Chapter 80: An Invitation to Dinner

Chapter Eighty
An Invitation to Dinner

After dinner, fed and satisfied, Klein sat down leisurely on the living-room sofa and used a small knife to cut open the letter his mentor had sent.

At that moment, Melissa was seated at the dining table, working diligently through exercises from her textbook beneath the gas lamp’s glow. Benson, meanwhile, was curled up in the single armchair, reading Elementary Accounting Tutorial.

Klein unfolded the three full pages of letter paper. With both anticipation and fear, he began reading.

“…I am very glad to have received your letter. It made me think back on the past few years of life. Unfortunately, Welch and Naya have left us forever…

“I attended their funerals separately and felt the immense grief of their parents. They were two young people who should have had brilliant and beautiful futures…

“Fate is always difficult to predict. No one can know what will descend upon us in the next moment. The older I become, and the more I see, the more I feel the fragility and helplessness of being human.

“…Regarding the historical materials on the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range that you mentioned, I remember that the archaeologist Mr. John Joseph once published a monograph. It described in detail what he saw and heard on the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range. He discovered several ancient buildings there, dating back more than a thousand years.

“What puts every historian and archaeologist to shame is that we lack precise means of dating. We can only make rough judgments based on architectural style, the characteristics of murals, and a small amount of identifiable writing.

“It is difficult to believe that, on a mountain peak so high, there could have been human settlements. Mr. Joseph provided sufficient evidence to show that those people developed a civilization of their own—a unique civilization. The specific details are difficult to describe clearly in a letter. I suggest you go to Deweyville Library and see whether you can borrow that monograph. Believe me, this library donated by Sir Deweyville has a larger collection than the one established by the city government.

“The monograph is titled Studies of Ancient Relics on the Main Peak of the Hornacis. It was published by Loen People Publishing House.

“In addition, certain papers also mention related circumstances. They were published in journals such as New Archaeology and Review of Archaeology. Their exact titles and issue numbers are…”

…

Klein read the letter word by word, then silently repeated the names of the monograph and papers his mentor had mentioned several times.

Immediately afterward, he turned over a fresh sheet of paper, found his fountain pen, and expressed his gratitude in proper written language.

“Melissa, help me mail this letter tomorrow. This is the postage.”

Klein placed the sealed letter and more-than-enough postage beside his sister’s textbook.

Melissa glanced at it, pressed her lips together, and said, “Klein, postage does not cost this much.”

“Yes. Postage does not cost this much, but girls need a certain amount of pocket money,” Klein answered with a smile. “I believe Selena must have told you this.”

Seeing that Melissa still resisted slightly, he hurriedly added, “It can help you buy the materials you want, and the tools you want.”

“Tools…”

Melissa repeated the word softly. Her gaze shifted toward her textbook, and she gave the faintest nod.

“All right.”

The corner of Klein’s mouth immediately lifted. His steps light, he walked back to the sofa.

“Excellent persuasion. You accurately found Melissa’s weak point,” Benson said with a suppressed laugh, giving a small thumbs-up.

Klein cleared his throat and answered with complete seriousness, “Then how should I persuade you? Your self-study should focus on grammar and classical literature. Of course, basic mathematics and logic are equally important.”

Based on the curriculum of public schools and grammar schools, and based on the content of university entrance examinations, Klein could almost grasp the rough direction of the not-yet-born “civil service examination.”

Benson touched his own hairline and laughed at himself.

“Before those books, I feel like a curly-haired baboon.”

“But they are genuinely useful.”

Klein’s smile was firm.

Just then, Melissa set down her fountain pen, stood up, and walked toward the sofa.

“Benson, Klein, this Sunday is Selena’s birthday. She and her parents would like to invite our family to attend dinner. Are you free?”

“I should have no problem,” Klein said after thinking.

It would be a good chance to meet his sister’s friend. Otherwise, if anything happened to Melissa in the future, he might not even know whom to ask!

“Me too,” Benson said, combing his hair with his fingers. “It seems we need to consider a birthday gift for Miss Selena.”

Klein smiled.

“We will leave that matter to Melissa. She understands Miss Selena far better than we do. What we need to do is what gentlemen ought to do: pay.”

“That is the first time I have heard anyone describe laziness so elegantly,” Benson said, shaking his head with a light laugh.

Klein smiled back.

“That is the usefulness of grammar and classical literature.”

“…”

Benson had not expected the topic to loop back around, and for a moment he could find no words with which to respond.

…

The next day, Klein wore his original cheap formal suit and carried his black silver-inlaid cane, climbing step by step up the stairs to the entrance of Blackthorn Security Company. His tailcoat had already been sent to a hat-and-clothing shop for repair.

Klein was just about to greet Rozanne when he suddenly saw Captain Dunn walk out from behind the partition.

“Good morning, Klein. Did you sleep well last night?” Dunn asked with concern.

Klein answered honestly, “Better than I imagined. I actually did not have nightmares. It is only that when I recall things, I still feel somewhat heavy, somewhat nauseated.”

“Good. Then I can feel at ease.”

Dunn smiled and nodded.

After chatting about the weather for a while, he brought up another matter on his own initiative.

“The Sanctuary has replied to my telegram. They instructed El, Lorotta, and the others to immediately escort Sealed Artifact 2-049 and the Antigonus family notebook to Backlund. They also sent other Nighthawks by steam train yesterday afternoon to provide assistance.

“I believe they should already have set off by now.”

Already set off? Does that mean I have completely escaped the shadow of the Antigonus family notebook?

Klein froze for a moment, feeling a sense of unreality, as though he were dreaming.

This is far easier than I imagined…

There should be no further developments, right?

“May the Goddess bless them. May their journey be smooth.”

After a few seconds, Klein drew the sign of the crimson moon over his chest.

Dunn put on his hat and pointed outside.

“I need to patrol Raphael Cemetery. Heh, I nearly forgot something. Leonard and the police department have made some progress in tracking the Secret Order members. They found the carriage drivers who had carried them and confirmed their temporary residence in Tingen City. Unfortunately, they were extremely cautious and left no clues of special value.”

“As expected of an ancient secret organization,” Klein said with sincere emotion.

Dunn nodded, then turned toward the door.

Three seconds later, he stopped and looked back.

“Also, the application for you to become an official member may still take two or three days for the Sanctuary to answer. Heh. This and the Antigonus family notebook matter belong to different departments. Their efficiency is not the same.”

“I understand,” Klein answered sincerely.

At the same time, he silently helped the Captain add one more reminder in his heart:

Remember to submit the reimbursement application today!

Watching Dunn leave, Klein heard the brown-haired girl Rozanne’s astonished voice.

“Goddess! Klein, you are going to become an official member? I remember you joined us less than a month ago!”

Klein smiled.

“After I consumed the Seer potion, this was already something bound to happen sooner or later.”

“That makes sense…”

Rozanne stared blankly for a few seconds, then suddenly lamented, “I was praying that you would quickly finish your mysticism courses and join the rotation list for guarding the armory. But now… Goddess, I have to take a night shift every two days! I am not a Sleepless! My skin, my condition—Goddess, save me!”

“Should you not be very used to that kind of life? Before I joined, it was always you, Bright, and Old Neil on rotation, right?” Klein asked in confusion.

Rozanne shook her head with a sorrowful expression.

“No. Before, there were four of us. Even earlier, five. Unfortunately, Kenley chose to become a Sleepless, and Viola did not renew her contract last month. She joined Hoynor Machinery Company. She is a girl with great manufacturing talent, only she lacked opportunity and money. Five years as civilian staff gave her enough savings.”

At this point, Rozanne suddenly glanced at Klein. Covering her mouth, she laughed.

“I have thought of a wonderful idea. Klein, hurry and get married. Then accidentally reveal the secret of Beyonders to her. That counts as a very minor leak and will not carry any especially severe punishment. After all, no one can keep such things hidden forever from someone sleeping in the same bed. Then you can introduce her to join us and become civilian staff! Perfect plan!”

The corner of Klein’s mouth moved slightly.

“Miss Rozanne, you can also quickly find a husband. That should be easier. I trust you would have plenty of ways to leak secrets to him.”

Rozanne’s eyes went round, and her mouth opened halfway.

“How could I possibly do that? Marriage is an extremely serious matter. One must observe carefully, choose seriously, and verify over a certain period of time.”

That was not what you said just now…

Klein did not try to reason with Miss Rozanne. Smiling, he exchanged a few pleasantries, then took his leave and entered the underground.

Arriving at the armory, he saw Old Neil busy with hand-ground coffee. He sat down and waited patiently.

“You should become an official member soon, yes?”

Old Neil asked casually while filtering the coffee.

“The Captain said it still needs two or three days, and I do not know whether the Sanctuary will approve it,” Klein answered frankly.

“Heh.”

Old Neil laughed.

“For this kind of matter, the Sanctuary will not reject it. Especially since you are already a Beyonder.”

At that point, he turned his head and looked at Klein with a chuckle.

“You should prepare yourself mentally. Every official Nighthawk member must pass a ritual. That ritual is to complete a mission independently. Of course, Dunn will certainly choose a very easy, very simple one for a newcomer. And you are also a support-type Seer.”