Chapter 19: Transformation
Sharon seemed to be worried about Hughes.
Night Lan appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be trying a bit too hard to cozy up to Hughes.
Moreover, it was previously confirmed that Hughes didn’t know her, which raised a lot of questions.
Night Lan didn’t look like a suitor for Hughes; she seemed more like someone with ulterior motives.
Although Sharon thought Night Lan was harmless and posed no threat, she couldn’t rule out the possibility that Night Lan was just really, really good at pretending.
Putting aside that clumsy imitation earlier—who knew what she was really thinking?
“Ugh… I’m being suspected again, huh?”
Night Lan noticed the scrutiny in Sharon’s eyes and felt a bit frustrated.
Just a moment ago, Yuri over by Night Star had the same reaction.
Being mysterious and having unclear motives really made people suspicious.
If it were with unrelated parties, Night Lan wouldn’t bother explaining so much.
But since it was Sharon, she might as well share a bit.
“Actually, I want to know what Hughes is doing right now.”
“Oh? Have you picked up on something?”
Sharon immediately became intrigued.
“Come on, spill the beans. What have you noticed?”
Night Lan recalled the bits of information she gathered over the past few days, especially the recent rise in etiquette—a trend that felt a bit off, as if someone was pulling the strings.
“That etiquette trend… it seems a bit strange.”
The culture of etiquette in this country seemed to have started from the area where Hughes resided.
Many young nobles were praising this trend, mimicking it to look the part, even studying the ideas behind it seriously.
It hadn’t been like this before.
The young nobles back then weren’t completely dreadful, but they weren’t exactly saintly either.
Sure, they looked flashy on the outside, but behind the scenes, it was a different story entirely.
They held power, often using it to bully the common folk, leaving chaos in their wake.
Night Lan had access to some dark histories of certain nobles through her dealings, and if exposed, those could become leverage for many.
But at some point, the concept of gentlemen and ladies emerged, claiming this was how young nobles should act.
Then at some party, a young man burst onto the scene.
That was Hughes.
Hughes made quite the entrance, shocking everyone around.
He came from a well-known noble family, but that wasn’t the main thing that drew people in.
It was his outstanding presence; amidst the crowd of young nobles, he shone like a dazzling sun that no one could ignore.
Next, he showcased an elegance far beyond that of ordinary nobles, excelling in manners, knowledge, civility, and emotional intelligence, all towering above everyone else.
His fashion sense was also leagues ahead of other young nobles, unique in every way, making him the “star of the show.”
He stole the thunder from all the other men, becoming the most eye-catching person in the room!
That’s the gentleman for you.
His image left a deep impression among the young nobles.
And thus, the gentlemanly trend began.
Many young male nobles started to imitate him, attempting to shine just as brightly as he did to catch everyone’s attention.
Hughes’s performance at the gathering definitely struck a blow to the egos of all the other men.
Some were jealous, envious of him outshining them, and resentful that he had become the crush of countless young girls.
Others admired him, believing this was what nobility should look like—so noble, so different, so bright!
They wanted to become like him to achieve their own goals, so they began mimicking Hughes.
But mere imitation wouldn’t cut it.
Fashion could be copied, but presence couldn’t be replicated.
So they started learning the gentleman concept, which had somehow spread from who-knows-where, in hopes of cultivating their own presence.
Only then did the atmosphere among the nobles start to improve.
Many young nobles, influenced by this, changed for the better.
And it wasn’t just the male nobles; female nobles also became increasingly like ladies, all thanks to Hughes’s influence.
As the influence grew wider, it felt like a reform was in motion.
And it all seemed to be starting from the nobles.
Could that be Hughes’s goal?
Night Lan pondered that point and began to have her doubts.
To transform everyone into civilized, polite people was totally something Hughes would do.
Was that really what he was trying to accomplish?
After analyzing everything, she had almost guessed it all even before Sharon had to explain anything.
That was all thanks to the wealth of information she had traded for using the “no cheating” card.
No wonder Mo Rabbit was so reliable; that guy literally made a living off information!
Night Lan took a moment of silence before voicing her speculation.
“Hughes wants to change the bad habits of the nobles, right?”
Sharon narrowed her eyes.
“It seems you’re quite informed, Night Lan. I’m getting more and more curious about your identity. Can you tell me?”
“Nope, that’s a secret!”
Sharon wasn’t a Night Watcher yet, nor was she someone Night Lan could trust completely. If she spilled such vital information, that would be absolutely ridiculous.
Night Lan wasn’t dumb enough for that.
Sharon didn’t press further; she had only asked casually, and her lack of an answer was no big deal.
“Sounds about right, so what do you plan to do next? This will determine whether I’ll help you going forward.”
“Hmm~ I guess I’ll help Hughes,” Night Lan replied.
That threw Sharon for a loop.
“Why? You two shouldn’t even know each other. Or do you have a crush on him? There are plenty of young girls who’ve designated him as their future husband; are you one of them?”
“Uh, not really. I see him more as a comrade.”
“A comrade? When did that relationship sprout up?”
“Well… it’s a bit complicated to explain.”
Seeing Night Lan’s hesitance, Sharon sighed lightly.
“You’re quite a puzzle. Your mere existence is giving me a headache.”
“Sorry!”
“No need to apologize. As long as you’re not malicious, that’s good enough for me. Tomorrow, I’ll invite Hughes for afternoon tea, and you should come along.”
Sharon seemed to have given up on prying for information from Night Lan.
But she had confirmed one thing.
Night Lan was indeed a rather innocent kid, not a bad person pretending to be good.
That was good enough for her.
Though she didn’t know why Night Lan had so many mysteries, it was probably best to let Hughes worry about it.
After all, Night Lan’s target wasn’t her; it was Hughes.
Night Lan sighed in relief.
It seemed Sharon was beginning to trust her.
Things should get a lot easier from here.
Night Lan felt that the reason Hughes had become Star Eclipses was likely tied to what he was currently doing.
If he wanted to change the rotten habits of the nobles, he would definitely face resistance.
And with someone like the Ballad Conductor lurking in the shadows, they might just pull some invisible strings to crush all of Hughes’s efforts.
That would be a tragedy for Hughes.
Night Lan and the Ballad Conductor were on opposing sides.
Since the Ballad Conductor wanted to stop Hughes, Night Lan would stop him instead.
Though she couldn’t exactly take down the Ballad Conductor, she couldn’t just roll over either.
Summoning her courage, she would engage in a battle of wits, to help restore normalcy to the future gentleman and fraudster.
That was Night Star Lan’s goal this time around.
