Lord of The Mysterious Realms-Chapter 76: A Real Estate Agent?
Of course, if one were to compare them by weight alone, the price of Spirit-Blocking Metal was roughly equivalent to that of dragon's blood with a purity of eighty percent or more—both were things a pauper like Jenkins could only dream of.
Even though his career as a writer was starting to take off.
Watching Chocolate lap up the milk Jenkins had brought, he suddenly felt that his life was less dignified than a cat's.
Bringing home over two hundred pounds in cash that evening had given his family quite a shock. Seeing this, Mary Williams knew she couldn't stop Jenkins's plan to move out. She hugged him and wept for a good while but, in the end, had no choice but to accept it.
She offered Jenkins plenty of advice on where to move; as a woman who had grown up in Nolan, her knowledge of the city was the deepest in the family.
Robert Williams, on the other hand, asked Jenkins what he intended to do with the money, noting that an apartment deposit wouldn't cost nearly that much.
"I plan to deposit it with the church," Jenkins explained. "Travelers' Bank may offer higher interest, but our own church is a safer bet."
"That's a good idea."
Robert Williams nodded. "But you might also consider some small investments or loans. There are many industrial companies looking for cash infusions right now. The Nolan-Pasadena United Railway Company has been raising capital recently. If you're interested, I could give you some advice..."
But Jenkins just wanted to keep the money on hand. There were still so many things he needed.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday passed in peace. With the end of the month fast approaching, Papa Oliver was rushing to finish his s, threatening Jenkins that he had to learn quickly so he could take over the work.
Jenkins still hadn't forgotten the whispers he'd heard at the end of last month. He had compared the experiences later and realized that even his exposure to the evil god's divinity hadn't inflicted such intense mental damage. This led him to some bold speculations.
Captain Bincy hadn't sought Jenkins's help since the incident on that stormy night. Jenkins wasn't sure if the number of patients needing treatment had decreased, or if they had simply found another Enchanter with healing abilities.
On Thursday evening, Jenkins finished his day of study and work at Papa Oliver's shop. He stretched languidly as he walked down the street, with the kitten, Chocolate, watching him leave from the shop's doorway.
"Is that... Mr. Barnard?"
Jenkins froze. Wasn't the man walking ahead of him the very one who had saved his life from the octopus's tentacles on the day he'd transmigrated?
He had wanted to find Mr. Barnard later to thank him but had no idea how to get in touch. Papa Oliver didn't know the man, and while Captain Bincy might, Jenkins always forgot to ask.
Since both of their identities were rather sensitive, Jenkins couldn't just shout a greeting across the street, so he followed from a distance.
Soon, the hurried Barnard left the main street, clutching a newspaper as he ducked into a narrow alley between two stone walls. His right foot, clad in a black boot, landed in a puddle at the alley's entrance, splashing a sallow-faced woman carrying a vegetable basket with muddy water.
The woman watched the man's retreating figure with a helpless expression, not daring to complain.
Jenkins immediately followed.
"Mr. Barnard!"
Seeing that the alley was empty, Jenkins called out. The air was particularly foul today, and Barnard's figure was hazy even from less than a hundred meters away.
He clearly heard him. His forward momentum paused for a moment, and then he turned around.
It really was him, looking just the same. He wore a brown leather jacket and a yellow hat decorated with a black silk ribbon.
"Oh, it's you. Long time no see,"
he said. From such a distance, Jenkins couldn't make out his expression.
"Hello, sir! I never had the chance to thank you for what happened last time. I'm truly grateful!"
"It's nothing. I don't mind,"
the man replied, cutting Jenkins off before he could say more. In a somewhat stiff and severe tone, he asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Huh?"
Jenkins was taken aback. "Oh, right, Barnard might be on a mission," he thought, then said apologetically,
"Nothing else. In that case, goodbye, sir."
"Goodbye."
Barnard turned and hurried away, vanishing around the corner ahead.
"A bit strange."
Jenkins thought as he walked back to the main road. He flagged down a passing carriage. "Maidenhaven Road." He soon pushed the matter to the back of his mind.
On Friday, Jenkins saw Miss Mikhail at Papa Oliver's shop again.
She had brought a beautiful teapot for Papa Oliver to appraise, wanting to know its specific age. Jenkins glanced at it but saw no spiritual aura.
"I hear you're looking for an apartment, Mr. Williams?"
Miss Mikhail addressed Jenkins out of boredom while Papa Oliver worked, his hands in gloves. Jenkins himself was engrossed in a historical monograph titled "Eight Hundred Years of Records: From 1000 to 1800."
He didn't see Miss Hersha today, but the carriage waiting outside was the same one bearing a family crest. Jenkins surmised the crest must belong to the Mikhail family.
"Yes, I am."
Jenkins nodded without looking up from his book. It was somewhat impolite, he knew, but Papa Oliver had demanded he finish the volume before the end of the weekend, and his current progress was a mere 90 pages out of 312.
Miss Mikhail didn't seem to mind. She waved for the two young maids who had followed her into the shop to stand back a little, then idly surveyed the antique shop's furnishings.
"A friend of mine, Baron Leonard, is looking to sell a house. It's right here in Nolan City, not far from here. Would you like me to introduce you?"
she asked.
Only then did Jenkins pull his eyes away from the book.
"I'm sorry, but I doubt my budget is sufficient to buy an entire house."
He gave a wry smile. He had been about to ask if she knew of any friends renting out apartments, but a noble lady of her standing was unlikely to know such people.
"How much money do you have?"
she asked bluntly, a look of interest on her face.
With her faintly flushed lips, shimmering eyelashes, and fair cheeks, he had to admit she was the prettiest girl he knew.
"Two hundred pounds."
Jenkins hesitated for a moment before answering, figuring he should always keep some cash in reserve.
"That's plenty,"
Briny Mikhail replied. "We're friends, after all. If you're really interested in buying, I'm sure Baron Leonard would sell it to you for less than 230 pounds on my account."
"Why would it be so low?"
Jenkins had been looking into rent lately, so he naturally had an idea of property values. While this wasn't the heart of Nolan City, it was adjacent to the docks, and prices were still high. And Miss Mikhail had described it as "a house," which surely meant it wasn't some single-floor flat.
Chapter 76: A Real Estate Agent?
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