Transmigration: Step Into The World of Books And Become The Strongest!-Chapter 42: Visit

On the northern side of the capital stood luxurious residences owned by wealthy merchants and noble families.

The land and buildings were incredibly expensive—far beyond what ordinary people could afford in a lifetime.

"Good evening, Sir. May I help you?"

A guard approached Arthur and greeted him respectfully.

"I’m here to visit Young Lady Vanessa," Arthur replied in a casual tone.

The guard looked Arthur up and down, finding no trace of deceit in his demeanor.

In fact, his striking appearance made him even more convincing.

"You said you’re here to visit Young Lady Vanessa... Do you mean the eldest daughter of the Maple Leaf Trading House?" he asked, a hint of doubt in his voice.

There was only one Vanessa living in this elite district—the eldest daughter of the Maple Leaf Trading House.

Still, the guard wanted to be certain to avoid any unnecessary mistakes.

Arthur gave a small nod, then took out a letter of permission from his pocket and handed it to the guard.

"Yes, she’s the eldest daughter of the Maple Leaf Trading House. This letter serves as proof," he said nonchalantly.

The guard unfolded the letter, and as he read its contents, his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly bowed his head.

"Please forgive my impoliteness, sir. Young Lady Vanessa’s residence is at the end of the street—the largest house over there," he said respectfully, returning the letter.

"Okay." Arthur took the letter back and walked in casually.

Watching Arthur’s figure slowly disappear down the street, the guard let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"I didn’t expect someone like him to have a letter like that. What a surprise."

A letter of permission was typically granted to distinguished guests who wished to enter the exclusive residential district. Only individuals of notable status could receive one.

After all, whether nobles or wealthy merchants, they would never hand out such a letter lightly—not unless the person was truly important.

Thankfully, he hadn’t been rude. Otherwise...

The guard shuddered at the thought of losing his job.

***

Vanessa’s residence stood at the end of the neighborhood.

It was the largest and most luxurious house among them all.

As Arthur stopped in front of the gate, he let out a quiet sigh.

"Even seeing it for the second time... it’s still amazing," he whispered in awe.

The building resembled a grand mansion more than an ordinary house.

Its architecture had a distinct medieval charm, complete with three winged human statues positioned at the ends of the right, left, and center courtyards.

Although the courtyard wasn’t as vast as the one at the Duke of Everhart’s mansion, it was still impressively spacious.

Ornamental trees and flowers were neatly arranged on either side of the driveway, offering a calming and elegant view to anyone who passed by.

"Welcome, Sir Aron."

Just then, a maid appeared from behind the gate and bowed respectfully.

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts and gave a small nod. "Good evening. Is Young Lady Vanessa at home?"

The maid lifted her head and smiled. "Yes, Sir Aron. Young Lady Vanessa is inside. I’ll escort you to her."

"All right. Thank you."

With that, Arthur followed the maid into the mansion.

***

"When did Young Lady Vanessa come back?" Arthur asked, his eyes scanning the hallway as they walked.

The maid beside him rubbed her chin thoughtfully before replying, "Young Lady Vanessa returned about an hour ago."

"Oh?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "That’s unexpected. Do you know where she went earlier?"

Just this afternoon, he had come by to pick up the invitation for Celine’s birthday party. At the time, he hadn’t been able to meet Vanessa directly and had to speak with Lina, her personal maid.

He had assumed Vanessa had returned four or five hours ago. Apparently, she had only just gotten back.

Since her visit to the capital was at the request of the real Aron, Arthur couldn’t help but wonder why Vanessa hadn’t been at the mansion at the time.

The maid gave an awkward smile and shook her head slightly. "I’m sorry, Sir Aron. I really don’t know where Young Lady Vanessa went this afternoon."

As if expecting that answer, Arthur remained calm. "All right, I understand."

He had only asked out of courtesy—and to subtly test whether the maid knew Vanessa’s whereabouts. Her response matched his expectations.

Even Lina didn’t know where Vanessa had gone, so it was unlikely that an ordinary maid would know.

They continued walking until they reached a grand parlor. The decor was lavish, with expensive paintings lining the walls.

Four human statues, each standing over two meters tall, were positioned on all sides of the room.

"Please have a seat, Sir Aron. I will call for Lady Lina right away."

The maid led Arthur to the sofa in the center of the room and bowed respectfully.

"Okay," Arthur replied casually as he sat down.

With that, the maid left the parlor, leaving Arthur alone.

Surrounded by such luxury, Arthur could only smile wryly. "The world of the rich really is different."

Even though he had been here earlier that afternoon, the place still left him in awe.

Everything he saw reflected Vanessa’s exceptional status as the heir to the Maple Leaf Trading House.

Arthur waited in silence for a few minutes until the sound of footsteps echoed from the front of the room.

When he looked up, a beautiful woman entered, dressed in a maid’s uniform.

Her short brown hair framed a calm face with a touch of indifference in her expression.

In her hands, she carried a tray with two cups of tea and a small selection of snacks—dry biscuits and neatly sliced fruit, including grapes and apples.

"Lina," Arthur greeted her with a smile.

Lina smiled in return. "Good evening, Sir Aron. I apologize for the delay in welcoming you. I hope you’re not offended."

She carefully set the two cups of tea on the table, along with the snacks and neatly sliced fruit she had brought.

"Don’t worry about it. I didn’t take it that way," he replied casually, picking up a teacup and taking a sip. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing for coming so late at night."

Lina responded with a small nod and remained silent.

"By the way," Arthur said, glancing at her with a curious look, "where’s Young Lady Vanessa?"

Lina was just about to answer when the sound of approaching footsteps and a woman’s indifferent voice interrupted her.

"I’m here, Aron. Did you miss me?"