Chapter 29: The Gambler

Dr. Clay was a middle-aged man, slightly older but not yet fifty. He had a somewhat bloated physique, though he managed to keep it well within the limits of "obesity."

However, he was completely bald, so he wore a very conspicuous brown wig, which caused one's gaze to involuntarily drift upward when conversing with him at close range.

"So Dr. Schneider definitely won't be back today?"

Shade confirmed with a sense of reluctance while holding the cat. The ginger cat, Mia, had likely never been in such a situation before; her eyes were wide and bright with excitement as she looked around.

"Yes. When the Earl's butler came to invite Bill, he already specified the time for this house call," the doctor repeated.

"Then do you know any of Dr. Schneider's friends, like that Miss Dorothy Louisa? Do you know where she lives?" Shade asked again. If he couldn't find the doctor, any other Circle Mage in the same group would do. This concerned an Eldritch God statue; he had to find someone capable of handling the matter with caution.

"Yes, of course I know her. She is a regular at our clinic, often visiting due to issues with anorexia and insomnia... but I cannot disclose patient information at will," Dr. Clay said apologetically. Shade knew his request was somewhat excessive, so he could only opt to leave a message for Dr. Schneider.

An Eldritch God statue containing the remnants of an Old God, while not a [Relic], still held immense value.

Even though the Academy did not recommend that Circle Mages obtain the Four Elements through contact with such eerie objects, the professors at St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy who were Ninth Circle or above and held lifetime professorships might be able to use those remnants to write the stories of the Old Gods using language imbued with power.

Doing so would be far safer than the direct influence Shade experienced from the remnants today. Therefore, whether it was out of concern for Mrs. Lasov or simply to contribute by reporting the matter, it was necessary to let Dr. Schneider know as soon as possible.

But since the doctor was away, he could only wait patiently. Shade couldn't report this directly to the Church—not because he cared about the Church taking the statue of the Blood Old God, but because he simply didn't know how to make an anonymous report.

"But the doctor will be back tomorrow. Waiting one more day shouldn't cause any issues."

With this thought, he left the psychological clinic while holding the cat. However, a sense of unease lingered in his heart, a feeling that caused him to be so distracted on his way back to St. Delan Square that he was nearly hit by a carriage at an intersection.

Shade had left home early in the morning, but because the cat-finding commission had gone so smoothly, it was only two in the afternoon by the time he returned home.

Both he and Mia had eaten lunch out, so he had nothing to do for the moment.

Shade left the cat at home. Mia had adapted reasonably well to the unfamiliar environment, rolling around on the sofa or exploring various corners of the rooms.

Shade, meanwhile, used the ledger and notebooks left by the detective to meticulously record the entire process of this cat-finding commission, strictly following the format of his predecessor.

After finishing, he flipped through the detective's past records, planning to complete the remaining two simple commissions—the runaway girl and the search for the doctor—within the next few days.

This way, once he received the academy textbooks on Wednesday, he would have time to investigate the detective's past acquaintances and search for any secrets that Spyro Hamilton might have hidden.

Thus, Shade spent the afternoon organizing all of the predecessor's belongings and appraising his assets. In the evening, he went out again with the cat for dinner. On the way back, he bought some breadsticks at a bakery near the square to serve as breakfast alongside tomorrow morning's milk.

Of course, he couldn't forget the high-end cat food; since he had accepted the money, Shade intended to take good care of the little ginger kitten.

Consequently, after only two days in this world, Shade had become a young detective living in the central square of the kingdom's capital, with both a cat and a job.

"Come to think of it, my luck isn't actually that bad... I just have no money."

His nighttime was spent continuing his research into [Space-Time] and [Silver Moon]. Because he had come into contact with the remnants of an Old God today, the accumulated [Miracle] elements had transformed into more Spirit, making the silver light at his fingertips even more dazzling.

It still lacked offensive power, but it was sufficient for illumination.

Shade also tested his ability to ignite paper, an ability that had also been enhanced by the acquisition of power. Although the young ginger cat was startled by the heat rising from the paper in Shade's hand and refused to leave his embrace, Shade felt quite happy about it.

This period of study ended around nine o'clock that night. Shade was sitting in the study reading the doctor's notes, struggling with the doctor's cursive handwriting, when he heard the bell ring downstairs.

The cat, which had been sleeping on the desk, immediately scurried under it, appearing frightened.

After comforting the timid Mia, Shade walked out of the room in confusion and followed the stairs down to the first-floor foyer.

"Did the doctor return to the city early and see my message?"

But that wasn't the case. Upon opening the door, he found a somewhat nervous, short, blond middle-aged man wearing a black coat. This was likely a client looking for Detective Spyro Hamilton.

Shade's first official commission had arrived.

The man's name was Lagart Franklin, an accountant living in the west of Tobesk City, employed at "Hunter & Lola's Textile Factory." This was not his first time coming here for a commission; he was an acquaintance of Detective Spyro Hamilton. Therefore, after being invited in by Shade and treated to black tea, he was deeply shocked by the predecessor's death.

"A sudden illness, without even receiving effective treatment."

This was the predecessor's explanation for his death. Medical science in this era was not advanced, and doctors' methods were only just emerging from the customs of "bloodletting" and "enemas." Thus, it was not uncommon for an acquaintance to die suddenly from an acute disease.

"I am the detective's nephew from his hometown, and I have currently inherited this agency. Before Uncle Spyro passed, he entrusted this place to me."

Shade introduced the identity he had fabricated for the predecessor. Seeing that Mr. Franklin believed the story, he inquired

"Although Uncle Spyro is no longer here, I can complete commissions more cheaply. May I ask, what brings you here so late?"

Perhaps moved by Shade's sincerity or the promise of a "cheaper" rate, the middle-aged accountant hesitated before telling his story.

Although they lived in the royal capital, Lagart Franklin's family was quite ordinary for this "Pearl of the North" of the Old Continent. Mr. Franklin made a living as an accountant, while Mrs. Franklin worked as a copyist at a nearby private library.

The only child in the family, little Franklin, was the greatest headache for the couple. He had originally been a well-behaved child, but ever since he met a group of bad influences on the street, he had spent his days idling with them. He gradually picked up the bad habit of gambling, frequenting nightclubs and underground casinos at night, and stealing money from the family to squander.

The two previous times Mr. Franklin had come here for commissions, the first was to have Detective Spyro Hamilton find little Franklin, who had not returned home for three days; he was eventually found in an underground casino in the northern slums. The second time was to have the detective bring out little Franklin, who had been frequenting the "Lucky Southern Cross Club" for three days.

The club's main business was alcohol, but at night, it transformed into an underground casino.