Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 38: Tavern

The Knight District, being a high-class residential area, had excellent security and environment.

Places like the Pink Lady in the Lower City naturally would not appear here.

However, Levi had not been idle; through his long period of research, he already had a general understanding of the geography and circumstances of Mist City.

These high-end residential districts were relatively enclosed in design, ensuring that the residents could live peacefully.

Unlike ordinary residential districts, there were no shops, taverns, or restaurants.

In Levi’s view, this was more like a modern garden villa community.

Yet, even nobles needed to eat.

Their servants naturally had to purchase food and various supplies.

Where there was demand, there was supply.

Since so many nobles lived here, it was only natural that a marketplace serving them would appear near the Knight District.

Yes, much like a farmer’s market near a luxury neighborhood.

This way, the servants could conveniently purchase goods.

And naturally, near such a market, there would be taverns.

“Now I get it!”

Stepping down from the carriage and looking at the tavern before them, Katie was quite excited.

“In adventure novels, it’s always like this too. You can gather all kinds of information and news in taverns, right?”

“Mm, more or less.”

“Then, should we disguise ourselves? Or maybe use some kind of secret code or password?”

“………There’s no need for that. We’re not doing anything shady……… Anyway, just follow me.”

Hearing Katie’s question, Levi sighed helplessly, then reached out to push the door open and stepped into the tavern.

By this time, it was already evening.

Most people had finished their day’s work and were drinking and chatting inside the tavern.

But when Levi appeared inside, the once-lively noise clearly quieted down.

The reason was simple.

Levi was still dressed in his three-piece suit, holding a silver cane in hand, wearing his top hat.

Behind him stood Katie, who looked like a servant.

Anyone who wasn’t blind could tell that Levi had a noble status.

Moreover, since the nearby market mainly served nobles, the people here were far more aware of such distinctions.

Thus, when Levi walked into the tavern, the raucous noise quickly gave way to whispers.

Levi, however, was unconcerned.

He walked straight to the counter, raised his hand, and knocked.

“Boss, a drink for everyone here, on me.”

As he spoke, Levi placed several shillings on the counter.

The tavern keeper froze for a moment, then grinned broadly, collected the coins, cleared his throat loudly, and turned toward the patrons.

“Hey, lads, a big shot’s buying today! Drink your fill!”

“Woo—————!”

Even if they didn’t yet know why Levi was here, free alcohol was not to be wasted.

The crowd naturally cheered excitedly.

Only then did Levi turn, remove his top hat, and bow slightly to them.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Levi, and I am a detective.”

“Ah, I know you!”

Hearing Levi’s words, a worker quickly raised his glass and shouted.

“You’re that famous detective everyone’s been talking about lately!”

“Yeah, yeah, the Courtesan Killer case, right?”

“And that vampire one too……………”

When it came to political gossip, perhaps the common folk didn’t care much.

But stories with a touch of legend—those were their favorites.

“I only did what I was supposed to do.”

Levi responded with a smile.

“This time, I came here to investigate the rumors about the House of Death. I wonder if any of you could provide me with some information or clues?”

At that, the crowd froze for a moment.

Then the tavern suddenly “boomed” with an eruption of noise like a volcano.

“I-I-I know something!”

“I know too! Sir, this rumor is really famous!”

“Get out of the way, I’ve got the most reliable info around here……………”

“Uh……………”

Watching the patrons rush over each other in their eagerness to tell Levi everything, Katie was taken aback, not understanding why they had suddenly become so enthusiastic.

Normally, such matters would be discussed in hushed tones, right?

“Please, everyone, calm down.”

Levi gestured with his hand, and immediately the drinkers fell silent, staring at him.

“I will listen to your accounts.

But please, one at a time……… You first, sir.”

He pointed to a red-nosed man sitting nearby at a table.

The man startled, then stood up awkwardly.

“Eh? Me? Heh heh……… Actually, I don’t know much……”

“Just tell us what you do know.”

“Well, all right… I heard it from my wife……………”

From there, the tavern turned into a ghost-story gathering.

People told of the nobles who had lived in that mansion, how they died miserably, and how the house became haunted.

The more they spoke, the more excited they grew, as if it were a banquet.

Levi, meanwhile, only smiled silently, paying the bills and letting Katie record everything they said.

By the time the tavern closed for the night, the patrons left reluctantly.

Katie, however, was exhausted, drenched in sweat, her hand nearly too sore to lift.

“I’ve never written so much in one day.”

“Then your grades in school must be quite good.”

Levi glanced at the notes in Katie’s hand and commented.

“How did you know that?”

“If you weren’t good at it, you’d have suffered long before now.”

“…………………？”

Katie tilted her head in confusion, not quite understanding his words, but quickly shifted the topic.

“But these stories are really scary. Are they true? Were they all telling the truth?”

“Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter. You’ve forgotten? What matters is not the truth, but what people believe.”

“Uh……… That’s true, I guess……… But surely there’s some truth to it?”

“Sometimes truth hides among them. What we need to do is figure out……………”

Levi suddenly stopped and turned toward the tavern’s entrance.

A laundress had just walked in, quickly approaching Levi with a flushed face.

“G-Good evening, detective, sir.”

“Good evening, miss. What is it?”

“W-Well……………”

The laundress was clearly nervous and uneasy speaking before such a handsome and gentle gentleman.

She twisted her hands around the hem of her dress.

“My grandmother once worked in that house, back when it was first built……… I thought you might want to talk to her?”

“Of course.”

Levi said as he pulled a shilling from his pocket and handed it over.

“Please, lead the way.”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

Taking the coin, the laundress nodded excitedly and led Levi and Katie out of the tavern.

They followed her to an apartment not far from the market.

She opened the door and welcomed them inside.

The room was narrow and damp, filled with soap and steam.

Bed sheets and quilts hung from ropes, resembling layers of curtains.

The three of them went to the back of the room, where a candle burned, its flickering flame casting a silhouette on a white sheet.

“Grandmother……….”

The laundress walked forward to the bedside hidden by the cloth.

“I’ve brought the detective, just as you asked.”

“Ah…………… Good evening……… Detective………”

A frail, elderly voice soon came from behind the sheet.

“Forgive me for meeting you this way. I can’t stand this dampness. Even with curtains blocking it, I feel as though my lungs are drowning……… I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.”

The laundress brought over two stools.

Levi and Katie sat down.

Though the light was dim, it was still tolerable for them.

“I heard you once worked for the first owner of that house?”

Levi quickly entered investigation mode and asked.

What greeted him first, however, was a fit of violent coughing.

“Oh yes, detective. I worked there. Perhaps I am one of the few still alive who knows what really happened there……… You’ve surely heard the rumors—about the curse, and the deaths…”

“Of course.”

Levi nodded.

The tavern patrons had given him much information.

For example, the second owner had died by suicide, the third killed his wife and child before killing himself, and the fourth vanished along with his servants and family.

Yet when the house was searched, aside from bloodstains, not a single corpse was found.

Unfortunately, all of this concerned only later residents of the mansion.

Pitiful as they were, Levi’s concern now was its earliest history.

But as so much time had passed, almost no one knew of its first owner.

The closest clue Levi had previously was from an old coachman, who had driven for the second owner.

According to him, the couple who first moved in had seemed happy, a model pair.

But later, quarrels arose.

The husband suspected the wife of infidelity, while she denied it and accused him instead.

Their arguments grew more heated, until one stormy night when the wife left with her bag, demanding the coachman drive her back to her family.

The next day, the coachman learned that the husband had hanged himself that very night.

After that, one owner after another died or vanished in the house.

To the people here, it was truly the House of Death.

“I will tell you my story……………”

The old woman’s voice was hoarse, broken by short breaths.

“I once thought I would carry these secrets to the grave. But knowing of your existence, detective, I feel this may be my chance……… Do you understand? Perhaps now, I can depart this world without regret.”

“I only seek to uncover the truth of that house.”

Levi’s voice was calm and steady.

Hearing this, the old woman chuckled.

“Then let us begin……………”