Fantasy Writers 1860

Dorian saw his current appearance through the reflection in the shop window glass.

Although it's wrong to judge a book by its cover, Dorian also felt that he did look somewhat like a homeless person.

It seems I should buy a slightly more presentable outfit first.

He casually walked into a clothing store, and after a scene almost identical to the one at the real estate agency, he spent a huge sum of money—3 Ducat and 7 Denali—to buy himself a more presentable outfit.

Dorian looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a stiff leather top hat, a navy blue wool turtleneck sweater, a coffee-colored double-breasted plaid vest, high-waisted trousers, and a black wool overcoat with a peaked lapel.

This style is considered a common everyday outfit for the middle class.

"Sir, would you like to get another cane? Although we are not a cane specialty store, we have many currently popular styles, such as this water chestnut wood one..." The salesperson held up a beautifully decorated cane and enthusiastically began to promote it to Dorian in front of the mirror.

"Hmm, that's not necessary..."

Dorian never really understood what these canes were for. So many gentlemen used them, and none of them were elderly people with mobility issues.

We can't just start a fight like that real estate agency owner did, can we?

Thinking of this, Dorian suddenly remembered something he had seen in his previous life.

"Um, do you have any canes that can be pulled out and used as swords?" Dorian asked.

"A cane sword, some gentlemen use this for self-defense..." The shop assistant's voice was no longer so enthusiastic, but rather somewhat disappointed. "However, the manufacturing process of this kind of cane sword is quite complicated, and ordinary cane shops cannot make it, let alone our shop."

Dorian pulled out two copper coins worth one aas and stuffed them into the shopkeeper's hand. "Tell me where I can order this kind of cane-sword."

The shop assistant's voice regained some of its enthusiasm: "Ah, the best craftsmanship in this area is naturally at the cane shop on Royal Mechanics Street, but the prices are also very high. Next is Albert's Craft Workshop, and then there's Old Duke at Steam Echo on Old Port Street in St. James's, but the location is quite remote, almost to Hamptonshire, so it's more convenient to take the train..."

After settling the bill for the clothes, Dorian began looking for the second most reliable rental company recommended by Clancy, hoping to solve the housing problem first. He planned to buy a staff sword later if he had more time.

He felt this thing was cool in his previous life, but he never had the chance to get one. Now he finally has the opportunity, and he can actually use it.

Carriages of all sizes moved busily through the streets, while elegantly dressed ladies and simply dressed commoners walked sidewalks together. Leaving the main roads and entering the narrow alleys, vendors lined both sides, hawking their wares in a constant stream.

At the end of a somewhat old and narrow alley, Dorian saw his destination.

"The sign at the door definitely says 'Third Door Housing Rental Company'... but something just doesn't feel right?"

Unlike the previous real estate agency which was located in a bright and sunny spot on the main road, this company was actually located in such a hidden alley, which made it seem rather unreliable.

The name is also rather strange: "The Third Door".

It's like someone who possesses extraordinary skills and is hiding some earth-shattering secret.

"Sir, are you here to look at apartments?" the salesperson asked.

"Yes, I need to rent a house long-term, just for myself."

"We happen to have some spacious and relatively inexpensive apartments for one person." The salesperson took a thick booklet from the shelf behind her and turned to a page with many floor plans:

"A living room, two bedrooms, a study, two bathrooms, a small storage room and a walk-in closet, a kitchen, a balcony, and a basement are included. It's located on University Street in the Tannhäuser district, in a great neighborhood. Only 6 florins a week."

After saying that, he turned to the next page of the booklet in his hand. It was a map of the neighborhood, with the red square indicating the location of the building. Around it were also marked with words such as "Hayther Park", "Department Store", "Public Bus Stop" and "Grand Hotel".

It looks pretty good, and the location is great, almost in the city center… Dorian nodded. “Everything looks good, so why is it so cheap?”

"Because this place is said to have been haunted." The shop assistant didn't mince words. "It's said that a demon is sealed in the last room of the basement, and the previous owners all died... Of course, medical tests showed they died from illness or accidents, and those who died from illness also had those illnesses before moving there..."

"That room is now sealed off and consecrated by a priest. The rest of the basement is usable now, but people are still generally concerned about it, so it hasn't been rented out yet."

"If you don't mind, you can definitely give it a try, after all, it's really good value for money..."

Try it? Try it and you'll die!

There really are mysterious forces in this world. Who knows if that haunted house is really haunted?

Dorian wasn't that reckless; he wasn't the kind of person in horror movies who stubbornly refused to listen to advice. He would never go to a place that looked suspicious at first glance.

A wise person doesn't stand under a crumbling wall. Besides, it's not like I'm short of money.

"No, please recommend some normal apartments instead..."

……

"Ring ring ring..."

As the bells rang on the carriage, Dorian and the shop assistant alighted and arrived at 220 Rue des Bellevilles in the St. George district.

This neighborhood is almost diagonally opposite the original Sheffield Brende district, quite far away. It is one of the older neighborhoods and is considered an old district in present-day Lentinion, sandwiched between the Loia and Tannhäuser districts.

The surrounding area is filled with rows of buildings, each with two floors. The top floor has a small, protruding attic. The exterior walls are mainly made of red bricks, with white stone slabs edging the window and door frames. The roofs are sloping, and in addition to the gray-brown tiles, there are two striking large chimneys made of red bricks.

There was no lawn, no garden, no basement, and no balcony; the front door faced directly onto the sidewalk.

However, there are no reports of ghosts, demons being sealed, evil spirits, curses, unclean things, murders (without the "reported" part), or psychopaths (without the "reported" part).

Dorian was curious as to why Clancy ranked this company as the second most reliable rental company, and also curious about where this company got so many problematic houses from.

Do they really expect to rent out those houses?

This is practically a haunted house rental company!

After rejecting one seemingly perfect, high-value house after another, but which turned out to be full of strange questions, Dorian finally settled on this ordinary-looking house.

The shop assistant pulled out a bunch of brass keys, opened the door, and began to explain:

"Our house doesn't have an entrance hall; there's a corridor as soon as you enter. The rooms are located on the left side, as you can see from the floor plan."

Sure enough, the first thing that Dorian saw when he opened the door was a narrow corridor, at the end of which was a staircase leading upwards.

The shop assistant pushed open the first door on the left: "This is the living room, which can also be used as a lounge. There's a bay window facing the street, so it's very bright. There's also a fireplace, so it's very warm in winter."

A beige leather sofa was placed in the room with its back to the bay window. In front of the sofa was a small rectangular coffee table, and opposite it was a cabinet.

This cabinet looks...it's missing a TV on top.

"Sir?" Seeing that Dorian seemed a little dazed, the shop assistant quickly called out.

"It's okay, it doesn't feel as small as I imagined."

"Of course. Our shop has always operated with integrity and would never deceive our customers." The clerk smiled and led Dorian out of the living room.

"Behind the second door is the kitchen and dining room, which are connected. Although it's not big, it's more than enough for one person."

Dorian walked into the kitchen, passed through a decorative doorway, and came directly into the dining room, where a long square wooden table was set up, surrounded by six hardwood chairs, just like in the British dramas he had seen before.

"There's another door here that leads directly to the street behind," the shop assistant explained.

After leaving the kitchen and dining room, there was no more floors. Dorian followed the staff up the stairs to the second floor.

The staircase faces a small washroom, and behind a door on the left side is a bedroom, with a small storage room next to it.

"The room at the far end of the second floor is a study. There's a bay window on the sunny side, and a fireplace too." The shop assistant led Dorian into the study.

Leaving the study, there is a staircase leading to the rooftop attic.

"The attic is currently unused. It has skylights on both sides for natural light. It can be renovated within the scope of the contract, but it cannot be sublet."

Dorian took a look around and felt that the attic was not small. He had seen too many bizarre apartment layouts when he was watching short videos in his previous life. If this space were sublet, it could indeed accommodate a person.

"There is also a complete sewer and water system, as well as a metered gas lighting system. Please note that the cost of using metered gas lighting and water is not included in the rent."

"Great, I'll rent this one." Dorian smiled with satisfaction.