Aiwass somewhat reluctantly put it on.
He had heard of the Strangler Party.
It was an upgraded version of robbers.
To leave no survivors who could trace them and also to increase work efficiency, they would suddenly emerge when passersby crossed sparsely populated areas or alley entrances, strangling their victims with a thin rope and dragging them into the shadows. After successfully strangling their prey, they would strip everything of value from the body.
It was not easy for citizens to report such crimes immediately, or even to find the bodies. Because the Strangler Party killed directly instead of subduing or intimidating the victims, it also prevented the possibility of being counter-killed by low-level Transcendents.
Although asbestos is carcinogenic... life is more important after all. And it's not like I have to be exposed to it for a long time.
It's just that my level is too low.
If I were at level twenty or thirty now, why would I fear those petty thieves?
Watching Aiwass put on the neck protector and drape a black cloak over himself, the old butler then handed Aiwass a thick stack of banknotes, "This is the investigation fund provided by the master. It's just the first investigation, so you probably won't need too much."
Aiwass could clearly hear, Hayna beside him let out a soft hiss.
He counted briefly. There were twenty silver-white, slightly reflective large bills, each stamped with crossing rods and a sword, and in front of them lay a white crown. This symbolized the god of authority, the "Silver-Crowned Dragon".
There were also twenty red bills of medium size. Ten of them showed five red candles and the number "5"; the other ten depicted just one candle and the number "1". These represented the deity of the Path of Devotion, also the god served by the Church, the "Candle Master".
This was Avalon Kingdom's unique currency, which could also circulate in other countries.
The purchasing power of a "White Crown" is approximately equivalent to 1,000 RMB, as it can be exchanged for twenty "Red Candle" bills with a value of 1. Meanwhile, a "Red Candle" with a value of 1 can be exchanged for ten of the lowest denomination, brownish bills called "Copper Hourglass", the symbol of the Path of Balance deity.
In the Avalon Kingdom, only the extraordinary professions from these three Paths are legal.
Therefore, the value of a copper coin is roughly equivalent to 5 RMB, and a "Red Coin" with a value of 1 is equivalent to 50 RMB.
Ordering a roast beef in a restaurant is about six Copper Hourglass bills, and smoked pork is two copper coins. A brand-new and durable outfit, not including leather shoes, costs about seven "Red Coins".
"Remember to separate the Red Coins and White Coins. It's best to keep them in three different pockets."
Oswald cautioned, "If you can pay the bill using only low-denomination Red Coins, do not carelessly show that you have a large number of White Coins in hand—you are not mobile now, and you have no servant accompanying you. You might attract more attention. Those 'White Crown' notes are for bribing high-value targets, and you should use them as little as possible.
"If the Red Coins are not enough, you can go to the bank and exchange the White Coins for Red Coins. If you're really worried about making a mistake, Ms. Hayna can hold them for you."
"I'm not a 'miss'..."
Hayna said softly, yet she did not refuse.
And without hesitation, Aiwass stuffed the whole stack of White Coins into her hand, "You hold onto them."
Even though she was only holding the money temporarily, she still felt excited about having such a large amount of cash in hand.
In terms of quantity, twenty White Coins wasn't all that much. The tuition fee for one semester at the Royal Law University was a full sixteen White Crowns—she had handled that much money before! At least during her first two semesters of freshman year, when tuition was scraped together by her family. It was starting from her sophomore year that she obtained a scholarship that covered her tuition.
Moreover, they usually would not use White Crown Coins for payments in their daily lives. The most commonly used denominations were copper and Red Coins, and even just holding the White Coins felt so unfamiliar to her.
But what really made her nervous was the fear that she might accidentally lose the money.
Indeed, she had lost money before. As a child, she lost her tuition money by carelessly running around on the street... which resulted in her mother crying that day. It was not a heart-wrenching cry, but a silent one, with her mother quietly wiping her tears away.
But that scene was deeply etched in Hayna's heart.
Since then, she never ran wildly on the streets again. Whenever she wanted to run, it felt like her legs were weighed down with heavy weights.
She carefully searched her pockets a few times before finding one that she felt somewhat secure to put the money in. But she dared not take her hand away, instead, she half-protected the pocket with her elbow, occasionally needing to use her hand to make sure the money was still there. Her other hand rested beside her treasured short sword.
With this vigilant posture, she pushed Aiwass's wheelchair away from Moriarty Manor.
"Where are we going?"
She asked Aiwass subconsciously, "To the warehouse where the incident happened the day before yesterday? Or to Stone Arch Gate Park?"
Noticing Hayna's stance, Aiwass let out a gentle breath.
"Those places have been thoroughly searched. Any information to be gained you must have already found."
"We're heading east, to the Pelican Bar," Aiwass said.
"...What's that?" Hayna obviously did not recognize the place name.
Or rather, apart from the two streets around the Red Queen District where the university was located and the single route from the White Queen District Inspection Bureau to Moriarty Manor where she now worked, she was unfamiliar with any other area of the Royal Capital.
Her monthly allowance of 50 Red Candles, which was equivalent to a laborer's monthly wage, did not leave her the luxury to roam around the Royal Capital freely.