Low-Income Group

Old Dunling, Inner District.

When it came to Old Dunling's prosperity, the Inner District was the first thing that came to mind. It was where the city's wealth was most concentrated. Unlike the Royal District at the very heart of Old Dunling, protected by guards and high walls, this was the closest most nobles could get.

Electricity covered the area, and at night it was brilliantly lit. Through the tall buildings, crowds could be seen moving about, their shadows cast onto the ground by the lights, spreading into hazy, fragmented shapes. With steam rising through the streets, even at the edge of the Inner District, one could smell the intoxicating scent of alcohol.

The streets were full of new automobiles. Because they demanded such high-quality roads, most could only travel within the Inner District. Even so, the wealthy still threw down enormous sums for these seemingly useless things, simply because they represented the cutting edge of technology—and that was a symbol of status.

Lorenzo sat at a dining table on the balcony, overlooking the city's peaceful sleeping form.

It was an excellent position. From here, he could observe the entire block. Though night had already fallen, darkness did not exist in the Inner District. Bright electric lamps illuminated every corner.

This was a hunter's position. No matter what anomaly appeared, Lorenzo would notice it immediately. If he had one of the Mechanical Institute's new sniper rifles in hand, he could easily kill everyone within his sight from here.

Of course, Lorenzo was a detective, not some cold-blooded killer. He was not a lunatic who took pleasure in slaughter.

The table was already covered with dishes. Now, all that remained was to wait for the other guest.

He lowered his head to check his pocket watch. She was already ten minutes late.

But Lorenzo was in no hurry. It was 11:20 now, and there was still some time before the night ended. There was no need to rush.

There were plenty of pedestrians on the streets as well. It was almost midnight, yet it seemed as though a wonderful day had only just begun.

As Lorenzo watched pairs of figures leave together and pondered, someone took a seat across from him.

Lorenzo froze when he saw the beautiful figure before him. Then his etiquette lessons told him that he ought to offer a proper compliment.

"Mm... very nice."

The girl before him was truly dressed to the nines—gorgeous without being gaudy, like a socialite who regularly attended balls.

Lorenzo knew the girl was not putting on an act. It was simply the difference in the environment she had grown up in.

Temperament really was something mysterious. Lorenzo could imitate and perform as anyone, but he could never quite grasp that essential air about them.

"You called me out just to eat?"

Eve looked at Lorenzo. This detective had always been so mysterious, appearing without warning and vanishing just as suddenly, leaving behind only a letter detailing today's arrangements.

"Of course. You need to eat your fill before you have the strength to work, don't you?"

As he spoke, Lorenzo picked up his knife and fork and began eating. He truly had awful table manners, wolfing it down like a starving beast.

Eve sighed. Someone like Lorenzo would never do anything meaningless. He must have had a purpose; he simply refused to reveal it yet.

"Did you make all the preparations I asked for?"

Talking while he ate made him look utterly terrible, but Lorenzo no longer cared about such things. He had long since thrown all those etiquette lessons out of his mind.

This was the Inner District, and this meal would cost more than half his wages. He was not about to give up the chance to enjoy it.

Eve leaned back slightly. She did not want grease splattering onto her dress.

"I did everything... What exactly are you planning?"

The letter Lorenzo had left contained a pile of strange requests. He had told her to dress formally, but also to hide casual clothes beneath her skirt, and he had demanded that she bring weapons and money.

Eve had gone to great lengths to squeeze a fitted outfit beneath her long dress. Likewise, the ribbons around her thighs were loaded with weapons. The girl did not even dare walk too quickly, afraid the metal would clink together.

She suddenly thought of Killer Queen from the stories. That seductive woman hid flexible, razor-sharp iron sheets beneath her skirts. When she passionately embraced a man, she would draw the metal and bring forth a spray of crimson. At this moment, the only difference between Eve and her was that Eve would draw a Bonin Model 91 pistol instead of iron sheets.

Lorenzo wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin. The feeling of eating his fill was wonderful. Who knew when he would get another meal this luxurious?

"For the sake of your career and mine, Detective."

He raised his wineglass and drained it in one gulp.

Lorenzo adjusted his clothes. Only then did Eve notice that beneath his black-and-gray trench coat was a crisp white outfit. His black top hat sat beside him, making him look as if he were headed to some ball.

"You need to solve cases to keep from being fired. I need to solve cases to keep my employer from killing me."

Lorenzo put on his top hat, picked up his cane, then somehow produced a fake mustache and stuck it over his lip.

"You brought money, right?"

Having finished arranging everything, Lorenzo asked Eve. The girl gave a quiet affirmative and took out her handbag.

Lorenzo nodded, then said,

"I asked you here today because I want you to attend a ball with me. Going alone would be rather conspicuous, after all. I need a female companion."

"And what does this have to do with our careers?"

"Because Sabo is hosting this ball."

Lorenzo elegantly extended his hand and helped Eve to her feet. The girl lightly placed her hand on his shoulder, and the two moved in perfect sync.

"Who is he?"

"A gang boss. A Viking who runs a gang called Green Shark. They mainly handle the final stages of smuggled goods coming in from Raindona Port."

Holding the beautiful lady's hand, Lorenzo did not deliberately seek attention, yet he still felt like the center of every gaze in the room. This detective was truly stunning when dressed up.

"The gangsters who stopped us that day were his men. We can definitely pry something out of him."

"Pry out what?"

"Information. Whether it's who he works for or the reason behind Wall's death, we'll find an answer there. If we're lucky, we can even tie him up and drag him straight to Suaran Hall."

His cane tapped softly against the floor. For a great detective, kidnapping was no difficult task either.

"Trust me, Detective. As the leader of a gang, he is far more valuable than the case you're currently investigating. You'll become a rising star in the police force."

"Kidnapping is a crime. And without evidence, how are we supposed to put him on trial?"

Deep down, Eve was still someone who obeyed the law. Compared to Lorenzo, that unprincipled madman, she was far more upright.

"Sabo is from the Lower District. Legally speaking, he isn't even a citizen of Inverwig. Even if you killed him, no one would hold you accountable.

"Suaran Hall has always wanted to establish a foothold in the Lower District. They can tolerate the existence of that garbage dump, but it has to remain under official control. The only reason Sabo is still alive is that Suaran Hall has never found the opportunity."

Lorenzo revealed a somewhat roguish grin. As he spoke, he picked up Eve's handbag and rummaged through it, pulling out several coins stamped with lions. They were Inverwig's official currency, minted by order of Queen Victoria.

Still talking, Lorenzo handed the money to the waiter, offered a smile, and led Eve away.

Eve watched Lorenzo rifle through her bag and take her money. She stood there stunned for a long while before slowly asking,

"What was that?"

"You're paying. What's wrong with that?" Lorenzo showed not the slightest shame.

"Stop staring at me. It's not much money. You're the little princess of the Phoenix family. Don't look like I scammed you out of millions, all right?"

Lorenzo kept going without mercy.

"According to City Hall's income records, I belong to a low-income group."

He was not lying. At first, Lorenzo had genuinely intended to run a respectable detective agency. Unfortunately, he himself was not respectable. A wealthy lady had hired him to catch her husband's mistress, but while chasing their fleeing carriage, he shot out one of its wheels. That unfortunate husband rolled three times across the ground with his lover before finally coming to a stop.

Afterward, the mistress was hospitalized with a fracture. When the client learned of it, she went to the hospital and gave the woman another fracture. As for the husband, he thought Lorenzo had been sent by his wife to shoot him. He believed she still had feelings for him and had spared his life, so he wept bitterly and turned over a new leaf.

Everyone was happy in the end. Unfortunately, Lorenzo's violent methods scared off most clients. In the end, only Shrike occasionally gave him cases to keep him afloat.

His finances were not good. Lorenzo desperately needed money to pay this month's rent, or Mrs. Fanrude would shoot him dead.

"You know, I'm so poor I can barely afford bullets anymore. Interested in sponsoring me a little?"

Listening to Lorenzo's endless babbling, Eve gained a new understanding of this damned detective.

"You really are a bastard."

"Thank you for the compliment."