Chapter 230: Auditing and Absolute Power (4)
When I arrived at the Visconti estate, a stunning sight unfolded before me.
The nobles of the estate, all of them, seemed to be waiting for my visit.
"Welcome, Baron. I am Presso, the steward of the Visconti estate. With the honor of the Visconti family at stake, I will do my best to ensure you have a comfortable stay while you are here."
Even when Erica, the Visconti Duke's daughter, arrived, they didn’t treat her with this much grandeur.
Yet, now that I, her son-in-law, had arrived, they were lavishing me with such excessive protocol.
As expected, my earlier warning about the "audit of the accounts" had already made them bend over backward without me even having to ask.
This reminded me of the famous Japanese military in the post-World War II era, known for their lowly status—when a minister of finance, lower in rank than the division commander, visited, the commander himself would have to bow and show respect, even holding ceremonial parades.
But, well, I didn’t force anyone to bow. I decided to enjoy the attention.
After all, I wasn’t making the poor lowly officials or soldiers do anything.
"Thank you for such a grand welcome."
"Of course, Baron. You are now a member of the Visconti family by marriage to Lady Erica. The Duke himself has commanded that you be treated with the utmost respect, so how could we neglect such an esteemed guest?"
The flattery was thick, and the words, though long-winded, spoke volumes about their hidden unease.