Chapter 30: A New Beginning

Water Narcissus Street Nos. 2, 4, and 6 were all part of a row of townhouses, designed with polygonal, four-sided sloped roofs and an overall gray-blue exterior. Three prominent chimneys rose sharply into the skyline.

There was no lawn or garden, nor a porch; the entrance led directly onto the street.

Scott, the representative from the Tingen City Housing Improvement Company, held a set of brass keys, unlocking the front door as he introduced the space, "Our row houses don't have entry halls. The entrance opens right into the living room, which has a bay window facing Water Narcissus Street. The natural light is quite good…"

As Klein, Benson, and Melissa stepped in, they took in the warm golden sunlight draping over a set of fabric sofas and a spacious area that was almost as large as their previous two-room apartment.

"This living area can also serve as a reception room. To its right is the dining room, and on the left wall, there's a large fireplace to keep you warm in winter," Scott gestured with practiced ease.

Klein glanced around, noticing the crude, open-plan design with no partitions between the dining and living areas, though the dining room was set farther back from the bay window, leaving it somewhat dim. A modest red rectangular wooden table sat there, surrounded by six upholstered hardwood chairs, with the fireplace on the left wall resembling those he'd seen in foreign films and TV shows.

"Behind the dining room is the kitchen, though we don't provide any appliances. Across from the living area is a small guest room and a bathroom…" Scott walked them through the rest of the first floor layout.

The bathroom was divided into two sections, with an outer wash area and an inner toilet separated by a folding door. The guest room, though labeled "small," was roughly the same size as Melissa's current room, which left her momentarily stunned.

After viewing the first floor, Scott led the siblings to the staircase beside the bathroom.

"Downstairs is a basement storage room. The air down there is quite stale, so be sure to ventilate before going in," Scott noted.

Benson nodded subtly, following Scott up to the second floor.

"To my left is another bathroom. There are two bedrooms on this side and two on the right, though the bathroom on that side is closer to the small balcony."

As he spoke, Scott opened the bathroom door and stepped aside, allowing Klein, Benson, and Melissa a clear view.

This bathroom was larger than the one downstairs, complete with a bathtub and a folding door next to the toilet. Though it was a bit dusty, it was neither filthy nor foul-smelling, and it offered plenty of space.

Melissa stared, seemingly entranced, until Scott moved to the adjacent bedroom, snapping her out of her daze as she followed.

A few steps in, she turned back to glance at the bathroom once more.

Even Klein, who was more accustomed to modern amenities, felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. Though their landlord frequently insisted on thorough cleaning, the communal bathroom still often fell short in terms of cleanliness, often bordering on nauseating, and it was prone to queues at inconvenient times.

The other bathroom on this floor was identical, and among the four bedrooms, one was slightly larger with a bookshelf, while the others were about the same size, each furnished with a bed, desk, and wardrobe.

"The balcony is small, so you can't hang too many clothes out to dry at once," Scott remarked as he pointed to a locked, enclosed area at the end of the corridor. "The house has a complete drainage system, gas piping, and individual meters for utilities, making it very suitable for a gentleman and lady like yourselves. The weekly rent is only 13 soles, with an additional 5 pence for furniture rental, plus a two-week security deposit."

Before Benson could respond, Klein looked around curiously and asked, "If I wanted to buy this house, how much would it cost approximately?"

As someone who had traveled here from a world where home ownership was a common goal, the desire to own a home was still deeply rooted in him.

Hearing this question, both Benson and Melissa were startled, casting astonished glances at Klein. Scott, however, replied firmly, "Buy? No, we only offer rental options here."

"I was just curious, you know? Just wanted to get an idea," Klein explained, somewhat embarrassed.

Scott hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "Last month, the owner of Number 11 on Water Narcissus Street sold a similar house on a 15-year leasehold basis for 300 pounds. That's far cheaper than renting outright, but not everyone has that kind of money readily available. For a full purchase, the asking price was 850 pounds."

"850 pounds?" Klein quickly did the mental math:

My weekly salary is 3 pounds, and Benson's is 1 pound 10 shillings... rent is 13 shillings, and with good meals, we'd probably need about 2 pounds a week. Then there's clothing, transportation, social expenses... we could maybe save a bit more than a dozen shillings each week. That's around 35 pounds a year... so it would take roughly twenty years for the 850 pounds... even the leasehold arrangement of 300 pounds would still need eight or nine years. And that's without even considering future expenses like marriage, family, or travel...

In a world without personal housing loans, most people probably only have the option to rent…

Having come to this realization, he took a step back and gave Benson a glance, indicating that he should negotiate the rent.

As for Melissa's opinion, her bright, sparkling eyes made it abundantly clear!

At that moment, Klein couldn't shake the thought of "releasing Benson to handle negotiations."

Benson, holding his plain cane, looked around slowly and remarked, "We should look at a few other places. The dining room here doesn't get enough light, the balcony is tiny, and only one of the bedrooms has a fireplace. Besides, the furniture is all so worn, we'd have to replace at least half of it…"

In a calm yet deliberate tone, he listed off a host of complaints, taking about ten minutes to "convince" Scott to lower the rent to 12 shillings a week, with a furniture usage fee of 3 pence, and to round the deposit to an even 2 pounds.

Without wasting any more time, the three siblings followed Scott back to the Tingen City Housing Improvement Company, signed a two-part lease, and went to Tingen's notary office for verification.

After paying the deposit and first week's rent, Klein and Benson had 9 pounds, 2 shillings, and 8 pence left between them.

Standing at the doorway of Number 2 on Water Narcissus Street, each holding a set of brass keys, they couldn't look away, their minds whirling with mixed emotions.

"It feels like a dream…" After a moment, Melissa looked up at their soon-to-be "Moretti Home," her voice soft and ethereal.

Benson took a deep breath and smiled, "Then let's not wake up."

Klein, not as sentimental as his siblings, nodded and said, "We should replace the locks on the front and balcony doors as soon as possible."

"No rush there; Tingen City Housing Improvement Company has a good reputation. What's next is the expense for your formal clothes. But first," Benson pointed in the direction of their old apartment, "we need to pay a visit to Mr. Franchi."

After nibbling on some rye bread at home, the three siblings made their way to the row house on Cross Street to visit their landlord.

"You should all be well aware of my policy—absolutely no late rent payments!" Mr. Franchi, a short man, declared with great authority, sitting confidently on his sofa.

Benson leaned forward slightly and began with a smile, "Mr. Franchi, we're here to terminate our lease."

So direct? Is this really a good negotiation approach? Klein felt a pang of surprise listening nearby. On their way here, Benson had mentioned that his bottom line for compensation was twelve shillings.

"Terminate the lease? No! We have a contract, and it's still valid for six more months!" Franchi glared at Benson, waving his arms dramatically.

Benson met his gaze, waiting until Franchi calmed down before saying in a steady tone, "Mr. Franchi, you should know, this could actually help you earn more."

"Earn more?" Franchi touched his thin face with curiosity.

Sitting up straight, Benson explained with a gentle smile, "Renting out a two-bedroom unit to the three of us is only five shillings and six pence. But if you lease it to a family of five or six, with two or three working members, I'm certain they'd happily pay more to avoid living in a worse neighborhood. Five shillings ten pence or even six shillings seems reasonable."

Seeing Franchi's eyes light up, Benson continued, "Also, as you're likely aware, rents have been on the rise these past few years. The longer we stay, the more you're missing out."

"But…I'll need time to find new tenants," Mr. Franchi, who had inherited the building, clearly wavered, tempted by the offer.

"I'm confident you'll find someone soon; you have the means and the resources. Perhaps in two or three days…We're willing to compensate for that time, using our deposit of three shillings. It's fair." Benson decided immediately.

Franchi nodded with satisfaction, saying, "Benson, you're a conscientious, honest young man. Very well, let's sign a 'Termination of Contract' agreement."

Watching from the side, Klein was taken aback by how effortlessly Benson had handled the negotiation with Mr. Franchi.

This was way too easy…

With their previous lease taken care of, the three siblings purchased Klein's formal attire and then busied themselves with moving.

Since they didn't own any heavy furniture—all of it belonged to the landlord—Benson and Melissa teamed up to "veto" Klein's suggestion of hiring a carriage, opting to handle the moving themselves. They made trip after trip between Water Narcissus Street and Cross Street.

As the sun dipped in the sky, casting a golden glow with a hint of burnt orange through the bay window, Klein glanced at the neatly arranged books and notes on the shelf and placed his ink and pen on the freshly cleaned desk.

Finally done… He let out a breath, feeling his stomach grumble. Rolling down his sleeves, he headed toward the door.

He now had a bed to himself, with clean, if somewhat worn, white sheets and blankets.

Turning the doorknob, Klein stepped out of his room, just in time to see the two doors across from him open, revealing Benson and Melissa.

Seeing the dust and smudges of dirt on each other's faces, Klein and Benson suddenly burst into laughter, their joy as loud as it was genuine.

Melissa, lightly biting her lip, found herself joining in, her laughter soft but filled with warmth. 

…

The next morning.

Klein stood in front of the newly repaired full-length mirror, carefully adjusting the collar and cuffs of his shirt.

This outfit, which consisted of a white shirt, black tailcoat, silk top hat, black waistcoat, trousers, leather boots, and a bow tie, had cost him a painful 8 pounds. Despite the expense, Klein had to admit that it looked quite good. In the mirror, he felt he appeared more refined, perhaps even a bit more handsome.

Click!

He closed his pocket watch, placed it in his inner pocket, grabbed his cane, concealed his revolver, and took the tram to Zotland Street.

As he neared the Blackthorn Security Company, he realized he'd fallen into his usual morning routine and hadn't left any extra money for Melissa. She'd likely be walking to school again today.

Shaking his head, he made a mental note of it and stepped inside Blackthorn Security Company, greeted by the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Rosanne, the brunette receptionist, was preparing a pot, filling the room with its scent.

"Good morning, Klein. Lovely weather today, isn't it?" Rosanne greeted him with a smile. "Honestly, I've always wondered—don't you gentlemen feel hot wearing formal attire on days like this? I know Tingen's summer isn't as intense as in the South, but it's still summer."

"It's the price of maintaining dignity," Klein replied with a smile. "Good morning, Miss Rosanne. Is the captain in?"

"The usual place." She gestured toward the back.

Klein gave her a slight nod, passed through the partition, and knocked on Dunn Smith's office door.

"Come in," came Dunn's deep and steady voice.

Seeing Klein in his new, well-tailored attire, Dunn gave a slight nod, his gray eyes smiling faintly.

"Have you made your decision?"

Klein took a deep breath and replied solemnly, "Yes, I've made my choice."

Dunn sat up slowly, his expression becoming serious as his deep gray eyes fixed on Klein. "Tell me your answer."

Without hesitation, Klein answered, "Diviner!"