Lord of the Silver Crow

"Although private detectives are legal, according to the laws of the Kingdom of Catsias, private detectives need to charge high taxes, so every detective needs to go to the police station to leave records for every business."

But at the moment, what Paulin said was undoubtedly engaging in business secretly.

After making complaints about Paulin's unlicensed operation and tax evasion, Yago didn't say much.

Taxation is the most important form and source of national public finances. From the national perspective, such behavior is tax evasion and damages the interests of the entire country. However, from the perspective of individuals and capitalism, this is called "reasonable." Tax avoidance".

Just don't get caught.

Obviously, under the current circumstances, he and Paulin have already gotten into the same boat. Out of selfishness, Yago just said:

"We better not let others know that we are engaged in the business of private detectives."

"Of course, the nobles are more willing to deal with us than the police. If there is business, I will use the name of the Rose Church." Paulin just shrugged, and then took the lead out of the yard and walked to the carriage.

"Your prayers are really expensive."

While making complaints, Yago discovered that there was a carriage parked outside the courtyard.

A four-wheeled carriage, the horses pulling the carriage are very strong, compared with the common public carriages in the city, there is a significant gap between the large carriages that are pulled together by several inferior horses, and the box is similar to the private carriage in the impression , Can sit four to six people.

but......

There is a pattern painted on the box of this carriage.

At first glance, it looks like a black triangle like soot, which is not very eye-catching...

However, Yago didn't think it was something simple.

Because this is the emblem of the nobility.

It's like the emblem of the Fast family is a silver-gray dot that spreads radiantly around-a mercury star.

And this soot-like thing is the emblem of the Viscount Di Lude family, the largest nobleman in this area.

ash

Historically, the Di Lude area seemed to have been completely destroyed in wars or disasters a long time ago.

The current Di Lude was rebuilt after that disaster.

This is the meaning of Di Lude's family crest.

Seeing this, Yago immediately understood the situation:

"The client is Viscount Di Lude?"

"Yes, that's right." Bao Lin bared his white teeth, then stretched out his hand, comparing two fingers, "If we succeed, we can get this number."

2?

"Two golden roses?"

A general and relatively complete adult funeral requires about 4 golden roses, which is equal to the weekly salary of his mentor Babaibo Takransha.

Although it has gradually declined and is moving closer to the middle and low classes, Yago's father, the funeral of Fast XIII, also spent close to ten golden roses for the funeral of King Fast XIII.

It is not intuitive to compare these. So, for example, a public carriage, in the urban area of ​​Di Lude, requires 5-6 copper carters at most, and outside the urban area, the starting price is 1 silver.

In this country approaching the steampunk style, where advanced and backward coexist, cars and horse-drawn carriages go together, the cost of riding horse-drawn carriages is not low.

There are a lot of words for two.

However, Paulin shook his head:

"200 golden roses."

What? ? ?

You know, the average annual salary of semi-skilled workers and skilled female workers working in factories and shops is around 50-80 Golden Roses.

In the Fast family, which has lost most of its assets, the income of one year is not deducted from the expenses, and at most it is in the early years of 1000 Golden Roses—

Relying on his sister Elsa's clothing store.

Although I heard that detectives are a profiteering industry before, I didn't expect it to be so violent.

Seeing Yago's expression, Paulin shook his head: "Such a high remuneration also shows that this time the matter is quite complicated, don't be too happy."

Under Paulin's uncharacteristically serious words with a hippie smile, Yago also nodded to express his understanding, and followed Paulin onto the carriage. The man who looked 30 or 40 years old and wore better clothes than the average carriage driver, yes. The two smiled:

"Then two gentlemen, sit firmly."

On the suburban roads where few people walked, the horse-drawn carriage drove quickly.

.......

Two hours later, Di Lude city, the central area.

On the street, a large number of horse-drawn carriages and a small number of roaring steam cars staggered, and the wonderful feeling of backward and advanced coexisted in Yago's heart.

The carriage slowly stopped in front of Di Lude Manor.

"Then, two gentlemen, Di Lude Manor is here."

The coachman's reminder came from the front of the carriage. Paulin patted the trilby on his knee, put it on again, and got out of the carriage with Yago.

The gloomy dark clouds lingered in the sky, and the surroundings looked a lot colder, and the fog was gradually thickening.

Yago swept his gaze forward, and what caught his eye was the huge courtyard—

Di Lude Manor, or Ash Manor.

Inside the hollow railing iron gate, colorful flowers are blooming on the edge of the garden.

In the distance of the line of sight, in the center of the courtyard, a tall and thin Gothic castle with a spire that should look quite old, in the thickening fog, that has a strong religious sense of mystery and sadness. And the sublime atmosphere changed to a weird and slightly horrible direction.

After talking with the security personnel at the door, after the housekeeper arrived to greet them, the two walked in through the half-opened iron door and stepped on the grid-like gray concrete road that was gradually covered by fog.

Just like other places in Catcia, in this country where the rose church is the mainstream belief, flowers of conical corymbs grow everywhere, and a large number of roses are also planted in this courtyard.

The rose gardens exist on the left and right sides away from the road, close together in not beautiful shapes.

Glancing at the rose garden on the left, the swing that was clearly empty but swaying in the fog, Yago felt cold all over.

"It's not a good time, it's foggy again."

Paulin who was next to him murmured that the Principality of Catsia, especially in Colola County, often had heavy fog.

Afterwards, under the leadership of the butler, the two passed by classical lampposts exuding dim yellow brilliance, and entered the castle with a slight sense of security.

The hall of the castle was shining bright lights that made Yago feel painful.

The current economic situation of the Fast family is not good. As the owner of the Fast family, he should bear the responsibility of supporting the family. He uses this kind of extravagant lighting that can make the whole hall light up like noon.... envy.

It is similar to but different from Victorian England. In this era, there seems to be no electricity, basically relying on gas lamps.

A very common overhead setting in steampunk works, there is no electricity or something.

However, if it is used in large quantities, it is in Arabella, in the Duchy of Catcia. According to Yago’s experience, the mechanization of the Duchy of Catcia has not been popularized. Only a few people in the more prosperous cities can afford all kinds of steam. mechanical.

Laggard and advanced coexist, this steampunk is no one.

At least, in the Colola area, only the county town of Colola has it.

However, these are not important.

The eyes of Yago and Paulin turned to the middle-aged man standing in the castle hall, who looked forty or fifty years old.

Nafa Rosa Dillard.

In other words, Lord Viscount.

Or maybe, Mr. Mayor.