Audrey's cheeks began to burn up.
"Klein, don't mind Susie. She likes to, uh, smell strangers..." she said, trying to excuse Susie's unusual behavior.
Klein looked down at the dog beneath him. "So your name is Susie, huh?" He reached out with his right hand and petted her.
"Woof!"
He smiled at Susie as he continued petting her. After a few more seconds, he stopped and took off his hat, bringing it to his chest.
"Audrey, after being stuck on the Forsaken Land of the Gods, I have no place to stay. I've already been evicted from my previous apartment." Klein was lying through his teeth, but his Clown powers prevented Audrey from noticing. "I was hoping I could stay here for a night. I'll leave as soon as possible tomorrow to find an apartment. I don't wish to be an inconvenience."
Ah! I forgot he's basically homeless now! No landlord would still allow him to live after not paying rent for so long... Audrey realized. "Yes, you can stay. And... you can stay here for as long as you need, there won't be any problems," she said, but in her mind she thought, You can stay here forever, you know? I don't mind...
"Really? Thank you very much." He then turned his attention back to the dog at his feet. "Looks like we'll be seeing more of each other, Susie."
Of course, all of this was carefully planned out by Klein. He had taken into account Audrey's kind nature and their relationship. He was basically certain that Audrey would allow him to stay here. He also felt very confident that she would let him stay for as long as he needed.
I'm glad this worked... I would've died of embarrassment if I straight-up asked her: 'Audrey, can I live with you?' Klein thought, chuckling in his mind.
"I'll get one of the maids to get a room for you. Oh! I'll also have to introduce you to Father and Mother. They both happen to be here today."
Klein choked for a second. "What?!"
She tilted her head to the side and said, "Guests have to greet the owner of the house. That's just common courtesy."
For a noble like Audrey, this was the norm whenever one had to stay over at someone else's residence. It was manners that had been taught to her since a very young age, and she didn't think much of it.
Meet her parents? That's too early! Klein was freaking out on the inside. His mind was trying to come up with ways to gracefully decline. A direct refusal was out of the question—it would be rude and utterly suspicious. He needed a plausible excuse.
"You are absolutely right, Audrey. It is only proper."
Audrey beamed, pleased by his understanding of etiquette.
"However," Klein said, "I must admit, after all of the recent events, I am... very exhausted. I couldn't possibly present myself before an Earl and his wife in this state."
"Ah, you're right, of course. Forgive me, Klein. I was so caught up in the formalities that I didn't consider how you must be feeling. I'll take you to a guest room myself. I'll have the servants bring up some hot water and a meal for you. You don't have to come down for dinner if you don't feel up to it."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you," Klein replied as he followed Audrey to a guest room. He cast a final glance down at Susie, who watched him go with a curious tilt of her head before trotting happily behind him, her tail wagging.
It seemed he had passed the dog's inspection. However, Audrey's parents will be an entirely different matter.
That's a problem for the future me... Klein joked.
"Audrey... are you sure this is a guest bedroom?"
"Hm? Yes, of course. Is something wrong?"
Klein stood in front of the wide-open door of the bedroom. In front of him was a room that could be considered double the size of the average master bedroom in a normal house.
This is not a guest room, Audrey! This is a whole living room! He thought. "Uh, no, it's fine." Klein walked inside the room and looked around, ready to settle himself and rest.
"I'll call the maids to bring you a meal from downstairs," she said as a small smile formed on her face. Klein's presence clearly made her livelier.
"Thank you. Ah, can you tell me where the bathroom is?"
"It's down the hall to the right," she replied. She then gave him a slight nod and left to get the attention of a maid.
Klein left his room and made his way down the hall in search of the bathroom. As he turned the corner...
"... can you believe Duke Leo—oh, and who might you be?"
He had run into two people. An older gentleman, neatly dressed in a navy-blue suit, and an older lady in a beautiful, long yellow dress. Klein instantly recognized the pair.
Her parents?! His heart skipped a beat. Klein cleared his throat and said, "Good evening. My name is Klein Moretti. I am a guest of Miss Audrey. I was just on my way to the bathroom—"
The man, Audrey's father, raised an eyebrow. "A guest? Audrey didn't mention we were having a guest tonight."
"It was a... sudden arrival," Klein explained, trying to choose his words carefully.
Audrey's mother then asked him, "Moretti, right?" She turned to her side to look at her husband. "Darling, isn't that the name that Cassandra mentioned the other day?—"
"Ah, Mother, Father! I see you've met Mr. Moretti." Audrey arrived, slightly out of breath.
Hm? Didn't she leave to get the maids? Why is she here? Klein thought. That's when he noticed the presence of another being—a dog. Did Susie follow me?
Audrey noticed her father's unspoken question that was written all over his face. "This is Mr. Moretti. A friend of mine who's staying over due to business in the capital."
The Earl's stern expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained fixed on Klein. "I see," he said, his tone even. "While I would never turn away a friend of yours, Audrey, a bit of notice would've been great."
"It all happened so suddenly, Father, I apologize," Audrey said, "Mr. Moretti is very tired from his travels. Can we talk about this during tomorrow's breakfast?"
"I see," the Earl finally conceded, his gaze shifting from his daughter back to Klein. "We will speak at breakfast. For now, Mr. Moretti, please rest well."
Audrey's mother offered a more gentle smile. "Do get some rest, Mr. Moretti."
"Thank you, Countess, Earl," Klein said with a polite nod as the pair continued down the hall.
Now I'm forced to meet her parents! Ah!
"I am so sorry," she whispered, turning to him with an apologetic look. As far as she knew, Klein was too tired to meet anyone else tonight and wanted to sleep. Meeting her parents like this must've been tough for him.
"It's fine. For now, I'd just like to find that bathroom."
Audrey's worried expression finally broke into a small smile. "Of course. We can talk more in the morning."
With a final nod, Klein headed for the bathroom, the weight of the upcoming morning meeting already settling in his mind.
Klein woke up to the sound of a maid knocking.
"Sir Moretti, you've been invited by Lady Audrey to breakfast. The Earl and Countess will be there too."
"I'll be there. Thank you."
Klein got out of bed, feeling energized. In reality, he had been awake the entire time, or rather, the Klein Moretti persona went to "sleep," and he fully focused his consciousness on Merlin Hermes. He had been fulfilling wishes all night, and now that it was morning, he split his consciousness in half again.
With the snap of a finger, he Wished for brand new formal attire.
Now that he was ready, he walked out of his bedroom. To his right, a maid was waiting. She led him downstairs to the dining room. Audrey and her parents were already waiting there.
The dining room was as grand as the rest of the house. A long, polished mahogany table was set with silverware and porcelain. Sunlight streamed in through tall windows, illuminating the room in a warm glow.
"Good morning, Mr. Moretti," the Earl said, his voice neutral. He gestured to an empty chair across from Audrey. "Please, join us."
"Good morning, Lord Hall, Lady Hall," Klein replied with a polite bow before turning his head to Audrey. "Lady Audrey."
He took his seat. Maids began to silently serve plates of eggs, toast, and sausages.
Audrey offered him a small, encouraging smile, while her mother, the Countess, observed him with polite curiosity. "I trust you slept well, Mr. Moretti?" she asked.
"Yes, I did, thank you for the hospitality," Klein answered.
For a few moments, the only sound was the soft clinking of cutlery. The Earl took a sip of his tea, set the cup down, and then fixed his gaze on Klein.
"Audrey mentioned yesterday that you were in the capital on business," the Earl began, getting straight to the point. "May I ask the nature of your work?"
"Of course, my lord. I am a history consultant—my speciality being history from the Fourth Epoch. A rather fascinating case has required my presence in Backlund."
The Countess raised her eyebrows. "A history consultant? I assume you're in Backlund because of the newly discovered inventions of Emperor Roselle, right?"
"Yes, that's correct." Klein kept on lying as easily as he could breathe.
The Countess set her fork down, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips. "How interesting. You know, darling," she said, turning to her husband, "that reminds me. I was speaking with Countess Cassandra just the other day".
She turned her gaze back to Klein, her smile widening slightly. "She spoke of many things, but she happened to mention that our dear Audrey had secretly become engaged."
Klein almost choked on his food.What?" the Earl asked.
The Countess turned to look at Audrey and said, "Yes, Darling, she said that our daughter was engaged to a historian. If I recall correctly, the man's name was... Klein Moretti." She turned her gaze to Klein for a second before returning it to Audrey. "Audrey, do you care to explain?" The Countess spoke in a soft, understanding voice—the voice of a mother willing to listen to her child.
Earl Hall placed his own utensils down with a heavy thud. His gaze was fixed on his daughter. "Audrey. Look at me."
She flinched. Slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her head, her emerald eyes wide and panicked. She looked less like the composed gem of Backlund and more like a frightened doe caught in the lamplight.
"Is this true?" The Earl's voice resonated across the room, turning everything silent.
Audrey's mouth opened, but no sound came out. She swallowed hard, her gaze darting to Klein for a desperate, fleeting second before falling back to the table.
Don't look at me! You're the one who speedran this whole relationship thing! It's your job to fix the misunderstanding you made! Klein looked away from her.
"I... um..." Audrey stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "Y-yes, Father. It's... It's true."
Audreeeeey! I don't recall being officially engaged to a noble! Don't deepen the misunderstanding!
The 'fiancé' misunderstanding first arose when Audrey introduced Klein to the nobles at a party, in an attempt to finally end the interrogation from her aunt and deter potential suitors. Audrey knew it would become a big misunderstanding, but she did it regardless. She planned on clearing the misunderstanding before it grew out of proportion by saying she broke up with Klein. This way, she wouldn't be bothered by marriage proposals for a while since everyone would pity her "broken heart."
However, that was not how reality turned out. Her parents had been absent for a few days, and both had finally returned home the prior day.
Just when did Mother get to talk to Aunt Cassandra?! Audrey thought. She believed that she would've already cleared up the misunderstanding before it reached her parents' ears. It would've been inevitable that it would reach them at some point, but she could've explained to her parents that it was just a fleeting relationship and she was too heartbroken to talk about it. However, fate had other plans in store.
Now, Audrey and Klein were under the same roof, still engaged in the eyes of others.
The Earl's focus shifted from his panicked daughter to the silent man sitting across from her.
"And you, Mr. Moretti," he said, his voice dangerously low. "You are engaged to my daughter, and I am forced to learn of this from secondhand gossip?"
"My Lord, the fault is entirely mine," Klein stated, bringing forth his charming Dwayne Dantès persona. "Audrey and I met a few months ago when I was here at the request of the Royal Museum. The moment I laid eyes on Audrey, I instantly became smitten by her charming and beautiful personality. Our feelings for one another deepened over time, and before I knew it, I proposed to her just a few weeks ago. Sadly, I had to leave soon after as I was called away on urgent business. I felt tremendous guilt for not having asked for your blessing before I proposed to your daughter, so I asked her to keep the matter private until I could return and formally request her hand in marriage."
It was an enormous lie told with a perfectly straight face. Klein described a fast romance and a secret proposal, but every word was pure deception. Thanks to his Clown powers, he looked completely calm and honest, hiding that he was making it all up as he went.
Earl Hall's cold stare kept drilling a hole through Klein.
Please say something already!
A few moments later, the Earl's gaze became warmer, and a slight smile formed on his face. "Ho, is that so?" he chuckled. He put his arm on the table and leaned forward. "Mr. Moretti, you aren't so different from the young me. Ha ha ha! I was also captivated by my wife's beauty all those years ago, and I knew that I had to marry her before anyone else came and swept her away from me."
The sudden warmth in the Earl's voice was more shocking than any shout could have been.
Klein, who had only seen the Earl's serious side, was completely thrown off. He expected anger, not a cheerful laugh. For Audrey, the surprise was even stranger. She knew her father had a kind and romantic heart, but she had never seen him switch from the stern "Earl Hall" to the nostalgic "Father" so quickly. She had braced herself for a serious lecture, not a trip down memory lane. The sudden change left them both feeling completely confused.
"A historian, huh? And one good enough to be recognized by the Royal Museum?" The Earl chuckled, "I don't see why I should oppose such young love." He gave Klein a bright, approving smile.
That's... that's it? Is it actually resolved?... Praise the Lady! Klein thought, thanking the Goddess in his mind. Wait, does this mean I'm actually engaged now?! I just got her father's blessing... Klein began to imagine the future. A future where he got to see Audrey wearing a grand and beautiful white wedding dress as she walked down the aisle with the most dazzling smile on her face. He imagined themselves moving out to the countryside and buying a large mansion. Their kids would be running down the halls, and Klein would scold them. Audrey would then come up from behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She'd whisper in his ear, "Darling, let them be children," her voice full of warmth.
Children... Multiple children... Unknowingly, Klein's ears and cheeks had turned bright pink.
"Mr. Moretti? Are you all right?" The Countess's voice shattered Klein's fantasy, bringing him back to the real world.
"Ahem, yes, I'm good, I apologize."
The Earl was able to speculate what actually went on inside Klein's head. Ah, to be young again... He thought.
They all soon finished their breakfast, and their plates were taken away.
One of the servants walked up to the Earl and whispered into his ear. He then walked over to the Countess and whispered into her ear, too.
"Mr. Moretti," the Earl began, "I apologize, but our presence is required somewhere else." He looked at Audrey for a second before returning his gaze to Klein. "I trust you'll take care of my daughter," he said as he was standing up from his seat—everyone else also stood up.
Klein showed a warm smile and said, "I'll treasure Audrey forever, my Lord."
The Earl chuckled and nodded. He then walked over to Klein and leaned in close to his ear. "The bedrooms on the first floor have good soundproofing," he whispered, and then soon left after bidding farewell.
Audrey remained quiet throughout the entirety of breakfast, purely out of shyness and embarrassment. After she said her goodbyes to her parents, she turned to face Klein and saw him standing still, his face bright red.
I wonder what Father whispered to him...
Somewhere in the streets of Backlund, the wandering magician Merlin Hermes felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment wash over him.
While a part of his consciousness, currently inside the persona of Klein Moretti, was blushing furiously inside the Hall mansion, his Merlin Hermes persona had a more important task at hand.
He adjusted his hat and focused his gaze on an armored carriage rumbling down the street. The carriage had the symbol of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery drawn on its doors.
This was a transport convoy.
Klein pulled out the Staff of the Stars from the Historical Void and then teleported inside the carriage.
Inside the carriage, there were four Machinery Hivemind members sitting facing each other. One of them carried a cage on his lap.
Klein took a seat right next to them.
The Machinery Hivemind looked at him with confusion written all over their faces. Klein showed no hostility and spoke no words. They sat together in silence for thirty seconds before Klein finally broke the silence.
"I'm surprised security is this sloppy. Have you guys heard there have been many burglaries in the area?" Klein, his voice calm and casual, as if inquiring about the weather.
The Machinery Hivemind members tensed. The one directly across from Klein opened his mouth to issue a command, but no sound came out. A look of confusion crossed his face, which was quickly mirrored by the others. The rumbling of the carriage wheels seemed to fade, and time seemed to slow down.
"Don't worry," Klein said reassuringly, his voice now sounding distant, as if from the end of a long tunnel. "I'm just borrowing something."
He reached out and grabbed the cage on the guard's lap.
The Beyonders saw all of this happen right in front of them, but their thoughts felt too sluggish to do anything. It felt as though they were losing control over their own bodies.
Having obtained what he came here for, Klein waved them goodbye and teleported out.
After he left, the guards jolted back with a gasp. The cage was gone. The intruder was gone. And the carriage was still moving at full speed through the crowded streets of Backlund.
Inside a small, abandoned apartment.
The wandering magician Merlin Hermes pulled out an item from the cage he had just "borrowed."
It was a silver mirror with ancient patterns on the back and an eye-like pattern on each side at the front.
Klein turned the mirror front-side up and saw the ancient silver mirror tremble slightly. White words quickly appeared on its surface.
"Master! Your humble servant, Arrodes, is at your service!"Back in the Hall family's mansion, the grand dining room was now empty, save for Klein and Audrey, who stood in an awkward silence after her parents' departure.
"Well... that happened," Audrey said.
"Yeah, it did," Klein replied, "Your father is more understanding than I anticipated. I was ready to get thrown out of the house." He let out a small chuckle.
Audrey let out a small groan, burying her face in her hands for a moment. "Now he thinks… we're… Oh, I can't even say it."
"Hm? And why are you the one getting embarrassed?" he teased. "I had to declare my ever-burning love for you in front of your parents. I had to tell the beautiful story of our fated encounter and how our feelings for each other burned brighter every passing day," he declared in a mocking and teasing tone. The more he talked, the more Audrey's face flushed.
"Klein! Stop!" Her face was now a brilliant shade of crimson.
Klein laughed. "What? I thought it was a rather compelling story. I am a specialist in ancient history, after all. Crafting believable narratives is part of my job."
"Performance would be the right word. For a moment, even I almost believed you." She looked up at him, her emerald eyes sparkling with genuine worry. "But what are we going to do now, Klein? This 'fiancé' stuff has become very, very real!"
"And who was the one who confirmed it?"
Audrey opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out. She knew Klein had a point. A few moments later, she said, "I panicked! I couldn't lie to my father!"
Didn't you manage to influence the entire government from the shadows? Didn't you manage to trick your family into believing their daughter was perfectly normal and totally not a Sequence 4 demigod? And now you say you can't lie to your father? Klein silently mocked.
Audrey continued, "What are we going to do, Klein? My parents think our engagement is real!"
Klein walked closer to Audrey, raised his hand, and gently grabbed her by the chin. "And what if it truly became real?"
"Klein!" she exclaimed. Her face was burning up even more, and her heart was beating so loudly she felt it would come out of her chest any second now.
Klein chuckled as he let go of her face.
Ah! Why did I do that?! I followed what those webnovel main characters do, and I feel like I'm going to die of embarrassment. How do they do it so perfectly in those stories?! He inwardly screamed.
"Don't joke like that!" she said, but in her mind... for a split second, she thought of their future, just like Klein had previously done during breakfast. A wedding... living together... kids... a perfect future for both of them. Thinking of this must've been too much for Audrey since she suddenly became awfully shy.
She refused to look at Klein in the eye. Her cheeks and ears were visibly red.
"I'll be going to my room. I have something to take care of," she said, keeping her head down and refusing to look Klein in the eyes before swiftly leaving the room.
How cute... Klein thought.
After successfully teasing Audrey—perhaps a little too much—Klein also returned to his room. His other persona had just made a "delivery" to his room, and Klein had to "pick it up" before anyone else saw it.
When he walked inside the guest room, he noticed that Audrey and Susie were standing near his bed. Her gaze was focused on the silver mirror lying on his bed.
"Audrey?"
His footsteps snapped Audrey back to reality. "Ah, K-Klein. Uh, s-sorry, I didn't mean to walk into your room. I was just, uh... Susie heard something and came running to your room. I followed her inside, and that's when I saw this mirror..." Her words trailed off as she turned back to look at the silver mirror. "Words appeared on it, and it introduced itself as Arrodes. It then told me to ask a question. After I asked, it said to answer a question in return or be punished..." she said, sounding worried.
"Hm? And what did you ask?"
"I-I just asked how it got here. It said it was carried here by 'Great Master,' whoever that is."
I specifically told this stupid mirror not to talk to anyone... Klein scoffed inwardly. He walked closer to the mirror. Its aqueous surface changed, rearranging words and adding new ones. Soon, a new question was formed—the question that Audrey had to answer.
"Regarding the future children you've imagined having with Klein Moretti, do you find yourself more focused on the joy of raising them, or on the intimate act of creating them?"
Audrey's face was drained of color, only for it to come back in a furious shade of red. She froze in place, unable to move or speak.
That damned mirror! Klein thought, his jaw tightening. Seeing Audrey's distress, he acted instantly. The kind and warm voice of Klein Moretti was replaced by the voice of an authoritative figure commanding his subordinate.
"Arrodes," he said, his tone sharp and cold enough to cut glass. "Erase it."
"Master, the question must be answered or the subject must be punished for me to erase it." Arrodes had to stick to its rules no matter what.
"Punish her then."
?! Audrey, still reeling in embarrassment, looked at Klein. Punish me?!
Suddenly, lightning struck from the ceiling of the room, illuminating everything in a blinding white light. As it was about to reach Audrey, Klein put his arm in the way between the lightning and her head.
Klein was struck by a tremendous amount of power, but it was all transferred to a Paper Figurine in his pocket, which soon after disintegrated into a million pieces.
He sighed as he shook the wrist of the arm that took the blast of lightning.
"You... Why did you do that?" Audrey finally managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper. "You told it to punish me, but then you..."
Klein lowered his arm, turning to face her fully. Klein spoke, not in the commanding voice he had used, but in the warm and apologetic voice of Klein Moretti. "It was the only way, Audrey," he explained softly. "Arrodes is bound by its nature. It had to have an answer or a punishment. I couldn't let you answer that... and I was never going to let you get hurt."
I'll have that bastard listen to the True Creator's ravings later as punishment...
"B-But are you okay? That was a lot of lightning!" she said, her voice carrying a strong sense of worry. Her eyes darted around his body, trying to find any injuries.
A small smile appeared on Klein's face. He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm fine, it'll take more than lightning to hurt an Angel," he said. "All that matters is that you're okay."
Audrey relaxed in his hug. After being so scared, she finally felt safe with him. She held on to his coat tightly, making sure he was real and okay.
'It'll take more than lightning to hurt an Angel.' She knew he was powerful, but it felt different to see him use that power just to shield her. It felt... reassuring. Reassuring that Klein would be there to protect her. Actions spoke louder than words.
When she lifted her head, her eyes were shiny with tears. "Thank you, Klein," she said. "But are you sure you're not hurt?" Even if Klein was an Angel, she couldn't help but be worried.
"Yes, I'm fine," he said as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. After he let go, he cleared his throat and said, "So... that mirror said you fantasized about our kids, huh?"
"!!!" Audrey instantly became flustered and started to hit Klein on the chest, her face—which was turning back to its normal color just a few moments ago—had now turned red once again. "Klein! Forget what you saw!"
Her hits did not hurt in the slightest, feeling more like the light taps of a flustered kitten. Klein chuckled, easily catching her wrists in his hands to stop the light assault.
"How can I forget?" he teased, a playful smirk on his face. "It's a very important topic for our... 'engagement,' is it not? We have to plan for the future, after all."
"It-it was just a stray thought! No! That mirror is a liar!" Audrey protested, her voice muffled as she tried to hide her burning face against his chest.
Who knew teasing could be so fun... Klein mused. It seems the webnovels that Klein read back on Earth were starting to show their influence over his character.
"Right, right. I'm sure it was," Klein replied.
He doesn't believe me! Audrey cried out in her mind.
Knock Knock
A maid knocked on the door and said, "My Lady, the items you requested have arrived and require your approval."
Klein and Audrey separated, the air feeling slightly awkward after the interruption.
"Y-yes, I'll be there in a second," Audrey replied. "Ah, Klein," she looked at Klein, "You'll have to stay here for a few weeks now. My 'fiancé' can't exactly run away right after meeting my parents, right~?" she winked. "I'll be setting up a reservation at a high-end restaurant for tomorrow night, make sure you open up your schedule!~" she said as she opened the door and left.
"..."
Another date? Hasn't she been too flustered the entire morning? Where did the sudden confidence to invite me on a date come from?
... A few weeks, huh? A slow, happy smile spread across his face.The following morning, Klein experienced a strange sense of peace.
He had breakfast with Audrey without the scrutiny of her parents. He spent time in the Hall family's library. He even played with Susie for a few hours. This life now felt like a precious miracle he had to protect.
As the day passed, he found himself looking forward more and more to the date with Audrey later tonight.
Soon, nightfall was approaching.
She told me to show up at the entrance in one hour... What should I wear? Klein found himself in a predicament. He couldn't possibly wear the same outfit as he did on the day of the party when he was summoned by Audrey. He also couldn't wear the other outfit he used for their first date.
Sigh...
Klein had an extensive wardrobe, but most of it was either uniforms or too casual for a proper date. He also had the outfits from his Dwayne Dantès days, but they looked too out of place on the current young Klein Moretti persona.
After a few moments of considering his options, he suddenly thought of an idea.
He prayed to The Fool and answered his own prayer, successfully summoning an item from Sefirah Castle into the material world. It was the notebook that Audrey gave him.
He remembered skimming a section dedicated to men's fashion, and so he quickly flipped to that section.
So this is what is trending with men... Kind of reminds me of...
Klein had an idea.
Inside Audrey's room.
Audrey looked through her wardrobe, but nothing felt right for the date.
One dress was too formal, another too plain. She wanted something special. Her eyes then landed on a garment bag she had tossed onto a chair after her first date with Klein.
Her heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly what was inside. Her mind hesitated for a second, but she still decided to open up the bag.
A tight-fitting dark green dress came out. Quite the revealing dress.
A hot blush immediately spread across her face as she remembered what happened on the night that she wore this dress.
"This dress is... It's completely improper for a lady..." she whispered, the memory of her own shame repeating in her mind. The thin, clinging silk felt scandalous in her hands, and the thought of wearing it in public was unthinkable. "But..." Klein flashed in her mind. "...Klein might like it—No! I can't wear this!"
Susie, who was also in the room, turned her head in confusion.
"Can't wear it? Why not? The dress looks so pretty!" Susie said.
Why... not? Audrey once again recalled the steamy moment she shared with Klein on that one hill. Then, her mind went a step beyond. What if she wore that dress again? What if Klein's hand explored her thigh deeper than last time? What if Klein was so captivated by her appearance wearing this dress that he became a wild beast?
"Klein, that's too soon!" she exclaimed. By this point, her face was so red that one could even see steam coming out.
"Klein? But Audrey, Klein is not here?" Susie was confused by her sudden outburst.
Audrey looked at Susie and said, "Uhm, never mind." She then swiftly put away the dress somewhere in her closet, somewhere where one would not easily find it. Not gonna wear this again! Unless Klein... Ah!
Klein was led out of his room by the head maid of the Hall family out to the entrance of the mansion.
"Klein!" Audrey waved, trying to get Klein's attention. Her smile was as bright as ever.
She was wearing a stunning, dark blue long dress. The dress was fitted perfectly to her form and had a modest cleavage. She wore long, white gloves that reached her elbows, and a simple silver necklace rested against her collarbone. Her golden hair was styled in a waterfall braid, where a neat braid ran horizontally across the back of her head while leaving selected locks to tumble freely over her shoulders.
An outfit truly befitting of a noble.
"Audrey, you look... perfect." He said 'perfect' quietly, as if it were a truth he had just discovered. For a moment, he was stunned by her beauty and radiant smile. He couldn't believe that this woman was actually his lover. He finally added, his voice soft, "You look truly perfect, Audrey."
"Thank you~ You also look stunning, Klein, but... I don't think I've ever seen such formal attire. Is it a new trend?"
Klein was wearing a suit, but it was a style she had never seen before. The dark jacket was much shorter than the long coats men usually wore, and it was cut to fit his body perfectly. His pants were simple and fell in a clean, straight line to his black shoes. At his neck, instead of the usual frilled cloth, was a long, narrow strip of dark silk tied in a neat, unfamiliar knot. The look was sharp and clean, making him seem incredibly handsome in a way that felt entirely new. It was the perfect formal attire.
It was a classic suit from Klein's memories of Earth, a suit he had simply Wished into existence.
"A new trend? More like an old trend... I really like the style."
An old trend? But I don't recall ever seeing such a clean and handsome attire before... Audrey slightly tilted her head. "I see... Alright, well, let's go. I planned everything tonight~" She urged Klein to get on the carriage.
The carriage stopped in the richest part of the city, on a street filled with high-end shops.
"We're here!" Audrey said happily, taking Klein's hand and leading him out of the carriage. "First, we need to get you some more clothes."
"More clothes? Audrey, I think I have enough," Klein said. Was my modern-day suit not good enough?
"Nonsense! You deserve to have the very best as well as a lot of variety," she said with a wink.
She pulled him into a fancy tailor's shop. The inside was filled with rich fabrics and smelled of expensive wood. Without even asking Klein, Audrey started pointing at different materials.
"We'll take three suits made from this one," she told the tailor. "And two from that grey material. Oh, and make a formal coat from using this color, too. Please have them ready as soon as possible."
The tailor bowed. "Of course, my lady. The total will be 1,250 pounds."
Klein almost choked. "Audrey, that's too expen—!"
"Don't worry about it, Klein. This is nothing." Audrey just smiled and handed the man a stack of bills from her purse.
Before he could argue more, she pulled him into another store, this one filled with shiny things behind glass. It was a shop for men's accessories.
"You'll need things to match your new suits," she explained. She pointed to a set of silver cufflinks. "Those, please." Then to a gold tie clip. "And that one." She saw a beautiful watch with a leather strap. "That watch would look perfect on you! Mister, we'll take this one, too!"
"I already have a watch," Klein protested. He couldn't bear to see her waste more money on him. How does she spend so much without even flinching?!
"But this one is better," she said simply. She paid the shopkeeper without even looking at the price. When they walked out, a servant from the shop was already following them, carrying several fancy bags.
Audrey looked at Klein, who was speechless, and giggled.
"What's wrong?" she teased. "You just need to get used to it. I'm going to spoil you rotten~"
As they went from store to store, more and more servants began to follow them. By this point, every servant was carrying multiple bags filled with expensive suits, casual wear, accessories, and canes.
While Audrey was happily deciding between two different luxury coats for him, Klein's mind was at work. He quietly extended his control over the Spirit Body Threats of the city's hidden life.
A rat in a nearby alley suddenly froze. Its perspective became Klein's. Through its eyes, he saw a man in a plain coat pretending to tie his shoe, but his gaze was fixed on Klein.
A fly buzzing near a window froze for a split second and then resumed flight on the next. On the second floor of a building across the street, the fly's vision showed him another person inside the room, looking down at them through the glass.
Klein's senses expanded further.
A pigeon taking flight from a rooftop gave him the best view of all. From above, he could see two figures crouched behind a chimney—their behavior gave a sense of professionalism. On another roof, a lone man lay flat on his stomach, scouting the area.
They were all focused on him. They were skilled, but not skilled enough to hide from him. These people were Beyonders.
Klein pulled his senses back as he continued to smile warmly at Audrey.
Of course, he thought to himself. Earl Hall wouldn't just accept me without doing a thorough investigation. A powerful noble would naturally use his own Beyonders to check on his daughter's mysterious fiancé.
These Beyonders seem to be only Mid Sequence Beyonders. If the Earl used a private Beyonder team instead of ordinary investigators, then does that mean he believes I might be a Beyonder? No, it could also just be standard for anyone who approaches Audrey—this is his beloved daughter after all...
The real question is: Should I reveal that I'm a Beyonder? Would he have me killed if he finds out I'm a Beyonder because I will pose a threat to Audrey or will I gain his favor by proving that I have the skill and abilities to protect her? Hmm... What should I do?
"I think that's enough shopping for today," Audrey finally said. "We still have some time before dinner. I managed to get a private box for the premiere of 'The Sailor Lost at Sea' at the Grand Opera House. I heard it was a play inspired by Fors Wall's works."
"Lead the way," Klein warmly replied.
The opera house was a breathtaking building. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the air was filled with the chatter of Backlund's most prominent figures. As Audrey escorted Klein to their velvet-lined private box, he felt the familiar gazes of the Earl's men settle on them from across the hall.
They're still here?
As Klein sat down in his seat, his consciousness split apart once again. The Worm of Spirit waiting inside Sefirah Castle suddenly gained consciousness and transformed into Klein. As a Sequence 2 Beyonder, he was now able to be conscious in the material world as well as be in Sefirah Castle at the same time.
Inside Sefirah Castle, Klein looked through the crimson star representing Miss Justice to scout the area. He now had the full view of the entire opera house and its surroundings.
As he chatted with Audrey, he was also keeping an eye on the Beyonders trailing them.
It really does look like they're just here to keep watch on me...
That's when something caught Klein's attention, or rather, some people did.
Entering the Grand Opera House were two figures who looked very different from the crowd filled with nobles.
There was a man wearing a simple, clean suit. It was his best, but it wasn't fancy at all like the ones people wore around him.
Next to him was a young lady in a nice but simple yellow dress. She looked around with big, happy eyes, amazed by everything she saw.
They both looked so excited and full of wonder to be there. Klein knew them better than anyone. He knew they must have saved money for a long, long time just for this one special night.
It was his brother, Benson, and his sister, Melissa.