Although the unexpected visit caught Xia De off guard, Mrs. Lawrence was a reasonable person. After reading the detailed report, her disappointment with today's visit was not as severe:
"Since the investigation is concluded, why was the report not immediately given to me? Is it because Mr. Sparrow Hamilton suddenly fell ill?"
The Noblewoman politely inquired, placing the report beside her. She was fashionably dressed, her ruffled collar accentuating her fair neck. Although she appeared considerably older than Mrs. Lasoya, her demeanor was exceptionally refined.
"After I took over this office, I organized Uncle Sparrow's remaining commissions. My original idea was to add a final tracking investigation at the end of the report, which Uncle Sparrow couldn't complete due to his illness. So, I tracked Mrs. Lasoya again last Saturday..."
Xia De feigned a troubled expression, then shooed away the orange cat that had approached him worriedly. He sat on the single sofa and, in a very concerned tone, said to the client:
"In my investigation, Mrs. Lasoya's background seems to be quite complex. She appears to be... associated with an illegal local social organization."
He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, showing his anxiety:
"Extremely dangerous."
He then put on an even more troubled expression and said no more, and Mrs. Lawrence nodded, understanding his unspoken meaning.
Xia De didn't know what she had understood.
"You believe continuing the investigation would be dangerous, and submitting the report might reveal your and Sparrow Hamilton's tracking activities to that shameless woman, so you gave up on further investigation."
The Noblewoman summarized, almost perfectly guessing Xia De's thoughts:
"Yes, that's exactly it. I don't want to get into trouble over this. Of course, by doing this, I am also voluntarily terminating the investigation. If you wish, I can return the advance payment Uncle Sparrow received to you, and you can take this report with you, but I am not involved in this matter... Please forgive me for saying this, but I also hope you don't get too entangled in this."
Mrs. Lasoya was connected to the illegal organization Mercury Blood, and this organization was recently planning to make big news. Since the professors had helped Xia De sever all ties with Mercury Blood, Xia De also didn't want any further contact with illegal organizations.
"Detective, thank you for your kindness, but I don't care what kind of background that woman has. Do I not have a background?"
Mrs. Lawrence, intent on finding evidence of her husband's infidelity, said with her head held high.
"But Mrs. Lasoya, she..."
Xia De didn't know how to express himself properly; he genuinely didn't want this already pitiful woman to suffer misfortune because she misunderstood his meaning.
"She not only has connections with the upper nobility but also with local gangs. Do you understand? She is the kind of person who... can cause us misfortune through either legal or illegal means."
Xia De exaggerated the other party's influence as much as possible.
"Detective, I understand your kindness, but I am not just a housewife who stays at home."
Upon hearing this, Xia De immediately recalled the basic information of this client. Although Mr. Lawrence and Mrs. Lawrence were not nobles, they were big factory owners, and their combined industries were enough to intimidate Outsiders who hadn't seen much. They didn't start from scratch; they both came from prosperous families, and their marriage involved elements of mutual interest.
If it weren't for Detective Sparrow's reputation for investigating extramarital affairs, a client of this caliber would not have come here. Therefore, Mrs. Lawrence's claim that she had means was not an exaggeration.
Seeing that Xia De still wanted to say something, the Noblewoman shook her head and said mysteriously:
"Detective, this world is not as simple as we think."
A normal woman said to the Ring術士 from out of town. Her perfume was strong, but surprisingly not overpowering, at least Mia didn't show any dissatisfaction with the client.
"The world is like an isolated island, Detective, but beyond the isolated island is the truth. In this world, there are some very mysterious people, powerful, effective, strange, and dangerous. I met some of these people at housewives' tea parties, and they can solve my troubles."
Xia De, of course, understood what she didn't want to elaborate on. Shocked, he didn't know how to express his opinion for a moment.
The Kingdom and the Orthodox Church had a deep cooperative relationship. Although the Three Great Arcane Academies were hidden outside civilized society, they also had more or less connections with the nobility and the royal family, as Professor Sanchez mentioned when talking about Miss Louisa. And Ring術士 of irregular origins, for pounds or other reasons, might also appear among ordinary people, so Mrs. Lawrence saying she knew Ring術士 should not mean she knew a swindler:
"Is that so?"
He believed his expression at that moment must have been very strange:
"That's good, but Mrs. Lasoya is really dangerous. No matter what means you have, please be very careful, very cautious."
The young Detective nodded and said.
"Yes, I certainly understand that. If I really want to do something, I must be very cautious, and I will not show myself in front of the other party... This investigation report is excellent. I can use it to track that shameless woman and my husband."
She rolled up the report and put it into her small ladies' handbag. Then she took out her wallet, opened the brass clasp, took out two golden coins, each representing 1 pound, and placed them on the coffee table between them. Her fingers, painted with red nail polish, gently pressed on the coins:
"I am sorry about the death of Sparrow Hamilton Detective; he was a very reliable person. This is the final payment for this commission, Detective. The rest of the matter has nothing to do with you and will not implicate you."
The Noblewoman smiled politely at Xia De, then adjusted her dress and stood up.
The original final payment was "1 pound 7 shillings", but now it had become "2 pounds". Xia De didn't know if he should express his gratitude. He stood up to see off the client, and while being polite, he vaguely understood that the other party would never appear in this house again:
"Mrs. Lawrence..."
In the first-floor foyer, Xia De still called out to the Noblewoman who was about to leave. Of course, he couldn't reveal his identity as a Ring術士, but he also didn't want her to suffer misfortune:
"You must be careful. Even if you know very good friends, Mrs. Lasoya herself is not simple; she is a very dangerous person."
Mrs. Lawrence turned and smiled at him:
"Hamilton Detective, you are truly a good person. But I think, compared to your uncle, you are not suited to be a Detective here."
"Huh? Why is Sparrow Hamilton's evaluation so poor? Little Franklin seemed to dislike him last time too."
Xia De thought to himself, standing on the stairs and watching Mrs. Lawrence open the first-floor apartment door and board the carriage waiting for her outside.
The young Detective walked to the door, stood on the stone steps of Saint Delan Square Six, and watched the private carriage, under the gloomy sky, circle half the square street before disappearing into the distance, feeling very worried about what might happen next.
It seemed like it was going to rain in the muggy Tobesk City during Summer.
