Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 711 Will I go to hell?
The girl in front of him gave people a very strange feeling. Her facial features were very delicate. Under her slightly unruly bangs, a pair of big gray eyes were examining the guests in front of her with interest. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and the fleeting reflections in her eyes were like a few invisible butterflies caressing her eyebrows. On her small and delicate nose, there was a pair of silver-rimmed monocles, which seemed to be the iconic equipment of detectives in novels, but it would not look out of place on a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. Her ears were a little big, highlighting a boyish heroic spirit, but the outline of her cochlea was very beautiful, and two amethyst earrings the size of a fingernail hung on her earlobes, neutralizing this feeling. Her pursed lips seemed a little thin and dark in color, which was natural, not caused by malnutrition. The most surprising thing was that she was holding a rosewood pipe in her mouth, and the captivating luster slowly flowed through the long-polished surface, enough to reflect the surprised expressions of the guests. However, there was no tobacco burning in the pipe, and it seemed that, like the monocle, it was just a purely decorative object.

A monocle, a pipe, a deerstalker hat, a plaid cape, breeches and long boots, and a beautiful face... She looks like a beautiful elf that has walked out of the portrait in Foglost's "Hidden Hunters", and also like the opposite sex version of the great detective described by Conan Doyle in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes". With such a unique dress and appearance, she would definitely be the focus of attention if she were in a crowd.

However, this was exactly what Lingge found most strange: after all these elements were combined in this girl, she became an ordinary passerby, like a face that could be seen everywhere in the crowd, and one would easily overlook it. Especially her gray eyes, which were faintly filled with a thin mist. Gray eyes were a very rare feature among the common races in the Kingdom of Great Brittany, and the mist easily aroused people's desire to explore the mystery, but it was not the case when facing the girl in front of him.

When you look into her eyes, you will spontaneously have a feeling: there is nothing in them; they are a pair of empty, void eyes that are not worth exploring in depth; therefore, the owner of these eyes must be the person with the least sense of existence in the world, just like, just like... just like the fog around you.

Lingge was startled, and finally realized where that strange feeling came from: in foggy weather, there was gray fog all around, in front of and behind, on the top of the head, and on the bottom of the head, but there was no fog around. Is this because they don't exist? Of course not, it's just because you can't see them.

Therefore, this girl did not lack a sense of presence, but deliberately reduced her presence. She followed everyone like a mist, but those people did not notice her presence at all. Before, when the two sides were chasing each other in the streets and alleys of Blackwater Alley, those pedestrians or residents who happened to pass by seemed indifferent and did not care about what happened around them. Ling Ge thought they were protecting themselves, but now it seems that maybe they just did not notice it?

Only when facing the guests she personally invited would the girl take off the disguise of mist and reveal her true self - for example, the people standing in front of her at this moment.

"Why are the guests silent?"

When Lingge and the other two were silently observing the mysterious girl dressed as a detective, she spoke again. Her voice was also very special, with a distant and ethereal feeling, as if it came from a very far away place, but it was so clear: "All the customers who patronize our office have some special commissions to deal with. My professional ethics require me to remain silent while handling them conscientiously, so please feel free to tell me your commissions. I promise that in this world, no third person will know its content except you and me."

Do you think we are keeping silent because we are worried about leaks?

Linger raised his eyebrows slightly. "Before we talk about work, why don't you introduce yourself first, Miss Detective? It's not polite to talk to confused guests. Or, do you want me to call you Miss Sherlock Holmes directly?"

"what."

The girl behind the desk made an expression of sudden enlightenment: "I actually forgot the most important thing. I'm so sorry. By the way, although I like that great detective very much, it doesn't mean I have to become a detective like him."

She winked slyly, then took the pipe out of her mouth and tapped it lightly on the corner of the table. Her tone became a little more serious: "Well, as you wish, guest, let me introduce myself first. My name is Gloria Risbelet, a detective in Old London. I am not very well-known at present, but it doesn't matter. Fame is not the only criterion for judging ability. Great detectives are often robbed of their credit by their inferior colleagues, but who can deny their ability? So please trust me, I will give you a satisfactory answer."

She spoke with conviction and confidence. Just when Ling Ge wanted to say something, she suddenly said "Ah", as if she remembered something: "I almost forgot, I have an assistant to introduce to you. Just like the great detective always has a doctor by his side, I also have a capable assistant, and I want you to meet him."

Assistant? Ling Ge and the other two looked around the room, but they didn't see the fifth person, and there was no place for him to hide. So, where was the "assistant" she mentioned?
Facing the guests' silent questions, Miss Gloria calmly raised the pipe in her hand and blew gently into the air inlet. The next moment, a... bean jumped out of the empty pipe?
Although it was only for a short time and it fell back quickly, Lingge was sure that he was not mistaken. It was a bean, and it seemed to be a... peanut?

"This is my assistant, Mr. Peanut." Miss Gloria looked at the complicated expressions of the guests and raised the corners of her mouth slightly. "Although the name is slightly different from Mr. Watson, I believe they are both equally loyal and reliable. Therefore, please believe in its ability."

Are you sure the only difference is the name!?

Even the races are different!

And what ability does this guy have? Can he serve as food at a critical moment?

Lingge didn't originally want to complain.

But there is no way, there are too many things to complain about.

"Not bad." A golden-haired maid pinched her chin, thinking: "Detective Miss Gloria and her peanut assistant, it sounds very interesting. Should we also have a similar combination? Miss Saint Charlia and her useless lamb? Miss Ieta and her useful whale? Or Miss Lorena and her wheelchair? Pfft, no, this is too ridiculous, I will go to hell! Pfft, pfft..."

For no apparent reason, she squatted down holding her stomach, her cheeks flushed from trying to hold back her laughter, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she seemed to be in great pain.

Gloria: “…”

Lingge & Saint Shalia: "..."

The most complained thing is that this funny style happens to be Alice's favorite type.

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)