Chapter 154: Preparations Before Leaving

Chapter 154: Preparations Before Leaving

After thinking for a while, Klein, who already had a corresponding contingency plan, smoothly sorted out his thoughts and determined the several things he needed to do next.

Pa!

He flicked the letter paper with his right hand. Amid the rising crimson flames, he looked up toward Reinette Tinekerr across from him, preparing to pull a Loen gold coin from his pocket to pay the postage.

However, Miss Messenger had already left. Across from him, there was not a single “person.”

“She is not charging?”

Klein was first stunned. Then all kinds of associations arose. He suspected that Reinette Tinekerr, having become accustomed to collecting gold coins from non-contractors, had proactively asked for the delivery fee.

Perhaps Miss Messenger said nothing at all, simply staring at Leonard with four heads and eight eyes, waiting for him to pay a gold coin. But that fellow completely failed to understand and tried to forcibly end the summoning, tragically getting his neck snapped…

Klein hissed. Following that line of thought, he used the gold coin he had just taken out to perform a divination, obtaining the result that Leonard Mitchell was still living quite well.

He breathed out in relief, put away the gold coin, and called toward the door, “Richardson.”

The door to the half-open room silently swung backward. His personal valet Richardson quickly walked in and respectfully asked, “Sir, what may I do for you?”

“Please ask Mr. Butler to come here,” Klein instructed, while inwardly sighing that he had truly been corroded by a life of luxury. Even when looking for someone inside his own home, he would not take even half a step, instead going through his personal valet.

Mm, this is required for acting…

He silently told himself.

A few minutes later, Walter, wearing white gloves, came up to the third floor. His arms hung naturally by his sides, and he stood with standard posture diagonally in front of Dawn Dantes, waiting for his employer to speak.

Klein had already considered his wording. In an unhurried tone, he said, “Go to Councilman Macht’s home and tell him I have already prepared the initial funds.

“Also, prepare the carriage. I will go to the Charity Educational Assistance Fund this morning and return at noon.

“If Councilman Macht does not ask me to leave my afternoon free, then go to Dr. Allen Kress’s home and say that I will visit him this afternoon.”

Klein had already extracted 10,000 pounds in cash from above the gray fog and placed it inside a small suitcase, waiting for the right time to complete the preliminary work for that arms deal.

In order to disperse the smell of the gray fog from the bills, he had deliberately Teleported out to sea and, in passing, found food for Creeping Hunger. He did this out of fear that Amon, who knew of the gray fog’s existence, could “smell” that special scent within the same city, or use it to sense the location of the coveted treasure.

“Very well, sir.” Butler Walter did not ask where his employer had gathered the initial funds. In his impression, Dawn Dantes had hardly gone to the bank during this period.

Of course, that was not a particularly remarkable matter. Many wealthy people arriving in Backlund from elsewhere—especially from Desi Bay or the Midseashire—often prepared large amounts of cash in advance and placed them in suitcases.

…

22 Phelps Street, headquarters of the Loen Charity Educational Assistance Fund.

Klein passed through the main entrance, entered the building, went up to the second floor, and found the reception room provided for the trustees.

—As an honorary trustee who only occasionally participated in certain matters, he had no office here. However, he could use the reception room.

He curled his right hand into a fist, pressed it to his mouth, and deliberately coughed twice. Then he stepped into the reception room and found a sofa to sit on.

After waiting for a while, he stood again and said to his personal valet Richardson, who was standing by the side, “I am going to the washroom.”

Buttoning his clothing, Klein walked out of the reception room and just happened to see Justice Audrey coming out of her own office.

The noble young lady wore a comparatively plain dress today. Its base color was white, adorned with dark green. The cuffs and collar were mainly ruffled, and only at the chest were layers of lace interwoven into a bow-like flower.

She wore no jewelry at all and had only a belt of indeterminate quality tied around her waist. Only at the position of her left arm, when the wind blew her clothing against her skin, there was a slight bulge.

“Good morning, Miss Audrey.” Klein displayed an expression of surprise at coincidentally meeting her.

Audrey looked at Dawn Dantes, whose temples were graying and whose appearance was rather good, and responded with a shallow smile.

“Good morning, Mr. Dantes.”

She had originally wanted to say, with a slightly lighthearted tone, “Long time no see,” teasing him for not having visited the Charity Educational Assistance Fund for several days after the founding ceremony. However, considering that their relationship on the surface could only count as acquaintances, and that they had only spoken a few sentences before, she forcibly held back the corresponding words.

Klein followed the flow of the moment and rubbed his temples. With a bitter smile, he shook his head.

“I am very sorry that I have only come today.

“I have truly been too busy recently. And foreseeable enough, I will be even busier next. I may have to make a trip to the Southern Continent to handle certain matters.”

The reason he had deliberately come to inform Miss Justice that he would be leaving Backlund for a while was to display sincerity. He hoped this noble young lady could help watch over the foundation and allow it to operate normally. To Klein, he sincerely wished this Charity Educational Assistance Fund would help more poor people in need.

“To the Southern Continent?” Audrey could read Dawn Dantes’s sincerity and asked in slight astonishment.

Klein smiled.

“For a business deal.”

In that instant, the first thought that surfaced in Audrey’s mind was unexpectedly: Which Sequence 5 is about to lose his life now?

Noticing that Miss Justice seemed to have made a poor association, Klein added another sentence: “It involves cooperation with the military, selling some necessities.”

What is the meaning of that? Is the identity of Dawn Dantes used to obtain intelligence from the military?

Audrey came to a certain realization. She raised her right hand, tapped four points clockwise over her chest, and said with a clear smile, “May the Goddess bless you so that everything goes smoothly.”

After habitually saying this, she finally tasted the incongruity: she had actually said “may the Goddess bless him” to one of Mr. Fool’s Blessed!

This is probably closer to a curse… Would Mr. Gehrman Sparrow be angry? No. He is actually a gentle person deep inside, and I did not contain any malice just now… After he goes to the Southern Continent and comes back this time, will the one playing Dawn Dantes be another Blessed? Could it be a demigod?

Audrey’s thoughts scattered without her quite realizing it.

Klein smiled helplessly. Likewise accustomed to it, he drew the crimson moon over his chest.

“May the Goddess bless us.”

And not send down divine punishment…

He silently added in his heart.

Then, as if they truly were merely chatting by chance on the way, he asked, “Have you gone to the schools to publicize the fund during this period?”

“Yes.” When this topic was mentioned, Audrey’s face seemed to glow. She was proud and happy that she had finally done something real.

After she nodded with slightly greater force but very small movement, a look of pity gradually appeared in her emerald-green eyes.

“I went to several public elementary schools. Many of the children there truly are very pitiful. To save money, they all bring black bread themselves for lunch, paired with a cup of clear water.”

At this point, she lifted her head and glanced at Dawn Dantes, saying with slight embarrassment, “I know they will not take me to night schools or Sunday schools for now, and will not let me see worse situations.

“But I can imagine. I can imagine, just like those workers who can only live a few more years once they enter the factories…”

This was something the World Gehrman Sparrow had once told her. It was what first let her learn of the true circumstances of Backlund’s bottom rungs. But things she had not seen with her own eyes could still only rely on imagination.

Klein silently sighed and said, “It may be worse than you imagine.

“There is no need to hurry. Once you display your ability, an ability worthy of their trust, you will truly be able to become one of them.”

“Mm.” Audrey nodded, already seeming to think of how to perform better.

Klein did not keep chatting. After all, this was only their third meeting, and they had only exchanged a few sentences before. If they suddenly talked too much now, it would be easy to arouse suspicion.

He pointed toward the washroom, said an apology, and stepped away.

Audrey watched Dawn Dantes’s back and remained silent for several seconds. Then she murmured spontaneously, “What would ‘worse’ look like…”

…

After receiving Councilman Macht’s reply inviting him to the East Balam Veterans Club in the evening, Klein proceeded according to plan and visited Dr. Allen Kress at four in the afternoon.

“Mr. Dantes, your butler did not tell me what matter you had.” Because his wife was only about a month away from giving birth, Dr. Allen had recently declined quite a few jobs and usually stayed home.

He was quite puzzled by Dawn Dantes’s sudden visit, as they could not be considered very familiar. In addition, he was not particularly skilled at socializing, so after the pleasantries, he directly raised the question.

Klein smiled.

“It is like this. I may have to make a trip to the Southern Continent next. As you know, the weather there is humid and hot, with all kinds of insects and diseases. I want to prepare some medicine in advance to prevent accidents. I wonder if you have any suggestions. I am rather ashamed to say that you are the only excellent doctor I know.”

Dr. Allen accepted his explanation and began seriously considering and giving the names of medicines.

At the end, Klein, who had filled an entire note page, found an excuse of stomach pain and entered the washroom on the first floor.

The washroom mirror abruptly turned deep, as if completely enveloped by dense shadows. Within those shadows, a black baby carriage slowly approached. Inside lay a blurry child wrapped in silver silk.

“What is it this time?” Will Auceptin asked in a clear voice.

Klein coughed twice, piling on a smile.

“You should have heard already. I am going to the Southern Continent.

“I do not want to miss your birth, so I wanted to ask which day you plan to use as your birthday.”

Will Auceptin sucked on his thumb and said, “I don’t know.”

“Even an angel cannot control when he is born?” Klein asked in slight astonishment.

Will Auceptin hesitated quite a bit before answering, “You don’t understand… I have already chosen three birthdays. They all hold unique meaning in fate, but I have not decided yet. I also cannot see them clearly enough. Perhaps when the moment truly arrives, I will suddenly understand what to do.”

This is a classic case of choice paralysis. It also has a strong charlatan aura…

Klein clasped his hands together and rubbed them almost imperceptibly.

“Then how should I learn of it in time, so that I can return promptly and complete our transaction? Uh, that paper crane can no longer be used.”