297 - 304

Chapter 297: The Full Moon's Ravings

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Klein had just put on his double-breasted frock coat, picked up his half top hat, and was walking toward the door when he heard a series of illusory prayers.

Who is it? He frowned slightly and listened, but he could only confirm that the supplicant was a woman and that her voice was staccato, as though she were in great pain.

Since he had nothing particularly urgent to tend to, the newly-advanced Magician, Klein, casually tossed his half top hat onto the coat rack accurately, and he returned to his bedroom. After taking four steps counterclockwise, he entered the majestic palace.

This time, he didn't see any illusory star expanding or contracting with a deep red glow. Instead, at the end of the ancient, mottled bronze table, by the side of The Fool's seat was a clear radiance rippling out.

It's a prayer from a non-Tarot Club member… Is it Xio or that lady with curly brown hair? Klein speculated as he took his seat.

Since he had already emptied his anonymous account, he didn't suspect that someone was trying to steal his wealth.

Leaning back, Klein pointed with his left hand, spreading out his spirituality to touch the rippling light.

The scene around him suddenly changed. He saw the overturned coffee table, the slanted sofa, books and papers strewn all over the floor, and a woman with brown hair struggling in pain.

At the same time, Klein heard her prayers.

"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…

"Save me, save me…"

Save me? From the looks of it, she seems to be losing control. Her hair is growing longer at a discernible speed, and her skin is covered with a layer of sinister white light. How could I possibly save her… Klein observed carefully for a few seconds, then mumbled to himself, feeling stumped.

It was at this moment that he detected in the woman's anguished pleas a faint, illusory, indistinct raving.

Yes, a raving!

These ravings were similar to the ones he experienced before rising above the gray fog, but it had no madness or evil to it at all. Furthermore, it didn't contain any obvious malice.

It appears that this lady's state of nearly losing control is a result of hearing the ravings… If she stops hearing it, could she be able to calm down and turn for the better? In thought, Klein reached his hand out to the rippling circle of light.

Following that, he allowed his spirituality to gush out of his body, establishing a firm and mysterious connection

After advancing to Magician, his spirituality had become a lot more abundant, and the burden in this aspect had decreased accordingly.

…

Fors felt her head muddling as she felt her thoughts were like boiling water. They were constantly bubbling in a bid to break free of the restraints of her head.

"Am I dying… I don't want to, I don't want to become a monster…" Just as she was woefully thinking this in her mind, the pain flooded over her like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, she was wide awake. The pain, the irritation, the madness, and the despair, which she felt so deeply in her bones, seemed to no longer exist, as though it was only an illusion.

I managed to endure through it so quickly today? Isn't it longer during a Blood Moon? Confused, Fors opened her eyes which she had unconsciously closed. She found an endless grayish-white fog beneath her, and in front of her was an ancient, mottled bronze table.

Where is this place? Surprised, she looked around and saw numerous towering stone pillars, as well as a towering palace that was propped up by those stone pillars.

Then, at the very end of the long bronze table, she saw a mysterious figure shrouded in thick gray fog who seemed to be overlooking everything from above.

What is this place? Who is he? Fors turned wary and questioned inwardly.

Then, she remembered what she had just done!

Under her extreme pain, she had chanted the mysterious incantation which Xio had found in the "History of the Loen Kingdom's Aristocracy," an incantation that was suspected to be directed at some evil god!

No, not just evil spirits! He was actually able to temporarily help me get rid of the harmful effects of those terrifying ravings… He even pulled me into this strange world… This… While Fors suppressed the fear in her heart, she half stood up and bowed.

"May I know who you are…"

At that moment, she suddenly recalled the contents of the incantation as she blurted out, "You are The Fool! Uh, Mr. Fool.

"You are His Excellency, The Fool?"

Klein smiled, nodded slightly and said, "Just call me Mr. Fool."

As he spoke, he noticed on the back of the chair in which Fors was sitting on, the symbols and mysterious patterns formed by the shining stars were rapidly changing.

In just one or two seconds, the interior of the room was covered with layers upon layers of doors. Numerous illusory doors of the same kind were formed there!

Door? As soon as Klein saw the symbol, he immediately associated it with the mention of Mr. Door in Roselle's diary.

During a full moon, the other party would come close to the real world and let out cries for help!

Could the ravings have something to do with Mr. Door? Hmm… It's the night of the Blood Moon tonight, an enhanced version of the full moon… This lady corresponds to a door, and the symbol on the back of Miss Xio's seat is similar to the Sword of Judgment… Klein nodded indiscernibly.

Through this, he confirmed that once a stable connection was established and that if the other party was a Beyonder, the symbol behind the seat would change according to the other party's actual circumstances. They didn't have to necessarily join the Tarot Club and come to the mysterious space above the gray fog at fixed intervals.

At that moment, waves of shock rose up in Fors's heart.

The Fool… It's indeed The Fool… That honorable name does point towards a powerful existence!

What does he want? Will he want to make a transaction with my soul?

Heh, at least — it's at least better than losing control from those ravings… I guess I managed to claw my life back. Whatever happens in the future would just be a bonus…

While she was still lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard Mr. Fool ask with a smile, "You hear ravings from nowhere every full moon?"

How does he know? Fors looked over in surprise and replied in a daze, "Yes."

Before she finished her sentence, she suddenly thought of a possibility and asked, "D-do you know the origin of those ravings? Do you know who is trying to harm me? Do you know how to solve this problem once and for all?"

He's a miserable wretch who is lost in the darkness and trapped in a storm… Klein had intended to reply with the words that would shape his image, but when he thought about it, he couldn't be sure that the woman in front of him had indeed heard the words coming from Mr. Door.

In order to not make any mistakes and to not embarrass himself in the future, he skipped over the question and said with a vague smile, "He might not necessarily want to hurt you. Perhaps, he is just asking for your help."

Therefore, the ravings weren't malicious, not crazy or evil.

"Asking for my help? But those ravings push me closer and closer to losing control. If you hadn't helped me, I might've become a monster by now," Fors returned incredulously.

Klein grinned and said, "That's because you're too weak."

"I'm too weak?" Fors was stunned and at a loss.

Klein briefly explained, "The difference in your life's natural order and his is too great. Perhaps, just by breathing normally, the storm brought about by him can rip you to pieces. Perhaps, just a glance from him will cause you to die on the spot.

"Of course, if he purposely controls his own strength, it's not that he can't communicate normally with you. However, his voice might need to pass through layers of obstructions in order to reach your ears. Deliberate control typically implies a failure to call for help. Heh heh, that's if we assume that he's calling for help."

The difference in our life's natural order is too great… I would die from just one glance from him… Fors was stunned from what she heard. After quite some time, she forced a smile and said, "This reminds me of a saying.

"You may not look directly at God…"

Klein smiled at her without giving a positive answer.

Could it be that those terrifying ravings really come from an existence who's nearly a god? Mr. Fool can help me eliminate that person's influence, and all this time, he's been talking about it in a rather bland tone… Does this mean that he and that existence's life's natural order are at the same level? The more she thought about it, the more shocked she became. Even her body couldn't stop trembling.

Klein waited a few seconds, then asked, "How long does it last every full moon?"

"Three to five minutes. If it's the night of the Blood Moon, it will exceed seven minutes," Fors gathered her thoughts and answered honestly.

The more Klein listened, the more he felt that the ravings' owner belonged to Mr. Door.

He temporarily put the matter down and smiled.

"You can return in a few minutes.

"There is only one way to solve your problem, and that is to raise your life's natural order."

Fors hesitated for a moment before saying, "Whenever I encounter the full moon, can I recite your name?

"I-I will be your devout believer!"

"No, there's no need." Klein smiled and shook his head. "But I don't mind helping you along the way."

"Thank you so much!" Although she suspected that she was dealing with an evil god, she no longer wanted to experience the same painful "nightmare" as before.

After confirming this matter, she relaxed a lot. Noticing that there were still many seats around the long bronze table, she asked probingly, "Mr. Fool, it seems there are others who come here frequently?"

No, they might not necessarily be human… Fors added silently.

Klein smiled and said with a casual attitude, "They're a few people who are similar to you. I pulled them here for various reasons.

"They hope that I can hold a gathering at regular intervals to facilitate the trade of formulas, ingredients, information, and missions.

"I agreed to it."

Fors was enticed by what she heard. Thinking that she was already part of this, she boldly asked, "Mr. Fool, can I join this gathering?"

"Sure. Three in the afternoon on Mondays. Remove all disturbances." Klein smiled and pointed at the cards that suddenly appeared on the surface of the long bronze table. "They've decided to use the names of the tarot cards as their code names. You can pick one of these, but these already belong to someone and you cannot choose from…"

Fors nodded her head, shuffling the cards and cutting them with great interest while mumbling, "Let fate arrange my title…"

Soon, she pulled out a card and looked at it: "The Magician!"

Chapter 298: Together Again

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Fors's eyelashes fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself lying on the floor of her living room. Through the window, she saw that the bright moon was hanging high in the sky like a crimson disk. The normally thin and blurry chiffon seemed to turn into rich bloody light.

I'm not dead, I didn't lose control… It wasn't a dream just now… I really was saved by a mysterious and powerful Mr. Fool… When Fors sat up and examined herself, she saw that there was nothing unusual about the rest of her body except that her hair had grown longer and denser.

But my life is completely different from before… I don't know if this is good or bad…Silently mumbling to herself, Fors sat on the ground hugging her knees whilst lost in thought. Her mind would sometimes wander off, and at times, she would be anxious, sad, or confused.

…

Above the gray fog, Klein looked at the chair which had the symbol of a layered door on its back. He muttered to himself in thought, I wonder what kind of information is contained in those ravings…

When she's at Sequence 7 or Sequence 6, she should be able to resist the negative effects and hear the content of the ravings.

If she hasn't grasped the acting method, I can let Miss Justice and the others help me teach her. I have sworn under a Holy Artifact to the Goddess that I wouldn't mention anything related to the acting method to people who aren't aware of it.

… When I advance to Sequence 5 and become a Nimblewright Master, perhaps I can use a corresponding ritual and the uniqueness of this mysterious space to remotely control her and directly see what she sees and hear what she hears.

That way, I can determine if it's Mr. Door…

This gentleman who has witnessed the history of the Fourth Epoch might be even older than Mr. Azik who had lived multiple lives.

I wonder what Sequence his strength and level are equivalent to. 2? Or even 1?

After some consideration, he felt that his spirituality was becoming unstable, so he hurriedly descended into the gray fog and returned to the real world.

This was a common occurrence after a recent advancement; therefore, Klein gave up on going out, and he patiently entered Cogitation at home, retracting and releasing his spirituality.

…

In the wee hours of the morning, Fors took the earliest steam metro back to St. George Borough before taking a public carriage to the two-bedroom apartment where she lived with Xio.

When she opened the door, she was surprised to find Xio, who usually slept late, toasting some bread.

"The sudden appearance of last night's Blood Moon gave me insomnia, so I woke up very early. Fors, are you alright? Did those strange ravings get stronger?" Xio asked, looking up with concern.

Fors's vision suddenly blurred. She turned her head to the side, forced a smile, and said with her usual confrontational tone, "What happened to your brain? Didn't I say it before? The ravings will definitely become stronger during the Blood Moon!

"But it doesn't affect me at all. Yeah, it doesn't affect me at all. Look at me, look at how energetic I am right now!

"Hey, toast a piece of bread for me too!"

"I thought you didn't like eating it this way?" Xio tidied her short, blonde hair and mumbled softly.

…

After taking his first step at revenge and attaining an advancement, Klein slept through the night. He leisurely went out to buy Feynapotter noodles for breakfast, along with a Desi pie and a cup of sweet iced tea.

After enjoying the delicacies in satisfaction, he put down his fork and knife and picked up the newspaper. He was in a very relaxed mood as he began to read.

A quick scan revealed that the headlines of the Tussock Times read:

"Night of the Bloody Moon, the Killer Demon strikes again!"

Again? Klein quickly flipped through the front pages of the other newspapers and saw many similar titles:

"The 11th true case! The police are helpless!"

"The cold-blooded Killing Demon has once again made a clear mockery of the police!"

"The atmosphere of panic is spreading through Backlund!"

This… The Nighthawks and the Mandated Punishers must all be having headaches, right? Klein sighed in his heart.

To be honest, he had the urge to catch the killer.

Back on Earth, when he was weak, he would often daydream about being a person to uphold justice and punish evil. But now, as a Sequence 7 Beyonder, Klein felt sorry for his past dreams due to his choice of not being a superhero.

Sigh, what a pity. This case has already received a high level of attention. If I were to join in, wouldn't that mean that I'm waiting for my identity to be exposed? I still have to be rational… Furthermore, according to The Sun, the culprit is highly likely to be advancing from Sequence 6 to Sequence 5. Although I won't be afraid of him, I might not be able to catch him even with the new spells and spell-like abilities I gained. It's quite risky… After thinking about it, Klein still chose to follow his deepest beliefs and remain an ordinary citizen.

He believed that with the strength of the few Churches—if the killer were to continue committing crimes—there was a high chance of them getting caught!

After flipping through the news, Klein glanced at the Backlund Morning Post and found that the advertisement for the Ernst Firm's purchase of goods had appeared again on the fifth page.

There's going to be a gathering tomorrow night at 8 o'clock. I can sell the Spring of the Elves marrow crystals to the Apothecary then… Klein muttered as he memorized the first four digits of the price listed.

Half an hour later, he finished reading the thick newspaper in front of him and started to seriously consider his future plans.

The long-term plan is to advance to a higher Sequence, becoming a demigod expert before I plot my revenge against Ince Zangwill.

A mid-term plan is to find the acting method for Magician. I'll slowly summarize the corresponding mantras to observe, so as to digest the potion bit by bit. During this process, I'll start my search for the Characteristic of a Human-skinned Shadow, hair from a Deep-sea Naga, Thousand-faced Hunter's blood, and mutated pituitary gland, as well as the means to remove an evil god's corruption from an object.

Um… The Beyonder ingredients of Sequence 6 each cost around 1500 pounds. It's very expensive!

In addition, I need to obtain a mystical item that's focused on attacking or controlling. Although a Magician is very powerful, most of the Beyonder powers are used for life-preservation and escaping. In a corresponding environment, the strongest attack is that of a custom revolver. The only boon is how it takes others by surprise, and it also lacks the means to control an enemy.

Short-term plan, short-term plan… Heh, I'll be cutting up some paper figurines and make preparations for my powers. I'll visit the circus in the afternoon as a way to relax and for entertainment. I can try to gain inspiration for the "acting" by observing ordinary magicians. Yes, I saw in the newspapers that there are a few permanent circuses in Backlund…

After finalizing his thoughts, Klein immediately tidied up his plates, cleaned his knife and fork, and devoted himself into being busy making preparations.

When it was almost noon, he put down the scissors and looked at the three crude paper figurines in front of him. He sighed and muttered to himself, This is probably the first time in my life that I've done manual work so seriously

Fortunately, it's just to cut out some paper figurines and not flowers or embroidery. It's fine as long as it's shaped like a person!

Sigh, if it wasn't for the fact that my hands have become dexterous, I might've failed today…

Klein had just used an additional paper figurine to test his capabilities and confirmed that everything was fine.

He folded the paper figurines and hid it in a stack of notes. Klein put them away into his pocket.

Just as he was about to go out and enjoy a meal at a slightly better restaurant before heading to the nearest circus to watch the performance, the doorbell suddenly rang, and the pleasant, jingling sound echoed in the air.

A job? The advertisement I posted should be almost done with its listing period…Wearing a starched shirt and a thin warm sweater, Klein came to the door and grabbed the handle.

At the same time, the image of the visitor appeared in his mind.

It was a man in his forties. He was rather fat, and he appeared to have difficulty even standing.

His eyes were tiny from the copious amounts of flesh on his face. His skin was rough but very white. He had a gentleman's cane in his hand, and a very tall and large hat on his head.

Even though Backlund was cold in October, the man's forehead was dripping with sweat.

Beside him were two attendants in bright red coats, supporting him from both sides.

I don't know him… Klein mumbled, and before his spiritual perception could respond, he opened the door.

"Good afternoon. The weather is truly scorching hot." The fat middle-aged man took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

As he spoke, a cold wind blew, causing the two attendants beside him to shiver.

"Good afternoon. Is there anything I can help you with?" Klein asked politely.

"You are Detective Sherlock Moriarty? I have something that I want to entrust you with." The middle-aged man forced a smile and said, "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rogo Colloman, a jewelry businessman."

"Please, come on in." Klein smiled and made way.

Rogo Colloman stepped in with heavy footsteps and sat down on the sofa, causing the old furniture to emit a resistant groan.

"What is it exactly?" Klein took out a copper penny and deftly rolled it around his fingertips.

Rogo sighed and said, "I wish for you to protect my son until tomorrow afternoon. He has offended some lunatics."

"Until tomorrow afternoon? Have you found a solution? Why not call the police?" Klein asked unhurriedly.

Rogo remained silent for two seconds before saying, "Adol got into some bad company and was led to do bad things by them. Oh, it's nothing too serious, but ones that can land him in prison. Unless it's necessary, I don't want to call the police.

"He recently had a falling out with those bad friends of his. As a result, he suddenly broke down and kept yelling that those people wanted to kill him.

"I was very worried, so I hired six senior bodyguards from a security company to keep watch outside. Then, I hired another four private detectives to take shifts watching over Adol, even if he's sleeping.

"But one of the detectives suddenly had an accident at home and will only be able to return tomorrow afternoon. Therefore, I can only hire another detective at the last minute.

"I'm sorry, I can only hire you for one day.

"Yes… The reward is 10 pounds, and if you were to encounter danger, I'd add more. You'll definitely be satisfied."

Is that so… 10 pounds for a day. That's equivalent to a week's salary of Mr. Sammer from next door… Klein was able to tell from the color of the other's emotions that he wasn't lying.

During the brief silence in the living room, he kept flipping the copper penny between his fingers and with a thud, it fell into his palm.

Klein glanced at it, bent his fingers and smiled.

"Deal."

Chapter 299: Snapping Fingers

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

West Borough, Grimm Garden Street

Klein, with a quite a stubble around his mouth, wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses while carrying a top hat and a black cane. He followed Rogo Colloman into a spacious and bright living room.

There was a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls, corners, and tables were decorated with all kinds of golden carvings and ornaments. The entire area looked gorgeous, exquisite, and luxurious.

As expected of a jewelry businessman, a businessman staying in West Borough…Klein scanned the oil paintings by the side and sighed.

With every step Rogo took, the fat on his body quivered. It left people maliciously wondering when his clothes and pants would snap.

However, as a jewelry businessman, he had enough money to buy clothes of the best quality.

"Detective Moriarty, this is my son, Adol." Logo stopped at the edge of a carpet and pointed to a boy that was 15 or 16 years old and was sitting on a single sofa.

As all the fireplaces in the house were lit, and there were metallic pipes to conduct the heat around, the living room was rather warm. It even made Klein feel like taking off his clothes until he only had a shirt and a pair of trousers left. However, the boy was wrapped in a thick fur coat and had a blanket that looked burning hot on his legs.

At that moment, he had his head low, tightly hugging himself as he shivered nonstop. His dark blue hair seemed to have lost its luster.

Rogo looked at him with concern and raised his voice slightly, "Adol, this is Detective Moriarty. He will be protecting you for today and tomorrow."

At these words, Adol raised his head, revealing his pale face, his bluish lips, and his unfocused eyes.

"Protect me, protect me… They're going to kill me! They want to kill me!" His voice became sharper and sharper. In the end, he covered his ears with his hands and screamed.

After a few seconds, he gradually calmed down.

During this process, Klein had already tapped his molars and secretly activated his Spirit Vision.

Huh… He held back the shock that had crept up to his mouth and carefully examined him again.

He saw that the color of Adol's aura had been dyed with a deep blackish-green sheen!

This is a sign of being haunted by wraiths, a sign of possible possession!

Adol's bad friends are already taking revenge on him… Or perhaps, there were no such things as "bad company" at all… Klein quietly reached out, held Mr. Azik's copper whistle, and allowed his spirituality to spread. Then, he thoughtfully looked away from Adol and looked at the others inside the living room.

By the oriel window stood a man in a black coat. He was tall and sturdy, not smiling, and his waist was bulging as if he were hiding a gun.

This should be one of the six bodyguards… Klein was about to size up another person when Rogo Colloman introduced, "Detective Kaslana; her assistant, Lydia.

"Detective Stuart."

At this point, Rogo turned around and pointed at Klein.

"This is Detective Sherlock Moriarty."

Kaslana was in her thirties, had black hair and blue eyes, and thick eyebrows. She was probably a beauty when she was young, but now, because of the sagging muscles on her cheeks, she didn't seem very amiable.

Lydia, her assistant, was a red-haired lady of about twenty years of age. Her figure was excellent, but she had an average appearance.

Both women wore something similar to what aristocratic riders wore. The white shirts they wore were tight at the waist which matched the more tight-fitting trousers that facilitated movement. The pleats were the only thing that distinguished their clothes from men.

In addition, they provided no concealment for the two revolvers around their waists.

This reminded Klein of a saying from Lawyer Jurgen that illegal possession of a gun was a sure thing for a private investigator. This was because—unless one was a noble, a Member of Parliament, or a senior civil servant—it was very difficult to obtain an all-purpose weapon permit.

Stuart sat opposite to Kaslana and Lydia. He had a lean face, but he grew a bushy beard. His light green eyes were unusually lively.

He was about the same age as Lydia, and almost as tall as Klein, a little over 1.7m and weighing 140lb.

Stuart had an armpit holster, and in it, there was obviously a specially designed revolver.

After exchanging pleasantries, Klein took off his coat, took off his hat, and handed it to the maidservant next to him.

"Put it somewhere I can retrieve it quickly from. There are some important items inside."

In fact, he had already transferred the paper figurines, notes, charms, a matchbox, etc to his trouser pockets. The only thing left in his coat was herbal powder, extract essence, keys, and his wallet. There were a total of 206 pounds in paper bills in his wallet.

Stuart, who was sitting there, turned his head to size Klein up and chuckled. "You didn't bring a gun?"

"Gun? This is my gun." Klein smiled and raised his cane.

At the same time, he puffed out his cheeks to stimulate a sound.

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot rang out, and without thinking, Stuart rolled over, while Kaslana and Lydia quickly got off the sofa, each finding a place to hide.

Rogo and the servant beside him were both surprised and confused about what was happening. Adol continued keeping his head low as he shivered.

When they saw that Klein was only holding onto a black cane and realized that nothing had happened, Kaslana and company calmed down. They frowned and asked, "What just happened?"

"Ever since I handed a revolver I picked up to the police, I've been learning how to imitate its sound. It seems to be quite effective," Klein replied half-jokingly.

"That's not funny, Detective Moriarty," Kaslana said in a deep voice.

I just wanted to perform some magic for you… Klein lampooned. He handed his cane to the maidservant and solemnly nodded.

"I will keep that in mind."

Stuart, who was in the most pathetic state a moment ago, didn't seem to be angry at all. He patted his clothes with great interest, got up and asked, "Why haven't I heard of you, Mr. Moriarty? I mean, I know a lot of people in the detective business, but I've not heard about you in the past."

"I only came to Backlund in early September," Klein briefly explained.

"Is that so…" Stuart laughed and said, "Tonight, the two of us will pair up. We'll be in charge of everything from midnight until tomorrow morning. Will that be a problem?"

"Nope," Klein responded with the same smile.

"Okay, after dinner, you guys have some rest and take over your shifts in the early morning," Kaslana added.

Klein took a long look at the trembling Adol and nodded seriously.

…

Nothing happened throughout the afternoon, and the worried male and female hosts prepared a hearty dinner for the detectives and the bodyguards, but no alcoholic beverages were provided.

After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Klein and Stuart, a young man with a full beard, went to their rooms on the second floor.

Seeing that no one was around, Stuart shook his head and said, "Sherlock, you should've noticed that the problem with Adol isn't something regarding revenge."

Bro, you sure are affable… Klein's expression didn't change as he asked, "Why do you say that?"

"He looks more like he has a mental problem, or, according to the countryside, he's been haunted by ghosts and evil spirits. Frankly, I'm afraid of that." Stuart sighed. "Mr. Colloman should take him to a psychiatrist, and if that doesn't work, get the priests from the Lord of Storms to sprinkle some holy water and perform a ritual."

"You can suggest it to him," Klein said objectively.

"If Adol doesn't get better, I'll consider it in about a couple of days." Stuart glanced sideways at Klein.

Klein laughed and replied, "That's up to you. My mission will be over tomorrow."

At that moment, the two of them had arrived at their destination and entered their respective rooms.

…

One in the morning, inside Adol's bedroom.

Klein sat in a rocking chair, holding onto Azik's copper whistle, quietly watching his ward. Stuart sipped his coffee at his desk.

The two of them didn't speak, afraid that they would wake the sleeping Adol.

As time passed, a cold chill swept through the room.

Adol sat up and opened his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Stuart asked somewhat nervously.

"To… the washroom…" Adol replied in a soft, dreamy voice.

His face seemed paler, and his lips were turning purple.

Stuart was about to speak when he saw Sherlock Moriarty stand up and nod at him.

"I'll follow him."

"Alright." Stuart let out a sigh of relief.

Putting his hands into his pockets, Klein stayed one step behind Adol and followed him to the entrance of the washroom two rooms away.

Just as Adol was about to close the door behind him, he saw a figure flash in.

"I can't let you out of my sight. Heh, do whatever you have to do, and pretend that I don't exist." Klein smiled and leaned against the wall.

Adol remained silent, his eyes unfocused as he looked into the mirror.

He turned on the faucet and let the water flow.

At this moment, Klein took out a box of matches and lit a matchstick, as though he wanted to smoke.

However, he didn't do so. He blew on the air and allowed the match to go out.

Pa!

Klein casually threw the match in front of him and took out another item.

Adol, whose back was facing him, suddenly straightened up. The figure in the mirror was so pale that it looked like a corpse.

Whoosh! In the washroom, a cold wind howled. While keeping his lower body fixed, Adol turned around and glared at Klein's left hand, at the delicate copper whistle that was being tossed up and down.

Whoosh!

A gust of cold wind blew across Klein's face.

He continued smiling and snapped his fingers.

With a loud bang, a flame rose from the ground, igniting an invisible figure.

The figure struggled for a few moments before completely dispersing. The flames extinguished as a result.

Klein put away Azik's copper whistle and looked calmly at Adol, whose eyes were beginning to focus.

Adol appeared to have finally awoken from a long nightmare.

He saw a young man standing a few steps away. The man was wearing a white shirt, dark trousers, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He was leaning against the wall with a smile on his face.

Then, he heard a gentle voice.

"What happened to you?"

Chapter 300: Spirit Dance

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"What exactly happened?" Adol muttered this question softly and realized that he couldn't remember what he had done the past few days.

He looked around dreamily, frightened, panicked, and confused.

"Who are you?

"Where is this place?"

"This is your washroom. Don't you recognize it? I'm a private detective in charge of protecting you." Klein looked at the teenage boy who hadn't figured out the situation around him and chuckled in response.

"My house… Detective to protect me… What exactly happened…" Adol looked around in astonishment and murmured to himself.

Suddenly, he stopped; his already pale face filled with unconcealable fear.

"M-maybe there really are ghosts in this world! There really are ghosts!"

His voice was shaky, but Klein could hear two completely different feelings from his voice—fear and excitement—and these were perfectly depicted by the color of his emotions.

Excited? Did this boy end up provoking a wraith because of his thirst for excitement? It's true that the young are bold and unafraid of death… Klein made a preliminary guess, but he asked in confusion, "Ghosts?"

After becoming a Magician, his Spirit Vision had been slightly enhanced, but not by much. He was still unable to see the Astral Projection surface deep in the Ether Body and, as such, unable to judge whether the target was a Beyonder or not.

Adol's pale face suddenly flushed red.

"Yes, ghosts!"

He flailed his arms and added, "There exists a wider world beyond our senses! I'm serious! Death is not the end of everything!"

This line… He's indeed an adolescent… However, I think I've seen similar words somewhere… Klein smiled and said, "I believe in another saying—in the face of time that is even more ancient than ancientness, even death itself will disappear."

Without waiting for Adol to say anything, he took out his gold pocket watch, opened it and said, "So, how did you get yourself into the state you were in before? You were like a patient with a nervous breakdown."

"I…" Adol turned his head and thought for a few seconds, then he said, "I joined a society; it's not an ordinary society! We all believe that death is not the end. We can use mysticism to even sense death directly and understand that everything can be reversed. Yes, we believe that the dead can be resurrected!"

Klein, who had just climbed out of his grave more than a month ago chuckled dryly.

"You and the others were trying to revive the dead?"

Death is not the end… A world beyond the senses… Everything can be reversed. Mystic sensing… Aren't these the teachings of the Numinous Episcopate? These were all created to revive Death… He muttered to himself silently in enlightenment.

"Yes!" Adol nodded, his eyes bright, but completely unable to hide his fear.

"Where did you get your corpses?" Klein pressed.

"W-we will secretly dig up graves, those that haven't been buried for long, or buy them from the hospital…" Adol said as he recalled.

It's indeed a crime that can get you thrown into jail… It's no wonder that Rogo Colloman doesn't want the police involved… You sure are bold to get your thrills…Klein maintained his genial smile and asked, "And did you succeed?"

"Not yet… The way they looked at me during the last gathering was l-like they were looking at a corpse—as if they were wondering where to place their corresponding mystics… And then we danced a Spirit Dance and communicated with the world beyond with our senses, and t-then, I lost all my memories since then…" Adol's body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Spirit Dance? It really is the Numinous Episcopate… This fellow became a test subject for his companions? Klein frowned and asked, "Your memory is disconnected from that point until now?"

According to the internal records of the Nighthawks, "Spirit Dances" originated from the ancient sacrificial dances that were popular in the Southern Continent. It was the ritual method that Death loved.

A "Spirit Dance" was to use the beat, rhythm, and movements to harmonize one's spirituality so that it could interact with the natural environment so as to establish an interaction with the target of the prayer. Then, combined with a simple altar arrangement and corresponding honorific name, it can achieve the effects of a more complex ritualistic magic.

"Yes," Adol softly replied before he suddenly raised his head. "What day is it today? What time is it now?"

"Friday morning, 1:12 am," Klein answered based on his memory.

Adol subconsciously took a deep breath and said, "I've missed the newest gathering…

"They conduct a resurrection ritual outside Grimm Cemetery every Friday at three in the morning."

Grimm Cemetery got its name because it wasn't far from Grimm Garden Street.

"You still wish to go? Have you forgotten what had happened to you? Oh, you don't actually remember, but you should ask your father, your mother, and servants," Klein reminded the young man in front of him.

And I might not be able to help you any further… He added silently in his heart.

After this incident, he discovered another weakness of a Magician, which was the lack of an ability to deal with wraiths and shadow-related creatures. Only the control of fire barely counted. But after those creatures possessed a human body, exorcism and purification became a problem, unless he wanted to kill both the ghost and the human.

Of course, Klein wasn't completely helpless in this aspect. He could conduct ritualistic magic to do similar things, but that would be very troublesome. It would easily expose his identity and was unsuited for actual combat.

After some thought, he had finally chosen to use Azik's copper whistle to lure the wraith out. Then, he controlled the flames to complete the purification.

However, the level of damage wasn't high. If he were to encounter a slightly more powerful wraith, it was possible that he was unable to take care of it.

I still lack items or charms that deal with undead creatures. If only I had the Sealed Artifact 3-0782, Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem… Klein's thoughts were momentarily distracted.

Adol suddenly remembered his missing memories, and his face turned pale again. He answered with a trembling voice, "No, I don't want to go! I never want to go again!"

"Very good." Klein smiled in support.

Adol looked at his face which didn't contain the slightest bit of fear, and subconsciously asked, "Aren't you afraid after I've said so much?"

Klein stopped leaning against the wall and slowly straightened his body. He replied in a relaxed tone, "For a detective, they would rather not believe something unless there's concrete evidence."

He opened the door and walked out, wondering if he should make contact with the Numinous Episcopate. After all, this might involve the mystery of Mr. Azik's life.

Adol looked at the private detective's back in a daze. It took him quite some time to realize that there was no one in the washroom other than himself. Furthermore, the moonlight outside was so gloomy that it left long shadows, making it seem as though something invisible was lurking and watching.

He shivered and hurriedly shouted, "Wait for me!"

As he spoke, Adol quickened his pace, rushed out of the washroom, and followed closely behind Klein.

He knows fear and is apprehensive. That means he's still redeemable… Klein mumbled before inserting his hands into his pockets.

When he returned to his bedroom, Stuart didn't notice that Adol had already turned for the better. He still wore a serious expression from the ghost story he imagined himself, so he didn't dare to walk around recklessly.

After Adol fell asleep again, Klein took out a copper penny and let it move between his fingers.

When it was close to 2:50 am, he threw up the coin and caught it firmly before standing up and whispered to Stuart, "I'll be heading to the balcony to smoke a cigarette."

"Be quick," Stuart urged with somewhat taut nerves.

Klein put on his long gown and walked slowly out the door to the balcony at the end of the corridor. Then, he hid in the shadows.

Then, he pulled out a rather crudely cut paper figurine.

Pa!

Klein violently shook his wrist, causing the paper to make a crisp sound. The paper quickly expanded and turned into a human.

The person was about the same height as Klein, a wax statue intrinsically carved with the same exact facial features.

This was one of the uses of Paper Figurine Substitutes.

Soon, Klein focused his mind, clenched his right fist, and lightly tapped his body.

Without a sound, the figurine seemed to come alive. It even had a cigarette with a glowing red head in its mouth as the fragrance of tobacco wafted out.

"By delegating this figurine, this illusion can last half an hour… I'm really a magician!" Klein put on his gloves, reached out, and pushed himself over before sliding down the balcony stealthily, avoiding the patrolling security.

…

Outside Grimm Cemetery, in a secluded forest.

Klein stood among the treetops as he looked at the relatively open and flat area not too far away.

Around him were evergreen leaves and brown branches, but their surfaces were stained with gray dust.

From what Klein could see, there were about eight young men and women wearing long black robes dancing and twitching around a corpse.

The dance was full of rhythm, as though it had some sort of mysterious flavor to it.

The girl shook her long hair and the boy extended his hand while kneeling. This scene had a subtle connection to their surroundings. It was the rhythm of nature.

After they danced for three to four minutes, everything within a ten-meter radius was affected by a wild and confusing atmosphere. The atmosphere gradually turned sinister, and there was a hint of divinity mixed in it.

It really is a "Spirit Dance"… Ritualistic magic that even normal people can participate in… Klein cast his gaze away and looked at the man in black robes who was chanting an incantation beside the corpse.

Earlier, he was the one who was instructing those young boys and girls on how to perform the "Spirit Dance."

He should be a member of the Numinous Episcopate, with a high probability of being a Beyonder… Klein nodded indiscernibly, intending to watch the resurrection ritual.

At this point, the dance reached its climax. The adult man in black lifted his head and took off his wig, revealing the strange tattoos engraved on his bald head.

He raised his hands and shouted, "Death!

"Honorable Death!

"Is about to return!"

After he finished shouting, the dancing stopped. The seven to eight youths stood on either side. They appeared to be in a daze, filled with anticipation, excitement, and fear.

Next, the man bent down and opened the iron cage at his feet, taking out a black object.

Klein looked over and saw that it was a blue-eyed black cat.

Th-this works too? He was obviously stunned for a moment. Suddenly, he thought of the various folklore related to a black cat. For example, if a black cat which symbolized the evil emissary of hell jumped over a corpse, the corpse would be awakened.

This was the first time Klein was seeing someone use a similar method in a ritual.

The man stepped forward while restraining the black cat from struggling before throwing it at the corpse.

Meow!

All the black cat's hairs stood on end as it hissed and leaped over the corpse.

At that moment, Klein felt like he could understand cat language. He believed that the cat must have said one word, "Fuck!"

Chapter 301: Awakening

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Meow!

The black cat's cry echoed in the open area that was surrounded by the secluded forest. Regardless of whether it was the adult black-robed man or the fifteen-or sixteen-year-old boys and girls, all of them simultaneously cast their gaze onto the corpse lying in the middle.

A gust of cold wind blew, and the black cat landed on the ground, staring at the human who had just thrown it. It kept flicking its tail around.

All of a sudden, its fur stood on end again. Then, exerting great force with its hind limbs, it jumped up and fled in another direction.

Unfortunately, whatever it did had failed to attract any attention. All the humans present had their attention focused on the motionless corpse.

Seconds turned to minutes, but the corpse didn't undergo any anticipated changes.

"Another failure?" One of the teenagers moved closer and crouched down, poking at the dead man's skin with his fingers.

"There's no reaction." He turned around halfway and spoke to the man in black and his companions.

At this moment, he felt a gust of wind hit his face from beneath him.

With a swoosh, the corpse sat up!

The youth was startled and immediately cheered in surprise, "It's a success! It's a success…"

Before he could finish his sentence, the corpse grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into its arms. Then, it opened its mouth and bit down, producing a sound and causing blood to splatter.

"Ah! Help!" the youth screamed in horror and retreated with all his might, but he couldn't break free.

The corpse raised its head, revealing rows of white teeth, as well as bits of flesh hanging between its teeth, and blood flowing from its mouth.

The black-robed man was stunned for a moment, then he took out a whistle that was brass in color. He put it in his mouth, and blew on it.

Then, he said in Hermes, "I command you in the name of Death!"

As his voice echoed in the air, the corpse stopped chewing and momentarily froze on the spot.

The youth, whose neck and shoulders had been mangled by the bite, similarly collapsed as if he had lost his soul. The dirt around his nether regions was completely moist.

"It really is possible…" the black-robed man muttered in pleasant surprise. He pointed at the corpse and once again said in Hermes, "Get up!"

The corpse abruptly stood up, then it threw back its shoulders before quickly running into the depths of the secluded forest.

"Come back!" the black-robed man cried out in surprise, but the corpse showed no signs of stopping.

He blew his whistle again and shouted with dignity, "I command you to return in the name of Death!"

With those words, the corpse disappeared into the woods.

"I ordered you to return…" the black-robed man stood rooted to the spot in stupefaction as he mumbled to himself in a daze.

In the woods, Klein held Azik's copper whistle and the matchbox in one hand. He kept lighting matchsticks and shook his wrist to extinguish them before throwing them to the ground.

During this process, he moved backwards in an arc.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

A corpse with a pale face and a foul stench rushed over. Its lifeless eyes stared straight at the ancient and exquisite copper whistle.

As Klein retreated, his cheeks puffed out, he aimed at the corpse and simulated the sound:

Bang!

The corpse suddenly staggered as a penetrating wound appeared in its chest.

Bang!

Klein puffed out his cheeks again and fired another Air Bullet.

Splat! The head of the corpse shattered as rotten liquid dripped from it incessantly.

However, that wasn't a fatal injury to the corpse. It only slowed down for a moment before it continued again.

Upon seeing this, Klein took a step back and snapped loudly.

Pa!

A bright flame rose from the ground, enveloping the corpse and igniting its outer garments.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The corpse rushed through the flames and continued to charge forward like a mad bull.

Pa! Pa! Pa! Klein kept snapping his fingers, causing red flames to appear on the ground, one after another.

The corpse didn't feel any pain as it passed through the flames, but gradually, its body began to burn, and the flames grew more and more intense. It gave off the strange feeling as though a candle was melting.

Finally, the corpse, which had turned into a torch, arrived in front of Klein as it clawed at him.

At the same time, a flame rose up and engulfed both him and Klein.

The corpse grabbed Klein's shoulder but only produced sparks.

Klein's figure dissipated in the red light and reappeared in the farthest burning pile.

At that point, the corpse seemed to have exhausted all of its strength and stopped struggling. It quickly melted under the dark green flames, turning into ashes and oil wax.

He's stronger than all the zombies and wraiths that I've met before. Well, not as good as Mr. Azik's descendant… If it weren't for me, they would all be dead here today.Klein shook his head and walked through the trees toward the open area.

At this moment, the black-robed man had already noticed the changes in the forest. Without any hesitation, he turned around and ran, while the seven to eight youngsters scattered in a flash. However, when they realized that they were the only ones in the area, they timidly stopped and returned to the original area where they gathered together.

Having just experienced the awakening of a corpse, and how the corpse had bitten one of the youths, they didn't dare to run away, alone, in the deep, dark night.

It would make the back of their necks feel cold.

They looked at each other. No one dared to help the youth who was badly mutilated in the neck and shoulders, afraid that he might turn into a zombie at any moment.

In the short silence that made their hearts beat like a drum, they saw a clown, wearing flashy clothes with red, yellow, and white paint covering his face, walking out from the forest.

This was an illusion that was personally created by Klein.

He surveyed his surroundings but didn't pursue the black-robed man. Instead, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Who was the one who presided over the ceremony?"

Who? It seemed as if the teenagers were still in a daze. It took them a few seconds before they pushed out a trembling boy who replied, "He… he's our language teacher in ancient Feysac, Kapusky Reid…

"He claimed to have a deep understanding of death and wanted to lead us in the search of the mysteries of immortality."

So he's a teacher from school… The mysteries of immortality? You really don't need to pay taxes to brag… Judging from his performance just now, this fellow shouldn't be a Spirit Medium. At the very most, he would be a Gravedigger. In fact, he might only be at Sequence 9, a Corpse Collector… Of course, he might not be from the Death pathway and simply joined the Numinous Episcopate because of his adoration…After Klein got the exact location where Kapusky stayed, he thought for a moment and said, "You guys can go back now. Don't get involved in this anymore. Don't leak this out.

"Otherwise, all of you will die."

Then, he emphasized again, "All of you will die."

The young boys and girls who had been scared witless by what had just happened all frantically nodded. They prepared to leave with each other's help.

At this moment, a young girl with smooth hair pointed at her companion who was moaning in pain on the ground and asked, "Will… will he be alright?"

"He won't die for now, but you have to take him to a doctor. Say that he was bitten by a hyena that often eats rotting meat." Klein ignored them and headed back into the woods.

The young man and woman looked at each other, and someone blurted out, "Ex-excuse me, may I ask, how we should address you?"

Klein smiled and deliberately misled him as he replied in a low voice, "I'm just a gatekeeper of hell."

As he spoke, a mist spread out, and his figure disappeared from where he stood.

Of course, those were all illusions.

"A gatekeeper of hell?" The young men and women repeated the words softly, each having their own thoughts.

However, after a gust of bone-piercing cold wind blew past, they trembled once more, supported their companions, and left the place without daring to look back.

…

This is a member of the Numinous Episcopate? What a disappointment… If he didn't abandon his current identity, I would pay him a visit in the middle of the night to see if he knows anything. Yeah, I have to teach him a lesson so that he wouldn't dare to bring trouble to the students again. Does he think Spirit Dances and resurrection rituals are child's play? Klein habitually judged the situation from a Nighthawk's standpoint.

Soon, he returned to Rogo Colloman's mansion and waited patiently for the bodyguards to pass by during their patrols.

As soon as he found an opportunity, he climbed over the fence and quickly followed the shadows to the house, then he quietly climbed up to the balcony.

At that moment, the figurine disguised as him was still smoking.

Pa! Klein snapped his fingers.

The figure in front of him turned into a thin piece of paper and floated onto his palm.

Compared to before, this piece of paper was covered with red, rusty marks and was no longer usable.

Klein didn't dare to throw it anywhere. He folded it and placed it in his pocket.

Having done all this, he sauntered back down the hall and into Adol's bedroom.

"What took you so long?" Stuart asked in a trembling voice.

He had gone to the door to inquire, and he had found Sherlock Moriarty smoking one cigarette after another. Due to his duty, he didn't dare leave the bedroom.

Klein laughed and replied, "Take a rest and relax. You can go too, I don't mind."

"I…" Just as Stuart was about to agree, he suddenly thought of something—he would end up being the only person on the balcony, surrounded by the dark night and without sufficient brightness. There would be a cold wind and an environment that always reminded one of a ghost story.

Therefore, he forced a smile and said, "It's fine, I don't need it."

Klein smiled silently and sat down again, letting the reclining chair rock gently and slowly in the night.

This continued till daybreak. Nothing else happened.

When Adol woke up, he sat up in bed, lost in thought.

Klein didn't say anything, but he swapped places with Kaslana and her assistant and slowly walked to the guest room to catch up on his sleep.

He was asleep when he heard Rogo Colloman exclaim in pleasant surprise, "Oh, my boy, you're fine now?

"Holy Lord of Storms, I'll donate 300 pounds to the Church!

"Y-you are telling me that they won't kill you? It was all a misunderstanding?"

300 pounds? How extravagant… Klein rolled over and wrapped his arms around the soft, warm quilt while mumbling.

Then, he went back to sleep.

At noon, when Klein went downstairs to have a meal, Kaslana sat across from him and asked with a slight frown, "What happened last night?"

"Nothing," Klein answered simply, and then he laughed. "Does Adol waking up and going to the washroom count?"

Next to him, Stuart slowed down his actions and nodded in agreement.

She glanced at their faces, then she retracted her gaze and replied in a low voice, "No."

The corner of Klein's mouth curled up as he skillfully cut his steak.

Chapter 302: A Clue

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The detective, who had been on leave, returned to Grimm Garden Street shortly after Klein and the others had finished their lunch. This also meant that his assignment was over.

Due to the visible improvement in Adol's situation, Rogo Colloman was quite generous in the settlement of his pay, and he paid an additional fifty percent above the ten pounds which they had agreed upon.

As expected of a jewelry businessman to be this generous. However, compared to the other people in West Borough and Empress Borough, he isn't considered that rich. Grimm Garden Street is close to the suburbs, and it's not too far from the cemetery. I can reach it in ten minutes if I run at full speed… Eh, Miss Bodyguard, no—Miss Sharron, is highly likely of being a Sequence 5 Beyonder. She charges one thousand pounds for three days, while I, as a Sequence 7 Beyonder, am only worth fifteen pounds a day. There's still a big difference…

Of course, if I were to take on such missions every day, my income would be over 5,400 pounds a year, putting me at the top of the middle class. Even the top manager of the Backlund Bank makes 5,000 pounds a year… Heh heh, this is just pure fantasy. For most detectives, business comes sporadically… And the amount of Beyonder ingredients I need to advance to Sequence 6 is definitely more than 3,000 pounds. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt. For normal people, this is a huge sum of money, enough to sustain a good life!

The good news is that even if I grasp the "acting method," digesting the Sequence 7 potion will take me somewhere between six months to three years. Even if I can quickly conclude the rules of a Magician, I'll only be able to push forward that lowest threshold by one to two months. I still have plenty of time to save up and search for clues to these ingredients…

Wait. Miss Justice still owes me, uh—my adorer 5,000 pounds…

However, her financial situation isn't in good shape recently. It will be difficult for her to come up with a large sum of cash in the next few months…

Klein took the three five-pound notes and left West Borough with thoughts running through his mind.

After returning to Minsk Street, he quickly burned the used paper figurine and made another two more.

In the evening, he took the steam metro to the Backlund Bridge district, and according to the numbers provided in the newspapers, he knocked on the door of the house where the gathering would take place.

Similar to the past few times, he put on an iron mask that covered only the upper half of his face, wore a hooded black robe, and followed the attendant into the activity room, where only one candle burned quietly.

At first glance, Klein noticed that the number of Beyonders present at this gathering was less than half of what it used to be.

I came at the exact time. Are the others late? This time, Klein didn't change his gait and picked a corner before sitting down slowly.

After a few minutes, the old Eye of Wisdom cleared his throat and said, "Let's begin the gathering. The others shouldn't be coming."

After saying that, he gave a brief explanation.

"As the serial killer has yet to be found, the Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, and the Machinery Hivemind, as well as a large number of MI9 Beyonders, are out doing large-scale investigations and searches.

"Under such a situation, it's very normal and understandable for those friends to be unwilling to go out and participate in gatherings.

"Frankly, I'm surprised by the number of people that showed up today."

Sure enough, a circle of Beyonders isn't isolated; they would also be affected by current affairs… Klein looked around and saw that the fat Apothecary wasn't absent. His heart immediately relaxed.

The Apothecary nudged the metal mask on his face, calling out without much hope, "Seeking to purchase the Spring of Elves marrow crystals. Price is negotiable."

"I have it," Klein said without hesitation.

He was worried that someone else might've found this Beyonder ingredient, thereby causing the price of his stock of goods to fall.

Although Beyonder ingredients were rare, and it was rare for items to reappear in independent circles, one could never be too careful.

"Seeking to purchase the Spring of Elves marrow crystals…" The Apothecary didn't seem to hear the response.

He was halfway through the sentence when it suddenly struck him. He turned his head to look at Klein and blurted, "You do?"

"Yes." Klein found his fiery gaze a little too overwhelming.

As he did so, he rolled up his black robe and took out an iron cigarette case.

Pa! Klein opened the cigarette case, revealing the faded, egg-shaped Spring of Elves marrow crystal.

"If you're worried, you can let the Old Mister Eye of Wisdom appraise it," Klein added in a low voice.

This wasn't really necessary because it was obvious if something was a Beyonder ingredient or not. It was also quickly identified if something was contaminated or not.

However, if one was lacking in mysticism knowledge, a Beyonder ingredient could very easily be mixed up with similar-looking ingredients. When that happened, one needed an appraisal.

The Apothecary looked like he was looking at a beautiful lady he had been yearning for all this time. He looked at the Beyonder ingredient in Klein's hands, mesmerized. After a few seconds, he shook his head and said, "No, there's no need! That's it! That's it!"

Klein curved the corner of his lips into a smile and named his price.

"300 pounds and clues to the Apothecary formula."

"Clues to the Apothecary formula… It's you!" The Apothecary was stunned for a moment before he finally understood who the man was.

It was the guy who made him bring the sedative for nothing!

Soon after, his heart pained, his regret similarly reaching its limit as he sighed emotionally. "You really are a lucky guy!

"Why didn't I choose that road of fortune…"

I'm the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck after all… Klein lampooned himself.

The Apothecary sighed and changed his posture.

"That's too expensive. 200 pounds and a clue to the formula."

"The clue to the formula is only a bonus because I cannot confirm its veracity. Therefore, 300 pounds, not a penny less, I believe it's needed elsewhere." Klein smiled. "This price is actually very fair. If it were anyone else, they might've offered 400 or even 500 pounds, and you might've even accepted that price."

"I'm not that foolish. I can still wait…" The apothecary grumbled before saying, "The clue can be verified by Old Man, uh—Old Mister Eye of Wisdom."

"It must be something that exists objectively, something that has detailed information before I'm able to appraise it. Just a clue isn't among these conditions," Eye of Wisdom said.

Divination, on the other hand, can roughly determine whether the clue is effective as long as it doesn't involve powers two or three Sequences above myself… Klein silently said to himself.

However, he wouldn't reveal his expertise in divination at a Beyonder gathering.

"Alright then… 300 pounds plus the clue. You lucked out!" The Apothecary took a deep breath and pulled out a thick wad of cash. He then counted the corresponding amount and then asked the attendant to bring him a pen and paper before he started writing.

After he was done writing the clue, he crumpled the paper into a ball and handed it along with the cash and some items to the attendant.

Klein was suddenly stunned when he saw the attendant walk over.

In addition to the cash and clue, there were also four glass tubes filled with what seemed to be pure liquids.

"What are these?" Klein asked, perplexed.

"Have you forgotten? Your sedative, the sedative I specially concocted. It's ten soli a bottle, two pounds for four, so the cash there is 298 pounds," answered the Apothecary. "If you're worried about my sedative, you can have it appraised."

I really forgot… I did all of that to gain Miss Sharron's trust, and now that she's not here, well… It's fine; maybe a sedative would be able to handle some unexpected situations… Klein stopped talking, took out the Spring of Elves marrow crystal, took the items, counted the cash in front of everyone, and determined their authenticity with the faint candlelight.

A total of 298 pounds… That's right… Seeing that his wallet could no longer hold any more cash, Klein could only roll up the bills and slip them into his pocket.

After putting away the sedative, he unfolded the note and glanced at the clue.

"On the south side of the Bridge, on Rose Street, at the Harvest Church, find Bishop Utravsky. As long as you help him complete a mission, you'll be able to get the Apothecary formula."

Harvest Church. That's one of the few cathedrals of the Church of Mother Earth in the kingdom. This Church also grasps two Beyonder pathways: "Planter" and "Apothecary"… The clues match well… Klein thought as he refolded the note.

As the gathering continued, it was unknown whether the female Beyonder with the Artisan backing her wasn't present, or she just didn't have any new Beyonder weapons to sell. There were no signs of her, leaving Klein disappointed. Now that he had 509 pounds in hand, he wanted to equip himself nicely.

After many transactions were aborted, a man sitting on a stool said in a low voice, "A friend of mine was unfortunately discovered in this investigation. He's imprisoned in a particular Lord of Storms cathedral by the Mandated Punishers. I wish to hire a few helpers to rescue him."

Eye of Wisdom immediately replied, "Stray Dog, give up that thought! A cathedral's Mandated Punishers and Sealed Artifacts are enough to destroy all of us here.

"Your friend's fate has already been decided. Don't let yourself be trapped in the same situation."

Stray Dog looked around and realized that no one responded to his request. He couldn't help but thump his thigh, growling, "But, what did he do wrong?

"He's an excellent physician. He's saved a lot of patients and has never hurt anyone! Just because he consumed a potion and became a Beyonder, he's to be imprisoned in a place where the sun never shines. He'll even become an experimental subject for the Mandated Punishers?

"Why?

"Why…"

Stray Dog's agonized questions echoed in the room. Even the Apothecary, who couldn't keep his mouth shut, remained silent.

Sigh… Klein, a former official Beyonder, could only sigh deeply in his heart.

Without the spread of the "acting method," wild Beyonders are ticking time bombs…

But if the "acting method" is popularized, then the situation would become even more chaotic and bloody… After all, there are the Laws of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility and Conservation…

In this heavy atmosphere, the gathering came to an end. Klein, who had gotten nothing else, spoke again.

"Who has revolvers and bullets that come augmented with different Beyonder effects?

"For example, purification, demon-hunting, etc."

He didn't specifically fix the caliber of the bullets because he didn't have a gun yet. He could simply wait until he bought the bullets before matching the corresponding gun.

In the midst of the silence, a female Beyonder sitting in the same corner replied in a low voice, "I can help you ask, and I'll give you the answer at the next gathering."

It seemed to be the lady with the Artisan backing her… Klein sighed.

"Alright."

After the gathering ended, he didn't return to Minsk Street directly. Instead, he went to East Borough and changed his clothes, heading to the border between North Borough and Hillston Borough.

It was where the suspected member of the Numinous Episcopate, Kapusky Reid, lived.

Chapter 303: Rookie

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

North Borough, Aulka Street.

Kapusky Reid was sitting in a reclining chair in his activity room, lost in thought. In front of him was a fireplace burning with charcoal.

As a senior educator at a public school, he received a salary of more than four pounds a week, which was enough for a bachelor like him to live quite well, but the clothes he wore at home were patched up, and the teacups on the table looked extremely simple.

Without taking off his wig, the most striking thing about Kapusky was his high cheekbones and puffed-up chest—a deformity in which the sternum protruded outwards.

On his knee was a book of poems in ancient Feysac, but he hadn't flipped a single page even after some time had passed.

Kapusky's eyes were unfocused as he stared blankly when he suddenly heard a light chuckle in his ear.

"I'm very curious as to why you didn't run and chose to remain at home. Aren't you afraid of the police coming for you?"

The voice was low and hoarse, like a boy whose voice was cracking during puberty.

Kapusky shuddered and almost jumped out of his reclining chair.

He abruptly turned his head to look and saw that there was a figure sitting on the sofa a few steps away from him!

The figure wore summer wear—a linen shirt and light trousers. Its face was hazy and indistinct.

"Wh-who are you? What are you doing here?" Kapusky asked immediately as he gripped the armrest.

Klein, who had used his hallucination powers, leaned back, crossed his hands, and leisurely said, "Just last night, heh, it should be earlier this morning, I saved all of you."

"Saved us?" Kapusky relaxed a little when he realized that the intruder didn't seem to mean any harm. "Y-you're that person in the forest? You took care of the corpse we awakened?"

As he spoke, he moved awkwardly, showing obvious fear.

He was able to infiltrate without me realizing it while I was awake. I definitely wouldn't be able to resist… Such thoughts quickly flashed through Kapusky's mind.

"You guys are quite lucky that I happened to pass by; otherwise, there would only be corpses left strewn on the ground in the forest—corpses that would've been bitten to shreds." Klein laughed. "Answer my previous question, I'm very curious why you stayed at home. Do you know what crimes you've committed?"

From the way that he had conducted the resurrection ritual and the reaction he had before and after the ritual, Klein had confirmed that Kapusky was a rookie who didn't have the means to hide his true emotions. Therefore, he intended to only use Spirit Vision and interrogation to get to the bottom of the matter. At most, he would verify it with divination at the end.

"I-I know, secretly buying corpses and robbing corpses from tombs. These are all crimes that can land me in jail for more than ten years. Moreover, I'll definitely be punished by the Church." Kapusky, who didn't look thirty, drew a breath and said with a wry smile, "However, as long as I didn't cause too much trouble, those children and their parents wouldn't snitch on me because they also did the same thing. Even if they wanted to get a lighter sentence by helping the investigation by turning themselves in, they would still end up in jail for some time."

"Heh." Kapusky gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Some of the children have already told their parents who I am. They've gotten gangsters to warn me to resign within a week and stay away from school. I agreed."

Klein gently nodded his head.

"It's a good thing to change environments. Of course, don't do similar things again. Bewitching ignorant children to commit crimes is a heinous act."

"I won't, never again. I never imagined that it would be that dangerous. I just saw that they had the same interests as I did which was why I wanted to teach them and lead them to search for the secrets of immortality. As for digging graves, many doctors did it a long time ago." Kapusky sighed with some lingering fear.

The color of his emotions matches his current state of mind… From the sound of it, he doesn't seem to be a member of the Numinous Episcopate… Klein thought for a moment, then he bluntly asked, "Where did you learn the Spirit Dance from?"

"Spirit Dance? Ah, I usually call it the Dance of Death." Kapusky was taken aback at first before he came to a realization. "An old gentleman taught it to me."

"An old gentleman?" Klein pressed.

Kapusky's mind turned adrift as he recalled his memories.

"He was a vagabond. He fainted in front of my house because of a serious illness.

"At the time, I didn't know that he was ill. I thought he had simply fallen unconscious, so I helped him home. I gave him a heated towel and applied some ointment for him.

"After he woke up, he told me not to send him to a hospital or clinic and that death was not the end.

"I experienced the deaths of my parents and several relatives and was very interested in such things. So, I chatted with him and found out that he had profound knowledge and an admirable philosophy in this area. He seemed to be very satisfied with my curiosity and even performed a miracle of killing a mosquito and waking it up."

This introduction… I've read at least ten novels with similar openings in my previous life. They were all novels about bringing an old grandpa, who was on the brink of death, home out of kindness, only to have a fortuitous encounter… Klein's mouth twitched.

"So, you left him at home?"

Kapusky nodded solemnly and said, "Yes. If it wasn't for the lack of time, I would have even wanted to become his student.

"During those few days, he taught me a lot of knowledge and the Dance of Death. Unfortunately, this period of time was too brief. As soon as I built momentum, he died, leaving behind only a copper whistle."

Before he finished his sentence, Kapusky took out an exquisite copper whistle that didn't seem old.

"This is it."

I have one too… It's probably at the Ancestor grade though… Klein lampooned, and he thoughtfully asked, "How long ago was this? What did he look like? Where did you bury him?"

"Half a year ago. His most obvious feature was his graying hair and red spots on the side of his face. He told me to bury him in the garden out back." Kapusky did a calculation of the dates.

It's not Mr. Azik, but the chances are that he's a member of the Numinous Episcopate and not someone of a low Sequence… Klein changed the subject and asked, "Apart from the Spirit Dance, you also learned the resurrection ritual?"

"I've only learned half of that ritual. I used some scattered knowledge and folklore to slowly improve it bit by bit," Kapusky answered very honestly.

Improved it based on folklore? Oh, that poor black cat, may the Goddess bless you…Klein resisted the urge to draw a crimson moon on his chest.

"What else?" he pressed.

"Yes, and this copper whistle. I think it's the key to communicating with the world beyond our senses." Kapusky raised it and blew at it, sighing. "Every time I finish blowing it, I can feel the surroundings turn cold. It's as if someone is watching me and tugging at me…"

While he was speaking, Klein, who had his Spirit Vision activated, saw water patterns ripple out from the ground. A cold air spread out alongside it, and the fire and light dimmed a little.

Next, a skull with three protruding, unfocused eyes emerged from the ground. Around the skull, there were many black jointed tentacles.

A tentacle reached out, touching Kapusky's leg and tugged at his clothes from time to time, appearing rather impatient. However, Kapusky didn't respond at all, as though he hadn't noticed.

Is this a messenger? The copper whistle is used to summon their corresponding messengers… What's the meaning of you summoning it without giving it a letter?Klein was stunned seeing this scene.

At that moment, Kapusky looked at him excitedly.

"Did you feel it? The surroundings turned cold! The gas lamps have dimmed too!

"I'm not lying! Someone is watching me and tugging at me!"

The horrific-looking messenger tried to touch Kapusky, over and over again, but in the end, it didn't receive a letter and went back "underground" in resignation.

The corners of Klein's mouth twitched slightly as he saw this scene. He whispered to himself in his heart, I take back what I said about him. He's not a rookie, he's an utter noob.

He's not even a Beyonder!

I had thought that he was someone who had just stepped through the door of mysticism to learn the basics, but now, it seems like he hasn't even found the location of the door…

Corpse Collectors of the Death Sequence pathway can all see ghosts and spirit bodies directly…

Combined with how Kapusky had acted by using the copper whistle to command the zombie after the ritual, Klein was convinced that he wasn't lying. He sighed silently.

Then, he thought of a question, If I were to write a note and hand it to that messenger, where would it be delivered?

A true member of the Numinous Episcopate? Some senior member?

Suppressing this thought, Klein nodded and said, "It has indeed turned cold."

After replying, he quickly changed the topic. "Have you felt anything unusual since the old gentleman's death?"

"Eh… Not before, but in the last two weeks, I'd have the occasional feeling that someone around me is like a corpse—the kind that can be awoken." Kapusky asked feeling both curious and afraid, "Is it a hallucination?"

It's in line with what Adol said. He isn't lying… Klein stole a glance at the colors of Kapusky's aura and sincerely told him, "I suggest that you go to a cathedral at least three times a week for the next two months, attend mass, and listen to preachings.

"If you do not wish to do so, you can first prepare a grave for yourself."

"Alright…" Kapusky answered, feeling disappointed.

He thought that it was a manifestation of his improvement!

Klein contemplated for a moment and said in a commanding tone, "Take me to the old gentleman's corpse."

"Ah? Okay." Kapusky was about to refuse, but then he instantly recognized the reality of the situation he was in.

He picked up his tools and led Klein out the back door from the kitchen, into a withered garden, and stopped in front of a slanted tree.

Klein stood by his side and watched Kapusky skillfully dig through the dirt, revealing the slate underneath.

Having finished with the upper layer, Kapusky used his tools to pry open the slate.

Oof!

The slate was pressed against the soil that had been dug out just moments ago. The not-so-deep tomb was veiled in the crimson moon's luster that faintly penetrated through the clouds.

Kapusky subconsciously looked over when he suddenly let out a miserable scream, retreated a few steps, and fell to the ground.

There was no rotting corpse or bones in the tomb. The bottom layer was littered with white feathers, dyed in yellow oil!

Chapter 304: Feathers

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

White Feathers?

Looking at the corpseless grave, Klein suddenly thought of a word: "Angel!"

In the canon of the seven major Churches, they were filled with legends of Angels and Saints. The former had one characteristic—a pair of pure white wings on its back, and as many as two, three, or even six pairs of pure white wings.

However, in the blink of an eye, Klein remembered something else

Mr. Azik had once described his dream to him—one that seemed to indicate his different lives.

One of the scenes was inside a dark mausoleum. There were many opened ancient coffins beside him, and in the coffins, there were corpses with white feathers growing from their backs!

Is this a special characteristic of the Death pathway, or a strange phenomenon caused by the Numinous Episcopate? Klein didn't say a word as he restrained his emotions and calmly looked at the white feathers stained with yellowish oil at the bottom of the grave.

His initial judgment was that the old gentleman wasn't an angel, as the terrifying Sequence 2, or even Sequence 1 Beyonders, would certainly produce intense effects on their surroundings when they died. For example, the Holy Artifact, the ashes of a Saint which had been stored behind Tingen City's Chanis Gate, would extend almost invisible thin, black, and cold lines so as to seal the people and things around it.

Of course, it's also possible that he didn't actually die… He's like Mr. Azik? Klein bent down and picked up three white feathers with his black-gloved right hand.

He planned to do some divination above the gray fog when he returned home.

At that moment, Kapusky came to his senses, scrambled to Klein's side, and looked at the grave with a hint of fear.

"Where's the body?"

Klein looked at him and said in a low voice, "Maybe he left by himself"

"He left by himself…" Kapusky repeated in horror, now fully aware of how terrible it was for the dead to awaken.

His legs trembled as he muttered to himself, "B-but I didn't use the resurrection ritual on him."

Klein turned around and looked at him for a few seconds.

"Death is not the end."

"Death is not the end… Death is not the end… " Kapusky was quite frightened by his own beliefs as he blurted out, "W-will he come back?"

Well, the copper whistle had summoned a messenger which probably corresponds to the old gentleman. In other words, by giving the messenger a letter, it is equivalent to sending a letter to the old gentleman — a man who has been dead for almost half a year… Heh, I wonder where he went and what kind of state he's in… In response to Kapusky's question, Klein gave him an indifferent reminder.

"Don't blow that copper whistle again."

"You mean the copper whistle will draw him back?" Kapusky asked in horror.

Before Klein could reply, he asked again, "C-can you help me throw this copper whistle into the Tussock River?

"If you can't, I-I'll do it myself."

Weren't you interested in the philosophy of death? Klein lampooned as he reached out to take Kapusky's copper whistle.

He was planning on sending the dead man a letter when the conditions were right to see what would happen.

Of course, the prerequisite for all of this was that he was certain that there wasn't too much danger involved.

After instructing Kapusky to fill up the grave again, Klein had a brief exchange with him about the "Spirit Dance" and the corresponding mysticism knowledge, enriching his own knowledge. He also asked Kapusky in detail about how he laid the old gentleman's body, facing down, in accordance with his last words.

Under certain special circumstances, using "Spirit Dance" to replace part of the cumbersome setup for ritualistic magic would be more effective and simple… Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Klein warned Kapusky to stop dabbling with the so-called resurrection rituals.

Then, he left the street through the garden and took a long detour via carriage to East Borough.

After changing back into his previous clothes, he returned to Minsk Street and entered his bedroom. After a series of actions, he carried the three white feathers and Kapusky's copper whistle above the gray fog.

Seated in The Fool's high back chair, Klein conjured pen and a paper. He wrote a divination statement he had long thought of: "Its origins."

Then, he held the three white feathers and leaned back in his chair.

As he chanted silently, Klein entered a dreamland. It was a blurry grayish-white all around him.

In this world, there was rich darkness without any light. Suddenly, the darkness was dyed with a crimson shade. A thin, pale hand reached out of the yellowish-brown soil.

A figure slowly got up. He didn't lift the stone slab, but he pierced through the soil directly.

Under the crimson red moonlight, the clothes on the figure's back were tattered, and white feathers grew out one after another.

The white-haired man tilted his head, revealing the red spots on his face, as well as his blank, emotionless eyes.

It began to walk, struggling through the surrounding fences, heading deeper into the darkness until it disappeared far away.

The dream shattered and Klein woke up.

White feathers sprouted from the back of the corpse… Its state resembles Miss Sharron's, but it's clearly different as well. It gave off a very heavy and corporeal feeling… It seemed to be phasing between a human's body and a spirit's body in a semi-natural and incomplete transformation? An envoy that's connected to the real world and the spirit underworld? Klein tapped the edge of the long table and thought for quite a while.

Then, he divined whether there was any danger in using the copper whistle he received from Kapusky at that very moment and received a positive answer. Furthermore, the spirit pendulum moved with great amplitude and high frequencies.

It's a pity that I can't directly use the copper whistle above the gray fog. The messenger wouldn't be able to enter at all; otherwise, there wouldn't be any danger… After muttering to himself, Klein descended through the gray fog and returned to the real world.

…

Early morning, in the relatively refreshing woods in Empress Borough.

The Apothecary, with a round face who was in his thirties, appeared in a secluded corner and stored the herbs that he had secretly planted into a leather bag that he carried around with him.

After completing the mission for the day, he straightened his back, and he began to stretch his body. He mumbled to himself in great satisfaction, "Sure enough, my physical constitution has improved. I'm no longer like what I was before where I was relatively resistant to poisonous elements.

"However… Why is my Sequence 8 Beast Tamer? What does this have to do with Apothecary?

"Well, an Apothecary tames and uses plants and parts of animals that have lost their lives, while a Beast Tamer tames and uses living animals. Does it include Beyonder creatures?

"Then, will my Sequence 7 be able to tame and use humans?

"The old geezer didn't even tell me the name of Sequence 7, nor did he give me the formula. When I stabilize, I'll have to try contacting him."

The Apothecary began punching and kicking to get used to his strengthened body. He only stopped when he was utterly exhausted.

Whoosh… While panting, he began to consider a serious problem: How should a Beast Tamer act?

"Beast Tamer… how should it be done? Look for animals and tame them?" As the Apothecary was mumbling to himself, he suddenly sensed something and looked towards the artificial lake.

There was a huge golden retriever running happily.

The large golden retriever seemed to notice his gaze as it suddenly turned its head to look at him.

As their gazes met in midair, the large golden retriever froze for a moment. Then, it nimbly turned around and ran away, disappearing without a trace.

…

In the Hall family's luxurious villa.

Susie returned to a piano room and sat beside Audrey's feet, her tongue hanging out as she panted heavily.

It waited until the blonde girl finished playing a song before it said in fear, "Audrey, I met a scary guy.

"His eyes were scary!"

"Is that so? What did he want to do to you?" Audrey asked, curious and concerned.

Susie thought for a moment and said, "I don't know either. In short, he's very dangerous. That was my intuition."

"What does he look like?" Audrey considered letting the guards and attendants warn the man.

"I didn't see him clearly. I feel that he is my natural enemy!" Susie replied in all seriousness.

Your natural enemy? A dog-type nemesis? Audrey gave a reserved smile.

"Susie, don't go into those woods for now."

"Woof, Audrey, were you in a bad mood? I could tell from your piano music," Susie asked.

Audrey nodded gently and said, "Yea… I just received word from Glaint that Fors and Xio wanted to inform me that this evening's gathering has been canceled. I was originally planning to exchange some Beyonder ingredients for you."

And also attempt to come into contact with people from the Psychology Alchemists…she added silently in her heart.

"Why?" Susie asked, puzzled.

Audrey thought for a moment before replying, "It's said to be a result of the serial murders."

…

On Saturday morning, Backlund's air was as bad as usual.

Klein was trying to make a noodle dish which he loved to eat as a child. For this, he bought higher quality flour, added water and sugar, and mixed it to form a pot of thin "paste."

Then, he poured oil into the pot and moistened the surface.

After the oil heated up, he scooped up some of the flour paste with his soup spoon and poured it to the side of the pot, spreading it thin.

Amidst the sizzling sounds, he spread out several flat pieces of bread, and the fragrance of the flour gradually emanated.

When he was almost done, he removed the soft flat pieces of bread, one by one, and put them on the plate. Then, he added water and turned the remaining materials into batter.

As soon as he returned to the dining room with the flat bread and "paste," Klein impatiently tore off a piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

The flat piece of bread only had a rich fragrance of wheat and a sweet taste that whetted his appetite. It was simple and plain, but it was exceptionally delicious.

It's the taste from my memories… Klein quickly ate, occasionally drinking a mouthful of the paste.

As he was almost done eating and started to slow down, the doorbell suddenly rang.

A new commission? Klein took off his napkin, wiped his hands, and got up to go to the door.

Before he touched the handle, the image of a visitor appeared in his mind.

It was a middle-aged gentleman with white sideburns, a thin face, and an outstanding temperament.

It was the private detective, Isengard Stanton, who could get an invitation from the police!

Why is he here? Klein opened the door in puzzlement and asked with a smile, "Good morning, Mr. Stanton. Is there something?"

Isengard took off his half top hat and smiled.

"Good morning, Mr. Moriarty. I wish to work with you. I believe you're an excellent detective. After all, you previously managed to lead your investigations all the way to East Balam Dock and the Dock Union all by yourself."

"Cooperate?" Klein didn't hide his surprise.

Isengard tapped his black cane and replied in a deep voice, "To find the serial killer behind the recent chain of serial murders.

"The police has already offered a reward of 2,000 pounds."