Charlotte was greatly shocked. With an incredulous expression, he cried, "How is that possible? You graduated from Behemoth National Academy, not a public school! At the very least, you should have been a Second- or Third-Class Assistant. Even a First-Class Assistant would not have been excessive. A Fifth-Class Registrar would already be outrageous, so how did you end up as a Third-Class Registrar?"
The Empire's registrars ranged from First-Class, forty-ninth rank, down to Fifth-Class, forty-fifth rank. They were considered the lowest tier of clerical officials. Granting such a position to a public school graduate was already preferential treatment; assigning it to a National Academy graduate clearly meant someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
Sylvie Martin said calmly, "It's nothing. It's because I'm a girl."
Wisely changing the subject, Charlotte asked, "What weekly salary is Miss Detective offering you?"
Vinnie Arsenault answered with a smile, "Eighty-five centimes, with lodging and two meals included."
Charlotte nodded slightly, thinking, That salary was very reasonable. It was equal to a First-Class Assistant's pay, and with food and lodging included, her standard of living would even be a little easier than that of a newcomer entering the government civil service.
Vinnie Arsenault continued, "Miss Sylvie is an exceptionally talented person. One of the assistants at my Cat Detective Agency is getting married and can only resign, so we have an opening."
Although the Empire of Fars allowed women to work, traditional forces remained quite strong. Unless the husband's family was truly struggling and needed the woman's income, they would require her to resign.
Charlotte indicated that he understood and did not intend to persuade her further. After all, she was now his former fiancée; it was not his place to interfere so much. Just as he was about to ask when she planned to move out, Sylvie said somewhat awkwardly, "I haven't received my salary yet. Although I got my luggage back, it only contained some belongings, and I never recovered my cash. My father's remittance will also take some time to arrive. I'll need a little longer before I can repay what you spent yesterday."
Charlotte smiled slightly and said, "There is no need to be so polite with me."
His lively former fiancée said, "Miss Vinnie came with me to help me move. I wonder if it would be convenient for you, Cousin?"
Charlotte smiled faintly and said, "Miss Vinnie, Cousin Sylvie, please come to my home and chat. It is too impolite to stand talking in the street."
He brought the two ladies back to Number 58, invited them into the reception room, took out a bottle of sparkling apple wine, and poured three glasses. He raised his own glass first in invitation, drained it in one gulp, then said with a smile, "This sparkling apple wine is quite good. You two ladies should give it a try."
After entering, Vinnie Arsenault looked around the room. She raised her glass and took a small sip before asking curiously, "Does Mr. Mecklen live alone?"
Charlotte answered, "Yes!"
Miss Vinnie said nothing further and changed the subject. "I wonder what Mr. Mecklen thinks about women working."
Sylvie said somewhat stiffly, "I don't want to resign after I get married either. If the other person cannot accept that, then I simply will not marry."
As a modern person, Charlotte naturally had no objections whatsoever to women working. After a brief pause, he answered, "I hope women can be like birds, with the right to freely choose the life they want."
A crisp and familiar voice came from outside the door. "Mr. Mecklen, you actually think that way? That's wonderful."
Charlotte nearly jumped up. He had not expected Miss Anne Brittany to suddenly pay him a visit. He hurriedly said, "Please come in, Miss Anne."
At the same time, he introduced her to the two ladies. "Miss Anne Brittany, a good friend of mine."
Anne Brittany's pretty face was filled with happiness and delight. She had always worried that after marriage, she would be unable to work and could only remain trapped at home, making her way through dull aristocratic social gatherings.
Charlotte's answer had just earned him a huge number of points.
Anne lightly tugged at her skirt and performed an everyday ladies' curtsy.
Sylvie returned an everyday curtsy, while Vinnie gave a standard Imperial salute.
Charlotte introduced them to Anne Brittany despite himself. "This is Miss Sylvie Martin, my cousin. This is Miss Vinnie Arsenault, director of the Cat Detective Agency! My cousin graduated from the National Academy and has just arrived in Strasbourg from the Duchy of Behemoth. She will soon begin work at the Cat Detective Agency."
Anne showed a hint of surprise and cried, "Miss Vinnie Arsenault? The famed Cat Spirit Detective? I have heard so many stories about your deeds and have always admired you. I even considered working at the Cat Detective Agency after graduation!"
Seeing that Charlotte seemed unfamiliar with the Cat Detective Agency, she explained softly, "The Cat Detective Agency is the Empire's only detective agency where women make up seventy percent of the employees. Every female employee can learn Cat Spirit Magic after joining the agency."
"Miss Vinnie Arsenault is one of the Empire's seven great detectives. She is known as the Cat Spirit Detective and is the pride of all women in the Empire of Fars."
Anne solemnly performed a court curtsy for Vinnie Arsenault once more. A court curtsy was the complete version of an everyday curtsy, with several additional complicated yet elegant gestures. Unlike an everyday curtsy, it was not simply a light tug on the skirt.
Miss Vinnie smiled and said humorously, "I am merely excessively free by nature! On behalf of the Cat Detective Agency, I welcome Miss Anne to apply after graduation."
The moment she heard the surname Brittany, she knew this young lady was of noble status and could never possibly become a female detective. Her words were only ordinary politeness.
Anne also knew that her family would never permit her to become a detective who appeared in public, and she sighed deeply to herself. Still, the three girls quickly began chatting together.
After learning that Sylvie was Charlotte's cousin, Anne made several indirect inquiries in an attempt to learn more about him. Sylvie gave him considerable face and, quite unusually, said a few good things about "this cousin," allowing Charlotte, who had been on edge the whole time, to relax slightly.
He sat to one side and rarely interrupted, only occasionally acting as a temporary attendant and refilling the ladies' glasses with sparkling apple wine.
After more than an hour, Charlotte saw that the three ladies were still engrossed in conversation and could not help suggesting, "Please excuse me for a moment. I'll go buy some sparkling wine and snacks. The house is too bare, and I prepared nothing. I have been rather discourteous in entertaining you."
Anne Brittany and Vinnie Arsenault cried out together, "No need!" The two beautiful women exchanged smiles and suddenly seemed to share an unspoken understanding.
Vinnie Arsenault smiled faintly and said, "Let me do it instead. My cats are stronger."
She extended her slender right hand, formed a strange hand seal, and a cloying meow rang out. The Cat Spirit Detective said in an indulgent tone, "Go to the nearby shops and buy some sparkling wine and little cakes."
After one prolonged meow, no further sound came from outside.
Vinnie Arsenault said, "I sent my cats to buy things, so there is no need for Mr. Mecklen to trouble himself."
Charlotte was full of surprise. Although he had inherited some memories from the original owner of this body, he truly did not understand what Cat Spirit Magic was.
Before you continue