All-around teacher at the magic academy

"Ahem, I haven't asked your name yet."

Rhine coughed twice, trying to break the awkward atmosphere, and his tone remained as polite and professional as possible.

"Just call me Mrs. Hills."

Countess Hills answered indifferently, her tone revealing a subtle arrogance and aloofness.

"Mrs. Hills, hello. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Rhine continued to question, his attitude extremely respectful, in an attempt to salvage the firm's image.

Mrs. Hills gently bit her lower lip, seemingly weighing whether she should entrust these private matters to these seemingly unreliable people in front of her.

She took a deep breath, finally made up her mind, and said softly, "Yes, there are some things I'd like you to investigate for me..."

Rhine keenly noticed Mrs. Hills' hesitation and immediately said, "Please speak freely. We are all on the same side, and no one will say anything out of turn."

His tone was firm, trying to reassure Mrs. Hills.

Tommy and Kirby realized the seriousness of the situation. They quickly went to Rhine's side, sat down quietly, and waited for Mrs. Hills's request, their previous playful expressions gone.

Mrs. Hills lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers, saying somewhat awkwardly, "It's like this, I think my husband has been acting strange lately, and I suspect he might be having an affair."

Her voice grew softer and softer, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Oh oh oh, that's it."

Tommy nodded and excitedly interjected, "Don't worry, we're familiar with this; this is our profession."

His tone revealed an overly direct enthusiasm that made Mrs. Hills somewhat uncomfortable.

Upon hearing Tommy's words, Rhine couldn't help but gently pat him on the shoulder as a warning.

He sighed inwardly, thinking how this fellow was ruining his reputation, but he maintained a professional demeanor and said gently to Mrs. Hills, "Please continue, we will do our best to help you."

"Yes, I want you to help me follow my husband, collect some evidence, and preferably find that woman directly and take some photos."

Mrs. Hills said firmly, her eyes revealing a resolute determination; she had clearly made up her mind.

"Ahem, sure, sure. May I ask what your husband's name is?"

Rhine coughed lightly, trying to make his voice sound calm, even though he was already feeling a bit unsettled.

“Earl Hills,” Lady Hills replied calmly, her tone carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Upon hearing this, Koby, Tommy, and Line all gasped involuntarily.

They exchanged glances, secretly shocked. Good heavens, this was the first time they'd ever taken on such a big job.

Although there have been similar cases before, such as catching someone in the act of adultery—oh, no, I mean, surveillance investigations—those people were all relatively ordinary, at most just some businessmen.

This time, a count has actually come, which obviously raises the level of this incident considerably.

“This…” Rhine scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Hills frowned slightly and asked in confusion, her voice carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, clearly puzzled by Rhine's hesitation.

"To be honest, this is a bit difficult," Rhine said frankly, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

"Didn't you just say that's what you're good at?" Mrs. Hills' voice rose a few decibels, clearly confused by their contradiction.

"The main problem is that he is an earl, a man of noble status. We are just insignificant people, and we dare not accept the offer."

Tommy added quietly from the side, his attitude somewhat humble, seemingly intimidated by the Earl of Hills's status.

Rhine nodded, indicating that he agreed with Tommy's words. They were indeed somewhat worried about the complexity of the case and the potential risks it might bring.

"I can pay more, as long as you can do it."

Mrs. Hills spoke calmly, her words seemingly possessing a magical power that instantly made the three of them sit up straight, a glint of light flashing in their eyes.

"How much can you give?"

Tommy couldn't help but ask, a hint of excitement in his voice. Rhine and Kirby also stared intently at Mrs. Hills, awaiting her answer; clearly, the possibility of a price increase had shifted their attitude towards the case.

"10 pounds?"

Mrs. Hills spoke slowly, her tone tinged with a hint of probing. Her gaze swept across the three faces, as if assessing their reactions.

Rhine's hand trembled involuntarily as he was drinking coffee, spilling a few drops. However, he quickly regained his composure, took a sip as if to appear nonchalant, and tried to hide his surprise.

"Hmm, I think we need to think about this."

Tommy took a breath, trying to make his voice sound calm, but his eyes betrayed his inner excitement.

12 pounds.

Mrs. Hills did not hesitate much and immediately raised the price, clearly indicating that she was very eager to resolve the issue.

"make a deal!"

Tommy agreed almost as soon as the lady finished speaking, and his quick reaction made Rhine burst out laughing.

However, he had to admit that the money was indeed very attractive. Just investigating the count could earn him so much money, which was equivalent to several months' income for them.

Koby, standing nearby, was dumbfounded. He could hardly believe his ears. Did this money come so easily? He began to wonder if he hadn't asked for enough wages before.

He had pestered the agency relentlessly to get a job, and they eventually agreed on 5 rubles a month, which he was quite satisfied with.

Seeing this transaction now, he felt that his previous asking price was too low, and he secretly wondered if he should raise his fees.

Thinking of this, Koby couldn't help but glance at Rhine, and their eyes met.

In that instant, Rein seemed to sense the turmoil in Koby's heart. He quickly averted his gaze, as if trying to escape something, but a barely perceptible smile lingered on his lips.

After seeing off Countess Hills, the atmosphere in the office immediately became cheerful.

Tommy, Rhine, and Liz began to celebrate wildly, their laughter and chatter echoing through the small office.

Of course, the party among the three did not include Koby, because the three of them were in a joint venture, while Koby was just an employee who received a fixed salary and did not receive any dividends.

Tommy ran up to Kirby excitedly, casually draped his arm over his shoulder, and said, "Brother, what's wrong? This is a big deal! We're going to make a killing this time!"

Koby rolled his eyes at him and pursed his lips, but he was deep in thought. He knew he should be content; after all, if he hadn't been working here, he didn't know what he would be doing now. Perhaps he would still be struggling to make ends meet in some corner of the world.

Moreover, being here now allows him to learn some magical knowledge from Rhine, which is a very rare opportunity for him.

With this in mind, Koby felt much better. He decided to stop worrying about his salary and instead cherish the opportunity before him and work hard to improve himself.

..........