This was Mr. Franklin’s third visit to request a task. The task, like before, was to forcibly bring young Franklin, who was addicted to Rhodes cards, out of that illegally operating club at night.
Mr. Franklin had had enough. He planned to sell off his property, quit his job, abandon the thirty years of hard work he and his wife had put into this northern capital city, and leave the prosperous city of Tobesk. He wanted to move his family to the western part of the kingdom, to the city of Artak, known as the “City of Art.” Mr. Franklin’s brother had been living there for many years and could introduce new jobs for the family.
More importantly, he wanted to keep young Franklin away from those bad influences, away from Rhodes cards and gambling tables.
“Once I bring him back this time, I’ll lock him at home. Until we finish dealing with the moving matters next month, and then directly take him on the steam train. So, Detective Hamilton, can you bring my son out of that club?”
The client confirmed.
This task only required Shard to immediately head to the club and then persuade young Franklin to leave with him. The accountant’s offer was 13 shillings and 3 pence, a little more than half a pound. For an accountant with an annual income of about 70 pounds, this was roughly a week’s salary.
This commission fee included the club’s entrance fee and extra subsidies for traveling at night. Although compared to the commission for finding Mia, this task was worth less than “half a cat,” Shard thought about it and agreed to take the commission.
He had recently seen the records of the Franklin family’s matters in the former detective’s commission logs, which documented the process of persuading young Franklin to leave.
“A simple task, won’t go wrong.”
Leaving the orange cat at home, Shard, worried that Mia would be scared, reluctantly left the gas lamp on as he went out. Mr. Franklin went home to wait for news, while Shard, due to the long distance, chose to take a carriage to the destination.
The fare for the rental carriages in Tobesk city varied depending on the pick-up and drop-off points. Within the city center range, centered on Yodel Palace, destinations within 2 miles cost 1 shilling, and then 5 pence per mile after that. For long-distance travel outside the central district, the cost per mile would be cheaper.
Shard’s destination this time was in the generally understood lower town area, the North City. Including the extra tip for night travel that needed to be paid to the driver, he paid a total of 3 shillings when he got off in a dim alley.
Fortunately, the Franklin family also lived in the North City, so there was no need to take a carriage again after finding young Franklin.
At the same time, the expensive fare for rental carriages made Shard realize the wealth gap in this complex and prosperous steam epoch, and how many challenges he as a bottom-class person had to face.
The city was quiet at night, but Shard, already an Envoy of the Epoc, felt a terrifying sense of staring into an abyss from the silent long night. The secrets and unknowns lurking in the largest northern city of Tobesk were definitely not few, but fortunately, he didn’t encounter any of them tonight.
“This world is more dangerous than I imagined.”
The club named “Lucky South Cross” had its main entrance on Glass Hill Avenue. But to enter the club’s casino, one had to use the back door in an alley.
Following the records left by the former detective, Shard entered the alley, circling half a turn in the darkness before seeing that silver-grey rusty iron door. During this time, a stray cat suddenly leaped from the wall, startling the detective and making him annoyed with his “cowardice.”
After carefully knocking three times on the iron door, it took half a minute for a tall man with a beard, wearing a black coat and boots, to cautiously open the door from the inside.
“This is not a place for young people.”
He glanced at the young detective and pushed him, but unexpectedly couldn’t move him. Even as a one-ring Envoy, one’s physical attributes were greatly enhanced.
“Is the rule here so rough?”
Shard showed a Rhodes card with the suit of Silver Moon 13, which was one from the deck he found on the rooftop of the pet foster care center this morning, and said:
“I’m here to see Mr. Rhodes, for some tabletop matters.”
He then handed over three one-penny coins as the entrance fee.
“Thought it was your first time here?”
The bearded man looked at the card, confirming the code was correct.
“Introduced by an acquaintance.”
Shard answered in a low voice. The bearded man scrutinized him again, then finally stepped aside, allowing Shard to enter the club’s dimly lit hallway through the back door.
The detective quickly raised the collar of his trench coat to cover half of his face, cautiously looking around before entering.
“Though it’s an illegal casino, you don’t need to be like this.”
The bearded man mumbled behind Shard.
The hallway was quite dark, filled with a nauseating mix of sweat, alcohol, and tobacco. After walking about ten steps, doors appeared on both sides of the hallway. All the doors were ajar, letting the harsh light from the rooms spill into the hallway, with chaotic shouts and the sound of hands slapping tables coming from inside.
Shard didn’t enter any room, cautiously walked forward, and secretly checked the surroundings with [Echo of Blood], finding no significant blood traces, indicating no more serious illegal activities here.
“Even though it’s not a combat sorcery, it’s strangely useful.”
The hallway led to a brighter eastern side hall of the club. Dozens of wide wooden tables with tablecloths filled the hall, with well-dressed gentlemen, recently left drunken tavern-goers, and workers after their evening shifts crowding around the tables, waving their money excitedly as they observed the gambling happening on the tables.
The Lucky South Cross Club was three stories high, and only guests with sufficient status could go to the upstairs casino. Young Franklin obviously could only mingle on the first floor. The last time, Detective Sparrow Hamilton found the drunk young man lying in the corner of the eastern side hall.
The room was so packed that, despite Mr. Franklin describing young Franklin’s attire and appearance to Shard, he didn’t immediately find the young man.
Holding a 1-shilling note, Shard quickly blended into the crowded hall. He stopped at different tables, observing for the person he was looking for, but he wouldn’t throw the note onto the gambling table. The fare for the carriage already pained him enough, and Mr. Franklin wouldn’t reimburse unnecessary expenses.
Half an hour later, he had nearly searched the entire eastern hall but failed to find his target. Instead, while pretending to study the gambling, he overheard gamblers chatting about something interesting that happened here an hour ago.
A young man with a gray hat, wearing a sailor shirt, with a freckled face and small eyes, owed too much money at the gambling table and was taken to the second floor to “pay his debts.”
Shard didn’t know what “paying debts” meant, but it probably wasn’t a good thing. He realized he had found young Franklin’s trail, and the young man’s situation wasn’t good.
To enter the second floor of the club, one needed to show at least 10 pounds in cash and a recommendation from an acquaintance. Shard had neither money nor acquaintances, but he had to go upstairs, as now was not the time to give up; it was his first official commission.
After waiting for a while, fortunately, a group of dozens of drunkards staggered out of a room on one side of the hallway, heading upstairs together.
“This is a good opportunity!”
Shard dodged to the side with several people near the staircase but quickly supported one of the more straggling drunkards, enduring his reeking alcohol breath, and mingled within the group. Finally, the detective made it to the second floor.
“Indeed, making money is never easy.”
Compared to the noisy environment on the first floor, the second floor was notably quieter and more elegantly decorated. Even at night, it was still more of a wine club than a casino.
