon accounted for, I worry there will be trouble during the shipyard’s opening ceremony. You know, because of that money from the Stonemason Guild a dozen years ago, locals don’t… have much trust.”

“Trouble at the opening ceremony? That won’t do!”

Prince William raised his voice:

“What did Margaret say to you? No, I mean, Margaret, although just a girl, does have some abilities. What did she say?”

He paced back and forth by the window, and despite the Prince’s attitude changing so rapidly, the Earl’s expression remained composed:

“Her Highness Margaret said she would inform His Majesty of this matter in a letter. She also told me that during last year’s end-of-year review, the Kingdom Treasury Department was found to have a significant… gap.”

“I also heard about it.”

The Prince nodded, with Earl Granger looking at him:

“Her Highness Margaret said it’s highly probable that the money was misappropriated to participate in last autumn’s Big City Player’s gambling matches. But who would have thought, the winner this time turned out to be the lover of that Northern Grand Duchess? So, since the beginning of 1854, every appropriation from the Treasury Department has been delayed to cope with audits, which is a procedural issue, difficult to disrupt. But she said if it really doesn’t work, a sum of money could be gathered from local nobles and His Highness to settle the most crucial payments first, which isn’t much…”

The Earl’s speech slowed down, likely having detected a slight change in Prince William’s expression, but he powered through:

“In recent days, I’ve already discussed it with the local nobles. They are in principle in agreement with this proposal, just waiting for Her Highness Margaret to receive a reply from His Majesty, to confirm Velindale’s stance.”