It wasn't long before the lecture teacher with high cheekbones stepped onto the half-height wooden platform at the front of the small auditorium and began speaking in a loud voice:
"Good morning, kind and benevolent ladies. I'm Seviera Heda. Today, I'm going to share with you my experience in managing household expenses. This will be divided into three parts. The first part is about how to balance the expenses on food, housing, clothing, and servants for a family with an annual income of around 100 pounds. The second part is about what additional expenses a family with an annual income of 200 pounds should make to appear more respectable..."
Melissa listened attentively, and without even doing mental arithmetic, she recalled the combined annual income of her two brothers.
"More than 200 pounds..." she thought, half relieved and half frightened.
She was both happy and content with her current life, but also afraid that it would disappear in an instant.
At this moment, Selina with the auburn hair covered her mouth and whispered to her two friends:
"She seems to be a follower of the Storm Lord. She's wearing a storm emblem."
Melissa looked closely and indeed saw a badge depicting wind and waves on Teacher Seviera's left chest.
She quickly explained:
"Mrs. Shode, who told me about this lecture, is a follower of the Storm Lord. It's not strange that the teacher is too."
"Well, I don't see any problem. We're here to listen to the specific budget plans," Elizabeth comforted Melissa.
"But, except for Melissa, none of us need or have the right to make a family budget plan," Selina with the auburn hair muttered.
Elizabeth didn't hesitate to retort:
"But we will eventually get married and have our own families."
After the "Magic Mirror Divination" incident, Selina had been a little afraid of Elizabeth and could only nod sheepishly, pretending to listen attentively.
Teacher Seviera raised her right hand and said:
"All these budget plans are based on the premise that we must respect the opinions of the male head of the household. They are the source of income and the pillar of the family. They face anxiety, pressure, troubles, and chaos in the murky society, winning everything for us. Therefore, we must create a peaceful environment free from external disturbances for them, so that they can relax when they come home and have their souls cleansed, to better face various challenges..."
"So, the famous philosopher, sociologist, humanist, and economist, Mr. Lurmi once said, 'Women are the angels of the family.'"
Selina held her cheek, drew a dimple, and asked in a low voice, slightly excited:
"Mr. Lurmi, is that the gentleman who said 'Man is born free'?"
"Yes, but he is a follower of the Storm Lord," Elizabeth replied hesitantly.
At this moment, Teacher Seviera continued:
"Mr. Lurmi also told us that women are inherently deficient in wisdom and logic. Since that's the case, we, who lack judgment, should accept the words of our fathers and husbands as religious beliefs..."
This description made Melissa, Selina, and Elizabeth look at each other, unable to speak for a long time.
"Shall we go?" Finally, Selina tentatively suggested.
Melissa and Elizabeth nodded vigorously at the same time:
"Okay!"
They picked up their bonnets, bent their backs, and slipped towards the side door, trying to leave without attracting attention.
When they carefully reached the outside and stood up straight, they suddenly heard a burst of applause from inside the auditorium.
Melissa turned her head subconsciously, her gaze passing through the door opening and looking inside.
She saw Mrs. Shode clapping, saw one lady after another clapping.
Phew, praise the goddess... Melissa exhaled and, together with Selina and Elizabeth, moved away from this place that made her feel uncomfortable all over.
"Let's go to Harrods Department Store?" Standing under the street trees, Selena forgot about what had just happened and cheerfully suggested.
Melissa was silent for a few seconds and said, "I want to go back and study."
"Study..." Selena absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her wine-red hair, as if she had returned to her normal life.
"And I still need to buy bread, buy beef, buy potatoes, buy fruits... Klein is working today, Benson went to the municipal library, yes, I must go back!" Melissa suddenly felt that she loved textbooks, springs, and gears so much.
Selena decided to keep a distance from the unusually behaving Melissa today. She turned her head to look at Elizabeth and said with a flattering smile, "Let's go to Harrods together? Although I've already spent all my pocket money, just walking around and looking is also nice."
"Okay." Elizabeth agreed with her friend's suggestion and casually asked, "Melissa, your brother Klein works on Sundays too?"
"Yes, he has Mondays off. It's not like a regular job." Melissa unconsciously raised her head slightly. ......
After leaving the Blackthorn Security Company, Klein took a horse-drawn tram to the Howls District. He tried to focus his thoughts and stop thinking about the Antigonus family's treasure, bringing his attention back to the act of "playing the role":
It was extremely important to digest the potion as soon as possible and improve himself at all times!
"Playing the role of a fortune teller, huh, I'm still not professional enough. The fortune tellers in the Great Eating Country always check the almanac before doing anything..." Klein held his cane and sat in the tram.
He decided to do a divination in advance to see if today was a good day for going out and visiting the Divination Club.
That's what a qualified fortune teller would do!
Taking the opportunity to get off the tram, Klein took out a half-penny copper coin and his eyes narrowed inward, his pupils quickly darkening as he silently recited:
"Today is a good day to visit the Divination Club."
"Today is a good day to visit the Divination Club." ...
When!
Klein flicked the coin upwards and didn't watch its roll, but stretched out his palm flat.
Plop! The half-penny copper coin dropped and landed steadily in his palm.
This time, the "1/2" number surrounded by ears of wheat was facing up.
"The number is facing up, which means something bad will happen when I go to the Divination Club today..." Klein thought for a moment and then turned to the opposite side of the street, waiting for a public carriage heading towards Narcissus Street.
He felt that he was becoming more and more like a charlatan. ......
Hawles Street, outside Harrods.
Selena was about to enter when she suddenly froze and turned her head to the side.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked in confusion.
Selena puffed out her cheeks and said, "Elizabeth, I thought of my mysticism teacher, Mr. Vincent. He passed away like this, on the morning after my birthday..."
"Could it be because I peeked at and used his secret incantation? This has always made me feel guilty and uneasy... And, I haven't been very lucky lately."
"So?" Elizabeth asked in perfect understanding.
Selena bit her lip lightly and said, "I want to go to the divination club next door and have a divination to see if Mr. Vincent's death really has anything to do with me."
To find out what exactly happened on my birthday party... I always feel like Elizabeth is hiding something from me... I remember seeing a man in a tailcoat's back... "
"Don't you know how to do divination yourself?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.
Selena deliberately imitated her father's sighing manner and said, "Alas, I'm not in the right state to do divination for myself."
"Alright, then let's go to the divination club next door first." Elizabeth agreed with her friend's suggestion.
They walked over and went up the stairs to the divination club on the second floor.
"Hello, good afternoon, Miss Angelica. It's nice to see you again," Selena greeted cheerfully in the reception hall.
Angelica smiled and said, "As long as you come after lunch, you should be able to see me."
Selena exchanged a few pleasantries with her, expressed her condolences for Mr. Hainas Vincent, and then said, "I need a divination."
"You know the club's rules. This is the member directory for those willing to do divinations... It's the weekend, so many people are here today," Angelica said smoothly, going through the process.
Selena and Elizabeth's heads came together as they quickly flipped through the directory and corresponding introductions.
"Every time before, I just went directly to my teacher. I didn't expect that compared to last year, there are so many more members willing to do divinations in the club," Selena said with interest.
Suddenly, she paused for a few seconds and whispered in confusion, "Klein Moretti, Klein Moretti? This name is the same as my brother Melissa's name, isn't it?"
Elizabeth froze for a moment, repeatedly looking at the words "Klein Moretti", and nodded thoughtfully, "Yes..."
"Miss Angelica, is Mr. Klein Moretti here?" Selena asked with bright eyes.
Angelica shook her head, "I'm sorry, Mr. Klein Moretti didn't come to the club today."
"Alright, then let's choose another one," Selena said, not insisting on seeing him. She chuckled to her friend, "I know it can't be Melissa's brother, but seeing this name, I naturally came up with a news headline, like the ones in the Intis Post."
The Intis Post was founded by Emperor Roselle and was famous for its sensational headlines. It was one of the most well-known newspapers in the northern continent.
Elizabeth asked absent-mindedly, "What headline?"
Selena cleared her throat and said, "Is it the corruption of morality or a social problem? A history major student has stooped to doing divinations on weekends to make a living!"