Lord of Mysteries

Chapter 30 A New Beginning

Numbers 2, 4 and 6 on Narcissus Street are row buildings with polygonal hipped roofs and an overall gray-blue appearance, with three prominent chimneys.

There are no lawns or gardens here, nor are there porches; the entrance faces the street directly.

Skate, from the Tingen Housing Improvement Company, held a bunch of brass keys and opened the door while explaining:

"Our townhouses don't have foyeres; you just enter into the living room, which has a bay window facing Narcissus Street, so the natural light is quite good..."

What greeted Klein, Benson, and Melissa's eyes was a set of fabric sofas bathed in golden sunlight and a spacious room comparable to their previous two-bedroom apartment.

"This living room can also be used as a living room. To its right is the dining room, and on the left wall is a large fireplace for you to keep warm in the winter," Scarlett pointed out knowledgeably.

Klein glanced around and confirmed that it was a rough, open layout, with no partition between the dining room and living room, but it was far from the bay window and looked quite dark.

There was a small, rectangular red wooden table, surrounded by six upholstered hardwood chairs, while the fireplace on the left wall was the same as the ones Klein had seen in foreign movies and TV series.

"The kitchen is behind the dining room, but we don't provide any utensils. Opposite the living room are small guest rooms and washrooms..." Scart strode forward, giving a detailed explanation of the rest of the first floor layout.

The washroom is divided into two sections, an outer one for washing and a inner one for the toilet, separated by a folding door. The guest room is said to be very small, but it is about the size of the cubicle Melissa is currently staying in, which makes her a little stunned.

After looking at the first floor, Scar led the three siblings to the stairwell next to the washroom:

"There's an underground storage room down there. The air inside is very stuffy, so remember to ventilate it before you go in."

Benson nodded calmly and followed Skate up the stairs to the second floor.

"To my left is a washroom, and on the same side there are two bedrooms. To my right is the same layout, except the washroom is near the small balcony."

As they spoke, Scart opened the bathroom door and turned to the side, allowing Klein, Benson, and Melissa to look around without any obstruction.

This bathroom has a bathtub, unlike the one on the first floor, and there's also a folding door next to the toilet. Although it's a bit dusty, there are no other dirty spots, and it's neither smelly nor cramped.

Melissa stared blankly at the scene until Skate walked towards the adjacent bedroom, at which point she looked away and slowly followed.

After walking a few steps, she looked back again.

Having seen the world, Klein was quite delighted and looking forward to it, because even though the landlord often supervised everyone to clean, the public washroom was still not clean enough, often making people feel like vomiting, not to mention that there was often a queue when they were in a hurry.

The other bathrooms are the same as this one. Of the four bedrooms, only one is slightly larger and has a bookshelf. The rest are about the same size and have beds, tables, and wardrobes.

"The balcony is small, so you can't hang too many clothes to dry at once," Scar said, standing at the end of the corridor and pointing to a place separated by a door and lock. "It also has a complete sewer system, gas pipes, and a meter, which is perfect for gentlemen and ladies like you. The rent is only 13 soles per week and 5 pence for furniture. In addition, a four-week deposit is required."

Before Benson could speak, Klein curiously looked around and said:

"Approximately how many pounds would this house cost if I wanted to buy it?"

As a time traveler from a land of great foodies, the desire to buy a house and own property has always been in his heart.

Upon hearing this question, Benson and Melissa were both startled, looking at Klein with eyes that seemed to regard him as a monster, while Skate answered firmly:

"Buy? No, we don't sell properties, we only offer rentals."

"I just wanted to know, understand? Just wanted to know," Klein explained awkwardly.

Scart hesitated for a few seconds and said:

"Last month, the owner of 11 Narcissus Street just sold a similar house for £300 for 15 years on a leasehold basis. This is much cheaper than renting directly, but not everyone can come up with such a large sum of money at once. If you want to buy it outright, the owner's asking price is £850."

850 pounds? Klein quickly began mental calculations:

My weekly wage is £3, while Benson's is £1.10... Rent is £13, and with daily food expenses, I spend close to £2 a week. Then there's clothing, transportation, social expenses, and so on. I can save at most a dozen or so soles a week, which is about £35 a year. It would take over twenty years to accumulate £850... Even if it's just £300 for a land lease, it would still take at least eight or nine years... And this doesn't even consider future marriage, separation, children, travel, etc...

In a world without personal housing loans, most people would probably have no choice but to rent...

Having realized something, he stepped back, glanced at his brother Benson, and gestured for him to go and negotiate the rent.

As for Melissa's wishes, you can understand them just by looking at her bright eyes!

At that moment, Klein had the illusion of "closing the door and letting Benson out."

Benson tapped his un-silver-inlaid cane on the ground, glanced around, and said:

"We should look at other houses. The dining room here is poorly lit, and the balcony is too small. Look, only that bedroom has a fireplace, and the furniture is all too old. We'll have to replace more than half of it if we move in..."

He slowly and methodically pointed out a bunch of faults, and in ten minutes successfully "convinced" Scarlett that the rent would be reduced to 12 soula, furniture usage fee of 3 pence, and the deposit rounded up to 2 pounds.

Without wasting any more time, the three siblings followed Skate back to the Tingen Housing Improvement Company, signed two copies of the contract, and then had it notarized by a notary at the Tingen Notary Office.

After paying the deposit and the first week's rent, Klein and Benson had a total of £9, 2 sous and 8 pence left.

Standing at the entrance of No. 2 Narcissus Street, each holding a bunch of brass keys, they couldn't take their eyes off each other, a mix of emotions churning within them.

"It feels like a dream..." After a while, Melissa looked up at the "Moretti House" behind her and said in a low, ethereal voice.

Benson sighed and smiled:

"Then don't wake up."

Klein didn't share their feelings and nodded, saying:

"We need to change the locks on the front door and balcony door as soon as possible."

"No need to rush that. The Tingen City Housing Improvement Company has an excellent reputation. The rest is for your formal attire. But before that, we need to go see Mr. Frankie." Benson pointed in the direction of the apartment.

…………

After having a quick bite of rye bread at home, the three siblings went to the row houses on Iron Cross Street and knocked on the landlord's door.

"You should know my principles: I absolutely will not tolerate rent arrears!" The short Mr. Franky declared with great authority as he sat on the sofa.

Benson leaned forward, smiled, and said:

"Mr. Franky, we're here to terminate our lease."

So direct? Is this really a good way to negotiate? Klein, listening from the side, was quite surprised.

On the way here, Benson said that his bottom line was to pay 12 sols in compensation.

"Cancel the lease? No! We have a contract, and we still have six months left!" Franky glared at Benson and waved his arms.

Benson looked at him intently, and after calming down, he said in a composed manner:

"Mr. Franky, you should know very well that you deserve to earn more."

"Earn more?" Franky touched his thin face and asked with interest.

Benson sat up straight and explained with a smile:

"We rented the two-bedroom apartment to the three of us for 5 sous and 6 pence, but if you rent it to families of five or six, with two or even three working and earning a salary, I think they would be willing to pay more for it rather than go to a place on the street with a very bad security situation. 5 sous and 10 pence, or 6 sous, I think is a reasonable price."

Seeing Franky's eyes light up and his throat move, he continued:

"Moreover, as you surely know, rents have been rising in recent years, and the longer we live here, the more you lose."

"But... I need time to find new tenants." Mr. Franky, who inherited the apartment, was clearly tempted.

"I believe you will find it soon. You have the ability and resources. Maybe two days, maybe three days... We will compensate you for your losses during this time, using the deposit we paid, 3 sulphurs. That's fair!" Benson immediately "made the decision."

Franky nodded in satisfaction:

"Benson, you're a conscientious and honest young man. Alright, we'll sign the 'Termination of Contract'."

Klein watched in stunned silence, finally understanding how easily Mr. Frankie could be "persuaded".

That's too easy to convince...

After resolving the previous contract issues, the three siblings first bought Klein a suit, and then began their busy move.

They didn't have any heavy or bulky items, which all belonged to the landlord. So, Benson and Melissa jointly "rejected" Klein's idea of hiring a carriage and took matters into their own hands, making trips back and forth between Narcissus Street and Iron Cross Street.

The sun was setting in the west, and the golden light, carrying the scent of roasting, shone through the bay window and fell on the desk. Klein glanced at the neatly arranged books and notes on the shelf, and gently placed the ink and pen on the cleaned desk.

He finally finished his work... He breathed a sigh of relief, felt his stomach rumbling, and walked towards the door while unrolling his rolled-up sleeves.

He now had a bed of his own, the sheets and blankets were white, old but clean.

Klein turned the handle and stepped out of the bedroom. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the two doors opposite him open at the same time, revealing Benson and Melissa.

Looking at the gray dust and grime on each other's faces, Klein and Benson suddenly burst into laughter, a hearty laugh.

Melissa bit her lip lightly, gradually becoming infected by their laughter, and quietly expressed her joy.

…………

The next morning.

Klein stood in front of the now crack-free full-length mirror, carefully adjusting the collar and cuffs of his shirt.

This outfit, consisting of a white shirt, black tailcoat, top hat, black waistcoat and trousers, leather boots, and bow tie, cost him a total of 8 pounds, which pained him greatly.

However, the effect was very good. Klein felt that he looked even more scholarly and handsome in the mirror.

pat!

He closed his pocket watch, put it in his inner pocket, then took his cane, hid his revolver, and took the railcar to Zotland Street.

As he approached "Blackthorn Security Company," he realized that he had become accustomed to his previous lifestyle and hadn't given Melissa any extra money that morning, leaving her to continue walking to school.

Shaking his head and noting the matter down, Klein stepped into "Blackthorn Security Company" and saw the brown-haired girl Rosanne brewing coffee, filling the air with its rich aroma.

"Good morning, Klein. The weather is lovely today," Rosanne greeted with a smile. "To be honest, I've always wondered, don't you men feel hot wearing formal attire in this kind of weather? I know that summers in Tingen aren't as hot as in the south, but it's still summer."

"That's the price of good manners," Klein replied humorously. "Good morning, Miss Rosanne. Where's the captain?"

"The usual place," Rosanne said, pointing inside.

Klein nodded almost imperceptibly and knocked on the door of Dunn Smith's office through the partition.

"Come in." Dunn's voice and tone were as deep and gentle as ever.

Seeing that Klein had indeed changed into a nice suit, he nodded slightly, his gray eyes smiling.

"Have you made up your mind?"

Klein took a deep breath and answered solemnly:

"Yes, I have made my choice."

Dunn slowly sat up straight, his expression quickly turning serious, his deep gray eyes remaining unchanged as he said:

Tell me your answer.

Klein answered without hesitation:

"A fortune teller!"