“Chapter 42”

"Chapter 42"

Bill calculated, "How about the area from the original fish store to the glass store, those few shops, for you? What do you think?"

"The current shops are not just storefronts; they also include warehouses, living quarters for the owners, and production areas, among other facilities. So, even after the storefronts on Changgou Street were burned down, many people were still able to emerge from the alleys behind the shops."

"However, in the subsequent battles, those supporting structures were extensively damaged, leaving Changgou Street a complete ruin."

"Oll calculated that the area was roughly 200 by 100 feet, quite substantial. It's impossible to build a large orphanage with a big courtyard, but constructing a simple two-story building and leaving space for a food store is feasible. We can expand when there's more money in the future... if I ever get that wealthy..."

"Okay, how much?"

"40 golden emblems. Additionally, when you build the house, please use my people."

Oll nodded, "I was planning to use our own people from Changgou Street anyway."

"His reference to 'our own people' made Bill smile."

"Oll was about to say he'd pay tomorrow when Anka suddenly handed over a small stack of bank-issued vouchers. These were not ordinary supermarket vouchers, but those issued by major banks with significant capital. Holding these allowed one to exchange them for gold coins at various banks. Essentially, these were a form of paper currency, although the Norton Empire had yet to introduce officially state-certified banknotes."

"There were four vouchers, each worth 10 gold emblems, issued as drafts by the Oser Brothers Bank. The police station nearby had one of the Oser Brothers' branches in Soderman."

"'I'll come to the police station at the same time tomorrow, accompanied by a lawyer and a notary,' said Bill, glancing at Oll. Seeing no objection, he accepted the vouchers."

"Private land transactions should be conducted at the city hall, but the wealthy, like Bill, could afford to bring the relevant officials to them."

"'Thank you very much, and also…'"

"'?' Bill watched as Oll pulled out another 2 gold emblems and handed them to him."

"Oll pointed to the tanner and his family standing quietly behind: 'This is the compensation from the police for them. But in times like these, giving it to them directly would be extremely dangerous. So, I must ask you to safeguard it for them, until they need it.'"

"Of course, this wasn't compensation from the police, but from Oll himself. Perhaps he was still a bit naive?"

"'You…' Bill was at a loss for words. He accepted the 2 gold emblems, 'Of course, I'll keep it safe for them. The orphanage and the food store will be cleared out as soon as possible.' With a wave of his hand, Bill and his men departed."

"After Bill and his group had left, Anka asked, 'What food will you be selling? The legendary rutabaga rolls?'"

"Bill had just asked the same question, and Oll hadn't answered. Anka seemed to think his relationship with Oll was closer than Bill's."

"'Let's see after the holiday in a couple of days,' Oll thought, already having several ideas in mind – fish floss, crispy flatbreads, egg tarts, pancake rolls, fried meatballs, tofu pudding (both sweet and savory options)."

"However, to successfully run a food business, a stable supply of quality ingredients was essential. Especially since Oll lacked chef-level skills, the quality of the ingredients became even more crucial. He needed to first ascertain what was available before deciding what to make."

"Returning home that day, Oll went upstairs to check on Danni in the hallway. The little girl was lying motionless in her blanket, startling Oll. He touched her forehead, which was not hot; Danni seemed to be just asleep."

"Reassured, Oll didn't enter his own apartment. Instead, he went downstairs to knock on Mrs. Torrey's door."

"'Is Mrs. Belen still here?' he inquired."

"'What do you need?' Mrs. Torrey asked, still wary."

"When my father left, he left me some money. I intend to establish an orphanage and wanted to ask if Mrs. Belen would be interested in working there?" Among all the people he knew, Oll actually thought Mrs. Torrey was the most suitable.

"She is serious yet compassionate, vigilant, meticulous, and physically fit. But Mrs. Torrey is doing well as a manager here, with a good house, decent pay, especially in such a safe and easy job. Compared to that, what advantage does an orphanage offer? Just a ruined piece of land? Oll had no right to invite her."

"So, as a next best option, there was Mrs. Belen. Though he didn’t know her deeply, Oll at least knew that Mrs. Belen was kind-hearted, hardworking, and her child, Danni, was well-raised."

"'You… you really are…' Mrs. Torrey was astonished by Oll. She raised her arm, and Oll even thought she might hit him, but instead, she gently cupped his cheeks, patting them twice, 'Ollwitzka Mondale, are you a prince from a fairy tale?'"

"Oll's lips puckered under her touch, 'Yes, of course, I am.'"

"The conditions in some countries on Blue Star, for people of this world, might seem like a fairy tale."

"'Dear!' Mrs. Torrey called Oll affectionately for the first time, 'Anita will go! And I'll introduce you to others! But first, you should know, establishing an orphanage and raising a bunch of kids isn't difficult, but what about when they turn fifteen? How will they support themselves? Work in factories, on the streets, resort to theft?'"

"'We'll deal with that when they turn fifteen. For now, they need to survive,' Oll thought. His plan was to set up a food store. If successful, the children could work in the food factory, shop, or as cart vendors in the future. He might also buy land and establish a large farm to supply his own needs. But if sales were poor and profits limited, the orphanage would barely sustain itself."

"In any case, imagination is beautiful, but reality needs to prove it."

"'Yes, it's all about them surviving now…' Mrs. Torrey drew a circle over her heart, 'I appreciate your kindness, but be cautious too.'"

"'Yes, I will, thank you.'"

"This time when Oll went upstairs, Danni was already awake, with both blankets neatly folded and set aside, 'Hello, Mr. Mondale.'"

"'Just a moment, I'll make dinner right away.'"

"'Dinner too?' Danni's eyes widened in surprise. Oll had brought her a delicious bowl of dumpling soup at noon, complete with a whole egg. Even now, she licked her lips at the memory."

"Under Queen Anlona's influence, the wealthy now enjoyed three meals a day, afternoon tea, and a supper, with endless eating at banquets, dances, and drinking parties. Of course, they could also eat non-stop in their daily routine."

"For the common people, if financially stable, they had breakfast and lunch. If not… they ate whenever food was available."

"'Didn't you eat yesterday too?'"

"'…' Danni instinctively touched her pocket, where the bread Oll gave her last night still lay. She had arrived late for food both in the morning and at noon, so the bread remained, 'Are you going to buy me, sir? I will serve you well!' Danni beamed radiantly, bouncing like a girl who just received a beloved gift, oblivious to the gravity of her words."

"Oll, startled, quickly stepped back: 'No, no, no, I have no such intentions towards you.'"

"'...You're just being kind?' Danni stopped bouncing and just focused on Oll."

"'Yes, I'm just...' Oll let out a sigh, filled with helplessness and resignation, '...just being kind.'"

"'It's not good to be like this. I've given nothing, yet received so much. You'll make me greedy.'"

"'Who taught you that?'"

"'Mom did.' Danni lowered her head, then looked up again, 'Mom's gone, isn't she?'"

"'I'm sorry.'"

"Danni shook her head: 'Mom didn’t like me, but she was still my mother and wouldn't have abandoned me. But you're just a kind man. I've given nothing and received too much. You'll soon abandon me.'"

"'...How about this? Tomorrow, go downstairs to Mrs. Torrey and help her with chores, cleaning this building.'"

"'Okay! I'll do a great job, sir!'"

"'Also, I'm setting up an orphanage.' Oll deliberately crouched down so Danni wouldn't have to look up at him, 'You'll be sent there. It's not abandonment. I'm establishing it. It will shelter many children like you, teaching you life skills for the future.'"

"'You're building it?' Danni asked again."

"'Yes, I'm building it.'"

"Danni nodded: 'I'll be very well-behaved there.' She lost her previous cheerfulness, reverting to a mechanical obedience."

"'I'll also visit there, whenever I can, to check on your living conditions, to protect you, to ensure you're not harmed.'"

"'Hmm, I believe you, sir.'"

"'I hope, if you're unhappy there, bullied, hurt, or if there are bad people at the orphanage, you can tell me.'"

"'Are you asking me to be your spy, sir?' Danni's eyes lit up suddenly."

"Oll was surprised that Danni knew such a word: 'Yes, would you be willing?'"

"Of course! I can definitely do it, sir!" Danny beamed a big smile, gazing at Orle with sincerity and enthusiasm.

Faced with her transformation, Orle wondered if he should feel reassured. Ah well, best not to overthink it and just cook.

That evening, Orle made thick pancakes. The first one was a bit undercooked in the middle, though the outside was done. The second turned out much better. He gave the second one to Danny and stood at the doorway, eating dinner face to face with the girl. After dinner, Orle invited Danny into his room to wash up in the bathroom.

However, Orle took the other two thick pancakes to the lady with burns and the pale-faced man. Each time he went, Orle worried about getting no response or encountering impostors of the two. Fortunately, so far, they were alright.

"I want to set up an orphanage. Would you be willing to help me?" Although he still didn't know their real names, these two were capable, and Orle even thought they were quite educated. The eloquence they occasionally showed was not something an illiterate could muster.

Pale-faced man: "You really are an interesting person. But who would refuse a place to eat?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll scare people?" the lady with burns rasped. Her condition seemed much better now, thanks to having meals every day. At least she could sit up straight while eating on the ground.

"You get used to being scared after a while," Orle shrugged indifferently. "If you're willing to teach those kids some life skills, it would be incredibly valuable to them."

"Dear, don't play the good guy; good guys don't last long in this world."

Orle smiled and accepted the compliment: "I'll try to die after you guys."

"If that happens, it would indeed be wonderful."

Today's food didn't require a pot. Orle chatted briefly with them and then went home.

"Goodnight, sir." Danny, not yet asleep and wrapped in a blanket, showed her face as soon as she saw Orle and sweetly bade him farewell with a smile.

"Goodnight, Danny." Orle returned home and sat on the bed, starting to take off his shoes.

"Ouch..." His toes were in pain. He had thought it was due to the increased physical activity from recent battles, but after two relatively calm days, it was clear he was mistaken. The real reason was that his feet had grown.

Wearing just socks, Orle stood at the doorway, his hand reaching above his head to make a mark on the door frame with his fingernail.

QAQ, moved to tears. It wasn't just his feet that had grown; he had gotten taller too! Though it was only two centimeters, any growth was still growth.

Orle moved in front of the dressing mirror to see his face reflected. Despite the dim light from the gas lamp, he could still make out his features.

QAQ, crying with frustration. His baby face remained unchanged, showing no signs of maturity.

No, he should be content. Patience is key; everything will be alright in time.

Oh, right, he had been too busy today to check how much bounty he had received. Orle pulled out a small purse from a hidden pocket and upon opening it, found 1 gold emblem and 25 Aikos.

How much bounty had they actually claimed? Were those bounties real?

While amazed at the generous bounty, he also needed to consider how much he had spent today. 40 gold emblems, and although there was a monthly income of 150...

Anyway, better to sleep now. Whatever troubles there are, they can wait until tomorrow.

A new day began, and the police station posted patrol notices. Unlike before, when patrols were in pairs, now they were in groups of five, armed with guns and covering fewer areas.

Additionally, Benedict handed some officers a scroll: "It's a promotion order~ Congratulations!"

Big Mike got one, promoted to detective: "Oh! My God! Oh! Thank you!"

Big Mike praised God with his lips, but his eyes were on Orle. In reality, though, his gaze was probably fixed on someone far more distant.

His promotion from patrol officer to detective was significant: his weekly pay rose from 60 Aikos to 1 gold emblem. This wasn't just a change in position and salary. It was a qualitative leap, akin to a soldier being promoted to a non-commissioned officer in the military. It was, without exaggeration, a change in class, a step that most ordinary soldiers couldn't achieve.

Orle was promoted too, a testament to his experience as a senior patrol officer, taking over Big Mike's previous position.

However, today Big Mike still had to fulfill his duties as a patrol officer. Only from tomorrow would he officially be a detective.

Big Mike and his brothers hugged and celebrated, while Orle leaned against the reception desk, with no one daring to approach him...

"Hey, Mondale."

Someone poked his back. Orle turned around to find Benedict covering his mouth with his hand - that just made him more conspicuous.

"What is it?"

"Derrick's been promoted to detective too, but the brown-noser is still just a senior patrol officer~"

"That's really good news indeed." Orle immediately smiled.

The way most patrol officers in the Fish Tail District handled the riot had somewhat restored Orle's faith in the profession. They were brave against enemies and, although not exactly gentle, they stood as protectors for the civilians they identified as innocent. But of course, there were always cowards.

Stupid cowards fled and ended up "heroically" shot in the back. At least, Chief Dallian reported them as killed in action, and all witnesses maintained silence, allowing their families to receive a modest pension.

The smart cowards, however, found reasonable excuses for their cowardice. Like the sycophant, Baidy Shulton, who was rumored to be injured after the first day's battle. Big Mike even remarked then, "The guy finally acted like a man," only to learn later that he had merely fallen and hurt his arm – though he claimed it was a cut from a criminal during a fight.

The last day of Orle and Big Mike's partnership as patrol officers was different from the past; they were assigned to the district court to serve as bailiffs.

When he first started as a patrol officer, Big Mike mentioned that policemen were responsible for various tasks, including acting as bailiffs and prison guards. This time, it was Orle's turn to experience it.

"Oh... serving as a bailiff now is not a good thing," Big Mike's joy of promotion was overshadowed by his duty for the day. His smile faded, and his brows furrowed, "You know, those in jail now are the ones we put there."

"How will they be sentenced?"

"Possibly death, or exile. Let's go. We need to catch the car."

"Wait a moment!" Orle asked Benedict to help, to notify Bill Buttry at noon that he was on duty at the court today.

(:з」∠) Actually, he wanted to ask Benedict for new uniforms and boots today, but clearly, there was no time. He'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Today, forty officers were on bailiff duty, divided into eight groups. They took two police cars and headed for the district court.

The district court was next to the district government building. However, the government of the Fish Tail District wasn't located there but in the neighboring Shell District on Black Box Street. This street wasn't originally named so; it was because the government offices and courts of Fish Tail, Black, Shell, White Sock, Hicklin, and other Sodman districts were located there.

The original author had learned this history in class. This arrangement was made because these were Sodman's lower-level urban areas, not safe. The government officials, councilors, judges, clerks, and jury members of these districts refused to work there, leading to the relocation of these offices and courts to the Shell District.

—White Sock District was an exception; it was supposed to be in the higher districts, but its government and court officials still refused to work there, considering it a dirty area. It was a paradox. The officials appointed by the state were one thing, but the councilors were elected from their own districts. If they didn't work there, did they no longer belong to that place?

In any case, because of the numerous courts here, black police cars were constantly coming and going, hence the name "Black Box" Street.

Orle got out of the police car, and the sight before him made him freeze.

High gallows were erected in front of the court. The gallows were empty now, with two executioners in black hoods sitting idly by. But next to the gallows was a heap of corpses, entangled and piled up. Beside it, an old horse pulled a wooden cart, and a few ordinary workers were stripping the corpses before loading them onto the cart. The stripped clothes formed a small pile next to the corpses.

This scene, different from the executions during the riots, sent a shiver through Orle.

"Hey, guys! Work hard today!" The executioners cheerfully greeted them as they walked towards the court.

"Executioners earn 10 Aikos per hanging," Big Mike said. "Those are probably the ones hanged yesterday and haven't been cleared yet."

Orle glanced at the heap of bodies, noting the excrement and urine that had flowed down, now pooling beneath the corpses.

Pushing the doors open into the courthouse, they were greeted by five patrol officers from the Fish Tail District who had been on the night shift there.

Yuzu Kito Kaya

Orle suddenly realized he had never been on a night shift; this must have been a special consideration for him.

The officers, all bleary-eyed with sleepiness, yawned and waved them past, proceeding to leave the building.

Big Mike scanned the patrol officers present and selected a five-man squad to guard the door.

"If you feel unwell, you can switch to door duty anytime."

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Orle thought his reaction at the entrance had given Big Mike the wrong impression, "I've been through the riots too."

Big Mike looked at him: "So, how about we tackle the toughest job?"

"Of course, no problem," the others responded.

Big Mike didn't lead everyone further inside; he stopped and called out the names of the squad leaders from each five-man team - had this been arranged just this morning? He remembered them all?!

Now including Big Mike and Orle, only ten people were left, all close to Big Mike: "Alright, I'm getting promoted, so today is the last time I'm working with you bastards."

Big Mike's subordinates laughed, knowing their old team leader was joking with them.

"Of course, I'll be a detective now!" Big Mike straightened his collar, smoothing out the creases on his uniform's chest, "I can wear plain clothes. So... if Shulton dares to trouble you guys again, I'll smash his eggs!"