Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Chapter 29 The Gambling Ghost

Dr. Krei was a man approaching middle age but not yet fifty. His figure was slightly plump, yet he maintained it just below the threshold of obesity.

His head was completely devoid of hair, which is why he wore a decidedly noticeable brown toupee. This inevitably drew one's gaze upwards during close conversations.

"Dr. Schneider won't be back today, right?"

Shard, holding a cat, couldn't help but confirm, while the ginger cat Mia seemed never to have been in such a setting before and was now excitedly looking around with wide eyes.

"Yes, when the Earl's butler came to invite Bill, he had already specified the time for the house call."

The doctor repeated.

"Then, do you know Dr. Schneider's friend Miss Dorothy Louisa? Do you know where she lives?"

Shard asked again. If he couldn't find the doctor, then another Circle Sorcerer from the same group would do. The matter concerned the Evil God Statue, and he had to find someone capable of dealing with it discreetly.

"Yes, of course, I know her. She's a regular at our clinic, often coming in for issues with anorexia and insomnia... but I can't disclose a patient's information."

Dr. Krei apologized, and Shard knew his request was somewhat overreaching, so he opted to leave a message for Dr. Schneider instead.

The Evil God Statue, though not a Relic, still held considerable value due to its remnants of an Old God.

Even though the Academy advised against Circle Sorcerers gaining the Four Elements by interacting with such bizarre objects, those professors at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy above the rank of Nine Rings, who held lifelong teaching positions, could potentially document the stories of Old Gods using powerful language through the remnants of Old Gods.

Doing so would be much safer than Shard being directly affected by the remnants of an Old God today. So whether out of concern for Lady Lassoya's intentions or simply wanting to contribute by reporting this matter, it was necessary to let Dr. Schneider know about it soon.

But since the doctor was not there, he had no choice but to wait patiently. Shard couldn't just report the matter directly to the Church; it wasn't about his concern for the Old God statue being taken away by the Church, but rather, he didn't know how to make an anonymous report.

"But the doctor will be back tomorrow. Waiting one more day probably won't make a difference."

The cat, which had been resting on the desk before, immediately darted under the desk, as if startled.

Shard comforted the timid little Mia and, puzzled, walked out of his room and down the stairs to the hall on the first floor.

"Could Dr. Schneider have returned to the city early and seen my note?"

But it wasn't him. When he opened the door, outside stood a somewhat nervous middle-aged man with short yellow hair, wearing a black overcoat—likely a client seeking Detective Sparrow Hamilton.

Shard's first official client had arrived.

The man's name was Lagart Franklin, an accountant living in the west end of Tobesk City, employed by "Hunter and Lola's Textile Factory." It wasn't his first time visiting for business, and he was an acquaintance of Detective Sparrow Hamilton, so after being invited in by Shard for a cup of tea, he was greatly shocked by the detective's death.

"Sudden illness, even without effective treatment."

This was the former detective's explanation for his own death. Medical practices in this era were not advanced, and doctors were just beginning to move away from the customs of "bleeding" and "purging," so it was not uncommon for acquaintances to suddenly fall gravely ill and die.

"I am the detective's nephew from his hometown. I've inherited this detective agency, and Uncle Sparrow entrusted me with it before he died," said Shard, as he relayed the identity contrived for him by the former detective. Seeing that Mr. Franklin believed his story, he then asked:

"Although Uncle Sparrow is no longer with us, I can complete the task... even at a cheaper rate. May I ask, what brings you here so late in the evening?"

Whether moved by Shard's sincerity or the promise of a "cheaper" deal, the middle-aged accountant hesitated a moment before finally discussing his predicament.

Though the Franklins lived in the Royal Capital, they were just an ordinary family within the Northern Pearl of the Old Continent. Mr. Franklin earned a living as an accountant, while Mrs. Franklin worked as a copyist at a nearby private library.

Their only child, Little Franklin, was the couple's biggest headache. He used to be a well-behaved child in the family, but ever since he befriended a bad crowd on the streets, he began hanging out with them all day, gradually developing a gambling addiction. He frequented nightclubs and underground gambling halls, pilfering money from home to squander away.

Mr. Franklin's previous visits to the agency included a task for Detective Sparrow Hamilton to find Little Franklin, who hadn't returned home for three days; the boy was found in an underground gambling den in the northern slums of the city. The second time was to extricate Little Franklin from the "Lucky Southern Cross Club," where he had been loitering for three days.

That club's main business was liquor, but at night it turned into an underground gambling den.