The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 68: Jump

Chapter 68: Jump

The Crown

"She was the brightest girl in our brothel." She sniffles, in a futile attempt to hold back her tears as they stream down her rosy cheeks, "She was always smiling and she was really famous among the customers."

A look of gloom crosses my face and my eyes soften further, "I am really sorry for your loss madam." I try to console her but I doubt it is helping. This brothel faced a tragedy and everyone is terrified and unnerved by the incident. "But if you don’t mind, may I ask you a few questions about the victim?"

I am not sure if she is willing to give me the answers to the questions that I need to seek out the murderer. I do realize that this case is none of my business and that I should not sign up for other things when I already have so many other things to deal with. But my better instincts won’t let this incident unseen from me. I would call it morbid curiosity because I really want to know what kind of person can have this much hatred toward someone to kill them like this.

The woman’s bottom lip disappears behind her white teeth as she contemplates my request through teary eyes and rosy cheeks. I can clearly see why young flocks are attracted to Red-light districts and brothels this much. This woman is actually very charming and alluring.

"Dear sir, this matter concerns the entire brothel and my girls." Her voice is a bit raspy and stuttering from the pent-up grief and cries, "I am afraid that if things get out of the hands then my girls will be targeted to greater damage and it will also harm the reputation of the house."

She is not wrong. But I can do too much with some brothel’s reputation and an innocent life. My instincts are ringing a bell of alarm inside my head to tell me that this is just the beginning of what is going on here. It needs to be overseen or lives are in danger. Red-light districts are densely populated areas and the coming and going of normal civilians are something that is concerning if we want to fish out a potential murderer.

I think for a brief moment before carefully speaking, "Will you answer me if I pay for it?"

She hesitates. And I know I have nailed it right on the mark. Erick shifts away a little, trying to stifle down the smirk that is forming on his lips.

I reach inside my clothes and take out a satchel full of gold coins. I asked for the gold from Rosalia in case I need it and here I am, actually needing it.

The woman hesitantly takes the satchel from me and scrambles toward the brothel building. Erick and I follow after her.

"Can you tell me what exactly happened?" I prompt as I walk behind her and take in my surroundings.

The unnerving stench of the blood still lingers in the air but the scent of flowers and incense still dominates the environment. It’s eerily silent in this part of the district, maybe because of the incident that commenced here just a few moments ago or because of the lurking presence that is hunting the area. I can feel it deep inside my bones. This is what it earn me—the time I spent to discover the shits that I had no business dealing with—the past couple of weeks.

"She took a customer tonight." The girls who are crowding the entrance part away and create a for us to enter, whispering and eying us warily, "But he left a few hours ago. She was supposed to be alone in her room after that. I do not know if she was assigned to any other customer later tonight."

A frown merry my dark eyebrows, "How come you are not aware of what your girls are ding and getting themselves into?" This doesn’t really set right.

"Mira was a free spirit." The woman starts to explain as she leads us upstairs—where seemingly the victim’s room is, "She took in customers on her own accord. She was the rising star of this district and she had no heart to obedience and dependance. I could not decide things for her as she despised the lone idea of it."

In other words, the master was incapable of controlling her servant in a fear that if she tried to curl her fist around her then the servant—who had a much greater reputation than her—might slip away. Understandable. Because I am quite in the same situation with Edward, though I know that there is a thin chance that it will ever happen. Because just as Rosalia said, Edward’s world revolves around me.

"Her name was Mira?" Erick asks as we walk down a long lavish dimly lit hallway of the third floor and the brothel mistress pushes open a door.

"You are right on the mark dear sir." From her tone now, she has pulled herself together completely and now is ready to clean the mess that commenced a few moments ago and start anew. People move on quickly. So, why can’t I?

The room is big with the sweet scent of a flower that I cannot quite decipher. The bed is a mess and the floor is covered with a heap of clothes—which effortlessly describes the events that took place in this room. The room is luxurious and dimly lit to set the mood. A few empty containers of liquor are placed beside the bed.

I scrunch my nose and rethink my decision because I certainly do not like being in a brothel. Meanwhile, Erick is looking like he is enjoying all this very much. I scan the room and try not to turn on my heels and leave the room as my eyes catch glimpses of a woman’s undergarments lying on the floor.

I turn to the brothel mistress and smile softly, "I’d like to take my time observing this room, madam."

The mistress doesn’t look all that willing but leaves nonetheless. Erick takes the chance and bends down on the floor. He picks up an undergarment and starts to play with it, a smirk playing on the corner of his lips, his eyes gleaming with mischief that makes me wrinkle my nose and narrow my eyes.

"For the love of Gods, Erick, don’t start now." I trudge over to the window by the side of the bed. It’s open and the cold breeze is filtering in through it. "We are working here."

"I know." He gets up and follows after me, the garment still held in his hand, "Since Lush wouldn’t let me touch him I can at least enjoy a little, right?"

I look down from the open window, "I am afraid no." Erick is like a horny teenager who sometimes eyes me like I am some kind of juicy meat. I look back at him, "But right now, I need you to jump."

Erick quirks his brow, "You need to what?" There is clear disbelief in his eyes and honestly, it looks cute.

"Jump." I blink and smile at him widely.