Chapter 130: A Secret Gathering in Backlund

Chapter One Hundred Thirty
A Secret Gathering in Backlund

Klein looked at Swain, who stood before the monster’s corpse, then turned his head to see the Mandated Punisher who had been responsible for restraining the creature helping his half-unconscious companion to his feet. All at once, an indescribable sorrow rose within him.

Whether Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, or members of the Machinery Hivemind, almost none of them had any chance of becoming heroes. Everything they did would remain unknown to the public, buried deep within classified files. Yet the danger and pain they endured were painfully real.

Perhaps one day, my enemy will be one of my teammates…

Klein sighed silently, feeling for the first time the heavy weight carried by names like Nighthawk, Mandated Punisher, and Machinery Hivemind member.

At that moment, Old Neil sighed as well.

“Let us leave. Do not disturb them.”

“All right.”

Klein picked up his cane and was just about to step forward when he noticed Old Neil was still covering his left hand. Concerned, he asked, “Are you injured?”

Old Neil gave a dry chuckle.

“A flying splinter stabbed me. If I were younger, I would definitely have dodged it. Fortunately, it is only a small problem.”

He loosened his right hand slightly, allowing Klein to see the small wound on the back of his left hand, where blood still seeped out.

After confirming that it was not serious, Klein followed him down the gangway and said with feeling, “Mr. Neil, you were calmer than I imagined. That monster was less than two meters away from you, yet you could still steadily pronounce the word and use the charm.”

Although the Mandated Punisher who had lost control had pounced toward Klein at the time, Old Neil had been very close to him throughout.

Faced with praise, Old Neil immediately laughed.

“I am a veteran Nighthawk. Among the dangerous scenes I have experienced, what happened just now cannot even rank in the top ten. I remember one time when Dunn and I were patrolling Raphael Cemetery. Some corpse had turned into a zombie at some point, left its grave, and hidden in the shadow of the trees. When I passed by, I noticed nothing. I was thinking of finding somewhere hidden to—heh, you understand—and the thing pounced onto my back and clamped a hand around my throat.”

Klein listened, somewhat thrilled, and guessed aloud, “In that situation, you were still able to calmly use a charm, or cast some spell a Mystery Pryer can use quickly?”

Old Neil glanced at him and said with a low laugh, “No. Dunn dragged that zombie into sleep in time. I am telling you this because, as a Nighthawk, you must not only trust yourself. You must also trust your teammates.”

“…”

Klein fell silent for several seconds. Half joking, half sincere, he said, “Mr. Neil, today you are unusually wise.”

Old Neil gave a small hop down onto the dock and answered with disdain, “That is because, in ordinary times, you only recognize the most insignificant side of me.”

The two left the dock and returned all the way to the front of the Dragon Bar.

Klein put away his revolver, leaned his cane against the wall, removed his coat, and, by the light of a gas streetlamp, inspected it for damage.

“How fortunate. Only a few wooden splinters got stuck in it, and only a small patch was dirtied…”

He pulled out the debris, roughly patted away the dust, and dressed himself neatly again.

Old Neil watched with amusement. Imitating Klein’s tone, he leisurely added, “How regrettable. There is no way to seek reimbursement.”

“…”

For a brief moment, Klein actually could not find any words to answer with.

I am not that kind of person! he emphasized inwardly.

Just then, a public carriage arrived. Klein took out his vine-patterned silver pocket watch, pressed it open, and glanced at it.

“If there is nothing else, I need to go home,” he said, turning his head toward Old Neil.

Old Neil nodded slightly.

“Go enjoy your dinner. Do not worry about that Slumber Charm just now. I will have Swain compensate me. He is a wealthy man. Of course, not today. I have to consider his mood.”

“…Thank you for your generosity…” Klein opened his mouth and, in the end, produced only that sentence.

He quickly boarded the carriage and returned to Daffodil Street. By then it was past seven. The sky had completely darkened.

Taking out his key and opening the door, Klein saw Melissa removing her gauze hat and hanging it on the coat rack. He smiled and said something perfectly unnecessary.

“You only just got back too?”

At that moment, the complicated emotions he had accumulated earlier dispersed all at once. His entire being relaxed, feeling warmth once again.

“School had a practical lesson today,” Melissa explained seriously.

Klein sniffed and caught the scent of food. Startled, he instinctively asked, “Then who is preparing dinner?”

The instant the words left his mouth, he and Melissa answered at the same time:

“Benson!”

Both their voices carried a trace of panic.

At that moment, Benson, having heard them speak, came out of the kitchen and wiped his hands on an apron.

“Do you two have no confidence in my cooking? I remember that before Melissa learned to cook, you would both obediently wait for me to return home and watch me cook with great anticipation. Actually, cooking is very simple. Take beef stew with potatoes, for example. You first put the beef in and boil it for a while, then add the potatoes, then the seasonings…”

Klein and Melissa looked at one another and maintained silence.

Leaning his cane into place and removing his hat, Klein changed the topic with a smile.

“I think it is time to hire a maid-of-all-work. Always eating dinner late is very unhealthy.”

“But I do not want a stranger standing nearby while we chat. That would make me uncomfortable,” Melissa instinctively found another reason to reject the suggestion.

As Klein removed his coat, he answered with a smile, “There is no need to mind—”

Just then, his expression abruptly stiffened. His movements stopped.

That was close. I nearly took off my coat as a habit. There is a revolver under my arm…

“Cough.”

He cleared his throat and pretended nothing had happened.

“There is no need to mind. After we return home, we can let the maid-of-all-work rest in her room. I do not think any servant dislikes rest. Mm, we must find a maid-of-all-work willing to learn cooking.”

He did not wish to endure dark cuisine forever.

Standing at the kitchen doorway, Benson nodded in agreement.

“When we have free time, we can go to the Tingen City Association for Helping Family Servants. They have abundant resources and sufficient understanding in this area.”

“Excellent. Then it is happily decided!” Klein ignored Melissa’s somewhat reluctant gaze.

…

Backlund. Queen’s Borough. Viscount Glaint’s home.

Audrey Hall, accompanied by her personal maid Anne, left the ball, went up to the second floor, and entered the bedroom the viscount had arranged for her.

With Anne’s help, she slowly removed her splendid dress and light dancing shoes, then changed into the black hooded robe prepared in advance.

After putting on the hood, Audrey stood before the full-length mirror and examined herself.

She saw that most of her face was covered by the hood’s shadow. Only the beautifully curved line of her lips could be clearly noticed.

A black robe, a face hidden in shadow, a mysterious and profound feeling… This is exactly the style I have always dreamed of!

Audrey thought joyfully.

Still not entirely at ease, she added a blue boat-shaped soft hat beneath the hood. Fine black checked gauze hung down, making her features hazy.

“Excellent. This is it!”

Audrey slipped her feet into short calfskin boots, turned her head toward Anne, and said, “Wait here for me. No matter who comes, do not open the door.”

Anne looked at her young lady helplessly.

“But you must promise that this outing will not exceed one hour.”

“You should trust me. The previous times, I kept my promises.”

Audrey smiled and stepped closer to her personal maid, hugging her and giving her an air kiss on the cheek.

Then she lightly hopped backward a few steps, pulled down the hood, turned, and left the bedroom through the hidden door.

She descended all the way to the side entrance of the viscount’s house, where she saw a carriage already waiting there.

Viscount Glaint stood in the shadows. Looking at Audrey once, he praised her from the heart.

“Your outfit truly is, mm, as Emperor Roselle often described things, very cool.”

“Thank you.”

Audrey lifted the hem of her robe slightly, giving an elegant and delighted curtsy.

The two boarded the carriage, left the villa, and reached a house ten minutes away.

Outside the front door, Audrey saw the Apprentice Fors Wall, with whom she had been in frequent contact during this period, and Fors’s friend, the Arbiter, Xio Derecha.

Fors’s brown hair curled slightly, and her pale-blue eyes carried a laziness that seemed inborn. She pointed toward Xio Derecha beside her.

“She is an outstanding persuader. She can help you obtain what you want.”

Xio Derecha was rather short, at most a little over 1.5 meters tall. Her features were delicate and soft, yet her brows and eyes seemed not fully grown, giving her a considerably youthful look.

Though her shoulder-length blond hair was messy and rough, and though she wore traditional knight’s practice clothing, she possessed an indescribable authority and a charm that made others willing to trust her.

Audrey had met her several times already. She greeted her with a faint smile.

“Miss Xio, may I trust you?”

“You do not need to worry at all,” Xio Derecha answered with a smile, making an inviting gesture.

Yet just as she stepped forward to follow Audrey and Viscount Glaint, a clanging sound suddenly rang out.

Audrey turned toward the sound and saw a coldly glinting triangular spike lying quietly beside Xio Derecha’s foot.

“…”

Audrey and Xio looked at one another. For a moment, both forgot to speak.

After more than ten seconds, Xio Derecha swiftly and nimbly crouched, picked up the triangular spike, and hid it on her person.

“We must be prepared for accidents. Some people lack sufficient reason and are not so easily persuaded,” Xio Derecha explained solemnly.

Audrey nodded without words, then answered in a small, clear voice, “I trust you…”

“That is a tool for calming certain fellows down and letting them speak with us properly,” Fors added from the side, turning her face toward the lawn.

The four spoke no further. Taking several steps forward, they knocked on the wooden door with a rhythm of three long and two short intervals.

With a creak, the front door slowly opened. Entering the state of a Spectator, Audrey saw many people scattered inside. Some concealed their appearances through various means such as hoods and masks; others did not care at all and openly displayed their features.

Almost instantly, Audrey noticed the black-robed man seated on a single sofa.

The man also wore a hood, hiding his face in shadow.

He watched the newcomers in silence, wordless, giving an impression of looking down from above.

Very confident, but his gaze is disgusting. His eyes keep moving over my body like two slippery tentacles trying to strip away my clothes…

Audrey’s senses were sharp, and her observations detailed. She calmly made that judgment, but gooseflesh nearly rose over her skin.

At that moment, Fors introduced him.

“That is Mr. A. A powerful Beyonder, and the convener of this secret gathering.”