Lord of the Mysteries

The scenery started to distort, turning illusory and began to fade away.

After Klein left his dreamlike state, his vision adapted to the darkness in the room.

He knew that with one pound and ten soli, which was thirty soli a week, Benson didn’t have an easy time supporting the family according to the standards of an average family.

He had thought that the majority of workers earned twenty soli a week.

He had once heard Melissa remark that Lower Street of Iron Cross Street had five, seven, or even ten families squeezing into the same room.

He also learned from Benson that as a result of the situation in the Southern Continent, the kingdom’s economy was in a recession for the past few months.

He knew that a maid, with board and lodging provided, could earn between three soli and sixpence to six soli a week.

Klein extended his hand and pinched his glabella. He was silent for a long time, until Sir Deweyville asked, “Officer, aren’t you going to say anything? The psychiatrists I went to would always speak to me and ask questions in such a situation.

“However, I must say that I feel at peace. I almost fell asleep. I haven’t heard any moans or cries yet.

“How did you do it?”

Klein leaned back in the rocking chair. Instead of providing an answer, he asked with a gentle tone, “Sir, do you know about lead poisoning? Do you know about the dangers of lead?”

Deweyville fell silent for a few seconds. “I did not know about it in the past, but I do now. Are you telling me that my psychological illness stems from my guilt—my guilt toward the female lead and porcelain factory workers?”

Without waiting for Klein to answer, he continued just like he always had—in his position of power during a negotiation.

“Yes, I did feel guilty about this in the past, but I did compensate them. At my lead and porcelain factories, the workers do not earn less than other workers in the same industry. In Backlund, lead and porcelain workers are paid no more than eight soli a week, but I pay them ten, sometimes even more.

“Heh, many people criticize me for breaking ranks since it makes it hard for them to recruit workers. If not for the Grain Act that made many farmers bankrupt, sending them to the cities, they would have had to raise their wages just like I did.

“Furthermore, I’ve also informed the supervisor of the factories to make sure that those with repeated headaches and blurry vision are to leave the areas where they are exposed to lead. If their illness is really severe, then they can even ask for help at my charity foundation.

“I think I have done enough.”

Klein spoke without a ripple of emotion in his voice, “Sir, at times, you cannot imagine how important a salary is to a poor person. Simply losing work for a week or two can result in an irreversible loss to their family, a loss that would cause tremendous grief.”

He paused before saying, “I am curious, why wouldn’t a kind person like you install equipment that can protect against dust and lead poisoning in your factories?”

Deweyville looked at the ceiling and laughed ruefully.

too much attention to my profits in these areas of my business. In fact, I am even willing to fork out some money.

would merely result in me forking out money to support the workers. I heard that some factories even secretly hire slaves to minimize

moment of silence, “Sir, the root of your psychological illness comes from the buildup of guilt, despite you believing that the guilt has faded

triggered me? I’m not aware of such a

he explained with a gentle tone, “You did fall asleep

Deweyville made a guess as he

said, “You once saw a girl dying on her way to work while you were on your carriage. She had died

before saying somewhat doubtful, “I

mental state. He

for a moment, but gave up taxing his brain. Instead, he asked, “What was

I meant was, what should I do to cure my psychological

replied immediately, “Two

road was called Hayley Walker. That was what you told me. She was the most direct

to help more workers who suffered from the damage. If you succeed in becoming

up slowly and laughed in

rest, but to enact a law, heh— I think it’s impossible since there is still competition from nations beyond our country. Setting up such a law would just slip the entire industry in the country into a crisis. Factories would

right? I’ll immediately get Cullen to retrieve information about her from the porcelain company and find her parents. Officer, please wait with me and continuously evaluate my mental

stood up slowly and smoothed his black-and-white checkered

…

in

sofa in silence as he looked at the man

wrinkles already woven into their faces. The man

haggard. They were so skinny that they were almost all bone. Their clothes were

Sob…

sensed an icy wind start to spiral through his

glance toward Sir Deweyville. It was

morning, Honorable Sir.” Hayley’s parents

of you Hayley Walker’s

brother broke his leg at the harbor sometime back. We got him to take

silent for a few seconds before

condolences for what happened

opened their mouths and said over each other, “Thank-thank you for your

lead poisoning. That’s the term, right? Oh, my poor child, she was only seventeen. She was always so quiet, so

sponsored her burial. She is buried at the

glanced at Klein and changed his sitting posture. He leaned forward and said with a serious tone, “That was actually an

considered that I need to compensate you, to compensate Hayley. Her weekly salary was ten soli, was it not? One year would be five hundred and twenty soli, or twenty-six pounds. Let’s assume that she could have worked for another

Hayley’s parents