Mystery: The Witch of Desire

"The victims were all streetwalkers or poor people, and the local police department did not transfer the case to Mechanical Heart. I only discovered this information today when I went to investigate after thinking about the rumors in the Joewood district."

Ikonser remained silent for a moment before letting out a slow sigh:

"Alas, the weight of one person's life is vastly different from another's..."

He looked at another member of the Mechanical Heart team:

"Go to the sanctuary and submit a report requesting the use of the sealed artifact 2-111."

"2-111?"

The team member asked a question out of curiosity.

“Yes.” Ikonser nodded. “Seal Item 2-111, also known as the Mirror of Arodes, is a mirror that can answer questions. It is very suitable for this kind of exploration without a clear target.”

……

……

Monday morning.

The steam pier in the White Rose District.

Livre stepped lightly from the carriage, carrying her handbag. Behind her, Danitz followed, carrying two heavy suitcases.

The Marlin passenger ship is currently docked at its berth. It is a steam-sail hybrid vessel with a top speed of 16 knots. To humankind, it is so enormous and majestic, and it is said to be able to carry hundreds of passengers.

At first glance, one can see its distinctive features from the steam age: the chimneys stand alongside the sails, and there are 12 cannons and corresponding gun positions on each side of the ship, which was essential for defense against pirates and other ships.

Under Captain Trol Yam's arrangement, the selected strong sailors and crew members lined up in two rows at the gangway, some even deliberately showing off the legal revolvers on their waists.

This gave the passengers boarding the ship a greater sense of security, and they were no longer afraid of the upcoming ten-day journey.

"Captain Trol is a seasoned and trustworthy captain, fair in his dealings. He was once the boatswain of the Royal Navy's Augustus—no, he should be called the Royal Navy. The King has always claimed to have received the title of Emperor of Byron, haha, in reality, the Kingdom's army was soundly defeated by Intis on the Eastern Byron front..."

Livre heard the passengers in front of her praising the veteran captain. It was clear that Troy had a good reputation. In fact, he was very handsome, tall and upright, and looked like a trustworthy captain.

"Do you know this captain? I heard he served in the navy with you?"

Livre laughed and teased Danitz, wanting to see what lies this great pirate could come up with.

Danitz took a breath and said nonchalantly:

"You know, the Royal Navy has more than 20 steam battleships, more than 30 sail-powered battleships, more than 100 frigates and hundreds of various logistics and supply ships, as well as tens of thousands of naval soldiers. Apart from those famous generals, I have no obligation to know anyone!"

It must be said that Danitz's ability to lie is far superior to his ability to provoke...

Livre smiled to herself and muttered a curse in her heart, then dropped the subject.

She glanced up at the towering smokestack of the Gunfish and stepped onto the suspended stairs.

At that moment, a somewhat greedy gaze fell upon her.

A slight thought crossed Livre's mind:

It seems that this well-regarded veteran captain is not as trustworthy as rumored.

However, there's a saying in the land of gourmands: "A gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions." If Trol only harbored lust for her beauty in his heart without taking any concrete action, Livre would still consider him a gentleman.

Stepping onto the deck, Livre approached the ship's railing and gazed at the boundless blue sea.

Little White also peeked out from under her skirt and into her collar, cautiously peeking out her tiny head, and exclaimed excitedly:

"Livia, is this the sea? So much water, and a salty smell, it really does resemble..."

"Shut up!"

Livre pressed Little White's head back down to prevent it from ruining the current atmosphere.

"The journey has begun..."

She sighed silently, a mix of emotions churning within her.

"Miss Monroe, stop looking now and go to your room to put your luggage down."

Danitz, carrying two suitcases, was panting heavily as he boarded the ship's railing and urged her on impatiently.

The hunter's physical fitness is rather poor...

Livre smiled and entered the cabin with Danitz, finding her room.

The second-class cabins were not spacious; they could only fit a bed, a table, and a cabinet, and there were no chairs.

Moreover, since these were the last two tickets, the room was located inside the cabin and had no windows, making it resemble a small, enclosed prison.

There were eight such small rooms in total, forming a large suite where male and female guests were mixed together. Danitz was staying in the small room opposite hers.

Each suite has a washroom for one person, or you can ask the crew for a wooden toilet, but you must clean it yourself or pay for the cleaning.

There is an unwritten rule in Rue: ladies who consider themselves respectable should not share a bathroom with men. Therefore, the ladies on the ship often request a wooden toilet.

Livre disagreed: "I'm already in second class, what do I need to be respectable for?"

The only consolation was that the Marlin had been remodeled with many metal pipes, a boiler, and hot water, providing a relatively convenient lifestyle. However, it is said that this renovation only occurred on the upper decks, and the third-class cabins on the lower decks did not enjoy these conveniences.

After settling into her room, Livre prepared to go out onto the deck to chat with the passengers and crew, and to inquire about news from Pensie Harbor and some maritime experiences.

As soon as Livre pushed open the door, she heard deliberately raised laughter and conversation. Three elegantly dressed ladies and their male companions were gathered in the suite, sitting around a faded table, complaining to each other.

"Lia, look at this place! There isn't even a decent porthole; it's practically a storage room. If those nouveau riche hadn't snatched up all the first-class tickets, we wouldn't be stuck in second class!"

The lady wearing the white feathered hat deliberately emphasized the word "second class," as if to stress a kind of condescending sacrifice.

His male companion, a middle-aged gentleman with a mustache, offered words of comfort:

“Vanessa, be patient. Second class is better than crammed in with those poor third-class passengers. Remember, Mr. Hussein’s two stewards are on this ship, and even they are only in second class…”

Hussein's two waiters still boarded the ship? What bad luck! Which two unlucky fellows got their tickets stolen by them?

Livre pondered for a moment, then walked past the group of wealthy gentlemen and ladies, giving a perfunctory nod without any intention of engaging in conversation with them.

Ms. Vanessa's gaze swept over Livre with undisguised scrutiny, and after Livre left the suite, she coughed lightly, clutching her handkerchief.

"Oh dear, this is terrible. I bet you, judging by her rudeness, she's definitely not from a respectable family..."

It has to be said that she has a pretty good eye for talent.

With her excellent hearing, Liviel simply smiled and entered the outer corridor.

The public corridors in second class were narrow and low, with exposed metal pipes on the walls emitting a slight hissing sound of steam.

Livre navigated through the maze-like corridors and finally saw the outer deck.

In the event of a maritime disaster, the chances of survival for second- and third-class passengers are significantly lower than those for first-class passengers.

After enjoying the sea breeze on the deck and gazing at the sapphire-blue sea from the railing, Livre felt much more relaxed. She hummed a little tune and began looking for someone to talk to.

Just then, Livre saw an elderly man in uniform and a sailor's hat standing at the bow of the ship, his hands on the railing, gazing at the distant horizon.

He looks like an old sailor with a story to tell...

Liviel's heart stirred, and she moved closer, following his gaze, and said:

"It seems you have a deep affection for the sea, sir."

The old man did not look away, his tone calm:

"I have spent most of my life at sea, and I have long regarded the ocean as my home."

After speaking, he turned his head, looked Livia up and down, and a polite smile appeared on his weathered, thin face:

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Asimov, and I am the chief engineer of the Marlin."

The chief engineer is the third most important person on a ship, after the captain and the first mate. Livre was slightly surprised, not expecting that this seemingly unremarkable old sailor had such a status.

“You can call me Marilyn Monroe.” Livre smiled brightly. “After drifting at sea, I discovered that the ocean is more attractive to a man than mummy powder.”

Asimov smiled slightly:

"You are a very humorous lady, but it's best not to make such jokes with men at sea, because in such a confined environment, gentlemanly manners are no match for the ruthless nature of the strong preying on the weak."

His tone was calm, but it carried a preachy quality typical of older people.

That witch and the sea might not be a good match...

Livre silently grumbled to herself, and continued chatting with the seemingly serious chief engineer.

After a few minutes of setup, Livre steered the conversation toward ports and shipping routes.

She asked in a casual tone:

"Have you heard of a port called 'Pinssey'? I overheard someone mention it, and it seems to be a rather special place."

She paused for a moment, seemingly out of mere curiosity about sailing, her face displaying an indifferent and leisurely expression.

Upon hearing this, Asimov's already somewhat graying eyebrows twitched.

"Binsey? Where did you hear that name?"

Livr remained unconcerned.

"It's nothing, just some casual chat between sisters."

Livre felt she wasn't lying, after all, she and Chick could be considered sisters in a way.

Asimov gave a cold laugh:

"I never expected that anyone would still mention this name now..."

He paused, then continued:

“Miss, I do know where Binsey is, but this is very valuable information, and I must charge you for it.”

“No problem.” In high spirits, Liviel asked almost without hesitation, “How much payment do you need?”

A greedy glint appeared in Asimov's eyes:

"50 pounds."

"How many?!"

Livre almost lost control of her voice. Inwardly, she was furious: Does this old man think I'm some kind of saint? How can he ask for so much money?!

Asimov chuckled:

"Don't worry, miss, it's absolutely worth the price. There are very few people on this sea who know about Binsey Port now."

He paused, a different emotion flickering in his eyes:

"Actually, I know this price might be a bit expensive, but there's nothing I can do. I'm about to retire, this is my last voyage, and my son is getting married soon. As an old alcoholic, I haven't saved enough money for him..."

As she spoke, her aged face, weathered by time, was filled with sadness, reminding Liviel of her father from her past life.

If I hadn't traveled back in time, wouldn't my dad be worrying about me getting married...? Well, if I could travel back in time, he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore; he'd already successfully 'had children'.

Livre sighed and said:

"20 pounds. Anything more than that is out of the question."

She told herself that if Asimov wasn't satisfied with the price, she would use her instigation ability to 'get it for free'.

Her compassion is worth no more than £50, at most £20.

Asimov's eyes lit up, and he readily agreed:

"Okay, no problem!"

"Wait a minute, I'll go back to my room to get the money. I don't have that much cash with me."

Livr turned and walked into the cabin.

"No problem, oh my goodness, it's been decades since I've waited for a lady with such joy as I do today."

Asimov seemed quite happy, a far cry from his previous sadness, making Livre wonder if she had been deceived.

She had only taken a few steps into the cabin when she saw two figures, one tall and one short, walking towards her.

She recognized the tall man; he was the one who had threatened her and Danitz to give up their tickets at the ticket office yesterday. He was the servant of steel tycoon Hussein.

What bad luck...

Livr muttered something, turned to the side, and pretended to adjust her skirt. The two servants did not recognize her and walked straight through the corridor toward the deck.

On the high seas, Livre didn't want to cause any trouble. Of course, she wouldn't mind throwing the two men into the deep waters of the dock to feed the groupers after the ship docked.

Since becoming a witch, my heart seems to have grown increasingly wicked...

Livre chuckled inwardly as she continued down the corridor and returned to her suite.