Chapter 80: Elaine

Chapter 80: Elaine

A Beyonder gathering? Klein thought briefly, then nodded in response.

“Sure.”

The supplementary ingredients for the Marionettist potion should be put on the agenda. I can also see whether I might encounter an Artisan… he subconsciously planned inwardly.

Seeing Gehrman Sparrow agree, Danitz quietly breathed out and could not help revealing a smile.

In the past few days, because his bounty had been raised by a large amount and because he had the important task of listening in on the wireless telegraph, he had not gone out at all. He had behaved very obediently and stayed inside the inn suite. He had truly been suffocating with boredom and wished night would arrive immediately.

The Beyonder gathering Danitz mentioned was held at the Fragrant Tree Leaf Bar. Many pirates, informants, and adventurers were active there. It was a top-tier choice for gathering intelligence and purchasing supplies.

Klein wore a black coat and a silk top hat. Following Danitz, he crossed the crowded, mixed-smelling bar hall and entered a certain card room. Under the eyes of several guards, they gave the agreed passphrase, then descended a hidden staircase all the way to a spacious underground area.

As in Tingen City’s Evil Dragon Bar, there was an underground trading market here that sold herbs, essential oils, ancient books, charms, and all sorts of common mysticism materials. The difference was that this place also sold a great variety of firearms and ammunition. Klein even saw antique muskets and lead bullets.

Heh. They even sell fake identification documents and carved counterfeit seals… As expected of an overseas colony. Industries like this are far more developed than in Tingen… Later, I will buy a batch of materials for making charms in the Sea God domain. A larger quantity should get some discount… Klein turned his head left and right with only the smallest movement, taking in the entire underground area.

Beside him, Danitz had already grown suspicious of his own makeup and disguise skills. He had deliberately worn a flat cap and pressed the front very low, covering nearly half of his face. At this moment, he very familiarly led Klein straight to the other end of the underground market, knocking on a closed door with a pattern of two long taps followed by four short ones.

Behind the door there was only a single candle. It swayed on a lamp bracket fixed to the side wall, casting dim yellow light that barely illuminated the small room.

Danitz pointed at the robes, masks, and other items hanging or laid out on the table, then said to Klein, “Here, everyone decides for themselves what kind of disguise to use. You can also choose not to disguise yourself.”

Klein looked around, sweeping his gaze over the guards inside the room.

“I do not need one.”

I am currently an informant for the kingdom’s military, and the Church of Storms knows this identity as well. There is not much to fear… If some pirate or adventurer develops malicious intent because I am not disguised and tries to attack me, heh heh… In Klein’s mind, bounties and spoils suddenly appeared, one after another, flying toward him.

Danitz secretly curled his lip, picked up a black-iron mask, and placed it over his face.

Then, under a guard’s guidance, he and Klein passed through a dim corridor and entered another room.

The room was arranged rather luxuriously. A thick carpet from the Southern Continent covered the floor. On the walls, golden lamp brackets flickered, and fresh-smelling candles spread layer after layer of light.

Klein swept the room with his gaze. Without needing Danitz’s help, he found a brown leather sofa, sat down, leaned back, and crossed his right leg over his left.

More than twenty people had already gathered here. There were men and women, some cloaked in hooded robes, others openly revealing their true appearances. According to Danitz’s explanation that morning, not everyone attending this gathering was a Beyonder. Some were representatives of certain forces, while others were adventurers, pirates, and mysticism enthusiasts who wished to become Beyonders.

In the quiet atmosphere, time passed quite slowly. Around seven or eight minutes later, an old man seated in a comfortable chair straightened his back, clasped his hands, and chuckled.

“Everyone, let us begin.”

Because of his age, his white hair was already sparse, leaving only a thin layer. Yet his light-brown eyes were not cloudy at all. They were bright and sharp.

“The gathering’s convener, ‘Strongman’ Ozil. Formerly a famous pirate. Now the hidden owner of the Fragrant Tree Leaf Bar,” Danitz said softly as he tilted his body toward Klein.

He had actually introduced him once that morning, but he was afraid Gehrman Sparrow would fail to connect the name with the person and then take it out on him afterward.

Having one’s secrets grasped by another person truly is a sorrowful thing… Danitz sighed inwardly.

Klein gave a barely perceptible nod and quietly observed the transactions that followed.

Potion formulas such as Warrior, Sailor, and Mystery Pryer appeared here, but no one bought them. The sellers, full of anticipation, could only stop again and again in disappointment.

Danitz glanced at Gehrman Sparrow’s expressionless face, leaned closer, and introduced in a low voice, “This gathering has no notary and no powerful diviner. There is no way to guarantee the authenticity of potion formulas. That sort of thing is far too easy to counterfeit. And even if someone recognizes that a formula is fake, there is no way to punish the seller, because he might also be a victim.”

I know… That is one of the reasons potion formulas cannot circulate widely… Klein lowered his crossed right leg, leaned slightly forward, and spoke in a voice neither too loud nor too soft.

“I need the remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith.”

He did not mention the eye of a six-winged gargoyle, water from the Golden Spring of Sonia, or the other supplementary ingredients, because he feared others might use those to deduce that he was a Faceless preparing to advance to Marionettist.

Back in Tingen, Klein had used the combination of supplementary ingredients to accurately suspect that Daxter Guderian was a prospective Spectator, thereby confirming his identity as a member of the Psychology Alchemists.

The remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith alone would not reveal much. It was used in many rituals within the necromancy domain.

Although Klein had not disguised himself, he still possessed the caution he ought to have.

The room fell silent for two seconds. Then a slightly deep and hoarse voice sounded.

“How much do you need?”

There really is some? Klein controlled his expression, preventing his joy from surfacing.

He turned his head toward the speaker and discovered that it was a man in his thirties with clear local blood.

The man’s skin was bronze, but it carried a dullness that suggested long-term malnutrition or lack of sunlight. His face was thin, his cheekbones protruded, his eyes were sunken, and the whites showed more than the black.

“A small bottle.” Klein took out a small metal bottle as an example.

The thin, dim-looking man remained silent for a while before saying, “Five hundred pounds.”

That is fairly reasonable… Klein originally wanted to bargain, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Danitz sitting beside him.

I am Gehrman Sparrow, a cold and insane adventurer… Klein repeated that sentence three times in his heart, silently inhaled, and calmly nodded.

“Deal.”

He took out the thick stack of cash he had prepared in advance and counted out the enormous sum of five hundred pounds.

The terrifyingly white-eyed man took a glass test tube from his pocket and tossed it casually toward Klein.

“After more than a year, the spirituality will be completely lost.”

He was not afraid that Klein would fail to catch it, because even if it shattered, the material itself would not be affected. At worst, it would simply need another container.

Klein lifted his right hand and caught the glass test tube accurately. Inside it floated points of light like will-o’-wisps. Whenever they touched the inner wall of the glass, they bizarrely expanded and transformed into a face with blurred features, opening its mouth in a soundless scream.

It is genuine… Klein nodded inwardly and handed the thick five hundred pounds in cash to the approaching attendant, who would pass it to the seller.

The transactions continued. Most failed, while only a few succeeded.

Near the end, the gathering’s convener, “Strongman” Ozil, gave a laugh and said, “I have a commission.”

As he spoke, he took a photograph from the inner pocket of his clothing.

“Find the person in this picture. The reward is one thousand pounds, or common Beyonder materials of equivalent value. Remember: you must not harm her.”

One thousand pounds? That is enough to make the majority of adventurers go mad… I wonder who they are trying to find, to offer such a high reward… Klein was unsurprised to see everyone present express willingness to give it a try.

The photograph began to pass counterclockwise, and a few minutes later, it reached Klein’s hands.

He glanced at it casually, then suddenly felt a faint trace of surprise rise within him.

The woman in the photograph was quite beautiful. She had vivid red hair and emerald-green eyes like gemstones. Her skin was not especially pale, but it gave off a healthy feeling.

When the photograph was taken, she wore a lake-blue dress, its waist tightened by a ribbon tied into flowers, making it look unusually slender. Her face seemed to be smiling, but overall, she did not appear happy. It was very strained.

A girl from a good family… Who would spend one thousand pounds looking for her, especially under the condition that she must not be harmed… Mm, a forced smile in the photograph… In Klein’s mind, multiple romantic stories full of love and hatred flashed past at once.

A domineering pirate falling in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant, abducting her onto his ship, only for her to escape in the end; an impoverished noble lady forced into piracy, accidentally captured, staging a forbidden love with a middle- or high-ranking Mandated Punisher or military gentleman, and using him to escape her cage; a freshly advanced Demoness incurring a romantic debt by accident while bringing pleasure to someone… As similar thoughts surged, Klein almost raised a hand to cover his face.

I read too many novels in my previous life… And in this world, Demonesses have left me with psychological trauma… He sighed inwardly, lifted his head, and asked the gathering’s convener, Ozil, “What is her name?”

“Elaine,” Ozil answered concisely. “But she has definitely changed to a false name by now.”

Elaine. A typical Intis female name… Klein asked again, “Do you have any item she often wears?

“Hair would do as well.”

That would be used as a medium for divination to find someone.

Klein did not mention that clothing recently worn and not yet washed would also be acceptable. He was afraid the employer behind the commission would throw him a woman’s undergarment, which would be rather awkward.

Ozil shook his head.

“No.

“She has strong anti-tracking ability.”

“How strong is she?” another participant in the gathering asked.

Ozil said solemnly, “The employer did not describe it in detail. He only said she is not especially powerful, but stronger than Sequence 9.

“You do not need to capture her. As long as you confirm her whereabouts, you may claim the reward.”