Chapter 146: Creeping Hunger"What's so special about Qilangos's mystical item?" Audrey asked slightly confidently.
She considered it carefully and suddenly realized that she had a decent ability to locate people in Backlund.
Firstly, her father was one of the most wealthy, connected, and reputable nobles, while she was quite popular amongst the younger generation too. Hence, in the upper-middle class of the society, she had quite a few resources to take advantage of.
Secondly, the two Beyonders that she knew had their own circles as well. Apprentice Fors was originally a clinical doctor, and was now an author. She knew quite a number of people in the literary world and publishing industry, as well as among the middle-class doctors.
Arbiter Xio Derecha had helped many middle-lower class people to coordinate and mediate disputes over a long period of time. She was also quite famous in East Backlund borough among the working class and mafia. She had a lot of hidden channels.
Plus, considering the Beyonders that they knew and their circles of influence, their ability to look for a person wasn't to be belittled.
Towards Justice's question, Alger answered almost straightaway without hesitation or thought.
"No one knows the real name of the mystical item, but the people who have come into contact with it call it the 'Creeping Hunger.' Qilangos uses a living person's soul and flesh to satisfy it every other day. Otherwise, it would consume its owner as a replacement."
"This could be one of the most important clues to seek out Qilangos," Audrey said, creasing her eyebrows.
She felt utter discomfort and extreme hatred towards any evil item that desired a living human's fresh blood and soul.
"Yes, but in a big city with at least five million people, a few vagrants going missing wouldn't be noticed," Alger reminded her. "Ever since he got his hands on the Creeping Hunger, Qilangos has been very difficult to deal with."
"He was originally a Wind-blessed. He possesses great Beyonder power in domains related to water, wind, and the weather. But, later on, people realized that he could drive his targets crazy, enter the dreams of others, summon light to purify a dead soul, sing to strengthen himself, and change his appearance... There's almost nothing that he can't do," Alger described in detail. "We suspect that those are all effects that came from the mystical item, Creeping Hunger..."
Before he finished sharing, Derrick Berg, who had been listening quietly, suddenly blurted, "Shepherd!"
Shepherd? Sequence 5 of the Secrets Suppliant and Listener pathway? Hmm, among the six-member council in the City of Silver, there is a new elder who's a Shepherd. Sun had mentioned that she's strong enough to fight against a Sequence 4 expert, well—an evil spirit of the same grade... Klein's expression changed slightly, but it was covered by the gray fog. Justice wasn't paying any attention to him either.
"Shepherd?"
"Shepherd?"
Justice and The Hanged Man asked in unison. One sounded completely confused while the other sounded shocked, as though they had heard the title of Shepherd elsewhere before and knew something about it, but didn't understand the actual situation.
Seeing that everyone was staring at him, Derrick suddenly panicked a little. No matter how quiet, depressed, and vexed he was, he was a boy after all.
He hurriedly explained with a stammer, "What I meant was, the traits that The Hanged Man described were like the Beyonder power of the Sequence job, Shepherd. Every Shepherd can swallow another's soul into their body, including wraiths and evil spirits. They control these souls to do their bidding with a unique method, which allows them to make use of their abilities, just like letting a god's lambs out to graze.
"Hence, no one knows how many powers a Shepherd has. That depends on how many Beyonder souls they have swallowed, and that makes them very scary. They're almost like a High-Sequence Beyonder.
"However, there are people who suspect that for Shepherds there's a limit to the number of souls when Devouring and Grazing, and that the souls inside them could be replaced as well."
So that's what being a Shepherd means... The Sequence pathway that the Aurora Order has in its control is enigmatic... No wonder they worship the True Creator, no, the Fallen Creator... Klein was suddenly enlightened, but he didn't nod, taking on the appearance that he knew so long ago.
Meanwhile, he sighed inwardly. Sun, you are a boy after all. This is very important information, very important insight. You could've exchanged it for valuable things, but you just revealed it all! Just like that...
Yes, the ability demonstrated by the mystical item Creeping Hunger is similar to a Sequence 5 Shepherd... I wonder if other Sealed Artifacts have the same powers of Beyonders? I wonder which Sequence the Sealed Artifact 2-049, the Antigonus family's puppet, resembles...
After listening to Sun's explanation, Alger seemed to have sorted out the puzzle in his mind as he nodded in silence.
Audrey got even more curious and pressed, "Which Sequence pathway is Shepherd from? Which number is it?"
"The Secrets Suppliant pathway, Sequence 5." Klein seized the opportunity to answer so as to demonstrate that he knew everything.
"Secrets Suppliant... Aurora Order..." Audrey suddenly recalled Mr. A, who was a suspected Oracle of the Aurora Order, and she immediately felt heavy-hearted.
She started thinking seriously, thinking of what price she could pay in exchange for Mr. Fool to take action and rid off that disgusting fellow effortlessly. However, she couldn't think of anything that would move Mr. Fool into doing so.
As expected, a figure akin to a god wouldn't be easily moved... There aren't many things and matters that would garner their interest after all... Audrey sighed.
Putting her impulse aside, she nodded to The Sun gratefully, thanking him for giving them a new perspective on Creeping Hunger, so that they could deal with it more reasonably and efficiently.
"Mr. Hanged Man, I'm willing to accept the mission. But I can't guarantee if I can find Vice Admiral Hurricane, Qilangos." Audrey looked opposite her when she spoke.
"There's no better answer than this. Regardless of your success, as long as you try, I will definitely compensate you with things like secret information or intelligence. And if you succeed, maybe I could provide you the Telepathist's main ingredients directly. Of course, the prerequisite is that we have to know what it is," Alger promised generously, which was a rare sight.
"Deal," Audrey pursed her lips and replied with a faint smile.
Then, Alger created Qilangos' portrait with Klein's permission and assistance.
He was one of the seven major pirate admirals. He had a distinctive broad chin, brown hair tied into a bun at the back of his head like an ancient warrior, and green eyes that seemed to hint at laughter, but were abnormally cold..
After they finished their discussion and shared their insights, Klein smiled as he announced the ending of the Gathering. He saw Justice and The Hanged Man get up swiftly from their seats and bow while The Sun mimicked their motions, only slower.
He pressed forward with his right hand and severed the connection, but he didn't leave immediately.
...
In the Berg household in the City of Silver.
Derrick looked at his familiar surroundings and glanced outside at the dark sky that had flashes of lightning. He was momentarily thrown into a trance.
But he soon jolted to his senses. He searched for goatskin and a quill before writing down the Bard formula he memorized.
He looked at it several times and was finally certain that there was nothing wrong with it.
Derrick wasn't worried that possessing the Bard formula and becoming a different Beyonder would gain the suspicion of the upper echelons of the City of Silver. This was because in past exploratory expeditions, members of those elite troops would often collect some formulas, ingredients, and strange artifacts from the monsters in the abandoned and destroyed cities.
During this process, it was normal that people kept some of the loot privately. As long as it didn't involve anything too important, the captains and higher-ups would tacitly overlook it.
Over time, some formulas started going around through non-official channels within the City of Silver. Some became the foundation of strong families from generation to generation. The Things of the Dark surrounding the City of Silver were relatively fixed. Some ingredients could be obtained easily while some could only be encountered if one went far into the cursed land.
Putting aside the goatskin, Derrick recalled the mysterious Fool's instructions. Hence, in his simple bedroom, he lowered his head and simply prayed,
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era."
"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog."
"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."
...
Jotun was a very ancient language. It came equipped with the mystical properties demanded by rituals, prayers, and spell casting; therefore, Derrick didn't need to change the incantations into ancient Hermes.
...
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era."
...
Klein, who was seated at the seat of honor at the long bronze table, suddenly heard prayers reverberating in his ears. He then saw the crimson star that corresponded to Sun blinking.
He didn't try to touch it, but planned to reply to him ten minutes before the next Gathering so that the City of Silver youth would make preparations to be alone.
The most important part was for him to evade the conversion of time and date, to decrease the possibility of damaging Fool's mighty image.
After he confirmed that, Klein wrapped himself up with spirituality and stimulated a descent.
Returning to his room, Klein removed the spirituality wall and took a break before he got ready to head out again.
It wasn't necessary for him to play the role of a Seer, and he didn't have to fix his trip to the Divination Club into his daily schedule. He would only visit occasionally to make some extra pocket money and fulfill his supervision as a Nighthawk.
Originally, Klein wanted to laze around through the entire afternoon, but he suddenly thought of something that he had yet to do. So, he had no choice but to gather himself up. According to his appointment, he had to pay Detective Henry a visit that day and accept the final report about the red chimney investigation.
Sigh. I've heard that the big timers are all quite busy... I still have to spare some time to go to the Tingen Family Servant Assistance Association with Benson and Melissa to look for a good maidservant...Klein unwillingly changed his shirt, put on his black tuxedo, and held his silk top hat and silver-inlaid cane before walking out the door like a gentleman.
At Besik Street, under Henry's Private Detective Company, Klein put on a mask and lowered his hat as he went across the street quickly and entered the stairway.
Chapter 147: Night VisitorIn the office of the private investigator.
"Sir, your request has been completed," Detective Henry said to the gentleman in front of him with his hoarse voice. He heaved a sigh of relief. "This wasn't an easy mission, nor was it too difficult, but it used up a great deal of our resources and energy. To be honest, I'm a little regretful. I regret setting too low a price for this mission."
No, no matter what you say, I will not pay a single penny more! Klein emphasized in his heart. He pointed at the thick stack of documents on the coffee table and asked, "Is this the investigation report?"
"Yes." Henry pressed on the report that had at least sixty pages and sighed. "This is the most troublesome report that I've completed..."
He hadn't even finished his sentence when he saw Klein hand over four pounds in cash. His attention shifted to determining the authenticity of the notes.
"This is the remainder of the fees." Klein held the thick stack of notes.
Henry coughed.
"You sure are a gentleman that keeps to his word. Sigh. I didn't expect the investigation report to use this many pieces of paper. It was completely out of my budget."
At that moment, Klein took the thick investigation report and stood up.
He gave a slight bow and immediately made his way to the door with his cane in hand.
Detective Henry's last sentence was left stuck in his throat.
Hey, how can you expect me to pay for the paper used in the investigation report? That should be included in the fees already! Klein touched the five pounds eight soli he had left and muttered in his heart. He walked quickly onto Besik Street.
He surveyed the surroundings and confirmed that no one was paying attention to him before leaving the place. He found an opportunity to remove his mask.
Klein didn't intend to head home right away. He wanted to search for a cafe and organize the investigation report. He wanted to find the houses that had a change in tenants after divining the red chimney. He could then conduct his search before dinner.
There were many cafes in the area, but none of them met Klein's criteria. Ever since steam and machinery became the symbol of the times, more and more cafes had toned down on their decor and become something like cheap restaurants. They provided refreshments, coffee, bread, and dishes like pea and mutton stew to the busy workers. Thus, respectable ladies and gentlemen no longer went to cafes to discuss things. They no longer viewed these actions as being symbolic of their status. Various clubs started appearing and replaced cafes as a place for socializing.
After some time, Klein finally found a cafe that had a decent atmosphere.
He sat in a secluded corner and took a sip of his one-penny Southville Coffee before flipping open the investigation report.
"In Tingen City's North Borough, South Borough, East Borough, West Borough, Golden Indus, Harbor Borough, and University Borough, there are a total of 1179 buildings that have a dark red chimney... Along the outskirts of Tingen City, there are a total of 546 buildings with the red chimney the requester described. This doesn't include buildings in towns or villages that are relatively further away despite them falling under the jurisdiction of Tingen."
"Below are the addresses and tenant records of each of those buildings. As per the request, the activities within the last three months are recorded in more detail."
...
Klein flipped through page after page, occasionally making notes on paper he brought around with a fountain pen.
Finally, when he found the type of red chimney he had seen, he realized that there was a change of tenants in twenty-five buildings.
That's not too many. I should try to finish my investigations within two days. After all, I've seen that red chimney and parts of the house in my dream. My spiritual sense would have a feeling of familiarity when I see those signs again. I'll confirm the target that way. In other words, I'm a living investigation machine... Klein nodded. He split the buildings based on their location and planned to investigate fifteen of them that day.
He didn't need to do a divination to get an answer if these investigations would prove dangerous.
Since there was a change of tenants, that would mean that the mastermind behind the coincidences had already left!
Let's hope that the new tenants know what the previous tenants look like... But since the person behind the scenes can control my fate without anyone noticing, to the point of making the coincidences feel so natural, he would definitely have a way to remove any traces he might have left behind... Sigh, I can only pray to the Goddess and hope that he left behind some sort of clue... Klein sighed. He pumped himself up and put on his hat. He then grabbed his cane and the report before leaving the cafe.
Klein spent two soli on a rented carriage and visited fifteen buildings with the red chimneys before dinner. Unfortunately, none of the buildings was the one he saw in his dream.
It would be quite troublesome if tomorrow's investigation yields the same result. He might still be living in the house with the red chimney even after I saw it in my divination. This could say that he is very confident and isn't afraid of my investigation; in fact, he might not even be afraid of the Tingen Nighthawks. Or perhaps, he doesn't know that he's been exposed. That would mean that the power resisting my divination was a power not belonging to him... Klein stood in front of 2 Daffodil Street and analyzed the various possibilities.
A few minutes later, he patted down his tuxedo and pressed on his hat before taking out his key and entering the house with a smile.
He intended to prepare stewed mutton and honey glazed barbecue for Benson and Melissa that night.
...
At eleven in the evening, the siblings bade each other goodnight and returned to their respective rooms.
Klein closed the door to his room and stood before his desk. He looked outside the oriel window with the light of his gas lamp. At that moment, the streets were engulfed in darkness, with only a few street lamps illuminating the way. Stars dotted the screen that was the night sky. There were many stars, they were just not clearly visible.
"I wonder what Backlund is like, with its titles of the Land of Hope and the Capital of Capitals..." Klein muttered to himself. He extended his hand to grab his curtain, intending to draw it.
Woo!
At that moment, a sinister wind blew at him without warning. The light from his lamp turned a dark green.
Klein subconsciously took a few steps back. His occupational instincts made him tap his left molars twice. At the same time, he leaned toward the bed and tried to reach for his revolver under his pillow.
In his vision, a face suddenly protruded from the wall above the desk and under the gas lamp. It was a translucent face without any eyes or nose. All it had was a mouth!
"Do not fire." The face with a mouth spoke.
It can communicate? Klein already had his revolver in hand as he took aim.
"What do you want?" he asked in a deep voice.
The face chuckled.
"I'm Daly."
Daly? Spirit Medium Daly? The Spirit Medium Daly who was sent to the Backlund diocese? Klein raised his brows in doubt.
"Madam Daly?"
"I know that this method of visiting you is a little rude. I should've given you a warning so you could make the necessary preparations. But it isn't convenient for me to meet you right now, and so, I can only communicate with you using this little guy." The translucent face laughed.
Even though the voice is different and jarring, the manner of speech is indeed Madam Daly's style. The abilities of a Spirit Medium sure are cool... Klein reflected wistfully. He didn't lower his revolver as he asked, "Madam, what do you want to talk about with me?"
"If I were you, I would first seal the bedroom with spirituality. Otherwise, your family members might think of you as crazy." The translucent face quipped, "Heh heh, you need not be so cautious. I came back to Tingen in secret because of Dunn's letter. You know that a Nighthawk cannot leave the area they are assigned to at will."
"The Captain's letter?" Klein didn't approach the desk. Instead, he felt for the Holy Night Powder he had in the hidden pocket of his black trench coat.
"Dunn and I are both Beyonders that started with the Tingen Nighthawks. We have always maintained a good relationship. Last Thursday, yes, Thursday, he sent me a letter and mentioned you. He said that you emulated the maxim of a Mystery Pryer, came up with a set of rules for a Seer, and claimed that it was effective in helping you grasp your potion. From then on, you no longer hear sounds and see visions that you shouldn't. Dunn said that it was similar to what I did.
"Heh heh, are you not going to seal the room? I personally do not mind your brother and sister misunderstanding..." the translucent face said at an adequate pace.
So that's the reason... She's indeed Madam Daly... Klein heaved a sigh of relief, pushing the Holy Night Powder back into the inner pocket. He then walked to the desk and took out the silver dagger he used for rituals from the drawer.
He quickly built up a wall of spirituality before turning to the protruding face.
"Madam Daly, what else did the Captain talk about in the letter?"
"He only expressed his own confusion and said that he seemed to understand something*—*yet, he couldn't describe it clearly. He hoped to get my opinion on the matter," Daly said with the help of the face without eyes. "And when I read the letter this morning, I knew that you aren't as clueless as you pretend to be. Heh heh, Mr. Moretti, I think that you have deduced the 'acting method!'"
"That's the reason you came looking for me?" Klein neither confirmed nor denied her statement.
Daly clearly knows about the "acting method"... He calmly made the judgment.
Daly's translucent face revealed a slight smile.
"Yes."
"I believe that we should be honest with each other. I know that you have deduced the acting method, and you also know that I grasp the 'acting method' as well. Sigh. But what's making me unhappy is that I used nearly two years to understand it*—*yet, you've only been a Beyonder for one and a half months."
Klein fell silent for a while after hearing Daly. He then smiled honestly.
"That's because I have you as my role model."
He wanted to say that he was "standing on the shoulders of giants," but ultimately decided not to give Emperor Roselle a chance to appear in the conversation.
Chapter 148: MessengerKlein's reply made Daly chuckle. The translucent face with only a mouth said, "Even though you found inspiration through the maxim of the Mystery Pryers and confirmed your theories through my experience and performance, it only took you a month to understand the 'acting method' and come up with your own Seer principle. That shows that you possess outstanding wisdom and an open mind."
Klein didn't engage in the topic which made him guilty, but instead asked in response, "Madam, do the higher-ups in the church know about this so-called 'acting method?'"
"No doubt, they understand it very clearly. I once read through the historical information in the church and searched through stories of people ignoring the norms and advancing quickly. I realized that there were more than a few Nighthawks and bishops who have done so, I'm not the most unique one either. But their ending..." Daly intentionally paused, and she suddenly sounded heavy-hearted.
"What kind of ending did they have?" Klein asked, feeling a tug at his heartstrings.
Could it be that the Church of Evernight views the "acting method" as the seduction of some devil or evil god?
The translucent face suddenly laughed. "Their endings were rather great. Besides the few who lost control or were sacrificed in Beyonder incidents, the rest of them have at least become archbishops or high-ranking deacons. Among them, there are also experts that have successfully become High-Sequence Beyonders. In the Church of the Goddess, Sequence 4's and Sequence 3's are called Saints, while Sequence 2's and Sequence 1's are called Grounded Angels. Of course, every angel was once a Saint."
...Madam Daly, you deliberately tried to scare me earlier... the corner of Klein's lips twitched before he asked, without hiding his suspicions, "Since the Church has mastered the 'acting method,' why didn't they just tell every Nighthawk? Although it wouldn't prevent every Nighthawk from losing control, it would definitely lower the probability and reduce unnecessary losses."
A sense of loss appeared on the translucent face. "I have no idea why either. They told me that when I become an archbishop or high-ranking deacon, I'll be able to know the secret. I came here today because I hope that you can tell Dunn about the 'acting method' more clearly before you hand in your special request."
Klein wasn't stupid enough to ask why she couldn't do that herself; instead, he said thoughtfully, "Once noticed by the Church, one has to swear not to tell anyone about the 'acting method?'"
"Yes, you must do it before the Goddess's holy items and swear upon Her name. That holds enough binding force. Trust me, you definitely don't want to know the outcome of a violation. I can only talk about it with people who have mastered the 'acting method,' like you. Your body language already gave me the answer before you replied; that's why I dared to say the term." Daly made the creepy face sigh.
She paused for a moment before saying, "I only faintly grasped the essence of 'acting' back then and digested the potion very quickly. Yes, among the higher-ups in the Church, using the term 'digesting' to describe the control of the potion is very aptly worded. Anyway, before I made the pledge and found out about the 'acting method,' I had no clear understanding of it, so I couldn't accurately explain it to Dunn and the others.
"I gave up at first. I never thought that I would meet you, an eccentric wonder that could clearly understand the 'acting method' before handing in a special application—no, a genius."
So that's how you see me, Madam... the corner of Klein's mouth twitched before he solemnly promised, "I originally intended to remind Captain about the existence of the 'acting method' through my special application. With your explanation, I don't have to worry further."
"Very well, you're such a kind lad." Daly sounded relaxed.
Madam, you're only about two to three years older than me... Klein inwardly pointed out the error in her words.
Without him speaking any further, the translucent creepy face continued, "If you have any problems or anything that you require assistance with, you can write a letter to me. Wait for me, heh heh. When I become an Archbishop or a high-ranking deacon which allows me to understand why the Church hides the 'acting method,' I'll give you a hint whether if it's a good or bad thing.
Klein was suddenly energized, and he asked without hesitation, "Madam, what's your address?"
To him, the more help he got, the merrier. Plus, she was a pretty strong Spirit Medium!
Seeing that Klein didn't oppose the idea at all, Daly remained silent for a while before she laughed.
"Our communication shouldn't go through the post office, as we would be using normal letters. That's very dangerous.
"I'll teach you a relatively easy ritualistic magic. You can use it to summon a special spirit, one that belongs to me. Pass the letter to it, and it'll send it precisely to me. It wouldn't be faster than a telegram, but it's faster than a steam locomotive. If you were to send a message at noon, I would receive the message in Backlund that same night."
Klein listened to her with his full attention. He nodded faintly. "A very pragmatic ritualistic magic."
Daly chuckled.
"The uniqueness of the ritualistic magic is to pray to yourself. Obtaining power from your own spirituality, without going through a god. Hence, it's quite secretive, but it isn't very powerful.
"...First, you select a herb and essential oil in the corresponding domain. This is no different than normal ritualistic magic. However, you only need the candle that represents yourself. Then, regarding the spell, there are three parts. The first part is 'I.' Shout 'I' in either ancient Hermes, Jotun, Dragonish, or Elvish. The second part is 'I summon in my name.' That part can be said in Hermes. The third part is the exact description of the summoning object. For instance, you would use this in the future: 'the spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the higher-dimensional creature that a human orders, the messenger that belongs to Daly Simone."
Higher-dimensional? In mysticism, this is normally referred to as the spirit world...Klein memorized as he analyzed the ritual procedure.
In that aspect, he could barely be considered an expert.
The benefit of this kind of ritualistic magic is that it avoids calling upon a god but relies purely on a person's power. It achieves various magical effects without the constraints imposed by a god's specialized domain. The problem lies in the strength of a person. A weak result for the weak, and a strong result for the strong... Klein felt that he had once again obtained new mysticism knowledge that he would've never come into contact with at his current Sequence.
Daly repeated the description a few times and emphasized solemnly, "Remember, don't change the actual description of the summoning object, or the ritual could easily attract a terrifying monster."
"Okay." Klein nodded honestly.
At the same time, he suddenly thought of something.
If I were to change the description of the summoning object to "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era, the mysterious ruler above the gray fog; the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck," what would be summoned?
Would it be utterly useless, or would the gray fog suddenly descend, or would I need to respond in that mysterious space?
Would this help me in stirring more power from the world above the gray fog?
Would it cause a terrifying chain effect?
Klein still felt traces of the fear after his experimentation with the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem. In the end, he followed his intent and planned to divine above the gray fog before deciding whether he should make the attempt or not.
He contemplated and asked out of interest, "Madam, if one were to strictly practice the 'acting method,' how long does it take to go from Sequence 8 to Sequence 7, and how long from Sequence 7 to Sequence 6?"
"According to the information that I've read, it varies from three months to two years for Sequence 8 to Sequence 7. It depends on whether you can grasp the core spirit and corresponding principle during the 'acting' process. From Sequence 7 to Sequence 6, it varies from half a year to three years; likewise for Sequence 6 to Sequence 5. As for Sequence 5 to Sequence 4, three to twenty years..." Daly described roughly.
Klein suddenly smiled.
"So Madam, are you already at Sequence 6?"
He heard from Dunn that Daly used a year's time from Sequence 9 Corpse Collector to Sequence 8 Gravedigger. Then, from Gravedigger to Sequence 7 Spirit Medium, she used another year. She had been a Beyonder for five years. In other words, Daly was at the Spirit Medium stage for about three years.
"Yes, that's the reason why I was transferred to Backlund diocese," the creepy translucent face answered frankly. "My current occupation is a Spirit Guide. However, I prefer the name Spirit Medium. Alright, this little guy is getting tired. I have to go. Under such circumstances, I won't be saying 'may the Goddess bless you.'"
"Sweet dreams." Klein pressed his chest, smiled, and bowed.
"No, there won't be any sweet dreams tonight. I have to rush back to Backlund. This isn't a happy experience, it's like having a relationship with someone you don't like..." Daly's voice grew softer, and the translucent face with no eyes or nose slowly shrank back into the wall without leaving behind any traces.
The gas lamp light suddenly became bright and the gloominess vanished into thin air.
Klein, who had his Spirit Vision activated the entire time, watched the changes in a daze. It took him a while to snap back to reality.
"Spirit Medium—no, Spirit Guide is very impressive. It can actually conjure a 'messenger.' I wonder what's the specialty of my Sequence 7 and Sequence 6?" he muttered to himself. Then, he quickly dispelled the spiritual wall, switched off the gas lamp in his bedroom, and silently lay down in the darkness.
He didn't plan to head to the world above the gray fog that night, just in case Daly suddenly returned and said Dunn Smith's classic words, "Oh yeah, I forgot one thing."
When that happens, I wouldn't even be able to silence her with death!
...
On the second day, Klein arrived at the Blackthorn Security Company three minutes early.
"Good morning, Klein. The new clerk is here!" Rozanne greeted with a splendid smile.
Klein felt sincerely happy for her.
"Congratulations, Rozanne. The Goddess heard your prayers."
"My skin shall be back to perfect condition!" Rozanne nodded, her eyes beaming with joy.
After they chatted for a while, Klein walked through the partition and knocked on the door to the Captain's office.
"Please come in." Dunn's mellow voice sounded.
Klein pushed open the door to enter. He saw his Captain sit up instinctively as his gray eyes turned dark. It was as though he was prepared for trouble.
Ahem. Klein cleared his throat, set aside his hat and cane, then sat down. "Captain, I have something that I'd like to report."
"What is it?" Dunn asked in a deep voice, his arms crossed.
Chapter 149: Direct HintKlein looked at the serious Dunn Smith and smiled suddenly.
"Captain, I understood something yesterday."
"And what is that?" Dunn repeated the question in a serious tone. He leaned back and unfolded his crossed arms.
Klein recalled the script that he had prepared.
"As I was concluding my past experiences, I realized that the names of Sequence potions encompass a whole set of principles that can help us gain control over them, a set of principles that allow us to avoid the negative impacts. When we're doing things according to these set of principles, we seem to become a member of the corresponding job.
"Similarly, these sets of principles are hidden. They aren't made known to you directly. All we can do is make conclusions from the corresponding job bit by bit, then adjust our understanding based on the different feedback we receive.
"Thus, when I became a real Seer at the Divination Club and obtained my set of principles for the Seer, the auditory and visual illusions that plagued me just vanished.
"That is what I understood."
After finishing his narration, Klein heaved a sigh to himself. He said everything he needed to say, other than explicitly mentioning the term 'acting.'
Sigh, let's hope that the Captain doesn't tell the Church that I've already developed such ideas when he is asked. That would place much more attention on me... There's also the factor of the relationship between the Seer pathway and the Antigonus family. That might cause trouble eventually. But the Captain has also experienced all kinds of situations, and he's an experienced and smart person. Once he understands the "acting method," he'll definitely notice that the Church is hiding relevant information. He'll know what he should say and what he shouldn't... Klein had many complicated thoughts.
But he quickly made a decision and had a plan.
If the Captain was still unable to understand the "acting method" or sense of the cover-up by the Church, then I'll tell him straight up before submitting the special application!
Yes, I'll probe him first and determine what he knows...
Dunn listened to Klein's description in silence, his gray eyes becoming even deeper.
He was silent for nearly twenty seconds as he rubbed his temples before he picked up his pipe and took a whiff.
After sniffing it, he took out a matchbox, seemingly forgetting about the rules of the Nighthawks.
The white smoke billowed into the air as Dunn closed his eyes, seemingly appreciating the smell of tobacco.
After a while, he opened his eyes and smiled at Klein.
"I'm sorry, I forgot that you don't smoke."
"Smoking is bad for your health," Klein answered in all seriousness.
Dunn thought with his pipe in his hand.
"I seem to have understood something too."
No Captain, you don't understand anything! Just don't loiter in my dreams too often! Klein didn't speak and instead, gave a friendly smile.
"Perhaps it won't be too long before you submit the special application to me..." Dunn said to Klein, half-jokingly as he took a deep puff of the mint and tobacco.
Can I submit it tomorrow? Klein replied inwardly. He took out his pocket watch and looked at the time.
"Captain, I have be at Old Neil's. Today's mysticism lessons are starting soon."
"Alright." Dunn watched Klein leave, his pipe still in his hand.
After closing the door to the Captain's office, Klein made his way towards the steps leading to the basement in high spirits. He saw two strangers, a male and a female, when he walked past the clerk's office.
The new clerks... Klein's mind wondered before he added inwardly, In another two days, definitely within this week, I'll submit my application to Captain!
Then I'll pass a series of inspections and become a Sequence 8 Clown!
...
Along the silent underground passage, Klein turned to the armory and pushed the guard room door open.
"What happened to you?" Klein had a shock when he saw Old Neil.
Old Neil looked dispirited, his face was pale. He yawned constantly as he said, "I've been a little constipated lately. I tried ritualistic magic that can solve such problems last night. In the end... I didn't sleep well the entire night. I had to head to the bathroom multiple times, and in the end, and I nearly fell asleep on the toilet bowl."
Well, the problem of constipation has been solved... Klein nearly laughed, seeing that it wasn't a serious problem.
But he controlled himself. He asked, "Are you feeling better now?"
At the same time, his concern made him tap his left molar twice. He used his Spirit Vision to observe the aura of Old Neil's health.
There are some darkness and impurities in the digestive system's yellow and the kidney's orange colors, but it's nothing too serious and is within an acceptable range...Klein heaved a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine now. I got some medicine for the diarrhea from Frye." Old Neil yawned like a drug addict. "Self-study for today's supernatural lesson. There's only two or three days left of content anyway."
"Alright," Klein responded politely. "I could help you guard the armory and study here. How about you go rest in the break room?"
Old Neil immediately straightened his back, his eyes glimmering as he answered, "Lad, you surely are the kindest Nighthawk, second to Frye!
"I'll hand the armory over to you!"
He picked up the cushion he had placed on his knees and rushed out of the guard room like a typhoon, leaving Klein the only person there, dazed.
...
The Blackthorn Security Company accepted an extra mission in the morning. The task involved escorting a rich merchant to the harbor for a deal. Leonard and Kenley completed it easily, earning themselves some extra pay, much to the envy of Klein.
He went about his day, learning about mysticism, practicing his shooting, and getting tortured by Instructor Gawain who seemed to have been agitated by something.
Huff, huff... Klein gasped for air. He only regained the ability to take a shower and change after quite some time.
He continued toiling after leaving Gawain's house. He spent two soli on a carriage and investigated the other ten houses with red chimneys.
Klein's expression became very grave when the last house with the red chimney left his field of vision.
The house with the red chimney that I saw in my divination isn't in the list of houses with a recent change in tenants... If that's the case, this has just become troublesome. I wonder how much time I would need to investigate about 1600 houses... Sigh. I can't ask for any help to do something like this. After all, only I would have the sense of familiarity from my spirituality when I see the target...
Don't be discouraged, don't give up. I'll continue the investigation whenever I have free time. I'll try to complete it within three months, no—two months! Who knows, the target might be found in tomorrow's investigation!
And, I'll organize the material when I get back and plan a route according to the distance of the sectors!
Klein motivated himself, banishing his feelings of depression.
Now that he had made a decision, he planned to instruct the driver to turn toward Daffodil Street. However, he suddenly realized that he was somewhere close to where Mr. Azik stayed.
Before Mr. Azik went for his holiday, he did write to tell me that he would be back sometime this week, but he didn't specify the exact date. Since it's on the way, I'll leave a note for him. Also, I rented this carriage for an hour with two soli, and the time's almost up anyway. I'll just stop at Mr. Azik's house, then take a public carriage back...Klein quickly made a decision.
Four minutes later, he alighted from the carriage and arrived outside Mr. Azik's house.
The houses here were obviously of higher quality than those at Daffodil Street, but not as good as those on Howes Street. There was a patch of grass in front of the house, and a small garden in the back.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Klein pulled on the rope outside the door and sounded the bell within the house.
A few moments later, he heard footsteps from inside before the door swung open.
Azik's mild facial features and bronze skin appeared before Klein. Since he was at home, he was only dressed in a simple white shirt, a brown vest, and matching pants.
"Klein? I was just about to write to you," Azik greeted enthusiastically. "I just arrived home last night."
Klein stared at the small mole near Azik's right ear.
"Mr. Azik, I found a clue to your past."
"Really?" Azik instantly became excited. The sadness he had in his eyes dulled.
"Let's talk inside." Klein looked around.
Azik quickly nodded. He moved to the side and allowed Klein entry.
He locked the door and guided Klein to the living room on the first floor. They sat on the soft sofa.
"What clues did you find?" he asked impatiently.
Having not expected to meet Mr. Azik today, Klein organized his words.
"I received a mission recently and had to deal with a wraith in Lamud Town."
"Lamud..." Azik repeated the term softly, his eyebrows creasing.
Klein observed his expression and slowed down his tone.
"In the process of dealing with the wraith, we discovered something and thus conducted an investigation within the town...
"A resident of the town was in possession of a portrait of the first Baron Lamud which he tried to sell me. I asked to view the portrait out of curiosity and discovered that the person drawn had facial features that resembled yours, other than the hair. He even had the same mole near the ear, similar position, similar size.
"Under my interrogation, the man told me that the portrait was about forty years old, but the person in the portrait definitely came from the abandoned castle. It was a replica of the ancient portrait excavated from the castle.
"You should know that people like us with unique abilities can more or less tell if somebody is lying. This told me that the man wasn't lying."
Azik leaned forward as he listened to Klein. He crossed his arms and remained silent for a while.
Five minutes later, he exhaled.
"Your description didn't make me recall anything. Perhaps, I should visit the abandoned castle myself. Can you take me there?"
"That would be my honor," Klein replied. "But I have to head home first. I don't want my siblings to worry."
"No problem." Azik stood up.
Chapter 150: Azik's Discovery2 Daffodil Street. Klein nodded at Azik and briskly walked to the door of his house, fished out his keys, and opened the door.
Melissa was already home, so she heard the click of the door lock and quickly came out of the kitchen and into the living room.
Upon seeing Klein, she said with eyes beaming with joy, "I bought groceries. There's chicken, potatoes, onions, fish, turnips, and peas. I even bought a small jar of honey."
Sis, are you also getting used to the occasional luxury? Klein chuckled.
"You'll have to prepare dinner tonight. Earl me out for I'll be out of town. I might not return until dawn. Yea, I'm doing a favor for Mr. Azik, a teacher from the Khoy University's Department of History."
As he spoke, he turned sideways and pointed at the carriage that was waiting outside.
Melissa's lips opened and closed twice, before she pursed them and said, "Alright."
Klein bade his sister farewell and left. He got into the rented carriage that Azik had hired and traveled two hours and forty minutes to Lamud Town.
It was almost nine at that point. The sky was dark, and they could only rely on the crimson moonlight and the twinkling starlight that penetrated the clouds to illuminate the areas without street lamps.
After he instructed the driver to wait in town, Klein led Azik towards the ancient abandoned castle.
As they walked, he realized that Azik was walking faster, to the point of him having to break out into a small jog to keep up. In the end, it was Azik who led the way.
Klein wanted to say something initially, but cleverly swallowed his words when he saw Azik's solemn expression and tightly pursed lips.
With such speed, they quickly arrived at the ancient castle.
The castle which was almost a wreckage extended itself in all four directions while its spire looked desolate, wild, eerie, and dark.
Azik looked at the ancient castle and slowed down his footsteps.
He stopped there and his gaze looked profound but lost, as though he was hovering between dreams and reality.
Suddenly, he groaned in pain, lifting his hand to pinch his forehead while his muscles looked distorted with agony.
"Mr. Azik, are you okay?" Klein asked carefully as he activated his Spirit Vision.
When they were onboard the hired carriage, making their way from Daffodil Street to Lamud Town, he had done a quick divination by flipping a coin to see if there would be any danger on their trip.
But he believed that divination wasn't all-powerful, and he kept his guard up to prevent any misinterpretation on his part. Plus, Azik was quite mysterious. No one knew about his past, and it was uncertain how he would respond if he were to be stimulated by an encounter with his past. Caution and worry had accompanied Klein throughout the trip.
Azik didn't reply immediately but took another two steps forward with a pained expression. He relaxed the hand that was holding his forehead. He then pointed forward with a dreamy tone.
"I've seen this ancient castle before in my dream.
"Back then, it was still complete with a robust outer wall and a high spire.
"I remember that there was a stable there, a water well there, and a barracks there. Over there was a garden that was used to plant potatoes and sweet potatoes...
"I remember there was a training field. My child, he was a boy. He was only about seven or eight years old, but he enjoyed running around while dragging a broadsword that was taller than him. He said that he wanted to become a knight when he grows up...
"My wife always complained about it being too gloomy in the castle. She liked the sunlight, the warmth..."
...
Klein looked at the color of his energy field, and what the man said made his scalp tingle. He was also slightly touched, as though he was experiencing a paranormal story himself.
The ancient castle is really related to Mr. Azik... Could he really be the first generation Baron Lamud, a transcendental creature that has lived for fourteen hundred years? Is he a human or an evil spirit? No way, there are no such things as evil spirits running around under broad daylight and getting involved with the Nighthawks...Klein couldn't help with his thoughts and allowed them to clash against each other to ignite more ideas.
Just then, Azik stopped muttering and took huge strides through the main gate.
He walked all the way into the castle without Klein's guidance. He found the hidden gear with obvious familiarity and opened the secret door to enter the basement.
Gripping his cane tightly, Klein followed behind Azik. They walked down along the stairs and returned to the place where there was a coffin.
Unlike the previous time, the coffin was closed and the warm and pure feeling was gone.
The coffin is closed... It must've been Frye. It's his work ethic as a Corpse Collector...Klein nodded thoughtfully and watched the conflicted Azik walk in front of the coffin with his Spirit Vision.
Azik extended his hands to push the coffin lid until there was a gap.
He gazed at the skeleton without a skull for a long time, and he suddenly wailed in pain and sorrow.
Azik lurched backwards with heavy footsteps. He staggered and fell against the wall before Klein managed to respond.
He covered his face with his hands and sat there dispirited. The surroundings suddenly became even darker.
Klein quickened his pace and extended his hands, but he retracted them again, not daring to disturb the man.
Just then, his spiritual perception told him that the current Mr. Azik was very scary, so scary that the basement grew gloomy and terrifying.
Klein slowly moved closer to the stairs.
He trusted Mr. Azik's character, but he was afraid that the man would lose control.
In such an uneasy situation, he waited for a few more minutes. Then, he finally saw Azik lower his hands and stand up slowly.
Mr. Azik seems to have changed... This is what my spiritual perception tell me... But in my Spirit Vision, his aura colors don't have any obvious changes. His emotions are in low spirits, depressed and pained as before... Klein made a quick judgment and felt that Azik had become gloomier and more imposing.
"I recalled something, but it's very minor." Azik spoke with an emotionless tone.
Then, he looked around and said, "I sense the power that made your fate disharmonious."
"Huh?" Klein was stunned. Pleasantly surprised, he asked in reply, "Can you trace the source?"
The person behind the scene who stayed in the red chimney house created coincidences in secret and came to Lamud's ancient castle to take away the black armored knight's head?
What is he trying to do? What is his true intention?
"It's been too long, but, I'd like to try." There seemed to be a volcano that was close to erupting within Azik's deep voice.
"How?" Klein asked curiously.
Azik walked before the coffin and gazed upon the skeleton inside it.
"He took my child's skull. I want to find him through a blood connection."
Your child? Mr. Azik, are you sure the black armored knight is your child? So you really are an antique... You really lost your memory after such a long time? This is the price you have to pay in order to obtain such longevity? Klein took a silent breath, feeling the odd sensation of interacting with a legendary creature.
Then, Azik extended his right hand and suddenly cut his index finger with his thumbnail.
A drop of fresh red blood accurately dripped onto the white skeleton.
It quickly seeped into the skeleton, and the entire skeleton suddenly turned blood-red.
Wah! Wah! Wah! Klein suddenly heard the sound of a baby crying and felt that there was someone staring at him from behind.
He drew his revolver and pointed behind him before turning around slowly. However, there was nothing in sight. Nothing existed behind him.
Even the stairway that connected to the ground floor was gone!
Wah! Wah!
The sound of a baby crying drilled into Klein's ears, and when he looked towards the coffin again, he was shocked to see that there were many shapeless and distorted faces rising amidst billowing black fog. Then, they manifested a strange door.
Creak!
The illusory door opened and palish-white arms extended out, one after another, but they vanished into the black fog before Azik.
Through the crack that the door opened, Klein saw a white skull. It was thrown underneath a brown tree and reduced to powder as a result of the elements.
Creak!
Countless palish-white arms were sliced off by the door that suddenly slammed shut as they fell onto the ground.
Then, Klein heard a long sigh, Mr. Azik's heavy sigh, a sigh that seemed to have a rich history behind it.
Along with the sigh, the black fog dispersed and the sound of a baby crying ceased. Everything returned to its original state, except for the accentuated chill.
Klein clenched his chattering teeth and looked into the coffin. He saw that the red skeleton had returned to its original, crystal-clear white.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't find him..." Azik said in a deep voice, his back to Klein.
At the same time, he closed the coffin.
"It's not surprising that we couldn't find him. It would've been a surprise if we could," Klein comforted him.
Anyway, I've been disappointed many times regarding this matter... he added in his head.
Azik took another glance at the coffin before him. He turned around slowly and said, "I'll continue investigating and I hope that I can have your assistance."
"No problem. This is exactly what I wanted to do." Klein held back his urge to tell Azik about the red chimney.
Because it was useless to bring it up. He could only rely on himself to confirm his target.
However, that solved one of his major problems, which was how he should involve the Nighthawks after he found the red chimney house. He didn't believe that he could take out such a mysterious and scary puppet master alone.
Now, he could ask for Mr. Azik's help!
Azik widened his mouth, but didn't say anything in the end. All he did was sigh and walk towards the stairway quietly.
After leaving the basement and closing the secret door, the two of them walked along the road covered with weeds and brambles. Neither one of them spoke as they walked back from the abandoned ancient castle.
In the dark night, Azik suddenly said, "Until this matter is resolved, I will quit my job and leave Tingen, to look for my lost past."
"Mr. Azik, did you find out what happened to you?" Klein asked, having failed to hide his curiosity.