Secret World of Occultists-Chapter 39: Private Living Space

The landlady's eyes narrowed. She opened the door again, carefully observing Abel. "You will pay the advance now?"

"Yes!" Abel nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. He really thought he wouldn't be able to get the flat. "Look, I have it with me."

He then turned around, hiding the fact that he clearly had more than 9 sterlings in his coat's inner pocket. He counted nine 1-sterling banknotes from the stack of cash and handed it to the landlady.

The grumpy landlady was visibly stunned when she saw the banknotes. "Is this... real?" she asked with a frown.

Abel's lips twitched. "Issued by the one and only Bank of Albion."

"Hmm." After making sure the banknotes weren't counterfeit, the frown on the old woman's face eased considerably. Yet, she still looked as grumpy as ever.

"Wait for me, I shall get the keys." With that said, she turned around.

"Madam, could you also please write me a rent receipt?" He asked with a happy smile, now that the deal was through.

The old woman turned around and glared at him. "Hmph!" With yet another harrumph, she turned back around and went inside her flat.

The receipt was very important. He needed it as proof of payment so that the Trust could reimburse him for the 15 shillings he received as a weekly housing allowance.

A few minutes later, the landlady came outside with a set of two keys and the rent receipt. "Rent is due every Monday!" She said grumpily.

"Sure," Abel happily agreed. "I'll move in tomorrow. I need to sort out some things first. I'll pay you an additional rent for three days this Monday. Sound good?"

"Fine." The landlady nodded before turning around and heading back inside.

Abel was once again taken aback, "Madam Carter, please wait! Aren't you going to show me my flat?"

"Flat 3A. See for yourself," The landlady spoke, not even bothering to turn around. "You expect an old woman like me is going to haul herself up all those stairs? Hah! Not a chance!"

She scoffed. "If you want it, go take a look. If not, don't waste my time."

This was one of the reasons why many families did not want to rent flats that were on the topmost floor of townhouses.

Not only would they have to climb so many flights of stairs every day, but they would also have to carry water to their flat on the top floor.

Running water in individual flats was exceedingly rare, especially in lower-middle-class housing. Instead, buildings typically had a shared water pump in the backyard.

Fair point, Abel thought.

The landlady was old and fat. There was no way she was going to climb so many flights of stairs.

However, he couldn't help but ask, "What about the rental agreement? Don't I have to sign anything?"

The landlady turned around, frowning intensely. "A verbal agreement and the upfront advance is all I need."

She crossed her arms again before adding grumpily, "And if you so much as miss a payment, I'll have the coppers knocking at your door before you can blink. Mark my words!"

"Woof!" The bulldog too let out a warning, his stare menacing.

With that said, she harrumphed once again before shutting the door.

Abel remained standing at the entrance of Flat 1A in a daze. In the end, he shook his head, laughing to himself.

She's such a character, he thought.

With nimble movements, he climbed the flights of stairs and arrived on the third floor. Each floor had only two flats—A and B.

He cast a brief glance at Flat 3B, not sure who his neighbor was. The youth inserted the key and twisted it, finally entering his own flat.

It was a surreal experience for him. He was renting a private living space with his own money for the first time, after all.

With a bright smile on his face, he arrived inside the main room. It was the largest room in the flat and served as both a living area and a workspace.

Abel figured that the approximate size of this room was twelve by fourteen feet. As the advert had mentioned, the room came with a wooden table and two chairs for eating or writing.

There was a small chest for storing personal belongings on one side, a coal-burning fireplace on another, and finally a wall-mounted shelf for storage.

The whole flat would be illuminated by oil lamps or lanterns. The building did not have access to gas lighting, and even if it did, the top floor likely would not have access to it.

But Abel wasn't complaining.

He then walked to his bedroom. It was slightly smaller at approximately ten by twelve feet. It had a small wooden frame bed with a straw mattress on top.

There was a small wooden cupboard to store his clothes, a washstand with a ceramic basin and a pitcher, and finally, much to Abel's surprise, a mirror mounted on the wall.

"Would you look at that?" The youth grinned as he walked towards the mirror. He placed his hand on its surface, causing multiple ripples to move outwards.

His eyes flashed with excitement and he thought to himself, When my spirit energy completely assimilates with my body in a few more days, I'll dive inside the mirror and see what's on the other side!

Or perhaps... I can visit the place a little earlier?

The youth then headed towards the kitchen—the smallest of all rooms—and saw a cast iron stove, a wooden counter, open shelves to store plates and utensils, a metal tub for washing dishes, and finally a small storage bin for coal.

"Eh, whatever." He lost interest in the kitchen. "It's not like I'm ever gonna be cooking here."

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As the landlady had mentioned, there was no private bathroom in the flat. For that, he'd have to go to the backyard and use the outhouse that was designated for Flat 3A.

Although there was no running water and no indoor toilet, Abel was very satisfied with his new home.

It was spacious for a single young man such as himself. Respectable tenants were living in the building. There was a grocery store located right on the ground floor.

This was a neighborhood far safer than the one he currently lived in.

However, most importantly, the thing he liked the most about his flat was the amazing view!

The main room faced west, giving him a splendid view of the broad cityscape. He could see the Newport docks and the masts of ships in the distance.

A hazy outline of River Nimbus was also visible. There was the sight of factory chimneys puffing smoke—a common sight in industrial Newport.

He could see the rooftops of warehouses and commercial buildings along Dale Street and Water Street.

His bedroom, on the other hand, faced east, offering him the view of other townhouses and terraces along Highfield Street.

Children were playing in the alleyways below, pedestrians in top hats and bonnets walking the narrow cobbled roads, along with horse-drawn carts and carriages.

Seeing the chimney smoke rising from the roof of a nearby building, he stuck his neck outside the window and turned to look up. "I wonder if I can climb to the roof from here..."

There was a narrow ladder leading to the rooftop from the stairwell outside, but the door was locked.

In the end, he shook his head and sighed, "Forget it. Let's not take unnecessary risks right now."

He didn't know if he was going to get a third chance at life.

After touring his flat, he exited the place after locking it. There were a few things that he needed to take from his old home, and also some matters he needed to settle first.

Only then would he finally be able to move in the following day.

He walked down the flights of stairs and finally exited the building, making his way towards Millbrook Street in a jolly mood.

Unbeknownst to him, a small group of men were silently observing him from a nearby dark alley. They were top hats and dark over coats, radiating a strange and mysterious aura.

"Is that him?" Asked one of the men dressed in black.

"Confirmed," came a low reply.

The first man's eyes narrowed. "Keep your distance. No mistakes."

He paused for a moment before adding, "We move once he's asleep."