Vacation Across The Sea (2)

I awoke to a bright morning.

The light from the window beside my bed was glimmering with rays of light.

I could hear the birds chirping and people walking down the street.

I could only think 'Ah, it's another peaceful day,' before getting up and making breakfast for Miss Jill who was still asleep within her own room while eating my own.

The smell of eggs and toast wafted in the air.

I set a glass jar of homemade jam on the table before leaving the boarding house.

"...No matter how foolish the London Metropolitan Police are… They must soon be done with the copycats of Jack the Ripper."

Of course, it was only a matter of time as to 'when' the copycats would soon lie down like rabid dogs put to rest.

The stimulus was now gone.

'Jack the Ripper' was dead.

It was no longer the mysterious name that would shake fear into people as the police must have killed a scapegoat in my place.

I spotted a broken clay pot.

The dirt was not in the ground but lay on the side on top of the stone street.

The small white flower that nested within the dirt would soon die, I realized.

Picking up the dirt and flower while throwing away the broken pot, I walked to my destination with the flower in hand.

I found it mildly amusing how despite me carrying a flower in such a way, people didn't even glance twice at my abnormal behavior.

New York was a strange place where abnormal and normal people resided.

Mana users were uncommon rather than almost never seen in New York unlike other countries.

There were perhaps at most a few hundred thousand mana users throughout the entire world yet within this particular city, a strange scene of mana stores and mana products are on display as common as bread.

Soon, a park came into view.

It wasn't very lavish, a simple small garden of flowers and a small trail through the park and benches placed here and there, but it was tranquil.

"Good morning Mr. Matthews."

I spoke to a man who was tending to the flowers.

"Ah, yes. Good morning to you as well Mr. Green."

I held up the clump of dirt along with the white flower and spoke.

"Could you perhaps find some way to put this flower within this garden? I found it laying on the road so I came here in hopes that it could be planted back into this garden."

The old man stood up and inspected the flower with mild interest.

"That would not be a problem."

He reached out and I in turn handed him the dirt and flower.

"Thank you Mr. Matthews."

I waved goodbye as I headed for the otherside of the park.

The postal office was right in front of me.

A small gust of wind passed by me.

It was a small letter with wings.

Literal small white feather wings attached to the letter.

The owner of the postal office was a 'witch'.

Though I don't know if that is truly the case or not as it is a self-inflicted title, she does have the strangeness of one.

Ring~

The bells placed on the entrance rang as a lazily looking woman diverted her eyes from her book and looked at me.

It was the 'witch'.

"Ah… You're here once again."

"Yes."

I gave a short reply.

"There's a letter for you."

Reaching underneath the desk, she pulled out a letter of poor quality.

I grabbed it and looked at the scribbles which were barely discernible as 'letters'.

It read: [To the rising detective in New York.]

And under read the address of the postal office.

"It's quite bland isn't it?"

The witch's voice came above me, most likely riding her broom. But I did not react and acted as normal.

"While I cannot deny that is so, I am more curious about who gave this letter to you?"

"...You know my confidentiality clause."

Indeed, I threw a light in the dark expecting some answer but I got nothing. It was the same as always.

"I see, well thank you for this job."

"Come back soon."

There is a reason as to why I did not mention the name of the store or the 'witch's' name.

The name of the store was '■■■■■'s Delivery Service', her name was blocked out. I have come to find out through my stay within this world that things that are 'hidden' and blocked should not actively or rather, not be searched at all.

It was like picking at a hornet's nest until a swarm comes out and bites you.

Though in this case it would be apt to call it a bear or lion's nest as you would most likely die before anything could be even said.

That was why I wanted to leave the postal office as soon as possible.

Interaction was already bordering on my principles.

But there were reasons as to why I still chose to use the dangerous office.

As mentioned before, there was a confidentiality clause, or a rule in place in which the 'witch' would not reveal anyone involved within a transaction of a letter within her hands.

Stopping my thoughts, I sat on a bench in the park from before.

Before I started my reading of the letter, I looked into the sky.

It was blue with lofty wisps of white clouds slowly flying through the sky.

For a few minutes I looked into the sky and observed.

Rummaging through my coat pocket, I took out the poor quality letter and began to tear it apart.

Inside was a letter, once again with poor quality paper which I could see the ink bleed through the paper even before I could open it.

In it read the following:

[I hope this gets to you detective, I am not a very smart man so I'll keep it short. I have a request that needs your expertise with the supernatural, it is one regarding a Ghost Ship. If you would like to take on this request, please come to the west-side port, the ones with fishing boats and you'll see someone to take you in.]

"..."

I reread the letter five times before placing it within the envelope and putting it back in the coat pocket.

There was no need to rush, I had the entire day to think and I already had some requests from people and tasks that needed to be solved today which had priority.

Stretching my arms out, I walked back into the boarding house.

It had only been around a little over half-an-hour and so Miss Jill must have been either just waking or in the process of eating.

Walking up the stairs and opening the door into the boarding house, I found myself in a stare-off with Miss Jill.

"...Good morning Miss Jill, have you eaten yet?"

I calmly asked, taking my shoes off with a shoehorn.

Not receiving an answer, I looked up at what I assumed was the pouting Miss Jill.

"Are you mad?"

I heard a faint sigh.

I took a glance into the dining room and the food was not yet eaten.

"...How about we talk while we eat?"

I had already eaten but in cases like this, it was better for everyone to eat, not just a singular person.

And my stomach was already somewhat empty as I walked for some time outside.

I reached out my hand to Miss Jill who took my hand in kind.

At times I couldn't help but compare her to a small child, albeit one with strange and unfathomable powers.

It was strange.

Was she like this before? I remember her being more cold and distant…

I started once again cooking, the food was not cold yet, so I would be eating Miss Jill's portion and be giving her the new portion.

I felt her eyes staring at me as I cooked.

As the minutes passed, Miss Jill waited patiently until I finished cooking.

"Here you go."

I set the plates of food on the table as I grabbed the old plates to eat.

I watched as Miss Jill grumbled and yet ate with grace that was most surely engraved into her being by training countless hours inside Buckingham Palace.

But in the end, she still ate with delight.

I smiled as I watched her eat with such delight.

Small happiness was a precious chance, I realized this after countless times of dying. Everything in life is almost inherently precious. Even in the future I am sure that this will be true, no matter how painful my life may become.

Each defeat is a lesson learned. Each victory is a chance worth celebrating over.

The day was still early when we finished eating our breakfast.

First, I went to complete a request that I had solved the day prior, bringing documents along with me.

I knocked on a wooden door, one that was well worn down from time.

Creak…

The door creaked as a haggard woman shifted her head to meet my eyes.

"Good morning Miss Emily."

I saw her brows scrunch, her eyes were puffy from crying.

"...Good morning detective."

The door fully opened.

"Yes, it's quite a beautiful day today, is it not?"

"Please… just tell me openly."

I looked around.

"Yes, but this is also a private matter, would it be alright if I intrude into your house for a moment?"

"..."

Her head nodded slightly as I entered the well furnished house.

It would have surely been a sight to see however, there was dust in some places that was building up and the house was currently not very well cleaned.

'I hope that she will pass through these hard times.'

The news I brought was not good whatsoever.

I was brought to the living room where I sat on a chair across from my client.

"Firstly, would you like to hear what I have found out? Or would you prefer for me to leave the recorded documents for you to see alone?"

Miss Emily lowered her head for a few moments before replying to my words.

"...Could you tell me what you found?"

"Of course."

I nodded before I started.

"Your husband, Mr. Harris has indeed been in an illicit relationship with another woman named Maria Willaims for several months, but I suspect that it may have been going on for longer…"

My findings of the illicit relationship of the two people came out. Miss Emily's expression became worse as time passed. From her brows furrowed to her sobbing in the end.

"My apologies."

"...No, no. It's fine, please leave the documents here. Here is your compensation, thank you detective."

I grabbed the money before leaving the house where I heard soft sobs before exiting the premises.

My next task involved the police.

I headed towards the poorer sides of the city where demi-humans were the majority.

It was sad to see how the discrimination had ruined the lives of an entire race.

It was just one of the many factors that many worlds suffered from, coexistence was possible but time was an issue as are other issues.

I headed to an abandoned factory, a rare commodity but not a sight that is unseen by the normal populace.

The brick walls were crumbled down, signs of riot was clear as there were still some things that the factory produced that was still left untouched and piled dust at the top.

Glass fragments lay on the ground as were rocks that were used to break the windows.

The scenery was desolate.

But the person I was trying to find was here, in this desolate and place of ruin.

Looking around the large factory, only a few key points were a place where a person could stay.

A small room with none of the walls destroyed in a corner, the basement, and finally the room that could be accessed through the broken stairs.

I first went to check the room at the very top.

The building was overtaken by nature, this particular building was destroyed in a riot against the owner and manager of the building by demi-humans.

The glass shards cracked and small plants were crushed under my feet.

As I started walking up the broken metal stairs, the stairs themself began to creak and wobble.

They seemed very unstable, like if I took a single wrong step the staircase would collapse in itself.

Changing my mind, I next went to the room that was fully sealed.

The door that led into the room was open and so, I went inside expecting perhaps a clue of some sorts.

But the room was empty.

Just like the main area of the factory, this room was in a mess as well.

Metal components laid on the floor, small plants were also growing from small cracks along the floor.

It was clear that the person I was trying to find was not in this room.

After exiting the room, I headed towards another pair of stairs, one that went into the basement.

It became increasingly dark as I descended further and further down the stairs.

Using a mana stone, I used the mana inside to create a working flashlight.

Various pipes were damaged but none of them leaked anything.

The ground was damp with a thin layer of water.

However there were no signs of someone living within the basement as well.

"Not here either…"

'...I suppose it makes sense. The room at the top is easy to get to and a hiding spot such as that is smart if needed to escape.'

In the end I was back to where I started.

I held my chin as I thought about how to get to the top.

"...Who are you?"

I turned around, finding my target right in front of me.

"Oh?"

'How convenient. My target walked right to me.'

Though I was slightly confused, I set aside those thoughts and started speaking.

"Hello. I'm a detective hired by the police—"

"Tch. You guys! Make a run for it!"

'There were more people here?'

It was rather problematic that there were accomplices along with the main target.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jill. But could you?"

My shadow warped as Miss Jill disappeared from my shadow to chase after the accomplices.

I was soon left standing against a wary young man.

He was a regular human, unlike the majority of the population within the slums of New York which constituted mostly demi-humans.

"It's quite hard to live, isn't it?"

I saw his body turn even more wary but I continued regardless.

"Within slums you have to fight to live and it doesn't help that humans like us are more physically weaker than demi-humans who are the majority here."

Within one of the previous worlds, I tried to live within a slum. It was hard, unbearably so. The residents were all outcasts that the world shunned, they were bitter and were more wild than animals and more cunning than foxes alike.

As old memories resurfaced, I held a bitter smile.

"Isn't the world quite cruel? A once proud race of demi-humans are reduced to mere slaves and people whom people bet on like as if they don't hold intelligence."

"Those people who you told to run. They weren't your accomplices, were they?"

I opened my eyes to meet the cautious gaze of the man in front of me.

"No… They were my siblings."

"So that was the reason why you stole?"

"...Yes, there was no other way for me to survive. But… I didn't expect that the police would get involved so soon."

"You were unlucky, you sold from a rather wealthy businessman. If you hadn't, I don't doubt that you would have been caught so soon."

The young man's eyes narrowed.

"...Are you going to take me to the police?"

"No."

He looked at me with wide eyes.

"The world is already cruel enough as it is. There is no reason a mere nineteen-year-old teen should be stealing."

A mere petty thief trying to make means end.

But if the thief is caught, then his siblings would have to fend for themselves. Indeed, the world is merciless to the weak.

"I'll help you move with your siblings to a new start. But you will have to stop stealing. Can you do that?"

Human emotions are so vivid.

I watched as the young man's expression turned into one of absurdity.

"Yes…?"

"Great."

I quickly responded.

Just as our conversation ended, Miss Jill came back with two children flailing within her arms.

"I've brought them back."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work Miss Jill."

I looked in surprise at the children before regaining my regular appearance.

'They're demi-humans? How peculiar.'

Miss Jill returned into my shadow as the two children who couldn't have been older than seven years of age began to shout.

"Big brother, that woman kidnapped us!"

The boy said.

"Yeah! Yeah!"

The girl nodded her head with a frightening pace, agreeing with the boy.

'Both of the children are lively I suppose.'

I smiled looking at the two children who clung tightly at the hems of the clothes of the young man.

Eventually, I discussed further of my plans with the young man before leaving.

It was already late in the afternoon.

Miss Jill, who preferred to stay within my shadow for the majority of the time, was now out and walking alongside me.

It was peaceful.

Time passed.

It was now night, and I was in the process of writing before sleeping within my three journals.

Soon, I was done.

As I looked outside, the moon gleamed overhead in a silver glow.

'...Today was another peaceful day.'