Alexander knew little about the world of butlers. After all, he'd never exactly been a rich man before.
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So he did what any reasonable man would in his situation—looked up butlers on the internet.
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There were a surprising number of butler agencies in Paris, but the best one was called "Zutler." Apparently, this agency represented a huge number of butlers and boasted the perfect fit for any need.
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This was precisely what Alexander was looking for, a versatile majordomo who could fulfill every task Alexander might need done… and who would also be utterly discreet and cunning.
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Alexander needed to keep his anonymity. He remembered what Enzo Romano had said in his first life about this very subject.
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That was, of course, the real name of the player who went by "Ceasar" online. According to him, revealing his true identity to the world was the greatest mistake he ever made.
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Alexander traveled to the Zutler offices in Sector 8 on the Champs-Élysées. He researched it more on his cab ride and found that Zutler was actually one of the most luxurious companies in Paris.
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Their customers were the richest 0.0001% in the world, people willing to pay exorbitant prices for perfect service.
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Some people in society were aghast at the rates Zutler demanded from its clientele, but despite this, the agency never lacked for customers.
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In the 22nd century, as it was said, money reigned supreme. Those without money had no right to live and were expected to turn to begging or prostitution if they wanted to avoid starving.
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The Zutler building was absolutely beautiful. Its outer appearance was that of an ancient, fifty-meter stone building like a temple, and an ornate statue of a golden tiger crouched in front. The interior was luxurious…
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…And filled with about a hundred people standing around, dressed crisply in the regalia of butlers.
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This was one of the unique traits of Zutler: rather than relying on a formal application process to match a client to a butler, prospective customers instead made a visit in person and made a mutual agreement with an individual butler themselves.
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And if a butler failed to land a contract within thirty days of leaving their last position, they were let go with neither notice nor ceremony.
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This tactic was certainly cruel, but Zutler claimed it created the ideal relationship between master and servant. To date, very few clients had been disappointed with their butlers, so the strategy seemed productive.
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Alexander had many of these details in mind as he stepped through the office's front door. Everything would be decided between him and his future butler—the tasks to regularly be performed, the salary, the duration of the contract, and a hundred other details.
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Zutler took 10% of all their butlers' pay as an agenting fee, but even the lowest-paid butler among them received what most people would call a very fair compensation. After all, only the very rich could afford a full-time butler in the first place.
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Alexander was shy, being quite conscious that he wasn't at all a part of this social milieu. An aura radiated from him that said he was not like the usual clientele, and all the butlers could sense it.
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Nevertheless, Alexander summoned his courage and approached the first butler he found.
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The man completely ignored him!
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He could see that Alexander was newly rich, completely unaccustomed to this lifestyle. Such a young rich fellow would probably be resentful of paying him well, not to mention constantly demanding the impossible.
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Alexander was shocked by the man's coldness, but he tried to brush it off and approach a few others.
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Over and over, he received the same aloof treatment. Some were more professional and offered polite refusals, but many simply ignored Alexander as though he didn't exist.
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Alexander wished he'd visited a tailor first and purchased the outfit of a proper rich man, but in his heart, he knew that even that wouldn't give him the graces and social knowledge of a man of high social status.
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But just as Alexander was about to leave, disgusted, he noticed a thirty-year-old female butler nearby—with blue-stained fingernails.
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This was a sure sign of Neo-Crack addiction, a physiological effect that was quite common among addicts, though people in the general population wouldn't recognize the sign.
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After all, drug addicts were extremely persecuted in most cities, and Paris was no exception. Addicts had to stay away from most civilized areas if they didn't want to be arrested and charged.
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However, it was common for drug addicts to hold down a job and blend in with those around them, allowing them to afford their drugs and to lead relatively normal lives. This had been the case for Alexander in his former life, after all. But even then, he constantly was aware that, if his addiction were discovered, he'd lose his job and quickly sink into poverty.
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So Alexander had enormous leverage over this woman, no matter what she thought of him and his new money!
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"Hello," he said, moving close to her and lowering his voice. "I'm Alexander. As you might imagine, I'm looking for a butler to take care of various aspects of my daily life while I work. I need a devoted and faithful person… someone who can be discreet about her employer's professional and private lives."
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To Alexander's surprise, he didn't even need to open with the leverage! The woman gave him a polite nod and replied,"Hello, Sir! My name is Diana. I am unmarried, unattached, and without children. I am thirty-two years old and have the necessary skills for domestic proficiency in cooking, sewing, fashion, and asset management. I can invest myself fully in a contract without duration—"
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Alexander was interested at once. She was pretty and had a light, elegant accent. To have such a charming woman in his service would be a good way to make Emma jealous!
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"I'm impressed by your skills," he said, "but I have one very important question…" He lowered his voice even further. "How many times a day do you do drugs?"
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Diana went pale.
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She'd been found out. This could be the end of everything for her. If word of her addiction got out, she'd not only lose her hard-won job at Zutler, but might never work a proper job again.
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She tried to remain calm. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sir."
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Alexander nodded, expecting the reaction. He was impressed with how quickly she'd recovered, in fact. "Listen, the fact that you're a drug addict is no problem for me. Like I said, I'm impressed by your skills. I'm not trying to trap you, but I 'do' need to know what kind of consumer you are. You understand, right?"
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Diana hesitated, but quickly realized that she had no choice. Even though Neo-Crack was relatively inexpensive per dose, her constant need meant that she spent many credits per week on it.
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No matter what strange situation she might be getting herself into, Diana needed money, and she needed it quickly. So she eventually answered in a sad tone, "Just one dose a day. I've tried everything to quit this crap, but despite my best efforts, I've only managed to limit myself to this extent."
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Alexander retorted with a cheerful voice, "That's better than I feared! Don't worry, I was at three doses a day before, and still managed to work. You'll be fine."
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Diana was almost as shocked by this answer as she'd been at Alexander's accusation. After all, everyone knew it was impossible to quit Neo-Crack. She sensed Alexander wasn't lying… So what was his secret?
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Alexander continued, "One last question. Are you familiar with the world of MMORPGs?"
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Diana was more and more confused by this string of questions. "Like many, I partake in 'Horus' in my free time. Work comes first, of course."
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"Perfect!" said Alexander. "Listen—this is all great. I want to hire you to handle all the domestic chores in my apartment. After that, I also need an assistant in 'Horus.' You'll get paid to play the game as well as to work as a regular butler! But once we sign our contract, you'll need to be 100% discreet about all the work you do for me. Do you accept?"
