Teaching & Learning Methods [BL]

Untitled Part 5

I found the Red Bear Detective Agency in no time.

As soon as I opened the door and stepped inside, I felt my throat getting dusty and coughed. When I squinted my eyes, I saw an old man with a huge build carving a piece of wood. Sawdust was flying everywhere.

I covered my nose and mouth and stood at the door, and the old man turned his head abruptly.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Albert Letier."

"Well, what kind of idiot came here to ask for work? Who sent you?"

"No, I'm here to ask for a request."

"What? Then why were you standing there all dazed?"

"You seemed busy."

"Oh my."

The old man put down the knife and wood and shook his hands. Then he went into another room. When I followed him belatedly, the people who were gathered in the room chewing jerky raised their heads.

The old man threw a chair down in front of the desk and gestured. I sat down and he sat across the desk, clasped his hands, and asked.

"What kind of request do you want to make?"

"I want to find my lost... or rather, hidden salary."

The old man snickered.

"What a ridicilous request."

I couldn't agree more.

The old man asked a few questions. I answered honestly. As we exchanged questions and answers, he stared intently into my eyes. As if the truth was hidden in my pupils.

After the interrogation, he shook his head.

"Alright. You seem like a decent person. But I can't do it. I've a another case."

"I see. That's a shame."

"Would you be okay with an amateur? There's a guy who wants to work as a detective for a while."

I nodded curtly. The old man called out as if he had been waiting for this.

"Tan! Tan Quartz!"

"You old rascal, don't eat the injured." [*something like dont pick on the weak]

An old woman with snow-white hair and a slender figure glared at him. The old man chuckled and shouted again.

"Tan!"

"I'm here, grandpa."

A man stood up from behind the people eating jerky. He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties.

He had a well-tanned complexion and piercing blue eyes. His hair was jet black. Sharp eyes and a sharp nose were visible under his straight forehead. His tightly closed lips gave off a stubborn impression, while his smooth jawline looked elegant. He had a handsome face that was hard to take your eyes off of. I admired it quietly.

He asked the old man.

"What is it?"

"It's a fool's errand, but would you like to give it a try?"

"If you pay me well, I don't care. That's why I came to you, old man."

Tan walked over and stood next to me. He was very tall. Albert Letier was also tall, but he seemed to be half a head taller. Tan knocked on the table with his fist.

"Stop staring at my face?"

"My apologies."

"You are a nobleman?"

"Academy professor."

"What are you looking for?"

"Lost salary. Are you going to keep talking like that? It's annoying."

Tan chuckled.

"If you're not going to sign the contract, then speak politely."

He pulled out a piece of paper and thrust it in front of me. His attitude was uncompromising. I silently took the pen.

Thinking about it, the only reason Tan would use honorifics with me was because of my age. I could handle being addressed casually. It was funny to realize here that I was no longer the Grand Duchess of Vintesska.

As I handed him the finalized details of the request and conditions, Tan took the paper and examined it carefully. He then asked back about any ambiguous clauses to make sure of their meaning. Thanks to that, the contract was drawn up in no time.

Here are the key points of the contract: The objective is to find the lost money. The salary will be calculated daily, and a success bonus will be added if we are successful. I will provide Tan with accommodation, and the salary will be paid in full at the end of the contract.

After signing the contract and handing it over, Tan also signed it. In contrast to his blunt demeanor, his handwriting was neat.

It wasn't until sunset that we returned to the three-story house.

I was extremely hungry. When I asked, Tan said he was also hungry. I took him to the kitchen and divided half of the food I had bought.

Tan asked while eating the turkey meat if today was a special day. When I shook my head, he asked again why I didn't just cook it since it was such a waste. I explained that it was difficult for me to cook myself because I didn't even know how to turn on the oven. He narrowed his eyes and said:

"It's brave to be alive and not dead." [죽지 않고 살아 있는 게 용한데]

I agreed.

After we finished eating, I went up the stairs with him and briefly explained the layout. Tan nodded. Then he asked if I was trying to save oil by not turning on the lamp. When I said I didn't know how to turn on the lamp, Tan was very disappointed.

"Let's make a new contract."

"Huh?"

"IIt's not in the contract to clean up after clients. But seeing how things are going, it looks like I'll have a hard time living in this house if I don't do the housework. I don't do anything that doesn't pay."

So I took him to the third study on the second floor.

I quickly came to like this contract. Because as soon as we signed the contract, Tan taught me how to handle a flint and steel. As I lit the lamp, the room brightened. Tan looked around the study and brought another lamp of a different shape and placed it in front of me.

"There was also an automatic lamp."

As I turned the protruding part at the bottom of the lamp to the side, it turned on automatically. I quietly exclaimed.

Tan looked at me quickly and pulled over a chair to sit next to me. Then he said he wanted to know more about what he needed to do.

I told Tan what I had learned from looking at the household account book. His eyes widened a little. When I asked why, he confessed that he had simply thought I had forgotten where I put the money due to absentmindedness. I smiled and shook my head.

"When I woke up, most of my personal memories were gone. I think I must have taken a pill that had been refined with Hadaphlorabo."

"Hadaphlorabo? I heard that herb is rare and very difficult to handle. Instead, it leaves no traces. It doesn't do much harm to the body, but it can really screw up your social life, so you have to be careful. How did you come to eat something like that? Did you eat it yourself?"

"Well, maybe someone gave it to me. I woke up in an inn."

"Not at home?"

"Yeah."

Tan frowned.

"Usually you would hire someone for personal protection, but you're an interesting person, Professor."

He was a pretty sharp guy. He might be more useful than I thought.

After talking for a while, we went up to the third floor. I gave Tan the room with the portrait of Suu Letiyer. He entered the room without saying much. After staring at the closed door for a moment, he went into the bedroom.