Mary walked out of the Golden Goose Tavern. By now, after a whole day of rain and snow, the entire city of Flondeck seems like a damp and exhausted woman after passion.
The night was already deep with no star in sight, only countless raindrops falling incessantly from the sky, hitting the flesh with pain.
Even in the midst of the bustling nightlife of Flondeck city, the noise gradually faded away.
Just walking past the Green Agate Square, Mary stopped at the street corner. Under the dim yellowish magic crystal street lamp, she looked at her newly bought skirt with regret. The beautiful layered hem had already been stained with a few mud spots.
"Damn weather," Mary muttered, carefully trying to wipe off the dirt with her fingers, but only succeeded in making the brown smudges worse, furrowing her brow deeper in frustration.
For a part-time bar girl like her, this dress was one of her most popular secret weapons.
Everyone knew Mary was the most famous showgirl at the Golden Goose Tavern. When she danced provocatively at the bar, the men's excited cheers could almost bring the roof down.
Then there was always that one customer, who would whisper a few words to the owner and quietly slip a few silver coins, buying the right to spend some alone time with her in a small room upstairs.
Usually within two quarters, sometimes a little longer, there will be some jingling things added to Mary's wallet.
If she kept at it for a few more years, she could buy a two-story house with a backyard in Flondeck's outskirts or go even further to find a decent man to marry. Every night before she went to sleep, Mary would count her earnings, happily calculating how much closer she was to achieving her dreams.
But the cost of cleaning this expensive dress, which couldn't be washed, would delay her plans for a few more days.
So, when that man approached her, Mary decided to do some more business.
The dim light made it hard for Mary to make out the man's appearance, but his loud, clunky boots, slender cane, and carriage waiting behind him all suggested he could afford her.
If he was a gentleman, she might even get a chance to visit the expensive, jaw-dropping hotel on Diamond Avenue again.
Mary had only been there once, six months ago, when an old aristocrat had bought her for a gold coin for the entire night. The aristocrat naturally didn't go to the small upstairs room, so she was taken to the palace - for Mary, the hotel's luxurious decor was no different from the palace she had imagined.
Although the soft, flabby thing the old man had used had made Mary's tongue sore all night until he was fully satisfied, the cost was her cheeks being sore and numb the next day.
But Mary still missed the feeling of rolling around on the soft, feather-filled bed.
She licked her full, sexy lips and leaned against a lamppost, gently twirling her umbrella handle and trying to show off her long, fit legs that protruded from under her dress, and her proud breasts that traced a magnificent curve under her clothes - She is very good at seducing men.
Soon, Mary regretted her greed.
When the man raised the hand that had been hidden behind him all along, the cold light of the knife glinted in the light, making Mary's charming, hazy eyes turn to despair and terror.
Uncontrollable pain shredded all her thoughts and perceptions, and soon she knew nothing.
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Inspector Lime Knight of the Patrol Force received a report in the early morning.
The gray-white mist made the Green Agate Square look dreary. The old square, which had been around for quite some time, was now blocked off by a squad of police cavalry.
Occasionally, early-morning residents who were curious about what had happened attempted to approach, only to be immediately repelled by the soldiers.
Lime slowly lifted the black cloth that covered the body, revealing a headless figure before him, a girl with a very good figure.
Due to the cold, the blood was not yet fully congealed, staining the damp road with a thick layer of red.
"Quick, find out her identity," Lime ordered his subordinates.
Then, after pausing for a moment, he looked at the provocative skirt and added, " Go to the bars near Green Agate Street and ask if anyone has gone missing.."
He weighed the money purse found on the body, listening to the crisp sound of coins clashing together, and muttered a few curses under his breath.
Every time, body parts were missing.
Every time, the incisions on the body were clean and orderly, without any mess.
Every time, the victim's valuable belongings were not missing.
He knew that the culprit had struck again.
"Midnight Butcher," this is the name the patrol team uses to refer to that guy.
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Perhaps Flondeck lacks a bit of the mystery and beauty compared to the Thousand Towers holy city Anno. Perhaps compared to the eternal capital of Castain, it is inferior in solemnity and atmosphere. However, even the most well-traveled wandering poets cannot deny that Flondeck, the city that never sleeps, is the most marvelous city they have ever seen.
The cold of the murky winter enveloped the entire city like a thick fog. The sky was so gray that sunlight was nowhere to be seen. Finally, in the middle of the day, the heavy and dull clouds broke open. After a brief respite from several days of rain, the drizzle resumed, weaving a silvery curtain of raindrops.
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Albert Fraley stood in the stone hall of the apartment complaining about the ghostly weather. He was a tall young man with his mouth always tightly pursed into a thin line, and his brown irises made him appear slightly indifferent. In the words of common parlance, he had a naturally "cold-face".
"Fraley, he's a handsome young man, he just looks too cool," many girls would say.
The bad weather made Flondeck's transport surprisingly scarce. Carriages filled with passengers flowed endlessly along the road, and the wheels stirred up the bumpy mud water. The coachman deftly steered the carriage to avoid various obstacles, flying down the not-so-wide road.
A dilapidated carriage stopped in front of Albert. "My lord, where would you like to go?" The coachman asked respectfully.
The impoverished lord had even lost his private carriage and was relegated to living in the old city. People living here had goodwill and tolerance. After all, it was an honor to have a true aristocrat living among them. Moreover, this Lord was courteous, with manners and style different from the average person.
"Go to the Golden Goose Tavern, please." Albert grabbed the handle outside the carriage and climbed aboard.
The ride was smooth, but the cold rain mixed with ice pellets seeped in through the damaged cracks in the canvas of the carriage, causing Albert to shiver and raise his collar.
After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at their destination.
A red roof, an exaggerated sign, and rowdy bar-goers could be heard from the windows.
The Golden Goose Tavern was probably the liveliest place on Green Agate Street, with cheap and delicious beer, enthusiastic barmaids, and the famous small rooms. Although crude, every normal man could find pleasure there.
Albert took out a silver coin from his purse and handed it to the driver. He watched as the driver rummaged through his pockets for change, his red, swollen hands covered in frostbite.
Who would willingly suffer the hardship of working outside in the freezing cold if not for their livelihood?
Feeling sympathetic, Albert gestured to the driver to keep the change, then turned and climbed the two steps to push open the worn red-painted wooden door of the tavern.
It was warm inside the tavern. Albert moved his stiff body a bit and nodded to some acquaintances who greeted him. He walked towards the table in the corner where a group of Eastern merchants had gathered.
Although Flondeck is located on the border, a hundred years ago, Markamor merchants carrying valuable cargo crossed the turbulent Sea of Silence and quickly developed this border fishing village into the most prosperous commercial city in the entire Byron Empire.
Connecting the East and West, the merchant route known as the Spice Route starts in the West with the city of Flondeck.
Glass, spices, seasonings, and many other rare and unheard-of items can be exchanged for ten times the profit as long as they can be transported to Flondeck without any loss.
Similarly, transporting pepper and wool produced here can earn any greedy merchant a satisfactory reward.
This is why countless merchants risk their lives to travel between the two lands.
Golden Horn Bay, a name that represents wealth and prosperity, was chosen by merchants to name this excellent harbor location in Flondeck.
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"Hello... I am the client, Albert," stuttered Albert as he greeted them in the Eastern language.
Seeing the merchants' wary eyes, Albert pulled out a note. This is the bill of lading issued to him by Arif, the most powerful figure among the merchants of the Spice Route.
The apparent leader of the merchants retrieved the delivery note and scrutinized it carefully, showing a small smile. They had heard of this special customer.
He always insisted on buying some strange plants, sometimes just certain roots or leaves, which although not exotic, were difficult to collect.
So only large caravans under the command of Ahmed would accept his orders. This was not mainly to make money, but to uphold the reputation of being the first merchant on the spice route.
If there was no stock, they would request a deposit of half the order and deliver it on their return visit.
After paying the remaining balance, the merchant would return to the room and hand him a bulging lamb skin bag after a short while.
For what was inside, Albert not only waited for four months, but also spent a whole twenty gold coins, which is enough for a normal family to live without worries for half a year.
If Albert hadn't sold the gold picture frame left by his father, he wouldn't have been able to come up with the funds.
Tying the lamb skin bag around his waist, Albert found a spot by the wall, ordered a glass of beer and raised a toast to the merchants who were still whispering about him, slowly took small sips.
"Lord, it's been a few days since we last saw you," someone purred in his ear and something slimy licked his earlobe in a flash, startling him almost to the point of spilling his drink.
When he regained his composure, Albert noticed a young blonde girl standing silently behind him, grinning like a sly kitten.
She was a vibrant girl, with two green eyes as fine as the highest quality agate, constantly twinkling with affection, and tiny freckles dotted around her nose, making her more playful.
"Jenny, don't scare people," Albert grumbled, waving his hand, taking out his handkerchief and wiping away the beer that had splashed on his sleeve.
"Wow, it's so pretty." Jenny quickly snatched the handkerchief and carefully examined the lily pattern and lace embroidery on it, then confidently put it in her own purse.
Albert shrugged helplessly, knowing he couldn't give her anything too exquisite in front of this little wildcat.
Ornate nose snuff boxes, beautiful lighters, unique collar buttons... countless trinkets had changed hands in this near-flirtatious game that he and Jenny often played, a symbol of their familiarity.
Albert was happy to use this way to give her some small gifts.
"What's wrong, miss me?" Jenny wrapped her arms around Albert's neck and gently breathed in his ear, "If we go to the little room now, it'll cost you."
"Not now, I still have to work in the afternoon." Albert took out a black badge engraved with the scales of justice, and proudly waved it at Jenny.
Jenny's beautiful green eyes widened and she excitedly rubbed her body against Albert, "You got promoted to prosecutor?" she exclaimed.
"I'm still just a trainee, but I believe I'm not far from becoming an official prosecutor after a few more trials," Albert boasted confidently, infecting Jenny's joy, and warming his own heart as well. After all, in the profit-driven Flondeck, only this girl sincerely wished him well.
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Albert's family, a noble family that had been in decline since long ago.
From the grandfather's viscount to the father's baron, when it was passed down to him, the family had no property except for the lowest ranked noble title.
This was why he sold the ancestral home and moved to the old district to live.
Thanks to his father, who had extensive knowledge of the law and had written many notes before he passed away, Albert was able to find a job in the court with the help of a distant relative after studying these notes thoroughly.
From the age of sixteen to twenty-three, in seven years, Albert had already memorized the law and accumulated a wealth of experience.
Sometimes, even veteran judges would rely on him to quietly remind them of the contents of legal articles in court.
They affectionately called him "The Living Statute of the Seventh Court".
With this astuteness, his position rose from a clerk, to a clerk of court, to a probationary prosecutor. If he made appropriate judgments for a few cases, Albert believed that he would soon drop the word "probationary".
"When the tavern closes, remember to come pick me up," Jenny's pretty face turned red as she poked her cute nose and said, "I'll bring you a gift to celebrate, it's free."
Albert knew clearly what the free gift was that she had already given him many times. On many lonely nights, that soft and gorgeous gift lit up his passion in his shabby apartment.
"Hmm." Albert lovingly patted Jenny's head and whispered to her, "Wait a little longer, and when I take up the prosecutor's position, I'll be able to support you."
A moment later, in a corner of the Golden Goose Tavern, there were the sounds of table flipping and onlookers whistling as the pair embraced and fell to the ground.
The tavern owner at the counter shouted loudly,
"My lord, if you need to use the small room upstairs, I'll give you a 20% discount!"