Chapter 314: Princess Diary

Princess lady was quite decisive in doing things. She didn't avoid talking about gold pounds. Xia De sat in the single female Ringed Shushi's apartment and thought about it, thinking that there was no need to save this expense:

"How about a base salary of 5 pounds?"

He shook five fingers:

"Give you 3 pounds before setting off, and give you 2 pounds when it ends at night. Depending on the situation, the wages can be increased. As for my purpose, I just want to turn around in Coldwater Port and get to know a few black markets where special items or knowledge can be traded."

Although 5 pounds looked like a lot, if the other party could really introduce Xia De to places like the Black Raven Library or Old John's Pawnshop, then this broker's fee could only be considered low.

The blonde girl's emerald-green eyes looked at Xia De, her fingers tapped on the armrest of the chair, and she shook her head quite gracefully:

"A flat price of 10 pounds, give 3 pounds first,

This price was acceptable; Xia De had already intended to use the bustling Coldwater Port as a regular trading location:

"No problem."

A smile appeared at the corners of Miss Pulin's mouth, but it was only for an instant.

Afterwards, Miss Pulin took out a silver-gray metal case with a handle that looked very expensive from the washroom. The case was rectangular, and its surface was covered with patterns of branches, leaves, and flowers. The patterns appeared golden, as if plated with a layer of gold. But given Miss Pulin's income level, Xia De was likely overthinking it.

She pulled the handle very slowly to open the case. As the lid rose, layers of storage racks slowly unfolded inside, allowing Xia De to see the cosmetics placed in layers within the box.

Metal screws connected the metal plates of different layers, and brass-colored nuts, springs, and bearings ensured that the storage racks inside the case could unfold smoothly. Although this vanity case did not use any high-end steam technology, one could still glimpse the sophisticated and exquisite mechanical craftsmanship of this era from this box.

"Sit still and don't move; I'll apply some simple makeup for you."

The young lady had already begun taking bottles and jars out of the vanity case. As for the face-to-face gaze during the makeup process with a strange man, she seemed not to mind. This is not to say that Miss Pulin was a very casual girl; Xia De felt that her favor toward him seemed exceptionally high, and when she helped apply makeup, she was also very familiar with the features of his face.

She only took ten minutes to finish dressing Xia De up. When Xia De looked in the mirror in the washroom, he could still recognize himself at a glance. But if someone unfamiliar with him were to look, this subtle adjustment of appearance through simple makeup techniques would make it very difficult for people to equate John Watson with Xia De Hamilton.

"Ladies' makeup techniques are truly amazing."

He touched his face in the mirror:

"Why do I feel like she trusts me so much? Does this lady have no sense of vigilance? Or is it that she wants to gain my trust through this method?"

【Why couldn't it be because of other possibilities?】

The whispering voice sounded in his ear, the tone filled with laughter.

"For example?"

【She has taken a liking to your face.】

"Is this the first time you've joked with me?"

The light chuckle indicated that she wanted to end this conversation. Although she never gave a heads-up when she spoke, except for the day Xia De first arrived in this world, she was always able to speak at the most appropriate opportunity, and her words were never abrupt.

"I am truly becoming more and more accustomed to her."

Afterward, Xia De was shooed out of the washroom by Miss Pulin; the blonde sorceress wanted to apply makeup to herself in front of the mirror.

She told Xia De to wait for about half an hour. Xia De did not have the habit of rummaging through other people's belongings, so he sat honestly on the sofa to wait.

His mind was still thinking about matters concerning Miss Pulin, and his eyes moved toward the coffee table to pour himself some tea. There were many things scattered on the coffee table, and among them, an open notebook lay right next to the teapot. Clearly, when he entered the door just now, although the coffee table was messy, this item was not there; he figured Miss Pulin must have been flipping through it just now while he entered the washroom.

Xia De did not intentionally want to look, but the notebook and the teapot were simply too close.

【23rd of the Month of Slumber, 1852】

This was the first line written on the right side of the notebook, a date from last December, which meant that what Xia De saw was Miss Pulin's diary from last December.

Since he had seen the date, and there was nothing wrong with his eyes, the line below was naturally seen by Xia De as well.

【Who are you?】

"Hmm? Of course, I am Xia De."

He thought to himself, then realized that the sentence in the diary was not written to him. These letters occupied three full lines in the lined notebook, and were specifically bolded with blue-black ink, as if the writer were expressing intense inner emotions.

"Did Miss Pulin lose control last December? What does this mean?"

Xia De was somewhat puzzled and looked toward the direction of the washroom. The washroom of this apartment was very narrow, not even enough to accommodate three people standing at the same time. He could see the silhouette of the beautiful blonde girl; she was concentrating on applying makeup to herself in front of the mirror.

"I don't want to pry into other people's privacy."

Although he thought this, because he was worried about Miss Pulin losing control, Xia De still carefully turned the page. He did not turn to the second page, but flipped back five full pages.

It was still one page of content per day, and the time had already reached the end of last December, with beautiful floral letters written on it:

【Don't! Don't ask my maid strange questions!】

Xia De pursed his lips, even more worried about Miss Pulin's mental state. This way of writing a diary while talking to oneself reminded him of many terrible things.

Returning the notebook to normal, Xia De did not continue to look through it. Miss Pulin spent half an hour applying her own makeup; similarly, there were no major changes to her facial features, but people unfamiliar with her would certainly find it difficult to link the two appearances together.

"Then, happy cooperation!"

Before leaving the apartment, the young lady did not pay attention to the open diary, while Xia De reached out his hand again. Miss Pulin reached out and shook hands with Xia De, but after shaking slightly, she found that he did not let go.

She looked at Xia De in surprise, while Xia De seemed as if he were stunned, only letting go after several seconds:

"Oh, sorry, I was thinking about other things just now."

【No problem, she has not lost control.】

This was the answer Xia De obtained at the risk of being considered a hooligan.

Miss Pulin was not angry either, but reminded him:

"You must not do this to strange ladies in the future. I am a person with a very good temper, but if you encounter someone with a bad temper, you will get into trouble."

Afterward, she raised her right hand to hold her naturally hanging left arm and asked embarrassedly:

"Mr. Watson, what do you think of me now that I have made myself look ugly?"

She really was a girl with a very good personality.

Without staying too long in the city, they took a carriage back to the dock area. With nothing to do on the way, Miss Pulin also talked to Xia De about some politics-related topics.

This could be considered the best pastime topic when bored. Seeing Xia De looking out at the street scene, the young lady asked:

"Mr. Watson, what is your opinion of the city of Coldwater Port?"

"Although maritime transport has made this city a lot of money, the current method of development cannot be said to be very sound."

Xia De said, his eyes looking at the children running outside; the barefoot children were chasing an iron hoop:

"This city appears prosperous, but relying solely on maritime trade as the main means of profit is too singular. The current prosperity is built on the premise of the development of the New Continent. I know that the development of the New Continent may last for hundreds of years, but the status of Coldwater Port is not irreplaceable; it seized the dividends of the era, but merely borrowed the status of the old era. If the city's managers do not realize this, then under this chaotic prosperity, how long the city can remain at its peak is really hard to say."

The management of the dock area by the Coldwater Port City Hall was actually very lax; smuggling, illegal immigration, and the trading of dangerous goods could be seen everywhere in the dock area. The chaotic flow of people and the interference of nobles and big merchants with order made the port management of Coldwater Port extremely chaotic. This was of course a good thing for ambitious people who aspired to go to sea, but it was not a good thing for the city's development.

"Oh? This idea is quite fresh. Then what do you think Coldwater Port should do?"

Miss Pulin asked again.

Xia De shook his head:

"I am just an ordinary person, and I don't have any opinions. It would probably be to rely on convenient transportation conditions to develop some other industries, allowing the transport industry, fishing industry, and finance... cough cough, I mean the banking industry to integrate. Perhaps the Delarion National Bank could utilize the seasonality of fish goods and commodity trade, targeting... I don't have any ideas either."

He realized he had said a bit too much and smiled embarrassedly. Miss Pulin also laughed, that kind of quiet smile without showing her teeth was very impressive:

"Mr. Watson, have you studied knowledge like urban management before?"

"Of course not."

"But you are excellent."

Miss Pulin's voice was very low.

After a short trip, the two got off at the unfinished street paved with stone slabs adjacent to the docks. The lady, who seemed very familiar with this place, led Xia De into the "Seven Brooms Tavern," which had a fresh, dripping pig's head hanging on its sign.

Signaling Xia De not to say too much, Miss Pulin wrapped her relatively neutral black coat tightly and walked in front, passing through the noisy tavern where sailors and idlers were having fun, and arrived at the bar. She tapped the tabletop with her finger and threw out a crimson coin that Xia De had never seen before:

"I have brought a new friend."

The bartender picked up the coin spinning on the counter, looked at it against the gas lamp, and pushed the coin back to the woman who spoke:

"Entrance fee, you are 1 shilling. He is a stranger, 5 shillings."

Miss Pulin nodded toward Xia De behind her. Xia De very consciously took out his wallet from his pocket, clipped out a banknote, and placed it on the counter.