Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

"The dispute between the tenants, the ones downstairs complained that the upstairs neighbors were too loud. They argued a few times at the landlady’s, until the person downstairs used a revolver to end the person upstairs."

"Ah, how simple and naive the people of Carterburg are," Old Gaiate said, making a cold joke characteristic of Carterburg residents, which made the two police officers chuckle.

"Speaking of which, such incidents have become quite rare recently. Ever since your son established such a large corporation, not only do the surrounding villages have work, but even the refugees have jobs. The city keeps growing, and we’ve even opened two new police substations in the north. We thought we would be incredibly busy, but now it seems like there’s actually less to do." The older officer had experienced the days when Carterburg had daily casualties, and his nostalgia resonated with his colleague, "Right, when I was still in school, you could see people dead on the streets every day, but now, it’s hard to come across even a drunk who has passed out in a week."

"Thanks to big-hearted people like your child, Mr. Old Gaiate," the old officer seized the opportunity to shower praise.

This made Old Gaiate a bit embarrassed—he hadn’t really given much guidance to Malin, but still, he smiled and nodded: "It’s good that Malin can help Carterburg. We’re all part of this city, after all."

"But speaking of death, last year, as autumn approached, quite a few apprentices died during that period." The younger officer brought up a matter Old Gaiate didn’t know about. Driven by curiosity, the old man asked, and the young officer was all too willing to share.

Thus, Old Gaiate learned about the events of the past year, and hearing about the unclear deaths of many apprentices, his curiosity grew. He nodded and said, "Thank you, since you mentioned that apprentices of the Goddess of Harvest also suffered casualties, I should ask about it. I’ll take my leave now, gentlemen. This pack of cigarettes is for you, in appreciation for your contributions to the city."

The officers naturally declined, so Old Gaiate switched to cigars, handing one to each officer, then left amid their words of thanks.

The Holy Hall of the Goddess of Harvest Church was nearby, and when Old Gaiate arrived, he saw Colin exiting the main hall with the children.

Upon seeing Old Gaiate, Colin asked his companions to take the children back first, and then stayed to accompany Old Gaiate: "Old Gaiate, what brings you in front of the Holy Hall?"

"I heard that a lot of apprentices died around this time last year?" As soon as Old Gaiate began, he noticed a change in the young man’s complexion. Curious, he listened to Colin’s deep sigh: "It’s a long story, let’s find a place, have some tea, and talk."