The blue Halls-Royz Phantom of William stood imposingly in front of the colossal mansion as William emerged from it. The first thing he did was to survey the grand structure before him, nearly whistling in admiration. The mansion's sheer scale was overwhelming, far surpassing anything he had ever encountered. Even his villa paled in comparison to this architectural marvel.
'Damn, how much would it have cost him to buy something like this?" he mused. 'I am able to buy it because of how easy it is for me to generate money but how the hell do this people get so much money and how do they hide it from him?'
William dismissed these thoughts and returned to the car as George retrieved the gifts and handed them over. Just as William was about to leave, George hesitated and asked, "Sir, are you sure you want to go alone? You could have easily brought some guards with you; it wouldn't seem out of place for someone of your stature."
"Yeah, I considered that too. But it's fine. The man I'm about to visit runs an establishment known for its impeccable security, and I have to trust him enough not to need bring guards," William replied.
'Besides, going alone demonstrates how much I value him; it'll work in my favor,' William thought, offering George a reassuring smile.
George sighed and said, "Alright, boss. If you're comfortable with it, so am I."
"But still, park the car somewhere secure and be ready to pick me up at any time. I don't anticipate any trouble, but it's always wise to be prepared," William added, and George nodded in agreement.
"Understood, Boss."
George then drove off as William began ascending the short flight of stairs.
'Don't worry, if anything happens, I can safely extract you from here,' Suddenly out of the blue, Anne said.
William asked curiously, 'And how do you plan on doing that?'
'I have my methods,' Anne replied cryptically, unwilling to say any further.
William didn't press her as he continued up the stairs, a faint smile playing on his lips. At the top, he found a young butler, likely in his mid-20s, standing there, waiting for him. His outfit was of a high quality butler's, something one would expect from a butler of such a high family.
'Wha— how are you reading my thoughts?'
'Upgrades,' Anne said casually.
'Wow, that's— wait, hold on, did you just say my drawings would be worse than this?' William mentally retorted, but Anne didn't respond. He decided not to pursue the matter further, not wanting to appear suspicious to the butler.
They walked a little longer before arriving at a spacious living room. The butler gestured to a couch and said, "Please have a seat while I announce your presence to the master. If you need anything, feel free to ask the maids behind you; they'll be more than happy to assist."
William glanced back and saw two young women in maid uniforms, who bowed their heads and said in unison, "Welcome, young master. Please call on us if you need anything."
The butler was about to leave, but William quickly stopped him. "Here, please give these to your master," William said, handing over two items. "One is for your mistress, and the other is for your master."
"Oh! Be sure to tell your master to open his gift immediately; I'm sure he'll appreciate it very much." William added, emphasizing his words.
The butler smiled, "I'll make sure of it, sir." With that, he walked away, and William watched him go, his thoughts distant. 'Are you sure this will work?'
'Yes, trust me, it will work. And besides, if it doesn't... you can always try your hand at art,' Anne joked.
William didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her comment. 'Didn't you just say I'm not cut out for art?' he thought, but Anne remained silent, leaving him to sigh as he noticed the maids observing him with hawk-like eyes, tracking his every move.
'Are they maids or guards?' he wondered.
Meanwhile, the butler moved at a steady pace before quickly approaching a large door, where an older butler awaited him. The young butler relayed everything to the older man, who nodded and dismissed him before turning around and knocking twice. "Sir, it's me," he announced before entering what appeared to be a private office filled with antiques and papers, all meticulously organized.
"Sir, I have some unfortunate news. The Trust family sent their son, the father couldn't come, saying something about an urgent business."
"But he did bring something interesting."