Puning Port.
After waiting patiently, Hastur finally received a visit from Crestet Cesimir and Klein.
When he saw Klein, a delighted smile appeared on his face. "Mr. Klein, I never expected we would meet in a small port of Southville County."
"Count Campbell, I also didn't expect this place to happen to be your territory."
"You should still call me Mr. Hastur. It sounds much more natural that way."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hastur invited them to sit down for tea before turning his gaze toward Crestet Cesimir. "You came because of the notices and newspaper reports?"
"The Church asked me to thank Count Campbell for your assistance this time. Without your intervention, they wouldn't have escaped their predicament so quickly and returned to Backlund safely." Crestet Cesimir's words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Hastur deliberately ignored the implication behind them and smiled. "I merely offered what help I could. They were tourists who came all the way from Backlund. In a sense, we're all from the city of Backlund, so it was only natural to lend a hand."
Crestet Cesimir smiled. "Meeting Count Campbell was their good fortune."
Hastur smiled as well. "Your visit is also my good fortune. It's just a pity Leonard isn't here."
"He has already returned to Backlund."
"Sigh, he left without even saying goodbye. Next time I return to Backlund, I'll have to sit down and have a proper chat with him."
The three chatted quite harmoniously. Once the serious matters were finished, Hastur naturally shifted the topic toward Klein.
"Mr. Klein, what kind of work are you doing now?"
"I assist the Church with certain matters, so I'm considered external personnel. At the same time, I also work for a security company," Klein answered naturally.
Yes, the surface identity of their Nighthawks team in Backlund was still that of a security company.
Hastur nodded and casually asked, "You seem more like a university professor, very scholarly. I always thought you worked at a university."
"I mainly handle clerical work in the security company, looking up information and processing documents."
Hastur narrowed his eyes slightly. "Forgive my bluntness, but how much weekly pay does a clerical worker at a security company earn?"
"Five pounds and ten soli. Six working days a week, with four days off each month. The work is fairly relaxed."
Klein answered seriously, though inwardly he added:
"To be precise, my weekly salary is currently exactly twelve pounds. That doesn't even include overtime pay, housing subsidies, and work benefits. Last month my total income was close to sixty gold pounds. Including the year-end bonus, my annual salary could approach eight hundred pounds!"
And that was only last month. In another month or two, his salary would continue rising. By next year, he could probably earn a weekly salary of at least twenty pounds, with an annual income expected to surpass one thousand pounds!
With such an income, even in an expensive city like Backlund, he could still live a fairly respectable life.
At the very least, he could eat beef stew with potatoes every day and buy Melissa a small cake.
"Hm? Why is the weekly pay so low?" Hastur's slightly shocked tone drew both Crestet Cesimir's and Klein's attention. He explained, "I've always thought highly of Mr. Klein. I believe he fully deserves compensation that matches his abilities."
"At the very least, his monthly salary should exceed one hundred pounds!"
Hastur offered a figure far beyond Klein's weekly pay of five pounds and ten soli.
Klein froze for a moment, feeling a little dazed. Being valued this highly really felt strange.
A monthly salary of one hundred pounds was equivalent to twice his current income.
In Backlund, positions with annual salaries exceeding twelve hundred pounds were usually only found in financial industries like banks.
Was his ability really worth that much?
Beside him, Crestet Cesimir sensed something unusual. Could this Count Campbell actually be trying to poach someone from the Church of the Evernight Goddess?
Was he planning to lure Klein away with a high salary?
Sure enough, his concern came true in the next moment.
"Mr. Klein, have you considered changing jobs?"
"..." Klein stared at Hastur in shock. He truly couldn't understand which aspect of his abilities the other man valued so highly.
"If you're willing to leave Backlund and come help me handle affairs in Southville County, I can pay you two hundred pounds a month. No, three hundred pounds."
Hastur tried his best to offer a salary so high that Klein would find it impossible to resist.
Three hundred pounds a month? That would be four thousand two hundred pounds a year!
Given the extravagant style of this wealthy Count Hastur Campbell, there would definitely be additional sources of income. His annual earnings might even exceed five thousand pounds!
If he only worked here for a few years, he could return to Backlund and buy himself a large house.
Maybe he'd even have enough left over to buy a farm and become a carefree landowner.
Klein silently calculated the numbers in his heart and couldn't help sighing. This really was an irresistible temptation.
From his understanding of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, even Archbishop Anthony of Saint Samuel Cathedral didn't earn more than five thousand pounds a year.
Of course, the authority represented by that position was what truly mattered. At that point, income was no longer something worth worrying about.
After remaining silent for a while, Klein said with a bitter smile, "Mr. Hastur truly overestimates me. I don't believe my abilities are worthy of such a high salary."
"Ability is only one aspect. Character and personality are also major advantages in my eyes. I truly believe you shouldn't remain in Backlund as an ordinary clerical worker at a security company. That wastes your talent. You're more suited to going out and making your own mark."
Klein admitted he was tempted, but in the end, he still chose to refuse.
He was fairly satisfied with his current job. Staying within the Nighthawks team also meant remaining within the system, where at least his livelihood was guaranteed no matter what happened.
If he worked here instead, then his future would depend entirely on Count Hastur Campbell's mood. If he were dismissed for displeasing him, or forced out in middle age, he would have no security whatsoever.
Besides, this world still contained Beyonder powers. Remaining within the Church of the Evernight Goddess suited his abilities better.
"What a pity." A clear expression of disappointment appeared on Hastur's face. Then he asked Klein to pass a message to Leonard, asking whether he would be interested in coming to Southville County to make a career for himself.
"I'll convey your goodwill to Leonard," Klein agreed.
Hastur sighed. "Sigh, this place is still in ruins and desperately short of trustworthy people to help."
"It's getting late. We've already disturbed you long enough. We should leave now."
Crestet Cesimir took the initiative to say goodbye. He feared that if the conversation continued, Count Hastur Campbell might turn his attention toward him next.
"Stay for dinner tonight as well. Allow me to fulfill my duties as a host."
Faced with Hastur's enthusiastic invitation, both Crestet Cesimir and Klein declined.
Crestet Cesimir didn't want the conversation to continue any further, while Klein felt heartbroken after turning down such an enormous amount of money. Better out of sight, out of mind.
After seeing them off, Hastur finally laughed.
Klein's expression just now had been very interesting. When he extended the olive branch, Klein had definitely been tempted for at least a moment. He had probably even calculated the numbers in his head.
"What a pity. Mr. Fool simply refuses to switch jobs." Hastur still found it rather regrettable. If he could keep Klein by his side and occasionally use money to stimulate the God of Poverty, that would definitely be very entertaining.
He suddenly thought of Miss Audrey back then. During the hardest period of his financial troubles, Audrey had also found amusement in his poverty.
"I suddenly miss life in Backlund a little."
...
On the street, Crestet Cesimir and Klein walked slowly, calming themselves slightly.
Only then did Crestet Cesimir smile teasingly. "Tsk tsk, a monthly salary of three hundred pounds. That's an unbelievably generous offer. Even in Backlund, it's hard to find a job that good. You really weren't tempted at all?"
An annual income that might reach five thousand pounds. Do you think I wasn't tempted?
Work for a few years and I could buy a large house in Backlund, buy a farm, and become a landlord. Do I look like someone who doesn't need money?
Klein really wanted to throw those words back at Crestet Cesimir, but he quickly suppressed the bleeding pain in his heart and replied with a smile, "I still prefer staying in Backlund, even though the weather there is far worse than here."
Crestet Cesimir laughed twice and said with lingering fear, "Good thing you didn't agree to stay here. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know how to explain it to the Church."
After thinking for a moment, Klein said, "Perhaps you could suggest that the Church raise my salary a little. That would give me greater resistance against temptation."
"A very reasonable suggestion. I'll mention it to Archbishop Anthony when I return."
"Could you maybe not say it was my suggestion?"
"Of course. This is entirely my own idea."
The two chatted and laughed for a while, but when they reached the gate of the residence, their footsteps suddenly stopped as they simultaneously remembered another matter.
After today's events, how exactly were they supposed to investigate Count Hastur Campbell now?
No matter from which angle they looked at it, they had no evidence that he had done anything suspicious.
And without concrete evidence, the status of an count still carried tremendous weight.