Lord of the Mysteries

“Okay.” Klein bowed slightly as he wore his short top hat again. However, his mind was preoccupied with how Sealed Artifact 0-08 looked.

It appears to be just your everyday quill?

It writes without ink?

Then, what is its actual use? What makes it classified at the highest level of confidentiality that it’s deemed Extremely Dangerous?

Can it be a pen that kills anyone whose name is written?

No, that would be way too heaven-defying. Ince Zangwill wouldn’t need to escape and hide away if that were the case…

Just as Klein turned around to leave, Dunn suddenly shouted out to him.

“Hold on. I forgot something.”

“What?” Klein turned his head; his eyes puzzled.

Dunn put back his pocket watch and said with a smile, “Later, remember to visit the accountant, Mrs. Orianna, and get an advance payment of four weeks—a total of twelve pounds. After that, you’ll earn half your salary every week until the difference is covered.”

“That’s too much. There’s no need for this, the amount should be reduced,” said Klein subconsciously.

He had no objection towards an advanced payment. After all, he didn’t even have the money needed to pay for the public horse carriage trip home. However, to receive twelve pounds at once left him a little afraid.

“No, it’s necessary,” said Dun as he shook his head and smiled. “Think about it. Do you still wish to continue living in your present apartment? One that needs you to share a bathroom with so many other tenants? Even if you aren’t taking yourself into consideration, think about the lady. Besides…”

He paused when he saw Klein nod in agreement. He smiled and sized up Klein’s garbs and said with a meaningful intent, “Besides, you need a cane, and you should buy a new suit.”

Klein was taken aback for a second before snapping back to reality. His face immediately burned with embarrassment since the suit he was wearing was cheap and of inferior quality.

Typically, a top hat was made of silk, costing five to six soli. A bow tie was three soli, a walking cane inlaid with silver was seven to eight soli, a shirt was three soli, while pants, a vest, and tuxedo were around seven pounds in total. Leather boots were nine to ten soli. As such, an entire suit cost more than eight pounds and seven soli. Of course, to be a presentable gentleman, one needed a watch chain, a pocket watch, and a wallet.

Back then, the original Klein and Benson scrimped and saved before managing to save up a pool of money. When they went to a clothing store to check the price, they ended up running off without even bothering to try haggling. They each bought a set at a bargain shop near Iron Cross Street for a total of less than two pounds.

It was also because of that incident that original Klein had a deep impression of the prices of clothes.

“O-Okay,” Klein stammered a reply.

He was like the original Klein. He was someone who cared about his appearance.

Dunn took out the pocket watch again and clicked it open to take a glance at it.

“Perhaps you should find Mrs. Orianna first? I know you’ll spend quite some time at Old Neil’s while Mrs. Orianna will likely be returning home soon.”

“Alright.” Klein was acutely aware of his state of poverty and did not object to it.

Dunn returned to the table’s side and pulled at a few hanging ropes as he said, “I’ll get Rozanne to bring you there.”

The ropes began their operation as the gears ground, producing a chime from a bell at the reception area of Blackthorn Security Company. When Rozanne heard it, she hurriedly stood up and carefully made her way down.

It did not take long before she appeared in front of Klein again.

Dunn said humorously, “I did not disturb your rest, right? Oh, bring Moretti to Mrs. Orianna.”

Rozanne secretly curled her lips as she answered ‘happily—’

“Alright, Captain.”

moment, Klein blurted out

from finance, isn’t there a need to get an approval letter from the Captain? Shouldn’t

Dunn returned

claim an advance payment

Dunn pointed at the brown-haired

management of our finances… Klein resisted his urge

moment, he heard Dunn shout out

on. There’s

we finish it all at once?

“Yes?”

and said, “When you meet Old Neil, remember to collect ten demon hunting

bullets?” Klein

still with you, right? There’s no need for you to turn it in.” Dunn inserted a single hand into his pocket and said, “With the demon hunting bullets, if you were to face with an paranormal danger, you will be

no need for you to add on the final sentence… Just as Klein was

sat down and picked up the dark red fountain pen. He scribbled a ‘note,’ signed it, and stamped

Klein received it

slowly walked back

“Hold on.”

one

in your thirties. Why do you have the symptoms of dementia?

so getting demon hunting bullets would be useless. Let’s do this; collect thirty normal bullets every day. Take the opportunity when you are out to go to the street corner—the underground shooting range at No. 3 Zouteland Street. Most of it belongs to the police department, but there is one that is specially for us Nighthawks. Oh, right, you also need to get a badge from Old Neil.

by expending bullets. Do not think lightly of

was fearful of danger, yearned to visit the shooting range

took two steps towards the exit before carefully turning around

“No.” Dunn nodded firmly.

he had the strong urge to turn around to

finally

his side, she softly disparaged the captain, “Even my granny has a better memory than him. Of course, he only forgets the trivial stuff. Yea, trivial stuff. Klein, I’ll call you Klein in the future. Mrs. Orianna is a very affable person. It is easy to hit it off with her. Her father

stepped into the stairwell and returned to

and had fashionable curly hair. Her pair of green eyes were clear and smiling,

instructions, she took out a note and wrote an advance

have a seal? If not, you can leave

Now familiar with the procedures, Klein completed the

she said with a smile, “You are lucky. We have enough cash today. By

you have an impeccable intuition.” Klein was not

black patterns printed on them. After locking the safe, she

because I had

an appropriate

killer that sent Tingen City into a frenzy sixteen years ago?” Orianna handed over the four

by that Bloody Butcher? My mother often

notes and discovered that two of them were in five pound denominations and two of them were in one pound denominations. All of them had a gray background and were inked in black.

of them was Loen Kingdom’s fifth king, George III’s direct ancestor, Henry Augustus I. He wore a white hair band above his rotund face. His eyes

a five-pound

to four weeks of

and a firm gaze. While he was in power,

were all ‘good kings…’ Klein could faintly smell the

been the sixth victim.” Mrs. Orianna’s tone still hinted at a sense of lingering fear despite

Butcher was a Beyonder?” Klein carefully folded the paper notes and placed it in an inner pocket

Mrs. Orianna gave a firm nod. “He had killed even more before that. The reason why he

different organs… Sorry, Mrs. Orianna for making you recall

school back then. After that incident, I’ve been here ever since. Alright, I’ll stop keeping you

took off his hat and bowed before leaving the office. Before he went downstairs, he could

did a turn at a cross-junction and headed right. It did not take him long to see

Knock! Knock! Knock!