Chapter 42: Photography Expert

Chapter Forty-Two
Photography Expert

Curled up inside the wardrobe, Klein quietly activated spirit vision and saw two clusters of aura colors entering with a certain degree of interference.

“Erica, I brought you a gift,” a deep voice sounded after the door closed.

As expected of a gentleman of the Loen Kingdom. Even when having an affair, he seems rather stiff. If it were an Intisian man, he would probably already be shouting sweetheart, baby, my angel, and so on…

Klein could not help mocking inwardly.

Of course, all of this was based on the stereotypes he had formed from newspapers, magazines, and novels.

Erica Taylor asked in delighted surprise, “Let me guess… Is it Farsman eye cream, face cream, or essence? Or something from Laichini?”

What are those…?

Klein was a little lost.

Clearly, Dragor Gale also failed to react immediately. After seven or eight seconds, he said, “…No. Stockings.”

In this world, because petroleum had not yet been discovered and there were no corresponding cheap chemical products, stockings were high-end items woven from real silk.

“Not bad. Let me see,” Erica said, her joy not diminished in the slightest.

“I bought them yesterday at Phillips Department Store. Thirty soli a pair. Five pairs in total,” Dragor said, showing off a little.

“So expensive.”

So expensive!

One said it aloud, the other sighed inwardly, but both expressed the same meaning.

Benson worked for so many years, and his weekly salary was only one pound ten soli—thirty soli—exactly equal to one pair of stockings. And with that kind of salary, he helped his younger brother and sister receive an education, kept them reasonably full, and gave them a place to sleep… Ordinary skilled workers earn only around twenty soli a week…

Klein clicked his tongue in amazement.

“No, not expensive. Silk stockings are worth that price. I even gave an extra five-soli tip,” Dragor said. At the same time, the colors of his own aura grew brighter. From this, Klein guessed that he had already removed his coat.

“Then I will try them on,” Erica Taylor said in a soft, alluring voice.

It feels like watching a slightly dirty film again… a live broadcast, no less… And Miss Bodyguard is here too…

The corners of Klein’s mouth twitched slightly. He watched red wander across red. He watched the emotional radiance from both sides quickly become as scarlet as flames.

Purple approached red and continued upward… Red wrapped around green, wrapped around orange-red…

While listening to gasps and low laughter, Klein judged the actions and positions of the two people outside from the changing locations of their aura colors.

Feeling that the timing was about right, Klein silently pushed open the wardrobe door and looked toward the bed.

Dragor and Erica were already tangled together, clothing half undone, movements intense.

Klein raised the spirit camera, aimed at the passionate man and woman, and waited for a scene where both of their faces could be seen at the same time.

When Dragor and Erica embraced and fell toward the bed, Klein finally captured the most suitable moment and pressed the shutter.

The click was not obvious. The powerful flash and other abnormalities were restricted to an extremely small range, failing to alert the man and woman.

Because he lacked confidence in his own photography skills, Klein took several more photos, planning to have room to choose afterward.

He prepared to give his employer only one photograph, because too many photographs would make a solicitor question why the two people never discovered they were being photographed.

Undergarments drifted lightly to the floor, and the sounds of panting abruptly intensified. Klein hugged the portable camera, rolled skillfully out of the wardrobe, and closed its door in passing.

He rolled several times in succession until he reached the lounge door, then quietly pulled it open and returned to the hallway.

Done!

Klein let out a breath of relief, politely and silently closed the door, then pressed a hand to his chest and bowed slightly toward the bed.

Without further delay, he returned to his own lounge.

The final seven-pound payment will arrive soon… And I even earned a Cragg Club membership worth more than fifty pounds, with food, lodging, and entertainment included. No, it is worth far more than fifty pounds. Without introductions or connections, one cannot join this club even with one hundred pounds… This commission really is nice—simple, safe, and profitable…

Klein set down the portable camera and sincerely sighed inwardly.

Just then, a hand suddenly stretched out from the camera lens.

Miss Bodyguard in her black court dress slowly crawled out and floated once more in midair. Her face remained as pale as ever.

Thinking that he had brought the other person along to watch something rather dirty, Klein felt somewhat embarrassed and changed the topic.

“I plan to go to the buffet restaurant for something to eat. Would you like to come?”

Every member could bring one guest.

As for how to explain a guest suddenly appearing, Klein’s plan was to go out for a circuit first, then return.

Miss Bodyguard answered in her toneless voice, “I can go two weeks without eating.”

As she spoke, she turned around, put her back to Klein, drifted toward the mirror, and vanished instantly.

What Sequence is she, exactly…

Klein thought with considerable curiosity, then returned the portable camera to the leather case.

Once done, he went to the washroom and resolved his personal needs.

After washing his hands and wiping his face, Klein looked into the mirror and examined his current appearance.

Because he had not shaved that morning, a little blue-black stubble had grown above his lips and below his chin. His hair was parted on both sides in a three-to-seven ratio. Gold-rimmed glasses sat on his face, giving his refined, scholarly air a few touches of maturity.

There is a certain difference from before, but one could still recognize me with careful observation. Once the beard grows to a certain extent, I will not need to worry so much… In the future, once I advance to Sequence 6, Faceless, I will have even less to fear…

Klein took out his gold pocket watch, snapped it open, and glanced at it. Then he left the washroom, picked up his leather case, and went to the buffet restaurant on the first floor.

It was just past nine, still within the breakfast period. Klein took a fried egg cooked half-runny on both sides, a piece of white bread, a pat of butter, a Dixi pie, a portion of bacon, and a cup of Marquis black tea with lemon slices floating inside.

As he looked for a seat, he suddenly saw a familiar figure: the surgeon Alan Kress, who had recommended him for club membership.

This tall, thin gentleman sat alone in a corner. He had already finished breakfast and was drinking coffee while reading a newspaper.

“Good morning, Dr. Kress.”

Klein walked over and greeted the somewhat cold-tempered Alan.

The surgeon pushed the glasses on his nose.

“Call me Alan, Detective Moriarty.”

“According to the principle of reciprocity, you should call me Sherlock.”

Klein took the opportunity to sit down.

“Any news today? I came out too hurriedly and have not read the newspapers yet.”

“The Intis ambassador was assassinated, and a terrorist organization called the Aurora Order claimed responsibility. Sigh. The world is becoming more and more chaotic. Sooner or later, there will be a total war affecting both the Northern and Southern Continents,” Alan said with feeling.

“Sir, war has never stopped. It is only that we happen to enjoy peace.”

Klein ate the fried egg and smiled in reply.

“What a pity. For such an important case, they would never invite private detectives like us to help.”

Alan turned the newspaper page.

“That news has little to do with us. The truly important thing is that today or tomorrow, after long dispute, the House of Lords and House of Commons will finally pass several matters. First is the Government Employee Unified Examination Bill, along with its corresponding regulations and implementation plan. Second is the establishment of an Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Committee. Third is the creation of a dedicated Alkali Industry Inspector. The latter two are responses to pollution. God, they have finally begun taking this seriously. Among hospital patients, the number suffering from lung diseases has been constantly rising.”

It is finally about to pass? I wonder how Benson has prepared… I wonder whether my death affected him…

Klein’s smile suddenly grew bright.

“That is a good thing.”

“For Mary, it is an extremely good thing. She wants either herself or her husband Dragor to become a member of the Kingdom’s Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Committee. Her own chances are greater. She does not hold a position in a commercial company, and she is a believer of the Goddess. And every organization, no matter what kind, always needs balance.”

Alan mentioned Klein’s employer.

“I suggested that she come to the club often in the near future. We have several members of the House of Commons here.”

In the Loen Kingdom, the House of Commons was mainly composed of wealthy businessmen and the agents of certain nobles, but there were also many professionals: doctors, lawyers, pastors, teachers, scientists, accountants, and the like.

Cragg Club took middle-class professionals of various types as its target members, without distinguishing between parties.

Klein did not know much about such matters. He casually agreed a few times, then changed the topic.

“Alan, today is Friday. Do you not need to return to the hospital?”

“No. I asked for leave. Recently, things have been terrible.”

Alan suddenly frowned.

“What happened?” Klein asked, taking a sip of black tea.

Because Bakerland had just been assassinated, and Rosago’s corpse had been thrown into a distant sewer, where it was unknown when it would be discovered, Klein was wary of the aftermath and of the incompleteness of his own disguise. In the near future, he did not intend to accept any difficult commissions that might easily expose him. Therefore, he was quite interested in potential matters that were simple and well paid.

Alan set down the newspaper and sighed.

“I have been extremely unlucky recently. Several surgeries in a row had mistakes. Fortunately, no overly serious consequences resulted. Otherwise, my license might already have been revoked.”

In the present era, patients dying under a surgeon’s knife was not big news. It was a common occurrence. But if serious accidents were caused by the surgeon’s own mistakes, punishments were still quite severe.

Fine. I cannot help with that… Mm, actually, I do know a luck-transfer ritual. It is just that its effect is to send you above the gray fog…

Klein lowered his head and began gnawing at his bread.

After breakfast, he bade Alan farewell. First, he went to withdraw five hundred pounds in cash and gave Miss Bodyguard three hundred pounds. Then he returned home. While waiting for the photographs to be developed, he hoped some simple commission would come to his door. Unfortunately, he did not encounter one for the time being.

By evening, Klein prepared to go out again. His destination was Bravehearts Bar.

While Miss Bodyguard was still present, he hoped to come into contact with more Beyonder circles.