Chương 31: 30. Cat Elf Detective (Requesting a monthly ticket for April)

Charles was greatly surprised, the disbelief written all over his face, as he exclaimed, "How is that possible? You're a graduate from the Behemoth National Academy, not just some public school! You should at least be a second or third-class coordinator, and even a first-class coordinator wouldn't be unreasonable. A fifth-class registrar is really too much, how did you end up as a third-class registrar?"

In the Fars Empire, the ranks of registrars ranged from first-class thirty-ninth grade to fifth-class forty-fifth grade, considered the bottom of the civil service, a privilege granted to public school graduates. To assign such a post to a National Academy graduate was a clear sign of foul play.

Silvie Martin said indifferently, "It's nothing! Because I'm a girl."

Choosing his words wisely, Charles changed the topic and asked, "How much is the detective lady paying you per week?"

Vini Yarsaenu answered with a smile, "Eighty-five Sheng Ding, including lodging and two meals."

Charles nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "The pay is very fair, identical to that of a first-class coordinator. Considering the included board, her quality of life might actually be a bit more comfortable than that of a newbie entering the government civil service."

Vini Yarsaenu continued, "Miss Silvie is a very talented individual. My Cat Detective Agency happens to have an assistant who is getting married and has to resign, leaving a vacancy."

Although the Fars Empire allowed women to work, the traditional forces were quite strong. Unless the husband's family was truly ordinary and needed the wife's salary, they would usually expect the wife to resign from her job.

Charles indicated he understood. He didn't plan to persuade her further, after all, she was already his former fiancée, and it wasn't his place to interfere that much. Just as he was about to ask when she planned to move out, he heard Silvie say a bit sheepishly, "I haven't received my salary yet. Although I got my luggage back, it only contained some belongings; I haven't recovered any cash. The remittance from my father will also take some time. You'll have to wait a little before I can pay you back for the expenses of your purchases yesterday."

Charles smiled slightly and said, "You don't need to be formal with me."

The vivacious former fiancée said, "Miss Vini came with me to help me move. I wondered if you might be available to assist, cousin."

Charles smiled and offered, "Miss Vini, Cousin Silvie, please come with me to my house for a chat. It's too impolite standing out here in the street."

He escorted the two ladies back to number 58, invited them to the parlor, fetched a bottle of sparkling apple cider, poured three glasses, raised his own as a toast before downing it, and said with a smile, "This place has decent sparkling apple cider. You ladies might want to give it a try."

After Vini Yarsaenu came in, she looked around curiously. She barely sipped her cider and asked, "Mr. Charles, do you live here all by yourself?"

Charles replied, "Yes, I do."

Miss Vini didn't press further but instead shifted the conversation, "I wonder, Mr. Charles, what do you think about women working."

Silvie, a bit more hesitant, added, "I don't want to resign from my job even after I get married. If the other person can't accept that, I won't marry."

Charles, a man of modern sensibilities, of course had no issues with women working. He pondered briefly and answered, "I believe that women should have the freedom to choose their lives as they wish, as freely as birds."

A crisp and familiar voice came from outside, calling out, "Mr. Mecklen, to think that you feel this way is simply wonderful."

Charles almost jumped up; he hadn't expected Miss Annie Brittany to pay him a surprise visit. He quickly said, "Miss Annie, please come in."

He also introduced her to the two ladies, "Miss Annie Brittany! A good friend of mine."

Miss Annie Brittany's pretty face was alight with happiness and joy, as she had always worried that after getting married she wouldn't be able to work and would be confined to her home, mingling in the tasteless social circles of the nobility.

Charles's response just now had seriously scored a lot of points for himself.

Annie gave a small tug on her dress and performed a lady's daily curtsy.

Silvie returned a daily curtsy, while Vinnie still gave a standard Empire salute.

With some awkwardness, Charles introduced them to Miss Annie Brittany, "This is my cousin, Miss Silvie Martin. This lady here is Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu, the president of the Cat Detective Agency! My cousin has just graduated from the National Academy and has come over from Behemoth Duchy to Strasbourg, and she's about to start working for the Cat Detective Agency."

Surprise showed in Annie's eyes as she exclaimed, "Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu? The famous cat spirit detective? I have heard a great deal about your exploits and have always admired you. I even thought about working at the Cat Detective Agency after graduation!"

Noticing Charles's apparent lack of knowledge about the Cat Detective Agency, she explained softly, "The Cat Detective Agency is the only detective agency in the Empire where seventy percent of the employees are female, and all female employees can learn the magic of cat spirits after joining."

"Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu is one of the Empire's seven great detectives, known as the cat spirit detective, and is the pride of all women in the Fars Empire."

Once more, Annie gave a formal court curtsy to Vinnie Yarsaenu, which unlike the daily curtsy that involved lightly tugging at one's skirt, was the full version with several more complex and very elegant gestures.

Miss Vinnie smiled slightly and said humorously, "I'm just an overindulgence in my natural freedom! On behalf of the Cat Detective Agency, I welcome Miss Annie to apply after her graduation."

Upon hearing the surname Brittany, she knew this young lady was of high status and it was highly unlikely that she would become a female detective; her words were simply a matter of polite customary expression.

Annie was also aware that her family would never allow her to become a detective, prominently in the public eye and she sighed deeply in her heart. Yet, the three girls soon found much to talk about.

Upon finding out that Silvie was Charles's cousin, Annie made several indirect inquiries in an attempt to find out more about Charles. Silvie was very accommodating, actually going so far as to say a few nice things about "this cousin" of hers, which eased the worried Charles a bit.

He sat by the side, hardly interjecting, occasionally taking on the role of a temporary assistant, pouring sparkling apple cider for the young ladies.

About an hour later, seeing that the three ladies were still engrossed in conversation, Charles couldn't help but suggest, "Please excuse me for a moment, I will go buy some sparkling wine and desserts and come back. The house is too modest and nothing was prepared; my hosting may have been a bit rude."

Miss Annie Brittany and Vinnie Yarsaenu both exclaimed at once, "No need!" The two beautiful ladies exchanged a smile, suddenly sharing an understanding.

Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu smiled slightly and said, "I'll go, my cats are stronger."

She stretched out her slender right hand and made an odd dharma seal, then a cloying meow was heard, to which the cat spirit detective addressed in a doting tone, "Go to the nearby shop and buy some sparkling wine and pastries."

After a drawn-out meow, there was silence outside.

Vinnie Yarsaenu continued, "I've asked my cat to go buy the items; there's no need for Mister Mecklen to go through the trouble."

Charles was filled with astonishment; even though he had obtained part of the memories of his indigenous predecessor, he truly didn't understand what was meant by the magic of cat spirits.

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