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.

would make my costs too high for me to bear. I would no longer be able to compete with other lead and porcelain companies. I no longer pay too much attention to my profits in these areas of my business. In fact, I am even willing to fork out some money. But what’s the point of keeping the business if I have to keep doing that? That can only help a number of workers and not become a standard in the industry or effect

workers. I heard that some factories even secretly hire slaves to

“Sir, the root of your psychological illness comes from the buildup of guilt, despite you believing that the guilt has faded and disappeared over time. It wouldn’t have any visible effects under normal circumstances,

of such a thing,”

gentle tone, “You did fall asleep for

made a guess as he

girl dying on her way to work while you were

“I think that happened once… but I can’t remember it

him in a poor mental state. He could only faintly recall seeing such

taxing his brain. Instead, he asked, “What

meant was, what should I do

replied immediately, “Two

you told me. She was

lead in the newspapers and magazines. Allow your charity foundation to help more workers who suffered from the damage. If you succeed

up slowly and laughed in a

the 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 become bankrupt one by one, and many workers would lose their jobs. Organizations that help the poor

right? I’ll immediately get Cullen to retrieve information about

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

…

morning in the living room of

looked at the man and woman being guided into

already woven into their faces. The man

more haggard. They were so skinny that they were almost all bone.

Sob…

an icy wind start to spiral through

Sir Deweyville. It was unknown when a

Hayley’s

Hayley Walker’s parents? Doesn’t she also have a brother and a two-year-old

“Her-her brother broke his leg at the harbor sometime back. We got

for a few seconds before

condolences for what happened

immediately turned red. They opened their mouths and said over each other, “Thank-thank you for

from lead poisoning. That’s the term, right? Oh, my

had sent someone to visit her before and sponsored her burial. She is

said with a serious tone, “That was actually an oversight of ours. I have

you, to compensate Hayley. Her weekly salary was ten soli, was it not? One year would be

Hayley’s parents