Thursday, March 9th, 1817
Menthil Daily
WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN SEWER BENEATH HEARTH UNIVERSITY
Age: 16-18
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Last seen in the lower boroughs near Kensington
If you have any relevant information, please contact the Menthil Police Department.
---
Asher scanned the criminal activities section of the Menthil Daily, his brow furrowing as he read.
"I wasn't very satisfied with the brief glimpse I caught during the carriage ride.
Clearly, this is a murder at the very least—sewerside. But without examining the crime scene firsthand, there isn’t much more to see."
As he sat in his new apartment, which had come fully furnished, he reflected on his modest living space.
It wasn't extravagant by any means.
The apartment featured one master bedroom upstairs and a guest bedroom with a bath on the first floor. Upon entering, a tiny parlor led into the living room, with the kitchen and staircase branching off from there.
The guest room was just past the staircase, while the bedroom upstairs boasted a small terrace attached.
He wasn’t certain whether it was the landlord or the previous tenant, but he appreciated the lavender growing in a rectangular pot that overlooked the terrace.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The apartment cost him a staggering three pounds a month—a significant expense that left his finances in absolute tatters, almost making him shed tears.
"I’ve got four pounds, eight crowns, and fifty-six pence left, I’ll earn twenty-five percent of my pay until my debt is settled."
He sighed. "I won’t exactly have to tighten my belt. In fact, I should have quite a surplus, all things considered.
Perhaps I should save some of that money for bribes. I’m sure I’ll need to grease some palms now and again on the job.
Nonsense! If it comes to that, I’ll file a claim for my costs with Helena!"
Cheering himself up, Asher resumed reading.
---
The police are seeking any information pertaining to a suspected dangerous individual. Please contact the Menthil Police Department directly if she is spotted. We strongly advise the public not to approach her. Her last known whereabouts was Urbs Stellarum, where her involvement is suspected in several disappearances.
Female
Age: 18-25
Hair: Red
Eyes: Grey
Height: 5'8"
Unfortunately, there was no picture accompanying this article. But with such striking features, I suppose a visual isn't essential.
It’s not as if you’d come across another person with red hair and grey eyes in a lifetime.
Asher finished reading the remainder of the criminal activity report, feeling a wave of indifference wash over him. Perhaps growing up in the lower boroughs had left him jaded.
He brewed himself a cup of tea and ripped several pieces of rye bread onto his plate.
"Maybe I can start buying wheat bread now that I have some extra income," he mused to himself.
Asher tidied up his kitchen, leaving the dishes in the sink for later.
Today marked his official first day of work.
Assistant Detective Moretti!
"Hehehehe."
Feeling a surge of excitement, Asher made his way to the upstairs bathroom. He flicked some water onto his hair, attempting to tame it as best he could.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, bloody hell!" he exclaimed. Somehow, all of his undershirts were dirty. He grabbed the least offensive-smelling one and quickly threw it on, determined to avoid the consequences of being late on his first day.
After donning the rest of his clothes, he exited his apartment and joined the queue for the public carriage.
Asher settled near the back of the carriage, relishing his window seat and grateful he wasn’t outside in the cold.
Reaching into his jacket, he quickly checked the time. After placing the nondescript trinket back, he paused for a moment, frowning.
The undershirt he had hastily thrown on was damp—not dripping, but certainly more than a bit wet.
"How did that happen? I haven’t done laundry since last week. I suppose the lads the housing agency sent must have accidentally gotten it wet on their way to Colloway Street."
Feeling more than a little disgruntled, Asher steeled himself against the chilly morning air.
Fortunately, Henry seemed to keep his fireplace burning at least in the mornings. The smoke he’d noticed coming from the chimney on Tuesday must have been from him.
As the carriage meandered past Crestcheek Street, Asher alighted after paying his fare. A blast of cold wind greeted him, pricking his skin and sticking to his damp undershirt like glue.
He walked toward the Consultancy building, opened the landing door, and ascended the stairwell.
About halfway up, he noticed a bump on the handrail he’d been gripping. Frowning slightly, Asher looked down in curiosity. There, on the wall-facing side of the polished handrail, some wood had been carved away. The result was the likeness of a goat's head, seemingly in tears.
Asher spared it a brief glance before continuing upstairs.
Entering the lobby, he spotted Liz sitting at her desk, wearing a modest periwinkle dress.
"Good morning, Liz! You look lovely today."
Liz blinked at him as if she had just seen an exotic animal—perhaps a unicorn.
"Ah, thank you, Asher. Would you like something to drink? I hope things haven’t been too difficult. Relocating can be a hassle."
"A coffee with a bit of cream, please. Thankfully, it’s been rather easy; accommodations were available. I’ll see you in a while, Liz. I need to see Henry for self-defense training."
"Very well, I’ll bring your coffee in a moment."
Asher walked toward the hallway, counting four doors down. He took a left, knocked, and then opened the door.
Henry was in his usual spot, sipping a steaming mug.
He turned toward the door as Asher entered, but before Asher could say anything, he felt something hit the side of his head, and his vision went dark.