Chapter 36: Paid Employment

“So, Mr. Richter, do you have a commission for me?”

Richter didn’t mention their conversation from last night. It was a private matter, and bringing it up would be awkward. It was better to pretend it never happened.

He got straight to the point.

“I have a business proposition for you.”

“Please proceed,” Selene nodded slightly. “Though I’m not with the police, I think I still have some skills.”

Richter tilted his head slightly, looking at Louise.

Selene immediately reacted and explained,

“Louise is my… assistant. There’s no need to hide anything from her.”

Louise, who had inexplicably become Selene’s assistant, nodded silently, not objecting to her friend’s statement.

Selene knew that Richter wanted to keep this business proposition confidential.

After all, in this age, ordinary people would go to the police for help. If they came to a private detective, it was probably something they couldn’t easily discuss. They might want to keep their family problems private, or the matter might be outside the police’s jurisdiction. Considering the police’s responsibilities included tax collection, security, sanitation, fire prevention, and investigation… most things outside the police’s jurisdiction were family problems.

That’s why Selene mostly took on infidelity cases. It wasn’t because of Lanstier’s social mores, but because everyone who needed this kind of service in town came to her.

Schwerdt Town wasn’t that large, but it had a few thousand people. These kinds of things weren’t uncommon.

“It’s not a difficult job.” Richter smiled, a smile that made Selene feel very uneasy.

He unconsciously tapped the armrest of his chair, saying,

“I need a job. You need an assistant.”

“….?”

Selene tilted her head, puzzled. “Sorry, I don’t quite understand.”

Richter repeated himself, and Selene pondered for a moment. Her expression shifted from puzzled to suspicious, then to understanding. It was unclear what she had realized.

“Ah—I don’t have any desire to develop a relationship with anyone,” Selene said sincerely and seriously. “We did have a nice evening last night. I think it was a good memory… Although the possibilities might have been a little sudden, a bit profound, but I…”

She paused, as if she had gone through a series of embarrassing lines of reasoning. Then she spoke clearly and decisively,

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“I won’t like anyone.”

Louise, who had moved a chair from the dining table and sat behind Selene, frowned and stroked her chin, deep in thought. Richter was merely slightly startled. His smile didn’t diminish, and he didn’t show any embarrassment at being rejected or any uncertainty about what to do next.

“….You might have misunderstood something.” He clasped his hands in front of him, relaxing his posture. “I don’t think I’m the kind of person who falls in love at first sight.”

“Ah… Sorry. I was overthinking,” Selene scratched her face. “But I don’t really need any more assistants… Wait, maybe I do…”

Because of the recent incidents related to superhumans and cults, Duquesne was spreading his manpower very thin. Though she had accomplished a great feat yesterday, theoretically, she should be collecting her rewards, heading home, and then not have to worry about work. But Duquesne would probably get something out of those two heretics, and then assign her new work…

And those who had commissioned her would definitely be coming to her during this period. She probably would have two or three visitors every day. She’d spent half a month escorting her client James to Nymph Fu, and there were still many outstanding commissions.

She hesitated. Although she would be busy for a while, Nymph Fu seemed to be returning to normal quickly, and the Arbiters would probably be sent here soon… She probably wouldn’t be busy for too long, maybe a week or so, and that was manageable…

Richter tapped the table, interrupting her thoughts. Then he placed a stack of banknotes on the table. The banknotes were blue, with the number “200” and ten intertwined crown-like thorns.

These were “Blue Thorns,” the highest denomination of currency commonly used in the South Continent. Only the “White Staff” was worth more, and its exchange rate against the Blue Thorns was fifty to one.

“I’m offering you paid employment. Thirty Blue Thorns per month, or ten silver coins. You can choose.” Richter held the book he had brought, speaking sincerely. “I’m a ‘Sage,’ a superhuman. I won’t hold back our esteemed detective.”

As they say, fate has a price.

There are no free lunches in this world. If there is, there’s definitely a price to pay.

Selene thought that this price was one she could bear. I’m a superhuman. Ten silver coins a month. What’s the big deal?

“Consider it a retainer.” Selene decisively took the stack of Blue Thorns, carefully counting them and discovering there were sixty.

“The extra is for Miss Louise,” Richter said impassively.

Louise, upon hearing this, subtly tilted her head, her bloodthirsty gaze falling upon Selene. A longing and greed flickered in her green eyes… Selene, seeing this, knew that there was nothing she could do to stop her friend and sadly separated thirty of the Blue Thorns, giving them to Louise.

The satisfied Louise immediately returned to her calm, businesslike manner. She took a sip of her tea and asked,

“How should we divide the work? Let me say this first, I’m an ‘Astromancer,’ so I don’t have any fighting skills. I’ll do the paperwork. You two handle the dangerous work.”

Having received her payment, she immediately became more accepting of her role as “assistant.”

“I don’t have any fighting skills either—” Selene had only said halfway when she saw her friend’s meaningful stare, a silent question about yesterday’s massacre.

But that was a large-scale battle, where even the ritual caster was killed. You couldn’t use those kinds of methods in normal situations… Selene fell silent, a little guilty.

“I know a bit of hand-to-hand combat, and I understand basic-level magic. It shouldn’t be a problem.” Richter readily agreed, glancing at Louise.

“Do you have a place to stay?” Selene asked. “If not, you could stay here. There’s a guest room on the first floor. It’s not as big as the rooms on the second floor, but it’s still quite comfortable.”

Richter frowned slightly, then agreed.

“I don’t have much luggage. It’s right outside the door…”

“I’ll get it!”

Louise glanced at this exchange and sighed.