Chapter 30: Lucky Southern Cross |
This was Mr. Franklin's third visit to commission a task. The request, as usual, was to forcibly remove young Franklin, who was obsessed with Rhodes cards, from the illegal club operating during nighttime hours.
Mr. Franklin had completely had enough. He planned to sell his property, quit his job, and leave behind the thirty years of effort he and his wife had put into building a life in the prosperous northern capital of Tobesk. They intended to move their entire family to Artake City in the kingdom's western region, known as the "City of Arts." Mr. Franklin's older brother had lived there for years and could help the family find new work.
More importantly, this move would keep young Franklin away from his bad influences, the Rhodes cards, and the gambling tables.
"After I bring him back this time, I'm locking him at home. Once we’ve finalized the moving arrangements next month, I’ll take him straight onto the steam train. So, Detective Hamilton, can you get my son out of that club?"
The client confirmed the details of the commission.
This task simply required Shad to head to the club immediately, persuade young Franklin to leave with him, and bring him back. The accountant had offered a fee of 13 shillings and 3 pennies, just over half a pound. For an accountant with an annual income of about 70 pounds, this was roughly half a week's wages.
The fee covered the club's entrance fee and a nighttime travel subsidy. Although the payment was barely worth a "half-cat" compared to the commission to find Mimia, Shad considered it and agreed to take the job.
He had recently reviewed the Franklin family case in the records left by the previous detective, which detailed the process of persuading young Franklin to leave.
"A simple task, no room for errors."
Tobesk City's taxi fares depended on the starting point and destination. Within the city center, centered on Yodel Palace, a ride within four miles cost 1 shilling for destinations under two miles, with an additional 5 pennies per mile afterward. For trips outside the central district, the per-mile cost was slightly cheaper.
Shad’s destination this time was in the lower district, commonly referred to as the northern part of the city. Including the extra tip for nighttime travel, he paid a total of 3 shillings when he got off at the dimly lit alley entrance.
Fortunately, the Franklin home was also in the northern district, so there’d be no need for another carriage ride after finding young Franklin.
At the same time, the high cost of the taxi ride reminded Shad of the stark wealth disparities of this complex and bustling steam era—and of the many challenges faced by those like himself at the lower rungs of society.
The city was peaceful at night, but as a newly initiated Ring Warlock, Shad could feel a dreadful sensation in the silence, akin to staring into the abyss. The northern city of Tobesk undoubtedly hid countless secrets and unknowns in its shadowy alleys and apartment corners. Thankfully, at least tonight, Shad didn’t encounter any of those.
"This world… is far more dangerous than I imagined."
The club, "Lucky Southern Cross," had its main entrance on Glass Hill Avenue. However, to access the club's casino, one had to enter through the back door in an alleyway.
Following the notes left by the previous detective, Shad entered the alley, navigating a half-circle in the dark until he spotted a rusty, silver-gray iron door. At one point, a stray cat suddenly leapt from a wall, startling him and leaving him annoyed at his own "cowardice."
After cautiously knocking three times on the door, he waited a full thirty seconds before a tall man with a beard, wearing a black coat and boots, cautiously opened the door from the inside.
"This isn’t a place for young folks."
The man glanced at the young detective and gave him a shove, only to find Shad unmoved. Even as a one-ring warlock, Shad's physical strength had greatly improved.
"Is this how barbaric the rules are here?"
Shad revealed a "Silver Moon 13" Rhodes card, part of a deck he had picked up earlier that morning on the roof of a pet boarding center, and said, "I’m here to see Mr. Rhodes about some matters at the table."
He then handed over three one-penny coins as the entry fee.
"Thought you were… a first-timer?" The bearded man glanced at the card, confirming the password.
"Introduced by someone familiar," Shad replied in a low voice.
The man scrutinized him once more before stepping aside, allowing Shad to enter the dimly lit backdoor corridor of the club.
Shad immediately raised the collar of his coat to cover half of his face, cautiously scanning the alley in both directions before stepping inside.
"Even if this is an illegal casino, you don’t have to act so…" the man muttered behind him.
The corridor was dimly lit, filled with a nauseating mixture of sweat, alcohol, and tobacco. After walking just ten paces, doors on both sides of the hallway came into view. All of them were ajar, letting harsh light spill into the corridor and revealing chaotic shouts and the sound of hands slapping tables from within.
Shad didn’t enter any of the rooms. He cautiously moved forward while secretly using 【Echo of Blood】 to inspect his surroundings. Finding no significant traces of blood reassured him that there weren’t more serious illegal activities here.
"Though it’s not combat-related arcane art, it’s surprisingly useful."
The corridor led to the club’s east hall, brighter than the corridor and filled with dozens of wide, cloth-covered wooden tables. Well-dressed gentlemen, drunken bar-goers, and laborers just off work crowded around the tables, waving cash in excitement as they watched the gambling unfold.
The "Lucky Southern Cross" club spanned three floors, with access to the upper-level casinos limited to distinguished guests. Young Franklin was evidently stuck on the first floor. During the previous investigation, Detective Sparrow Hamilton had found the young man drunk and passed out in a corner of the east hall.
This time, the hall was crowded. Shad only had Mr. Franklin’s description of his son’s appearance and clothing, so he didn’t immediately locate him. Holding a one-shilling note, Shad blended into the bustling crowd, stopping at different tables to look for his target. However, he was careful not to throw money onto the tables; the taxi fare alone had already pained him enough, and Mr. Franklin wasn’t reimbursing unnecessary expenses.
After half an hour of searching, he had scoured most of the east hall but still hadn’t found his target. Instead, he overheard gamblers gossiping about an interesting incident that had occurred an hour earlier.
A young man with freckles, small eyes, a gray cap, and a sailor shirt had been hauled to the second floor after racking up too much gambling debt.
Shad didn’t know what "repaying debts" entailed, but it couldn’t be good. He now had a lead on young Franklin, though the young man’s situation was clearly dire.
Accessing the second floor required a minimum of 10 pounds in cash and a referral. Shad had neither money nor connections, but he couldn’t abandon the task—it was his first official commission.
After waiting for a while, a group of drunken men stumbled out of a side room and headed toward the second floor.
"A great opportunity!"
Shad stepped aside with others near the staircase but quickly latched onto one of the trailing men, enduring the stench of alcohol to blend in with the group. In this way, he managed to sneak up to the second floor.
"Making money is never easy," he thought.
The second floor was noticeably quieter than the chaotic first floor, and its décor was more refined. Even at night, it felt more like a wine club than a casino.