Chapter 992

Baron Cameron finished speaking and immediately looked at the expression on Xia De's face. Although Xia De didn't want to show an impolite expression in front of the client, this matter was really challenging his intelligence:

"Hmm... copy banknotes."

Xia De nodded and picked up the teacup to half-cover his face. Baron Cameron laughed awkwardly and leaned back slightly on the sofa:

"Every 36 hours, by repeating the opening of the box lid in a special way, you can get a coin with the exact same number. Of course, before opening, you have to use the button on the box to select the denomination of the coin, whether it is coins, banknotes, whether it is pounds, shillings, or even Kassenrik crowns. Yes, I know this must be a scam, but Jimmy believes it deeply. He..."

The Baron sighed again:

"He has already repeatedly 'copied' one 1-pound coin, three 10-pound banknotes. I think the coins pre-stored in that box should be used up soon. Detective, I want to entrust you to poke this lie, and then investigate who the so-called 'friend' who sold him that box is."

He took out his notebook again, on which were recorded the places where Jimmy Cameron might appear today:

"I go to poke this lie, it might be a blow to him. So, please don't expose that you were hired by me. You can investigate in the name of a detective hired by another victim. If you can accept the commission, you can sign the contract now."

He paused and looked at Xia De who put down the teacup, and asked with some embarrassment:

"Besides this, I have one small request."

"What request?"

The Baron touched his chin, revealing an embarrassed but also somewhat excited expression:

"After this investigation ends, can you let Miss Dorothy Louisa write the case into "Hamilton Detective Story Collection"? You can directly use the real investigation process as the main body of the story, or even write that I came to entrust it directly. After all, according to Miss Louisa's current serialization speed and the writing progress revealed by my acquaintances at the "Steam Bird Daily," even if this story can be published, it will be in February next year."

"Hmm..."

Xia De blinked, seeming to understand a bit:

"You came to me for an investigation commission, wouldn't it be just to let the case you entrusted become a detective story that can be published?"

"Of course not, I am also very concerned about Jimmy."

Baron Cameron immediately emphasized, and then revealed an embarrassed expression again:

"Of course, I am also a loyal reader of "Hamilton Detective Story Collection." Rest assured, Hamilton of Reged, I will not follow you to investigate, and I also guarantee that this matter was not specially created by me and then I ran to entrust you."

After speaking, as if afraid that Xia De would not accept the commission, he threw out the reward:

"30 pounds. The total commission fee is 30 pounds. If there are extra expenses during the process, reasonable expenses with receipts can be reimbursed by me. Even if you fail to investigate who sold the box to Jimmy, as long as you can poke it, I will not take back the 5-pound deposit. If this story is really published in the end, I can pay an extra 30 pounds!"

This was indeed a very generous reward, and Xia De had already confirmed when shaking hands just now that Baron Cameron was also an ordinary person. He did not immediately agree, nor did he expect that there would really be a reader of Dorothy who would run to entrust him in order to participate in the detective investigation.

Strictly speaking, this was a business solicited by Dorothy for Xia De:

"I can accept this commission."

Xia De said slowly, thinking about whether he, the detective, was competent:

"However, I must explain first. Although I have a good relationship with Miss Louisa, I cannot interfere with her creation. What I accepted is just a detective commission. Whether to write this into a story, I can suggest it to Miss Louisa, but whether to agree is her business. This will not be written into the contract."

"No problem!"

The Baron's face revealed joy:

"You can just mention it to Miss Louisa. We can sign the contract now. I am really looking forward to seeing... I mean, being able to catch the hateful guy who sold the box."

Xia De still thought that the Baron ran to entrust him excitedly just to make the case he entrusted become a story that could be published.

There were standard contracts in No. 6 St. Deran Square. Xia De only needed to modify the commission fee and time, and then add a few items for the specific commission event, and then he could use it directly.

Although Baron Cameron was very excited, he still read the contract terms carefully and signed his name after modifying the details of some terms.

The commission time agreed by both parties was one week. Within one week, Xia De had to at least produce an investigation report with progress. And according to the nature of this commission, Xia De felt that he didn't need a week at all. If he was lucky, he could solve this matter in two days.

After Xia De sent the Baron out and returned upstairs, Dorothy and Princess Margaret had returned to Room 1 from Room 2.

The blonde girl turned over the contract without seeing it as an outsider, and Princess Margaret, although also very interested, maintained the restraint of a royal lady and would not look at other people's private documents at will.

"You should have heard it just now, do you want to investigate together?"

Xia De, who walked in from the door, asked Dorothy. He knew Dorothy would definitely agree. Miss Writer was keen on collecting materials at Xia De's place.

"Of course, didn't you promise the Baron to try to persuade me to write the story? A story experienced personally is naturally easier to write. Then Detective, today I am your detective assistant."

Miss Writer said with a smile.

Xia De nodded and looked at Princess Margaret again:

"Your Highness, I know almost everything about Sir Pulin. I will give you the results of the investigation of the female shushi as soon as possible."

This was actually a meaning of seeing off guests. Xia De planned to go out with Dorothy, and Princess Margaret would definitely not stay here alone.

But this princess from a foreign country thought for a while and did not say goodbye, but instead asked softly:

"Can I investigate with you?"

"Sorry, what?"

"One of my teachers is also very interested in "Hamilton Detective Story Collection." I think if I can tell her the story that has not been published yet, she should be very happy. And, I don't have many opportunities to walk around this city alone. Since I have already gone out today, it is better to find something to pass the time."

She also knew that this request was a bit abrupt, so she added:

"I can disguise my face and act as Miss Louisa's assistant, helping her record text. If you encounter trouble, I can also help, yes, trouble in any aspect. Rest assured, I will not reveal any secrets I see."

Xia De did not agree immediately, but looked at Dorothy.

The blonde girl thought for a while and nodded slightly:

"It is naturally very good for someone to help me record things, but Your Highness, perhaps detective investigation is not as interesting as you think."

"It doesn't matter."

The princess with light golden long hair revealed a smile:

"I just want to see this city from other angles. I was busy with my promotion ceremony a few days ago, and even if I acted in the city, I didn't have time to look at it carefully. The pearl of the north, the city of steam, the diamond of Delarion, walking through this fog with you and seeing the lives of the bottom-level civilians is enough."

(Little Mia is running...)

Although Mr. Boris Cameron had the title of Baron, Tobesk was not a remote countryside, and the city was not short of nobles.

Of course, Baron Cameron belonged to the kind of nobles with a better standard of living. He not only inherited the hereditary title of the family but also inherited a large amount of inheritance left by his ancestors. And the Baron's brother, 35-year-old Mr. Jimmy Cameron, although he did not inherit the title and ancestral home, he also divided a large amount of property and wool textile factories with fixed output every year, which was at least much more comfortable than the outsider who inherited an unclean house.

Jimmy Cameron in the black and white photo was a bit fat, but his mental state looked quite good. According to the information provided by his brother Baron Cameron, on Monday morning, the idle factory owner was likely sleeping in his own house because of a hangover last night, or going to the factory to inspect his industry—he only had the possibility of doing so every Monday.

Jimmy Cameron's house was located in the industrial area in the west of the city. It was a three-story small building with a garden. Although the location was a bit remote, the land price and house price were not cheap at all. It was a pity that when the detective, writer, and writer's assistant who came by carriage tried to visit here, the owner of the house had already gone out.

So the three walked through two blocks to a position further west of the city, which was the real industrial area of the whole Tobesk.

The heavy snow last week still showed no signs of melting. Even though the main roads in the city were cleared of roads that could allow carriages to pass, walking on the side of the street still had to step on the snow in a semi-melted state.

The three walked out for not long before the sky drifted with snowflakes again. Princess Margaret, who was walking side by side with Dorothy, reached out to try to catch the drifting snow, but the snowflakes melted immediately after falling on the gloves.

"Is there a lot of snowfall in Tobesk in winter?"

She asked the blonde girl beside her. Xia De was walking in front of them, so the girls only needed to follow Xia De. While asking, the foreign princess looked at the winter street scene in the misty gray fog. The streets where the three were currently located were called "Blacksmith Street" on the map. Before the steam era, almost one-third of the blacksmiths in the city gathered here. It is said that the final construction of steam factories in the west of the city was also related to this street.

The foreign street scene made the princess dazzled. While talking, she looked at the city. The low walls of stone bricks on the side of the street, the shops of gray stone buildings at the street corner, the shoe-shining boys shrinking in the wall corner waiting for guests, and the carriages passing by with bells ringing.

Unknown birds flew over from the top of the head, and the sunlight left moving shadows on the gray brick ground because of the movement of the birds. The shadows were soon stepped on by the boots of women passing by holding children and bread bags, and the newspaper-selling boy wearing patched old cotton clothes shrinking on the side of the street looked at the child wearing shiny small leather shoes with great envy.

The gentleman passing by called the boy to buy a newspaper. While unfolding the newspaper, the close-up photo of the princess taken when Princess Margaret visited the steam factory appeared on the outside of the newspaper. The policeman passing by stared at the princess photo on the newspaper and complained to his patrol partner about the increase in work recently.

And the real princess was looking at them at this moment.

Light and shadow left strange traces on the roof covered by snow, and the slightly melted snow water fell toward the ground along the edge of the roof, leaving shallow circular traces.

Xia De's shoes stepped over the water stains and continued forward, and the brown short cloth boots and black lace-up leather boots of the two ladies also stepped on the withered yellow grass in the brick seams immediately after.

Being in the same era, it was somewhat similar to Kassenrik, but completely different. Tobesk in winter looked quite leisurely and quiet. Originally, it was to relax for a day in a busy life that she chose to sneak out on Monday. Looking at this street scene, the princess thought she should be able to get a short and perfect holiday.