Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1010 Miss Writer’s Wordplay

Mr. Jimmy Cameron just informed Shard that the person who sold him that box was not the friend he imagined from the pub, nor was it Mr. Camelon’s Roder card playing buddy. The person selling the "Victor’s Box" is also of a decent background, operating a spice shop in the Tobesk Western District, just like him.

Even though the discovery of the New World had enriched the spice market, spices were still expensive luxuries in this era. Mr. Krum, who runs the spice shop, although his shop is much smaller in scale than Mr. Camelon’s steam factory, has more wealth due to his connections in the New World and access to special spice procurement channels.

According to Mr. Camelon, Mr. Krum is a relatively honest businessman who doesn’t enjoy Roder cards and smoking or drinking. The two met in the autumn at a small gathering of shopkeepers in the Tobesk Western District, and during their casual conversation, the spice merchant revealed that he possessed an amazing box, which led to the ensuing transaction.

The spice shop is located in the northwest of the city. After leaving the inn, the trio took a carriage to their destination. On the way, Shard reminded Dorothy and Princess Margaret to be prepared for a fight, as they might not know what is going to happen.

"Detective, do such dangers often appear in the commissions you accept?"

asked the Princess of the Southern Nation, sitting across from Shard with Dorothy. She was becoming increasingly curious about the detective’s life.

While organizing spellcasting materials, Shard shook his head:

"I’ve mentioned it before, most of the commissions I take are minor things, like finding a cat. My uncle, Detective Sparrow Hamilton, specializes in investigating extramarital affairs and infidelities."

"What is the most dangerous commission you have ever accepted?"

asked Margaret curiously. Hearing this question, Dorothy also looked at Shard with curiosity. Shard thought for a moment:

"A baron friend of mine invited me somewhere to play cards, asking me to help him defeat his opponent. Well, that time... I never want to recall it again."

This referred to Baron Lavende inviting Shard to Lakeside Manor, where Shard first encountered an Evil God.

The carriage wheels crushed the accumulated snow on the ground, speeding through the snow-covered city streets. As they moved toward the northern part of the city, steam factories became increasingly sparse, while large swathes of slums grew ever more numerous. The trio’s destination, "Krum’s Spice Shop," lay in the border area between the northern slums and the western factory district.

The Grand Nobles certainly wouldn’t patronize such a spice shop, but the factory owners of the western part of the city and the affluent middle class favored using relatively cheap spices to enhance their status.

When Shard pushed open the shop’s door and heard the crisp ringing of the wind chime hanging by the entrance, it was eleven o’clock on Sunday morning, quite close to lunch time, perhaps they could have lunch after the investigation.

The interior of the spice shop was filled with incense, various strange spice aromas mixed together, creating a smell that made Shard feel nauseous and want to vomit, but the two young women seemed quite accustomed to the scent.

Spices weren’t sold directly in baskets but were contained in specially customized glass jars lined up on shelves against the walls. There were indeed quite a few customers in the shop on Sunday morning, but they didn’t see the shop owner there. Shard let the two girls browse around as they wished, while he took a walk through the shop, confirmed there were no visible traces of elements, and then initiated a conversation with a young apprentice.

Of course, Shard didn’t reveal his identity as a detective; he merely mentioned that due to some special purpose, he wanted to make a large purchase from the shop, and thus wished to know when the shop owner would be back.

The young apprentice, who seemed to be merely fifteen or sixteen and lacked the cunning of an Outlander, unguardedly informed Shard that Mr. Krum went to the warehouse for inventory checks and would only return in the afternoon.

Shortly thereafter, Shard left the spice shop and wandered around some other street shops nearby. Ultimately, he found out the location of a nearby large warehouse from a street corner shop that sold old clothes, bedding, and even offered cotton fluffing services.

"Although I used eyeshadow to disguise my face, not knowing what might happen next, I couldn’t leave a deep impression on the apprentice. Spices aren’t goods that can be stored for long, so the warehouse must be nearby in the neighborhood, hence finding out its location by asking other merchants would do,"

Shard explained his motive to Princess Margaret, who gave an enlightened expression.

As the three of them walked along the street, Dorothy commented:

"While you were at that old goods store, I was at the bookstore next to the spice shop, inquiring about Mr. Krum’s usual behavior. Though he lives on the second floor of the shop, neighbors say he is somewhat stingy but seldom quarrels with others. He appears to have a mild temperament, with no abnormal behavior."

"From what I’ve read in detective stories, the ones with ordinary behavior are often the most likely to be criminals. Additionally, Circle Sorcerers often disguise themselves with seemingly normal behavior in everyday life,"

Princess Margaret promptly remarked, as Shard shook his head:

"Before we actually meet the gentleman, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Also, the spice merchant doesn’t strike as a Circle Sorcerer."

A dozen minutes later, they traversed the alleyways of the slum—which would have been very dangerous if not done during the day—and arrived at the warehouse just one street away from the spice shop. The warehouses on the west side of the city predominantly lay in contiguous groups, with Mr. Krum only leasing one of the smaller warehouses. The elderly warehouse keeper initially refused to let the trio directly enter to find the person, but upon Shard spotting his fallen two shillings on the ground, the old keeper allowed them to enter, though they could only stay for up to twenty minutes.

Certainly, resolving issues with two shillings also had to do with Shard’s companions being two beautiful ladies. Even if Shard were a thief daring enough to steal during the day, there was no reason to bring along two ladies who visibly hailed from distinguished backgrounds for a heist.

When they met Mr. Krum, the spice merchant was directing workers to move goods out from the shop. They needed to temporarily relocate empty boxes out of the warehouse to lease them out; merchants wouldn’t let goods pile up in the warehouse to waste away.

"Are you looking for me?"

Scrutinizing the attire of Shard and his companions, the spice merchant wearing black boots removed his hat and inquired skeptically. He appeared to be in his forties, with somewhat dark skin but astutely sharp eyes:

"I don’t know what brings you here. Are you here to discuss business?"

Using the excuse of doing business might fool the young apprentice, but pulling out this excuse now seemed a bit inappropriate.

"No, no, we’re not here for business, there’s something else we’d like to seek your assistance with."

Shard replied with a smile, extending his hand to shake hands with Mr. Krum.

[Ordinary person.]

"It’s like this, do you know Mr. Jimmy Cameron?"

Shard asked as he also removed his hat, exuding a demeanor that assured the spice merchant that this handsome young man absolutely came from an extraordinary background:

"Yes, we have met several times."

"I’m also a friend of Jimmy Camelon. I heard from him about Victor’s Box, and it’s truly a magical box."

Shard exclaimed, and Mr. Krum nodded in agreement, indicating for everyone to talk aside:

"Yes, my wife originally thought I’d been deceived. But I’ve had the box for a month, and the accumulated cash has long exceeded the original payment for the box. It’s indeed a magical technology. However, didn’t I tell Jimmy not to casually inform others?"

He looked inquisitively at Shard, while Dorothy couldn’t help but laugh anymore. If such boxes truly spread widely, they could indeed greatly impact Draleon’s currency and prices.

"I didn’t ask Mr. Camelon; he voluntarily told me."

Shard maintained a smile on his face:

"Actually, we... we met at a banquet. Do you know about Princess Margaret’s visit to Tobesk? My uncle knows an envoy from the visiting group and can introduce southern sales channels to Mr. Camelon."

The princess behind them certainly didn’t know, and Shard wasn’t lying at that moment, at least not about the "uncle" part.

The spices merchant showed a look of understanding, realizing Jimmy Camelon disclosed that secret to associate with nobility:

"If that’s the case, you came to me for..."

"I also want one of those boxes."

Shard presented himself with an appropriately awkward expression, then introduced:

"These two ladies are one a distant relative of the Royal Family and the other from Cavendish. They are both ladies of noble birth, and we all want to possess such a magical box. Therefore, Mr. Camelon introduced us to you, and we’re wondering if you could introduce us to the merchant selling the boxes?"

The spice merchant clearly hesitated:

"Mr. Vanny allows me to introduce friends to him, but he doesn’t let me casually..."

"Sir."

Dorothy spoke softly, her voice very gentle:

"I think we can all be trusted people. Even if you don’t know our jobs, don’t know where we live, or even our names, you do know our gender, don’t you?"

That voice was so convincing that the spice merchant immediately nodded:

"Yes, I now know your gender, which is quite a remarkable privacy."

Princess Margaret glanced sideways at "Dorothy," somewhat suspicious that Miss Writer often used this method to gather writing material.

"Isn’t that enough? I think it’s sufficient for you to understand us completely, trust us, and tell us Mr. Vanny’s address."

The spice merchant opened his mouth but was still somewhat hesitant, so Shard supplemented:

"I can also tell you a secret about us. I like pretty girls."

Mr. Krum was taken aback, immediately nodding without any hesitation:

"Since you shared such secrets with me, yes, I can tell you the address."

Princess Margaret kept a straight face, struggling not to burst into laughter.

"Can you tell us about him?"

Dorothy asked softly, and Mr. Krum had already completely trusted her because she made a valid point:

"Mr. Victor Vanny is the maker of those magical boxes. He’s a very genial person, and not only earns money himself but allows us to earn too. He stipulates that each person can only buy one box, but if we introduce business to him, he can give us a commission. I introduced Jimmy to him and earned a 10-pound commission."

Dorothy glanced at Shard, and Shard nodded:

"So where does he live? Or does he have his own factory?"

"Mr. Vanny is a craftsman, not a local. He’s from the Eastern Islands area. After coming to Tobesk, he rented a place in an inn and assembles those magical boxes there daily, occasionally taking strolls outside. He has a very strong craftsman spirit."

Sensitive to this phrase, Shard pursed his lips, and Dorothy continued asking:

"Then the inn’s address is..."

"Tobesk Northern Area, Hymn Square, Three Cats Inn. Mr. Vanny usually doesn’t meet strangers; you have to say you were recommended by me for him to meet you."

"Again, the Three Cats Inn?"

Shard sighed lightly in his heart, but indeed, the Three Cats Inn is the most well-known inn in the northern part of the city, otherwise, it couldn’t be eligible to sponsor the Rod Card Game during the Big City Player period.

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