Chapter 9: Choosing Weapons

Charlot suppressed his nervousness and quickly found his office following Mrs. Pascal's directions.

It was a private office, quite spacious, with a large window offering a view of the street outside Kilmainham Prison. Though most of the space was occupied by filing cabinets, Charlot was still quite satisfied.

Working with filing cabinets was clearly much easier than working with colleagues—at least there would be no Nepotistic Office Politics to deal with.

"Filing cabinets are all such 'well-behaved companions,'" he thought to himself.

Charlot placed the two items he had chosen on his desk.

Charlot had no idea how to use a flail, let alone a multi-headed flail.

What caught his eye about this weapon was that it was made of star iron—a rare material worth dozens of écus, even if sold as scrap.

Charlot planned to sell the multi-headed flail on the black market and use the proceeds to purchase a variety of weapons instead.

A standard military pistol cost at most two or three flor, a rapier was slightly more expensive, but a cane could be bought for just a few centimes.

By selling the multi-headed flail and buying a few standard weapons, Charlot would still have dozens of écus left over—a small windfall.

Not every new hire at Kilmainham Prison could count on such a bonus.

It was clear that this opportunity came courtesy of Miss Menielman's favor. Whether Charlot would have future chances to earn such perks depended on how well he could win the senior’s approval and whether he got assigned to special tasks.

Charlot didn’t linger over the multi-headed flail but spent a good while playing with the vampiric axe, growing fonder of it by the minute.

...

That day, Miss Menielman didn’t arrive at Kilmainham Prison until noon. Upon arrival, she immediately assigned Charlot a daunting workload of clerical tasks, keeping him busy from the moment he started his new job.

Initially, Charlot had entertained some expectation of working late with his senior, but by nightfall, all he wanted was to find a place to sleep—even if it was a stone floor.

This exhausting pace lasted a week and three days before Miss Menielman finally gave Charlot a day off. It was only then that he could clock out and return home for the first time.

As he left Kilmainham Prison, Charlot couldn’t help but deeply appreciate that, whether on Earth or in another world, being able to finish work on time was a rare and simple joy.

Back at his apartment in the Savings Union, he enjoyed a good sleep.

...

The next day, after a light breakfast, Charlot left the apartment and headed straight for his alma mater—Sheffield University.

He wasn’t there to relive old memories but to visit the weapons market near the university.

As a prison officer, it was unthinkable not to carry a weapon. It would make him stand out, and the weapons market near Sheffield University offered decent quality at reasonable prices.

Uncharacteristically, Charlot decided to walk instead of taking a public carriage.

The weapons market near Sheffield University mainly catered to students and local residents.

During his university days, Charlot often wandered around the market, even though he rarely bought anything. Back then, there was no need for personal weapons, as the school provided training arms, and he wasn’t particularly interested in weaponry.

At the market, Charlot, well-versed in its layout, strolled around for a while before stopping in front of a shop that specialized in second-hand weapons. He remembered it often had quality used items, although the owner had a reputation for being unscrupulous.

The shopkeeper, who didn’t recall Charlot as a former idle browser, greeted him warmly with a beaming smile. "We have the best weapons in Strasbourg! Whether you’re looking for a rapier, saber, knight’s lance, or shield, we’ve got it all, and the quality is unmatched!"

Charlot smirked inwardly, thinking, “Your shop mainly deals in second-hand goods and often passes off shoddy items as quality ones. Without even a workshop of your own, how dare you claim ‘unmatched quality’? Such nonsense is meant for unsuspecting outsiders.”

He didn’t expose the shopkeeper’s deceit and merely smiled faintly. “I’m looking for a pistol—or perhaps a cane. Do you have any good recommendations?”

The shopkeeper’s enthusiasm immediately waned. Second-hand pistols were hard to sell at a good price, as new ones weren’t expensive, and their prices were fairly transparent.

As for canes? A few centimes per sale didn’t exactly excite him.

Calling over a clerk, the shopkeeper said, “This is our best employee. Please allow him to recommend a few suitable weapons.”

This was precisely what Charlot wanted. The shopkeeper was shrewd and difficult to deal with, but his clerks were easier to handle.

Ignoring the clerk’s endless recommendations of low-quality goods, Charlot wandered around the shop and grew slightly disappointed. It seemed there were no bargains to be found this time.

Just as Charlot was about to leave and try another shop, his eyes lit up. In a corner, he spotted a dull, dusty rapier lying casually with a dozen others.

Striding over, he picked it up and drew it slightly from its sheath. One glance made him chuckle. “A fake antique?”

The clerk hurriedly exclaimed, “It’s a genuine antique! Sir, you have a discerning eye!”

Charlot couldn’t help but smile. “If this were truly an artifact from the Sherlock Dynasty, its price would be calculated in écus. Are you really going to offer it to me for just a few écus?”

The clerk hesitated, then said, “It’s authentic! You couldn’t take it for less than five flor!”

Charlot returned the rapier to its place and said flatly, “I’ll pay no more than fifty centimes.”

Seeing Charlot’s disinterest in the “antique sword” and his apparent readiness to leave, the clerk reluctantly called out, “Even if it’s a fake antique, it’s worth more than that! Three flor and fifty centimes—that’s our final offer!”

Charlot waved dismissively and headed for the door. The clerk gritted his teeth and shouted, “One flor! One flor! Sir, this is a real bargain. We can’t go any lower!”

Charlot left his address and departed with his head held high.

As a government employee with a fixed residence, he was able to place orders and pay upon delivery, sparing himself the need for immediate payment.

...

As a graduate of Sheffield University, Charlot had received a rigorous general education.

The Sherlock Dynasty, also known as the Magic Dynasty, was renowned for its magical rapiers. After being conquered by King Axel, the dynasty’s craftsmanship in magical rapiers was lost forever.

Authentic antiques from the Sherlock Dynasty were now considered treasures, with each piece valued in gold écus.

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