Part 2 THE FACELESS CHAPTER II Mrs. Sommer.
”Have you seen a boy in his teens? Wearing an old overcoat!” One of the several men who had rushed into the compartment said, looking viciously at the stewardess.
Out of the corner of his eye, Klein saw that the other man was thin and lean, with a complexion that looked as if it had been exposed to the sun for a long time, and eye sockets that were much more sunken than normal for the people of the Kingdom of Ruin.
Highlander? Or hybrid? He nodded thoughtfully.
In the middle of the North Continent, at the beginning of the Honachis Mountains, there was a plateau with a dry climate, most of it belonged to the Kingdom of Feneport, to the west it belonged to the Republic of Intis, and close to the east it was occupied by the Kingdom of Ruen, the aborigines were dry, savage, and yet valiant, and in the past for a long time it was one of the biggest headaches of all the three kingdoms, but with the improvement in gunpowder weapons and the change in the form of warfare, these highlanders finally recognized the reality and completely yielded. reality and completely succumbed.
A large portion of them left the plateau and entered Bekrand, entered Trier, entered the city of Feneport, and entered the various prosperous cities and ports of the North Continent, some became workers, and some became the fresh blood of the local gangs, daring to fight and kill, and not afraid of the big things.
The stewardess, a man in his twenties, scrunched his body at the words and pointed in the direction of the third class compartment:
”I saw …… him go there.”
The leader wearing a black jacket and a half-high bowler hat nodded his head in a faintly invisible manner, and leading a few accomplices, he stomped and rushed toward the third class compartment without the slightest concern for the gazes of the surrounding passengers.
If I were that boy, I would have gotten off the third class car by this time …… Klein was looking at the newspaper while his thoughts were scattered.
After another minute or so, the whistle sounded and the doors slowly closed.
Clang, clang, clang, steam subway from slow to fast began to run, but just at this time, Klein suddenly had a touch, looked up to the door leading to the other second-class carriages.
The fifteen or sixteen year old boy wearing an old coat, a bowler hat, and a worn satchel walked slowly into this carriage.
He had a youthful face, beautiful features, and bright red eyes that were stoic and serious.
”…… Awesome ah, this is from the third class carriages off the train, around a circle and come up in the first class carriages position? Afraid that the pursuer still has accomplices waiting in the subway station?” Klein was slightly surprised, only to realize that the older boy in front of him handled things in a rather mature and cautious manner, quite a bit stronger than many people in their twenties.
Knocking lightly on his left teeth, he quietly opened his spiritual vision and swept the older boy, only to see that his body was in a state of exhaustion, his emotions were tight and low, but he still maintained the blue color of calm thinking.
Not simple …… in terms of age …… Klein grunted silently and continued to look down at his newspaper.
The older boy, unaware that he had been scrutinized by the extraordinary, once again marched off to the third class compartment.
The rest of the ride was peaceful and quiet, and Klein arrived at one of the three subway stops in the Chorwood area a little over twenty minutes later.
After nearly ten more minutes in a hired carriage, he finally found Minsk Street, and, following the description in the newspaper, went to No. 17, next door to No. 15, and pulled the bell.
Bugu! Bugu!
With the ringing of the bell echoing inside the house, a mechanical bird of not-quite-as-good-looking shape emerged from the door, which was only the size of a palm, made up of gears and other parts, constantly nodding its head and making cuckoo-like noises.
Quite a nice toy, just a little rough workmanship …… Klein commented pertinently.
After ten seconds or so, the dark-colored door was pulled open, and a young woman in a black and white maid’s dress looked at Klein rather warily:
”May I ask what is your business?”
Klein smiled and raised the newspaper wrapped around his cane staff and said:
”I’m here to see Mrs. Sommer about renting a house that, I believe, hasn’t been rented out yet?”
The full name given on the newspaper was Starling Sommer.
”No. Just a moment, please.” The maid bent politely.
She hurried inside, informed her mistress, and after a while came out again, guided Crane into the house, and helped him to place his cane and suitcase in the foyer, and hang his coat and bowler hat on the coat rack in the same place.
Waves of warm air greeted him, dispelling the gloom that Klein had brought with him, and as he swept his eyes, he was the first to see the uniquely constructed fireplace, the patch of red within, and the smokeless charcoal that burned.
The living room of the Sommer’s house was quite large, almost equal to the entire first floor of the Moretti’s house, with decorative carpets and landscape-type oil paintings hanging in certain places.
The maid led Klein to the sofa area and said to her mistress, who was wearing a long pale yellow dress:
”Mistress, the guests are here.”
This hostess was in her mid-thirties, with blonde hair and blue eyes, a delicate, well-maintained appearance, and a silver-encrusted court feather fan in her hand.
As she was in her own home, because of the warmth created by the fireplace, she wore no high-necked clothing, her chest was white and greasy, and her neck was long and sleek.
”Hello, Mrs. Sommer.” Klein pressed a hand to his chest and curtsied.
Mrs. Sommer smiled haughtily:
”Good evening, please sit down, would you like coffee, or black tea?”
Klein sat down on the long couch and replied matter-of-factly:
”Black tea, please.”
”Julian, Marquis black tea.” Mrs. Sommer instructed the maid, and with a slight roll of her eyes said, “May I ask what to call you?”
”Sherlock Moriarty, you can just call me Sherlock.” Klein had already thought of a pseudonym.
At this time, he smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen location and saw the complicated plumbing there.
”Oh, this is my husband’s design, although his real job is the manager of the Cowiem Company, he is a mechanic enthusiast in his spare time, as well as a member of the Kingdom’s Soot Abatement Association.” Mrs. Sommer noticed Klein’s gaze, and with a smile in her eyes, she explained.
Ma’am, there is no need to introduce it in such detail, it’s not like I’m here to go on a blind date with your husband …… Klein spat out a sentence, and spoke with an unabated smile on his face:
”Ma’am, I wish to rent the house at number 15.”
Mrs. Sommer smiled as she sat with her back straight:
”Then I must warn you of something in advance, that house at number 15 has no such plumbing, no such easy chair, no card table, no mahogany base sideboard, no fine ceramic dinner plates, no silver knives and forks, no gilded tea set, no removable carpeting …… ”
She pointed to the things in her house, making the same introduction, adding at the end:
”It originally belonged to my sister and brother-in-law, but my brother-in-law’s business failed and they had to move to the Southern Continent, they still have a plantation in Byron, but I don’t approve of their choice, it’s not fair to my poor nephews and nieces, there aren’t any good grammar schools there, or even good governesses.”
Ma’am, that’s not even something I want to know …… Klein nodded sincerely:
”Except for the weather, there’s no place on the South Continent that compares to Birkeland.”
His concurrence pleased Mrs. Sommer, and with a light roll of her eyes she said:
”There are three years left on the lease for that house, and I would like you to pay a year’s rent in one lump sum of eighteen sousl per week and one sousl for the use of the furniture, and I can take just a small deposit, totaling fifty pounds.”
Klein shook his head and laughed:
”Mrs. Sommer, you should be able to see that I’ve just arrived in Bakerland, I don’t really know what’s going to happen to me next, and paying off 50 pounds all at once would make me less able to withstand the risk, my limit is six months, 25 pounds.”
He also intended to rent another one-bedroom room in the East End of Birkeland for a change of clothes, a disguise, and to get rid of the trail-essential preparation for the kinds of things he intended to do.
Starling Sommer nodded gently and turned to the question:
”You went to grammar school?”
Klein said with a soft chuckle:
”Yes, and I later taught myself history.”
”Do you have identification?” Starling asked casually.
”I’m sorry, I left home in such a hurry that I forgot to carry it, huh, I forgot to introduce just now, I’m from Mashai County.” Klein deliberately used the kind of accent that his classmate Welch was used to.
Just when he said the word “forgot”, he remembered Captain Dunn Smith, and the smile on his face grew wider.
At that moment, the maid Julian brought over a cup of black tea, the cup enamel white, classical pattern, part of the gold plating.
Klein took a sip, only to find that the fragrance is long, sweet and sour moderately, obviously better than his usual Sibel black tea.
”Very pure Marquis black tea.” He complimented with a description that could not be picked wrong.
Mrs. Starling Sommer’s mouth quirked slightly as she said:
”Let’s rent it for six months, then, for twenty-five pounds.”
Crane gave his thanks and chatted with the other for a few minutes until the other maid rummaged through the study for the pro forma contract.
After each had signed, Klein meatily counted out the twenty-five pounds in cash and pushed it over to Mrs. Sommer.
Starling spread it out and did a silent count, then whirled around and said with a slight lift of her chin:
”Mr. Moriarty, I believe you’re looking for work in Birkeland?”
”Yes.” Klein replied with a bit of bewilderment.
Starling said with a slight curl of her mouth:
”Then I can give you some advice, it’s very difficult to live in the Chorwood district on less than £3 a week, your rent, food expenses, tap water gas charcoal costs, transportation costs, etc. add up to a minimum of £2.50 Soule, and believe me, that’s Bakerland, and the rest of it has to be considered in terms of new clothes and good cutlery and tea sets… …A weekly wage of £3 belongs to a very bare bottom line.”
”With a weekly wage of £5 you could hire a maid, £6 consider hiring a cook, £7 plus a male valet, and £8 would allow you to hire an additional maid ……”
Mrs. Sommer, I think you’re bragging …… I used to make ten pounds a week …… Crane kept his smile and listened with a serious attitude.
At that moment the door of the room suddenly opened and a stout man entered, wearing a long black double-breasted tuxedo, leather gloves of the same color, and two beautiful moustaches on his lips.
”Luke, this is Mr. Moriarty, he’s our neighbor now.” Starling Sommer greeted him and introduced him.
Luke, who was clearly the man of the house, took off his coat and smiled politely as he handed it to the manservant who followed him:
”Mr. Moriarty, care to accept an invitation to dinner?”
This is the manager of what is known as the Cowiem Company, a member of the Lune Kingdom Soot Abatement Association …… Klein said with a smile:
”I’m sorry, Mr. Sommer, I’ve eaten on a steam train, although the taste was impressive.”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Klein, led by maid Julian, left Sommer’s house and entered No. 15 next door.
The layout was much like next door, with a large living room on the first floor, a well-lit dining room, two guest rooms, a washroom, a basement, and a kitchen that extended out to the back, while the second floor had four bedrooms, a sitting room, a sunroom, a study, two washrooms, and a large balcony.
”Mistress said you can rent out part of it, but not to those workers, and not to make it too noisy and crowded, well …… clean quilts and sheets and pillowcases, I’ll bring them over later.” Maid Julian gave an explanation and returned to the Sommer house.
After a bit of tidying up, Klein finally settled down in Berkland.
He sat in the empty living room with a sudden feeling of loneliness and forced himself to think about what he would do next.
Whether he wanted to or not, revenge and advancement weren’t something that could be accomplished in the blink of an eye, so he had to have a job that would be profitable and avoid a financial crisis.
However, the job couldn’t tie him down and affect his actions and arrangements, which meant that there had to be enough freedom.
After deliberating and eliminating unsuitable careers, Klein was left with three options:
One was to plagiarize novels and become a writer, but he had a sensitive identity, and the higher the popularity, the more fatal it was, so he could only bear to give it up.
The second is to go to be a news reporter, which in contemporary times belongs to a fairly decent job, applying for a job requires academic certificates and other documents, Klein can only express helplessness.
In the end, he chose a third career:
Private detective!
This was also the intention of that pseudonym he had taken earlier.