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Chapter 433: Intelligence Peddler

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The original Creator? Klein was stunned for a moment, and then he immediately thought of the intelligence that Old Kohler had previously given him.

Recently, there had been people preaching the faith of the original Creator in East Borough, the dock area, and the factory district. It pushed the belief that "He" hadn't really passed away and that he existed in the body of every human being and every object. As long as one served "Him" wholeheartedly and praised "Him," then not only would "His" believers be redeemed after death, but they would also enter "His" kingdom. They would also suffer tremendous improvements in their present life, for instance, having sizzling meat to eat every day.

This was very close to the Aurora Order's theory of the mutated Creator, so Klein had decided that it was the secret organization which was behind it. He felt that they had begun to value the vast majority of the poor after the Lanevus incident.

They've already developed so arrogantly to even solicit people on the streets? Klein hesitated and replied, "I've heard of that."

The well-dressed middle-aged man immediately revealed a smile.

"Then, do you know about the incoming apocalypse? Do you know that the original Creator will create a sanctuary to protect 'His' believers?"

For a moment, Klein thought of going with the flow and be inoculated so as to slowly infiltrate the Aurora Order's periphery organization, so as to gather the appropriate evidence and clues to take revenge on them for seeking the believers of The Fool. But after careful consideration, he felt that it was too dangerous. It was something that was tiring and troublesome for him to do alone, without any certainty of success.

In the end, he decided to inform the Machinery Hivemind about the current situation and leave it to the official organizations to handle!

After thinking through the problem, Klein's expression immediately darkened.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know!"

He strode forward, shaking off the middle-aged man and ignoring his shouts.

On the way out of East Borough, he watched carefully and found that the workers who had lost their jobs due to the off-season and the efficiency improvements from textile machines were grouped together. They were being comforted and were listening to the preaches from people of unknown identities.

The investigations of East Borough, the dock area, and factory district were completed two months ago. Why haven't the three Churches and parliament produced any concrete measures yet? The importance that they've placed on this issue must've increased. It's impossible for them to not notice the current situation… Is this a trap for bigger fish? That's very risky and can easily get out of hand! As Klein lampooned, he pushed the cap on his head as he walked out of East Borough and went straight to the Backlund Bridge area.

At noon, the Bravehearts Bar had just opened, and there were almost no drunkards present. Only the nearby, busy workers would come in and grab a simple lunch.

Klein mingled with them and spent ten pence on wheat bread with pork sausages and a glass of Southville beer, making himself appear rather rich.

After leisurely filling his stomach and finishing his beer, he looked at the bartender.

"Is Kaspars Kalinin here?"

He planned on replenishing some of his ordinary ammunition while he was here.

The bartender glanced at him.

"It seems like you haven't been here in a while?

"Kaspars is dead. It's said that he was a little restless while sleeping at night, wrapping himself in a tight bundle and suffocating himself in the end. Heh heh, I don't really believe that kind of thing would happen. I've only heard about such things in ghost stories, but that's what those black-and-white dogs say."

Black-and-white dogs were referring to the police who wore black-and-white checked uniforms.

Suffocating himself to death? That sounds like mysticism… Was it because the Rose School of Thought's High-Sequence Beyonder was unable to find Miss Sharron and Maric, and thus, they chose to kill someone to vent their anger? Where's the bearing of being a High-Sequence Beyonder? In that case, Kaspars wasn't able to contact Miss Sharron… Perhaps they've already left Backlund

Kaspars wasn't prepared for the dangers of the Beyonder world. If it were me, I wouldn't have returned to the Bravehearts Bar. I would've taken all the money I saved up and go to another city for a change in environment… However, under normal circumstances, a High-Sequence Beyonder wouldn't specially deal with such ordinary people. At most, they would force a mediumship ritual without considering the aftereffects… As expected of the self-indulgent Rose School of Thought. To think a High-Sequence Beyonder would actually do such a thing…

While feeling surprised, Klein also felt pity for the black-market arms dealer.

The bartender wiped a cup and continued, "If you wish to buy some stuff, there's a new dealer."

"Who?" Klein asked in passing.

"Old Man. He's in Billiard room 3," the bartender said without looking up.

Klein immediately stood up, slowly walked towards that familiar place, and knocked on the unlocked door.

"Come in." A voice rang out.

This voice sounds a little familiar… Klein pushed open the door and looked inside.

Standing by the table was a boy that didn't look too old. He was dressed in an old overcoat, a brown bowler hat, and had bright red eyes. It was Ian, whom Klein had met when he first arrived in Backlund. Back then, he was entrusted with the case of Detective Zreal's disappearance and was ultimately involved in the conflict over the manuscripts of a third-generation difference machine. He had been forced to pay a high price to have Mr. A from the Aurora Order kill the Intis ambassador that was sent to the Loen Kingdom, Bakerland Jean Madan.

"It's you, Detective Moriarty?" Ian was startled.

He had deliberately stuck two whiskers above his mouth to make himself look older.

Klein smiled as he entered the billiard room and closed the door in passing.

"Long time no see."

He was initially surprised that Ian had appeared here and had become a black-market arms dealer, but then he thought of the details behind the matter and found that it made sense.

Klein being able to come to the Bravehearts Bar and find Kaspars Kalinin was all thanks to Ian's introduction.

This teenage boy definitely had some connections around here!

"Yeah." Ian wiped away his shocked expression and mumbled, "I went to Pritz Harbor for two months and found those guys to be so savage and cruel. They didn't even have the slightest bit of modesty or love for children, so I had no choice but to return to Backlund and do what I was good at. When Kaspars died, I decided to switch careers."

Before Klein could say anything, he added, "Mr. Detective, I've always kept in mind that I still owe you two requests."

There's no need to explain so much, nor do I care what you've done in the past. Although I've always thought that your escape from MI9 was suspicious, I didn't care too much about it… Klein picked up a cue stick, gestured, and said, "Other than dealing in black-market weapons, you seem to be selling information?"

"Yes," Ian answered very calmly. "What do you want to know? It's free."

Very straightforward… Feeling guilty about what happened to me previously? Klein pushed the cue stick forward and hit the ball, sending a red ball right into the middle pocket.

Without a trace of politeness, he straightened his body and said, "Recently, everyone has been looking for the believers of The Fool. There are many bounties available. What news do you have?"

Ian thought for a moment and said, "Nothing.

"I even suspect whether The Fool has any believers since no one can find any clues."

… This is what you call blasting air with a cannon… Klein gave a silent, self-deprecating laugh before turning to ask, "In addition, there's another bounty. People are looking for a lecturer named Azik Eggers. I wish to know who was the one behind the bounty, so as to determine if I should involve myself in it. Heh, searching for people is very time-consuming."

Ian didn't directly answer; he surveyed his surroundings and lowered his voice.

"MI9."

MI9? It's not the Numinous Episcopate… It seems like it really was arranged by Ince Zangwill. He's trying to create conflict between Mr. Azik and MI9? Perhaps he knows some secret that he shouldn't be aware of? A series of thoughts flashed through Klein's mind. Finally, he smiled and said, "Looks like I don't have to worry about the bounty being false, but I'm afraid that the circumstances as to why Azik Eggers is being pursued by MI9 is because he knows some secret. That being the case, the day I obtain the bounty might be the last day of my life."

Ian spread his hands.

"I'm not sure about that.

"But you can provide only clues."

"Good suggestion." Without asking any more questions, Klein spent five soli, replenished some of his ordinary ammunition, and left the Bravehearts Bar.

He got on the rental carriage and looked out the window at the gloomy weather. Suddenly, he felt a little wistful.

Kaspars Kalinin is dead which also means that Miss Sharron and Maric will give up this "base." With me only being able to contact them unilaterally, it'll be hard to find them…

Unless they encounter some difficulties that require my help, or they have reached the stage of dealing with the evil spirit buried in the ruins. Otherwise, I'll likely not be meeting them again.

Although they can't be considered friends, we've cooperated with each other twice. I could interact with them as a Beyonder without hiding my face. Now, there are two fewer people of such people.

If it wasn't for the Desire Apostle, I would only have an oddity like the vampire, Emlyn White, who I can talk about mysticism with without any disguises.

Thankfully. Thankfully…

As he was sighing silently, an ethereal voice suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Is there something?"

Klein instantly shuddered, and only when he saw who was sitting in front of him did he heave a sigh of relief. He laughed in exasperation and said, "Miss Sharron, do you always appear all of a sudden like this?"

Dressed in a Gothic regal dress and a matching soft black hat, Sharron was sitting quietly on the other side of the carriage, her face as pale as ever.

"I'll knock on the window next time." Sharron nodded without emotion.

She didn't repeat the question, but she looked quietly at Klein in a reserved manner.

Knocking on the window all of a sudden? That's equally scary… Klein was in no hurry to mention the matter about the Human-skinned Shadow, and instead he asked, "Has the High-Sequence Beyonder left?"

"Yes," Sharron said tersely.

Klein was slightly relieved as he warned her, "It could also be a trap."

As he said this, he remembered something and quickly added, "I've finished reading the Book of Secrets, and I've obtained the corresponding information from other sources that praying to the Primordial Moon is prone to problems. It's best not to try."

"Alright." Sharron didn't ask why.

She paused for a second and said in an ethereal voice, "The Primordial Moon and the Chained God seem to be archenemies."

Because they can switch Sequences? Or could there be other reasons? Klein thought as he directed the conversation to what really mattered.

"Miss Sharron, do you know of any places with the characteristic of a Human-skinned Shadow?"

Like a puppet, Sharron listened quietly before nodding her head.

"Yes."

Chapter 434: Tomb and Bounty

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

She knows? Klein was overjoyed, and quickly asked, "Where?"

In his heart, he was already prepared to pay the "consultation fee."

Sharron sat there without moving and said, like a talking doll, "In one of the gatherings that Maric participated in, someone once discovered the tomb of an ancient noble. They explored the periphery but didn't dare to venture deep, but there were traces of Human-skinned Shadow activity.

"They hoped to recruit a team strong enough to completely explore the tomb and split the valuables equally."

To seek help in a gathering of Beyonders who are not familiar with each other, how can all parties guarantee each other's credibility? What if there's no tomb at all, and it's just a trap? Klein quickly thought and asked in response, "Did they succeed?"

"Yes," Sharron answered simply.

This… Klein temporarily didn't pursue the details. He suppressed his voice to avoid being overheard by the carriage driver.

"And then?"

"After that, they never appeared again," Sharron calmly recounted. "One of the members was a friend of Maric's, and he disappeared completely after that matter."

Without waiting for Klein to ask, she continued to speak with her ethereal voice.

"Maric found some of his friend's belongings. I used the method of divination to track them down to White Cliff Town, and I found a hidden entrance to the tomb at the riverbend of the Stratford River. Maric's friend was inside, but he was already dead."

"You went in?" Klein blurted out.

"No, I determined it using another method," Sharron explained. "That tomb gave me a sense of great danger. I didn't try to explore it."

At this point, she looked at Klein with her blue eyes.

"Without the help of a Sequence 4 Beyonder or a Sealed Artifact of a corresponding level, it would be best not to venture deep into that tomb."

Even you find it very dangerous. I don't need to go above the gray fog to divine it to know how terrifying it is… Klein looked down at the floor of the carriage and thought for a few seconds.

"Do you know which ancient noble's tomb it belongs to?"

Sharron did not pause in her reply.

"His last name is Amon."

Amon? A member of the family of that Amon who had possessed Little Sun's body and almost sneaked into the mysterious space above the gray fog? Klein used his ability as a Clown to control the slight twitch of his eyelids. He asked in puzzlement, "Are you sure?"

At this moment, a figure appeared in his mind—a black classic robe, a matching pointed hat, a broad forehead, a thin face, black eyes, black hair, and a crystal monocle.

Sharron's pale blonde hair shone through the mist like an oil painting drawn by a master, and she said in her usual flat tone, "According to the items obtained from the initial exploration, a member of the gathering who specializes in ancient history determined that the owner of the tomb came from the Tudor Dynasty of the Fourth Epoch. The family name is Amon."

It really is the Blasphemer family of the Fourth Epoch… This family isn't cursed like the Abraham family, nor was it destroyed directly by the Church of a certain goddess like the Antigonus family…

According to the special and powerful performance Amon showed in the City of Silver, the situation of this family might be comparable to that of Zaratul's. They were all secretly passed down, with the presence of High-Sequence Beyonders among their ranks, perhaps even with powerful angels. They protect certain crucial secrets, such as the "coordinates" of the Forsaken Land of the Gods…

The danger of a tomb left behind by such a family can be imagined. Perhaps Amon can borrow the power of certain changes to cast his gaze over from the distant Forsaken Land of the Gods… I can't use the perspective of a Low- or Mid-Sequence Beyonder to deduce the terror of a demigod…

Klein didn't ponder for long before denying the possibility of exploring the tomb of the Amon family.

Slightly disappointed, he looked up at Sharron.

"Is that place the only place with a Human-skinned Shadow?"

Sharron shook her head.

"No."

"Oh?" Klein's eyes lit up, and he assumed a listening posture.

Sharron said, her voice unchanged, "I've participated in a gathering. A Beyonder promised that as long as someone completes a mission given by her, she would satisfy any reasonable request. When it comes to ingredients, it is limited to those below that of High-Sequence Beyonder ingredients."

"In other words, she can give any Beyonder ingredient below that of High-Sequence Beyonders?" The first thought that came to Klein's mind was: is she bragging?

Even for the Church of the Evernight Goddess, only the Holy Cathedral, or in other words, the Cathedral of Serenity, would possess such a possibility!

Many of these ingredients weren't commonly needed because they weren't needed at all.

Upon hearing Klein's question, Sharron calmly replied, "She's a High-Sequence Beyonder."

High-Sequence Beyonder? No wonder… That would be on the level of the high-ranking members of the Churches or secret organizations. Even if they don't belong to any party, they would still build up their own faction! However, the promise of any type of Beyonder ingredient below a High-Sequence potion definitely can't be completely be met… Klein momentarily had such a thought.

Sharron simply added, "She said that certain ingredients would require a certain period of time."

That's more like it! Klein asked with interest, "What mission did she give?"

Sharron sat up straight and dignified.

"Investigate Hero Bandit Dark Emperor's true identity."

"…"

Klein believed that if he had been drinking water at that moment, then he wouldn't have been able to control himself and that he would've sprayed it across from him.

Who did I offend? Why am I the target of a High-Sequence Beyonder? He first lamented in Chinese, then he quickly analyzed the possible parties.

Members of the Twilight Hermit Order? Because the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor had killed the Desire Apostle, Beria?

Members of the Aurora Order? They drew links to The Fool from the tarot cards I left during the Capim incident, and they decided to investigate the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor?

Members of the three Churches and MI9? Just to find out the truth about the Capim affair?

Every one of them is possible, and none of them can be ruled out! Klein didn't show any abnormalities as he deliberated and asked, "Why is she investigating the true identity of the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor?"

"No one knows," Sharron replied in the simplest of terms.

Klein thought for two seconds and said after organizing his words, "What kind of person is she? I want to know if I should take this mission."

Sharron remained silent for two seconds, seemingly in recollection.

Then she described, "Female, above 1.70 meters tall, very well-proportioned, chestnut hair, was disguised, loves black leather boots, only occasionally attended the gatherings, and first appeared two months ago."

Loves wearing black leather boots, female, High-Sequence Beyonder… When these three keywords were put together, it immediately triggered a certain part of Klein's memories!

Back when he went to the Royal Museum to steal the Dark Emperor card, he had met a mysterious High-Sequence Beyonder in the reconstructed study of Emperor Roselle. She only revealed her feet in black leather boots, and when he borrowed the power of the gray fog to escape, he ended up running into the Devil dog due to the side effects of the Master Key and had to shout for help. Therefore, Klein Moriarty ended up meeting the female demigod again.

Her? Why would she look for Hero Bandit Dark Emperor? She's confirmed that the thief who stole the Card of Blasphemy is a Spirit Body and knows what would happen if a Spirit Body carries and contains the Dark Emperor card. Hence, she has locked onto the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor who has similar traits? Klein quickly thought of a very convincing possibility.

The only thing that confused him was how the other person knew that he had taken the Dark Emperor card and not any other cards, such as the Abyss card or The Sun card.

Unless she was targeting the Card of Blasphemy, and she had investigated beforehand that it was the Dark Emperor card… Well, Miss Sharron said that she joined the gathering for the first time more than two months ago. This matches the timing of Roselle's exhibition… Later, she occasionally participated without leaving Backlund, or perhaps, she returned regularly to search for the enemy who had taken the Dark Emperor's card… Klein's thoughts blazed through his mind as he gave a faint smile.

"I'll keep an eye out for her. I hope there's something to be gained."

She can forget about getting anything her entire life! He added inwardly without hesitation.

Sharron nodded almost imperceptibly and said nothing more about the Human-skinned Shadow.

Obviously, she only had two leads, but it was still better than the Vampire Emlyn White and Eye of Wisdom Isengard Stanton's circle.

Klein slowly exhaled, concealing his inward disappointment, and said with a respectful tone, "You and Maric aren't troubled by the curse anymore, are you?"

"There's only one Scarlet Lunar Corona," Sharron answered calmly.

The person who wore the Scarlet Lunar Corona was immune to the full moon's effects, a dream item for Mutants.

That is to say, one will be fine, and one will be in the same situation as before… When affected by the full moon, Maric will be driven to insanity, while Miss Sharron will lose her strength. It appears Maric is the one using it… Klein thought as he changed topics.

"Have you found a way to remove a Rampager's mental corruption on the Beyonder characteristic left behind by Wraith Steve?"

He casually asked this question without much hope. In his heart, he believed that there was a greater chance with The Sun.

"No." Sharron appeared like she was talking about someone else.

Perhaps I will sell you this method in the future and hope that you have saved up your gold pounds… Klein tersely acknowledged and was suddenly unsure of how to continue the conversation.

He paused for a few seconds before asking, "Where is White Cliff Town?"

"Backlund suburbs, south of the bridge," Sharron answered succinctly.

She looked into Klein's eyes again.

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing." Klein first shook his head, and then asked, "Can I tell others about the tomb?"

"Sure."

Sharron's figure rapidly faded before she disappeared from the carriage.

Perhaps it was to conceal herself, as she never had the habit of using perfume; thus, leaving behind an empty environment once more.

Chapter 435: Aggregation Effect

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

8 p.m., Harvest Church.

After changing back into his usual attire, Klein looked around once as he pressed down on the edge of his hat. Then, he walked into the hall and headed for Emlyn White who was standing before three rows of candles on the right side of the hall.

At the vampire's feet was a black suitcase, its surface was seemingly covered with a layer of a wall of spirituality.

Upon sensing Detective Sherlock Moriarty coming in, Emlyn was first pleased before revealing an alarmed look.

He bent down to grab his suitcase and took a few steps back, closing the gap he had with Father Utravsky who was focused on praying.

Are you afraid that I'll rob you of the Beyonder ingredients… Klein stopped three meters away, then he smiled and said, "Let me first verify if it's the two ingredients I need."

Emlyn White ran his hand through his hair, lifted the leather case to his chest and undid the buckle.

The wall of spirituality shattered as a result, turning into a light breeze that blew through the prayer hall.

Klein, who had long activated his Spirit Vision, immediately saw bursts of strange and dazzling light. It was the spiritual radiance released by many Beyonder characteristics.

There were two small boxes inside the suitcase. One was made of tin and had many patterns on it. It looked spartan and heavy. The other was only a cardboard box.

Holding the black leather suitcase in one hand, Emlyn opened the slightly tarnished silver-colored tin case. The item inside looked like a yellowish brown peeled walnut with the grooves and ridges of a brain.

Along with the flickering of the candle flame, its appearance constantly changed. Sometimes it would turn gray and appear wrinkled. At other times, it would turn dark brown and extremely smooth. The colors would interweave, outlining a featureless "face."

At the sight of it, Klein felt the power of the potion, which he had completely digested and assimilated, stir a little, like a magnet encountering an opposite pole.

He was able to control his body with his Clown powers as he suppressed the feeling of attraction. He knew deep down that the item was a genuine mutated pituitary gland of a Thousand-faced Hunter.

It seems like what Emperor Roselle speculated in his diary is possible, that High-Sequence items of the same pathway would unconsciously draw Low- and Mid-Sequence Beyonders to them, with a tendency to draw them together… Although the Thousand-faced Hunter's mutated pituitary gland is still very far from a High Sequence and doesn't have that kind of special force of attraction, it contains enough Beyonder characteristics. Moreover, I've digested the Sequence 7 potion. When the person and ingredients are sufficiently close, such a phenomenon will appear…

I didn't notice it before because, firstly, the corresponding Beyonder ingredients are of low quality, and secondly, my own strength is lacking, and I wasn't of a high enough Sequence… Right, every time I digested the potion, an illusory starry sky would appear around me. There were many resplendent lights within, and they would pull one another in an attempt to converge… This might be a scene of the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics of the same pathway, and the greater the "quality," the stronger the pull…

Then, will Beyonder characteristics of similar pathways conform to this law?

Klein's expression didn't change as he recalled the records in Roselle's diary, and combined with his three experiences of digesting potions, he was able to determine the existence of a certain law.

Emlyn White glanced at him warily, quickly closed the tin box and opened the paper box next to it.

The paper box was padded with thick cotton, and in the center of the box was a glass bottle that could hold 200 milliliters of liquid. The bottle was half-empty, while the rest of it was filled with a viscous liquid that could change its color based on the change of light.

"Any other problems?" Emlyn closed the paper box.

"Let me confirm once more." Klein took out a gold coin and let it spin between his fingers, as though it had a life of its own.

Ding!

The gold coin bounced up and fell down again, landing in Klein's palm.

It was heads, indicating a positive response.

Klein nodded slightly and took out stacks after stacks of notes from various pockets. They were in ten-pound, five-pound, and one-pounds denominations.

"1,450 pounds." Klein placed the pile of cash on a nearby piece of furniture.

"Retreat a few steps, no, five steps!" Emlyn called out cautiously.

Klein smiled, raised his hands, and took five steps back.

Emlyn cautiously moved closer, checking to see if there was any blank paper in the stack of cash.

After doing a slight count, he threw the leather suitcase in his hand towards Klein.

Klein was startled and with his agile moves, he accurately caught the suitcase.

He was afraid that the blood of the Thousand-faced Hunter would seep out after the bottle shattered.

And Emlyn White took the opportunity to collect the bills and quickly retreated to the side of Father Utravsky.

Only then did he heave a sigh of relief and seriously checked the amount and their authenticity.

At the sight, Klein recalled the scene and suddenly felt ashamed.

He and Emlyn had made a perfectly fine Church of Mother Earth cathedral look like the scene of an arms or drugs trade…

After confirming the condition of the two ingredients, Klein snapped his fingers, igniting a match he had specially separated in his clothes and allowed the soaring red flames to envelop his body.

When the flames descended back down, he had already disappeared.

As he often met Emlyn White at the Harvest Church, he didn't mind if Father Utravsky found out that he was a Beyonder who had helped him eliminate his dark personality. He even felt that this would give him some form of friendship.

Emlyn, who was counting the money, looked up and was stunned for a good two seconds.

He muttered to himself in a low voice, "My suitcase…

"My tin box…"

…

On the lamp-lit street, a carriage rolled over the puddles and headed for the edge of Empress Borough.

Fors has told her good friend, Xio Derecha, that she had a teacher and had ended up consuming another Apprentice potion.

After confirming that she didn't have any signs of losing control, Xio looked outside the window at the gas lamps, which weren't much taller than she was, and asked in puzzlement, "I've always wondered why they're preserved as ingredients and not as a potion. Your teacher could've concocted the potion beforehand and brought them here, so there was no need for him to do it on the spot."

Fors gave a faint smile and said, "I've asked him about this before. He said that there are two main reasons. One is that different Beyonder ingredients have different uses, and when they're made into a potion, they cannot be used flexibly. The second is that when the Beyonder characteristics are solidified, they can be kept forever, but after it becomes a potion, that won't be the case unless one uses a special isolation technique."

"Why?" Xio asked in surprise. "This isn't an ordinary type of medicine or Beyonder weapon in which its spirituality will continue to dissipate and weaken."

Fors wasn't in the mood to laugh, but she had no choice but to maintain her smile.

"It's not a problem about the characteristic loss, but that once Beyonder ingredients become potions, not only can humans absorb them, even other creatures or materials without life can. It's just relatively slower. For example, if I use a glass bottle to store the potion, it might appear fine, but after a few days, the glass bottle would 'finish' drinking the potion, becoming a special mystical item. It might even gain intelligence. Of course, my teacher said that such a situation has very huge side effects, akin to what a Rampager leaves behind.

"The seven Churches and some hidden factions have special isolation techniques, but it's rather troublesome, and they won't use it on Low- or Mid-Sequence potions."

"How amazing!" Xio sighed.

She took another look outside and said in a low voice, "We're almost there."

She and Fors were here to attend the Beyonder gathering which Mr. A was holding.

Fors smiled while feeling her heart bleed.

"I hope there's the Spirit Eater's stomach pouch."

Her teacher, Dorian Gray, had taught her the acting method before he left. He even gave her the potion formula for Trickmaster and got her to attempt to find the Beyonder ingredients on her own. If she hadn't gathered all of the ingredients by the time she digested the Apprentice potion, she could write to him for help.

This left Fors in a rather lost state.

Why did I spend large sums of money to purchase the Trickmaster formula and the acting method?

Up to now, the greatest and invaluable help the Tarot Club has given me were the things Mr. Hanged Man and Miss Justice taught me to take note of, as well as Mr. Fool's interference in divination. Otherwise, Teacher would've long discovered a problem with me, and I wouldn't have become his student…

Sigh, I'll just consider it as the price for neutralizing the full moon's curse…

As the thought crossed her mind, Fors suddenly noticed that the house where Mr. A had his gathering held had visibly collapsed, and there were even scorch marks in many places.

There was a fierce battle here… Who dealt with Mr. A? An official organization? Fors immediately signaled to Xio and instructed the carriage driver outside, "Not here, two more streets up ahead."

…

"Aurora Order's base found. Terrorist organization suffers severe setback."

The next day, Klein saw this article the moment he flipped the newspapers open.

"Let's hope Mr. A died in this ambush." He drew the crimson moon on his chest in solemnity.

He had already thrown the Thousand-faced Hunter's blood and mutated pituitary gland from last night above the gray fog to ensure that they wouldn't be lost.

Even if I die, they won't be lost… Klein chewed on a piece of bacon with great ease.

After last night's transaction, his cash reserves had fallen back below 1,000 pounds, leaving him with only 735 pounds, which was only enough to buy a Deep-sea Naga's hair. After that, he didn't have the ability to purchase the Human-skinned Shadow's characteristic.

Without any better clues or money, Klein rested at home the entire morning. After lunch, he dressed up and headed straight for the Backlund Bridge area.

He had previously made an agreement with Carlson of the Machinery Hivemind to find him at the Lucky Bar near the West Balam dock if he had any intelligence. If the intelligence was especially important and Carlson wasn't there, he was to go straight to Lever Cathedral. After all, Sherlock Moriarty wasn't a member of a secret organization, so there was no need for caution.

There weren't many customers at Lucky Bar in the afternoon, so Klein instantly saw Carlson sitting and drinking alone in a corner of the bar.

He walked over, knocked on the table, and reported with a suppressed voice, "Many people in East Borough are spreading the faith of the original Creator."

Carlson sipped some alcohol brewed from pure malt and replied noncommittally, "I'm aware."

As expected… Klein commented silently before smiling.

"I have a clue regarding a Fourth Epoch tomb of a noble."

"Ah!"

The glass in Carlson's hand paused as he looked at Klein in surprise, and he unconsciously nudged his thick glasses.

But he noticed that Detective Sherlock Moriarty wasn't continuing to describe the matter, but looking at the bartender a few steps away while saying with a smile, "One glass of Southville beer."

Chapter 436: Klein's Request

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing the white foam of the Southville beer being placed in front of Sherlock Moriarty, Carlson finally came to his senses.

It was only when the bartender was a certain distance away from them did he ask in a suppressed voice, "What do you want?"

Klein picked up his glass and took a sip. He took a few seconds to savor the bitter taste of the malt and the faint sweetness from it.

"Cheers!" He looked sideways at Carlson and smiled before raising his glass.

Without hesitation, Carlson shook his head and refused the offer, mumbling, "You have beer, while I have strong distilled liquor. It's not suitable for a toast."

Klein was only going through the motions, so he once again took a sip of his Southville beer, looked straight ahead, and chuckled.

"What I want is very simple.

"I'm not sure what's inside the tomb, so I can only describe it rather vaguely… Well, I hope that I can choose an item from the spoils of your tomb exploration. I'm not greedy, and my request will not involve high Sequence items. I wouldn't dare to take it even if they were one of the options.

"If you find nothing or there are only high Sequence items, then I don't want anything. Of course, I believe that when the latter happens, you wouldn't be stingy with giving me a sum of cash that's consistent with my contribution."

After hearing about the Amon family's tomb from Miss Sharron yesterday, he had came up with rough plans.

The first plan was to blow the copper whistle, contact Mr. Azik, and join forces to explore the tomb.

However, there were many potential problems with this plan. Firstly, he was unsure of the amount of strength Azik, who was still in the midst of finding his lost memories, had regained. Secondly, Azik was being pursued by MI9, so it was very easy for him and Azik to land in trouble. Thirdly, there was a high chance that Klein would end up reappearing in the sights of Sealed Artifact 0-08 once again. Of course, he could also consider using the help of the gray fog to make contact or embark on the expedition. However, blowing the copper whistle above the gray fog made it impossible to summon the messenger; therefore, ending all of his subsequent plans.

More importantly, Klein didn't dare to reveal the secret of the space above the fog to Azik Eggers whose identity remained a mystery.

Therefore, he finally chose the second method, which was to use his identity as an informant to submit the information to the Machinery Hivemind and ask for a reasonable reward.

When it came to the number of High-Sequence Beyonders, which faction could have more than the seven Churches?

According to what Klein knew, there were close to ten High-Sequence Beyonders in the Church of the Evernight Goddess. In other words, nearly half of the thirteen archbishops and nine high-ranking deacons had reached or surpassed Sequence 4. This wasn't considering the adorer of the Goddess, the Pope who helmed the Church.

Even if the situation regarding the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery was inferior in this aspect, it couldn't be that inferior. Their archbishop of the Backlund diocese, Horamick Haydn, was a High-Sequence Beyonder.

And as such, for an orthodox church, with all its resources accumulated to date, it wouldn't value the Mid-Sequence items very, very, very much. Klein believed that he could negotiate a reasonable "price."

Simply put, the core element of the second plan was: find an organization for any difficulties!

Upon hearing Klein's offer, Carlson paused for a second, then blurted out, "Aren't you a believer in God?"

I've always had the Goddess in my heart… Klein drew a triangular Sacred Emblem on his chest.

"It is because of my belief in God that I've told you this information, not to the Nighthawks through Mr. Stanton.

"God said to let those who wish to be strong, be strong. Only by becoming stronger and having more money can I have more access to different channels and resources, and thus provide you with better and more effective information."

In order to convince the Machinery Hivemind, he had specifically spent the morning reading through the "Steam and Machinery Bible" that he had bought earlier. He then found a few sentences from the deity that met his requirements and memorized them.

Carlson was momentarily unable to provide a rejoinder. He just sat there, stunned, to the point of forgetting to drink.

Seeing this, Klein quickly added, "Moreover, this will help you establish a harmonious and efficient relationship with new-generation informants. As long as you spread the news of the rewards I receive as a result of this, as well as keeping your promise without going back on your word, then I believe that the other informants will be deeply moved and be greatly motivated to do their best to gather useful information for you.

"Of course, I wish that you use my pseudonym when advertising this."

Carlson listened with a blank face, picked up his glass, and gulped down a mouthful. He almost choked.

"Cough. Sherlock, the real you is completely different from what I remember about you from before." He sighed.

The Detective Sherlock Moriarty in his memories was good at analysis and reasoning, he was extremely calm and polite, and, with a great sense of justice, had offered very effective advice. He was an outstanding believer in God.

Yet now, he was…

Klein took a sip of his beer and chuckled.

"Everyone has their different sides. Using a single facade to face everything is prone to error. This is a problem you have to pay attention to when making deductions."

After calming down for a moment, Carlson stood up and said, "I have no right to agree to such a request. I will report it immediately, so wait here for a while."

"Alright." Klein waved to the bartender and added a serving of potato wedges.

By the time he leisurely finished his food and beer, Carlson returned to the bar with the deacon of the Machinery Hivemind, Ikanser Bernard.

Ikanser looked around, and seeing that there was no one around, he said in a deep voice, "There's no problem with your request, but there's one condition to add on—items with strong side effects and curses are not among the items available for selection."

What I want is an ingredient… Klein immediately laughed.

"Alright!

"Dare I ask again if is this your personal decision or the response from the higher-ups?"

"I have the right to make such a decision." Ikanser used his hat to press down on his fluffy hair. "But since it concerns an aristocratic tomb from the Fourth Epoch, I had sent a telegram to the archbishop, and he didn't object to it in his reply."

"Alright." Klein drew another triangular Sacred Emblem on his chest. "I'll give you the information now."

Ikanser shook his head subconsciously.

He looked around and pointed to a billiard room.

"Let's talk inside."

This deacon, who is always publicly placed on trial by the mirror called Arrodes, is quite experienced… Klein murmured and followed Ikanser and Carlson into the billiard room while making sure that the adjacent rooms were empty.

Klein paused for a few seconds and said with some deliberation, "The thing is, there was a Beyonder who found a hidden tomb at the mouth of the Stratford River in White Cliff Town. He searched the periphery and found some items.

"After that, they recruited people and did further explorations, but no one returned. If you search carefully over there, you will definitely find the corresponding traces."

After listening carefully, Ikanser asked, "Are you sure it's an aristocratic tomb from the Fourth Epoch?"

"The items on the outside can prove that they're members of the Tudor Dynasty's Amon family," Klein answered truthfully. He then warned him, "The Beyonders who died in there weren't weak at all, and there were quite a few of them. I believe that this tomb isn't something that can be explored by those below High-Sequence Beyonders."

"Amon…" Ikanser frowned instinctively.

It could be seen that, as a deacon, he had the authority to know some ancient secret history.

Without waiting for Klein to emphasize it again, he looked up and said, "We will collect the relevant information first before we act."

"A Fourth Epoch aristocratic tomb is very dangerous. Don't tell this information to anyone else, or explore it yourself. Otherwise, you and your friends will only lose their lives."

If I dared, I wouldn't be sitting here… Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "My reputation has always been good."

After making the deal, he watched Ikanser and Carlson leave before putting on his hat and sauntering out of Lucky Bar.

Towards the nobles of the Fourth Epoch, as well as the Amon family, the Machinery Hivemind will still be very cautious. They'll have to have at least several days of preparing before they take action… Prudence… Klein's random thoughts froze on a single word.

He thought of another thing that could be described as being prudent.

After Roselle had joined the ancient organization suspected of being the Twilight Hermit Order, he had actually never mentioned its name in his own secret diary which was written in Chinese. Each time, he would refer to it by referring to it with the appropriate characteristics.

This level of prudence was a very suspicious phenomenon!

Why didn't Emperor Roselle dare to mention the name of that organization, even when it's written in Chinese? This is completely different from the style of writing where he dared to write anything in his diary… What was he afraid of, or what was he worried about? Could it be that as long as he said or wrote down the name of the Twilight Hermit Order, then they would be made aware of it it no matter which language he used? Does one of their members or a Sealed Artifact they possess have such abilities? A guess popped up in Klein's mind, but there was no way to confirm it unless he was willing to take the risk.

I'll first assume it's true and that I haven't been perceived by them, because the channeling of the Desire Apostle's spirit had been done above the gray fog. Informing Miss Justice of it was also done in response to a prayer using the gray fog… Well, it's almost Monday, and I have to remind Miss Justice at the Tarot Club not to say or write down the name "Twilight Hermit Order." As for the reason, she can understand it by herself with me simply giving her a look… Klein quickly made his next arrangements and strode out of Lucky Bar.

Seeing that it was still early, he took a horse carriage to the Quelaag Club, intending to spend the afternoon there.

As soon as he entered the hall, he saw the equestrian teacher, Talim Dumont.

This descendant of blue-blood was seated in a corner, holding a glass of scarlet grape wine. His face was rosy, and he was sipping it in high spirits.

"You seem to be in a good mood, Talim," Klein smiled and greeted him.

Talim chuckled and said, "Because the new year is coming."

Then, rather excitedly, he asked, "Sherlock, do you know what it's like to really like someone?"

"…" Klein showed a fake smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm still single."

Talim finished the rest of his wine, stood up, waved his hand, and said, "That's a pity. Well, I have to get busy."

"By the way, thank you for introducing Mr. Framis Cage," Klein recalled the investment of the bike project and sincerely expressed his gratitude. "When are you free these days? I'd like to get you to bring me around to sample some of Backlund's delicacies."

"After the new year." Talim put on his hat and walked with a smile to the reception hall.

Has this fellow entered the season of love? Klein couldn't help but mutter.

Just as he turned around and took a few steps, he suddenly heard a heavy thud.

Klein jerked his head back and saw Talim Dumont on the ground, his left hand clamped tightly at his chest where his heart was. His body was convulsing nonstop.

This… Klein hurried over.

But at this moment, Talim had already spat out all of the white foam on his mouth, losing his last breath of life.

In just a few seconds, he had turned into a dead corpse.

Chapter 437: Obituary

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

This wasn't the first time Klein had seen someone familiar die in front of him, but it was the most abrupt and unforeseen death. The expression on Talim Dumont's face when he had asked about what it felt to really like someone was a vivid expression of hidden excitement and flaunting, but one which couldn't be directly shared due to the need of being careful as a result of certain factors.

That was too fast… Normal diseases do not cause death so quickly! Klein's expression was solemn as he lightly tapped his molars to activate his Spirit Vision.

He dropped to one knee and crouched down. He saw Talim Dumont's aura and the colors of his emotions fading rapidly.

Furthermore, there were strands of black gas wrapped around his heart like a snake which were gradually dimming.

A Beyonder ability similar to a curse? Klein instantly made a preliminary conclusion.

At this moment, a nearby red-vested attendant and a servant girl in a black-and-white dress ran over. They looked at the dead body on the ground in horror—his eyes were wide and round, and the corners of his mouth still had remnant white foam.

Klein closed his eyes and instructed in a deep voice, "Go to the nearby police station and tell them someone died here."

"Yes, Mr. Moriarty." The red-vested attendant immediately turned around and ran out the door, so flustered that he even forgot to put on his coat.

Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Klein didn't check Talim's belongings, nor did he try to pull out a few strands of hair for a divination attempt when he wasn't around anyone.

His identity was already considered semi-official, so he could use the power of the Machinery Hivemind to conduct a follow-up investigation. There was no need for him to act as a lone hero.

Thinking of the many times he had played cards with Talim Dumont, and how he had introduced clients and investors, and the love story that had been hanging in his mind for so long, Klein couldn't help but take a long, slow, deep breath.

Who's Talim's murderer?

Which Beyonder, who's adept at curses, did Talim offend?

Judging from his attitude today, he should be in a very happy and calm state, completely unaware of the fact that he has provoked a terrifying character…

Questions flashed through Klein's mind, but his lack of understanding about Talim Dumont resulted in a lack of soil to nurture any inspiration.

When the police arrived, he was questioned as a witness and that wasted quite a bit of his time.

It wasn't until all of this was over that Klein had a chance to leave Hillston Borough and head back to Lucky Bar in the Backlund Bridge area.

Carlson was still there drinking; the only difference being that his drink had been exchanged from a strong distilled liquor made from pure malt to golden, frothy beer.

Klein raised his right hand, covered his mouth, and squeezed over. He lightly knocked on the table and said, "Is your job to drink here every day?"

Carlson jumped in fright as he turned his head, relaxing only when he saw that it was Sherlock Moriarty.

"You… What is it now?"

This reaction is very familiar… Klein sighed silently and said gravely, "There is a case involving Beyonders."

Carlson looked around and saw that Lucky Bar already had quite a number of patrons. They were either hollering over their glasses or eager to fight in the ring.

"Follow me, let's play a round of billiards." Carlson nudged his thick glasses and carried his beer to an empty billiard room.

Klein followed, closing the door behind him.

"Your alcohol tolerance seems pretty good," he said in passing.

"No, I just drink very slowly." Carlson put down his glass and picked up the cue stick.

Then, he added inexplicably, "And I'd like some alone time lately."

I don't care about that… Klein pursed his lips and said, "I encountered a death at the Quelaag Club in Hillston Borough. That was a friend of mine, a noble descendant, and an equestrian teacher. He's usually healthy and had recently been in a very good mental state, but just now, he suddenly died in front of me. It looked like a heart attack, but my Spirit Vision told me that he might've been cursed."

"You're adept at Spirit Vision?" Carlson asked subconsciously.

What sort of details did Mr. Stanton fabricate for me? After becoming a Machinery Hivemind informant, they never even asked me which pathway I was, or which Sequence I'm at, nor did they try to find out about my origins and background… Of course, letting an informant keep certain secrets of their own is also a common tactic used by official organizations… Klein frankly responded, "Yes, the chest of the deceased had some decaying, illusory black gas."

"It does involve the possibility of a curse and a Beyonder." Carlson didn't ask further as he slowly nodded. "Hillston Borough… That's the territory of our Machinery Hivemind."

In the northwest of Backlund, which was the heart of the metropolis, Empress Borough and Cherwood Backlund came under the Mandated Punisher's jurisdiction. The western and northern areas came under the Nighthawks, and Hillston Borough and Backlund Bridge area came under the Machinery Hivemind.

Having said this, Carlson looked at Klein and attempted to confirm the details.

"What deity does your friend believe in?"

After thinking carefully for a few seconds, Klein replied hesitantly, "The Lord of Storms."

"A believer of the Lord of Storms… Is he the only deceased?" Carlson asked with a frown.

"Yes," Klein gave an affirmative answer.

Carlson chalked the cue stick and sighed.

"We have no right to take the case. This is under the Mandated Punishers.

"But I will pass on your information to them."

In the Loen Kingdom, the principle of jurisdiction over Beyonder events was first to divide them according to their beliefs. If they involved the followers of multiple deities, then it would be decided according to who held jurisdiction over the area.

Klein was no stranger to this. He had no intention of making things difficult for Carlson, so he earnestly said, "Thank you. I hope they can find the real killer as soon as possible."

Carlson picked up the glass of beer beside him and took a sip.

"He's a descendant of blue-blood. The Mandated Punishers will definitely take it seriously."

Pausing for a second, he looked at Klein and said in a low voice, "I find it hard to believe that you've only been in Backlund for about three months.

"You seem to have established a wide range of social connections and possess lots of resources here."

"Some people are naturally adept at this." Klein shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh before bidding farewell.

By the time he got back to Minsk Street, it was completely dark and the gas lamps lining the streets were being lit by workers.

Although his relationship with Talim Dumont didn't go deep, he was an acquaintance he met nearly every week. He was a friend he would play cards with every now and then, and Talim was rather warm and had always exalted him as a great detective. Furthermore, he had practiced what he preached by introducing clients and investors.

His passing also made Klein feel sad, making him fully aware of his helplessness towards fate.

Other than that, he was also very angry. He was angry at the murderer who had cursed Talim to death.

I hope that they can figure out what happened. I hope that the Mandated Punishers doesn't run out of manpower because of Duke Negan's assassination case… Klein sighed as he got off the carriage and walked towards the gate.

In the process, he discovered that there was no light at the Sammers house next door.

It looks like they're on their way to Desi Bay… Is this the new year atmosphere in Backlund? Yet, I don't feel anything at all… Klein momentarily felt melancholic.

With these emotions in mind, he went to bed early and woke up at seven in the morning.

In an attempt to change his mood, Klein decided to bake a homemade cake today.

"I'll buy the ingredients after breakfast," he whispered, drinking his milk and flipping through the newspapers.

Soon, he saw an "obituary" in the Tussock Times: "My beloved son, Talim Dumont, passed away on 18 December due to a sudden heart disease. His funeral will be held at the Crown Cemetery at exactly 9 a.m. on 21 December."

In the Northern Continent, due to reanimations, it was already an ancient tradition to be buried as quickly as possible after one's death. Of course, this was on the premise that there was no shortage of money for a funeral.

Sudden heart disease? Is this the final result of the investigation? Or could it be that the Mandated Punishers are trying to lull the culprit? Klein frowned, unable to make a judgment.

Perhaps I can go above the gray fog to see if it's a trap set up by the Mandated Punishers, but there's a high probability of failure. After all, I don't have one of his items with me, nor was I targeted… He took a breath, calmed down, and methodically filled his stomach.

The subsequent attempt didn't exceed Klein's expectations. He could only leave Minsk Street and take a bus to Hillston Borough to visit Isengard Stanton.

The great detective walked in the warm room, pointed to the front, and said, "Sherlock, would you like some breakfast? My chef's skills aren't worse than mine."

"No, I've already had breakfast," Klein shook his head and declined.

Isengard stopped in his tracks and casually asked, "Where are you going to spend the new year's? I'm planning on, no—returning to Lenburg."

"I haven't confirmed it yet. Perhaps Midseashire," Klein said, perfunctorily.

"The scenery there was originally pretty good, but unfortunately, there's an abundance in coal and iron resources, there was also a rather developed shipping industry." Isengard straightened his collar and touched the pipe in his pocket. "You seem to be a little anxious?"

"Mr. Stanton, I have something to ask you." Klein took the opportunity when asked the question to relate, in detail, Talim Dumont's death, the results of his Spirit Vision, his advice to the Machinery Hivemind, and what he had seen in this morning's obituary.

Of course, he had hidden the fact that he had become an informant for the Machinery Hivemind. He only said that for his friend, he had found an official Beyonder he got to know due to the Desire Apostle case.

"Do you think this is a trap by the Mandated Punishers?" he finally asked.

Holding the pipe, Isengard said thoughtfully, "I've been trying to avoid the Mandated Punishers, and I don't know enough about the situation.

"I'll get someone to find out. If there's any news, then I'll write to you."

"Okay, thank you." Klein bowed sincerely.

In the evening, he received a letter specially sent from Isengard. There was only one sentence in the letter: "This case isn't handled by the Mandated Punishers. The royal family has taken the case by claiming that Talim Dumont is a noble."

Chapter 438: Invitation

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The royal family… Klein held the letter he received from Isengard Stanton and silently murmured to himself.

He looked up and outside the window, and he saw the rain pattering down. The gas lamps on the streets were giving off quiet halos.

Inside the living room, the coffee table was neat and tidy, with a few stacks of newspapers placed in the corner. There was silence all around him.

Klein sat on the sofa as he leaned forward a little. He sat there silently for a long time.

After nearly ten minutes, he exhaled and shook his head. Slowly and heavily, he tossed the letter into the trash can.

He slowly stood up and expressionlessly walked to the second floor.

And in the trash can, Isengard Stanton's letter caught fire silently and quickly crumpled into black ashes.

…

On Monday morning, Klein stood in front of the mirror, pressed his right thumb and middle finger to his temples, and rubbed them with a little more strength.

When he was done, he turned on the faucet, lowered his body, splashed the cold tap water onto his face, and washed his face while having a fit at the cold.

After freshening himself up, he hung up the towel, walked to the first floor, and simply made a single-sided, well-done fried eggs with buttered toast.

Of course, a cup of black tea with a few slices of lemon quenched his thirst and reduced the cloy sensation he was feeling.

After breakfast, as he was idly flipping through the rest of the newspapers, Klein suddenly heard the tinkling of the doorbell.

Who is it? A new commission? Could it be that the Machinery Hivemind has already finished exploring the Amon family's tomb? No, it can't be that fast… Klein muttered as he put away his napkin and newspapers and walked slowly to the door.

When he held the handle, the image of the visitor outside the door appeared in his mind.

It was an elderly gentleman dressed to a tee. His snow-white shirt was starched, and a thick grayish-blue vest completely hid his belly. The long tailcoat had sharp lines without any blemishes on it.

The gentleman was wearing a pair of shiny leather shoes, so shiny that it was impossible to tell if he had walked through the rain or mud.

He wore a pair of white knitted gloves, with silver hair at his temples. His face was deeply wrinkled, and his light brown eyes were so serious that they didn't contain a hint of a smile.

I don't know him… Klein mumbled and opened the door.

"May I know who you're looking for?" he asked politely.

The elderly gentleman took off his hat, pressed it to his chest, and saluted in the most standard manner.

"Mr. Sherlock Moriarty, I'm a butler who has come to invite you in place of my master."

"Do I know your esteemed master? Why is he looking for me?" Klein's head was completely filled with questions.

But at this moment, he had already noticed a carriage parked across the cement road. It had a deep black outer shell, and there was a curtain on the inside of the window. It was obvious that it was nothing ordinary.

There's luxury amidst being low-key… Klein looked closely and suddenly saw that there was a coat of arms in a conspicuous part of the carriage.

The main body of the coat of arms was a vertical sword facing down, and the hilt of the sword had a red crown.

That's the… Sword of Judgment… It's the Sword of Judgment representing the royal Augustus family! Klein's heart palpitated as he roughly understood the butler's background.

Perhaps he's a rather powerful Beyonder… Klein made a guess.

The professional and stern butler didn't pay attention to his scrutiny. He revealed a polite smile and said, "You have never met my master, but in a sense, you do know him. You have been providing him clues about the organization that is symbolized by the tarot cards, and he has paid for the money you need."

As expected, it's the important figure that Talim mentioned. I've been using false information to fleece for funds and even submitted all the reimbursements that Old Kohler required to him… I can't refuse his invitation now, especially when Talim is dead… Klein pondered for two seconds and said, "Did your master come to me due to Talim's death?"

"Yes, Talim was his friend. He was sad and confused by his death, and he heard that you were there when it happened," the old butler articulated clearly.

No, I wasn't… Klein subconsciously wanted to deny it, but he ultimately could only nod.

"Yes, I saw Talim die in front of me."

"It's really a sad and regretful thing," the butler said in a sincere tone. "Are you willing to accept my master's invitation?"

Do I have any reason to refuse? That would just make me look very suspicious! I might even be killed on the spot by you… Klein looked at him and said, "I happen to have nothing planned this morning."

"Alright then. Mr. Moriarty, please." The old butler bent down slightly, extended his right white-gloved hand, and pointed at the carriage on the opposite side of the cement road.

Sigh, I've been trying to avoid getting involved with important figures. In the end, I have no choice but to face the person behind Talim after his death… I wonder if this would attract attention or lead to more in-depth background checks… I have to plan ahead and be ready to give up my identity and this foothold at any time… Also, I need to get the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic and the Deep-sea Naga's hair and advance to Faceless as soon as possible! In that case, my ability to resist risks would more than double! When Klein put on his coat and hat and walked to the carriage with the royal coat of arms, he had already thought of the subsequent developments.

At this moment, the servant the old butler brought with him opened the door for him.

Stepping on the thick brown carpet, Klein looked at the wooden cabinets containing red wine, white wine, champagne, Lanti, and Black Rand, along with the crystal glasses. Klein felt rather restricted as he sat by the window.

Lanti referred to strong distilled spirits made from pure malt. There were many types, such as the sailors' favorite Lanti Proof. The bottles displayed in the cabinets were obviously of high quality. As for Black Rand, they referred to strong distilled wines mixed with other fermented grains, which, like Lanti, was something unique to Loen.

As the carriage drove through the wet streets, Klein asked in passing, "Are we going to Empress Borough?"

"No, my master is waiting for you at the Red Rose Manor on the outskirts of Empress Borough." The old butler didn't hide anything.

Looks like this is the royal family's manor… Klein thought for a moment, then he asked with a smile, "Can you tell me your master's identity now?"

The old housekeeper's back, which was already straight, became even straighter as he raised his chin.

"He is the descendant of the Founder and Protector. He's the grandson of the Might-wielder, the fifth son of His Majesty, Duke of Lastings, His Highness Prince Edessak Augustus."

So it's the third prince, the second youngest prince, but he should be around 21 to 22 years old… Klein recalled what he had seen in the occasional descriptions in the newspapers and magazines at the Quelaag Club.

The horse carriage passed through one street after another, going from an artificial lake to the northwest. After more than an hour, they finally arrived at an extremely large manor.

At the entrance to the manor, Klein was inspected by two soldiers in red military uniforms and white trousers. He didn't hide the existence of his gun holster and revolver.

He believed that there were definitely people around Prince Edessak who could tell that he was carrying a gun, and that it easily made things worse if he fooled them with illusions.

In any case, the prince knows that I'm a private detective, so his subordinates definitely wouldn't send guests to the police station just because I was illegally in possession of a gun… Klein watched as the soldier took the gun holster and revolver before he was informed to take it when he came out.

After two more inspections, Klein followed the old butler, went around the main house, and came to a wide area with hills and flowing waters.

The only drawback of this place was that the vegetation had long since withered away in the dead of winter, leaving nothing but desolation.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Several horses came running from the distance and stopped in front of them.

A young man in white trousers, high-heeled black boots, a fitted shirt, and a dark rider's tunic nimbly dismounted and walked over. Everyone else followed closely by his side.

He removed his helmet from his head and smiled at Klein.

"I'm finally meeting you, Detective Moriarty."

Upon seeing this, Klein's eyes lit up. It wasn't because of how handsome he was, but because he looked like the Henry Augustus I imprinted on five-pound notes.

Edessak Augustus also had a rotund face and a pair of slender eyes, but he didn't look serious at all. Instead, he always had a smile on his face, looking young and spirited.

"I didn't know that you, Your Highness, were the one who entrusted me with the task." Klein bowed.

Holding a horsewhip in his hand, Edessak weighed it in his palm and chuckled.

"I heard that you played an important role in the serial killer and Desire Apostle cases. Talim's recommendation was indeed good. Sigh, who knew that he would be gone days after I was horse racing with him. He has gone to the kingdom of storm and lightning."

Since the founding of the kingdom, the Augustus family had always believed in the Lord of the Storms.

Without waiting for Klein to answer, he said with a heavy expression, "The investigation into Talim's death didn't go through me, Mr. Moriarty. I want you to help me discover the truth."

The conclusion given by the rest of the royal family? Your two elder brothers? This sudden level of in-fighting isn't something I can handle… Also, Your Highness, your style is really direct… Klein sighed.

"I'm sorry, but I'd still say that Talim died of a sudden heart disease."

"Is that so? News came from the Mandated Punishers that a detective by the name of Sherlock Moriarty had testified that Talim had signs of suffering from a curse." Prince Edessak chuckled.

Klein could only respond with a wry smile, "Your Highness, you should know the principles I adhere to, I still wish to live another fifty years."

"Wasn't Talim your friend?" Prince Edessak asked.

Klein was at a loss for an answer when a maid suddenly came from the main room, quickly approached the prince, and whispered a few words.

Edessak's face stiffened.

"Tell her that she's not to go out!"

After he finished speaking, he took two steps forward. His serious expression softened, and a hint of softness and helplessness appeared in his blue eyes.

"But I will permit her to leave the room and walk around freely in the manor."

Chapter 439: The Generous Prince

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The scene before his eyes reminded Klein of the romance story which Talim Dumont had told him.

His noble friend had fallen in love with a commoner woman and was insistent on marrying her. However, being in the top circle of the aristocracy, the marriage was absolutely prohibited. Talim had been vexed over this matter, and he had even considered the prospect of hiring a murderer, but in the end, he managed to persuade the woman to leave his friend on her own accord.

Could the main character of this story be Edessak Augustus? The situation is very consistent in all aspects. As a prince, marrying a commoner is practically treason in this era. Since the founding of Loen, the spouse of a direct descendant of the Augustus Family could only be a noblewoman… From what I've just heard, Edessak has brought that commoner woman back? And he has even grounded her as punishment? True love… In a split-second, the story of a tyrannical prince and a pitiful frail white flower took shape in Klein's mind.

He looked into the distance, enjoying the midwinter scenery.

"That's not what it really looks like. When spring comes and the grass sprouts, you'll see a golf course of the highest quality." Prince Edessak dismissed the maid, raised his whip, and pointed around.

"Golf?" Klein asked, simultaneously knowing the answer to his question.

Prince Edessak motioned his guards and attendants away, leaving the old butler and Klein to follow him by his side.

He strolled on the desolate plains, chuckled, and said, "Yes, golf. This is a truly aristocratic sport that even the owners of most magazines and newspapers have a hard time getting involved in.

"Although I don't like Roselle, I have to admit that the fantasy-like ideas he had have given us a world with plenty of fun. If you can figure out the truth to Talim's death, this place will always be open to you."

It was indeed Roselle… Klein let out a light breath.

Seeing that he didn't respond, Prince Edessak continued to lament.

"There is much to learn from Roselle in every way, but his attitude towards feelings makes me sick. Of course, this is the common nature and style of most of the Intis aristocrats, and it's also the source of their infatuation with luxury and debauchery in their lives."

Looking ahead at the slow stream, Edessak said in a mature tone that was beyond his years, "Ninety-nine percent of people are not geniuses like Roselle. In order to succeed and establish a great enterprise, one must first understand what they really want, and for that, they must be willing to pay the price and never turn back while persisting all the way."

As he said this, his tone became slow as he laughed at himself and said, "Before this year, I had always thought that I liked the daughter of Earl Hall very much. She has perfect looks, an elegant demeanor, a rich fortune, a distinguished family, and a very powerful father. She's someone that no prince can find fault with, but now I understand that what I'm really attracted to is something that I yearn to have even in my dreams; it's a unique temperament and profound soul born from experience. Heh, I'm not saying that Miss Hall is lacking in temperament, but that wasn't what I want, admire, or like."

Your Highness, your tone, attitude, and expression are now almost identical to Talim just before he died… Don't suddenly die in front of me. Even if I were to jump into theTussock 1 River, there's no way for me to prove my innocence… Moreover, hearing much of this makes it easier for me to be silenced. Do you want to tie me to your chariot… Klein felt a little afraid for some baffling reason.

He cleared his throat and took the initiative to change the subject.

"Your Highness, with your status and identity, you will certainly not lack subordinates. There are many people who are willing to investigate Talim's death for you, so why do you need me?"

Edessak shook his head and chuckled.

"As a prince, I have as much power as the little freedom I have. There are many things I can't let the people around me do, as there are too many eyes on me.

"You're a great detective with brains, and you have a good relationship with Talim. You were there at the time, so I don't think there's anyone better suited than you.

"Don't worry, if there really is a problem, then I can definitely guarantee your safety."

Such a promise is like toilet paper in the bathroom… Klein couldn't help but silently lampoon.

With Prince Edessak already saying this much, he felt that there was little chance of him leaving Red Rose Manor if he refused again. He could only sigh and say, "Actually, I'm as angry as you are about Talim's death, but reality has kept me calm."

Edessak smiled.

"What can I do for you?"

"Talim's hair, either his flesh and blood, plus something he carried around with him." Klein made the request.

"Okay, then I'll have these delivered to your house." Edessak agreed at once, and then asked curiously, "That's all?"

Klein didn't stand on ceremony.

"I will only know what kind of help I need when I have a preliminary lead. Your Highness, it's best that you give me a way to communicate with you. A private detective who frequently visits this manor would definitely arouse suspicion."

Edessak nodded and said as if he was prepared, "I'll have someone secretly rent the house next door to you, 13 Minsk Street. When you need to make contact, write a letter to your neighbor about visiting and put it in the mailbox. As for the reward, you should know that I'm not a stingy person, even if it ends in failure. As long as you contribute and take the risk, you will still receive the corresponding income. If you do find out the truth, I'll give you a reward sufficient for your retirement."

This prince does things really swiftly and decisively… Retirement, that would be at least 3,000 pounds… Klein secretly sighed.

"Alright, may the spirit of Talim be at peace in the kingdom of storm and lightning." He bowed.

Edessak nodded slightly and instructed his elderly butler, "Take Detective Moriarty out and back to Minsk Street."

Why don't you keep me for lunch? Aren't you treating your guest in a little too arrogant a manner? Of course, it probably has to do with it being a long time before noon… Klein silently teased him.

He followed the old butler all the way out to the entrance of the manor and retrieved the gun holster, revolver, and the bullets.

…

At 15 Minsk Street, Klein stood at the oriel window and watched the carriage with the royal coat of arms drive away.

Sherlock Moriarty might die at any moment if the investigations really goes deeper… Who knows, someone might be watching me right now… Hmm, not for now, since I haven't made any moves yet… Klein frowned and stood still.

At this moment, he was extremely eager to advance to Faceless.

I can't afford to wait for the Machinery Hivemind's exploration of the Amon family's tomb. I have to continue trying to buy the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic via other channels. After all, no one knows how long the Machinery Hivemind's preparations will take. What if it exceeds a month or even half a year? That's not impossible. They can first send people to guard the entrance and slowly gather the corresponding information so as to be certain that nothing goes wrong. It's not a bad strategy, but that's not something that I can afford to wait for… As thoughts raced through Klein's mind, he made his decision.

At 2:45 p.m., he brought his newspaper into the bathroom and actively prepared for this week's Tarot Gathering.

Three o'clock sharp.

A deep red illusory radiance rose as Audrey Hall looked around in a good mood.

Last night, she had finally received the Sequence 7 Psychiatrist potion formula she had been dreaming of. Her emotions were still a mix of excitement, agitation, and serenity. Furthermore, the Psychology Alchemists hadn't immediately asked her to make any contributions, claiming that it was an advance.

They had full confidence in Miss Audrey's outstanding ability to "repay" them.

No new members… Audrey stood up and gazed at the very end of the long bronze table. She raised the corners of her skirt and bowed.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~ Good afternoon…"

Her light and cheerful voice broke the unchanging silence above the fog, and it allowed Klein, who had been feeling a little depressed, to temporarily be rid of the troubles that the outside world had on him.

He nodded slightly and responded to the members' greetings.

When she sat down again, Audrey brought the other members into view and created a dynamic scene with the previous observations.

When bowing, Mr. Hanged Man silently sized up Mr. Fool with inconspicuous curiosity. Then, he looked towards Mr. World in anticipation… In other words, with him having a deep relationship with the Church of the Lord of Storms, he knows about the details of Duke Negan's assassination and is aware of the appearance of Hero Bandit Dark Emperor. He has the desire to investigate the hidden truth behind this matter… There appears to be an outcome regarding the Werewolf Beyonder characteristic which Mr. World had entrusted him to sell, and he has also probably found the Human-skinned Shadow characteristics or the Deep-sea Naga's hair…

The Sun's emotions are very stable and relaxed. This means that he believes that the City of Silver's surveillance on him has been lifted… What did he rely on to make this judgment? Has he been reallocated to the so-called exploratory teams?

Fors is a little depressed despite feeling relaxed… She passed the Abraham family member's test and has become his student, but she was forced to accept something that was disadvantageous to her?

Mr. World is as cold and deep as ever… Perhaps when I reach Sequence 7 or 6, I'll be able to grasp his emotional changes and thoughts…

Well, The Fool is still as mysterious, powerful, and unfathomable.

A series of thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind. She looked at the figure shrouded in the gray fog and said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I have obtained three new pages of Roselle's diary."

It was a copy she had requested from the Psychology Alchemists. However, as she had only mentioned it last night, Escalante only had the time to give her three pages in such short notice.

"What kind of reward do you want?" Klein asked with a smile.

Audrey replied sincerely, "Can you just treat it as the reward for answering my previous question?"

As she said this, she had an inexplicable feeling of flaunting herself.

Mr. Hanged Man and the rest of you still don't know the existence of the Twilight Hermit Order!

Phew, how envious. I wonder what problem did Miss Justice seek guidance for in private… I'll write to Teacher when I get back, and I'll ask him if he has Roselle's diary, no—to the outside world, notebook. Fors immediately had the desire and motivation.

Under The Hanged Man's suspicious gaze, Klein nodded without any care.

"Sure."

Audrey quickly produced three pages of tawny diary entries and passed them on to Mr. Fool.

Klein took them and read them. On the first page, it wrote: "13th January, contact with Mr. Door stabilized."

Chapter 440: Angel Family

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Just as Klein picked up the diary, Audrey added, "Mr. Fool, I still have ten diary pages which will be given to you later. It is for the payment for your previous blessing."

She repeated her private promise so as to not let Mr. Fool think that she had forgotten about it, and the reason why she had provided payment for the information regarding the Twilight Hermit Order was to first settle the "debt" while having the intention to show off a little.

The payment for the blessing… Fors ruminated over these words and suddenly realized an important oversight on her part.

On the matter regarding the Abraham family, Mr. Fool had sent his angel to help me interfere with the divination! I should've paid an appropriate amount… Oh no, I didn't realize this at all… I thought, like all rituals, that it was the end to it once it was completed… For a moment, Fors fell into a panic.

During ordinary ritualistic magic, if one prayed for help from a deity or a corresponding existence, they would perform a sacrifice in advance. Burning essential oils, extracts, and herbal essence that pleased the target was equivalent to making an advanced payment, but in the rituals corresponding to The Fool, there were many steps that could be omitted, and the price could only be paid afterward. Sometimes, there wasn't even a need to offer anything. Fors, who was accustomed to the former, ended up only saying a word of thanks.

She hurriedly looked towards the end of the long bronze table and earnestly said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, your divination interference had helped me greatly. I will try to find ten Roselle diary pages as soon as possible as well."

Seeing the performance of Miss Justice and Miss Magician, it dawned on Derrick Berg that he had found a way to fully express his gratitude.

However, the City of Silver doesn't have the diary pages of the so-called Emperor Roselle… Well, Mr. Fool is very interested in history, so I'll have to read more books and records on these… With a thought, Derrick made a promise to Mr. Fool who sat high above them.

The Hanged Man watched all this from the side and had no doubt that The Fool had an angel at his service.

Any organization should have a character like Miss Justice… The power of a role model is limitless… With a lot of "debts" to collect appearing out of thin air, Klein happily sighed inwardly.

As the high and mighty Mr. Fool, he always found it awkward to directly ask for compensation, and he had always believed that helping the members of his own organization was a normal and reasonable thing to do, without the need for him to make it so reliant on transactions. Thus, he didn't control The World to put on the appropriate performance to remind everyone.

Of course, if Justice and the others were willing to provide payment, then Klein had no intention of refusing it.

"Alright." He smiled and nodded before shifting his gaze back to the diary in his hands.

"13th January, contact with Mr. Door stabilized.

"The powerful Beyonder, who's lost in the darkness and trapped in the storm, didn't rush me to complete a complicated and difficult ritual so as to help him return to the real world.

"He seems to have understood that he has to come up with something that would move me, instead of giving me three intangible wishes, in order for me to consider whether I should take the hidden risks of saving him.

"Mr. Door temporarily didn't mention this matter and instead, with great interest, chatted about my tarot card creation. Heh heh. The word 'creation' should be written with quotation marks. From this point, it's apparent that Mr. Door is able to make contact with the real world at particular times and through particular methods, and he should be able to observe a lot of details.

"While talking about 'The Moon' card, I thought of a matter Zaratul mentioned. He said that the Life School of Thought worships the moon, but not the Evernight Goddess. Yes, I added the second half myself!

"Hence, I asked the Fourth Epoch expert, Mr. Door, about this question. He chuckled and similarly didn't give a direct answer. However, compared to the furtive Seer who speaks half-truths, making me want to beat him up, he's a lot more frank.

"He told me that if he were to choose a card from the tarot cards to represent the Evernight Goddess, he wouldn't choose The Moon, but—

"The Star!

"That makes things very interesting. I pressed, 'Who is the real owner of The Moon? His reply was even more worthy of relish.

"He said with a laugh that The Moon currently has no owner.

"If I didn't misunderstand him, then he means that the peak of The Moon's pathway is empty. The Sequence 0 is empty!"

That's not right. Isn't there a Primordial Moon? Upon seeing this, Klein suddenly had this thought.

He had already anticipated that the "The Moon" card didn't represent the Goddess. Whether it was the faith of the Life School of Thought, the attitude of the vampires, or the records in the Book of Secrets, they all vaguely pointed out that Evernight wasn't the Moon.

In contrast, Vampire Ancestor Lilith and the Primordial Moon resembled the Sequence 0 of this pathway in more ways.

According to the City of Silver's history lessons, Lilith had most likely fallen in the Dark Epoch, the Second Epoch. However, the Primordial Moon was an existence that people still believed in and sent responses to even to this day. Of course, those who prayed to "Her" wouldn't end up well… Why did Mr. Door say that The Moon had no owner at the moment? As seen from the Book of Secrets, the Primordial Moon still existed during the Fourth Epoch… Klein almost frowned.

Soon, he came up with three guesses. First, Mr. Door didn't know enough about the hidden Primordial Moon, but that was a very low possibility; second, that the Primordial Moon was actually the disguise of another deity, not essentially occupying the position of The Moon's Sequence 0 pathway; third, that "She" was a Sequence 1 of The Moon's pathway or was in disguise and had the corresponding Sealed Artifact.

And one more possibility, it's the response from The Moon pathway's "Uniqueness."Klein muttered silently.

The most important Beyonder ingredient in the Sequence 0 potion formula described by the Dark Emperor card wasn't all of the Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, but something called Uniqueness. Different pathways had different Uniquenesses.

A true god was unique!

Other than the first guess, the other possibilities aren't small… What is the Beyonder pathway of The Moon? Klein turned to the second page of the diary and was lucky enough to discover that it was connected to the previous page.

"I continued pressing, but Mr. Door refused to say more. Heh, he thinks that I'll rescue him by whetting my appetite? Dream on!

"I hid my curiosity and scoffed at Mr. Door for not being respectful enough to true gods. He casually, yes—casually replied to me. This is the attitude a Fourth Epoch noble has to the deities.

"This guy is too good at acting! However, I really am interested in the nobility of the Fourth Epoch, so I took the opportunity to ask.

"Mr. Door told me that in the Tudor Dynasty, there were five noble families—Abraham, Antigonus, Amon, Tamara, and Jacob. Each family was known as an Angel Family, and they possessed tremendously terrifying strength.

"Angel Family, just the name itself raises many problems. It really makes one yearn for it! Mr. Door said that the number of Angel Families in the Fourth Epoch exceeded the five. There were the Zaratul and Zoroast family, which had always been loyal to the Solomon Empire; the Augustus, Sauron, Einhorn, Castiya families of the Trunsoest Dynasty; and the furtive Andariel and Beria families; as well as the Demoness family which stemmed from a true goddess which was one step up from the Angel Families.

"So the last winner of the Fourth Epoch was the Trunsoest Dynasty, but where did their royal family go? The four Angel Families—Augustus, Sauron, and the others—divided up the Northern Continent.

"Just as Mr. Door said the previous time, the strongest powerhouses in the Fourth Epoch far exceeds my imagination. However, most of them have been buried in the ashes of history. Even the Sauron family has waned, destroyed by me. In another one to two millennia, perhaps the Augustus family might no longer exist. Only the true gods appear capable of forever illuminating the real world.

"Although some deities perished in the Fourth Epoch, they should only be few in number. This makes me think of something, something that was previously written in a web novel which I memorized. It can be used here with some changes:

"Ashes await those who fail to become true gods!

"After the communication period ended, Mr. Door disconnected. He's like a prisoner who's released on parole for a fixed period of time. And he does know a lot. When he mentioned the Zaratul family, there was faint contempt in his tone.

"Perhaps I need to maintain my relationship with Mr. Door. Apart from the Church of the God of Steam, Zaratul, and that secret and ancient organization, I should leave another outlet.

"Unlike the saying, a wily hare has far more than three holes!"

When Emperor Roselle was struggling in the end, he was only thinking about the organization that's suspected to be the Twilight Hermit Order. He didn't mention Mr. Door at all. Something apparently happened in between… So the ancestor of the Loen royal family, the Augustus family was actually so rich and powerful to be an Angel Family. However, why did the royal family of the Trunsoest Dynasty, to which they were loyal to, "disappear" just like that… Klein suddenly thought of a few things, and his desire to clear away the fog that shrouded the history of the Fourth Epoch and see its true appearance grew.

This was also the greatest hobby of his body's original owner.

Perhaps, that underground relic with two side-by-side seats and a terrifying evil spirit will help me answer a lot of questions… Klein lowered his gaze and flipped to the third page.

"2nd June, Bernadette massaged my back!

"It's good to have a daughter. She knows to care for her old father, and although I can see what she wants at a glance, at least she's willing to put on an act. Besides, she did a good job.

"I asked her which Beyonder pathway she wanted. She said she was undecided, but she liked the maxim of 'do as you wish, but do no harm.'

"3rd June. I saw Floren again. He's very different from before, as though he's a different person. No, he still had his original memories and some of his distinctive characteristics, which is enough to prove that he's him.

"What exactly happened to him to experience such a huge change?

"Perhaps a metaphor could be used to describe it more precisely. Some monsters are physical sutures, while he is a monster of mental sutures."

"5th June. I obtained an ancient book. It actually mentions the Primordial Demoness's name, not one of an honorific name!

"'Her' name is Cheek, but that's a man's name.

"Is this ancient book fake?"