Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 344 After Dinner (Day 1)
After dinner, Li Wei went to the salon to kill time.

The layout of the Crescent House is not much different from most Western-style houses. In the middle is the hall and the staircase, and the east and west wings are various rooms.

The Crescent Moon Pavilion was no different. On the first floor of the Crescent Moon Pavilion, the west wing was a bar, salon and restaurant, while the east wing was a tableware room and servants' rooms.

The library is located in the center of the second floor, with guest rooms on the east and west wings, and the old count's residence is on the third floor.

Levi's room was in the east wing, where, besides himself, were Richard and the Gladys brothers, as well as Mrs. Ava and her granddaughter Bianca.

The west wing was where Marilyn and Herman lived, as well as Isaac and Sophie.

There was no television in this era. After dinner, most people went to the salon for a gathering, while only Marilyn and Herman went back to their room to rest. It was clear that they knew they were not popular with the others.

"Seriously, what is Sister Marilyn thinking?"

Watching Marilyn and Herman walk up the stairs, Gladys fiddled with the flowers on his white suit while complaining.

"I'm very happy that she's willing to come back, but does she really have to bring outsiders with her? Brother, you think so too, right?"

"This is Marilyn's decision, and we have no right to interfere."

Richard shook his head, still looking serious.

"Okay, let's change the subject."

Gladys chuckled and quickly changed the subject.

"If one of us becomes the head of the family, then Marilyn's existence will become very awkward. If it were me, I would definitely kick that Herman out immediately, but I suppose Marilyn would leave with him, just like back then..."

"Gladys, you talk too much."

But before Gladys could finish speaking, Richard coldly interrupted him, frowning and looking at Gladys with a serious expression, while Gladys simply shrugged.

"Fine, I won't say then. You'd better watch yourself, bro."

As he spoke, Gladys patted Richard on the shoulder and then walked into the salon.

"Hey, Bianca, wanna play cards?"

"Yeah."

Bianca, who had entered the salon with Ms. Ava, nodded happily upon hearing Gladys's invitation, then looked at Levi, who had also entered.

"Would Sir Levi be joining us?"

"I'm just killing time anyway, count me in."

Li Wei did not refuse the invitation, so the four of them found a card table and started playing cards—this was one of the few forms of entertainment in the world at night.

It would be even better if there were mahjong, but unfortunately... Li Wei simply didn't have the energy to promote its development.

With Madam Ava present, the group didn't play any complicated games, just a simple game of blackjack. After playing for about an hour, Madam Ava felt sleepy, so Bianca helped her back to rest. A game with only two players wasn't very fun, so Levi and Gladys also stopped to rest briefly.

"Wow, no wonder you're a famous detective, even your card-playing skills are so superb."

As Gladys tidied up his cards, he remarked with a sigh, while picking up a bottle of liquor from the side.

Would you like some?

"I'll just have tea."

Li Wei silently declined Gladys's invitation.

"I've heard that Sir Levi is a teetotaler. Is that really true? That's quite a surprise."

"is it?"

"That's right, it's rare to see a man who doesn't drink these days."

"Because drinking alcohol is bad for your health."

Li Wei used the same rhetoric as always, which was, of course, his true thoughts.

"This is the first time I've heard this claim."

"Actually, many things have hidden toxicity, but most people don't realize it. It's not that only things that kill you instantly when you ingest them are poisonous."

In Li Wei's opinion, many doctors in this era prescribed medicines that were essentially no different from poisons. Not to mention selling petroleum as health products, applying lead to the face as makeup, etc... These are all typical examples of people who are courting death.

Fortunately, the empire had abolished the practice of corsets. This was because Her Majesty the Queen, during her military campaigns, found corsets too cumbersome and a burden, and promptly discarded them. It was after this that women in the empire gradually abandoned the practice of corsets.

Of course, old bad habits are gone, but new ones come. For example, after it was discovered that applying lead to the face to whiten it was toxic, people abandoned lead powder, but they invented a method—placing leeches behind the ears to suck blood. This way, the face could be as white as a vampire.

It just goes to show how incredibly creative humans are when it comes to messing with themselves.

Li Wei felt he should find some time to talk to the Queen and have the Empire establish an agency similar to a food and drug administration, at least so that he could eat with peace of mind and not end up ingesting a bunch of chemicals...

If they add a radioactive element or something, then it'll be even more disastrous.

"Sir Levy, what are your thoughts on the selection of an heir for our Cromwell family?"

Just as Li Wei was internally complaining, Gladys poured himself a glass of wine, sipped it slowly, and asked a question.

When Gladys asked him a question, Levi raised an eyebrow.

"As a guest, this doesn't seem like something I should be thinking about, and I've only just arrived here and don't know anyone. Even if you asked me to speak, I wouldn't have anything to say."

"Haha, is that so? I was wondering if the old man had already told you who the heir is."

"Didn't Mr. Gladys ever consider that he might become the heir?"

"I can't do that."

Gladys waved his hand dismissively.

"Being the head of the family is not an easy job. I'm used to being lazy and can't stand such complicated work."

"So, in Mr. Gladys's opinion, who is more suitable to be the head of the family?" "I would definitely choose Richard..."

Gladys paused at this point, then sighed.

"Well... that's what they say, but if I really had to choose, I'd still pick Brother Andrei."

"Andrei?"

"Sir Levi, you should know that the old man's own son has passed away unexpectedly."

"Hmm, that's Andrei?"

"Yes, Richard, Andre, Marilyn, and I grew up together. Andre was undoubtedly the eldest brother. How should I put it? He was smart, steady, and had excellent interpersonal skills. Back then, we all thought that Andre would definitely become the clan leader in the future."

At this point, Gladys took another sip of his drink, his mood becoming much more subdued.

"But fate is a strange thing... Ah, Sir Levi... I'm telling you this right here..."

Gladys suddenly lowered his voice and glanced around. He saw Richard drinking at the bar, while Isaac sat silently on the sofa next to him. So, while fiddling with his cards, he whispered to Levi.

"Actually, I've always felt that Andrei's death wasn't an accident. You're the Empire's most famous detective, would you like to help me solve this mystery?"

"You can tell me about what happened at that time."

Li Wei took the cards from Gladys's hand and started playing again, while speaking.

"Yes, I remember what happened back then."

Gladys said to himself as he dealt the cards, lost in thought.

"It was around this time of year, and the old man was already planning to make Andrei the clan chief, entrusting him with many clan affairs. Then one day, Andrei went out on business and never came back. It was raining at the time, and the rain got heavier and heavier. We thought Andrei would definitely wait for the rain to stop before he came back, but... the next day, we found his body in the lake."

"In the lake?"

"It's that Crescent Lake."

Gladys glanced out the window.

"Don't let the lake's shallow appearance fool you; you can see right to the bottom. It's actually quite deep, and you could easily drown if you're not careful. But it's strange, why did Andrei rush back in the rain that day? I still can't figure it out..."

"Is it because you have important official business to attend to?"

"It's not impossible, but I always feel there's something fishy about this."

Gladys frowned.

"It was raining very heavily that day. There were no steam engines back then, and although Brother Andrei usually traveled on horseback, he would typically use a carriage in this kind of weather. But that day, Brother Andrei didn't travel by carriage. I asked the person in charge at the time, and he said that Brother Andrei received a letter and left in a hurry. Then, his body was found in Crescent Lake..."

"So you mean he received a very urgent letter, which is why he rushed back?"

"That's what I think, but it still feels very strange. Brother Andrei has always been a very steady person. How could he do something so reckless and impulsive for no reason? And shortly after that, Marilyn came back with that guy... Hmph, it's as if she knew Brother Andrei was going to die!"

"So you mean Marilyn and Herman are suspected of murdering Andrei?"

"How about it, Sir Levi? My reasoning is pretty good, isn't it?"

After saying this, Gladys resumed his smug expression.

"Indeed, in solving cases, there is a saying that whoever benefits is a suspect."

Li Wei played another card.

“But according to this argument, any one of you has this motive.”

Gladys pursed his lips upon hearing Li Wei's answer.

"So, Sir Levy, you mean that, according to this logic, Brother Richard and I are also suspects?"

"Yes."

Li Wei glanced at Gladys and nodded, while the latter gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"So that's how it appears to outsiders... I understand now."

As he spoke, Gladys threw down the cards in his hand.

"I am tired too, Sir Levi. Goodnight and sweet dreams."

After saying this, Gladys stretched and turned to leave. Levi watched him walk out of the salon, then gathered his cards and stood up to leave as well.

Only Richard and Isaac remained in the salon, silent.

"call………"

Back in his room, Li Wei sighed, then collapsed onto the bed and began to think.

Was it the cause of death of the old count's eldest son, Andrei?

Indeed, that's a problem. But so much time has passed; the body is probably just bones by now, and there's nothing left to investigate. If Gladys's account is true, then there's definitely something fishy going on. Hmm… perhaps this is one of the reasons the old count summoned me?

After all, if Gladys could see it, there was no reason why the old count wouldn't see the problem.

Furthermore, Herman's subsequent advice to Marilyn to return to the Cromwell family is indeed highly suspicious.

Right, isn't this a perfect opportunity to use this thing?

Thinking of this, Li Wei's eyes lit up. Then he lowered his wrist and saw a black, cockroach-sized thing fall to the ground with a thud. It wiggled its little legs and quickly left the room through the gap under the door.

Li Wei closed his eyes and quickly switched the perspective of the puppet.

Let me see what these people are doing behind the scenes.

(End of this chapter)