Bribery

“Ha, it seems it is time for us to depart.”

Archbishop Trinlais and Knight Rick exchanged a smile. Clearly aware of the visitor's identity, they rose simultaneously. Rick first traced the cross of the Black Night Cathedral upon his chest, then reached out both hands to grip Lynch’s firmly, saying sincerely:

“I am deeply sorry, Mr. Levive. My own arrogance invited the subsequent trouble and nearly caused a terrible outcome. Thankfully, your intervention salvaged the damage I had caused to the Church's standing. You have shown me through your actions what a true investigator is. I have learned much from you, and I am truly grateful. You are my friend forever. If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Norin, you must visit the Church and give me a chance to welcome you.”

“My pleasure, my friend.”

Lynch did not dislike this new acquaintance; the man had been very cooperative, making their collaboration quite pleasant. He smiled, bowed slightly, and saw them both downstairs.

Once on the ground floor, Lynch froze. He saw the new visitor had already been ushered into the parlor by Mrs. Maggie.

It was someone he recognized, yet their presence was entirely unexpected.

The visitor wore an exquisitely tailored suit with a stiff expression and a silver wig, constantly giving off the impression of a cold sneer.

Chairman Grant of the Rhine City House of Commons.

Lynch’s expression darkened. He could hardly call them acquaintances; they had only crossed paths publicly a few times. Why was he here?

On the surface, they had barely met, making them almost strangers. In reality, however, Lynch had not forgotten that just two days ago, he had confiscated a mystery relic from the man's factory and slaughtered all of its management.

In truth, Lynch held no personal grudge against him. With their respective stances still uncertain, he had no desire to create enemies without cause, but the man’s greed was truly repulsive.

To Lynch, while a capitalist might exploit workers, crossing the line into disregard for human life was unacceptable. As a transmigrator living in a society ruled by law, he found such behavior instinctively detestable.

Of course, the man likely held the same attitude. Although, in theory, he shouldn't know that Lynch was the one behind the chaos at the screw factory, Lynch hadn't made an effort to hide his tracks; a little investigation would reveal the truth. It was only because Lynch had immediately latched onto the Black Night Cathedral and the Watchers, and had even gained the governor’s favor, that the man had been forced to hold back.

Now, it seemed he had come seeking revenge.

However, judging by the attitude of the Archbishop and Knight Rick, this shouldn't be a bad thing. Lynch pondered for a moment and, deciding not to ask, saw the two churchmen out of the apartment.

The entrance was bustling. Several police carriages were parked there, and a group of officers in blue uniforms guarded the apartment tightly, drawing the gaze of many pedestrians passing through Charles Square. He was indeed a man of real power in the city government; even his outings were incredibly ostentatious.

When Lynch returned to the parlor, Mrs. Maggie had already prepared black tea for the Chairman. Lynch didn't bother inviting him upstairs and simply borrowed Mrs. Maggie’s parlor.

“Please, have a seat, Mr. Lynch Levive.”

Seeing Lynch return from seeing off his guests, Chairman Grant gestured to the sofa beside him, speaking in a very cold tone:

“First, I wish to represent the city hall, the House of Commons, and the entire city of Rhine to express my sincere gratitude to the Levive Detective Agency for the contributions you have made to our city.”

“Hmm?” Lynch frowned.

“In light of Detective Levive’s patriotic fervor and outstanding performance, the city hall has decided to allocate fifty Lande pounds in operating funds to the Levive Detective Agency as a token of encouragement.”

As he spoke, Chairman Grant took out an envelope, produced a sheet of paper printed with intricate patterns, and slid it across the coffee table toward Lynch.

Hiss...

Lynch’s breathing hitched, and his heart contracted sharply.

Damn it, fifty pounds. Are the people at city hall insane?

This was a massive sum of money. One hundred pounds was enough to buy a decent small house in the suburbs of Rhine. The annual income of the rising middle class in Rhine was barely fifty pounds, and as for the poor in the Crown District, they might not earn that much in a year or two.

Lynch desperately needed a large sum of money, which made him all the more excited.

Officer Natalie had long mentioned taking him to see a secret society where he could learn mysteries, but with his usual net worth of no more than ten pounds, going there would have been a waste of time.

Yet, he didn't rush to take the check. Lynch didn't like touching things he shouldn't. He looked cautiously at the check, then at Chairman Grant, and asked with a cryptic smile: “Outstanding performance?”

“In the case of Kent Jefferson’s treason, although the overall operation was planned jointly by multiple departments, as the primary executor, your contribution, Detective Levive, cannot be erased. All participating departments have agreed that the city government should provide this reward to commend your loyalty to Rhine.”

“Even mine?”

“Of course. We all serve the kingdom and Rhine. Without recognition for your efforts, how could we set an example for others? Besides, if your achievements went unrewarded, others would feel uneasy.”

So that was it.

Lynch finally realized that in order to secure Jefferson’s treason conviction and prevent future trouble, he had shared the credit with half of the Rhine government, forgetting the rules of officialdom.

He hadn't reserved a share for himself.

Benefits that are due must be delivered; that was the rule. Otherwise, it would be a threat to those who had already received their cut, and no one would be able to enjoy their gains in peace.

That old fox Trinlais had likely foreseen that the city government would do this, which was why he had been forced to increase the value of his own reward on the spot—lest being outdone by the city government embarrass the Church.

The question was, was it necessary for him to come in person? There was likely another motive.

As he calculated in his heart, Lynch pressed his index finger on the check, moved it toward himself, tapped it, and nodded with a smile: “Serving Rhine is the duty of every law abiding citizen. You gentlemen at city hall are far too kind. I shouldn't have accepted this money, but to set an example for others, sigh, I shall reluctantly soil myself.”

“Haha, Detective Levive is truly the outstanding young talent of our Rhine. The Governor certainly has a sharp eye.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Chairman. Now that the trivialities are settled, shall we discuss the real business?”

“Heh, it’s not exactly major business. It’s just that since you have the brains and the means, I would like to represent the Railway Engineering Preparatory Committee. Would you be interested in joining us?”

“Hmm?”

“A monthly salary of ten pounds until the entire project is completed. This is a massive project that will last for decades. You wouldn't need to perform daily duties; you would only need to be willing to help resolve issues when the project encounters trouble.”

Hiss. As expected, this was the real point. They were planning to bribe him directly. The terms were far too tempting; it meant maintaining a middle class lifestyle for decades without doing a thing, as long as he didn't obstruct the progress of the railway.

He had to admit, this was a very tempting offer. Lynch was even a bit moved, but considering his dealings with the ghouls in the sewers...

“It seems you have some misunderstandings about our intentions, Detective,” Chairman Grant said with a reserved smile. “Why don't I introduce you to a few friends? They can explain the complex relationships involved here, and then you can make your decision. How does that sound?”