Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 89 Have you seen it?
After that, a servant came forward and ushered the two into the mansion. As they entered the gate, Chief McMillan lowered his head and whispered something in Levy's ear.

"If possible, please keep a close eye on that young lady for me."

"Oh? Is there a problem with her?"

"No, no, but the problem is, she is the daughter of Sir Baskerville, oh, now she should be called Duchess Baskerville."

At this point, Chief McMillan sighed.

"But she has no intention of fulfilling her duties as a duchess right now. Instead, she spends all her time thinking about finding her father and even threatening to set the mountain on fire to find the wolf king and kill it..."

As he spoke, Chief McMillan shook his head.

“This is not an impulsive act, Mr. Li Wei. This young lady has been a troublemaker since she was a child. She is capable of doing something like looking for the wolf king. That’s why I sent people to guard here, in case she loses control of her emotions and actually runs to the deep mountains and forests to look for some wolf king… If that happens, the situation will only be worse.”

"Is she the sole heir to the Baskerville family?"

"Yes."

Chief McMillan looked serious.

"The people of Delicat have been loyal to the Baskerville family for generations. As Delicaters, we absolutely cannot accept the Baskerville bloodline ending in our time! It would be a disgrace to all of us!"

"Ah, oh..."

Levi was somewhat surprised by Chief McMillan's serious demeanor. Although he knew of the Western saying "My vassal's vassal is not my vassal," witnessing it firsthand was still quite astonishing. It seemed the people of Delicatul were very loyal to the Baskerville family.

Levi really wanted to ask Commissioner Macmillan, "If the Baskerville Queen and Her Majesty both fell into the water at the same time, who would you save?", but... never mind.

He was just a small-time detective, so he didn't want to get involved in that kind of trouble.

So Li Wei simply nodded.

"Let's go check it out."

According to records, Sir Baskerville and several of his friends were playing cards in the recreation room on the first floor. The recreation room, located on the southeast side of the hall, was furnished with bookshelves, sofas, a coffee table, a pool table, and a card table. That evening, Sir Baskerville and his friends played cards there, while two police officers stood guard at the door.

Where are the servants?

"Except for one maid, everyone else went back to their rooms to rest. Their rooms are all on the first floor."

"But the maid didn't go with them?"

According to the records…

Walking beside Li Wei, Director McMillan took out some documents and flipped through them.

"Sir Baskerville wanted a late-night snack, so the maid went to the kitchen to prepare sandwiches and tea for him. Five minutes after the maid left, Sir Baskerville said he needed to use the restroom..."

As Chief McMillan reported, the two stopped and walked to the restroom. Levi looked up and carefully examined the restroom; it seemed no different from the restrooms elsewhere, located in a corner next to the recreation room, which was normal. On the other side was the staircase leading to the second floor.

"The rest is speculation."

Chief McMillan stretched out his hand and pointed to the stairs at the end of the corridor.

"After leaving the restroom, Sir Baskerville suddenly remembered that he needed to get something from the study, so he went up the stairs to the study on the second floor, where the other party killed two police officers, knocked him unconscious, and took him away."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the study on the second floor, which was cordoned off with a "No Entry" sign. On the other side of the cordon, Li Wei could see bloodstains splattered on the floor and walls, as well as chalk outlines of two fallen police officers drawn on the ground.

Li Wei crouched down and carefully examined the floor in front of him. Even without the aid of his [Reconnaissance] ability, he could see the claw marks on the originally smooth wooden floor.

These footprints are much larger than those in Wolf Head Village.

What do you think of this?

Levi looked at Chief McMillan, who remained silent.

Just then, a proud voice rang out.

"Just like I said, it must have been the wolf king's doing."

Li Wei turned his head and saw Miss Olivia walking towards him. She had changed out of her riding clothes and was wearing a casual dress.

"The Wolf King?"

“That’s right, you must have heard the legend, so I think the demon must have broken into the house and killed the two police officers and kidnapped my father while we were all resting.”

The guess is correct, but it still has nothing to do with the Demon Dog.

The blonde beauty was also getting excited.

"So we must catch it, kill it, and then display its carcass! Let people know that the Baskerville family is invincible! Neither wolves nor anything else can frighten us! Make us back down! Make us run away!"

After saying that, Olivia turned and went downstairs.

This young lady is very excited.

Li Wei didn't say much, but stood up and looked through the open door at the window inside.

Was that window open at the time?

"Yes, the doors and windows are open."

"So whether it's a person or something else, it still can't pass directly through the wall."

Li Wei casually remarked something, then went into the study and looked out the window. This room was on the second floor of the mansion, with the roof of the first floor outside, and beyond that, the garden.

"Chief McMillan, where were the officers standing that day?"

"Here, here, and here."

Chief McMillan pointed out the directions where the officers had been on guard duty, while Levi jumped out of the window and stood on the roof, looking around. The roofs here were all tiled, leaving no obvious traces. Furthermore, there were no lights nearby, meaning that if anyone or anything were standing there, the officers certainly wouldn't have been able to see them.

After all, most people don't pay attention to what's above their heads.

But the problem isn't there; it's that the mansion is surrounded by open space, with the closest point to the wall being thirty meters away. This means that either the killer can fly, or can leap thirty meters in one bound; otherwise, they will inevitably be spotted by the police officers on the ground.

Well, here's the problem. Through the Wolf Head Village case, Li Wei knows that these werewolves are physically very strong. So, regarding whether the werewolves can do it... he thinks it's quite possible.

However, it's not entirely impossible to determine.

Li Wei closed his eyes, then opened them again.

At that moment, the world lost its color before Li Wei, leaving only black and white. Everything around him looked like a black-and-white image on a television screen. Li Wei turned his head again and looked into the window—this time, he saw claw marks at the doorway, vivid and bright, like burning flames, as the claws walked into the study step by step, then leaped out of the window. They landed lightly and silently on the roof, then jumped again…

Hmm, her physical abilities should be about the same as Little Red Riding Hood's.

Li Wei silently recalled that when he fought Little Red Riding Hood in Wolf Head Village, she also leaped over him with a single bound.

Werewolves are incredibly strong physically; in close combat, Levi would have absolutely no chance against them.

Fortunately, Li Wei doesn't engage in close combat. The only thing he knows right now is street fighting techniques he got from that Ghost Knight, which are all tricks like throwing sand and stealing peaches. They probably won't be very useful against werewolves...

Li Wei deactivated [Soul Vision], stood on the rooftop, and stared at the surrounding mountains.

After what happened in Wolfhead Village, he now had some guesses about the Baskerville family. The wolf king was very likely the true first werewolf, and the Baskerville family, like the villagers of Wolfhead Village, were simply unlucky enough to encounter them and be infected and mutated. This was a very reasonable deduction.

After all, this family has been around for a thousand years, and we've never heard of anything like this before, have we?
The problem is, even if they've been transformed, why would they go to the deep mountains? The hunters of Wolfhead Village, after being infected, can disguise themselves and stay quietly in the village for thirty years. The Baskerville family has money, manpower, houses, and land in the Delicat region.

To put it bluntly, wouldn't it be more comfortable to live in a holiday villa or mountain cabin built by them?

It's better than living in seclusion in a cave.

Based on what Li Wei observed in the cave, even werewolves have basic human needs; it's impossible that every patriarch of the Baskerville family is a masochist who enjoys suffering.

"Any discoveries, Mr. Levi?"

Upon hearing Chief McMillan's question, Levi turned his gaze back to Chief McMillan, who was standing in the study.

"There's been no progress so far. I'm planning to go out and check outside the manor..."

Just then, a maid appeared outside the door. Li Wei glanced at her and recognized her as the maid who had followed Olivia before.

"Mr. Levi, Mr. McMillan, dinner is ready, and the host invites you to dine."

Hearing the maid's reminder, Levi realized that he was indeed hungry. He exchanged a glance with Chief McMillan and then nodded.

In short, let's eat first. As a grain-producing area, Delicat is a land of delicious food.

Or rather, as a grain-producing region, their most prized possession is naturally food.

For example, tonight's dinner was like that.

The first dish served was oyster soup, which was delicious and the plump, smooth oyster meat was very appetizing.

Next up is boiled halibut, served on a plate. The translucent, stewed fish meat, paired with lobster sauce, offers a rich and delicious flavor that leaves one wanting more.

But this is just the appetizer.

The next appetizers were honey-glazed pigeon and lamb chops with tomato sauce.

The main courses are roast lamb, braised veal head, and stewed bacon with spinach.

This is why Li Wei was able to enjoy fine dining in this era; aside from anything else, most of his meals consisted of meat dishes. And when it comes to meat dishes, making them taste bad is an art in itself. Often, the sheer freshness of the ingredients alone is enough to make one's mouth water.

Moreover, Li Wei's personal taste leans towards light flavors. Back in his original world, his favorite dish was boiled chicken, which is simply chicken cooked in plain water with minimal seasoning—just some scallions, ginger, and cooking wine to remove any gamey smell. He would then eat the cooked chicken directly. While the natural aroma of the meat wasn't as strong as that of grilled meat, Li Wei found it more comforting than anything else.

Li Wei's residence emphasized the color, aroma, and taste of the food, but here, things weren't so particular. The main dish, roast lamb, was a whole roasted lamb, simply dragged up and served with a ring of leafy greens underneath. But putting everything else aside, just looking at the cut slices of tender, juicy meat was enough to make one's mouth water.

That's not all. After that, there were side dishes of plum pudding, cheesecake, as well as desserts and ice cream... It has to be said that calling Delicat a land of plenty is not an exaggeration at all.

Li Wei compared the two and found that the Baskerville family's chefs were far superior to Erin's—though this was to be expected.

Of course, he still... doesn't drink.

"Mr. Li Wei, don't you drink?"

Seeing that Li Wei politely declined the brandy offered by the maid and instead offered a pot of flower tea, Olivia blinked curiously and stared at him.

"Drinking alcohol is bad for your health, so I don't usually drink."

Li Wei took a sip of tea and began to speak.

"Moreover, it is very important to keep a clear mind."

"You're right."

Chief McMillan, who was standing next to him, nodded and took a sip of brandy.

"The most common cases we encounter in our department are drunk assaults. It's always a group of farmers who get drunk in a tavern, get into arguments, and then start fighting. I don't know what they're doing drinking so much. Just to end up in the hospital and jail with blood on their heads?"

“I can see you’ve had quite a bit to drink.”

Olivia was quite polite to Levi, but she wasn't so friendly to Chief McMillan, who just laughed it off.

"Because Baskerville's brandy is very famous, why not drink it?"

"If you can find the murderer who took my father, I can give you all the brandy in the cellar."

"I'm working on it, now it's up to Mr. Li Wei to find some clues."

Chief McMillan, being thick-skinned, chuckled and deflected Olivia's dissatisfaction, while Levi merely glanced at him before turning his gaze back to Olivia.

"Miss Olivia, there's something I'd like to discuss with you privately, is that alright?"

"can."

Olivia nodded.

"Go to the study."

After dinner, McMillan, with his heavy belly, rode back in his carriage—taking the poor, on-duty policeman with him.

But this was not the end, because the police on duty for the shift arrived and now took over the responsibility of protecting the Baskervilles.

If the Baskervilles were just ordinary nobles, this would inevitably raise suspicions of misusing public resources. However, considering that the Baskervilles were essentially lords of Delicat, the true local rulers, this is quite normal.

Li Wei rested for a while before being led to the study by a maid.

In the study, Olivia sat behind her desk, staring at him expressionlessly.

As Li Wei walked into the study, Olivia suddenly felt a little nervous.

As the eldest daughter of the Baskerville family, Olivia has always been proud and arrogant, and she certainly has the right to be. She comes from a noble family and has also studied at the Royal Academy for a period of time. Young, beautiful, intelligent, and almost without flaws.

Because of her background, Olivia had seen all sorts of men since she could remember. Especially after she entered the social scene, men were always around her, but Olivia never showed any interest in these men. She was proud of her lineage, and her consistent success had given her a level of confidence that many people couldn't imagine.

She had even thought that when she truly became the head of House Baskerville, she would definitely end this so-called curse completely.

Therefore, Olivia always looked down on men who fawned over her and women who liked to please men.

In her view, those people simply lacked self-confidence, which was why they needed to please others. A truly confident person is neither arrogant nor servile, and will not be swayed by external factors; this was Olivia's ideal.

Until just now.

As Li Wei walked in, Olivia felt a surge of tension, and a thought suddenly popped into her head.

Is there anything wrong with my makeup? Are my clothes wrinkled? Am I sitting up straight and politely?
Olivia had never considered these issues before, because she was confident that she could do her best.

But now, facing Li Wei, Olivia suddenly felt a little less confident for the first time.

Of course, she was also trying to reassure herself, saying that she was acting this way because she was too focused on and nervous about her father's case.

It was definitely not because the man in front of her was exceptionally handsome.

Absolutely not!

“I’m sorry to bother you, Miss Olivia.”

“It’s nothing, please have a seat, Mr. Li Wei.”

Olivia gave a polite, social smile and gestured for Levi to sit down. A maid quickly brought her a cup of tea. Olivia then glanced at her, and the latter quietly left the room.

"I've long admired you, I never expected to meet you here."

"Oh?"

“I studied at the Royal Academy of Sciences, where your reputation is quite high.”

"I see."

Hearing Olivia's explanation, Levi nodded; he didn't mind such a small matter. Levi had known since childhood that he was easily remembered. When he walked down the street, strangers of his age or adults would often approach and greet him. Even at school, unfamiliar younger or older students would often call him by name, yet Levi didn't quite remember their names.

This can't be because Li Wei has a bad memory.

So over time, Li Wei got used to it.

It's not strange for others to call you by your name.

In the vampire case, Li Wei killed two students from the Royal Academy of Sciences, along with a professor. There must be rumors about him in the school, whether good or bad, Li Wei didn't care.

"I have something to show you."

Li Wei didn't chat with Olivia about everyday things. Instead, he took a handkerchief from his pocket, placed it on the table, and then opened it to reveal the badge inside.

Do you recognize this badge?

"…………………"

Olivia stared at the badge, her previously socially friendly smile froze slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, reached out, and carefully picked up the badge to examine it closely.

Olivia observed for a long time, but Levi didn't mind. He simply sat in his chair, quietly drinking his tea and waiting.

Nearly half an hour later, Olivia solemnly put down the badge and looked at Levi.

"This is my grandfather's badge."

Then she spoke.

(End of this chapter)