Gambler

Doctor Clay was a middle-aged man, somewhat older but not yet fifty. He was a little stout, though he had kept himself just below the threshold of "fat."

Not a single hair remained on his head, so he wore a very conspicuous brown wig. When speaking with him at close range, one's gaze would inevitably drift upward.

"Doctor Schneider definitely can't come back today?"

Shade, holding the cat, asked for confirmation unwillingly. Orange Cat Miya had probably never been in a place like this before and was now excitedly staring wide-eyed all around.

"Yes. When the count's butler came to invite Bill, he had already explained the duration of this house call."

Doctor Clay repeated.

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

Shade asked again. If he could not find the doctor, another Ring Arcanist from the same group would do. This concerned an evil god statue; he had to find someone capable of handling the matter carefully.

"Yes, of course I know her. She is a frequent visitor to our clinic, often coming here due to anorexia and insomnia. But I cannot casually disclose a patient's information."

Doctor Clay said apologetically. Shade also knew that his request was somewhat excessive, so he could only choose to leave a message for Doctor Schneider.

The evil god statue containing remnants of an Old God was not a Relic, but it was still extremely valuable.

Although the Academy did not recommend that Ring Arcanists gain Four Elements by coming into contact with such bizarre objects, those professors at Saint Byrens Comprehensive College who had reached the ninth ring or above and held lifetime positions might be able to use the remnants of an Old God to write down stories belonging to that Old God in words of power.

That would certainly be far safer than Shade directly suffering the influence of the Old God's remnants today. Whether he was worried about Lassoya's intentions or merely wished to contribute by reporting the matter, he needed to let Doctor Schneider know as soon as possible.

But since the doctor was absent, he could only wait patiently. Shade could not simply report the matter directly to The Church—not because he cared about the Blood Old God statue being taken away, but because he truly did not know how to make an anonymous report.

"But the doctor will be back tomorrow. Waiting one more day probably won't cause any problems."

With that thought, he left the doctor's psychiatric clinic holding the cat. Yet unease lingered in his heart, and it distracted Shade so badly on his way back to Saint Derain Square that he nearly got hit by a carriage at an intersection.

Shade had left Home early in the morning, but because the Missing Cat Commission had gone so smoothly, it was only two in the afternoon when he returned.

Both he and Little Mia had eaten lunch outside, so there was nothing much to do for the time being.

Shade left the cat at Home. Little Mia adapted fairly well to the unfamiliar environment, rolling about on the sofa or inspecting every corner of the rooms.

Shade, meanwhile, carefully recorded the entire process of this Missing Cat Commission in the detective's ledger and record book, strictly following the format used by the previous Detective.

After finishing, he looked through the detective's old records and planned to complete the other two simple commissions—the runaway girl and the search for the doctor—within the next few days as well.

This Way, once he received the textbooks sent by the Academy on Wednesday, he would have time to investigate the detective's former acquaintances and search for the Secret Sparrow Hamilton might have hidden.

Thus, Shade spent the afternoon sorting through all the previous Detective's belongings and estimating the value of his own property. In the evening, he took the cat out to eat again. On the way back, he bought some breadsticks from a bakery near the square, planning to have them with milk tomorrow morning for breakfast.

Of course, he could not forget about the premium cat food. Since he had accepted the money, Shade would take proper care of that orange kitten.

So, after coming to this world for only two days, Shade had become a young Detective living in the central square of the kingdom's capital, with a cat and a job.

"Come to think of it, my luck is actually pretty good... except I have no money."

The evening was spent continuing his research into Spacetime and Silver Moon. Because he had come into contact with the remnants of an Old God today, the accumulated Miracle Element had transformed into more spirit, making the silver glow at his fingertips even more dazzling.

But it still had no offensive power. It was sufficient for illumination, though.

Shade also tested his ability to ignite paper. That ability had likewise been strengthened by the power he had gained. Although the young orange cat was frightened when the sheets of paper in Shade's hand heated up and hid in his arms, unwilling to leave, Shade was quite pleased.

This studying came to an end at nearly nine that night. Shade was sitting in the study reading the doctor's notes, troubled by the doctor's ornate handwriting, when he heard the bell downstairs being pulled.

The cat, which had been lying dormant on the desk, immediately darted beneath the writing desk as though frightened.

Shade comforted the timid Little Mia, then left the room in confusion and followed the stairs down to the 1st Floor entrance hall.

"Could the doctor have returned to In The City early and seen my message?"

But that was not the case. When he opened the door, a short, blond, Middle-aged Man in a black overcoat stood outside, looking rather nervous. He was probably a client seeking Detective Sparrow Hamilton.

Shade's first official commission had come knocking.

The man's name was Laggett Franklin. He was an accountant living in the western part of Tobesk City and worked for Hunter and Lola's Textile Factory. This was not his first time coming here with a commission, and he was acquainted with Detective Sparrow Hamilton. Therefore, after Shade invited him inside and served him black tea, he was Shocked by the previous Detective's death.

"A sudden illness, without even receiving effective treatment."

That was the explanation the previous Detective had given for his own death. Medical care in this era was not advanced, and doctors' methods had only just moved beyond the customary practices of "bloodletting" and "enemas," so acquaintances suddenly dying of severe illness was not particularly uncommon.

"I am the detective's nephew from his hometown. I have inherited this Detective Agency for the time being. Before Sparrow Uncle died, he entrusted this place to me."

Shade introduced the identity the previous Detective had fabricated for him. Only after seeing that Mr. Franklin believed the story did he ask:

"Although Sparrow Uncle is gone, I can still complete commissions—and for less money. May I ask what brings you here so late?"

Perhaps moved by Shade's sincerity or by the promise of "less money," the middle-aged accountant hesitated before beginning his story.

Although they lived in the royal capital, Laggett Franklin's family was merely an ordinary household in this Northern Pearl of the Old Continent. Mr. Franklin, the husband, made a living as an accountant, while Mrs. Franklin worked as a copyist at a private library nearby.

Their only child, Little Franklin, caused the couple the greatest headaches. He had once been considered a well-behaved child, but after meeting a group of bad companions on the streets, he began spending all his time with them. Gradually, he developed a gambling habit, frequenting nighttime clubs and underground casinos, stealing money from Home and squandering it.

Mr. Franklin had come here twice before with commissions. The first time, he had asked Detective Sparrow Hamilton to find Little Franklin, who had not returned Home for three days. He was eventually found in an underground casino in the North of the City Slum. The second time, he had asked the Detective to bring out Little Franklin, who had spent three days hanging around Lucky Southern Cross Club.

The Club primarily dealt in alcohol, but at night it became an underground casino.

PS: Thank you to all the readers who have continued supporting Xianyu. There will definitely be ten extra chapters upon premium release (2K each), while any further extra chapters will depend on the results. Xianyu has plenty of saved drafts, so please rest assured.