Chapter 11: Social Relations

In other words, this era's approach to solving crimes was crude, lacking any semblance of professionalism.

It was said that the case-solving rate of the city patrol guards was less than three percent. Theft cases relied heavily on private detectives, while robberies, kidnappings, and murders were almost entirely handled through private bounties.

While it was better than having no law at all, it was only marginally so—a rough and unpleasant legal system.

The city patrol guards quickly left the apartment and invited Charlot Mecklenburg into a carriage, speeding toward their headquarters.

Sitting in the carriage, Charlot pondered silently: "I’ve lost a few expensive ornaments worth one or two écus, but the likelihood of the murderer taking them is relatively low. It’s more likely that someone took advantage of the chaos to steal them."

"As for the murder itself, under no circumstances can Miss Menielman learn about it."

Charlot rubbed his temples, deeply troubled.

A man and a woman entered his home, resulting in a scuffle and even a murder. Even without being a logical and meticulous private detective, anyone could easily deduce that the case most likely involved romantic entanglements.

And Charlot—himself!
He was likely an unflattering participant in a love triangle.

Miss Menielman had once been engaged to Zimourman Axel Robin, and she undoubtedly loathed playboy types. She would never tolerate having someone like her former fiancé’s kind of scoundrel under her command. If this scandal became public, even if Charlot could clear his name, he would likely lose his job.

This was not Earth. Government employees of the Ingrima Empire were not the untouchable civil servants of later generations.

Miss Menielman only needed to say a single word to strip Charlot of his lucrative position and potentially ban him from ever working within the Central Government Office again.

"This incident serves as a warning. I need to sell off that magnum mauler as soon as possible, then purchase a residence elsewhere, cut ties with the Alexander District, and detach from my old social network."

Charlot rubbed his temples again, mentally sorting through "his" social connections.

Charlot Mecklenburg's friendships were superficial at best; he had no true friends to speak of and maintained only polite relationships with everyone.

His parents were merchants, quite affluent, and had supported Charlot financially throughout his time at Sheffield University.

Nowadays, however, Charlot’s father, due to deteriorating health, had gradually handed over the family business to Charlot’s elder brother.

This elder brother was highly wary of him, repeatedly advising their father, "Give Charlot a sum of money and have him relinquish his inheritance rights."

If Charlot could endure for a few more years until his parents passed away, he could legitimately sever ties with his brother’s family and live his own life.

The only familial bond Charlot still cared about was with his elder sister. The siblings shared a close relationship, but she was married and living far away, so they rarely had opportunities to meet.

Aside from this one brother and sister, Charlot had no other close relatives—except for a fiancée. The wedding date was even approaching, which made matters rather troublesome.

"I’ve heard my fiancée is quite dissatisfied with this engagement and has repeatedly caused a fuss to have it annulled. Perhaps I can help nudge things along."

The carriage soon arrived at the city patrol guards’ headquarters. The building was a standalone structure facing the street, three stories high, and full of Sherlock dynasty style. It was an old edifice from the previous era, bearing the marks of history.

The routine questioning concluded quickly.

Charlot was able to confirm the identities of the man and woman who had barged into his apartment.

They were a married couple with the surname Yanmills. While Charlot did not know the husband, he shared a rather unspeakable relationship with Mrs. Yanmills.

As for how Mr. Yanmills discovered his wife’s affair with Charlot, tracked her down, and ended up killing her during their argument and scuffle, that was a grim tale in its own right.

It was fortunate that Charlot had been lingering in the weapons market at the time, or the situation would have been much harder to handle.

The city patrol guards recorded Charlot’s account as supplementary documentation, filed it in their archives, and issued a wanted notice for Mr. Yanmills. And with that, the matter was considered resolved.

The city patrol guards’ wanted notices typically did not include rewards, nor did civic-minded individuals often assist in apprehending fugitives.

Whether in the Fars Empire, the Ingrima Empire, or the monarchies of the past, there had been numerous stories of wanted criminals evading capture for decades, only to be discovered living openly in their own homes, working and carrying on with life as usual.

Such was the absurd nature of this era's legal system.

Leaving the city patrol guards’ headquarters, Charlot felt utterly drained. Though he was not a suspect in the case, he was in low spirits. He had not expected his new life to take such turbulent turns—promotion and a raise one moment, embroiled in a murder case the next.

Upon returning to the Savings Union apartments, he tipped the maid Mary two centimes for taking care of his home during his absence. For this era, such a tip was considered remarkably generous.

With the help of the building manager, Charlot hastily moved his belongings to a suite on the fourth floor.

Once he settled into the new apartment and lay down on the sofa, he heaved a sigh of relief, only to realize he was hungry.

Looking at the time, Charlot concluded that there were no open shops at this hour. He had no choice but to prepare some leftovers from a few days prior.

The taste was, as always, less than ideal.

After eating, Charlot lay on the bed, instinctively reaching for a diary, only to put it aside again. While he knew the original owner’s diary would help him better understand his new identity, its connection to the Code of the Gods made him avoid it like the plague, leaving him deeply conflicted.

Charlot began to think seriously about how to properly plan this life.

"Tomorrow, I must ask Miss Menielman for one more day off."

"First, sell off the magnum mauler, then find a new place to live, and purchase some clothes."

Charlot had discarded all blood-stained clothing, whether his own or the women’s garments, leaving everything with Mary during the move. As a result, he now lacked both everyday clothing and the formal attire essential for men.

Thinking about the move, Charlot couldn’t help but search his memories regarding the Seven Districts.

The housing prices in Val-de-Vas were exorbitant, and continuing to live in the Alexander District was no longer an option. These two districts would have to be abandoned first.

The other three districts were out of the question due to their relative remoteness, making commuting to Kilmainham Prison too inconvenient.

After a simple evaluation, Charlot was left with two options: the Arcatraz District and the Picardie District, both situated between Val-de-Vas and Marne District.

Weighing the pros and cons, Charlot decisively ruled out the former. The Arcatraz District, being close to Val-de-Vas, had high property prices and was farther from his workplace on Kilmainham Prison Road. The Picardie District, however, had cheaper housing and was slightly closer to work.

Charlot decided that after selling the magnum mauler, he would head to the Picardie District property bureau to see if there were any suitable houses for sale.

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