"So, what will be my task as the civilian staff?" Klein asked after Dunn Smith explained briefly about the job and how Klein would be allowed to become an official beyonder, "Is it the same as Rozanne and the others?"
"No, there's no need. You are a professional," said Dunn with a smile. "You currently have two tasks. First, every morning or afternoon, go take a stroll outside. Focus on the various streets that lead from Welch's place to yours."
…what-
His job was to-
Stroll around????
…
What will he do if Amon asks what the specifics of his new job were?!
'He's totally going to think I wander around the streets looking for "customers"…' Klein lampooned in his mind.
As soon as the explanation about the sealed artifacts and the Chanis Gate ended, Dunn pulled out a piece of paper from his drawer in his room,
"By the way, take a look at this. Three years ago, a newly appointed archbishop lost control. For some unknown reason, he stormed through the various levels of protection and vanished mysteriously with a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. Memorize this photo. If you discover him, do not alert or disturb him. Return to report it immediately or the chance of you dying in the line of duty is a thousand percent."
"What?" Klein received the piece of paper. There was no title on it, just a black-and-white photo with a few lines of words.
"Ince Zangwill. Male. Forty years old. Former archbishop. A Gatekeeper who failed in his promotion and was enticed by the devil and was corrupted. He escaped with Sealed Artifact 0-08. Particular traits are…"
The picture depicted Ince Zangwill as wearing an all-black clergyman robe with buttons on both sides and a soft cap. His hair was dark blonde and his pupils were so blue that it was nearly black. He had a high nose and his lips were tightly pursed. His facial features were like a classic sculpture without any wrinkles. The most striking characteristic was that he was blind in one eye.
"The description of the corrupted is so detailed but the only thing about the Sealed Artifact is its codename…" Klein honestly offered his first impression.
"That's why it is at the highest security clearance. The search for Sealed Artifacts No. 0-08 is only described verbally and never written in words. Even so, the description will be little," said Dunn with a sigh. "0-08 appears to be a common quill, but it does not need ink to write. That's all."
0-08…
Klein wondered what the sealed Artifact of grade 0 was capable of…
It just appear to be an ordinary quill that does not require ink?
What classified it as an extremely dangerous Artifact?
With a slight chuckle, Klein imagine its powers to be able to kill anyone whose name was written with it- like that animated show he had watched during high school about a book.
But that would be too heaven-defying.
And if the strength of the quill was really this or something equally offensive- Ince Zangwill wouldn't have had to run away and go into hiding.
Dunn did not dive deeper into the topic. He tugged at the golden chain on his black windbreaker and took out a gorgeous pocket watch of the same color. He clicked it open and took a glance before pointing outside.
"I've told you all you need to know. Go to the armory to find Old Neil. Get him to arrange the documents that you need to read. He is no ordinary civilian clerk. He was once a formal member, but due to his advanced age, he failed to be promoted. His health is ailing, so it's no longer suitable for him to handle cases. Furthermore, he does not wish to become an internal Keeper or rest at home. All he wishes is to be accompanied by documents and records."
Just as Klein turned around to leave, Dunn suddenly shouted out to him.
"Hold on. I forgot something."
"What?" Klein turned his head; his eyes puzzled.
Dunn put back his pocket watch and said with a smile, "Later, remember to visit the accountant, Mrs. Orianna, and get an advance payment of four weeks—a total of twelve pounds. After that, you'll earn half your salary every week until the difference is covered."
Money!
Klein, who had certainly felt the difference in his life and 'his' fiancé- felt no need to reject the offer. After all, the Moretti family certainly needed it very much considering they lived in a two-bedroom apartment with only one bathroom and Klein himself didn't have any proper clothes or a cane…
Also money…
Klein was a person who was honest to himself (the ant Amon murmured under his breath, "liar…" the other clones eagerly nodded their heads) and he admitted that he was a very materialistic person- also who would even reject money?
After that, he withdrew his money from the lady and went to meet Old Niel as advised by the captain.
He was an old man with wrinkles all over his face and he also wore a classical black robe and seemed like a cheery lofty fellow- the kind of uncle/grandpa that was the favorite among the kids in the family.
After Klein was served coffee and noticed Old Neil's cup with only clear water, he couldn't help but observe, "It doesn't seem like you drink coffee?"
"Haha, it's a habit of mine. I do not drink coffee after three in the afternoon," Neil explained with a laugh.
"Why?" Klein asked in passing.
Neil held back his smile as he looked into Klein's eyes and said, "I'm afraid that it would affect my sleep at night. It will make me hear the murmurings of the unknown existence."
Unknown existence?
Klein blinked in confusion, he couldn't figure out a way to answer that and changed the topic.
That was when the topic of Roselle Gustav's diary came in-
Emperor Roselle? The transmigration senior? Klein was taken aback.
To think his great transmigrated senior actually created a new language all on his own with weird 'symbols' that no one could translate...
Klein suddenly felt as if he just heard a 'Respect +1!' Ring in his ear.
He then took the page handed to him by Old Neil and suddenly wanted all his excitement and hood feelings back-
Although the 'symbols' had been copied in terribly ugly fashion, to the point of looking a little distorted, there was no way he could be mistaken…
This was because they were words he was most familiar with.
Chinese!
And it's fucking Simplified Chinese!
'Respect -100!'
As Klein exited Old Neil's room while thinking about the information he had read in his senior's diary. He couldn't understand half of the things written there due to his lack of beyonder knowledge. What did digesting and acting mean? Forsaken Land of the Gods? A being who was probably from out of this world and could only come and only able to act duringthe full moon?
Just as Klein descended the stairs- he met the green-eyed poetic man from before.
The young Nighthawk extended his right hand and said, "Leonard Mitchell. Sequence 8's Midnight Poet."
Sequence 8… He's really a poet… Klein smilingly shook his hand as he returned with a question, "You have a deep impression of me?"
Leonard Mitchell's green eyes were deep as he replied with a very faint smile. "You have a special disposition."
'He feels and sounds so gay…' The corners of Klein's mouth moved slightly.
Why was everyone in this world gay?! He had met more gay people in these 2 days than in his entire life back on earth!
What sort of gay epidemic was this?!
Outside, a few crows fell off the tree from quacking too much in laughter.
Leonard, who couldn't read Klein's mind, "?"
Leonard stared into the sky and spoke lowly as if talking about a secret to himself,
"Did you manage to notice anything…"
Then an ancient-sounding voice like an old man's rang in his head,
[He seems nothing special- but the air around him is very deeply evil and corrupt. He might be around some dangerous high-sequence fellow… probably of the marauder pathway.]
Leonard's eyes instantly widened as his body stiffened.
It seemed like his new colleague was indeed involved in some dangerous matters!
He wanted to inform Captain Dunn Smith as soon as possible- but he stopped himself as another question rang in his mind- how would he even explain to the man where he had gotten this information from? Even if they deal with the situation of this Klein person… as soon as that is finished their eyes will turn to Leonard and the existence in his mind would be found out! He didn't want to deal with the consequences of harboring such a being in his mind for so long without informing someone else as per protocol…
Well, Klein seemed all healthy and well despite his poor background and the old man didn't really sound alerted… so the threat is probably not that huge.
But a high-sequence Beyonder of the marauder pathway around Klein… and one who has spread his spiritual signature all around the bookish man as some sort of 'claim'… were they perhaps after the Antigonus Famiky book?
Although it didn't seem dangerous right now- if the circumstances were to change Klein could get hurt. He had heard all about how high-sequence beyonders, especially the ones not belonging to the orthodox churches looked down on normal humans and how they treated their lives as nothing but mere ants under their feet.
But why would that unknown man mark Klein like that? So much so that even the weakened old man was able to sense the air around him and now that Leonard also focused his senses as an extraordinary- he could feel some remanent 'breath' of a high-sequence around the air.
This was so obvious… why didn't no one else realize this anomaly-
Wait a second!
Leonard's eyes widened.
The fact that no one realized this anomaly in and of itself was an anomaly!
There was no way Klein hadn't gone through some sort of secret necessary screening from the Nighhwaks-!
And there was no way a high sequence Beyonder of the marauder pathway couldn't just steal the clues and his breath around Klein away so as to not leave any clues to get caught up in a dangerous situation of being figured out!
That only meant one thing-
The high sequence Beyonder intentionally revealed his presence to Leonard!
'Did he sense Old man?'
'No way…'
Leonard ran his hand through his medium-length hair as he tried to figure out what he must do.
[Don't do anything rash, even if the existence is dangerous- there's no way it can match me.]
Leonard heard those words and immediately claimed himself down. Yes… he was special- he wasn't like the ordinary people around him. He had this existence in his mind feeding him information and how to get stronger- he was certainly like a protagonist of the world!
Amon, who had heard Pallez's words, and was sitting on the tree as a crow, "He says I can't match him?" He snickered as the clones around him started flapping their wings around in excitement as the entity explained his next master plan which was sure to be very fun! "Let's see if you can save your 'grandson' from bird poop from the sky."
The Amons cheered.
The passerby's looked at the tree filled with black crows all quacking menacingly as some kind of ill omen.
They couldn't help but shiver in fear that someone around here has probably died or will die in the worst way for the heavens to make the crows act this way.
Klein, who had just exited the Blackthorn Security Company building, "Amon really needs to train those crows…" he sighed as he took the carriage to Amon's home. It was time for him to clear the misunderstanding!
He would tell Amon that he had gotten the job, explain to him that the job only required him to walk around the streets until he got a promotion that was seemingly close from what his employers had seen in him, and then would show him the 12 pounds he had gotten as a first payment!
That seemed like a legit job!
Right?
…right?
…
Why did it sound like he was a prostitute?!! And a high-demand and an expensive one at that!