Transmigrated as the Devil of the Meaningless-Chapter 91: An Expected Visit

’Fiona Amoret would make a good candidate for a witch under me,’ he thought.

’But I’m not desperate enough to rush into this without careful consideration.’

Fiona wasn’t an ordinary noble girl after all.

She was the daughter of a regional noble house with quite the influence...

The Amoret family might not stand on the same level as the ancient houses or the royal family, but their power was definitely stable.

From what he had gathered through Matilda’s notes, the Amoret family held a unique position in the region.

They were a regional noble family with dual-faceted power— agrarian and social.

Their agrarian control meant they oversaw significant agricultural land and food production services.

This gave them leverage over resource security.

In simple terms, they helped determine who ate well and who didn’t.

Seth remembered similar setups from his old world... large agricultural conglomerates that influenced entire economies by controlling grain supplies and food distribution.

Their social influence was equally important.

The Amorets patronized media, arts, and social institutions throughout the region.

This allowed them to shape public opinion and facilitate alliances between other noble families.

Seth thought of modern media moguls who could make or break political careers through their newspapers and television networks.

The Amorets operated on a similar principle, but with more subtlety and tradition behind it.

Seth didn’t know the intricate details of these industries, but he understood their basic mechanics.

Control food, and you control survival.

Control public perception, and you control power.

The Amorets did both.

And it seems that from Fiona’s words, their family business is now expanding to other things such as the mining industry...

Still, according to Matilda’s notes, the Amoret family was considered the most tolerable among the regional houses.

They were known for maintaining fair grain prices during poor harvests instead of exploiting shortages.

They funded rural clinics, village schools, and public kitchens during winter seasons.

Their cultural patronage focused more on education and public welfare rather than pure prestige.

Compared to them, the other regional families were far less pleasant.

The Caeliviri family, which controlled logistics and transportation, had a reputation for manipulating routes and delivery schedules to pressure businesses and towns.

Delays, sudden fee increases, and selective service cuts were common methods to force compliance.

Meanwhile, the Philides family, involved in mining, estate expansion, and private security, had darker rumors surrounding them.

Forced land purchases, unsafe labor conditions, and aggressive private guards were often mentioned whenever their name came up.

In comparison, the Amorets appeared restrained.

’I wonder if acts of corruption or the abuse of wealth and power are classified as sinful enough to give birth to a progenitor...’

’They undoubtedly should be, given how inherently oppressive and damaging they are to human dignity...’

Seth thought as he redirected his mind onto other things.

’If I’m going to approach a noble house, then the Amoret’s are the safest option...’

Seth admitted to himself.

’If I can attach myself to them in some way, I might gain access to their resources and protection without inviting the kind of consequences the other families would bring.’

Of course, he had no intention of exposing himself too much.

The best outcome would be simple...

At least one person close to Fiona had to be brought under his influence.

Fiona herself was the ideal choice. She had authority, curiosity, and the freedom to act.

But if she proved too cautious and difficult to handle, then someone like Jerald would also be acceptable.

Bodyguards were loyal, but loyalty often followed necessity.

If Jerald came to believe that Seth’s power could better protect Fiona, influence could be built from there.

’At minimum, I need one of them.’

’I’ll let tomorrow’s meeting guide my decision,’ Seth concluded.

Seth closed his notebook and looked toward the direction where the carriage had disappeared.

’If possible... Fiona Amoret will become one of my Witches of the Meaningless.’

’And if not... then someone close to her will take that place instead.’

...

After conducting his inquiries around the city, Seth made his way to the Silver Crest Teahouse.

It was located on the fourth street of the Zerep District, positioned quite near the public school.

He checked the clock tower thirty minutes ago, which had read 1 AM.

That meant it should now be around half past one in the morning.

Upon arriving, Seth first scanned the surrounding area.

The streets were clean and well-maintained, with proper lighting along the walkways.

The buildings had a neat, respectable appearance.

’This area is clearly designed to attract middle-class folk...’ he thought.

’Being near the public school makes sense... allowing middle-class students and their families to form connections in a comfortable setting.’

’The kind of place where merchants, teachers, and minor officials gather to network...’

He focused his limited senses, checking for any signs of danger.

’The location is public enough that open violence would be noticed quickly. The surrounding buildings are well-kept and probably house respectable families. ..

’Crime here would bring unwanted attention from authorities.’

Seth breathed a small sigh of relief.

At least Fiona had chosen a genuinely neutral ground.

Now he needed to inspect the inside before tomorrow’s meeting.

He circled the building quietly, checking each window and door.

All of them were locked securely which was standard for a business at this hour.

However, this was no problem for Seth.

He activated [Authority of the Meaningless] and focused on the door’s lock.

He pulled away its "purpose"— the function of keeping the door closed— and transferred that purpose to a small leaf on a nearby plant.

The lock clicked open instantly, its reason for existing now resting elsewhere.

He slipped inside, then reversed the process, returning the lock’s purpose from the leaf back to the door.

Anyone checking later would find it securely fastened.

The interior was dark.

Only the faint glow of street lamps through the windows provided any light, casting long shadows across the tables and chairs.

Seth stood still for a moment, letting his eyes adjust.

Just as he prepared to move deeper into the teahouse, a calm voice sounded from near the counter area.

"Good evening, sir."

There was a brief pause.

"We have been expecting your visit."