Chapter 30: The Lucky Southern Cross

This was Mr. Franklin's third visit to commission a service. The task was the same: to forcibly remove young Franklin, who was addicted to Rod cards, from that illegal, late-night operating club.

Mr. Franklin had completely had enough. He planned to sell his assets and quit his job in the near future, abandoning the thirty years of struggle he and his wife had endured in this northern capital city. He intended to leave the prosperous and bustling Tobesk and move his entire family to the west of the kingdom, to the city of Atek, known as the "City of Art." Mr. Franklin's brother had lived in that city for many years and could help introduce the family to new jobs.

Of course, more importantly, it was to keep young Franklin away from those bad influences and away from Rod cards and gambling tables.

"Once I bring him back this time, I will lock him directly in the house. After I finish handling the moving arrangements next month, I will take him straight onto the steam train. So, Detective Hamilton, can you bring my son out of that club?" the client confirmed.

The task only required Shade to immediately head to the club and then persuade young Mr. Franklin to leave with him. Therefore, the accountant's offer was 13 shillings and 3 pence—just over half a pound. For an accountant with an annual income of about 70 pounds, this was roughly half a week's salary.

This commission fee included the club's entrance fee and an extra subsidy for traveling at night. Although, compared to the commission to find little Mia, this business was worth less than "half a cat," Shade considered it and was willing to accept.

Not long ago, he had seen the records of the Franklin family in the previous detective's files, which documented the process of the detective persuading young Franklin to leave with him.

"A simple task; there will be no mistakes."

Leaving the orange cat at home for fear that little Mia might be frightened, Shade even endured the pain of leaving without turning off the gas lamp before heading out. Mr. Franklin went home to wait for news, while Shade, due to the long distance, chose to take a carriage to his destination.

The rates for hired carriages in the city of Tobesk varied according to the passenger's starting point and destination. For pickups within the city center centered around Yodel Palace, destinations within a 2-mile radius cost 1 shilling, with an additional 5 pence for every mile thereafter up to 4 miles. If traveling long distances outside the central urban area, the cost per mile would be slightly cheaper.

Shade's destination this time was in the so-called Lower District, also known as the North City. Including the extra tip required for nighttime travel, he paid a total of 3 shillings when he stepped down at the dim alley entrance.

Fortunately, the Franklin residence was also in the North District, so he wouldn't need another carriage after finding young Franklin.

At the same time, the expensive cost of hired carriages made Shade realize the complex and prosperous wealth gap of this steam age, and just how many challenges he, as a person of the lower class, would have to face.

The city night was tranquil, but Shade, having become a Ring Warlock, felt a terrifying sensation from the silent long night, akin to staring into an abyss. In Tobesk, the largest city in the north, the secrets and unknowns hidden within—the mysteries in alley shadows and apartment corners—were certainly not few. Fortunately, at least Shade did not encounter them tonight.

"This world... is more dangerous than I imagined."

The club, named "The Lucky Southern Cross," had its main entrance on Glass Mountain Avenue. However, to enter the club's casino, one had to enter through the back door in the alley.

Following the records left by the previous detective, Shade entered the alley and had to navigate halfway through the darkness before seeing the silver-gray, rusted iron door. During this time, a feral cat suddenly darted out from atop a wall, startling the detective and making him vexed by his own "cowardice."

After carefully knocking three times on the iron door and waiting for a full half-minute, a tall man with a beard, wearing a black overcoat and leather boots, opened the door cautiously from the inside.

"This is no place for youngsters."

The man glanced at the young detective and reached out to push him, but unexpectedly, he couldn't budge him. Even as just a Ring Warlock, his physical constitution had been greatly enhanced.

"Are the rules here this barbaric?"

Shade displayed a Rod card with the silver moon pattern of 13—one of the cards from the deck he had picked up on the roof of the pet boarding center that morning—and then said

"I am looking for Mr. Rod regarding some matters on the table."

He then provided three one-penny coins as the entrance fee.

"I thought you were... a first-timer?" the bearded man muttered, glancing at the card to confirm the password was correct.

"I was introduced by an acquaintance," Shade replied in a low voice. The bearded man scrutinized him once more before stepping aside, allowing Shade to enter the club's back corridor, which was illuminated by dim, yellow gas lamps.

The detective immediately pulled up his trench coat collar to cover half his face, looking warily to the left and right of the alley before walking in.

"Even if this is an illegal casino, there's no need for all that..." the bearded man muttered behind Shade.

The corridor was quite dim, and the air was filled with a nauseating mixture of sweat, alcohol, and tobacco. After walking less than ten steps inward, doors began to appear on both sides of the corridor. All the doors were left ajar, allowing the piercing light from the rooms to spill into the hallway, accompanied by the sounds of chaotic shouting and hands slapping against tables.

Shade did not enter any of the doors. He walked forward cautiously, quietly using [Blood Echo] to check his surroundings. He found no obvious bloodstains, which indicated that at least there were no more serious illegal activities happening here.

"Though it's not a combat-type spell, it's strangely useful."

The corridor led to the club's eastern hall, which was even more brightly lit. Dozens of wide, four-legged wooden tables covered with tablecloths were arranged in the hall. Well-dressed gentlemen, drunks fresh from the tavern, and workers finishing their night shifts—people of all kinds crowded around the tables, waving banknotes around the still somewhat dim tabletops and watching the gambling games with excitement.

The Lucky Southern Cross was divided into three floors; only guests of sufficient status could access the casino upstairs. Young Franklin could clearly only hang around on the first floor; last time, Detective Spyro Hamilton had found the drunken youth lying in a corner of the eastern hall.

Because there were so many people, and Shade had only heard Mr. Franklin's description of young Franklin's clothing and appearance, he did not find the young man immediately.

Holding a 1-shilling note, he quickly blended into the crowded hall. He moved continuously from table to table, observing to see if he could spot the person he was looking for, but he would never throw the banknote onto a gambling table. The cost of the carriage had already been painful enough; Mr. Franklin would not reimburse unnecessary expenses incurred during the investigation.

In half an hour, he had nearly scanned the entire eastern hall but had not found his target. Instead, while pretending to study the bets at a table, he overheard gamblers chatting about an interesting event that had occurred here an hour ago.

A young man wearing a gray hat and a sailor shirt, with a face full of freckles and small eyes, had owed too much money at the gambling table and had been taken to the second floor to "repay his debt."

Shade did not know the true meaning of "repaying debt," but he assumed it wasn't a good thing. He knew he had found a trace of young Franklin, and the young man's situation was quite dire.

To enter the second floor of the club, one had to show at least 10 pounds in cash and have an introduction from an acquaintance. Shade had neither the money nor the acquaintance, but he had to go to the second floor. It wasn't time to give up yet; after all, this was his first official commission.

After waiting for a while, fortunately, a group of dozens of drunks stumbled out of a room on one side of the corridor and headed toward the second floor together.

"A good opportunity!"

Shade dodged to the side along with several people near the staircase, but as the drunks passed, he immediately grabbed hold of one of those slightly further back. Enduring the stench of alcohol on the man, he supported him and blended into the crowd, finally reaching the second floor.

"As expected, there is never an easy way to make money."

Compared to the noisy environment of the first floor, the second floor was noticeably quieter and more elegantly decorated. Even at night, this place remained a liquor club rather than a casino.