"Olivier, next one."

Charles Valuer sat in the middle of the large living room in his house ordering the massive bodyguard to get the next one. The chair he sat in was furbished with the most comfy of cushions and the carvings in the arm rests were historic. With a clipboard in hand sitting with his legs open hunching forward he studied everyone intently that his bodyguard went to get.

In came a young man with brown hair tied into a knot and blue eyes. Dressed in the typical male outfit that the servants here wore he took a seat across the businessmen with Olivier using his large hand to press his left shoulder and seat him down. The young man visibly nervous swallowed a chunk in his throat. He knows the reason the master of the house called him but he did not have anything to do with it.

Charles flipped a page and saw the report of the man sitting across him. With an intimidating stare he tried to make the young servant crack.

"Mister…Jean?"

"Ye…yes sir…" The servant filled with nerves at his boss questioning him Charles again looked at the clipboard and the resumes he had of all his people

"It says here you are one of the ones in the shortest amount of time in my employment. Four months correct?"

"Yes sir. That's right."

"Four month is quite some time to find out things about my family. But not to get access to the rooms that is reserved for the most loyal ones." Only those who have proven themselves loyal were allowed to even clean his and his daughter's bedroom and other places. A clear hierarchy in place among servant Jean wasn't there yet. He couldn't have gone in without breaking locks or stealing keys which were well guarded and hidden.

"Just remember I'll be watching you and your actions with suspicion. No one steals from me. Let him go Olivier."

The massive bodyguard released the grip on Jean's shoulder. Grabbing him by the arm he escorted him out of the room and shut the door. Looking to the man he's protecting Charles nodded.

"Next one."

Ash and Amelia were being driven back to the Performer's home in Fluerrh City by her personal aid. The car arriving at the luxurious compound in the center of town they got out and went inside the house where in the long hallway they were greeted by members of staff welcoming the heir and guest back. In the middle stood Amelia's mother having been informed of their arrival.

"Hello mother."

"Hello Mrs. Valuer." Ash more courteous to the mother Louise smiled tenderly.

"Ah children. How nice you are to be here so quickly. Follow me please." Louise led the pair towards the room she studied the rocks in wishing for more privacy away from the staff. Ash following her picked up the strange tension in the house compared to his first stay here.

"The staff seem to be on edge."

"Correct. Charles has been turning the whole house upside down. He thinks there is a mole here that gives out information we don't want about the mines." The mother complimented him on his perception. Still Ash found it strange that the workers who were allowed to live here would ever go against the kindness of being housed here too. The Valuers were demanding yet kind if you did not get on their wrong side.

"I thought everyone here was trustworthy." Ash thinking that they had a great recruitment process the mother raised an eyebrow.

"Like I told you before. Trust is good but some others are more than keen to take abuse of it. Have you already forgotten my lesson?"

"No ma'am." Louise Valeur not willing to think the boy did not heed her advice Ash started to get tense. He wanted to stay in her good graces after all.

"We'll catch up on your adventure later. For now let's go to work." The mother said as she and Amelia had catching up to do but this took priority.

"So why are we here?" The heir asked mother as her presence is natural in these affairs but that did not explain Ash's presence.

"To help with the investigation. You and your guest might see things your father misses in his haste to solve it. Can I ask you to interrogate the staff members Charles already spoke too and see if you can get something out of them which we did not?"

"At once mother."

"I'll do what I can to help Mrs. Valuer." Amelia looked at him and smiled. He was a joy to be around but she needed some privacy.

"Ash? Would you mind creating distance between me and mother?"

"Ok."

Unable to say no to her request he stepped out of hearing range waiting for her. Amelia turned to her mother with suspicion.

"Normally these matters are kept indoors with no one outside helping. Why are you including him?"

"I'm testing him. For what I'll keep to myself." The mother stoically stared. Amelia knew mother was nudging her towards Ash but felt insulted she seemed to be incapable of getting a man herself.

"Don't you dare." Amelia stomped on the floor and turned on her heels walking away quite moody. Ash seeing her approach didn't like the look on her face.

"What was that about?"

"It's nothing. Let's move down the list she gave us."

Ash and Amelia were questioning the servants in their own way but did not make much progress. If there was a mole they were extremely tightlipped about their intentions and who they worked for. It getting late the Valuers sat down at the dinner table with Ash joining them. The aspiring Pokémon Master did not enjoy the food as much as he should. Sitting at the table he couldn't but glance a couple times in Charles's direction as the head of the table.

"Don't speak up. You promised her."

Using almost all his willpower to not get started about Amelia's arranged marriage and to just let her live her life the way she wanted Ash just ate silently. Louise minding the awkward silence on all sides there's a definite tension on the table.

"So children. Alfonzo told you both attended Monsieur Pierre's dance party. Did you have a great time?" Breaking the ice it was a good opportunity to make their catching up talk.

"Yes mother. My evening was splendid. It was just as much a spectacle as I imagined. I do wish I can go to one in the future again." The mother not doubting her daughter's love for dance and growing affection for her partner turned to him.

"And you Ash?"

"Well I had a great time as well. I was nervous at first but she helped me become a better dancer in no time. She's just as an amazing teacher as she is a Performer." Being modest in his praise for her due to her father being on his mind he did not lie. Amelia did blush just a tiny bit enough to hide it from everyone else.

"Oh, you took lessons from her? Did not cut that into her practice time?" Louise questioned as she knows that interrupting Amelia usually resulted in a chewing out. Seems that Ash already had a big privilege over even the most loyal of staff and other associates.

"Not at all. We did it for a hour or so after dinner when the day was nearly over. Though he could've come sooner. If you were more assertive I would've made time for you during the day." Amelia jumping to his defense Louise held back a grin. Her husband in the meantime began grinding his teeth as Ash said why he didn't come sooner to Amelia for tips.

"You know I want you to do really well at the next Showcase. I learned how much you hate to be disturbed during practice so its best for both of us we waited."

"Both of us!?"

The sound of a fork falling on a porcelain plate the man of the house dropped his fork. Both woman getting worried as silence from Charles never meant a good thing. He stared right through Ash who did not become nervous. He had a bone to pick with Amelia's father too but his promise outweighed the need to speak up.

"What do you mean both of us?" Charles spoke deep and slow. Amelia now the one filled with nerves swallowed as if she was caught doing something she should not have done.

"She's my friend…" Ash explained which the Performer did not like to hear but knew it was an act to maybe hide his true feelings for her from her father.

"I can tell how hard she's working on her Performance and how much she wants to relax at the end of the day. She loves to dance so a slow waltz like the one we did at the dance party would be a good way for her to unwind. Plus I like dancing with her so that's a plus."

Amelia's blush became harder to conceal. Louise picking up on it smiled tenderly in return as she peeked over to her husband. His fist on the table he was slowly shaking. The wife nipped it in the bud at her husband losing his temper.

"There is no problem with them being close right Charles?" He did not respond to her.

"Charles?" Louise stricter and urging an answer the husband got up from the dinner table and reached into his pocket pulling out his cellphone.

"I've got a call. Might be related to the mines."

"Rude." Louise knowing he always pulled this stunt if things did not go her husbands way in a conversation. His imaginary 'buzzing' he pretended to be called away on business when he knows he's on the losing side in an argument. Louise and the children enjoyed dessert before calling it a day and going to bed.

Ash getting ready for bed in his guest room he was unaware he was being spied on. From behind one of the paintings in the room in a hidden hall eyes followed him like a hawk.

"What if it is you? You may fool them but not me."

Charles had taken to the hidden passages of the house to look for clues regarding the supposed mole. Lack of progress slow he hasn't interrogated Ash as he wanted too because he's is under protection of his wife and daughter. Spying on Ash in the hope he made a suspicious call to an accomplice or a paparazzi reporter.

Fully focused he didn't realize he got snuck up on. Feeling a tap on his shoulder he let out a quick yelp to see what touched him. Even in the dark he could make out the feature of the one full of anger at her husband intruding on her guests privacy.

"Bedroom now Charles."

Louise went ahead as she tapped her feet impatiently. Her husband finally came into the bedroom with a stoic face as the room was properly illuminated thanks to the chandelier and night lamps.

"Leave him alone will you? He's not the mole or the cause of it." Louise jumped to Ash's defense. He scoffed at how easy the guest took a hold on the female side of the family.

"It started when he went with her to Circhester. It's connected to him I'm sure of it." The issue began on Amelia's figure skating research. The wife waved it off as she became to believe Ash is incapable of doing a thing like that.

"Sheer coincidence. He wouldn't be helping you find him if it was him."

"He can put us on a false lead to maintain his cover. He's waiting for the right moment to tell."

"I'll tell Alfonzo his word means nothing then. He's been with them the entire time and been telling you what they've done that day."

Again telling him that it wasn't Ash that did spill the secret. The aid assigned to her daughter kept relaying information about their actions but Charles knew there were missing gaps.

"Apart from the ice skating practice. And the dance party." The figure skating training taking days it was easy for the boy to slip away and do a thing to sabotage the Valuer without any of their knowledge. Not to mention he can conspire with another girl while dancing away out of Amelia's ear range. Louise laughed it off.

"You know Amelia would've done worse to him than you can do if he's a nuisance. There are only four people she accepts her practice being interrupted by. Me, you, Alfonzo and Olivier."

"Five now." The way he said it the number betrayed him.

"Ah, now I see. It's not about the mines, it's about Amelia. She's a pretty girl. Are you so surprised she lured in someone like him? He's not the first." Her fan club in Fluerrh City well documented in the family there were plenty that tried to get close and ask for a date with the heir.

"But Ash might be the only she allows this close."

"He did jobs for us without compensation. He's a top 32 trainer in the PWC. What else does he have to prove?"

"I have a test for him and only if he passes I'll drop it."

Charles picked up on how close Ash was getting to the female side of the family. It was getting dangerously close to ruin the plan he made up to ensure a happy future for his daughter. The wife shook her head annoyed he seemed to be trying to drive a wedge between them and was tired of dealing with her paranoid husband.

"You're sleeping on the couch tonight. That's final."

Going into bed the woman pulled the sheets over herself. Closing her eyes she felt the weight of the mattress shift by something heavier than hers.

"Out Charles!" Yelling to get out of their bed he relented but grabbed his pillow and blanket from his side while moping about being put in the proverbial doghouse. In the end he was just a man looking out for his family.

The intrigues and live of Charles Valuer. Greatly suffering from 'daddy's little girl syndrome'.

Later.