Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 29: Repeat Offense

That night, Levi dreamed again.

It was still the same as always: Mist City, nightfall, strange figures, blood moon.

He was still running about like a dead dog saving people everywhere.

By now, Levi was quite wary, because the situation was too bizarre.

He really did not want to fail once, only to wake up the next morning and find someone gutted open.

Could this be the mastermind’s plan? To exhaust me to death?

Of course, Levi also knew that was impossible.

Because in the dream he was practically invincible.

In fact, more than once, in order to protect those girls, Levi had stood in front of the monsters.

The latter’s knives slashed at Levi’s body yet could not even break through his defenses, letting Levi indulge himself in a good taste of being a superhuman.

Of course, if this happened in reality, he would be on the floor after just one slash.

Fortunately, even though he had been busy the whole night, when he woke up the next morning, Levi merely felt a little fatigued—like having run a marathon in a dream—and after a short while, he recovered.

When Levi finished changing and entered the dining room, Irene had already set out breakfast and also brought in today’s newspaper.

Only, Irene’s expression was somewhat uneasy.

“Sir……….”

“What is it, Irene?”

Seeing her expression, Levi was a little surprised.

Irene hesitated for a moment, then handed him the newspaper.

“Please look………”

“Hm?”

Levi took the paper, and immediately saw the headline on the front page of the Daily Mail:

《Vampire Appears Again! Second Victim!》

“……………………”

Just as Levi stared at the paper in silence, the wall-mounted communicator suddenly screeched hoarsely.

No need to guess—Levi already knew who was calling.

An hour later, riding a carriage, Levi arrived at the crime scene.

“I really didn’t expect that now reporters run faster than the police. At this rate, I don’t even need to come to the scene anymore—I can just read the paper.”

No sooner had he stepped out of the carriage than Levi started complaining to Inspector Lestrade, who himself looked helpless.

“I can’t help it, Mr. Levi. This case wasn’t in my jurisdiction. The police here reacted slowly. By the time it was reported upward, it was already transferred to me.”

“Forget it……… it doesn’t matter.”

Levi sighed silently.

“I’ve already read the newspaper for the details. Is there any discrepancy?”

“Basically consistent.”

Inspector Lestrade also looked helpless.

To think that the police had to rely on the newspaper for case information—they weren’t politicians, but this was still quite the embarrassment.

“…………………”

Levi stopped complaining and instead turned to stare at the house before him, his expression grim.

The details, Levi had already seen in the newspaper.

The victim’s name was Rogers Blanco, a not-very-famous painter.

To put it nicely, that was his title; bluntly, he was a good-for-nothing rich second-generation who played women under the guise of an artist.

He lived with his parents.

Early this morning, the servant called him to get up, but received no response.

When the servant opened the door, she found Rogers dead in bed, stark naked, his whole body pale.

They first reported it to the local district police.

The latter sent men to investigate, but quickly realized the case was complicated, so they escalated it upward.

By that time, Inspector Lestrade had only just learned of the case, while the freshly-printed morning papers had already spread it across every household………

Looking at the crowd behind the police cordon and the reporters with cameras, Levi twitched his mouth but said nothing, striding forward with Inspector Lestrade.

Upon seeing Levi’s arrival, the reporters surged forward like sharks scenting blood.

“Mr.  Levi, is it still the vampire committing crimes this time?”

“When will you be able to catch this brutal criminal?”

“Have you already found clues?”

“The public is deeply unsettled by these rumors. What do you have to say about it?”

I’m not the mayor.

What do I have to say?

Levi silently rolled his eyes inwardly.

He said nothing, only keeping a stern expression as he followed Inspector Lestrade through the crowd and into the small house.

Inside, Levi saw a middle-aged couple.

The wife was sitting on the sofa weeping while the husband comforted her.

Two servants, a man and a woman, stood pale-faced nearby.

Police officers were already investigating and collecting evidence.

Seeing Inspector Lestrade arrive, they stepped forward and saluted.

“Report. What’s the situation?”

“Yes, sir, the specific situation is……………”

The officer’s account differed little from the newspaper.

After listening, Levi nodded, then looked toward the two servants.

“Who was it that went to wake Mr. Rogers?”

“It was me.”

An elderly woman, nearly sixty, stepped out and spoke softly.

“I never thought the young master would die so miserably……….”

“Can you tell me what happened this morning? I want to verify further.”

Levi stepped closer, asking in a low voice while gazing at her kindly.

Under his gaze, the old woman gradually calmed down.

After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“It was nothing unusual, the same as always. My husband……….”

Here she glanced at the old man standing nearby.

“We woke up together. I went to prepare breakfast while my husband tended the garden. Once breakfast was ready, I went to wake the master and mistress, then went to wake the young master. I knocked on his door, but he didn’t respond. I thought he had drunk too much and was still asleep. So I opened the door to check, and then……… oh, heavens……….”

The old woman covered her face, trembling.

“He was lying there, so pitifully, on the bed. Almighty Holy Lord, it was terrifying!”

Levi said nothing, just stood beside her, softly soothing her for a moment.

Only then did she continue.

“Th-then I screamed. Hearing me, the master came up and was shocked as well. He hurriedly told me to find someone to report it……… I ran to the door, and happened to see the postman, so I asked him for help……….”

No wonder the case leaked so quickly.

I thought there was a mole in the police.

Levi muttered inwardly.

But he knew it hardly mattered, since in this era the newspapers had offices inside the police stations, practically living and eating together.

Once the police had a case, the reporters had it as well.

Still, Mist City was huge, with millions of people.

Of course there wasn’t only one police station.

Information wasn’t as convenient as in later generations, so such situations weren’t impossible……… After all, reporters only had to publish, but police had to consider much more.

“Had Mr. Rogers shown any unusual behavior recently?”

“The young master showed no abnormalities……….”

“Then what did he do yesterday?”

The old woman thought for a moment.

“The young master went out all day yesterday and came back in the evening.

He was very excited, saying he had met a peerless beauty and wanted to paint a masterpiece of her.

He was drunk and smelled of wine……….”

“Did he come back alone?”

“He came back alone.”

“Do you know which tavern he usually drinks at?”

“The Gold Coin and Elephant Tavern.”

“Thank you.”

Levi asked a few more questions before finishing.

Then he went upstairs to the room for investigation.

He had to admit, an artist’s room was indeed different.

Canvases and oil paintings were scattered everywhere, along with a large bed and an easel set up not far opposite the bed.

Isn’t this just the same trick as modern photographers?

Levi wasn’t surprised.

Weren’t cosplay photographers like this nowadays? Taking pictures until somehow the model ended up on the bed.

This rich second-generation was probably the same—painting until somehow his subject ended up on the bed.

One only had to look at the surrounding canvases to tell.

Wasn’t it the same in films? In My Lady, Are You Well?, wasn’t Jack a poor painter sketching Rose, and before long they ended up in the car?

Still, though he was a spoiled rich kid, at least he had some skill.

Levi glanced at the paintings.

He wasn’t much of an art appreciator, but even he could tell the technique was decent.

After all, without some skill, how could he charm girls?

Retracting his gaze, Levi finally looked at the corpse lying on the bed.

Compared to Edwards’ mangled body, since he had fallen from above, this corpse was quite different.

Honestly, at first glance Levi thought it was a wax figure.

Naked, lying on the bed, limbs spread wide, mouth curved upward in a smile of bliss and intoxication.

Only, when such a smile appeared on a dead man, it became eerie.

Levi stepped forward, put on gloves, and turned his head slightly.

Sure enough, there were two small punctures on the neck.

Other than that, the bed yielded no clues—not even bloodstains.

“Any findings?”

Levi asked the officer in charge of investigation.

The latter shook his head.

“None. We found nothing unusual. The hair and footprints all belong to the victim. No one else’s.”

“………………………”

Levi circled the room once.

Just as the officers said, there was nothing especially noteworthy.

No choice but to continue the investigation later.

Afterward, Levi went to the tavern to inquire.

The answer: Rogers had not gone home alone last night, but left with a woman.

But regarding that woman, neither the tavern staff nor his drinking buddies could say clearly.

Only that “she was very beautiful.”

Tricky indeed.

After a whole day of work, Levi returned home with furrowed brows, puzzled.

He had deliberately investigated the painter’s connections, but this useless rich second-generation had no relation to the Royal Master Academy or to Edwards.

They weren’t from the same circle, and didn’t know each other.

The only thing in common was that both had been accompanied by a “very beautiful” woman.

“Sir, this is your letter.”

As soon as Levi stepped out of the elevator, Irene came to greet him, taking his coat and handing him a letter.

Levi glanced at it.

The sender was none other than Betty—as he had said before, every day after school Betty wrote him a letter, reporting the day’s events.

This one was no exception.

Levi tore open the envelope, drew out the paper, and began reading:

【……… Today at school I heard of another case, and there’s a rumor spreading that both of these incidents were committed by a female vampire. She roams at night, using her beauty to lure handsome men, then drains their blood. I don’t know where this rumor came from, but everyone is gossiping about it with great interest………… Please be careful, Detective Sir】

“…………………”

At this, Levi narrowed his eyes.

A female vampire? Draining handsome men’s blood?

Is this aimed at me?