Chapter 125: Reflections

Chapter 125: Reflections

Caron committed suicide? He used a suicide note to accuse me of forcing him to sell his shares? And his family can even provide evidence to support that?

As Klein listened to the leading police officer’s statement, he digested the relevant contents, and one question after another took shape in his mind.

Once he understood what had happened, his first reaction was:

Baron Syndras has made his move!

After failing to seek cooperation, this great banker had not hesitated to treat him as an enemy and carry out his follow-up actions, without the slightest restraint!

Moreover, he had clearly gathered enough information. He knew that Dawn Dantes had formed certain connections with the Evernight Church, Councilman Macht, and the forces behind him. If he dealt with Dawn Dantes directly, it would easily attract unnecessary trouble. Therefore, he had chosen Caron, the other side of the transaction, as the breakthrough point. This was more indirect and safer, yet equally vicious and ruthless.

He has absolutely no regard for ordinary people’s lives…

Klein suddenly thought of the innocent people who had fallen one after another during the Great Smog of Backlund. Fury surged inside him, difficult to restrain, bubbling upward before turning icy cold.

Using his Clown abilities, Klein controlled his facial expression, making himself appear even more astonished. As though he had not understood, he asked in return, “Are you certain this is not a joke?”

The leading police officer nodded solemnly.

“If we did not have sufficient clues supporting this, we would not come to disturb a gentleman like you.

“Mr. Dawn Dantes, please come back with us to the police station and cooperate with the investigation.”

Outwardly steady and calm, while his thoughts spun madly, Klein was just about to reply when he suddenly caught a point that did not fit logically:

No matter what, in the current Loen Kingdom, murder was a serious crime. Given Baron Syndras’s identity, status, and network of connections, if he wanted to deal with an out-of-town millionaire who had only been in Backlund for two months, there were at least dozens of effective methods available. There was absolutely no need to take matters this far.

At his level, upper-society figures would more or less understand or come into contact with certain supernatural powers. They clearly knew that all kinds of unbelievable methods existed in this world that could track down the true criminal. If there was not complete assurance, risking murder and framing someone was definitely the lowest sort of choice.

If Baron Syndras could rely on his own influence to forcefully suppress an investigation by official Beyonders, then other methods would certainly be even more effective and simpler!

Even if he does not yet know I am about to cooperate with the military, he can certainly know about my relationships with the Evernight Church and Councilman Macht. He would not act in such a crude and simple manner… Most importantly, since he was willing to hire someone to kill for that three percent of shares, why did he not do so earlier? If he had put a gun straight to Caron’s forehead from the start, the matter would have been resolved without a ripple…

Klein thoughtfully glanced at the police officers before him and did not immediately respond.

In the neighboring room of this small sitting room, Xio and Fors leaned against the wall. Through the small “door” opened by the latter, they had heard every word of the conversation.

“What do we do? If the police insist on arresting him, should we provide protection?” Fors, who lacked sufficient bounty-hunter experience, hurriedly lowered her voice and asked her friend.

She had not imagined that a business dispute would evolve into a case involving a human life and a suspected frame-up. The imagined enemy had also changed from robbers breaking into the house and assassins carrying out murder to the police. For a moment, she did not know how to handle the developments that would follow.

Xio was likewise rather troubled.

“Normally speaking, bodyguards only need to deal with illegal assaults.

“But… the payment they are offering is generous enough.”

Fors found this both astonishing and funny. She immediately asked in return, “If he truly gets thrown into prison, are you planning to break him out?

“Leaving aside whether it is dangerous or not, if you do that, you will also become wanted and will no longer be able to work as a bounty hunter. At that point, are you planning to flee elsewhere together with this gentleman?”

As she spoke, having already conceived a story, she discovered that Dawn Dantes had moved.

This refined gentleman with graying temples turned his head toward Butler Walter and said in a steady, gentle voice, “Two things. First, visit Baron Syndras and tell him that someone is trying to frame him.”

Butler Walter, quite rarely, revealed an expression of astonishment and incomprehension. He found it difficult to understand why his employer would give such an instruction.

In his view, this matter was very likely to have been promoted from behind the scenes by Baron Syndras. Visiting him would not have any effect. It would only invite humiliation.

Klein smiled and said, “He came here as a guest not long ago and threatened me over that three percent of shares. Soon after, Mr. Caron had an accident. It is hard not to suspect him. I believe it is necessary to remind him. That is the courtesy a gentleman ought to have.”

The police officers were faintly moved upon hearing this. For some inexplicable reason, they felt that perhaps this matter was more complicated than they had imagined. As for Butler Walter, he suddenly understood and immediately replied, “Very well, sir. I will visit Baron Syndras at once and inform both your and his friends of this matter.”

In this way, if the matter had not been done by Baron Syndras, then the subsequent trouble would be handled by him. If he had truly planned it from behind the scenes, then by pulling him into the matter in the name of a kind reminder and spreading the news, they could manufacture enough public pressure to make Councilman Macht and the others’ “rescue” much easier.

Clever… A good butler really does save trouble…

Klein secretly praised him twice, then continued, “Second, invite my lawyer over to handle this small problem.”

After instructing his butler and personal valet, Klein finally looked toward the police officers opposite him.

“Very well. I will return to the police station with you. I will not make things difficult for you.

“However, before my lawyer arrives, I will not answer any of your questions.”

The leading police officer breathed out in relief and nodded.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Dantes.”

At this moment, in the neighboring room, Fors hurriedly said, “Do we follow them?”

“Yes. I will hide beneath the carriage right now and follow them to the police station. We cannot guarantee that those police officers are real!” Xio answered with considerable caution.

She paused, then seized the time to ask, “Is there anything else you want to say?”

Fors thought for one second, then said with sincere feeling, “Nobles and millionaires are truly frightening!”

Xio froze for a moment. Without saying anything more, she walked to the window, pressed one hand against it, and lightly leapt down, landing in the shadow of the building.

A few minutes later, Klein and two of the police officers boarded Dawn Dantes’s carriage.

As he sat, he glanced at the thick carpet. His expression did not change in the slightest.

…

Upon arriving at the police station, Klein was brought directly into the interrogation room. No matter what the officer in charge asked, he gave no response.

Only after his lawyer arrived did he give his statement, saying that he had only met Caron once, and that all negotiations concerning the share acquisition had been handled by a professional team. He had not participated in the details.

He repeatedly stated these points. Everything else, he claimed not to know. This left the police officer opposite him completely unable to find a breakthrough, until the officer was called out.

After some time, the officer in charge of recording the statement returned and said, “Alright. You may leave. A gentleman of noble status has provided a guarantee for you and paid your bail.”

Klein did not immediately rise. Sitting in the chair, he lifted his head and asked, “Who?”

That officer’s tone instantly filled with respect.

“Baron Syndras.”

Klein immediately revealed a faint smile. He rose unhurriedly, took his lawyer with him, left the interrogation room, and reunited with his butler and personal valet.

At the entrance of the police station, he once again saw Baron Syndras.

This great banker’s hair was still neatly combed back, silver-white and black interweaving. Beside him stood his personal valet and his bearded bodyguard.

“Thank you for your reminder, Dantes. Few people can remain as calm and sharp as you when faced with a sudden incident.” Baron Syndras smiled, stepped forward twice, extended his hand, and shook Klein’s.

Klein responded with a smile, “I merely trust in your character.”

Naturally, Baron Syndras would not believe such pleasantries. He found an excuse and, taking his bodyguard with him, boarded Dawn Dantes’s carriage.

As for his personal valet, the baron sent him to his own luxurious carriage to supervise the coachman in following behind.

With plane trees sliding past outside the window, Baron Syndras took the initiative to speak.

“Dantes, on what basis did you make your judgment?”

Klein glanced at the butler and valet beside him, then laughed softly.

“Two points. First, I believe you, Baron, had better methods and would not do something so crude.”

Baron Syndras took a sip of the white wine in the carriage and laughed.

“Indeed.”

“…”

The corner of Klein’s mouth moved.

“I am quite curious what method that would be.”

He had only asked casually and had not expected to receive an answer, but Baron Syndras laughed and said, “Now that matters have reached this point, there is no harm in telling you.

“It is very simple. Since you wish to enter high society, I intended to invite several girls of different ages to accuse you in different social settings of toying with their feelings and bodies while refusing to take responsibility. If necessary, I would also find a few children to hug your legs and call you Father, or have some commoners accuse you of seducing their wives and destroying their marriages.

“This is Loen. Social customs are relatively conservative. No one likes accepting such a person as a friend. Similarly, the Evernight Church, which values marriage and family, would also distance itself from you.

“This kind of matter is difficult to clarify, yet it is not serious enough for them to use their own power to help you investigate. By the time you finally found the flaws, the fixed impression would already have spread. How many people do you think would still be willing to believe your explanation? You are only a newcomer and have not yet established enough reputation. You are not that trustworthy.

“Of course, if you were willing to accept my conditions, I would use my reputation to vouch for you.

“That was only the first step. Now, though, it will not happen.”

Klein nearly froze upon hearing this. He felt that compared to a great banker who had built up a commercial empire step by step, he was still far too inexperienced.

“I think I should say thank you,” he replied with a calm smile on the surface. Then he turned to say, “Second, if you had to obtain that three percent of shares, with your financial power, I could not possibly compete with you. In that case, forcing Mr. Caron beforehand would have been better than killing him afterward.”

Baron Syndras raised his right hand, pressed a finger against his temple, and laughed twice.

“No. You are wrong. I must obtain that three percent of shares.

“However, you are right about one thing. I had indeed already prepared an offer Caron could not refuse. But he suddenly made his decision and completed the transaction with you at an extremely fast pace, leaving me no time to react.”

Klein’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he abruptly fell silent.

…

After returning to 160 Böklund Street, Xio circled around and slipped back to the third floor, where she saw Fors easily Open a Door and step in.

“How was it? Did anything happen?” Fors, who had only followed from a distance earlier, asked curiously.

Xio shook her head, looking slightly wooden.

“No.”

Then she revealed an expression of heartfelt reflection.

“Nobles and millionaires are truly frightening.”