Chapter 22: Invitation

Chapter 22: Invitation

Klein had already rehearsed an answer to Bishop Elektra’s final question. Hearing it, he sighed and said, “It was my father—a true elder of wisdom. Unfortunately, he passed away in an accident many years ago.”

As he spoke, he fused into his words the feelings left by the original owner’s parents’ deaths, the emotions accumulated from being in a foreign land and unable to return home, and the marks left behind by his time in Tingen. His tone seemed calm, even carrying a faint smile, yet hidden within it was a lingering quality of grief that endured without becoming mournful.

“I am sorry. He must already have entered the divine kingdom and be sleeping peacefully under the Goddess’s gaze.” Bishop Elektra spoke with sincerity and tapped four times clockwise on his chest, drawing a crimson moon.

Before Dawn Dantes could reply, he looked at him and extended an invitation.

“The day after tomorrow, there will be a Moon Mass held for the deceased, to help them slumber into the Goddess’s kingdom and obtain eternal peace. Would you be interested in attending?”

The Evernight Church did not have many feast days. The most important was Winter Gifts Day; next came the grand Mass during the full moon, also called Moon Mass. After that were the normal weekly Sunday Masses and prayers. However, because different dioceses and different cathedrals had their own patron saints or angels, each would also have a special feast day belonging to itself.

“That is exactly what I desire.” Klein rose and bowed, speaking with genuine feeling.

This would allow him to fully come into contact with the priests and bishops of Saint Samuel Cathedral, perhaps even establish a connection with the diocesan bishop, laying the foundation for later entering and exiting certain areas of the cathedral.

At the same time, he once again felt why the Evernight pathway could be exchanged with the Death pathway.

Both possessed authorities such as serenity, eternal sleep, and darkness. Both represented conclusion and the end.

Afterward, Mori Macht did not continue probing Dawn Dantes’s identity and experiences, as though the earlier questions truly had only been casual. He and his wife Liana chatted about the years they had spent vacationing at the Desi Bay. Klein, who had crammed relevant information and had lived there for two days, responded in the tone of a local, focusing especially on Desi-style grilled fish.

During this process, he also seemingly casually mentioned the hunting he had done while conducting business in West Balam, appearing quite familiar with the primitive jungles there.

He was laying some necessary groundwork for Dawn Dantes’s second layer of identity. Unlike East Balam, West Balam saw the colonial forces of Loen and Intis in relative balance, often clashing with each other. Even the areas they actually controlled shifted from time to time. To investigate the movements of a merchant or adventurer there was no simple matter, especially when Dawn Dantes might have been using an alias.

As for his hunting experiences in the primitive jungles of West Balam, Klein had not fabricated them at random, nor copied them from some magazine or newspaper. He had used the glorious deeds once mentioned by the strongest hunter of the Fog Sea, Anderson, as a blueprint—extracting details, abandoning the main structure, and then reinterpreting them himself. They were both true and false.

Hearing about the huge pythons in the jungle, the man-eating fish with sharp teeth, and the flowers that could capture prey on their own, Councilman Macht’s wife, Liana, exclaimed from time to time, looking both frightened and eager to hear more. The councilman and the bishop were likewise very interested, unable to stop themselves from interrupting Dawn Dantes’s descriptions to ask for details.

“You truly are an outstanding hunter! When I served in East Balam, I never had the chance to enter the jungle. I never imagined it would be so dangerous there.” After the dignified middle-aged gentleman opposite him finished speaking, Mori Macht picked up a small piece of velvet cake and praised him sincerely. “If there is an opportunity in the future, I would like to invite you to go hunting together.”

While they conversed, the maid had already brought afternoon tea snacks, and a footman stood nearby to serve.

Hearing Councilman Macht’s half-serious invitation, Klein smiled and replied, “I can hardly wait.”

After they chatted for a while longer, touching upon the state of Backlund’s air management, the three guests took their leave. Since they had only just met and could not yet be considered familiar, Klein did not urge them to stay. Accompanied by his personal valet Richardson, he escorted them to the door.

Watching the bishop, the councilman, and the councilman’s wife depart, Klein’s smile gradually faded, though it did not vanish entirely.

He was fairly satisfied with the present progress. Behind Bishop Elektra stood the Evernight Church, which was his main purpose in returning to Backlund this time. Mori Macht was a retired soldier and current member of Parliament, and without question belonged to one or several officers’ clubs. That would help him continue investigating the Great Smog of Backlund.

Next, it’s a matter of deepening these connections bit by bit…

Klein returned to the small parlor and saw that the maid had already removed the leftover pastries and black tea.

He had actually planned to eat a little more…

No matter what could be said of other foods, Loen—and especially Backlund—had truly exceptional desserts and pastries. The cook Dawn Dantes had hired was particularly skilled in this area. Even Madam Liana had repeatedly praised them earlier, and Klein inwardly agreed wholeheartedly.

Withdrawing his gaze, Klein said nothing and steadily walked toward the stairs leading to the third floor.

Before dinner, Butler Walter finally returned home and reported the matter of the Backlund Bicycle Company’s ten percent stake.

“Sir, we are fortunate. Someone had already hired professional solicitors and accountants to investigate the Backlund Bicycle Company before us, and before the advertisement was published, they had made an offer to the seller. But during the subsequent negotiations, another buyer entered with a higher bid, and the original buyer was unable to continue and could only give up.

“In this way, we do not need to wait for an investigation report. We can directly hire that same original team.”

Klein nodded and asked without concealing his interest, “What is the current offer?”

“The buyer who gave up had offered 6,000 pounds, with a psychological bottom line of 7,000 pounds. The circumstances of the other buyer have not been revealed by the seller, but according to feedback from all sides, it is at least 8,000 pounds.”

8,000 pounds. Not bad… Should I push it up once more? But if I add a little and the other party immediately gives up, wouldn’t that be terribly awkward? Klein gave a light nod.

“Give me the relevant report. I will consider it.”

After finishing the report and dinner, Klein turned to Richardson. In order to establish an image of someone generous yet shrewd and practical, he said, “Prepare the two-wheeled carriage. I am going out.”

He had thought Richardson would ask in surprise why he wanted the two-wheeled carriage, as it was insufficiently dignified. Who could have known that the personal valet merely revealed a flash of confusion before respectfully replying, “Yes, sir.”

Obeying orders and not asking why—this can be considered a virtue as well… Klein sighed inwardly and waited for Richardson to return and help him put on his coat.

After boarding the two-wheeled carriage, he directly instructed, “Drive around the Backlund Bridge area and the edge of the East Borough.”

Richardson still did not ask the purpose. He merely reminded the coachman to handle the horses carefully.

The carriage passed through the Cherwood Borough and, under the illumination of gas lamps one after another, arrived at the Backlund Bridge area.

Klein did not name a specific destination. He merely had the coachman wander at will through the nearby streets.

Leaning back against the carriage wall, he gazed out at the streets. He saw pedestrians in old clothing walking by with weary faces. They seemed to have only just finished a long day’s labor and were hurrying home to have dinner. Occasionally, a bicycle would pass with its bell ringing, agilely darting into the distance. Compared to the pedestrians, the rider’s expression appeared more spirited and carried an indescribable pride.

A very intuitive division of class—even if it is only the difference between skilled workers and ordinary workers, the difference between earning one or two pounds a week and less than one pound…

Klein slowly exhaled and instinctively raised his head to look at the sky.

By now, Backlund had completely entered the night, but the smog was not severe. One could see through it and make out quite a few brilliant stars.

After the Great Smog, environmental management really is improving day by day… But the situation of the East Borough’s residents and lower-class laborers does not seem to have changed in any substantial way. Their wages may have risen, and their working hours may have improved to a certain degree, but the former is largely offset by rising prices in all areas due to the influx of population, while the latter’s change remains quite limited. At most, fifteen or sixteen hours have become eleven or twelve…

Whatever problem explodes gets addressed first. Everything else that hasn’t exploded yet is treated as if it doesn’t exist… Mm, the kingdom is still undergoing internal reforms. Many things have yet to be straightened out…

Klein’s thoughts drifted as he watched, until the carriage left the Cherwood Borough.

…

On the Future, Admiral of Stars Cattleya stood behind the window of the captain’s cabin, watching Frank Lee push a wooden barrel into the shadows, put something unknown inside, and then seal it tightly.

Recently, he seems to have been researching plant growth in dark environments… Why has he suddenly become normal? Cattleya frowned in puzzlement, unable to stop herself from worrying that Frank Lee was brewing some major “invention.”

I’ll have Nina ask him later… No sooner had this thought flashed through her mind than her spiritual intuition was stirred. She turned around and saw a letter lying on her desk.

A faint smile unconsciously traced itself across her face. Cattleya walked over, opened the letter, and quickly skimmed it.

“There are two Obninsk sea monsters that do not belong to the Church of Storms near the Abyss Whirlpool north of Sonia Island…

“Find direct descendants of the Abraham family…

“You have done well.”

Abyss Whirlpool was the name of a dangerous stretch of sea; it was not the Abyss itself.

The Abraham family… Cattleya thought for a while but found no clue. She prepared to ask about it at the next Tarot gathering.

…

The next morning, after carefully divining whether he should raise the price once, Klein said to Butler Walter, “Hire that team and continue negotiations. My bottom line is 9,000 pounds.”

“Yes, sir.” Walter then revealed an apologetic expression. “Something has happened at home. I hope to take half a day’s leave early.”

“No problem. Do you need any help?” Klein asked gently.

“Thank you for your kindness. I can resolve it, and it is not urgent. I will first deal with the equity negotiation,” Walter said sincerely.

Klein did not ask any further. He nodded and approved the leave.

Only after the butler left the room did Klein turn toward Richardson and ask, “Did Walter meet anyone this morning?”

“The butler received a letter,” Richardson answered without concealing anything.