739 - 746

Chapter 739: The Encountered and the Yet-To-Be-Encountered

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In the main prayer hall of Saint Samuel Cathedral.

The black-haired bishop retracted his gaze and stopped looking at the middle-aged gentleman in front of the donation box, nor did he have any intention of chatting with him.

Here, before the holy altar, he represented the Church, and he was under the Goddess's sight. He couldn't show more warmth towards anyone because of their generous donations.

However, he remembered the gentleman's good looks and mature, refined disposition. He planned on attempting to get to know him when the opportunity arose in the future.

Seeing the final note slip into the donation box, Klein closed his eyes and turned to leave.

When passing the preaching bishop, he deliberately glanced at the clergyman and smiled with a nod.

The bishop returned with a warm smile as he tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion.

Klein wasn't in a hurry to make contact with the relevant personnel. He needed his actions to adhere to logic, and not to have any jarring actions that would incur suspicion. He silently and coolly turned to the side to give way to another devotee, and he made way down the aisle back to his seat. He then picked up his hat and cane before walking out of the cathedral.

At that moment, with the preaching done, the devotees either went forward to the donation box to express their sincerity, or they got up to leave without feeling that there was anything wrong. After all, it wasn't compulsory.

Even a devotee who passionately donated was unable to donate money every time. It usually depended on the family's exact situation, doing it once or twice every one to two weeks.

At the level of a commoner, each donation was in the form of pennies, while middle-class devotees ranged from three to five soli. The wealthy and nobles used pounds, but they didn't exceed 100 pounds.

This was under ordinary circumstances. During the Evernight Goddess's holy memorial day every year, which was the Winter Gifts Day, the amount donated would increase several times. The commoners with a little bit more cash to spare would choose two to three soli, while the middle-class donated around 5 pounds. As for the members of high society, they directly donated to the diocese bishop or Church's charitable organizations, ranging from several hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds.

Winter Gifts Day was the day in a year when the night was longest. It was believed to be the birthday of the Evernight Goddess.

…

After leaving the cathedral, Klein stood at the square outside. He watched idly as pigeons flew up, circled around, and landed.

He even bought some food from a nearby street hawker. He leisurely fed the pigeons, and he had no plans on flipping through the advertisements in the newspapers to find a suitable residence in North Borough since it was the butler's mission.

An excellent butler that had resided in Backlund for many years had ought to know the different nobles and tycoons, as well as the best middle-class individuals who could provide their masters with help. He would know which streets to live in and, from there, purposefully choose a residence.

The interaction between neighbors was the first step for a newcomer to enter the relevant circles!

Be it the Carleton Club where members of the Conservative Party gather, the Club of the Free of the New Party, or the various in-service and veteran clubs for the military, they also require a recommendation before any contact can be made… Sigh, this is also the so-called club politics in the kingdom. Klein reined in his thoughts as he considered what he should do after he was done setting up the pigeon-feeding persona he created.

After careful consideration, he discovered that there was really nothing that needed his immediate attention. This was because his plans were stuck on the surface.

Hence, he planned on enjoying an expensive and sumptuous lunch. This was an action Dwayne Dantès ought to have, and it was also a result of Klein's own curiosity.

In the months when he was in Backlund, he didn't manage to muster the courage to head to the most famous restaurants in the big city to broaden his horizons. He kept choosing one of the four—his own dining hall, the buffet cafeteria of the Quelaag Club, the ordinary restaurants by the streets, and Lawyer Jurgen's dining hall. Otherwise, he would head to East Borough and settle his breakfast and lunch in what seemed like a very oily coffee shop.

Laborie Restaurant? Their head chef is said to be from Earl Hall's family. He has provided tycoons, successful lawyers, high-ranking government officials with usually hard to come by flavors… Earl Hall had apparently invested in this restaurant and holds quite a major stake in it… Hmm, this restaurant mainly serves local Backlund cuisine. It's very famous for its desserts, but its price is horrendous…

Intis Srenzo Restaurant. It serves the most authentic Intis cuisine. Heh heh, many of the specialty dishes use Roselle's name, claiming that it originated from the emperor's palace dishes… Besides, it's not like most of the restaurants of the same class where they only offer a few main dishes every day. It has a wide variety… Klein recalled the information of the top restaurants he had read from the papers and magazines, and he finally decided on trying out the emperor's palace dishes.

He didn't stay any longer as he got on a horse carriage and headed for the Intis Srenzo Restaurant in West Borough.

At the entrance, Klein handed his coat, hat, and cane to a red-vested waiter as he asked, "Are there still any available seats? I didn't make a reservation."

"Yes, sir." The red-vested waiter didn't show any abnormal behavior as he humbly asked, "Sir, is this your first time here? Are you alone?"

Klein nodded frankly and smiled.

"Yes."

"Then, may I have the honor of introducing you to some of our most unique dishes and fine wine that our restaurant has to offer?" As the waiter spoke, he led the guest in.

"That's exactly what I need." Klein passed through the beautifully decorated door, and he saw walls that nearly reflected golden light.

Instantly, he felt as though he was in a gold vault.

Then, he noticed oil paintings hung on the walls, marble statues that were placed at suitable locations, as well as golden objects that were embedded or adorned in different spots.

"Please watch your step," the attendant warned him as he led Klein to a spot by the window. Violin music played in the background of the restaurant.

The waiter brought him a food menu and a wine menu as he flipped it open and introduced, "These are our most famous dishes—red-braised Tagia beef short ribs, black truffle porcini mushrooms, Intis-styled foie gras. I would like to point out that our foie gras comes directly from the Bonas farm in Champagne province in the Intis Kingdom…"

As Klein listened to the waiter's introduction, he browsed through the menu written in ancient Feysac, as the prices caught his eyes.

After introducing the main dishes, starters, and desserts, the waiter began explaining how the wines should be matched. Finally, he said, "The champagne, red wine, and white wine we have all come from a famous brewery from Champagne province. We even have Aurmir red wine from 1330. Its price is 126 pounds. If you wish to purchase it, you can take it along with you or store it with us, drinking a cup every time you come."

126 pounds… I can already hire an excellent butler with that… Heh heh… Klein smiled with great grace.

"Your dishes and wine are excellent. It's really difficult to choose."

The red-vested waiter gave a hospitable smile.

"You can choose the chef's recommendations for the day. It will be an authentic and delicious Intis meal arranged by our main chef. There are three choices—15 pounds, 10 pounds, and 8 pounds."

I don't want any of them… Klein leaned back slightly as he smiled.

"I'll have the 15-pound set meal."

"Alright." The red-vested waiter took away the menus, and he walked towards the kitchen.

Klein drew a breath and slowly exhaled as he casually observed the area before him.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure. It was a lady wearing an olive-green dress.

She was tall, with an excellent figure. She wore a black, out-of-fashion bonnet, with a fishnet veil hanging down and concealing her face.

As a Faceless, Klein had a strong ability to discern the external characteristics of humans. He immediately identified the lady.

Queen Mystic, Emperor Roselle's eldest daughter, Bernadette Gustav!

He wasn't in a rush to look away as he naturally moved his gaze to the side. Bernadette didn't seem to notice anything abnormal as she disappeared around the stairwell.

Why would she appear here? Right, this restaurant's specialty is Emperor Roselle's palace dishes. Heh, it's nothing like the Chinese cuisine I thought it would be. He probably doesn't know how to cook and at best, is able to describe the concept. There are stir-fried dishes here… Hmm, could the owner behind the scenes actually be her? Why is she here in Backlund instead of floating out at sea? Hasn't she found Hero Bandit Black Emperor? Klein sat down with a calm expression as questions arose in his mind.

…

Meanwhile, on the streets, a carriage was driving towards the Intis Srenzo Restaurant.

Sitting in the carriage was Aaron Ceres's family. This famous surgeon was a member of the Quelaag Club, a good friend of Sherlock Moriarty. He had once sought out the detective to handle Will Auceptin's matter.

Ever since his wife became pregnant, he found his luck had become rather good. His business was improving by the day, and his income was rising by the month. He recently successfully completed Baron Syndras's surgery, and he received the commendation of this newly promoted noble. He was invited to the Srenzo Restaurant to have lunch with him.

"It's said that the ice-cream is pretty good," Aaron smiled as he said to his wife.

His wife was a black-haired beauty, and she was already obviously pregnant. She smiled demurely and said, "I'm more looking forward to Emperor Roselle's palace dishes."

Aaron tersely acknowledged as he looked out the window.

"We're almost there."

Just as he said that, his wife held her tummy and frowned.

"It hurts a little."

Aaron, who wasn't a first-time father, immediately checked on her and didn't discover any problems, but his wife was feeling greater discomfort. The child in her womb seemed to be pulling a tantrum.

"I-I think I won't go over there. I wish to return home to rest," Aaron's wife suggested.

Aaron thought for a while and said, "I'll accompany you home."

He immediately ordered his valet, "Get down here and head to the restaurant to apologize to Baron Syndras on my behalf."

After the carriage began its return, the discomfort that Aaron's wife suffered was relieved. By the time she walked through the doorstep, everything was normal.

She pointed at her tummy, exasperated.

"It appears like he doesn't want to eat ice-cream."

Achoo! In the Intis Srenzo Restaurant, Klein, who hadn't spared any dish, felt the pinch but began enjoying his ice-cream in satisfaction. Midway, he found his nose itchy as he sneezed into a piece of tissue paper he pulled out.

…

West Borough. In a dark house.

Fors, who had already advanced to Astrologer, participated in all kinds of Beyonder gatherings, in search of the possibility to earn money.

She owed Xio 220 pounds, and she was even suspected by her good friend of being involved in illegal gambling.

I can't even afford to buy my essential crystal ball… As her thoughts wandered, Fors suddenly heard a member at the gathering say, "I wish to sell a Moon Puppet."

Chapter 740: Self-recommendation

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Moon Puppet… Fors's heart palpitated as she refocused and looked at the gathering participant who had just spoken.

The man in a black iron mask had already taken out a small puppet and showed it to everyone.

"I have a friend who discovered a series of graves deep in the Southern Continent's Paz Valley. This puppet was stuck in the deceased's right eye socket.

Fors observed the puppet seriously just like the other gathering participants. She discovered that it was slender, and its entire body resembled a tiny wooden piece that had been engraved with crescent-like eyes and a mouth. Embedded in it were dried grass and flowers.

Doesn't look like anything special… Fors mumbled inwardly. Her spiritual perception didn't sense anything as her pen-wielding hand continued hovering over a bronze-green notebook.

The man in the iron mask continued the introduction:

"My friend and I are unable to determine what use this puppet has, and we can only suspect that it's not simple. It might also hide quite a secret.

"60 pounds. For just 60 pounds, you can have it. This price is very fair. Even if it has nothing to do with mysticism, it's not a bad antique worth forty to fifty pounds.

"That is to say you'll be spending 10 pounds to have a chance of a pleasant surprise. To you, this is a small sum of money."

A very tempting explanation. This gentleman is likely a successful salesman. However, I don't even have 10 pounds… As Fors engaged in a self-deprecating laugh, she didn't believe that anyone would buy the so-called Moon Puppet of unknown origins and usage.

Just as she had that thought, she heard a female voice which was deliberately suppressed.

"50 pounds."

Is she too rich, or is she willing to try her luck? Fors subconsciously turned her head to look at the speaking person, only to see the lady wearing a hooded long robe. Her face was hidden in the shadows.

At that moment, the owner of the Moon Puppet laughed.

"I'll be more inclined to keep it for myself. Perhaps, there might come a time when I discover what's so special about it."

As he spoke, he realized that no one was offering a better price. He immediately said, "Of course, as a gentleman, I'll satisfy your wish since you have expressed your desire and have given a reasonable price."

"Deal," the hooded woman replied with a deep voice.

Soon, the gathering's attendant helped them complete the transaction. Fors noticed that the lady's hand was trembling slightly after she received the Moon Puppet.

She places great importance on the item… She might actually know what's so special about the puppet… Moon Puppet… Moon… From the Southern Continent… Fors suddenly made connections and recalled the few Primordial Moon believers who Mr. Moon was searching for. She began having a suspicion that the hooded lady was one of them, or that she had a connection with them.

Of course, she had zero evidence. She didn't even have much of a compelling reason to have such a guess.

Phew… Fors silently exhaled as she decided to find a way to verify her theory.

She casually moved the hard-covered notebook in her hand, making a yellowish-brown goatskin appear.

On the piece of paper were all kinds of patterns that formed an ancient, mysterious picture of unknown intent.

This was one of the pages of Leymano's Travels, and it recorded a particular Beyonder power.

It wasn't a recorded power which Fors had gathered herself, but one of the five original pages when she received it.

Fors looked up, and she pretended to observe the transactions of the others while fully taking in the hooded lady's situation.

She discovered that there was a mosquito with dark brown spots on a nearby wall and unknown worms that were slowly squirming on the ground.

Fors's finger naturally slid across the yellowish-brown goatskin's pattern as a complicated symbol quickly formed in her mind.

Silently and without showing any odd signs, she felt that she had "understood" the brown pattern, as her thoughts connected with the other party's.

The brown-spotted mosquito flew at a low height.

It circled beneath the hooded lady and carefully clung to her front.

The mosquito's vision was different from a human's since an incomprehensible scene appeared in Fors's mind. But it soon disintegrated and reformed into a rather normal scene.

The hooded lady had a rather curved outline with dark skin. Her brows were thin and the corners of her mouth drooped significantly.

Fors immediately recognized her. She was none other than the Primordial Moon believer, Windsor Behring, who Mr. Moon was searching for!

An effective clue is worth 100 pounds, and directly finding her means 500 pounds! Fors recalled the reward as she immediately became flustered.

Her first reaction was to drive the mosquito to bite Windsor Behring and suck her blood. That way, she could later use astromancy to directly lock onto her location.

However, she gave up the idea after struggling for a moment. That was extremely taboo in a Beyonder gathering. If she were discovered, she would definitely be attacked by all the participants of the gathering.

And the host of the gathering often had significant strength. Going too overboard made it easily detectable!

Hmm, I'll just get the 100 pounds. If there's another chance, I'll consider how to lock onto her directly… I have to leave this gathering early and smear my blood over Leymano's Travels to prevent myself from getting lost. That would be dangerous… Fors repressed her disappointment as she made her final decision.

In fact, her actions were already out of line; hence, she didn't wish to stay another second longer.

…

Hillston Borough, inside a high-class hotel.

Klein stood behind an oriel window as he silently took in the crimson moon and thin clouds in the sky.

Some time later, he combed the white hair around his temples and reached out to draw the curtains.

Then, he went through the hassle of moving the radio transceiver back to the real world and spent the time "airing" out most of its "smell."

This time, he only waited about ten seconds when he felt the room turn dark and eerie. He heard the radio transceiver begin to producing clicking sounds.

Klein approached and saw a piece of illusory paper spew out. On the paper were words composed of Loenese: "Great Master, please look right!"

Right… Klein turned his head in amusement and curiosity to his side.

He saw a full-body mirror, which had already turned dark, as though it was smeared with a layer of ink.

Just as a thought flashed in his mind, the full-body mirror lit up. Illusory fireworks began shooting inside the mirror as it burst and scattered down in a beautiful and dazzling display.

Meanwhile, the full-body mirror produced a line of golden Loenese words.

"Welcome back, Great Master!"

At that moment, although Arrodes didn't produce any sound, Klein had the baffling feeling that it was hysterically shouting.

As the fireworks came to an end, the golden text distorted and formed a new line of text:

"Great Master, your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, wishes to ask you how I might be of service to you?"

Klein was already very accustomed to this as he said in a practiced manner, "Answer my questions."

The golden line of text reformed again.

"Thank you for your answer. You may ask."

Prepared, Klein said, "Where did the evil spirit in Williams Street go to?"

The full-body mirror's golden text froze for a few seconds before they slowly disappeared. As for the blooming fireworks in the background, they first blurred before a new scene became clear.

It was that of an abandoned chapel where withered vines crawled over its walls, and gray stones were strewn everywhere.

Klein found it rather familiar. It was where he and Sharron had once conversed with the evil spirit.

The scene drew close as Klein saw that in a corner of the collapsed chapel was a tiny pit that wasn't too deep. There were clear signs of it being dug up with one's fingers.

Miss Magician mentioned it before… As Klein's thoughts surfaced, the scene produced a cold voice that hid a smile:

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

As those words came out of the soil, the scene immediately turned distorted like a water surface being stirred before the scene completely shattered.

Pleasure working with you… Who did the evil spirit speak to?

To make an angel from the Hunter pathway use such a tone, the person opposite it mustn't be someone of a lower level. That person might even be an angel. However, why would "He" use his hands to dig? "He" should have a much easier method that didn't waste that much time…

The angel is also restricted in a certain sense? Hmm, just like that Grandpa in Leonard's body? Right, Leonard was in Backlund back then! This is a clue, but there are other possibilities. Something at the level of an angel doesn't equate to being an angel…

The evil spirit controlled Baronet Pound to contact someone? From the looks of it, the Intis and Feysac spies were just a smokescreen that was deliberately set up by the evil spirit. As expected of a Conspirer… Thoughts ran through Klein's mind as he said to Arrodes, "Second question: I have three butlers to choose from. Who do you think is the most suitable?"

Golden Loenese words appeared one after another:

"If you choose Rebach and Walter, there might be an additional development. Asnia is the most professional, but he's also the most ordinary."

Hmm… the two who were formerly under the service of Duke Negan and Viscount Conrad do allow for additional development… Klein nodded in thought.

"It's your turn to ask."

At this moment, a bunch of golden text appeared:

"Great Master, what do you make of me being your butler? As long as you bring me out of the Church of Steam, I can become the best butler in the world!"

"…"

Klein hesitated for a second as he replied, mincing his words, "It's not suitable at the moment."

The golden text in the full-body mirror darked instantly before it lit up again, reforming the words:

"Alright.

"Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, will patiently await the day."

Immediately following that, the full-body mirror produced a complicated picture with some footnotes.

"This is a rune formed with the corresponding symbols and magical labels. Great Master, as long as you are in Backlund, writing it on some paper is equivalent to summoning me."

A mixture of secrecy and mystery prying symbols… Klein identified the rune and said, "Okay."

Chapter 741: Butler

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

9 a.m., Hillston Borough, inside a high-class hotel.

Klein picked up a bottle of exquisitely packaged white wine as he handed it over to the elder opposite him.

"Mr. Asnia, thank you for coming. This is a gift of mine. Please accept it.

"At the latest, I'll make my decision by tomorrow. When the time comes, I might come and visit you in person."

He was using such a euphemistic manner to inform the man that he had failed to be selected.

To be frank, he was actually rather pleased with Mr. Asnia. He perfectly met his image of a butler—stern, well-mannered, professional, a high level of mental understanding, and is good at handling all kinds of thorny issues.

As the oldest candidate who lived the furthest away, he had arrived half an hour ahead of time. He had been patiently waiting outside while Rebach and Walter were only fifteen minutes early.

If not for Arrodes mentioning that the latter two allowed for additional developments, Klein felt that he would've chosen this old gentleman. After all, his main goal was to use the butler's social connections to more easily enter high society so as to make contact with the corresponding targets.

The white wine was specially bought from the Intis Srenzo Restaurant, costing him two pounds since he knew someone was destined to be disappointed while wasting money to travel to and fro by carriage.

This could effectively accentuate how generous Dwayne Dantès was and how gentlemanly he was as a mysterious tycoon.

In addition, he didn't think it was right to belittle a butler from a noble family. Such people definitely knew plenty of people in high society, many professional butlers, and countless servants due to their past professional experiences. They covered the entire spectrum of people, and they could affect a gentleman's image, and this was a necessary consideration for entering even higher social circles.

At present, the fifty-five-year-old Asnia had plenty of white hair. His blue eyes were ingrained with the wisdom that time had given him, so he didn't reject Dwayne Dantès's gift. He received it and glanced at it before bowing.

"I love white wine from Garrod. Thank you for your kindness. Your grace is admirable."

Garrod? Yes, the waiter yesterday mentioned that it's a brewery in Intis's Champagne province. It's well known for producing high-end grape wine. Some of the wine of certain vintage years are considered top-notch. Sigh, a butler knows more about wine than me. That's right. Mr. Asnia had mentioned that wine cellars are directly under the charge of the butler or a butler assistant among nobles and the rich… Does this mean that I need to have a wine cellar in the future? Wine costing two pounds is at the bottom of the totem pole, while even Aurmir red wine from 1330 which costs 126 pounds isn't even considered the best… How much would such a wine cellar cost… As he thought it over, Klein felt heavy in the chest. He began to suspect that the 2,888 pounds he had set aside from the gold coins weren't going to last long.

If not for the training he had during his time as a Clown, he definitely would've lost his cool and not reply with a smile.

"Your fondness for it is the greatest form of praise for me. Mr. Asnia, please invite Mr. Rebach who's at the coffee house below up."

Asnia didn't hesitate to agree to it. Less than five minutes later, Rebach knocked on the door and entered the living room.

This gentleman had his blond hair combed neatly. The edges of his eyes and mouth had some wrinkles which weren't too distinct. He had a ruddy complexion and a masculine bearing. It was obvious that he was a butler who could accompany his master hunting or even fend off enemies.

After exchanging greetings, Klein invited him in to take a seat while smiling. He went directly to the point.

"Forgive me for being honest. I don't understand why you would become the butler of Baron Syndras. Your father was the assistant butler to the Negan family, and your grandfather was the land steward of the same family. Many of your ancestors served the duke and his relatives until they returned to the arms of god. You should have had such a life trajectory as well."

Due to Emperor Roselle's influence, the various countries in the Northern Continent went from using their fief and aristocratic title to indicate their nobility to just their names and aristocratic titles. Only under special formal occasions would they use the former. Of course, there were a few nobles whose names stemmed from their fiefs.

Rebach gave a standard smile and answered, "Baron Syndras is a newly promoted noble, an old friend of the late duke. Therefore, I was sent to his family to help him and his family get accustomed to noble life and grasp the corresponding etiquettes."

The late duke he was talking about was the present Duke Negan's father, the Pallas Negan who had been assassinated the previous year.

"Then, why did you leave the baron's family later?" Klein deliberated and asked.

Rebach answered honestly, "Although Baron Syndras obtained his aristocratic title via the Conservative Party, he is one of the most famous bankers, investors, and enterprise owners in the kingdom. He was one of the earliest multi-millionaires, and he had a strong penchant for the New Party. He was willing to provide a certain degree of support to them, creating friction between him and the Conservative Party nobles, including the younger duke.

"Therefore, to prevent the baron from being put in a difficult position, I offered to leave. He actually tried to keep me, and he was an excellent employer."

Klein nodded and asked, "You believe in the Lord of Storms?"

Rebach seriously replied, "Yes, the Lord gives us courage, zeal, and a sense of responsibility."

Klein asked a few more matters about butlers and received a detailed response. Then, he said with a smile, "Might I trouble you to invite Mr. Walter who's at the coffee house up?

"After I'm done chatting with him, I'll make the decision. You can wait in the coffee house for about ten minutes."

"Alright." Rebach didn't harp on the matter and immediately got up to bow. After bidding farewell, he left in a manner that exuded the air of a military man.

As he watched him leave and close the door, Klein sat back down, picked up his black tea, and took a sip. He muttered silently, If I were to choose him, I'll likely establish certain connections with the present Duke Negan and the Conservative Party. The additional development might include the situation before the assassination…

Before long, Walter arrived and entered after knocking on the door.

Klein first exchanged some pleasantries before asking, "What conflict did you have with Viscount Conrad's butler? You should understand that I need to understand the situation. I cannot afford to risk offending a noble."

Walter had a broad forehead with raven-black hair and brown stern eyes, but he wasn't a person who appeared taciturn. He thought for a few seconds and said, "As a butler assistant, I was responsible for the viscount's children. During this process, due to certain matters, I was appreciated by a particular important figure. As such, I won the recognition of the viscount, which made the butler wary against me.

"Later, that important figure passed away due to an accident, and as a result, the viscount's attitude towards me changed. The butler treated me even worse, making me believe that it was pointless waiting for things to improve."

In charge of the viscount's children, and he got to know an important figure… Hmm, Talim also got to know Prince Edessak from teaching Viscount Conrad's youngest son. And the prince passed away a few months ago because of the Great Smog of Backlund… This matches Walter's explanation… From the looks of it, this butler was one of the peripheral victims of that matter… He's rather cautious and professional. He didn't expose his former employer's negatives or reveal the matter about the prince, nor did he speak ill of the viscount's butler… If I select him, the additional development is something to look forward to… Klein listened silently as he made some connections.

He then switched to asking some professional questions, expressing his desire to enter high society. After receiving a satisfactory answer, he straightened his clothes, got up and smiled.

"Let me introduce myself again. I'll be your employer, Dwayne Dantès."

Walter immediately bowed and said, "Sir, how may I be of service?"

He kept maintaining a stern, old-fashioned, and unperturbed demeanor, as though these were the professional traits of a butler.

"Two matters," Klein replied with a chuckle. "First, help me hand this bottle of white wine to Mr. Rebach who's waiting at the coffee house. Please express my apologies and gratitude to him. Second, hire a solicitor to write up a professional contract that will include you and the other servants."

"Alright, sir." Walter bowed once again.

As Klein handed the white wine over, he asked, "Walter, how many servants do you think I need to hire in order to not appear improper?"

While Walter received the bottle of Garrod white wine, he replied without any hesitation, "You should first determine where you will be living. Only then can you know how many servants you actually need."

"Oh, do you have suggestions? My requirements are simple. I wish to live in North Borough, as I'm a pious believer of the Goddess." Klein drew the crimson moon on his chest in passing.

According to the information I read on the papers and magazines, a gardened villa in a high-end district has to be at least 3 pounds a week. That makes it 156 pounds a year… Although there are no direct numbers, I can infer that the suburb's best gardened villas cost about 2 pounds a week. A high-end apartment with a few rooms and halls would cost about the same. It's been mentioned that that's relatively extravagant, a place where only the richest of the middle-class can afford to rent. Yes, from that, I can preliminary estimate the rent of a tycoon's house…

It's expensive just thinking about it. Back in Tingen, Benson, Melissa, and I spent 13 soli a week on a gardenless terrace house. There was an additional 5 pence for the use of furniture. In the house I lived in Minsk Street, it didn't even reach 1 pound…

Sigh, so be it; even if it's 3 pounds. I have 2,888 pounds. It shouldn't be a problem renting a slightly better one… No problem at all… While awaiting Walter's answer, Klein silently recalled the information regarding rental costs. He began calculating how much he needed to pay every week and every year.

Walter considered it for two seconds before replying in a serious manner, "Sir, you can choose 32 Böklund Street. It's close to Saint Samuel Cathedral, and it's a three-story manor with more than ten rooms. It comes with a stable, a servants' quarters, and a rather large garden. Living nearby are baronets, House of Commons members of parliament, and senior lawyers…

"The interior design is especially tasteful. There are plenty of famous paintings and antiques. All the furniture and wares are enough to accentuate your identity. You can rent it for a year first. If you find it satisfactory, you can consider buying it entirely."

Sounds pretty good… Klein asked with a smile, "How much is it to rent for a year?"

Walter sternly and skillfully reported the number, "Including the use of furniture, 1,260 1 pounds a year."

"…"

Klein was glad that he wasn't drinking any tea, or else he would've spewed it all across his butler's face.

He mustered nearly all of a Clown's control in order to prevent any abnormalities from showing on his face.

Chapter 742: Decided

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After a brief moment of silence, Klein raised the black tea and took a sip. He said with a smile, "It's something that can be considered, but Emperor Roselle once said to never be in a rush to make a decision. Only after repeated comparison will one receive the best answer.

"Are there any other options?"

Walter, who wore a white glove, replied without any abnormality to his expression, "Phelps Street would also satisfy your request. I recall that Unit 9 is available for rent. It's a two-story villa with more than ten rooms. It comes with a stable, the servants' quarters, and a small garden. The furniture and wares are relatively old, but they're considered decent. The annual rent is 220 pounds."

That's quite a reasonable price… Reasonable… However, Phelps Street means that it's less than 100 meters away from Saint Samuel Cathedral. Although this does help in being right under their noses, many of the pedestrians will be Nighthawks. It would be very inconvenient for me to leave and return, making it easy to make mistakes… Klein, who originally had a budget of about 160 pounds, suddenly felt 220 pounds was a pretty good price after undergoing the catharsis of the gardened manor's price.

This made him suspect whether Butler Walter had deliberately offered him an expensive choice at the very beginning.

Klein pondered for a few seconds and said, "Any others?"

Walter replied without showing any signs of impatience, "160 Böklund Street is also available for rent. It's a three-story house which also comes with a garden, a stable, servants' quarters. There are more than ten rooms, but its location isn't as good as Unit 32. The decorations, furniture, and wares can be considered decent. It has an annual rent of 315 pounds."

315 pounds… The rental fee flashed past Klein's slightly numb mind. He asked in thought, "What do you suggest?"

At that moment, he had already decided on an answer, but as an employer, he wasn't in a rush to express his decision. This was because he would easily be belittled if his decision had a slip up in common knowledge.

Walter seriously thought and said, "160 Böklund Street.

"In comparison, the neighbors here will be more helpful in entering high society. As for Unit 32, it's overly extravagant. To rent it immediately will make your surrounding neighbors believe that you lack the necessary self-restraint, making it seem inappropriate."

To put it simply, to rent a house costing 1,260 pounds a year so easily will make neighbors define me as an ostentatious nouveau riche… To a tycoon who's trying to enter high society, such a reputation will be terrible… Klein sipped his black tea and asked with a smile, "Then, why did you offer me the selection of 32 Böklund Street?"

Walter unhurriedly bowed and said, "Honorable sir, I'm only a butler. My responsibility isn't to decide, but to present all suitable options and give you certain suggestions for your consideration.

"In a situation where I'm unaware of your exact preferences, I have to do my best to provide you with all possible options."

Very professional… He's likely worried that Dwayne Dantès is a nouveau riche who enjoys flaunting his wealth, so he first gave the choice of 32 Böklund Street as a way to probe me, so as to adjust his suggestions and management style… Klein smiled and said, "Let's eliminate Unit 32. We shall choose one of the two.

"Before I make the decision, I'm accustomed to paying a visit. Let's head off after lunch."

"Yes, sir." Walter continued wearing that stern, old-fashioned expression.

…

South of the Bridge, Harvest Church.

Emlyn White was wiping the silver candle stands as he was mulling over the clues provided by Miss Magician.

A secret Beyonder gathering… That's equivalent to providing no clues. It will be rather difficult to pursue the matter. And I won't be able to participate in the gathering in short notice… Emlyn observed himself in the silver stand's surface as he combed his hair.

Then, he put down the wiping cloth, retreated to the first pew in the cathedral, and sat down as he watched Bishop Utravsky praying seriously before the altar with his gaze unfocused.

Thoughts came to his mind as they occasionally created sparks. Emlyn suddenly grasped a detail.

Why would a puppet that garners the Primordial Moon believer's immense interest happen to appear?

Moon Puppet… This feels like it's bait. C-could it be a trap designed by Rus Báthory and the others? Emlyn's eyes lit up as he suddenly stood up.

Rus Báthory was a Sanguine Baron who was participating in the hunting competition. He was viewed by Emlyn as his strongest competitor.

The more Emlyn thought about it, the more he found it as a possibility. This was because he knew that Báthory was an antique enthusiast, one who especially enjoyed collecting all sorts of strange trinkets from the Southern Continent!

After pacing back and forth a few times, he curled the corners of his lips and chuckled. He silently said, I have no way of entering the Beyonder gathering to seek out the location of Windsor, but I can monitor Rus Báthory and finish off the target before he does!

Haha, I look forward to his expression when that happens.

Yes, Miss Magician's clue is indeed worth 100 pounds.

Just as Emlyn was feeling abnormally excited, Father Utravsky ended his prayers, walked over, and looked down at him. He said with a gentle voice, "Our piousness is not in our language, but in every detail of our body language. You were not being focused enough today.

"Wipe the candle stand again."

"A-alright," Emlyn replied, suddenly feeling ashamed.

After the priest turned to walk to the confessional, he snapped to his senses as he muttered, amused and incensed, I'm not pious at all. I don't have to appear pious!

…

Rows of straight Intis parasol trees lined both ends of the street, making the streets appear beautiful and tranquil. With his gold-inlaid cane in hand, Klein slowly walked out of Unit 160.

He silently drew a breath and turned to look at Walter.

"Tell the owner that I'm very satisfied.

"I'll temporarily rent it for a year. We might move to a better place later, such as Empress Borough."

His words hinted at his ambition to obtain an aristocratic title, as Empress Borough was a place where the nobles gathered.

As for why he didn't rent half a year to save on money, it was because such high-end estates only accepted long-term contracts. One year was the minimum.

To be frank, if money wasn't an issue, Klein had quite a liking for the house. Its lawn was clean, and the garden was beautiful. The furnishing was befitting, and the wares were exquisite. There were plenty of bedrooms, sufficient furniture, and many washrooms on every floor. Even the stables and servants' quarters at the back weren't shoddy work. It was the best residence Klein could've ever imagined in the past.

Walter immediately replied, "I'll hire a solicitor in a while.

"Sir, what specific requests do you have regarding servants?"

Klein strolled underneath the Intis parasol trees and smiled.

"I'd first like to hear your suggestions."

Walter thought for a moment before saying, "Sir, you will need a housekeeper regardless."

During the interview, Klein had mentioned that Dwayne Dantès wasn't married and had no children, nor did he have any mistresses in Backlund; therefore, he didn't need a lady's maid.

Dwayne Dantès nodded gently without expressing any intentions. Walter continued, "Her duties would be to manage the female servants and the expenses of the household. Sir, you can't leave everything to me or the same person. Balance is an art in politics, and it's also a good method when managing a household. Emperor Roselle once said that absolute power definitely corrupts.

"I'm confident in myself before money, but it's only confidence."

Hmm, very honest… A housekeeper is needed. She'll cost about thirty to forty pounds a year… Klein nodded.

"Okay."

At that moment, Walter was walking behind Klein to his side. He extended his hand to stop a rental carriage.

On the carriage, he continued, "I will get the Family Servant Assistance Association to produce a name list for the selection of the housekeeper. You shall choose her personally, and I won't provide any suggestions.

"Based on the current residential situation, you will also need a steward who can be male or female. You will need a valet, a lady's maid in charge of the bedrooms, and two chambermaids who will be in charge of the living room and activity room. Two footmen to valet guests, a parlor maid, a scullery maid, two laundresses, and two handymen.

"Apart from those, you will need a cook, two gardeners, two coachmen or one coachman and an assistant coachman. If necessary, you can have an additional attendant, a steward's boy, a nursery governess, and a second cook.

"You currently do not have any carriages, but you'll definitely have two in the future. A four-wheeled carriage costs about 300 pounds. A two-wheeled one costs about 100 pounds…"

As he listened to his butler introduce the required servants in detail, Klein's mind went numb. He didn't wish to do the accounts on how much he needed to spend. After all, it was paid on a weekly or monthly basis, and not an annual basis.

Ignoring the attendant, steward's boy, nursery governess, and second cook, there will be ten to eleven male servants, and the female servants with the housekeeper will number about nine to ten… It's basically several times what I calculated. Each week's expenses will exceed 10 pounds… This can only be determined after all of them are hired and their salaries are negotiated… There's also the carriage… Klein's mind couldn't help but drift when he saw Walter's mouth moving nonstop.

Seeing the staid and extremely dignified Mr. Dwayne Dantès nodding from time to time, Walter subconsciously broadened the topic.

"In the future, you will also need to rent a manor in the suburbs to entertain friends to have a wonderful weekend over there. There's no rush. It can wait until you hold several dances and banquets at Unit 160…

"Sir, do not mention housemaids in front of the neighbors of this street. Only those with salaries below 500 pounds a year will hire housemaids because they're unable to hire enough female servants to handle the different parts of the household…"

"…"

Klein listened numbly as he reflexively wore a warm smile.

Back at the hotel, he watched Walter leave before he sat back down, his expression collapsing.

When it was twenty minutes to three, Klein rubbed his temples and slowly got up. He went into his bedroom and prepared to begin this week's Tarot Gathering.

Chapter 743: A Diary Page

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Above the gray fog, in the palace with the towering dome.

The Fool Klein glanced at The Sun, who had been pulled up ahead of time, as well as The World who had been conjured in advance. Emanating a little bit of his spirituality, he made contact with the crimson star representing Justice, The Hanged Man, The Magician, The Moon, and The Hermit.

Beams of light rose up as relatively blurry figures appeared on the two sides of the long bronze table.

Justice Audrey, who had just returned from a tree farm leading to the castle, had already changed into a dress. Her sleeves were layered in laces that were filled with lustrous pearls.

Like clockwork, she stood up, lifting the corners of her skirt as she curtsied.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"

Klein instantly felt better as he nodded with a smile in response.

Meanwhile, he couldn't help but sigh.

To act like a tycoon costs so much money. I wonder how huge the expenditures are for a noble like Miss Justice…

After all the members exchanged greeting nods, he looked at The Hermit, as he knew that this pirate admiral would likely provide him with new Roselle diary entries.

As he had expected, Cattleya spoke out:

"Mr. Fool, I only managed to find one page of Roselle's diary."

Just one page? Shouldn't Queen Mystic be able to produce an entire book anytime she wants? Klein, who had been met with repeated tribulations recently, remained composed as he nodded.

"That won't be a problem."

Cattleya immediately conjured a yellowish-brown diary page. It then seemed to tear through the spirit world and enter Mr. Fool's hands.

Klein deliberately looked down, and he was surprised to discover that the beginning of the diary entry didn't have a date.

That means that it's a second page from another diary page… Why didn't Bernadette give me the first page? She should be able to figure out dates. After all, Old Neil succeeded… Did she not? Or were the diary pages thrown into a mess, and she wasn't able to restore them to the correct order? Does this mean that Emperor Roselle's belongings were vied for by various factions after his death? Some were lost, and at that time, Bernadette was unable to stop them. Only when she became Queen Mystic did she have the ability to get involved… As Klein guessed, he quickly began reading the content on the piece of paper.

"How surprising. The Fourth Epoch history divulged by Mr. Door is getting more and more interesting.

"This unlucky b*stard who's trapped amidst the storm and lost to the depths of darkness told me that the Black Emperor died once and had revived again.

"Surprisingly, this matches what was said in that ancient secret organization. Back during that gathering, they said that the nine secret mausoleums of the Black Emperor weren't all destroyed. Even if this deity who walked the land were to perish, 'He' could resurrect.

"Even if all nine mausoleums were destroyed, as long as the order left behind by the Black Emperor remained, 'He' had the ability to strangely resurrect. Only with the birth of a new Black Emperor would he be completely obliterated, never to appear again.

"According to Mr. Door's description, the Black Emperor had three stages in the process of 'His' resurrection. First is that the Uniqueness leaves the person possessing it, turning into an abstract concept. Second is when the subjects of the Black Emperor hear 'His' mighty voice again. The third is that, when fused with the Uniqueness, the Black Emperor would reappear in the astral world. The three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics would automatically be returned into the emperor's hands. This is an order that other true deities are unable to distort or prevent.

"This way, the Sequence 1 Prince of Disorder of this pathway, Blood Emperor, and Night Emperor would be in a rather awkward situation. They might instantly perish, falling back to Sequence 2. Mr. Door said that back then, the Lord of Storms and the Evernight Goddess had chosen the Night Emperor. They helped 'Him' switch to a neighboring pathway—the Judgment pathway. As such, the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire fractured.

"And Blood Emperor Alista Tudor, who was pushed into a corner, made a crazy decision. It was to switch to a non-neighboring Beyonder pathway. He paid the cost of losing his reasoning, becoming a lunatic so as to forcefully advance and become a true god.

"I have to say that this decision is filled with irrationality. It's almost impossible for it to happen, but Mr. Door told me that Alista Tudor eventually succeeded. The craziest true god was born!

"It's truly fascinating, but Mr. Door didn't go into the details since he kept it from me.

"I asked him which was worse—lunacy or death. 'He' said that it was an obvious choice, death, because as long as one was alive, it wasn't impossible to recover even if one was completely mad.

"'He' laughed and gave an example. A crazy true god could use 'His' instinct to mate with all kinds of living beings, giving birth to all kinds of descendants. Through this process, if 'He' was lucky enough, the conflicting Beyonder characteristics would be purged. The lunacy would slowly disappear with time as 'He' improves bit by bit.

"Mr. Door deliberately didn't say if there would be any remnant problems, nor did he explain why almost no one made such a choice, but I could tell that there was definitely some huge hidden risks.

"I have to say, Mr. Door's understanding of true gods far exceeds my imagination. Before 'He' was exiled, 'He' might've made an attempt to reach Sequence 0… It's no wonder 'He' shows such contempt to Zaratul, and he has zero respect for the various true gods.

"This only makes me more unwilling to let 'Him' return to the real world."

There's plenty of information… It's no wonder that Bernadette deliberately chose this diary page… Wait, why did she choose this page? What important meaning is there behind it? Did problems begin to slowly happen to Emperor Roselle from that day until he eventually went mad? Mad…

Could it be… No way… Roselle's situation back then was similar to Blood Emperor Alista Tudor. His pathway was severed, and the neighboring pathways were blocked by either people or items, making it difficult to reach them… C-could it be that under the immense stress, he made an irrational choice like Blood Emperor, and he had attempted to switch to a non-neighboring pathway?

This way, the craziness in his later years was a result of him truly losing his reasoning, not a result of the defamation from others. It's no wonder Bernadette hated and betrayed him but is also trying to figure out the truth… From this angle, certain things have become very interesting. Roselle forcefully ascended to the throne and declared himself emperor, his declaration of the Civil Code, using the order from Earth's 18th and 19th century to replace the existing order. He wantonly spread his speeches and promoted his sense of aesthetics…

Heh heh, I really belittled this "senior" of mine. I always thought he was cosplaying Napoleon or Caesar for his own entertainment. So it was him making preparations to become the Black Emperor… No, I saw a few pages of his diary back then. His thought processes were clear, and his emotions were stable. He could even communicate with various noblewomen of different ages…

Hmm, he might not have made the final decision back then but was subconsciously leaving a way out for himself?

The Civil Code probably wasn't deliberate. As a usurper to the throne, declaring new laws is necessary, and from what he could use for reference, the Civil Code was what matched the situation and flow of history…

The actions of him declaring himself emperor later on must be something Bernadette found incomprehensible. She found it difficult to accept… As Roselle's most beloved child, she probably noticed certain abnormalities with her father before he declared himself king. Hence, she chose the longest diary page during that period of the emperor's life to give to Admiral of Stars… Klein couldn't help but make connections, as though the heavy history hidden deep in the fog was being turned over to reveal a page filled with blood and iron.

This made him curious about the final trigger that made Roselle go mad.

Meanwhile, he also resolved some of his puzzlement.

So the resurrection of the Black Emperor is done this way. It's very similar to my previous guess…

In the Fourth Epoch, there was actually a Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire which was supported by the six deities like the Lord of Storms and the Evernight Goddess… The two thrones in the ruins in Williams Street can be explained then, as it belonged to the United Empire…

According to Mr. Door, the six deities chose the Night Emperor, resulting in the United Empire fracturing. Then, who helped the Blood Emperor capture or kill the three Sequence 1 Hunters? Among them, Red Angel Medici was likely stronger than the Blood Emperor from back then… Primordial Demoness? Death? Primordial Moon? Dark Side of the Universe? Mother Tree of Desire?

Klein tried listing possibilities for his guesses, but he had nowhere to begin.

He quickly made the diary disappear as he smiled at The Hermit.

"What's your request?"

Cattleya frankly answered without holding back, "Is there someone else apart from Emperor Roselle mentioned in this diary entry?"

This question made Audrey turn to look at Mr. Fool. Her eyes sparkled as they were filled with curiosity. Even her ears seemed to prick up.

Alger was also very interested in the matter. That person definitely wouldn't be an ordinary person to be mentioned in Emperor Roselle's diary!

Klein could guess at their thoughts as he couldn't help but lampoon inwardly.

It's only because this diary entry was specially selected by Bernadette. If it were any other entries, I'd have to tell you that the other people mentioned are Demoness A, Demoness B, Hunter A, Hunter B, some aristocratic ma'am, some aristocratic lady…

After two seconds of consideration, Klein, who was leisurely leaning back into his chair, replied with a smile, "Mr. Door."

Mr. Door… To be addressed by Mr. Fool in such a manner, it must be an existence that's close to a god, right? Audrey figured out Mr. Door's status from the tone and words used as she obtained an affirmative answer.

Cattleya and company also had similar ideas, but no one knew who Mr. Door was. They looked at each other only to be met with the shaking of heads.

Seeing Fors and the other members have a uniform reaction, Klein deliberately looked at the lady and chuckled.

"You shouldn't be a stranger towards 'Him.'"

"Ah?" Fors wore a confounded look.

She didn't feel like she knew a so-called Mr. Door.

This person seemed to be of a very high level!

Chapter 744: Sale

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I'm no stranger to Mr. Door? Apart from Mr. Fool, the only one I'm no stranger to will be the seven deities. Furthermore, I've only been to the cathedral of the God of Steam and Machinery… As Fors was feeling puzzled, she quickly recalled which high-level existence she could have made contact with.

Since there weren't many, she quickly eliminated all the other possibilities. Her eyes lit up as she made the connection with the contents of what Mr. Fool had originally said to her.

She looked at the end of the bronze table that was enveloped in gray fog. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Is 'He' the one who created those ravings during the full moon?"

Klein chuckled with a nod.

"That's right."

Ravings during the full moon… What's that? Audrey and company exchanged looks as though they were ordinary people who had just entered the mysterious world.

They had never heard of any so-called "full moon ravings."

As expected, Miss Magician isn't simple. She actually knows about Mr. Door, and she's aware of the corresponding matters. My initial judgment wasn't wrong… Although the Beyonder ingredients she needs are relatively low, there are too many possibilities… Cattleya nodded her head indiscernibly, planning to ask more about Mr. Door during the free exchange. She was also willing to pay a certain price for it.

An existence who could be seriously mentioned by Emperor Roselle and addressed by Mr. Fool in a rather formal manner, had to have many secrets involved. It was definitely nothing simple!

At that moment, Fors silently exhaled. She felt that she was one step closer to removing her curse.

At the very least, I now know who's producing the full moon ravings… She lowered her gaze and sincerely said to Mr. Fool, "Thank you for your reminder."

Klein didn't speak further, nor did he point out that Mr. Door was suspected to be the ancestor of the Abraham family, Bethel. After surveying around the table, he said with a casual tone, "You may begin."

With that said, he immediately controlled The World to say with a hoarse voice, "I have two mystical items for sale."

Two mystical items… Mr. World has recently been able to produce something of great value at every gathering… He lives up to being Mr. Fool's Blessed… Audrey poignantly sighed in amazement as she cast her eyes towards the other end of the long bronze table. Clearly, she was looking forward to The World's explanation of the powers of the item.

Alger was tempted, as he knew that the mystical items The World sold were definitely up to mark. However, thinking back to his lack of savings, with the secret to the primitive island already given to him, all he could do was silently sigh, feeling depressed.

He still had five hours before arriving at Pasu Island, and he was yearning to immediately fly over and complete his report. Then, he could leave the area, find an Obninsk to advance to Ocean Songster.

Once he did that, he could explore that primitive island with The World, obtaining the relevant rewards, so as to ease his financial situation!

As for Derrick, Emlyn, and Fors, although they were somewhat curious about the mystical item, they lacked the desire to actually purchase it.

One of them could submit an application to the six-member council to select one mystical item which the City of Silver had for becoming a Sequence 6. The other wished to receive the rewards from the hunting competition, and he wasn't certain what the rewards would be; therefore, blindly purchasing items made it easy for redundancy and wastage to happen. Furthermore, he only had the two to three thousand pounds needed for the reward for clues. As for the last one, she didn't even have the money to purchase it.

Cattleya looked at Gehrman Sparrow with piqued interest as she considered the possible origins of the mystical item.

If it was suitable, without clashing with the two mystical items she had, she didn't mind buying it.

Seeing how the two major clients appeared interested, The World gave a deep chortle.

"One of them is Scales of Luck. It's what I named it…"

As he spoke, he requested Mr. Fool to conjure the silver necklace that had an ancient coin dangling from it.

After introducing its mystical effects and negative effects, he glanced at Audrey and specially gave a warning, "I suggest that Beyonders lacking in combat strength don't purchase it. Although it can allow one to avoid a fatal blow, the subsequent backlash is equally dangerous. One needs to have sufficient combat strength and sharp reactions to have a chance of surviving the backlash."

Thinking back to how she took on more of a support role, one that leaned towards control and influence, as well as her lack of combat experience, Audrey nodded with slight disappointment. It was an indication that Mr. World was right.

Mr. World is pretty nice to me and the Tarot Club members. He's willing to give such a warning. This would've prevented him from selling it… Audrey adjusted her understanding of The World.

The Hermit found the description extremely familiar. She had apparently heard of the effects of the Scales of Luck.

Scenes quickly flashed through her mind before finally being fixed onto a few particular scenes. Cattleya's eyes constricted as she blurted out in surprise, "Senor?"

It's likely Admiral of Blood Senor's necklace! It looks similar, and the effects are identical! Where did Gehrman Sparrow obtain it? What did he do this time? Did I miss some important news over the past few days while the Future was out at sea? Cattleya instinctively suspected that The World had stirred up something massive again!

Klein thought about it and controlled The World to laugh deeply.

"He's already dead."

He wasn't against letting Miss Justice and company realize that Gehrman Sparrow was equivalent to The World. After all, there were already two people who knew, and he didn't plan on using this identity frequently in the future.

A powerful member who often took action made the rest of the Tarot Club feel a greater sense of belonging.

He's already dead… Gehrman Senor killed Senor? In the previous battle, I only held a slight advantage over him… Cattleya discovered that she was increasingly unsure of The World's strength.

Although Admiral of Blood's bounty was higher than hers, it was mainly because he did more evil deeds. In terms of her strength and mystical items, Cattleya was slightly stronger.

It wasn't as if she had never had any conflict with Senor. She had held the advantage several times, but she had failed to mortally wound him.

As for Gehrman Sparrow, she believed that he was inferior to her when they met on the Future. he was even unlikely to defeat Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy in her optimum state.

Only when this crazy adventurer completed his advancement and hunted Slaughterer Kircheis did she determine that he truly had the strength of a pirate admiral and was someone at her level.

However, a week had just passed, and Gehrman Sparrow had completed another hunt. He had finished off Admiral of Blood Senor who was one of the top three pirate admirals!

Cattleya knew that she herself was incapable of doing so!

He's dead? Admiral of Blood Senor is dead? Gehrman Sparrow did it? He's killing one Sequence 5 a week? Furthermore, each one of them is stronger than the last… Even if he's Mr. Fool's Blessed, isn't such strength too ridiculous? Especially when he hasn't become a demigod… Was it done with the help of the other Blessed? The Church should have the relevant records, but at my present position, I won't be able to read them… Alger was secretly alarmed as he automatically began to consider a reasonable explanation.

Audrey was still in her family castle in East Chester County. All she read was a few newspapers and magazines that involved the entire nation, so she wasn't aware of what happened at sea. However, from Ma'am Hermit's tone and words, she could tell that Mr. World had done something incredible again!

Senor… Mr. Hanged Man had apparently mentioned it before. It's Admiral of Blood's name… Mr. World finished off this pirate admiral and obtained his mystical item? How amazing. That's practically what I dreamt of! Back when I had heard of the Seven Pirate Admirals, I had imagined myself becoming a powerful Beyonder to adventure out into the sea to capture all of them and hand them over to the kingdom… So our Tarot Club is already this powerful!

Hmm, I have to investigate who killed Admiral of Blood. That way, I'll be able to figure out Mr. World's real identity… But would he be unhappy about that? No, he mentioned it himself, so he's likely willing to let himself be known… Audrey thought in glee.

Fors, who needed to read various newspapers to obtain material, instantly recalled a piece of news that she had recently read:

Admiral of Blood Senor was suspected to have been killed by the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow!

C-could it be that Mr. World is the crazy adventurer worth, no—is the crazy adventurer with a bounty of 50,000 pounds!? Fors felt respect. She began to believe that he had the ability to help her finish off the Aurora Order Oracle, the suspected Traveler, Lewis Wien!

Emlyn shared similar feelings as Audrey. This was because he seldom read minor newspapers. His area of activity didn't include any information gathering grounds. As for Derrick, he wasn't one bit surprised. He had long confirmed that Mr. World was extremely powerful. Even though Mr. Hanged Man had once mentioned that Admiral of Blood Senor was very powerful, he believed that Senor was inferior to Mr. World due to a lack of any direct impression of him.

Cattleya said after a few seconds of silence, "How much do you plan on selling it for, or what item would you like to trade it with?

"If the price is suitable, I can consider it."

Great! There's finally someone who's interested! Klein, who was burdened with immense financial pressure controlled The World to say, "12,000 gold pounds."

He was afraid Cattleya would be frightened away by such a price, so he quickly added, "You can choose to pay a portion with gold coins. That way, all you will need is 11,000 pounds."

Klein believed that Admiral of Stars, who had plundered gold-carrying ships from various nations, definitely had some gold reserves. Even if she didn't have much, she could exchange for them from other pirates. This would allow him to make his first payment to Miss Messenger.

As for fishing up sunken ships, due to the existence of the Church of Storms, Klein believed that any easily discoverable ships would've long been found by the irascible Storm bros.

Sea King isn't weaker than Sea God, and there had to be a handful of people at the level of Sea King inside the Church of Storms!

Cattleya did a silent calculation and said, "4,000 pounds worth of gold coins and 6,500 pounds in cash. We can close the deal if you are agreeable."

The money wasn't easy to raise, even for her, but she had the Moses Ascetic Order backing her. Spending about 10,000 pounds to obtain the Scales of Luck was something that no secret organization would object to.

As expected of a pirate admiral… Unfortunately, I have to avoid the Rose School of Thought, and I can't clean out Admiral of Blood's ship… Klein made The World carefully consider it before saying, "Deal."

Chapter 745: Knowledge is Money

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Finally… At the instant that they reached a deal, Klein heaved a sigh of relief. He felt the pressure on him significantly decrease.

Although Miss Messenger had said that the 10,000 Loen gold coins could be paid in installments, and she hadn't specified when it would begin, Klein didn't wish to drag out payment for too long, afraid that he would incur the wrath of Reinette Tinekerr.

After all, she was a spirit world creature at the demigod level. If she really ended up mad, she had the means to make things difficult for her "employer" even if she was restricted by the contract!

Besides, the cost of acting as a tycoon is just too high. The salary of twenty plus servants and the corresponding costs is only just a tiny portion. There's still the carriage, horses, wine, gifts for neighbors, banquets, and investments to conceal my status, each of them more expensive than the last. If I don't save up enough cash, I'm afraid I'll go bankrupt and be unable to continue…

Sigh, 6,500 pounds with the cash I already have should be able to last until I confirm my target, right? No, the experiences from the past two days have proven to me that I should never use my own understanding to imagine a tycoon's life. I probably still need another five to six thousand pounds to barely maintain it… Klein wished to raise his hand to rub his temples, but he ultimately held back.

He soothed his mind and made The World look around again before saying with a hoarse laugh, "The second item is Biological Poison Bottle…"

He used a relatively succinct description to describe the conjured brownish translucent bottle. He emphasized the few poisonous traits it had, how long it took, how to prevent the effects ahead of time, and any negative effects it gave while carrying it.

Audrey felt a chill down her spine as she felt a little embarrassed. She felt the former because of the terrifying poison that made one rip off their skin and flesh, while the latter was a result of the strange aphrodisiac effects it had on a wide area.

This is truly a crazy mystical item… Hmm, it's the type that needs to be prepared ahead of time to show its full effects. It's quite useless against an ordinary Spectator because observation and reading minds can help the Low-Sequence Beyonders of this pathway detect the danger ahead of time and make the necessary actions… However, there's no need for me to do so. If I were to detect danger ahead of time, I can directly cry out for my guards… B-besides, I don't like such effects! It will easily harm myself! Audrey, you're already a mature and rational Beyonder. You can't buy everything you see! Audrey seriously considered it for a few seconds before giving up on asking the price.

Seeing Miss Justice not ask for the price, Klein couldn't help but let The World add, "5,200 pounds."

Audrey bit down on her inner lips as she politely shook her head.

"I wish to obtain a mystical item that's more offensive in nature."

Spectator was a pathway that lacked any direct attacks in the early stages, one that was only effective at affecting or controlling their targets.

"5,200 pounds." Alger, Fors, and Emlyn repeated the price softly in unison before they shirked all thoughts about it.

"5,200 pounds…" Cattleya suddenly seemed to recall something as she paused obviously. She then quickly added, "It's not necessary for me."

Ma'am Hermit seems to be afraid of something… Audrey acutely read her emotions.

For a split second, Cattleya felt that the Biological Poison Bottle had a lot of synergy with Poison Expert Frank Lee. Furthermore, their powers didn't overlap too significantly, and they even complemented one another. She was wondering if she should purchase it for her first mate since he had saved up quite a bit of money, but considering how Frank Lee might come up with terrifying experiments after obtaining the Biological Poison Bottle, she trembled and gave up on the idea.

She didn't wish to see the deck of the Future produce the children of the crew, the kind that mooed.

After the gathering is over, I'll write to Miss Sharron and tell her that Admiral of Blood's necklace has been sold. All that's left is the Biological Poison Bottle… Klein hid his disappointment, and after some thought, made The World speak, "I have a Book of Secrets. It's a book on mysticism left behind by the Southern Continent's Shaman King Klarman. It's suitable for Mid-Sequence Beyonders who have pretty good foundations.

"The price is 1,000 pounds."

Knowledge is money!

Having undergone the teachings of Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man and the other members of the Psychology Alchemists, Audrey was tempted.

She now had an extremely solid foundation in mysticism, and she had a desire to improve further.

The Psychology Alchemists will likely teach me some mysticism knowledge of a higher level in the future, but it will definitely not be all-encompassing and will be limited to the domain of the mind… Audrey easily convinced herself as she nodded.

"This is exactly what I want."

Fors was equally interested, but the thought of how much money she had made her close her mouth. As for the other members, they didn't lack such knowledge.

As expected of Miss Justice. She doesn't bargain at all. My bottom line was actually 800 pounds. No, I don't have one at all. It's not like knowledge can only be sold once… Klein happily made The World chuckle.

"Deal.

"However, I have to remind you not to pray to the Primordial Moon. It will make you become a lump of squirming flesh that only knows to wildly mate with different creatures to produce all kinds of children. Of course, you cannot pray to other secret existences. It will be equally dangerous."

Audrey was terrified by what she heard as she couldn't help but change her seating posture.

She then calmed down, turning to look at the end of the long bronze table. She said firmly, "I'll only pray to Mr. Fool when holding a secret ritual."

She had spoken with utmost sincerity and without any hypocrisy.

Miss Justice really worships and trusts The Fool… Klein felt touched and a little ashamed. This was because the Sea God Scepter's domain didn't overlap with the Primordial Moon. He was unable to provide an effective response in certain rituals. All he could do was attempt to use some of the powers of the mysterious space above the gray fog as feedback.

Following that, as The Fool, he expressed his attitude on the matter:

"Very good."

Meanwhile, having achieved his goal, he made The World say, "I have an Interrogator Beyonder characteristic here for just 1,200 pounds."

… How many items does he have… Fors was dumbfounded.

Considering how Xio was still lacking in money and lacked the corresponding formula, all she could do was retract her gaze and pretend as though she hadn't heard him.

As for the Interrogator Beyonder characteristic which was in the hands of Mr. Fool's subordinate, she didn't believe that he would keep it that long for her.

Seeing no one respond, The World coughed and said, "I'm done."

Just as he said that, Alger, who had been waiting all this time, looked at Cattleya and said, "I wish to know where Obninsk sea monsters that do not belong to the Church of Storms are."

Obninsk sea monsters that don't belong to the Church of Storms? The Hanged Man really isn't a member of the Church of Storms? Cattleya frowned a little before easing them.

"I'll help you ask. We'll talk about the price when I have actual clues."

"Alright." Alger silently sighed.

A few seconds prevailed before Emlyn said to Fors, "I'll pay you the 100 pounds for the clue today."

"Thank you," Fors said without a delightful expression.

Mr. World's transactions were all in the thousands or more. It made her feel a little numb to such a pittance.

Emlyn then looked towards Derrick.

"The crystallized roots of the Tree of Elders and supplementary ingredients you need have been acquired.

"Hand me the list of resources and monsters around the City of Silver, and I'll choose a few items of equal value.

"Oh, they cost me a total of 2,000 pounds. Adding my payment of 200 pounds, it will be a total of 2,200 pounds."

Emlyn only wished to obtain things that he could quickly sell; otherwise, he wouldn't have much money.

"Alright. Eh, thank you, Mr. Moon." Derrick was delighted for he suddenly felt that Mr. Moon wasn't that irritating after all.

He quickly conjured the corresponding list and handed it over to Emlyn.

Emlyn casually flipped through the piece of paper and suddenly felt that it wasn't right.

This was because just this piece of information had extremely high value. It presented the detailed information and corresponding resources around the City of Silver!

I remember that they didn't pay to see this list… Emlyn couldn't help but glance at The Hanged Man Alger and The Hermit Cattleya.

At that instant, he seemed to understand something.

When he looked at The Sun again, Emlyn had a newfound sense of superiority, as well as a sense of guilt he couldn't get rid of. He cleared his throat and said, "This, this, also this…"

Derrick seriously memorized what was said, and he indicated that there was no need for him to return to the City of Silver, as those could be gathered around Afternoon Town.

Following that, Audrey inquired about clues to the fruit of an Illusory Chime Tree, but she received a disappointing answer.

When the transactions came to an end, it didn't need The Fool to announce it, as they automatically entered a free exchange.

Alger looked towards Little Sun and said, "Are you still in Afternoon Town?"

"Yes, but we will be returning to the City of Silver soon. The new expedition team arrived today." Derrick not only answered Mr. Hanged Man's question seriously, but he even offered a tidbit. "I've already told the Chief that while clearing out the Afternoon Town monsters, I obtained the potion formula for Notary."

The Hanged Man nodded slightly and said, "What was his attitude?"

"He only said 'very good,'" Derrick carefully recalled what had happened.

Alger chuckled when he heard that.

"You can be at ease. Your Chief is very happy to see you grow. In contrast, he will be more wary of the Elder Council's Shepherd."

He didn't continue on the topic as he informed all the members of a piece of news:

"Recently, many pirates have been heading to Bansy Harbor. They discovered that it has already been completely destroyed. Even if it's rebuilt, it would take several years."

Chapter 746: Same Night

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After hearing The Hanged Man's description, Klein couldn't help but recall Red Angel Medici and the evil spirit found in the underground ruin.

However, he didn't share the discoveries of his exploration this time. Firstly, there wasn't a need to, and secondly, it involved Miss Sharron.

As for the other members, they had already learned that Bansy Harbor had been destroyed. And since The Hanged Man hadn't revealed any new information, there was no need for them to reply to the matter.

Realizing that no one was saying anything, Alger glanced at The World before looking back. He said calmly, "That's all from me."

The Hermit immediately turned to look at Fors.

"Ma'am, what do you know about Mr. Door? I can pay for the corresponding piece of information."

Fors, who didn't wish to expose her problems, suddenly hesitated when she heard the latter half of the sentence. She was momentarily tempted.

Payment. I wonder how much Ma'am Hermit can pay me… I don't really know much about Mr. Door either… Furthermore, some of the knowledge stems from Mr. Fool's words… Fors looked to the end of the long bronze table once again and asked, "Honorable Mr. Fool, can I tell her?"

As he met her every full moon, Klein knew that Miss Magician's financial situation wasn't in the best of states, so he smiled with a nod.

"Yes."

Fors silently heaved a sigh of relief, turned to Cattleya, and said, "500 pounds. You can request for a private exchange."

Cattleya didn't bargain. After some thought, she said, "There's no need. Just say it directly."

She wished to see if the other members would be able to figure out more about Mr. Door from Miss Magician's description.

Fors nodded and deliberated over her words.

"I once obtained a mystical item that helped me traverse the spirit world. But after using it, I would hear strange ravings every full moon or Blood Moon. It would inflict an excruciating pain upon me that puts me on the verge of losing control.

"And according to Mr. Fool, these ravings come from Mr. Door."

She paused and added, "'He' might be asking for help."

So Fors has been silently suffering such pain… She usually doesn't show it, acting as though she greatly enjoys life… As Audrey subconsciously pitied her friend, she began wondering how she hadn't discovered anything abnormal about Fors with her Spectator powers.

Mystical item that can traverse the spirit world… Ravings during the full moon… Suspected to be asking for help… Cattleya repeated Miss Magician's key points as she nodded with satisfaction.

"Thank you for your description."

She then swept her gaze at the other members, regretfully realizing that no one else had any additional reaction.

The free exchange continued and soon came to an end.

Watching the other members leave and helping them complete a few transactions, Klein returned to the real world as he sat in his reclining chair, feeling relaxed as he rested for a while.

Following that, he walked to his desk, and he picked up a pen and paper to write to Sharron. He told her that the Scales of Luck had been sold, leaving only the Biological Poison Bottle for sale, as well as the Lunatic Beyonder characteristic.

After folding the letter, he wrote the information such as "126 Garde Street, Hillston," and "Ma'am Maryam." Then, he opened his iron cigar case and made Admiral of Blood Senor silently appear beside him.

This Wraith acted like a valet as he humbly picked up the letter on the table before vanishing from the room.

A few streets away, a letter appeared out of nowhere in a mailbox as it fell inside.

…

East Chester County, the Hall Family Manor.

Audrey looked at the mirror with her unfocused green eyes as the contents of the Book of Secrets filled her mind.

This knowledge formed an illusory book that appeared upon being recalled. She could then flip to the corresponding page simply by willing it.

This was a result of Klein directly using a portion of the powers from the mysterious space above the gray fog to create a product that was a fusion of information bestowment and the Seer's dreamscape ability to recall it. It could last a week or two.

And this was sufficient for Audrey to finish reading the Book of Secrets. If she had anything she couldn't recall in the future, she could always request for a bestowment.

Mr. Fool's condition seems to be improving… Audrey thought in delight as a twinkle gradually returned to her eyes.

She stood up, walked to the door, and said to the bored golden retriever who was sprawled on the ground outside, "Susie, you don't look lady-like enough this way."

Susie looked around warily and twitched her nose before saying, "This is the most standard action during hound training."

But you aren't a qualified hound… Audrey lampooned as she said with a smile, "I thought you would reply: 'Audrey, I'm only a dog~'"

Susie replied in a serious manner, "An excessive use of repeated words makes it easy for others to grasp your personal habits and mental gymnastics.

"Audrey, that's what that book on psychology wrote."

"…"

Audrey was momentarily at a loss for words. At that moment, she saw her father, Earl Hall, with his valet and attendant walking up the castle's staircase.

Even though it was sunny outside, this place remained dark and gloomy. There were even candle stands that had been lit. They were embedded in the walls as they illuminated the stairs.

"This castle is just too old. I think it needs a major renovation," Earl Hall casually grumbled to his daughter.

Audrey nodded in a demure manner and said, "Yes, my dear earl. This is precisely why I dislike this place. It makes me feel like I'm slowly rotting away."

"But I'm actually spending 13,000 pounds a year to repair this place," Earl Hall said with a regretful chuckle.

Audrey glanced at Susie and smiled at her father.

"Father, is there something for me?"

Earl Hall pointed at the papers in his attendant's hands.

"A telegram from Backlund. Someone is selling 10% of the Backlund Bike Company. Are you interested? I think this industry has a very bright future. And it's currently far from reaching its lowest estimated prospects."

"Bike?" Audrey found the word rather unfamiliar as her eyes darted around, her expression slightly confused.

Earl Hall smiled at his daughter.

"It's a kind of machinery with two wheels that allows a person to ride on it. You can understand it as a carriage for the ordinary person."

"In Loen and Backlund, the majority of the population doesn't mostly comprise of the nobles or businessmen, but the ordinary people who engage in labor work. Next would be the type of people with some technical skill and standing. This is the target audience of the bike. They have absolute numbers, as well as the required ability to purchase it. Even if 10% of them are willing to buy a bike, it will lead to quite a wonderful development for this company.

"Yes, they hold the corresponding patents."

Audrey trusted her father's foresight, and she could understand the prospects as described by him. She nodded gently and said, "How much would the 10% shares cost?"

"According to preliminary estimates, the Backlund Bike Company is currently valued at 50,000 pounds. This is because the product's advertising and sales campaign still needs time to develop further. Therefore, you can't naively believe that the 10% shares are only worth 5,000 pounds. I suggest that you bid 8,000 pounds in the first round of bidding, with a bottom-line price of 15,000 pounds. I will send people to help you in this matter," Earl Hall answered succinctly.

About 10,000 pounds… I've mostly used up the cash for this month… Clearly a little embarrassed, Audrey said, "Father, I won't be able to produce that much money on such short notice. And selling my shares, estate, collections, or await their profits will require some time."

Earl Hall laughed out loud.

"There's no need to go through so much hassle. You can mortgage your shares in the Backlund Munitions Corporation or Pritz Commercial Marine Company to the bank for a short period of time to obtain the cash. Once the matter is complete, you can mortgage the shares in the Backlund Bike Company for a longer period of time, using the mortgage loan to pay off the first loan.

"This way, you'll only need to pay about a week to two weeks of relatively high interest to complete the trade. And the bike company's dividends a year would be enough to cover the interest of the long-term loan. You'll then be able to patiently wait for its value be recognized, and that's a high-probability event."

Although Audrey had never received a complete education in commercial finance, she wasn't too unfamiliar with such matters with a major banker as her father. Some thought had allowed her to understand the entire process as she asked as a form of confirmation, "That's to say, I only need to pay about two to three hundred pounds to obtain 10% of the bike company's shares?"

"Or lower," Earl Hall said with a smile.

Audrey understood her father. As the largest shareholder of the Varvat Bank, as well as the fourth-largest shareholder of the Backlund Bank, he had the ability to help his daughter to obtain the most reasonable interest for a short-term loan.

"Thank you, my dear earl." Audrey smiled as she curtsied.

…

Under the moonlight, with the dark-blue seawater nearing the color of black, Alger Wilson stood at the bow of the ship as he watched the silent outline of Pasu Island.

This was the headquarters of the Church of Storms, a land where a true god's grace was showered.

As a middle-ranking member of the Church, Alger recalled himself coming here only three times. The first was him finding the Blue Avenger and after advancing to Seafarer. The second was his report last year, and this time. And very long ago, as a mixed-blood with dark blue hair, he had been selected to enter the headquarters to be a member of the children's choir, but without any talent in singing, he was soon dismissed. He returned to the chapel on the island where he was born to be a servant. And the priest there was an extremely violent superior to his subordinates.

Every time he recalled that piece of history, his expression would turn extremely livid, fortifying his thirst to become a high-ranking member of the Church.

Amidst the wind, the Blue Avenger silently cruised forward into the harbor.

…

In Backlund, which had also ushered in the night, Emlyn White, who was dressed in a starched formal suit and top hat, infiltrated the residence of another Sanguine Baron, Rus Báthory.

He believed that Rus would be taking action soon to reel in his bait. And for a Sanguine, a night with the crimson moon was very suitable for hunting.

After an unknown period of time, Emlyn's eyes suddenly lit up. He saw a figure leap from a window facing the house's rear before landing silently on the ground.