Part 1 THE JOKER CHAPTER XXX A NEW BEGINNING

　　Nos. 2, 4, and 6 Daffodil Street were townhouse buildings with polygonal four-pitch roofs, an overall gray and blue appearance, and three chimneys standing out prominently.

　　There were certainly no lawns or gardens or porches, and the entrances faced directly onto the street.

　　”With a set of brass keys, Scutt of the Tingen City Improved Housing Corporation introduced himself as he unlocked the front door:

　　”None of our townhouses have a foyer; entry is into the living room, which is quite well lit by a cambered-belly window facing Daffodil Street …….”

　　Reflected in the eyes of Klein, Benson and Melissa was a set of fabric sofas bathed in golden sunlight and a spaciousness that rivaled their previous two-bedroom home.

　　”This sitting room also doubles as a living room, it has a dining room to the right and a large fireplace on the left wall for you to warm yourselves in the winter.” Scutt pointed out familiarly.

　　Klein scanned the room, confirming that it was roughly open plan, with not the slightest separation between the dining room and the living room, but away from the cambered belly window, which looked rather bleak.

　　There was a modest red rectangular wooden table set there, surrounded by six upholstered hardwood reclining chairs, while the fireplace positioned on the left wall was the same as in foreign movies and TV shows Klein had seen in the past.

　　”Behind the dining room is the kitchen, but we don’t provide any utensils, and across from the living room is the small guest room and lavatory ……,” Scutt stepped away and detailed the rest of the first floor layout.

　　The washroom was divided into two rooms, inside and outside, the outside being a place to wash up and the inside being a toilet with folding doors separating them, the guest room was small to say the least, but it was as big as the cubicle Melissa was currently living in, and it was a bit of a sight to behold.

　　After looking at the first floor, Scutt led the three siblings to the stairway next to the washroom:

　　”Down there is an underground storage room, the air in there is very dreary, remember to air it out before you go in each time.”

　　Benson nodded without moving and followed Scutt down the steps to the second floor.

　　”To my left is a lavatory, with two other bedrooms on the same side as it, and to my right is the same layout, except the lavatory is near the small balcony.”

　　As he spoke, Scutt opened the door to the lavatory and turned his body sideways so that Klein, Benson, and Melissa could survey it without hindrance.

　　This lavatory had more of a tub than the one on the first floor, the same folding door next to the toilet, and although it had gathered some dust, it was not otherwise filthy, not foul-smelling or crowded.

　　Melissa stared at the place in awe until Scutt walked toward the adjacent bedroom, then narrowed her gaze and followed slowly.

　　After a few steps, she glanced back again.

　　Klein, who had seen the world, was quite pleased and expectant of this, for even though Mr. Landlord often supervised everyone’s cleaning, the common washroom was still not clean enough and often gave people the urge to vomit, not to mention the queue that was easily encountered in certain haste.

　　The other washroom was just like this one; only one of the four bedrooms was slightly larger and furnished with bookshelves, the rest were about the same size, with beds, tables, and closets.

　　”The balcony is small enough that you can’t dry too much laundry at a time.” Scutt stood at the end of the corridor, pointing to the area separated by a door and lock, “There is also a full sewer, gas line, and meter, among other amenities, perfect for a gentleman and young lady such as yourselves, and it costs only thirteen sousl per week to rent and five pence per week for the use of the furniture, plus a four-week’s deposit.”

　　Without waiting for Benson to speak, Klein said, surveying the surroundings curiously:

　　”If I wanted to buy it, how many pounds would the house cost roughly?”

　　As a traverser of the Great Eater Nation, the desire to buy a house and own a home always existed in his heart.

　　Hearing this question, Benson and Melissa were startled and looked at Klein with a monster look, while Scutt replied firmly:

　　”Buy? No, we won’t sell the property, only offer it for rent.”

　　”I just want to understand, understand? Understand.” Klein explained awkwardly.

　　Scutt hesitated for a few seconds and said:

　　”The owner of 11 Daffodil Street just happened to sell a similar house last month for £300 over 15 years on a lease term, which is a lot cheaper than renting it outright, but not everyone can come up with that kind of money all at once, and to buy it outright, the owner’s asking price is £850.”

　　Eight hundred and fifty pounds? Klein began his mental math quickly:

　　My weekly salary is 3 pounds, Benson is 1 pound 10 sousl …… rent 13 sousl, plus eat well every day, probably have to use close to 2 pounds a week, and apportionment of clothing, transportation costs, interpersonal expenses, etc., etc., etc., at best, I can save about a dozen sousl a week, a year, 35 pounds a year or so, 850 pounds will probably take about two dozen years …… Even if it’s just the 300 pounds in the form of the lease term, it will take at least eight or nine years …… This does not take into account things like future marriages, splitting up the family, having children, and traveling outside ……

　　In a world without personal housing loans, most people would have to rent ……

　　With some realization, he stepped back and glanced at his brother Benson, signaling him to negotiate the price of the rent.

　　As for Melissa’s wishes, it was clear just by looking at her ever-crystalized eyes!

　　For a moment, Klein had the illusion of “shutting the door and letting Benson go.”

　　Benson nodded with his unsilvered cane, and glancing from side to side said:

　　”We should check out the other houses again, the dining room here has terrible lighting, the balcony is tiny, you see, only that bedroom has a fireplace, and the furniture is so old we’ll have to replace more than half of it when we move in ……”

　　He spoke quickly and slowly, picking up a number of problems, and in ten minutes managed to “persuade” Scutt to reduce the price to 12 Soules for rent and 3 pence for the use of furniture, and to round up the deposit to 2 pounds.

　　Without wasting any more time, the three siblings followed Scutt back to the Tingen Improved Housing Company, signed the contract in duplicate, and had it notarized by a notary public in the Tingen Notary Public’s Office.

　　After paying the deposit and the first week’s rent, Klein and Benson had a combined total of nine pounds, two thou and eight pence.

　　Standing in the doorway of 2 Daffodil Street, each holding a set of brass keys, they couldn’t take their eyes off the door for a moment and rolled up a variety of emotions.

　　”It feels like a dream ……,” Melissa said in a low, drifting voice after a while, looking up at the Moretti’s afterward.

　　Benson exhaled and smiled:

　　”Then don’t wake up.”

　　Klein, not as emotional as they were, nodded:

　　”We’ll have to change the locks on the front door and the balcony door soon.”

　　”There’s no need to rush that, the Tingen City Improved Housing Corporation is very reputable. The rest is the expense of your formal attire, but, before that, we have to go to Mr. French’s.” Benson pointed in the direction of the apartment.

　　……

　　After making do with rye bread at home, the three siblings headed back to the townhouse apartment up the street from Iron Cross and knocked on the landlord’s door.

　　”You should know my principle of absolutely no rent arrears!” The diminutive Mr. French declared airily as he sat on the sofa.

　　Benson leaned forward and spoke with a smile:

　　”Mr. French, we are here to return the rent.”

　　So direct? Is this really a good way to negotiate? Klein was surprised for a moment as he listened from the side.

　　On the way over, Benson had said that his bottom line was to compensate 12 Soules.

　　”Returning the rent? No. We have a contract, there’s still half a year left!” French glared at Benson and waved his arms up.

　　Benson looked at him seriously and waited until he had calmed down before saying calmly:

　　”Mr. French, you should know very well that you should earn more.”

　　”Earn more?” French asked rhetorically, touching the side of his thin face with interest.

　　Benson sat up straight and explained with a smile:

　　”A two-bedroomed room rented to the three of us is five sousl sixpence, but if you rent it to families with five, six, and two or even three at work and on the payroll, I am sure they would be willing to pay more for it than to go to one of those very poorly policed places in the Lower Streets, and five sousl tenpence, or six sousl, would seem to me to be a reasonable price. ”

　　Seeing French’s eyes glaze over and his throat quirk, he continued:

　　”And, as you are no doubt aware, rents for houses have been on the rise for the last few years, and the longer we stay, the more you lose.”

　　”But …… I need time to find new tenants.” Mr. French, who had inherited the estate to get the apartment, was visibly heartened.

　　”I’m sure you’ll be able to find one soon, you have the ability and the resources, maybe two days, maybe three …… We’ll compensate you for the time you’ve lost, just use the deposit we paid, 3 Soule, that’s fair!” Benson immediately “clap”.

　　French nodded in satisfaction:

　　”Benson, you are truly a young man with a conscience and honesty in his actions, okay, let’s sign the ‘suspension contract’.”

　　Klein watched in awe from the side, completely understanding Mr. French’s easy “persuasion”.

　　This is too easy to convince ……

　　Settling the issue of the previous contract, the three siblings first went to help Klein buy formal wear, and then got busy with the move.

　　They didn’t have any heavy, bulky items that belonged to the landlord, so Benson and Melissa jointly “rejected” Crane’s idea of hiring a carriage, and did the work themselves, traveling back and forth between Daffodil Street and Iron Cross Street.

　　Outside the window, the blazing sun dipped in the west, more burning flavor of the golden yellow through the convex belly window, sprinkled on the surface of the desk, Klein looked at the books and notes neatly arranged on the shelves, ink and fountain pen gently placed on the table has been wiped clean.

　　Finally, he was done …… He exhaled, feeling his stomach rumble, and lowered his rolled up cuffs as he made his way to the door.

　　He had a bed just for himself, the sheets and comforter were white, old but clean.

　　Crane twisted the knob and stepped out of the bedroom, and was about to speak when he saw the two doors across the room open in unison, revealing Benson and Melissa.

　　Looking at the gray dust and dirty smudges on each other’s faces, Klein and Benson suddenly laughed an unusually hearty laugh.

　　Melissa bit her lip lightly, gradually becoming infected by them and expressing a small laugh.

　　……

　　Early the next morning.

　　Klein stood in front of the dressing mirror that was no longer cracked, carefully organizing the collar and cuffs of his shirt.

　　The set, which consisted of a white shirt, black tuxedo, half-height silk bowler hat, black vest and pants, leather boots, and bow tie, had cost him a total of eight pounds, and had cost him an unusual amount of money.

　　But the effect was good, and Klein only felt that he looked a little more bookish in the mirror, and seemed a little more handsome.

　　Snap!

　　He closed his pocket watch and put it in his inside pocket, then grabbed his cane, hid his revolver, and took the railroad carriage to Zotland Street.

　　As he entered Blackthorn Security, it occurred to him that he had gotten so used to his previous lifestyle that he hadn’t given Melissa any extra money this morning, allowing her to continue walking to school.

　　Shaking his head and making a mental note of it, Klein stepped into Blackthorn Security and saw the brown-haired girl, Roxanne, brewing coffee and making it smell good.

　　”Good morning, Klein, it’s a beautiful day.” Roxanne greeted with a smile, “Honestly, I’ve always wondered if you men don’t feel hot in formal wear in this weather. I know that summer in Tingen can’t compare to the south, not hot enough, but it’s still summer.”

　　”It’s the price of poise.” Klein replied with humor, “Good morning, Miss Roxanne, where is Mr. Captain?”

　　”The usual place.” Roxanne pointed inside.

　　Klein nodded slightly and passed through the partition, knocking on the door to Dunn-Smith’s office.

　　”Come in.” Dunn’s voice and tone were as low and gentle as ever.

　　Seeing that Klein had indeed changed into a nice set of formal clothes, he nodded slightly and said with a smile in his gray eyes:

　　”Thinking about it?”

　　Klein took a deep breath and answered solemnly:

　　”Yes, I have made my choice.”

　　Dunn slowly sat up straight, his expression quickly becoming serious, his gray eyes deep and unchanging as he said:

　　”Tell me your answer.”

　　Krynn replied without hesitation:

　　”Diviner!”