…
As the sun casts its warm glow across the Eudaemora Region, a wave of shock rippled through the entire area. On the front page of Panther Newspapers, a headline in bold letters emerged: "Corruption Unveiled Beneath the Veil of Charity."
It was no baseless accusation. The article detailed the courageous act of a whistleblower from within the village officials of Riverton Village, who had come forward with evidence of the clandestine activities taking place behind the scenes. As a result, the village chief and the corrupt officers mentioned in the newspapers were swiftly dismissed and imprisoned, facing charges of corruption. The innocent residents who had been unjustly imprisoned for challenging the authorities were released, including the blind woman, and they returned to the sanctuary of their homes.
Within a short span of time, the mayor of Grythwill City, burdened by a sense of responsibility for the failure of the charity event, tendered his resignation. The organizers of the event also stepped down from their positions recognizing the stain on their reputation and the irreversible damage it had caused to the trust once placed in them. It was a day that marked the indefinite end of the charity event, as the truth could no longer be concealed.
Juliane hurried back to the Golden Mansion, bringing a copy of the newspaper. Her heart raced as she made her way to the young master's room. She knocked gently three times, awaiting permission to enter. When granted, she pushed open the door.
In that moment, Juliane's gaze was drawn to Amon, who sat behind his desk engrossed in reading documents. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting a halo of light around him. His hair of distinct golden hue, shimmered in the gentle rays. Time seemed to slow down as Juliane's eyes captured every detail of the mesmerizing scene, as if she were seeing an angel.
Noticing Juliane standing there like a statue, Amon cleared his throat and turned to her. "Yes, Ms. Johara? What do you need?" His eyes met hers, and she quickly came to her senses.
"Mister, did you read the newspaper?" she asked, approaching him and extending the newspaper towards him.
The young master glanced at the paper briefly before turning his attention back to the document he was reading. "I have already read it," he replied, his tone serious.
Feeling embarrassed, Juliane rolled up the newspaper and discreetly tucked it behind her back. Amon seemed to not care, as usual.
"Sorry if I disturbed you. May I know if you have some tasks for me today?" she asked, trying to regain her composure.
"Let me just finish going over these files. Come here, let me show you something," Amon said, motioning for her to join him.
Juliane nodded and walked behind him. She positioned herself next to him, her gaze fixed on the document he pointed to.
Little did she know, Amon couldn't help but notice how close they were, feeling her warm breath on his neck as she studied the document. A faint scent of lilies reached his nostrils, a delicate aroma that he couldn't help but find alluring.
Their brief moment was interrupted by the distant sound of heavy footsteps , growing louder until the door suddenly swung open, breaking the spell. Amon then distanced himself from Juliane, "Apologies if I interrupted you both, the door was slightly open," the tan-haired man said in a polite tone, "Joerdan Merritt, here now for the investigation report regarding the painting."
"Mr. Merritt, yes, please. How was it? Did you find out where the painting came from?"
"Yes, sire. Here," he handed a pile of papers inserted in a kraft folder. While watching Amon review the documents, he continued the discussion, "The painting came from Oseanna Town. It was sold from an inn that had just gone bankrupt."
While Amon listened to Joerdan, he let Juliane see the documents as well. He uttered, "Ms. Johara, take a look at Mr. Merritt's report. You should study how it's written."
"Yes, mister."
The young master then turned to his investigator, "Who owned the inn?"
"Mrs. Quincy… but she already died. And her husband Mr. Quincy died 20 years ago."
"Any relatives?" Amon inquired.
"According to my investigation, they had a son, but I still need to go to Oseanna to find any leads. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning, sire."
"In that case, why don't we go together?" Amon glanced at Juliane, who looked at him with curious eyes. "Ms. Johara, come with us."
"Yes, sire! But uhm… Which path shall we take?"
Joerdan then suggested, "For the land travel, we need to pass by the Eastern and Western Farmlands, then go over the bridge to Oseanna Town. It will take more than 2 hours, at least. But if we go through a steam boat from Grythwill City Port, directly to Oseanna Town, it will only take an hour. The river path is better in terms of travel time, but it is more dangerous on rainy and windy days."
"Then let's prepare for both, and decide tomorrow. I hope the weather's fine so we can take the boat," Amon answered, then dismissed both Joerdan and Juliane.
When Mr. Merritt left the mansion and Juliane went to the library for her lessons, Amon took time to walk around the hallway. With a forlorn expression, he gazed at the paintings one by one, and lastly, his mother's painting at the end of the hallway.
The young master didn't even know how she was doing, or if she's still alive. But for some reason, unveiling the painting made his heart feel at ease. The comfort he felt while meeting his mother's cinnamon brown irises couldn't be compared to anything else.
Staring at the brush strokes, it was as if whoever did the paintings was a meticulous person. What's more, the paintings were all views inside the Golden mansion's premises, with a child Amon as the model. Did the painter work in the mansion? Or was it someone close to the Midas family?
As Amon turned his back on his mother's smiling face, he wished deep inside, to find her through uncovering the mystery of the paintings.