Chapter 26: Their Respective “Gatherings”

Chapter Twenty-Six
Their Respective “Gatherings”

Fine. Although I do not need them anymore, I can give them to Susie, or exchange them for other Beyonder materials… Mm, Susie’s potion still lacks Farsman Rabbit spinal fluid… Some things are far more convenient for Susie to do than for me… Every great detective needs a good assistant, yes, yes!

Audrey quickly made her decision. To her, this was no longer something she cared about especially.

Setting down the telegram, her joy gradually settled, and the troubles of reality began surfacing.

I still owe Mr. Fool information on the Secret Order, the mission to assassinate the Intis ambassador, and one request from His blessed ones… I finally understand what it feels like to carry heavy debts… Audrey, you cannot delay any longer. Start acting!

The young lady silently clenched her fist and planned to find paper and pen, write a letter to Viscount Glaint, and have him arrange a meeting with Xio and Fors as soon as possible so she could entrust the matter to them.

Lifting her fountain pen and dipping it in ink, Audrey suddenly suspended her wrist and did not begin writing.

She had just thought of a very crucial problem: her understanding of the Intis ambassador, Bakerland, was very limited. Under such circumstances, it would be very easy to misjudge the difficulty. She might either fail to find anyone willing to accept the commission, or entrust it to an unsuitable target, making the mission face failure from the very beginning.

As for the increased price such a thing might bring, that was not what she cared about most. She believed that the compensation Mr. Fool gave would be even better, and would help her more.

After pondering for a moment, Audrey turned to her maid Annie.

“Tell Countess Galia that I accept her invitation. I will attend her ball punctually tomorrow evening.”

Galia was the wife of Earl Wolfe. Her upcoming ball had invited the ambassadors of various nations stationed in Loen, including Bakerland Jean Madan.

Audrey had originally planned to decline by using illness as an excuse, but now she was filled with interest in the ball.

Once I have observed Ambassador Bakerland and gathered enough information, I will meet Xio and Fors!

Audrey suddenly felt the excitement of participating in a major affair, as though her long-dreamed-of adventure life had finally begun.

…

Bayam, the City of Generosity, capital of the Rorsted Archipelago.

After returning to the real world, Alger Wilson changed into slightly flamboyant clothing in the style of the Intis Republic. He entered an alley through the back door of his hotel, then circled through several streets.

He stopped before a building without a garden or lawn and took out a common white hard-shell mask, placing it over his face.

Immediately afterward, he reached out and knocked on the door: three heavy knocks, two light, with two long pauses and two short pauses between them.

After waiting more than ten seconds, the door creaked open. A man wearing a pirate headscarf poked his head out and quickly looked left and right.

“Come in,” the man said in a low voice, stepping aside.

Alger did not speak. He silently walked into the house.

Clang!

The door abruptly shut.

…

15 Minsk Street. Klein opened the curtains and sat down at his desk.

The information regarding the Secret Order that The Hanged Man had given him had made him aware that his target might still have some connection to the Intis Republic. At the same time, it reminded him of The Hanged Man’s earlier description of the Antigonus family: eerie and terrifying.

The Beyonder who used iron-black worms to infiltrate my room last night, peek at information, and leave a warning truly behaved rather eerily… The Sequence chain held by the Antigonus family is precisely the Secret Order’s Seer pathway. The two can be equated… In other words, I can make a guess: last night’s Beyonder is a Secret Order member moonlighting as an Intis Republic spy? Or he does not belong to the Secret Order, but with the help of the Intis Republic’s connection to the Secret Order, obtained the corresponding formula and potion?

Klein began making bold assumptions and verifying them carefully.

“That would explain why my Clown’s premonition failed to take effect when the eerie iron-black wireworm invaded. It came from suppression by a higher-Sequence Beyonder of the same pathway… Of course, it might also be because the iron-black worm did not substantially threaten me…

“Likewise, it explains why, when I had just written down Ian Wright’s information, an iron-black worm infiltrated my room that very night and headed straight for the desk… If the other party possesses the ability of a Seer, matters become sufficiently reasonable…”

After repeatedly scrutinizing the idea, Klein felt that his conjecture was very likely close to the truth.

“If he really is a higher Sequence of the Seer pathway, what Sequence would he be, and what is the potion’s name? He can control iron-black wireworms. Could it be one of the other giants of the ‘circus’—Animal Trainer?”

Klein shook his head soundlessly, half mocking himself and half amused.

Perhaps my subsequent potion formula will come from him… Is that the true meaning of the revelation I obtained from my earlier divination? Backlund truly is the Land of Hope…

After silently muttering for a while, Klein began considering what to do next.

The mission to assassinate the Intis ambassador, Bakerland, and thoroughly cut off this hidden danger had already been entrusted to others. He himself had to avoid suspicion, and besides, he lacked the ability.

After leaking Ian Wright’s whereabouts to both sides, he believed that Ambassador Bakerland would have no time to retaliate against him in the short term, and would not create extra trouble.

The object he had described as extremely important was clearly the thing he cared about most.

“In other words, before that item is found, I am safe. There is no hurry to hire a powerful Beyonder bodyguard… Mm. Even if revenge comes later, the ambassador cannot possibly hire a high-Sequence powerhouse to deal with me. It is neither economical nor necessary. After all, Backlund is not his home ground…

“The greatest possibility is that he still leaves it to the Beyonder who used iron-black worms to infiltrate my room last night. He is at least Sequence 7, perhaps Sequence 6, or even Sequence 5. He is sufficiently strong and familiar with the situation… When the time comes, I can hire a bodyguard according to that standard… Hopefully, before then, the ambassador will no longer be able to issue orders forever…”

Klein stared out the window at the fog that had finally dispersed, appearing to be in a daze.

He decided to continue visiting Bravehearts Bar that night. First, through Kaspars, he could make contact with other Beyonders and lay the groundwork for selecting a suitable bodyguard. Second, he could look for an opportunity to sell Meursault’s Beyonder characteristic and gather funds. Third, he could see whether anyone was selling powerful mystical items to improve his own strength. This was a plan that would never go out of fashion.

After settling on his ideas, Klein pretended to leisurely read newspapers until the sky turned dark. Only then did he slowly stand and make himself a tomato oxtail soup.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, he pulled the curtains of the bedroom closed as usual and decided not to open them again that night.

Then he summoned himself, responded to himself, and transformed into a special Spirit Body. From above the gray fog, he carried Azik’s copper whistle, Meursault’s Beyonder characteristic, his self-made charms, various materials, and tarot cards back into the real world, leaving behind only a small number of items such as the bloodstained standard contract.

After doing all of this and equipping the corresponding things, Klein’s strength returned to its peak. He once again became half a mysticism expert.

Straightening his collar, he picked up his hat and cane and left 15 Minsk Street.

…

Iron Gate Street, inside Bravehearts Bar.

Klein used a glass of beer to obtain information and found Kaspars in a certain card room. The other man was playing “Fight the Evil” while placing bets on one of the boxers outside, living quite comfortably.

This familiar environment made Klein think of Maric, whom he had encountered last time, playing Texas Hold’em with more than a dozen living corpses. Suddenly, he felt fortunate that he had not brought Azik’s copper whistle with him then.

If I had been carrying Mr. Azik’s copper whistle back then, I estimate Maric’s dozen living corpses would have betrayed him on the spot and “welcomed” me with warm hospitality… I wonder what his expression would have been…

Standing by the door, Klein nodded to Kaspars Kanlinen.

Kaspars covered his cards, cursed, stood, and walked to the doorway. Lowering his voice, he said, “I will take you somewhere. Although the people there are not as powerful as Maric, they are all quite impressive. Whether you can make a deal has nothing to do with me. But I must warn you in advance: do not anger them. Otherwise, you may very well not see tomorrow’s sun. Of course, in Backlund after September, wanting to see the sun is not an easy thing.”

“Do I need to pay you compensation?” Klein asked sincerely.

Kaspars nodded in satisfaction.

“Two pounds.”

That is enough to buy a revolver at a weapons shop… Although they would list it above three pounds, it could basically be bargained down to around two…

Klein muttered inwardly and gave Kaspars two one-pound notes.

Kaspars said something to his card companions, then led Klein limping toward the bar’s kitchen area. From there, they entered the alley behind it and circled to a dark, unlit house.

He took out an iron mask that covered only the upper half of the face, handed it to Klein, and chuckled.

“Consider it what you bought with two pounds.”

Two pounds could buy me quite a lot of these…

Klein put on the iron mask and deliberately messed up his hair.

Seeing that he was ready, Kaspars rhythmically knocked on the door.

Seven or eight seconds later, a small wooden panel on the door was suddenly pulled aside, revealing a pair of brown eyes behind it.

After being inspected for quite a while, Klein finally saw the door open inward.

A man wearing an iron mask stood there and handed Klein a hooded robe. Then, in a hoarse voice, he said to Kaspars, “Next time, remember to tell me in advance. Otherwise, hmph!”

He closed the door, turned around, and led Klein through the dark living room into the first-floor sitting room.

A candle burned on the coffee table there, its dim-yellow, feeble light casting the entire room into wavering shadow.

Around the coffee table, on sofas and chairs, sat roughly a dozen people. They were all dressed in hooded robes and iron-colored masks.

Having put on the robe, Klein quietly found a chair in the corner and sat down. He heard a man with a chubby face complain, “Recently, a group of wild beasts appeared in the sewers. They have gnawed away many of the herbs I planted.

“They are very clever. They have not touched the poisonous ones. I need someone to help me clear them out. You know, this is not my specialty. I am only good at mixing potions and treating illnesses.”