2519 words
The surface of the bronze basin shivered.
Smoke rose from the burning herbs and coiled lazily upwards in chaotic spirals before slowly spreading across the room and with the illusory grey fog. The surroundings gradually lost their boundaries as they became hazy and unreal, as though his spirit body had drifted into the Spirit World while asleep.
Within that wandering consciousness, he saw something.
That something, or somewhere was dark, the sights of timber and boxes indicating that it was perhaps a dockside or perhaps a flooded inner courtyard. The flashes of images were hard to discern between useful and useless.
Broken stone and shattered timber had littered the ground while thick shadows swallowed the edges of the place, preventing Klein from discerning its true shape. Even so, there was an inexplicable sensation that something was... missing.
He could not tell what it was though.
Amidst this chaotic mess of information and symbols, Klein suddenly seemed to grip on a thread of information and pulled it. At the same time, the sight of several unusually tall men standing amongst the wreckage entered his eyes and mind as they stared toward a section where large crates should have been.
However, instead of giant cargo crates, only blackened splinters had remained which were mixed with twisted iron reinforcement that had been warped and half-incinerated by violent heat.
Yet it was not the destroyed crates that horrified them, but rather what the crates had contained inside them.
Guns and rifles, alongside other explosive materials— all of them had been rendered unusable.
Klein watched silently, drifting over them like a ghost as their lips moved.
"...gone before we arrived."
"...someone knew."
"...then we find them."
"We find the person."
The gray fog surrounding the scene suddenly rippled and the saturated colors of the Spirit World gushed on the scene, removing it, like a candle guttering beneath a sudden draft, removing it and replacing it with a new one.
"We must summon her highness." The voice was respectful.
Another voice answered almost immediately. "Stop calling her that."
Klein tried to turn around, trying to look at the woman's face, however, the surroundings sharpened to the point that Klein's consciousness wobbled.
Feeling alarmed in his half-lucid state, Klein abandoned the idea of looking at her face and instead just took in the woman's general appearance.
A tall woman walked across the dock and stopped to take in the sight. She had a well-endowed figure, however, at the same time, she was as straight and firm as an arrow. She had shoulder length auburn, or perhaps red — it was impossible to tell in the saturation of the dream — hair and a pair of vermillion eyes.
Beside her was an enormous priest with various symbols of dawn on his robes. Even through the dream, Klein instinctively refrained from observing him too closely. A dawn-like radiance was obscuring his features, making them impossible to distinguish.
The giant was simply following beside the woman, matching her pace without effort.
The scene shifted again when the pair reached the edge of the dock and the woman slowly raised her hand. At the same time, white flames condensed into her palm.
The entire scene was painted in white as the explosion swallowed everything. Before Klein could inspect anything further, the vision shifted once again.
This time, it was night and the two were at the western edge of East Borough. The same two figures stood at a distance, quietly watching several buildings burn without showing the slightest concern.
"The rat has hidden long enough," the woman said in a calm manner.
"It is about time we narrow the walls of its little den."
The instant those words left their mouth, the dream shattered and Klein slowly opened his eyes.
His breathing was steady and there was no cold sweat on his forehead. Crossing his hands before himself, he sank into silent contemplation while the gray fog continued to churn around him, concealing both his expression and his thoughts beneath its veil of mystery.
Several moments later, he finally descended back to the real world. Across from him, Kiyotaka was sitting exactly where he had been before, patiently waiting for him. Seeing Klein awaken, he straightened slightly.
"Well," Klein sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'd be damned if I knew who they are."
He paused before adding, "But I did get a few hints."
Kiyotaka remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"They lost something during the explosion at the harbor."
All of a sudden, a lot of things suddenly started to make sense. "The one during the Lanevus incident?"
Klein nodded. "Many of the crates were destroyed. More importantly, whatever weapons were inside them became unusable. Judging from what I saw... those people weren't investigating the explosion itself. They were looking for the one responsible for the entire explosion."
"I see."
"What do you see?"
"I did not mean that literally."
"..."
"I didn't mean it literally either."
Klein pinched the bridge of his nose. After a brief silence, Kiyotaka spoke. "This really may be connected to Feysac after all." He looked up at Klein, trying to parse his expressions.
Klein, however, looked oblivious.
"There is already considerable tension between Feysac, Loen, and Intis over the colonial islands. Both Feysac and Intis have long supported conflicts between the Loen Kingdom and the Balam Resistance whenever doing so benefits them." Kiyotaka leaned back slightly. "If those weapons were intended for the Resistance, then transporting them through Loen's harbor would not be impossible. It may simply have been a temporary stop before they continued onward."
Klein folded his arms. "If that shipment was expected to arm a future attack, then someone has suffered a significant loss. They could merely be seeking revenge against whoever ruined their plans." He paused. "Or..."
"There is another objective." Kiyotaka finished for him and Klein slowly nodded.
"I reached a similar conclusion." Klein frowned. "But something still doesn't sit right. If the shipment truly belonged to Feysac, why risk passing through Backlund in the first place? Surely there were safer routes."
Kiyotaka gave a small shrug.
"Then Intis becomes another possibility." Klein furrowed his brows. Things that Kiyotaka did make sense, but it was a little hard to keep up with his brain. "They may have orchestrated everything themselves and pinned it on Feysac." He looked toward Klein. "The difficulty with that theory is the priest."
Klein immediately understood. "The Church of the God of Combat?"
Kiyotaka nodded. "Doing something like that would directly turn Church of Eternal Blazing Sun or Church of God of Steam and Machinery against Church of God of Combat. Given the information we have on Sequence 0, it's not beneath the Gods to go at each other's throats over something as simple as this."
Silence settled between them as Klein ran his fingers through his hair. Eventually, he let out a quiet sigh. "I don't think I can help much beyond this."
"You already have done quite a lot. It would be rude to ask of any other thing." Kiyotaka rose from his seat. "Thank you."
Picking up his hat, he tipped it. "I should be going now, the people in my house tend to get skittish when I am late."
Klein chuckled. "Hah... Alright, sure. Ah yes, by the way, what are you going to do about Miss Justice looking into you?"
Kiyotaka shrugged. "She cannot do it personally. And the person currently looking into me won't be alive for long if she divulged any information."
"She? Are you talking about Miss Magician?"
Kiyotaka nodded as Klein frowned. "You can't kill her."
"I have nothing of value to reveal. However, whatever she does will not go unpunished." After deliberating over his words, Kiyotaka added. "I won't kill her."
Klein sank back and heaved a sigh of relief. "That's better."
Just as he turned toward the door, Klein suddenly spoke again. "If you're planning to dig deeper into this—" He stopped himself with a small laugh. "Well, of course you are. They're after you, but yeah, if you need my help..."
Klein's expressions softened. "...just ask. That is all you need to do."
Kiyotaka inclined his head. "Thank you."
As he stepped outside and approached the carriage already waiting for him, Klein walked him to the doorway.
"Stay safe." Then, after a second or two, he added with a grin, "And don't take candies from strangers."
"I'll think about that."
Watching the carriage disappear into the evening streets, Klein chuckled quietly before closing the door behind him. However, just as he closed the door, he heard a series of illusory prayers ring in his ears.
"Honorable Mr. Fool... I want to send a report to Mr. Emperor. I have found 1 Weeping Infant Flower that he had requested!"
Hearing the prayer once he had ascended to the space above the grey fog, Klein smiled and transmitted the prayer to Kiyotaka at the same moment.
'Knowing that mischievous guy, he is definitely up to no good. It would be better for him to advance as soon as possible.' As he mused, Klein's mind drifted to a detail. 'Auburn hair... Is it related to one of those families?'
*****
As the carriage stopped in front of Holmes Estate, Kiyotaka walked to the mailbox. The flap was quite loose, indicating that someone had opened it a while ago. He assumed that it was a while ago since it was tightly shut before he had left with Xio.
He was about to go and retrieve it, but stopped and looked back at Mal.
"Open it and retrieve whatever's inside it."
Mal thumped his fist against his chest that ringed like a steel box. "Yes Sir!" He hopped down his driver's seat and walked with fast paces towards the mailbox before inserting his arm inside and pulling out the letter.
The letter looked ordinary and had a royal seal on it.
'Prince Edessak? No, it's not him. He wouldn't make it so obvious.'
Taking the letter from Mal's hands, Kiyotaka motioned towards the carriage. "You can leave."
Mal looked at the letter in a longing manner but bowed and turned around. The greedy looking hunched man sat on the driver's seat and pulled the reigns, prompting the horses to gallop, pulling the carriage along the way.
Once Mal was gone, Kiyotaka walked inside the lawn, but not the main residence and took a seat outside on one of the wooden chairs placed around a small wooden table.
As he broke the seal and took the letter out of the envelope, he almost had the urge to sigh.
—BY AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY: THE HIGH COURT OF BACKLUND
—KING'S DIVISION BRANCH - CIVIL PLEAS
Case No. BHC-QB/1349/A·7
Year of 1349
In the matter of:
CLAIMANT: Mr. Oswald Renwick, Landlord and Proprietor, trading as Renwick Estate Holdings, of 4 consecutive units at Cherwood Borough, Backlund
—and against—
DEFENDANT: Williams J. Holmes, formerly a tenant of Unit 7, Afferden Lane, Cherwood Borough, Backlund; present whereabouts and station to be verified by the Court Bailiff.
By the grace of our King;
WE COMMAND YOU that, within twenty-one (21) days of the service of this Writ upon your person or lawful representative, you do cause an appearance to be entered in the Office of the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Backlund, in answer to the Claim set forth hereunder by the above-named Claimant.
TAKE NOTICE that the Claimant's claim against you is founded upon the following counts, to wit:
Count I — Negligence and Wilful Destruction of Leased Premises. Whilst lawfully occupying the premises known as Unit 7, Afferden Lane, Cherwood Borough, in the tenancy of the Claimant, the Defendant did, through acts of gross negligence or willful recklessness, occasion a conflagration of such magnitude as to render the said premises a total and irrecoverable ruin. The Defendant, rather than presenting himself to discharge the damages thus arising, did abscond from the said premises without notice, without settlement, and without the payment of so much as a single farthing to the Claimant.
Count II — Breach of Tenancy Covenant. That the Defendant, by the terms of the tenancy agreement duly executed, did covenant to maintain the said premises in good repair and to indemnify the Claimant against all losses arising from the Defendant's occupation thereof. The Defendant has wholly failed to discharge this covenant, to the grievous detriment of the Claimant.
Count III — Unjust Enrichment. That the Defendant, having fled the scene of the said destruction without bearing any portion of the loss occasioned thereby, did thereby enrich himself at the direct expense of the Claimant, retaining in his own coffers sums which equity and good conscience demand be restored. The Court's attention is further directed to the material improvement in the Defendant's pecuniary circumstances since the date of the said incident, which improvement renders full satisfaction of the claim both attainable and just.
Count IV — Recovery of Outstanding Rents. That further to the above, the Defendant quitted the premises with arrears of rent remaining unsettled for a period of 10 weeks, the sum total thereof being to be reckoned by the Court upon examination of the Claimant's ledger.
THE CLAIMANT THEREFORE CLAIMS the following reliefs from this Honorable Court:
1. Damages for the destruction of the leased premises, assessed at the cost of full reconstruction, being a sum not less than Four Hundred and Sixty Pounds (£460), together with accrued interest thereon from the date of the conflagration to the date of judgment.
2. Recovery of outstanding rental arrears, the exact quantum to be determined upon production of accounts;
3. An order for restitution upon the principle of unjust enrichment, the Court being invited to assess the full extent of the Defendant's present means;
4. Costs of these proceedings, including all solicitor's fees and the fees of such process-servers and bailiffs as shall have been engaged in tracing the Defendant;
5. Such further or other relief as to the Court may seem just.
AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to enter an appearance within the time prescribed herein, the Claimant may proceed to obtain judgment in your absence, and execution may issue against your goods, chattels, lands, and estate accordingly — your present financial prosperities being no impediment to such execution, but rather the very foundation upon which satisfaction shall be sought.
WITNESS, the Honorable Lord Chief Justice Sir Aldous Pemberton, at the High Court of Backlund in the Year of 1349.
NOTE TO DEFENDANT: The engagement of a qualified solicitor of the Backlund Bar is strongly advised. Failure to respond constitutes a default in law. This Writ, being issued under seal of the High Court, is a document of legal compulsion. Any attempt to conceal assets or to affect a second disappearance shall be reported forthwith to the Court Bailiff and may constitute a separate criminal offence under the Loen Kingdom's Statutes of Fraudulent Evasion.
Beneath the legal tender were signs of two people: Mr. T. Huxley-Crane who was the Registrar of the King's Bench and Firm of Ashford & Mourne Solicitors who were acting on behalf of claimant.
Their office was located in Unit 31, Württemberg Avenue, Backlund.
"Oswald huh?" He looked at the letter and then at the starry sky. "I suppose the opportunity to digest my potion has finally presented itself." Kiyotaka huffed and turned back, leaving his house once again.
"I guess I should pay her a visit, once again." He already had a destination in mind.