489 - 496

Chapter 489: Held Up Suggestion

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After another round of conversations, Derrick suddenly asked a question, "Honorable Mr. Fool, what kind of hand gesture should we use when we would like to thank you usually?"

Hand gesture? Klein was momentarily stumped by Little Sun's question.

It had never occurred to him to imitate the gesture of drawing a clockwise circle from the Church of the Goddess, nor the Church of Storms's prayer gesture of striking the left of one's chest with their right fist.

This is probably the last bottom line of a fake god… He lampooned inwardly.

Seeing Mr. Fool smile without a word as though he was waiting for her and others to make suggestions, Audrey suddenly had a lot of inspiration and came up with a new question.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked around and said, "Everyone, should we design a secret gesture to indicate our identity? Our Tarot Club doesn't have many members at present, so there's no need to worry about us appearing at the same spot and ending up opposing each other due to various reasons. But in the future, it might be very difficult to avoid that. We need a set of unique 'signals,' so as to identify friend from foe."

I have an idea for that… Klein suddenly remembered the secret hand gestures he knew from his previous life, such as the hand-in-waistcoat.

Just as he was about to manipulate The World to make a suggestion, The Hanged Man opened his mouth.

"No, Miss Justice, I don't think it's a good idea.

"Compared to other secret organizations, our Tarot Club's most striking characteristic is that the members do not know each other. Even if… Uh—Let me raise an extreme example. Even if one of our members are captured and interrogated, they wouldn't be able to affect the others unless there's someone who can resist Mr. Fool and enter this place directly. And that is clearly impossible.

"Once we have a full set of signals and passcodes, traitors can allow the opposing faction to use these means to fish us out one by one.

"Are you that eager to flaunt your identities as Tarot Club members?"

"…" Audrey temporarily failed to provide a rejoinder as she stammered, "But…"

"It's reasonable to worry about the situation you mentioned, but this can be avoided through our fixed interaction every week and creating a temporary gesture ahead of time, as well as praying to Mr. Fool." In consideration that she would be providing him large amounts of gold, Alger's tone gradually turned pleasant.

Audrey replied with some understanding, "The simplest example is that at the Tarot Gathering on Monday, we'll first understand if there's a possibility of us bumping into another member, to the point of entering a conflict. Hence, we'll design a set of temporary gestures to identify ourselves. After the matter is over, we would immediately abandon that gesture. Uh, if there's any sudden situation and we're unable to communicate in time, or if there's some suspicion, we can seek an opportunity to pray to Mr. Fool to confirm if another member is participating in the same event?"

"Something like that." Alger let out a silent breath.

At that moment, Derrick suddenly said in enlightenment, "Sorry, I asked a foolish question. Mr. Fool never mentioned any gestures to thank 'Him' because he was worried about us exposing ourselves."

He immediately looked to the end of the long bronze table.

"Your wish steers our path."

I just thought of a special hand gesture… Klein chuckled and replied, "That's right."

He cast his gaze towards the other members and said in a composed manner, "Let us end today's gathering here."

"By your will!" All the members apart from The Moon stood up at the same time.

Emlyn froze for a second before standing up in a flurry, mimicking the bows of the other members.

A deep red light immediately appeared in front of his eyes, and he felt his body plummet slightly.

Soon after, his vision returned to normal and he saw dolls of various sizes in his room.

Phew… Only until this moment did Emlyn White completely calm down as he recalled his first Tarot Gathering.

Apart from Mr. Fool, the other members don't seem too powerful. Could they be like me, chosen for various reasons? I have the Ancestor backing me, so who's backing them?

What a joke. I originally imagined The Sun to be a demigod who just escaped the pursuit of an angel. It turned out that he's only a Sequence 8 and seeking to advance to Sequence 7!

A child who doesn't know manners definitely isn't an adult yet! However, the City of Silver that he mentioned and the experiences that he had undergone are very strange. I have to find an opportunity to ask Lord Nibbs, no—I have to first ask Cosmi, as well as my parents. I'll see if they know anything about the City of Silver. Humph, how dare the history books of the City of Silver tamper with the feats of us Sanguine!

Miss Justice is from Backlund. She's very, very rich. Is she the daughter of some rich banker or the daughter of some noble? Perhaps she's a banker or noble herself…

Miss Magician looked at me very strangely. She must admire the lofty Sanguine. She doesn't speak much and didn't divulge much about herself. Yes, she's a quiet girl.

Mr. Hanged Man is a mature gentleman. He knows a lot and has a sublime character. He's willing to answer questions from new members and is willing to provide the corresponding help and information. It can be said that he's very popular. The Sun and The World are both willing to ask him questions and seek his help.

The World is quite an unlikeable person. When he speaks, it's like there's phlegm in his throat that he can't spit out. I would disdain even drinking such a person's blood. It has a dirty taste… He's very introverted and is good at hiding his emotions. Furthermore, he easily produced a Sequence 6 Beyonder characteristic and promised to provide a Psychiatrist Beyonder characteristic in two months… Very impressive!

As the details flashed through his mind, Emlyn discovered that the Tarot Club was simple, but also not very simple. Furthermore, Mr. Fool didn't interfere much with the development of the gathering.

"He" seems to only be interested in the so-called Roselle's diary… But "He" is willing to offer convenient services on the level of miracles to his members. At this thought, Emlyn couldn't help but feel a little proud of his identity as The Moon.

Surveying the room of dolls, he recalled his own problem.

A relic worth 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. A chance to become a baron in a short period of time. This is really putting me in a difficult position…

At this moment, although Emlyn hadn't made his final decision yet, he felt the room grow darker, as though he were shouldering a heavy debt.

…

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Klein pressed his thumb and middle finger of his right hand to one temple and gently rubbed it.

He quickly sat up in the silent environment, allowing a small badge to fly out from the pile of junk and land on the long bronze table in front of him. The badge was only the size of an eyeball. On the surface, there were symbols that symbolized "fate" and "concealment." It was the item that Klein had found on Lanevus's body.

On its back, it was inscribed with the words "You can join if you have this item" in ancient Hermes. It also provided the corresponding information for the gathering: "January 4th, 1350, 8 p.m. in Babur Valley."

The question Klein needed to consider now was whether he should take the badge to the Babur Valley tomorrow night to try his luck.

Frankly speaking, he was inclined to not delving deeper. Even though he had already advanced to Faceless and was able to put on a perfect disguise, he didn't want to take the risk, because he didn't know anything about the gathering.

A Magician never performs unprepared… He muttered softly, took out a gold coin, and held it between his fingers.

He picked up the badge with his other hand and muttered to himself, "It's risky to attend the gathering in Babur Valley."

After repeating this a few times, he finally flicked the gold coin.

The gold coin tumbled down and stood upright in the palm of his hand.

This meant that the divination had failed.

"As expected…" Klein wasn't surprised.

This isn't a problem of insufficient information, but rather the complete absence of it.

He sat there in silence, letting the gold coin weave between his fingers.

In the end, Klein overcame his curiosity and adventurous spirit and decided not to go.

But that doesn't mean that I can't get involved. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., hmm… He smiled faintly and returned to the real world.

…

4th January, 10:35 a.m.

Klein stood in front of a mahogany table and picked up a stack of bills.

There were five ten-pound notes and ten five-pound for a total of one hundred pounds. This was the payment which The Hanged Man had just paid via a sacrifice.

The fifteen notes made Klein's wallet much fuller, and he was finally able to buy his ticket in peace.

Putting his wallet away, he picked up a thin human-skinned glove on the table and put it on his left hand.

One of the main features of "Creeping Hunger" was that it had a camouflage effect when it wasn't in use and couldn't be detected by most Beyonder means; therefore, Klein was able to switch between its original appearance, gloves of various colors, and camouflaging it as skin. This time, he chose black gloves.

To that end, Klein had specially prepared an individual black glove for his right hand.

Soon after, he placed the brown Biological Poison Bottle into a metal box, sealed it with a wall of spirituality, and stuffed it into the inside pocket of his clothes.

As for the Sun Brooch, as long as he wore it and carried it with him, it would create a hot summer feeling. Klein had no choice but to put it in his iron cigarette case and hide it at the bottom of his suitcase.

9 purifying bullets, 15 demon-hunting bullets, 3 exorcism bullets… Klein took out his revolver and a cartridge box, silently counting as he loaded them.

Pa!

He closed the cylinder, inserted the revolver into his underarm holster, put on his black tweed coat and half top hat, picked up his cane and suitcase, and walked out of the hotel room.

Apart from the All-Black Eye and the other items that he couldn't use still being above the gray fog, he was fully armed.

Taking a carriage, Klein arrived at the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company located in White Rose Borough.

This company was located in a rather old three-story building. There was a wooden notice board on the door.

Klein walked over and stopped there. He casually glanced at the board which said:

"Things to take note:

"1. Maintain order. Lines are strictly enforced;

"2. Do not urinate or defecate, as well as spitting;

"3. Find the guard in the lobby if there is a dispute;

"4. Do not open canned wolf-fish in any of the rooms!"

Canned wolf-fish? What's that? Klein raised his eyebrows.

Chapter 490: Warning of a Former Sailor

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The lobby of the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company was rather spacious, with seven ticketing windows, but there were already a dozen or so people lined up in front of each.

Klein took a glance and didn't directly go to the one with the fewest people. Instead, he took two steps to the right and arrived in front of an erected brown board.

There were many pieces of white paper pasted on the wooden board, announcing all the information about the recent week's passenger ships, including their destinations, the ports they passed, and the prices of the different cabins.

Before Klein could take a closer look, a staff member came over and drew a red circle on the second-class cabin of one line, marking it with a single phrase: "Sold out."

"So popular…" Klein sighed.

"Of course, Pritz Harbor is the kingdom's largest port. Countless people pass through here to the Southern Continent and the colonial islands to seek out opportunities," a middle-aged man who was standing next to the wooden board replied in a clearly boastful manner.

He was wearing a black bonnet and a black-and-white checkered uniform similar to that of the police, but he had no epaulets. All he had was a seagull badge hanging from his chest—exactly identical to the logo of the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company.

The middle-aged man's face, hands, and all of his exposed skin were bronze in color and rather rough. It was as if he had been exposed to the sea breeze and the sun for many years to the point of giving people the feeling that he had salt in his wrinkles.

Find the guard in the lobby if there's a dispute… This should be the guard… Klein remembered the things he had to pay attention to at the door. He didn't mind that the other party had taken the initiative to talk to him. He smiled and said, "You seem to understand this port very well?"

Hearing this question, the middle-aged man replied quite smugly, "I was once a sailor with the kingdom's navy, and their main base was located at Pritz Harbor's Oak Island. I served for fifteen years and spent a long time in the sea around here. If it wasn't for East Balam's war destroying my health, then I could be a sailor for another ten years! I know this port as well as I know my wife's body! "

A little cultured but also a little vulgar… Klein casually chatted with him, having the intention of asking about news on the sea.

"You became a guard here after retiring?"

"No, I was crammed into a night school for two whole years as a student and as a gatekeeper. Holy Lord of Storms, can you imagine the scene of someone my age reciting with a bunch of teenagers? And they know and remember words faster than I do!" The guard showed an expression that showed how unbearable it was to reflect on the past.

As he spoke, he patted his thigh and sighed.

"Unfortunately, my knees can't stand wet weather; otherwise, I would be a part-time teacher at night. Those kids will make you feel young, but I won't deny that it's because I want to earn more money. When you have a wife and four children, you have to realize that you have to support your family."

Sir, you talk a little too much… Maybe that's why the ticket company hired you as a guard… Klein smiled and didn't continue with the man's topic.

"I just saw the things to take note of at the door and found that canned wolf-fish are not permitted to be opened here. Frankly speaking, I've never heard of such a thing."

The guard's expression suddenly became complicated.

He pinched his nose and said, "It's a food that's popular in places like the east coast of Feysac and the Gargas Archipelago. It's wolf-fish pickled in salt, but it retains the blood, and the smell—the smell is very, very stimulating. It stinks and it's disgusting!"

It turns out to be a food of unknown origins… Klein laughed and said, "But I don't think anyone would specially eat canned food while waiting in line to buy a ticket, right?"

"No, you don't understand that feeling. Perhaps, one day you will." The guard showed a look of lingering fear. "There was once a barbarian from the north who came here to buy a ticket. As there were already many people lined up in front, causing the hall to look like a barrel filled with fish, he became very anxious, so he opened a can of wolf-fish. In less than ten seconds, only he and a few guys were left in the lobby."

This… this is a biological weapon… An ordinary version of my Biological Poison Bottle… Klein laughed.

"In the end, he successfully bought a ticket, and a new point to take note of was added outside?"

"The result wasn't as he expected. The lady and the gentleman in charge of ticket sales also escaped. Heh heh, as you know, the brains of barbarians are even worse than that of curly-haired baboons!" The guard chuckled. "When I was a sailor, there was a rumor at sea that a group of pirates controlled a merchant ship from Rolls. Ah, that's a city on the east coast of Feysac. In short, the pirates eagerly opened their spoils, but who knew that they were barrels filled to the brim with wolf-fish. Can you guess the outcome? They fainted, vomited, and lost their fighting power, and the crew received their bounty reward."

"Good story." Klein tried not to laugh.

He returned his gaze to the pieces of paper on the wooden board and searched for information for a ship scheduled to depart on 5th January.

As a professional, he had previously divined which date was suitable for setting sail on this week. It came out to be the 5th and 8th. And among the passenger ships that headed to the Rorsted Archipelago, the Saint Havre and the White Agate suited him the most.

There are still tickets, and the prices are about the same: four pounds for third-class, ten pounds for second-class, and thirty-five pounds for first-class… People who depend on the sea for survival more or less believe in the Lord of the Storms. Even in countries like Intis and Feysac, there are fishermen and crew who secretly believe in this forbidden deity, in a bid to be safe out at sea… The name Saint Havre originates from the Church of Storms. It has a certain background… Klein thought it over. He was inclined to choose the White Agate.

Not in a rush to make a decision, he turned to look at the guard.

"Do you know anything about the White Agate?"

The guard immediately smiled.

"Sir, you have a good eye. The White Agate is a steam-powered ship, but it also retains a sail. Its maximum speed is 16 knots.

"Also, the captain is very experienced. He was once the boatswain of the Royal Navy's William V. No—it should be the Imperial Navy. The king has always claimed that he obtained the title of Emperor in Balam. Heh, in the Imperial Navy, no matter how outstanding or excellent the average person is, he can at most become a boatswain. He cannot be an officer unless—unless you can satisfy your superior, regardless of what method is used! Only then can you be recommended to the Pritz Naval Academy as a reserve officer!

"This is how Elland was forced to leave the navy and ended up joining the White Agate where he slowly became Captain one step at a time.

"I suggest you choose a first-class cabin. That way, you'll have rooms for three to four servants, an attendant who has received etiquette lessons, an appointed chef who has excellent culinary skills, a quiet restaurant where you can enjoy the scenery, a special room for smoking cigars, and a place where you can gather and play cards…"

Hearing the guard's detailed explanation, Klein couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Noticing his expression, the guard smiled in embarrassment.

"Elland was my boss in the past. He would often treat me to drinks and ask me to help him promote the first-class cabins. But you can rest assured that everything I say is true!"

This really isn't the problem; it's a problem with money… Klein silently said to himself.

Having made up his mind, he asked after some deliberation, "Sir, what advice do you have for a maritime adventurer?"

To suit Gehrman Sparrow's identity, Klein had modified his image slightly to make himself seem colder and sharper.

"Adventurer?" The guard unconsciously raised his voice.

Many people in the queue turned to look at Klein.

Based on his spiritual intuition, Klein instinctively traced a line of sight.

He saw a man in his thirties wearing a black top hat. He had a boorish face, weather-beaten wrinkles, a strong but not tall body, and pale blue eyes that had experienced a lot.

Another adventurer? Klein and the man looked away just as their eyes met.

At that moment, the guard squeezed out a smile and said, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit too sensitive on the term adventurer. In my opinion, this is equivalent to a fugitive, a sea villain, and a person who goes against his pledges. No, I'm not talking about you.

"You want sincere advice? I… Uh, you have to remember three things.

"First, do not provoke pirates. Second, do not provoke pirates. Third, do not provoke pirates!

"Unless you're a member of the navy or the Church, do not go against the pirates!"

"Eh… Don't be fooled by the enthusiasm of the island girls. They're either pirates or want you to take them to Pritz, to Backlund. It's not entirely their fault. In order to cheat them of their bodies, many sailors, crew, and passengers paint them a very attractive metropolis and a very beautiful life, then kick them out of their beds and abandon them, leaving them in their original spots."

What a bunch of vile people… In this era, people who live on the sea can't be too kind… Is the order at sea that bad? Pirates are this rampant? Klein nodded and said, "Thank you, I know what to do now."

Saying this, he walked over to the line with the least number of people.

Behind him, the guard shouted, "And the legends of treasure at sea are all fake!"

…

After buying a second-class ticket for the White Agate, Klein returned to the hotel and waited patiently for the night to descend.

In the process, he had enjoyed the most famous fried fish in the Pritz Harbor. He thought that the taste was pretty good, but he definitely couldn't accept eating it all the time.

When it was close to eight o'clock, he went above the gray fog, holding the badge from Lanevus in one hand and writing the corresponding sentence in the other.

"The situation of the gathering this time."

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. When his pocket watch struck eight, he closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and began to recite the divination statement.

He had reason to believe that when the door of the gathering opened, he would be able to divine something above the gray fog with the aid of this medium which had locked onto the location!

He had failed before because nothing had happened yet, but this was different. Things were happening now, and Klein had the right medium!

Soon, Klein entered a gray, blurry dream world.

He saw the Tussock River flowing quietly, a wide river valley on the two sides, and about a dozen people in different positions. They were shrouded in thin light, vanishing indistinctively or illusorily.

One of them had black hair and green eyes. He looked quite handsome, and he was a familiar face to Klein.

Leonard Mitchell!

Chapter 491: The Sherlock Moriarty in the Investigation Report

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Leonard?

Klein thought for a moment that he was mistaken.

However, the blurring caused by the rays of light wasn't that serious. Being familiar with Leonard, he was able to quickly confirm his previous judgment.

In the time it took to take a breath, Leonard disappeared, the light dispersed, and the valley returned to its midwinter silence. The scene which Klein saw in the dream shattered as a result.

He opened his eyes and placed the badge he had obtained from Lanevus on the surface of the long bronze table.

Is it really Leonard, or a Faceless disguised as Leonard? Klein considered and flipped a gold coin.

His spirituality had told him through the medium that it was Leonard Mitchell, his teammate from the Tingen Nighthawks team!

Is he the "investigator" sent by the Church of the Goddess for the gathering, or is he risking his life to find an opportunity to find the revenge target while keeping the Nighthawks in the dark? Klein muttered to himself in suspicion. It was hard to make an accurate judgment.

And without any leads, his divination couldn't provide him with any revelations.

After a few seconds of silence, Klein gave a self-deprecating smile as he drew a crimson moon on his chest.

"I wish him the best of luck. May the Goddess watch over him."

Klein no longer bothered with the problem, and he planned on understanding more about the gathering before deciding whether or not to participate in the future or to warn Leonard Mitchell anonymously.

…

Backlund, in a secret room in the basement of the Steam Cathedral.

Ikanser took off his hat, pressed down his fluffy but not soft hair, and sat in the first seat on the left.

Then, he took out the ancient silver mirror of Arrodes from an inner custom-made pocket in his clothes and placed it in front of him.

To his right, across him, and diagonally across him, were the Machinery Hivemind deacons and captains, all of whom had been summoned by the member of the Divine Council, the Archbishop of Backlund, Horamick Haydn, for a meeting.

The white-robed archbishop looked like an ordinary old man, sitting calmly at the end.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, he looked around and softly said, "Let's start with Ikanser. Tell me in sequence about the investigation over the past few days."

Ikanser Bernard pushed his hair while flipping through the thick document file, and he reported in a concise manner, "Your Grace, we were in charge of Sherlock Moriarty. After a careful investigation, and with the aid of Beyonder means, we confirmed that he was pulled into the matter. Prior to the incident, there was no evidence that he knew of Prince Edessak's problem.

"He and the dead Talim Dumont were friends, and he indirectly fulfilled some of the tasks entrusted to him by the prince, but there weren't many problems. At most, he had falsely made some fraudulent claims for his expenses."

At this point, Ikanser suddenly felt a little worried because Sherlock Moriarty was also an informant for the Machinery Hivemind, and his expenses here were likely to be somewhat exaggerated.

In any case, his job as an informant was very effective and very outstanding, enough to offset a lot of problems, and he hasn't become our informant for long. The money involved was mostly just from commissions… Ikanser exhaled slowly and continued to report, "Our conclusion is that he's considered an innocent party and that there is no hidden plot behind him. He once keenly noticed the danger of Red Rose Manor, but that is a typical example of coming to the correct conclusion from an incorrect deduction. He was afraid of the royal family's internal strife, and for this reason, he had been slow in his work and didn't do any substantial investigations. On this, he had reported it to us.

"Unfortunately, he still failed to avoid the matter, but he was lucky enough. He mentioned that the descendant of Death happened to be monitoring the vicinity of Red Rose Manor at the time; hence, he was rescued from the perilous situation when the meteorite fell. The signs at the scene are ample proof of how terrifying that strike was. It's likely due to 0-08."

Klein mentioned the existence of Ince Zangwill and 0-08 in his letter. As for whether or not he knew the former archbishop and the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, no one was concerned about it, because he was with Azik Eggers for some time. It was entirely possible that he learned the information from him. This was also a conclusion that everyone subconsciously came up with.

As for matters regarding Grade 0 and Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts, the seven orthodox churches constantly shared information of the rough situation with each other—the numbers were shared, and there was no repetition.

"… However, we haven't been able to grasp the entire situation. There are three matters that aren't confirmed. First, 2-111 indicates that after Sherlock Moriarty fled into the forest, he didn't immediately escape far away. Instead, he stayed on the spot and prayed to someone. Second, it's still unknown when he and Azik Eggers got to know each other. Third, it's still unknown how he escaped the underground ruins. It's unlikely that he could've done so with his strength. And in this process, he had even destroyed the descent ritual of the Aurora Order," Ikanser finally concluded.

2-111 referred to the magic mirror, Arrodes.

Horamick laughed after he listened to the recount and muttered, "Fraudulent claims of expenses…"

He then cleared his throat.

"In any case, Sherlock Moriarty is a hero of Backlund.

"If he hadn't stopped the ritual in time, and if he had been frightened at that moment and had chosen to flee, then most of us wouldn't be alive sitting here.

"Moreover, he has also displayed his faith in God and his friendliness towards us. As long as there isn't too much of a problem with him, then we can pretend that we don't know anything about his tiny flaws and secrets."

"Your Grace, this is what we were thinking as well." Ikanser heaved a sigh of relief and said, "I guess his prayers in the woods, including the ritual of blowing the copper whistle, were to get in touch with Azik Eggers. But the effects and speed can be different. In such a critical situation, the only thing he could do was to try to save himself, which is something that we deduced from the follow-up process."

"Apart from trying to save himself, he could write his will," another Machinery Hivemind deacon quipped before he immediately reported the portion he was responsible for. "… We haven't found the underground ruin which Sherlock Moriarty described, even with the help of 2-111. We're still temporarily unable to grasp the locations of the royal family's High-Sequence Beyonders on that very day."

"… It can be confirmed that the Church of Evernight received the information first. This came from a special channel of Earl Hall, but the specific situation is unknown."

"… Most of the forces of the Aurora Order in Backlund have been eliminated by us, the Nighthawks, and the Mandated Punishers. However, I suspect that they still have some hidden strength…"

"… At the time of the incident, Sherlock Moriarty mentioned that Trissy was heading to Backlund, but no one has seen her ever since. According to Sherlock Moriarty, she was a key figure and was renamed Trissy Cheek."

"… It cannot be determined what method the Church of Evernight used to capture the Demoness of Despair and the butler, Funkel. Results via divination tell me that they're still alive, but they aren't free."

…

One by one, the deacons and captains reported on their findings while Horamick half-closed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

After a few seconds of silence, he opened his eyes and slowly said, "Put all efforts into finding Trissy Cheek—if she's still alive.

"Pass me all the problems where divination has failed to provide any effective revelations. The Church has a Saint who is good at this, although it's not necessarily more effective than 2-111.

"As for the surveillance and investigation of the royal family's High-Sequence Beyonders, it can be tabled. There's no need to worry. They've always known what we've been doing. It's also a form of warning.

"Continue the search for the underground ruins and report it to the Evernight and Storm Churches.

"Ikanser, ask 2-111 how Sherlock Moriarty escaped the ruins, as well as when he got to know Azik Eggers."

Ikanser looked at the archbishop, then at his colleagues before gritting his teeth and said, "Yes, Your Grace."

He was sadly convinced that his legends were about to spread from just a few Machinery Hiveminds teams that he was in charge of to all the Beyonders of the Church of the God of Steam in Backlund.

After a very well-rehearsed process, he opened his mouth and said, "Honorable Arrodes, my question is: 'when did Sherlock Moriarty get to know Azik Eggers?'"

The silver mirror which seemed to have eyes on both sides suddenly started to glow with an aqueous light, quickly forming a scene:

Sherlock Moriarty stood in a room, watching a rat with a rotting belly burrow into a hole a wall. Behind him was Old Kohler and the owner of a budget hotel.

"He got to know Azik Eggers while completing the bounty mission for him. That mission was issued by MI9, which originated from a coincidental conflict." Ikanser interpreted the scene.

With that, he chose to answer the corresponding question. He held his breath as he waited for Arrodes to give the soul-piercing question.

As expected, he saw the bright red words: "Do you know the feeling of trying your best to win the favor of someone, but only to end up being abandoned without any progress?"

Th-this question isn't sharp enough; it's unlike Arrodes's usual style… Ikanser suddenly felt that the blood on the mirror seemed to lack its usual horror and bloody sense. It appeared somewhat weak.

He didn't bother to think about why and immediately opened his mouth to answer, "Yes."

"Congratulations, you got it right." A new line of text appeared on the surface of the silver mirror, its color was somewhat pale.

…

5th January, 9:00 a.m.

With a gray scarf around his neck, Klein arrived at Rose Wharf with his suitcase and cane.

The White Agate was docked there, unusually large compared to the height of a human. It was said to be capable of ferrying hundreds of passengers.

It had the rich characteristics of the age, with its chimneys, sails, and its twelve cannons on both sides of the ship—necessary for defending against pirates and other peers.

Under Captain Elland Kag's arrangement, the chosen stocky sailors and crew lined up at the mouth of the gangway, some even deliberately revealing their legitimate revolvers, rifles, and knives.

This gave the passengers on board the boat a greater sense of security. They were no longer afraid of the journey that would take them nine days to complete.

Klein stood below, looked up, and climbed up the hanging ladder in the undulating blue water.

My travels begin… He took a step forward and sighed silently.

Chapter 492: Adventurer

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As soon he stepped onto the deck and before he could enter the cabin, Klein saw a figure moving through the crowd towards him through the corner of his eye.

He looked over his shoulder with an air of indifference but hidden vigilance, and he saw a man in his thirties wearing a black half top hat and a windbreaker of the same color.

The other party had a weathered face, looking boorish but extremely masculine. His light blue eyes didn't contain a smile, as if they were immersed in many past events.

He looks a little familiar… Right, he's that guy I noticed at the ticket office yesterday. He seems to be an adventurer as well… He's actually wearing a windbreaker at sea in January. He's quite strong… While lifting his cane with ease and pointing diagonally downwards, Klein said with a smile, "Good morning, we meet again."

It was like he was greeting an old friend.

The boorish man, however, wasn't surprised. He stopped and nodded in a somewhat reserved manner, saying, "Cleves, a former adventurer.

"Mate, are you in the same trade?"

"I thought you knew yesterday. Gehrman Sparrow," Klein responded with a smile.

He didn't pass his cane to his left hand, because he didn't intend to shake Cleves's hand.

"I can tell." Cleves maintained two seconds of silence and said, "Being an adventurer isn't a beautiful profession. I've already switched careers and have become a bodyguard. This time, I'm accompanying my employer's family to the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago."

He half-turned and pointed to another spot on the deck.

Klein traced where he was pointing and saw nearly ten people gathered together. They were led by a plump middle-aged gentleman with ruddy cheeks and spirited eyes. On his double-breasted suit, Klein could see the gold chain from his pocket watch and a jeweled collar brooch.

Next to him was a lady in a wide-brimmed hat, her face completely hidden by the dark-blue muslin that hung down, and her figure wasn't too bad.

Standing in front of the couple were two children. The younger one was a boy who wasn't even ten years old. He was wearing a child's version of a tailcoat. The older one was 15 or 16 years old and was a lively and energetic teenage girl. Her looks couldn't be considered outstanding, but her pair of brown eyes were quite bright and intelligent. Her faint freckles and puffy dress added to her playfulness.

Around them were three people carrying suitcases and all sorts of items—a man and two women, all dressed as servants. One of the maids had brownish skin, clearly of Southern Continent heritage.

The bodyguards protecting the seven people were a man and a woman. They were dressed simply and neatly in white shirts, light sweaters, black coats, dark trousers, and sturdy leather boots.

The two bodyguards deliberately didn't hide the outlines created made by the gun holsters by their waists. They didn't relax as they inspected the approaching passersby. Their eyes were sharp and they were composed.

"Three servants and three bodyguards?" Klein asked casually.

This is quite an extravagant setup, which means that their employer is a rich person… Instinctively, he made his judgment.

"Yes." Cleves nodded.

Without another word, he quickly turned around and walked towards his employer's family.

"…"

Klein was stunned. He didn't know why Cleves had specially come to greet him for.

After recalling the novels, movies, and television dramas he had seen in his previous life, he gradually understood what Cleves was implying.

He's a little wary of me, or should I say of someone who claims to be an adventurer while not looking like someone to mess with, so he introduced himself in advance to indicate his identity and what his job is. It's to tell me to not have any plans regarding his employer's family. In short, "you do what you do, I do what I do, and we stay out of each other's business"… Is this the tacit understanding between experienced adventurers and veteran bounty hunters? Interesting… Klein chuckled. He carried his suitcase and black cane as he went into the cabin. With the help of his ticket, he found his own room.

With a creak, he pushed open the wooden door and walked in.

The room wasn't very spacious, just large enough to fit a bed, a table, and a cupboard. There weren't even any chairs.

Its greatest advantage was that it came with windows, The wharf's sunlight shone in, illuminating the table and bedside with pure golden spots.

A member of the crew mentioned that the washroom and bathroom are for public use, with about eight rooms sharing one. If someone urgently needs one, then they can provide a wooden toilet, but one must pay the cleaning fee of three pence each time… I have to be grateful that after the White Agate was renovated, it has many metal pipelines laid. Boilers are burning and hot water is being supplied, providing a relatively convenient way of life. Otherwise, my travels wouldn't be a pleasant one…Klein silently sighed.

He quickly took out his necessities and placed them on the table for daily use.

When he was tidying up the place, he sat down on the edge of the bed which wasn't too high, and he listened to the long whistle of the steam whistle. He felt the power that stemmed from steam and machinery contained within it.

When the ship began to set sail, Klein looked out the window at the sea and gradually withdrew his thoughts. He began to think about the most important thing that would happen next—the problem of how to act as a Faceless.

While facing the True Creator's descent ritual and the powerful Mr. A, the decision to give up trying to escape and attempt a sabotage act had allowed his potion to be digested a little. Based on this feedback, he gained some new insights into the acting requirements of a Faceless.

"You can disguise yourself into anyone, but you are ultimately yourself." This is the principle which Nimblewright Master Rosago was made to remember… I originally imagined that "yourself" refers to my original identity, but from the looks of it, that's not the complete picture. What is considered as "yourself" requires serious thought…Klein leaned forward and bathed in the sunlight as though he was a thinking statue.

After a while, he came up with an idea.

Does this correspond to the spirit of one's identity, to their true identity deep down?

Even back on Earth, Zhou Mingrui had worn a lot of facades, which formed a social persona. In a sense, this was a big part of what wasn't real.

Yes… When I become someone else, I take over their identity. In order to not be discovered, I have to disguise myself socially, which is the same as wearing a different mask.

When all the masks are taken down, there will be none left. What kind of "yourself" does a Faceless see at the end of the day?

Is this the deeper meaning behind "yourself" in that principle?

When I face my inner thoughts, overcome my fear, and challenge the impossible without reasons stemming from society, am I really acting as myself?

This is to be explored and verified…

At this thought, Klein changed his position, trying to sit more comfortably.

Remembering everything that had happened before, he found another question regarding acting.

In the underground ruins, I disguised myself as Ince Zangwill and successfully escaped from my predicament, but why didn't I feel any signs of digesting the potion at all?

Does this imply that to digest the Faceless potion, a superficial disguise such as that isn't enough?

Yes, this is closer to the use of Beyonder powers and not acting!

What can stimulate the digestion of the potion is a disguise on a deeper level. Is it being a true substitute for a person, becoming that person on a social level? Only when his relatives and friends are unable to find him for a long period of time does it prove that his disguise was a success?

In that case, the reason why I feel harmony with the Faceless potion is because I had previously disguised myself as Klein Moretti?

The first principle of Faceless is that you can disguise yourself as anyone, but you are ultimately yourself… The second principle is to have a disguise on a deeper level that fools everyone?

But to replace a person and become that person in a societal sense is quite evil just thinking about it…

Don't tell me that I have to find those kinds of people who have died in a foreign land but have a wish that has yet to be fulfilled?

Klein eased his baffling horror, and he drew up an initial direction for his acting attempts.

The higher the Sequence, the more difficult it is to act… He sighed, took out his pocket watch, and checked the time.

Since it was still too early for lunch and the room was too small and cramped, he decided to take a walk on the deck and enjoy the scenery amidst the sea breeze.

After the excitement of the first hour of the voyage, there weren't many people left on deck. Klein walked along the side of the ship, arriving at a secluded area with large shadows.

It's a warm, sunny day… Other than the strong winds which might steal my hat, there are no shortcomings… He pressed the half top hat on his head and leisurely surveyed the cabin, listening to the faint sounds of music coming from inside.

Suddenly, he saw the former adventurer, Cleves, busying himself around the corner. In front of him seemed to be a trident, a dagger, and a short knife.

Cleves sensed this and raised his head to look at him. Keeping a well-seasoned demeanor, he said in a taciturn manner, "We're all old mates, and we have to maintain them frequently."

At this point, he added, "There are children in the cabin."

"Understood." Klein smiled in response.

Cleves lowered his head and continued to busy himself. He casually asked, "You don't seem to have these things with you?"

"I'm used to using weapons that keep abreast with the times," Klein said vaguely. "And I frequently do maintenance."

Cleves silently raised his dagger, looked at it against the sunlight, and said to himself, "At sea, guns alone aren't enough.

"Pirates will board ships, and there will be a lot of people. After you finish shooting your bullets, you won't have the opportunity to reload again. Although these guys no longer keep abreast with the times, they're still useful enough."

Very professional… As expected of a former adventurer… Klein leaned against the side of the boat and said half-jokingly, "If there really are pirates boarding the ship, I'm more likely to choose not to fight back."

Cleves turned his head and stared at him for a good three seconds before retracting his gaze. Then, as he packed up his things, he said in a low voice, "It seems that you don't need me to remind you. You've already understood the rules of the sea.

"The bounty hunters who travel the earth are often unable to be adventurers at sea."

He skillfully hid the dagger, short knife, and trident under his clothes, which dazzled Klein.

"Thank you." Klein smiled and nodded.

Without speaking any further, Cleves turned around and returned to the cabin, leaving behind only his broad and deep back.

Klein smirked, shook his head, and turned his gaze to the side of the ship.

Blue waves gently rose up and down, and silvery-white flying fish occasionally leaped out of the water and soared in the air.

This fish can "fly" and swim. They're considered the family of the Lord of Storms by fishermen and sailors, so even if they were caught by nets, they're returned to the sea… Klein was leisurely admiring the surface of the sea under the sunlight, as well as the flying fishes above the surface of the sea. An uncontrollable thought flashed through his mind.

Hmm, I wonder how good their meat is…

Chapter 493: Hunting

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Honorable Arrodes, my second question is: 'How did Sherlock Moriarty escape from the ruins?'" Ikanser's mood was a lot more relaxed than before.

The surface of the silver mirror shimmered, rapidly outlining Sherlock Moriarty leaning his back against the wall, his fists clenching and tightening.

Then, Ikanser Bernard and the surrounding Machinery Hivemind deacons and captains saw the private detective's exaggerated smile before turning around and dashing out with his gun drawn.

At this moment, under the influence of the composed scene, they all felt an inexplicable sense of sadness and excitement.

The image in the mirror jumped, revealing Sherlock Moriarty wielding his revolver as he shot at the altar to no avail. The scene of those disintegrating bullets caused everyone present to be a little worried.

Then, Sherlock Moriarty threw out a brass key, and the altar showed signs of instability due to corruption.

With the erupting air blast, Mr. A fell to the ground and Sherlock Moriarty pathetically fled out of the temple building.

At this point, the image changed to have the slightly turbid Tussock River as the main background. Sherlock Moriarty and Mr. A floated in the water, looking up into the sky where there were no clouds or fog.

Almost instantly, Mr. A. became transparent and disappeared, leaving only Sherlock Moriarty looking around in astonishment.

"… The Church of Evernight's reinforcements?" Ikanser said with a frown. "Unfortunately, he didn't mention what appeared in his letter. We have no way of guessing. Was he trying to sell this secret for a good price, or was he simply affected by it and lost the relevant memories? Also, his experience of escaping from the underground ruins doesn't show anything. It seems like the corresponding clues have been concealed at the same time…"

He analyzed it quickly, in procedural sentences, and then without too great a psychological burden, he chose to answer with reciprocity instead of taking a risk.

Arrodes doesn't seem to be in the mood to be a prankster today. I can make the most of it… In his self-consolation, Ikanser saw bloody words appear on the surface of the mirror.

With a skip of his heartbeat, he had a bad premonition, suspecting that Arrodes had already recovered to his usual "state."

The blood-like words wiggled and quickly formed into a question:

"Who was the person you gave your all to while trying your best to win the favor of, only to end up being abandoned?"

With his head buzzing, Ikanser's face drained of all its color before flushing red.

The question pierced a deep wound in him while leaving him at a loss as to what to do.

If I mention who he is, then his reputation would be ruined before tonight… I've already become a kind of "legend" in some sense… Ikanser swallowed his saliva with great difficulty and bitterly said, "I choose punishment."

A bolt of lightning immediately descended. However, it was different from before. It was no longer silvery-white and had been dyed with slight green.

It hit him right on the head, causing his hair to stand on end and flash with the color of lightning.

He shook violently like shaking dice, as though he had been drugged with a hallucinogenic drug.

Archbishop Horamick sighed, closed his eyes, and muttered to himself, "A Grade 0 Sealed Artifact?"

When Ikanser recovered, he looked around and said, "There's one more question. Where did the key that Sherlock Moriarty used to destroy the descent ritual come from?

"Which one of you is going to use 2-111?"

All the Machinery Hivemind deacons and captains looked at each other. For a moment, no one responded.

…

The sound of water splashing against the ship's hold seemed to be the only sound left in the world. The sea at night was both noisy and quiet.

Klein suddenly woke up and opened his eyes. He saw the wooden ceiling covered with a crimson moon veil.

His spiritual intuition told him that there was something happening outside.

Is someone having a rendezvous? He tilted his head to listen, vaguely able to hear some unnatural sounds.

He sat up, put on his gloves, and put on his coat.

His eyes turned dark as he took out a gold coin, flipped it, and quickly performed a divination.

After receiving no revelations of danger, he took out the revolver under his pillow and put it in his pocket.

After making the appropriate preparations, Klein opened the door and walked out of the room, following the sound to the upper deck.

At this moment, at sea, away from the industrial pollution, the crimson moon quietly hung there, mysterious and dreamy.

After carefully bypassing a few patrolling crew members, Klein arrived at the area where there was a commotion. He could smell the faint scent of blood.

With the help of the moonlight, he looked over and saw the former adventurer, Cleves, squatting to the side of the ship and setting up something.

There were three people hiding in the shadows of the cabin about a dozen meters away from this gentleman. One of them was a companion of Cleves, the female bodyguard in the black coat, and the remaining two were the children of their employer, a girl of fourteen or fifteen years of age and a young gentleman of no more than ten years of age.

The two youngsters wore thick cotton nightgowns and outer coats. It was obvious that they had come out in a hurry.

They trembled amidst the chilling night wind, but they still squatted there full of energy and vigor, looking at Cleves with their bright eyes.

Playing hide and seek? Klein joked inwardly.

He purposely increased the volume of his footsteps, causing Cleves and the others to turn their gaze towards him.

"Friend, what happened?" Klein recalled the expressions of some bounty hunters he knew in East Borough.

But he still maintained Gehrman Sparrow's unique identity of being cold and sharp.

Cleves replied, unperturbed, "A private job, a hunt that came by accident, but one that's worth looking forward to."

A Hunt? Klein's interest was suddenly piqued.

The reason he had named himself Gehrman was that it represented the first hunter of a game he had played in his previous life, and it suited his idea of hunting evil at sea.

Klein was in no hurry to inquire about the reason. Using his left hand which wore Creeping Hunger, he pointed at the shadow next to him with his left finger, "Private job? Doing a private job in front of your employer?"

Cleves, who was squatting there, glanced at the boy and the girl and said, without changing his tone, "Cecile wasn't careful enough and ended up waking Donna and Denton up. She had no choice but to let them follow."

The girl called Donna wrinkled her nose when she heard her name mentioned. She curiously looked up and asked Klein, "Uncle, are you also an adventurer?"

Uncle? Even if it's the me from Earth, I'm at most 10 years older than you! Klein said in amusement, "No, you can't use the word 'also.' Strictly speaking, I'm the only adventurer here; they're just bodyguards right now."

He turned to Cleves and said, "Hey. Mate, what prey did you discover?"

Cleves looked into the faint crimson waters and said, "A murloc."

Murloc? That's a Beyonder creature! Even though it's of the lowest grade, it's still quite difficult for ordinary people to deal with them. They would need at least five to six people and four to five spears to have a chance… That's right, the scales on a murloc's body are very hard. Revolvers can only deal a little damage. They need to have a rifle… Klein raised his eyebrows and asked, "What do you plan on doing? And how are you sure it's a murloc?"

Cleves pointed to the edge of the ship and said, "There are traces of its body's mucus here. One to two hours ago, it tried to climb onto the ship to attack the passengers, but the deck was still bustling with activity and there were lots of sailors and crew."

Klein took a few steps forward and saw that there were some traces of green corrosion on the side of the ship.

He recalled the information he had come into contact with in Tingen City, and it coincided with the content in the books. He asked with great interest, "Why must it be one, and not a group?"

He remembered that murlocs had a tendency to live together.

"If it's a group, then they'll directly destroy the ship's hull and let everyone sink. Moreover, the area around this channel and the surrounding sea have already been cleared of murlocs. The Church of Storms really enjoy hunting them," Cleves solemnly explained.

That's because murlocs are probably one of the main ingredients of the Sequence 9 Sailor potion… Klein stroked the revolver in his pocket and asked with a smile, "Are you confident?"

Cleves didn't directly answer him and instead opened a paper bag beside him. Inside the bag were some pig organs still stained with blood. This was the source of the smell of blood that Klein noticed.

"All murlocs like this kind of food and are unable to resist its allure. Of course, these monsters love human organs the most, so in many sea legends, it's emphasized to prepare some pig or beef organs from the ship's kitchen or canned organs," Cleves said as he sprinkled some granules. "Pepper granules can cause the murlocs to feel the excitement of smoking marijuana and lose some of their sense of balance. This can last for about a minute, and after that, the murlocs will be exhausted after the high state of excitement has subsided."

He then took out a wooden box from his clothes and placed the dark green paste on the tip of the trident, dagger, and short knife.

"The mint cream that's popular in Pritz Harbor is a unique sweetener for humans, but in the eyes of the murlocs, it's a deadly blood toxin.

"In addition, I borrowed two rifles from the sailors. I got an agreement to not disturb this area for twenty minutes, and I spent a sizable sum of money. However, as long as I can successfully kill a murloc, then I'll be able to reap ten, twenty, or even thirty times the cost."

As expected of an experienced adventurer, he's exceptionally aware about the weaknesses and problems of his prey… Listening to him speak, I feel like they have a chance of successfully hunting the murloc, even if they aren't Beyonders… In the face of traps and firearms, Low-Sequence Beyonders really aren't much stronger than the average person… It's not like there are no Low-Sequence Beyonders who die in gang wars… However, murlocs are creatures that seem to wear full-body armor. It's not easy to kill them. They would be injured, but it's not like they can't escape…Klein curiously asked, "You seem to have killed quite a number of murlocs?"

"Understanding the characteristics of common sea monsters is a prerequisite for an adventurer's survival." Cleves didn't show the joy of being praised as he remained calm and silent.

As they conversed, the girl, Donna, and the boy, Denton, squatted in the shadows and listened with relish. They found all of this to be the most interesting thing in the world.

Yes, I also need to brush up on my studies in this area… Klein smiled and said, "So that's how it is. I didn't disturb you, did I?"

Cleves pierced a portion of organs on a rod and said with a deep voice, "If you want to participate, take care of Donna and Denton so that Cecile won't be distracted."

"Sure." Klein, who wanted to watch from the sidelines, smiled and agreed.

Chapter 494: A Bite of Murloc

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The red moon hung high in the sky as Klein walked over to Donna and Denton and squatted down beside them.

Cecile, the female comrade of Cleves, let out a sigh of relief. She picked up the rifle on the deck, bent down, and quickly walked in another direction. She opened up a distance of about ten meters from the peppered pig's organs.

"Uncle, is it starting?…" The mischievous, freckled teenage girl, Donna, suddenly felt a little nervous. However, her face was filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Klein raised his left index finger to his mouth, motioning for the two young ones to be quiet.

At times like this, he couldn't help but thank Roselle. It was because of the efforts of this transmigration senior that some of his habitual gestures had become common body language in the Northern Continent, so it wouldn't lead to misunderstandings.

It was said that in the early part of the Fifth Epoch, this "don't talk" gesture was an insult in Loen. But in certain parts of the Southern Continent, it means "kiss me"…Klein's mind was a little distracted for a moment.

Donna and Denton didn't dare to say anything else. They just squatted there quietly, watching with rapt attention as Cleves prepared for the battle.

The former adventurer picked up a rod and threw the thread with some pig organs hanging from it over the side of the ship.

With a splash, the bait entered the water.

Calmly dispersing the remaining organs, Cleves wielded his weapon and retreated, step by step, to hide in the shadows opposite Cecile. The two of them formed an angle of about 60 degrees to the side of the ship where the rod was being supported.

Leaning his trident and other weapons, he raised his rifle and tried to take in the feeling of aiming.

The deck had completely quietened down, leaving only the operating sound of the steam engine and the crashing of waves against the ship.

As the minutes ticked by, Donna and Denton couldn't help but switch from squatting to sitting, with their backs against the planks of the cabin, trying to soothe the paralysis in their legs.

At that moment, they saw the rod on the side of the boat sink a little.

The muffled sound of friction rapidly grew closer and closer. Suddenly, a figure jumped onto the deck.

It was a monster bathed in crimson moonlight. Its entire body was covered in dark green scales, and there was a green slime flowing around it.

It didn't have much in common with humans. It was like a giant fish that had grown four strong limbs, and there was obvious webbing in the cracks of its limbs.

The murloc was more than 1.9 meters tall, with round eyes and gills on its cheeks. It looked like demons from legends, making Donna cover her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.

At the same time, she covered the mouth of her brother, Denton, as well.

Good thinking… Klein smiled to himself as he carefully examined the murloc.

Unlike the Sailor Rampager he had seen before, real murlocs didn't have human-like brains. They were pure monsters.

The murloc vigilantly scanned the surroundings before squatting down. It picked up the scattered pig organs, quickly stuffed them into its mouth, and produced clear chewing sounds.

The light in its mainly white eyes gradually faded, as if it had fallen into a dream.

It's of low intellect… Klein shook his head and made his judgment.

Bang!

Cleves pulled the trigger, and a bullet flew out from the rifle. It instantly struck the murloc's chest, causing its scales to shatter and blood to splatter.

"Wa!" The merman let out a cry which sounded like a child, and it threw itself at Cleves, who was hidden in the shadows. It was as fast as a steam train.

At this moment, Cecile, who was in another position, opened fire as well.

Bang!

The bullet from the rifle struck the murloc's ribs, causing many scales to scatter and the tall figure to stagger.

The murloc, who had eaten the pepper granules, became visibly sluggish. It stopped, unsure of which enemy to attack first.

And this gave Cleves and Cecile a chance to calmly reload.

They took aim again and pulled their triggers.

Bang! Bang!

The sprays of blood bloomed in succession, the pain caused the murloc's eyes to regain its lucidity.

It flipped and pounced, dodging the follow-up shots, and closed in on Cleves as if it were unhurt.

Cleves methodically put down the rifle in his hand and picked up the trident that was leaning to his side.

Instead of dodging, he leaped forward and rolled to the side of the murloc. The trident in his hand ruthlessly and accurately pierced into the area where the scales on the side of his prey were shattered.

The murloc spun around abruptly, bringing with it a gust of wind. It forcefully threw the trident along with Cleves out, causing the former adventurer to crash onto the deck.

The murloc shook its head, as though sensing an intense discomfort. It didn't attack Cleves and Cecile again, but instead, took large strides to the side of the ship in an attempt to jump into the sea.

Bang!

Cecile's bullet hit it again, creating blood to blossom again, but it still didn't make it become immobile.

With two steps, the murloc reached a suitable spot. It bent its knees and prepared to jump up.

However, its body was too weak to exert its full strength. The distance it had jumped was obviously not enough, so it could only land on the inner side of the ship.

Bang!

The murloc bore the brunt of the damage and tried to flip over the side of the ship.

Seeing it almost escaping, Klein took out his revolver.

Just then, a loud bang came from another direction!

The murloc's left eye turned into a bloody hole, and one could vaguely see a pale gelatinous substance squirming inside.

It wasn't dead yet. It lay on the floor of the deck, trying its best to crawl and get up again.

After a few seconds, the poison took effect and it twitched to its death.

Klein traced the sound and saw a middle-aged man step out of the shadows on the other side of the cabin.

The middle-aged man was wearing a thick dark red coat and white slacks. He was wearing the standard ship-shaped hat of this era.

He was holding an iron-colored musket that was a relic of the times as white smoke billowed out of its thick black muzzle.

Klein had heard the attendant introduce the man before, and he knew the man. He was the captain of the White Agate, Elland Kag.

With obvious wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, his forehead, and the corners of his mouth, Elland walked towards Cleves and said with a smile, "As a captain, I must ensure that no accidents happen.

"Forgive me for watching by the side all this time."

Cleves had already stood up. He didn't betray his emotions.

"This is your ship.

"According to convention, you have the right to share in the spoils."

Elland turned his head to look at Klein and others and said with a smile, "The next resupply of water and food is in two days time. You'll have to think of a way to preserve the murloc's corpse.

"How about this, sell it to me at a cheaper price; the difference is the reward I deserve."

"This is the best solution." Cleves and Cecile exchanged glances and agreed to Elland's request. "For 130 pounds, it's all yours."

The murloc Beyonder ingredient has a market price of 150 to 200 pounds. Considering the other parts with spirituality, 130 pounds is indeed cheap… However, this is the only thing Cleves and Cecile can do. This is Elland's ship, and he had a large group of armed sailors and crew to help him. If the negotiations break down, they could sink everyone here into the sea within minutes… Of course, that's under the premise that I don't involve myself… Yes, it can be seen that Cleves and Cecile aren't Beyonders, at least not Beyonders of the combat and shooting domains. As for Elland, I find it suspect… Klein stood up and listened to the deal.

"No, you seem to have misunderstood something. I'm not threatening you. 150 pounds. That's a fair price." Elland Kag called for a sailor and gave him the key to the safe.

"You are the 'Just Elland'?" Only then did Cecile seem to recall his title on the sea.

Elland laughed and said, "Yes."

At this moment, Donna and Denton, stunned by the intense battle and the living monster, jumped to their feet and ran over to the murloc in excitement and fear.

"Is… is it really dead?" Donna kicked the murloc's body with her toe, then she jumped away and hid behind her younger brother as if she were afraid it would revive.

"It really is a monster!" Denton took a deep breath and opened his eyes wide.

"There are many monsters at sea. Apart from having four limbs and being able to stand, murlocs have no similarities to humans." Elland smiled gently.

He squatted down and took out a knife, slicing the cheek beneath the murloc's eye, revealing white, tender skin that was tainted with some red.

"The most delicious part of a murloc's body is suitable for eating it raw." Elland carefully sliced a piece of flesh and handed it to Donna. "You remind me of my daughter. Unfortunately, she's grown up and has a family of her own."

"I-I don't dare to eat it…" Donna said, looking at the thin sliver of flesh held at the tip of the knife.

"Haha, which one of you wants to try?" Elland laughed and looked around.

After confirming that there were no warnings from his spiritual intuition, Klein nodded.

"I'm very curious."

Elland immediately handed him the knife.

"Give it a try. On land, even nobles may not necessarily have a chance to eat it.

"These murlocs are fish monsters. They can be understood as a mutated type of fish."

He was trying to dispel the siblings' fears.

Klein wanted to ask if there was any wasabi, soy sauce, or any other condiments, but seeing that the other party didn't mention it, he was afraid to appear ignorant.

He took the knife, bit into the bloody flesh, and swallowed it.

It was a feeling of flesh that instantly melted in his mouth. The taste of blood was very faint, giving it an appropriate salty taste. It perfectly set off the fresh and sweet taste of the meat.

Klein chewed twice, taking in the deliciousness of the tenderness and freshness of the fish meat. It was the first time in his life that he was experiencing something like that.

"Excellent." He wasn't stingy with his praises as he gave a thumbs up.

Donna watched the whole thing with curiosity, suddenly interested in the flesh on the murloc's cheek.

This overwhelmed her fear and disgust, and she suggested the idea of trying.

Elland fulfilled her request and smiled as he watched her tightly close her eyes as her face scrunched into a grimace as she bit into the meat.

Donna's expression gradually relaxed, and she quickly opened her eyes. She excitedly praised, "An indescribable delicacy!"

She spurred things into action as Denton, Cecile, and the others shared the little chunk of cheek meat. Eating it satisfied them, but it also made them dissatisfied. They were satisfied with the taste, but were dissatisfied with the quantity.

Seeing that Elland had eaten the last piece, Cleves pointed at the murloc's body and said, "The meat around the ribs is suitable for frying, while the belly meat should be roasted. The other parts taste bad."

"I share your thoughts," Elland said with a chuckle. "I'll have the chef prepare it immediately. On such a night, we should enjoy good food and wine together and exchange the legends at sea. It's a very enjoyable matter."

I'm looking forward to it… However, why did a perfectly fine hunt turn into a delicacy exchange… Klein swallowed his saliva.

Chapter 495: Legend of Treasure

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Above the deck, there was an extra layer of asbestos beneath the grill to prevent the coal sparks from being blown out by the wind and scorching the surface of the ship.

The fat cook, wearing an apron and a tall white hat invented by Roselle, used a fine brush to constantly apply a seasoning created from a secret recipe—basil, fennel, sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice—to the long, white strips of fish, and frequently flipped them over to ensure that both sides were evenly heated.

The flesh of the murloc's belly was fatty, dripping with drops of oil and causing the coal beneath the iron mesh to sizzle and flare up.

An enticing aroma began to fill the air, and Klein inhaled again and again.

In front of him was a round table and a chair. On top of the table was a unique looking bottle of wine. The wine was golden red in color and seemed slightly sticky as it swirled about.

"Sonia blood wine is brewed from the sugar-wood juice found in the surrounding areas of Golden Spring. It tastes like thin honey mixed with blood. It's sweet and smooth, but it's very easy to get drunk on. If you fancy any lady and want to treat her to a drink, you can consider this. It will make her drink more without realizing it. Haha, that's under the premise that you're able to handle the amount of alcohol she's drinking." Noticing Klein's scrutiny, Captain Elland Kag introduced in a half-joking manner.

As expected of a former boatswain, he's accomplished when it comes to self-deprecation… Klein sat down and maintained a cold attitude as he asked, "A qualified adventurer wouldn't indulge in alcohol."

Cleves, who was beside him, nodded.

"Only when they return home will adventurers allow themselves to drink."

"What a pity." Elland turned to look at Donna and Denton who were staring curiously at the blood wine. He laughed and said, "This isn't something that underaged children should experience."

"I've had it before, it tastes really good!" Donna retorted immediately. "It's just… It's just that I fell asleep without realizing it and slept an entire afternoon…"

"I remember that you drank two cups that time!" the little gentlemen, Denton, said enviously.

Elland didn't satisfy their cravings and instead ordered a cup of sweet iced tea for each of the siblings and casually explained, "There are a lot of Southerners on this ship."

Denton retracted his disappointed gaze and looked at the murloc which had its valuable materials taken away. He said rather innocently, "Actually… Actually, it's not that scary. It's just a bigger, uglier fish with four limbs!"

Donna shot a glance at her younger brother.

"Congratulations, you've finally recognized the essence of it."

She then looked eagerly at Cleves and Elland.

"Uncle, Uncle, are there many of these monsters in the sea?"

Murlocs didn't possess Beyonder powers which were beyond one's imagination. In the eyes of ordinary people, they were akin to ferocious beasts at sea or a living example of legendary monsters.

Elland chuckled and said, "No, in the main sea route and the surrounding seas, there are very few monsters like this. They've been cleared out a long time ago. You must be lucky enough to meet a murloc.

"Think about it, if I can often kill monsters worth 200 pounds or more, then I certainly wouldn't be the captain of a passenger ship. I'd organize my own hunting boat to chase down these gold pounds!"

That makes a lot of sense! Klein secretly cheered him on.

According to his observation, the Beyonder ingredient from a murloc was its bladder. That azure aqueous light made one feel like they were looking at a gem.

Cleves raised the black tea which a sailor had just delivered. He first smelled it before taking a sip.

"Only by leaving the main sea route and going deep into the ocean, which is often shrouded in fog or storms, will there be a good chance of encountering such monsters, but that would be very dangerous.

"Apart from scaly murlocs who can climb, there are also legends at sea of Nagas that have the upper body of a human while their bottom half is that of a snake. They have six arms and are very agile."

Elland continued on the topic.

"There are also giant octopuses which can spit out juices that can corrode a lot of people, terrifying sea monsters that can flip a boat with a gentle blow, mermaids with intoxicating songs that make one unwilling to leave, blue giant dragons that can produce lightning, giant birds with wings that can cause hurricanes. Heh heh, I've never seen any of these before. They're all legends of the sea, and no one knows whether they're real or fake."

Mermaids… Klein's expression didn't change.

"Very interesting," Donna exclaimed, fascinated with a look of longing.

Denton looked around, and seeing that Klein hadn't spoken, he curiously asked, "Uncle, you're an adventurer too. Have you seen such monsters before?"

Klein was stunned for a moment and then gave a faint smile.

"Once. Back then, there were five of us, and we chanced upon one, a single murloc. After an intense fight, we finally finished it."

This was a real experience of his in Tingen City; it was also his first encounter with an official Beyonder who had lost control.

At that time, he and Old Neil had helped to eliminate a mutated Sailor at the request of Swain, the old owner of the Evil Dragon Bar.

Thinking of this, Klein felt nostalgic and wistful. The cold and sharp expression on his face couldn't help but soften significantly.

"Five people?" While asking, Donna secretly counted the number of people who had been involved in the battle.

1, 2, 3… She discovered that only three people had taken action to kill the murloc.

Without waiting for Klein's response, Elland said with a hint of surprise, "A chance encounter?"

"Yes," Klein answered frankly.

"Were there any casualties?" Elland pressed.

Klein shook his head.

"A few minor injuries"

"A chance encounter and you only took five people to finish a murloc… All of you are very powerful." Cleves gave his own evaluation.

His companion, Cecile, nodded to express her astonishment.

The battle that had happened just now was brief and quick, and the murloc seemed easy and vulnerable, but she and Cleves both knew very well that without the pre-prepared bait, the hallucinatory effects of the pepper granules and the subsequent fatigue, the murloc's fatal weakness of mint cream, and the two borrowed rifles, it was impossible to imagine how many people would die in order to kill a murloc.

"Indeed, very powerful." Elland looked thoughtfully at Klein.

It was a team formed of four Sequence 9s and a Sequence 8… Klein said with a half-smile and a half-sigh, "At that time, I was still very young, and I didn't even have any experience in combat. I was purely support."

"Uncle, you're still very young!" Donna nodded her head vigorously.

I like what you said… Klein keenly noticed that Captain Elland had relaxed a lot from what he had just said.

At this moment, several crew members had brought over a large ceramic plate. On top of it were pieces of meat that had been fried to a golden hue. The basil leaves were sprinkled with color, and a captivating fragrance assaulted their noses.

Elland raised his glass of Sonia blood wine and offered a toast.

"To a beautiful night. May the Storm be with us!"

"To a beautiful night!" Donna and Denton cheered and sipped their sweet iced tea.

Klein chose to clink glasses with a cup of black tea.

He forked a piece of meat from the murloc's ribs, finding it firm and without fat. However, after absorbing the vegetable oil, its flaw of being too dry was remedied. As he chewed, it emanated an limitlessly chewy consistency and fragrance.

It's really inferior to the cheek meat, but it's already good enough. It's better than all the fish I've eaten while in Backlund and Pritz Harbor… Klein praised in satisfaction.

Elland put down the knife and fork in his hands, took a sip of Sonia blood wine, and sighed at the topic.

"At sea, the greatest danger doesn't stem from the monsters but those pirates.

"They helm their ships, going wherever they please. No one can defend against them in advance."

"Uncle Captain, will we encounter pirates?" Denton asked with concern as he swallowed the fried fish.

Elland laughed.

"The route to the Rorsted Archipelago is the safest in the world, with colonial islands en route every two to three days, allowing us to dock. The route is also patrolled by ships from the Imperial Navy and the Church of Storms.

"Even if pirates come wandering here, they wouldn't do anything too excessive. After seeing our cannons, they would at most extort some compensation."

Seeing that the two underaged children had calmed down, Elland added, "But from the south of the Rorsted Archipelago, or as we continue east, we'll have to rely on the Lord's blessing.

"Many pirates are active in these areas, playing hide and seek with the ships of the navy and Church. If we're lucky, we'll be able to reach the Southern Continent and every destination very smoothly. But if we aren't lucky, we'll encounter some relatively powerful pirates, including the fleet of the Seven Pirate Admirals and even the Four Kings.

"However, you don't have to be too worried. Ever since Nast became the King of the Five Seas and enacted the rules of sea passage, most pirates will only rob you clean of your wealth, without doing anything too overboard.

"Around this area, we're most afraid of encountering the captain of the Black Tulip, Admiral Hell Ludwell. He'll get his subordinates to kill everyone on board, throwing the innocents into hell. Next would be Admiral of Blood Senor. He loves blood, and he allows his subordinates to partake in heinous acts. Many girls have suffered under them before being sold to different islands…"

Donna trembled as she subconsciously changed the topic.

"I heard that there are a lot of treasures at sea!"

"There are legends of treasures, but most of them are fake." Elland glanced at Cleves and said, "There are six stories which are the most famous. Ranked first is the Death's Key. Rumor has it that at the end of the Fourth Epoch, Death, who had caused the Pale Disaster, was attacked by the seven gods and ended up perishing. 'He' attempted to return to the Southern Continent and created a raging stormy wave, an impassable barrier. It completely obstructed the sea route between the Northern and Southern Continents. This is the origin legend of the Berserk Sea. However, 'He' eventually failed to return to the Southern Continent and ended up vanishing in the sea."

When he said this, Elland sighed with pangs of yearning.

"It's said that in some secret place in the Berserk Sea, the treasure left behind by Death is waiting for the person holding the specific key to find it and open it, but no one knows what the key looks like, or where it will appear.

"Ranked second is the Fountain of Unaging. It's deep in the Sonia Sea. Rumor has it that one of the four kings, King of Immortality, Agalito, had drunk the waters of the Fountain of Unaging."

Chapter 496: The Promising Sea

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Fountain of Unaging? Will you really gain eternal youth if you drink it?" Donna widened her eyes and asked curiously.

She didn't have any feelings of anticipation, because she was still young enough.

Elland didn't answer at once, and instead, he forked a piece of fried murloc rib meat, tore into it in two bites, and took a sip of Sonia wine.

The sweet and smooth taste has completely nullified the cloyed taste of fried oil…His eyes were half-closed, and he looked like a gourmet.

After pondering for a few seconds, he slowly answered Donna's question, "I don't know if there's a Fountain of Unaging, nor am I certain if the King of Immortality, Agalito, drank its waters. I only know one thing, and that is, that when I was very young, I heard the legend of this pirate king. It's just like how King of the Five Seas, Nast, seems to live forever."

"Their beards must be very long, extending beyond than their chests!" Denton gave his opinion.

"In fact, the King of the Five Seas, Nast, has a beard that only reaches below his neck. He sits on the deck, draped in a black splendid robe with silver ends. He wears a crown that's two times taller than his head and overlooks everything like a deity…" Elland's tone gradually lowered as though his memories had entered a quagmire, and he was unable to extricate himself.

"Uncle Captain, have you ever met the King of the Five Seas?" Donna asked excitedly.

This was the most legendary pirate. His name traveled through the sea, and even the children of the port cities knew his name.

Whole generations of people grew up listening to stories about him!

In a sense, many people view Nast as the true pirate king… I remember one of the conditions for advancement for Dark Emperor is to equate one's name with "emperor," entrenching it deep in the hearts of the people… Is this an early or simplified version of an attempt? I wonder what Sequence the King of the Five Seas is at now… Although Klein was focused on sampling the murloc meat, his mind whirled as a result of the group's discussion.

Faced with Donna's question, Elland said with a sigh, "At that time, I was still very young and serving on the William V. Once, our fleet tried to cross the Strait of Calamity in the Berserk Sea and encountered the Dark Emperor's ship there.

"In those few minutes, everyone, including the fleet Captain, lost the will to fight. Fortunately, Nast didn't give the order to attack us."

"Very cool!" the boy Denton cheered, his eyes shining.

Elland didn't continue the topic. He smiled and said, "As for King of Immortality, Agalito, I've never met him in real life. I only know that his bounty notice depicts a pale middle-aged man. How pale? Let me give an example you can understand. It's like he's been dead for some time, a corpse which is just beginning to rot."

When Donna and Denton heard this analogy, they subconsciously looked at the badly mutilated murloc's corpse and involuntarily quivered their throats.

"Of course, the most important thing in a bounty notice isn't the looks. It's the bounty reward. In Loen alone, Agalito is worth 100,000 pounds. And his bounty is the lowest among the four kings." Elland diverted the topic and said, "Let's continue the stories about treasure. Ranked third is the inheritance of the Solomon Empire. In the Fourth Epoch, when that massive empire was dissolved and destroyed, the royalty brought treasures that even the gods would be jealous of onto a ship. They steered it deep into the Fog Sea, awaiting the opportunity to rebuild their dynasty. However, five hundred years passed, a thousand years passed, and fifteen hundred years passed, but it ultimately didn't appear."

"Rumor has it that the King of the Five Seas, Nast, inherited parts of the Solomon Empire's inheritance. No one knows if he's a descendant of the real Dark Emperor," Cecile added with interest.

"Fog Sea? Western shore of the Northern Continent?" Donna thought back to her geography.

"Right," Cleves responded simply.

West of the Northern Continent was the Fog Sea; to its east was the Sonia Sea, south was the Berserk Sea, and north was the North Sea. The east and west sides of the Southern Continent were similar to the Northern Continent, while south of it was the Polar Sea. Together, they formed the Five Seas.

The Loen Kingdom was backed by the Hornacis mountain range and the inland Midseashire. Its eastern face was the Sonia Sea, and it stretched south to Desi Bay. It occupied several of the excellent entrances to the Berserk Sea, but it didn't involve the Fog Sea.

"Is that so…" Donna didn't have much interest in the faraway treasure, so she switched focus and asked, "What about the fourth treasure?"

"It belongs to the last empire of the Fourth Epoch, Trunsoest. Rumor has it that they built a huge ship the size of a city, and they transferred all their treasures onto it. Funny enough, their escape was of no use. Although the predetermined passengers and crew didn't fail to arrive at the port in time, none of them survived.

"However, that ship vanished by itself. Up to this day, people often claim to see a gigantic ship sail by them silently in a foggy night. It's been called the Specter Empire, and it appears across the Sonia Sea. Heh, this is the conclusion from all those stories." Elland looked up at the red moon hanging high in the sky as he said with a tone of mockery, without any disguise of his longing.

Perhaps we will see it pass us by tomorrow night, no—tonight! Donna thought with anticipation and excitement.

Klein finished up the rest of his food, drank his black tea, and listened with interest to what Elland had to say about the rest of the treasures.

"The fifth is the Lost City of Newins. Rumor has it that at the bottom of the Fog Sea, there's a civilization with intelligent creatures. Around that patch of sea, seafarers and adventurers often find special items which all point to the Newins of ancient times. However, the members of this civilization have yet to appear. It's like it has been lost to this world." Elland drank the remaining of his Sonia blood wine and said, "That is an inheritance left behind by a civilization. The magnitude of its wealth is absolutely unimaginable."

After pausing for two seconds, Elland put down his glass and laughed.

"In fact, the treasure I look forward to the most is one which has more accounts than legends, the Sunken Laurel. More than a century ago, it carried gold, jewelry, and various valuable items that the kingdom obtained from East Balam. As it steered away from the sea route, it sunk in an unknown area somewhere between the Berserk Sea and Sonia Sea. It hasn't been found to this day.

"It's said that the items onboard are worth millions of pounds!"

"Millions of pounds?" The number caused Donna to blurt out in astonishment.

As a merchant's daughter who had been educated for many years, she had a vague understanding as to what this number represented.

In Loen, a millionaire was a genuinely rich person, second only to the top noble families and tycoons!

Millions of pounds? As a member of the National Atmospheric Pollution Council, a major shareholder in the Coim Company, Mrs. Mary, who allowed me to join the Quelaag Club for free, is only worth a few hundred thousand pounds, and even so, she's rich enough even in the circle of aristocrats and merchants. She's a popular divorced lady, and there are even aristocratic children who proposed to her… Klein quickly found a target for comparison.

Elland sighed with a smile.

"If I can find the Sunken Laurel, then I don't have to be a captain anymore. I'll head to Backlund and become a philanthropist. I'll purchase land and donate to political parties and get a hereditary aristocratic title!"

I've heard Talim mention before that a baronet costs about 300,000 pounds and about 800,000 pounds for a baron… If you manage to get your hands on the treasure, the titles of viscount and even earl is something within the limits of imagination… Millions of pounds! Klein helped Elland perfect his plan.

"If it were me, I wouldn't do that. I'll buy a huge manor." Cecile also began to imagine her life after finding the treasure. "I want to hire many servants and helpers, plant large tracts of wheat, build vineyards, make wine for myself… Also, I want to have a room where I can sunbathe; have leisurely moving cows, sheep, and horses; and have bread from my own mill, just like a beautiful picturesque scene…"

Elland laughed when he heard that.

"Ma'am, do you know how much a manor like this is worth?"

"No, I don't." Cecile shook her head.

"It's only a few thousand pounds. If you find the Sunken Laurel, you can buy a thousand of those manors!" Elland used exact numbers to illustrate the value of the treasure.

A thousand manors? Cecile couldn't help but raise her cup and drink a mouthful of black tea.

Before this, she had known that several million pounds was a lot of money, but she hadn't expected it to be this much!

In order to alleviate the shock in her heart, she looked at Cleves and said, "Boss, if you find the Sunken Laurel, what do you plan on buying. No, what sort of life do you wish to have?"

Cleves fell silent for a moment before saying, "Return home. I'll hug my wife and children, telling them that I no longer need to go on an adventure out at sea again."

Not a bad guy… Klein nodded slightly.

Donna looked at him curiously.

"Uncle Adventurer, what about you?"

Klein replied expressionlessly, "Tell myself not to sleep anymore. Hurry up and wake up."

Pfft… Donna spat out the sweet iced tea she'd just drunk, but fortunately, the fried fish on the table had already been eaten.

At this moment, Klein sighed inwardly.

Even though I know it's basically impossible to find the treasure; otherwise, the various churches would've already done it with all the powerhouses they have. But when discussing such topics, I couldn't help but get excited. This is the charm of treasure! Even if it was just a legend, it can attract many adventurers!

Donna wiped her mouth and sat down like a lady, as though she wasn't the one who had lost her composure.

The little boy, Denton, asked, still eager for more, "Are there any other legends of treasure?"

Elland looked at Cleves, indicating that he should answer.

Cleves calmly drank a mouthful of black tea and said in a deep voice, "There are countless treasures at sea. The hidden lands of the elves, the missing pirate ships in the depths of the fog, the underwater city sealed with powerful monsters, the last secret trove of Emperor Roselle, and so on."

Ah? The Emperor had already reached the level of leaving treasures and legends for others… If it's true, would there be Cards of Blasphemy in it? How many would there be? The legend of the Key of Death might help Mr. Azik regain more of his memories… Klein thought with curiosity and anticipation.