The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 518: Strange Thief

Of course, Fernandez didn't know the relationship between Roland and Enid, or why Roland was unwilling to accept the invitation, even to go to the bustling streets of the West End to have a cup of coffee and listen to those gorgeous and considerate girls talk a few words to relieve his boredom.

Roland can go, but he cannot be invited by Fernandez.

Otherwise, the captain would be in big trouble.

Although he himself has no interest in this.

But Fernandez was in high spirits.

He loved gambling, playing poker with those executives who had no tasks, and making plans to have a good night at a club on weekends - he seemed to be a bit like Mr. Chandler when it came to women.

It’s just that Chandler’s is more frank and profound, even to the point of being almost philosophical.

of course.

Fernandez invited Roland several times, not only out of good intentions, but also to make a bet with the executive officers - for example, when he could lead Roland on the "right path", and how long it took Roland to set foot on the "right path" for the first time...

And so on.

There was some dissatisfaction among the female executives.

But they didn't say it explicitly.

Because this is really too common, and some ladies also think in private conversations that at Roland's age, he should indeed "learn" how to "get along" with women - Fernandez is a good guide and can probably find him a good teacher.

(Although they are also very happy to act as teachers.)
Fortunately, Enid didn't care much about the matter. She didn't know that half of the men and women in the court were looking forward to the day when Roland would become an adult.

Otherwise, there is really no need for the Inquisition to exist.

Roland had a normal view of the matter at the time and was only concerned about Fernandez's life.

but…

He does have a separate request.

"I have a friend."

He said.

"He usually has a stern face, as if nothing can attract him except thinking about the case - I mean, he definitely loves women, but he never seems to express it."

Fernandez was disdainful: "There is no man who doesn't love women, unless he is a blasphemer."

Blasphemer.

What I mean is, he loves men.

"I don't think he is a blasphemer." Roland said, "He just needs a little guidance."

Fernandez glanced at Roland and said sarcastically: "You are so good to your friends."

"I just wanted to see if this man whose world consists of nothing but solving cases could find another hobby."

"Detective? Or police?" Fernandez asked.

"Detective," Roland said.

"I hate detectives. They always get involved in things they shouldn't, and then come crying when something goes wrong - pus all over their bodies or tumors on their skin, saying, 'This is your responsibility.' I don't like them, Roland."

Roland: "My friend is different."

Fernandez: "All detectives are the same."

"Where are all the executive officers?"

Fernandez was silent for a while.

“…You’re really nice to your friends.”

This statement is truly sincere.

"I heard that you asked a few people who were on break to go look for someone in the city?"

"That's what I told you, the circus." Roland nodded: "The lost baby is my friend's brother... I don't know where she went. Maybe she's wandering around somewhere. She's a girl, and no one knows her. Some places in the city are not safe."

"It's probably not safe." Fernandez and Roland boarded the carriage. "You have to pray that your friend from the circus is not so smart. If she had found it, it would be a corpse now."

After thinking for a moment, Fernandez asked again: "You didn't tell the police?"

"Does that work?"

Fernandez: "No. It would only make them a laughing stock - don't call the police, Roland, you should know who they are."

"I kind of wish Kingsley was in London now..."

"Who?"

"My detective friend."

"It's no use calling a detective. Now you can only pray to the Father of All Things to protect that circus girl." Fernandez adjusted his sitting position and reached out to close the curtain. "How do you know such a person?"

"Is it the Father of All Things who asks this?" Fernandez kicked him and stopped talking.

…………

……

Fernandez didn't get many useful clues from the couple who lost their child in the South District.

The not-so-young woman spoke incoherently, and her husband didn't seem to care much - rather than providing clues, he was more interested in showing off his "erudition" in front of Roland and Fernandez, and inquiring into their conversations to see if they had a chance to get any "compensation".

Bullshit compensation.

In the words of Fernandez: Don't think you can apply the rules to yourself just because you know them.

That is to be followed, but not to be benefited from.

Otherwise what are the rules?

after that.

They went to a suburban cemetery and met with Shandel.

Since it is the burial place of "not very respectable" people, we cannot expect the gravekeepers to be diligent - as mentioned before, this profession is mostly inherited by the son, or the father and son work together. Usually there are only one or two gravekeepers in a cemetery, not counting injuries and vacations.

Fortunately, it is a poor man's tomb, and tomb robbers would not risk being hanged or imprisoned to dig a pit with nothing in it but bones.

When Roland and Fernandez arrived, Shandel was waiting at the entrance of the cemetery, with a skinny young man standing beside him - obviously, facing the danger of the 'Black Crow', it should be his son who should take over.

"Roland!"

Shandel walked forward quickly, holding up her skirt, and almost blocked Roland in the carriage - completely ignoring the captain who was several times her size.

Until he started coughing.

"Oh... Good day, Mr. De Winson."

What else can Fernandez say?

It's not the first or second time.

They were led by the gravekeeper to the opened tomb.

The strange thing is that some of the bones that were roughly dug up were intact, but some were missing.

The older ones stayed.

"…It was a baby, sir." The gravekeeper whispered back, "The thief only took the baby's bones, leaving the older ones behind."

He said.

Not only that.

Some boards contain some of the family's hopes, such as the deceased's favorite cups, jewelry, and small items.

There were also shillings or pence.

The denomination was not large and the quantity was small, but none of them were lost.

All were left behind.

"It's not for money." The gravekeeper repeated the words of his father who was "recuperating temporarily from illness": "... He is not an 'experienced' thief either. Look, sir. This padlock, and the dirt pit... My father used to look after a large cemetery when he was young, and he saw people who specialized in this hellish job."

A truly skilled tomb robber does not waste any unnecessary energy.

You will only find a very narrow pit, and it will never be like what you see now, where the entire land looks like it has been blasted by gunpowder.

"Didn't you hear anything?" Fernandez asked.

The gravekeeper nodded and shook his head: "Sir, we are not here all day."

He said.

There are five large cemeteries in this area.

There are only two gravekeepers.

He and his father.

"…Every time we checked in the morning, we found him. It seems that he lives here like us and knows where my father and I are." The young man looked nervous: "He also threw those 'unwanted' bones everywhere... Sir, if there was no wolf howling..."

He asked Fernandez nervously: "You can definitely catch him, right?"

The beasts have no interest in dried bones.

This is of course man-made.

Fernandez patted his shoulder. "Tell me where you will be today. And, take me to where you will be keeping watch."

(End of this chapter)