A similar feeling that wasn't unfamiliar. The experienced Klein immediately used his Clown powers to control his facial expression and the slight trembling of his body.
Without rushing, he gently retracted his gaze, making the casual glance from before appear normal.
"Sigh, Talim was so young. He wasn't even married and has no children." Klein sighed as he went with the flow.
He had said this because it gave him a plausible explanation for his subtle reaction towards the woman who had offered the flowers—he had turned sad having seen a woman who had some connection with Talim, associated her to marriage and family, and then finally how his friend had passed away at an early age.
"Yeah, actually, at his age, he should've been married four or five years ago. Unfortunately, the matter with his grandfather left him with an extremely strong psychological trauma. He had always rejected marriage, and only recently did he improve." Reporter Mike sighed.
At this moment, the seemingly normal Klein seemed to have a cluster of thorns stabbing at his back, slowly piercing into his skin and flesh, causing him to feel extremely tense.
The girl in the black dress with the sapphire ring on her left hand pinky had straightened her body and calmly surveyed her surroundings. Afterward, she quietly left Talim's grave with two maids accompanying her. She silently walked further and further away from Talim's grave.
Phew... Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
The feeling of his back being stabbed quickly turned into a cold sweat.
Just who is she, and why did she come to the grave to offer flowers? Talim's lover? However, how could Talim, who had no wealth or status, have a relationship with a terrifying person who is involved with a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact or that of a demigod? This isn't a novel! Furthermore, she should be the one that used a curse to kill Talim... This matter runs deep... Klein listened quietly as Mike and Aaron recounted Talim's past.
His thoughts quickly dispersed, feeling that the most puzzling thing about this matter was that Talim's death—an ordinary person who had no money, power, status, or strength—was actually involved with a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact or a powerhouse of the same level. This was simply inconceivable!
*But this isn't an isolated case. There's another similar case that has happened around me... *Klein suddenly thought of something and looked at the surgeon, Aaron.
This ordinary person's home might very well be hiding a Sequence 1 Snake of Mercury!
Following this train of thought, Klein recalled the nearly five months that he had spent here since he transmigrated. He was stunned to discover that he had unconsciously become involved with many demigods and terrifying Sealed Artifacts.
The woman who had killed Talim; the Snake of Mercury, Will Auceptin; the Blasphemer Amon; the mysterious woman at the Royal Museum; a High-Sequence Beyonder of the Rose School of Thought; 0-08; 1-42; Ince Zangwill; the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem; the Antigonus family's notebook; Mr. Azik Eggers, who's suspected to be a descendant of Death; Mr. Door; the Twilight Hermit Order... Each name flashed through Klein's mind, and every single one of them made him feel like drawing in a cold breath.
He calmed his heart and carefully thought, These don't include the True Creator and the Eternal Blazing Sun, who are ranked high above these... Strictly speaking, I can be considered to be among their ranks. After all, I came from a dark divination, and I'm a strange alternate world soul who controls the strange gray fog... Could this be another "crest of the times" after Roselle? So all the demigods and terrifying Sealed Artifacts are making an appearance in real life...
As these thoughts flashed through Klein's mind, the grief-stricken Reporter Mike and Surgeon Aaron excused themselves. He then left the cemetery at a leisurely pace.
Just as he was looking around for a rental carriage, a familiar carriage drove out of a secluded spot and stopped in front of him.
Although the coat of arms on the black carriage was skillfully concealed, Klein was still able to recognize it as Prince Edessak's carriage.
Without a sound, the door of the carriage opened, and the old butler with his meticulously combed hair alighted. He politely made a gesture of invitation.
"His Highness is waiting for you."
"Alright." Klein didn't feel guilty at all as he entered the spacious and warm carriage.
Prince Edessak was dressed in a dark blue coat with a large collar and a golden ribbon across his chest, which made him look very abnormally noble.
He rubbed the diamond brooch, and his long and narrow eyes showed hints of a sigh.
"I'm restricted even when participating in the funeral of a friend. I couldn't appear in person and could only watch from afar, sending someone to offer flowers for me. This is the royal family's lack of freedom."
"If Talim's grandfather hadn't lost his aristocratic title, then you wouldn't have to avoid anything." Klein abided by Prince Edessak's gesture and sat across from him.
Edessak picked up a cup of blood-red wine and said, "Sigh, I had originally planned to find an opportunity to help Talim's father recover his aristocratic title, but unfortunately..."
Instead of going deep into the subject, he asked, "Sherlock, did you receive the package?"
"Yes," Klein answered any questions he was asked, never giving any additional descriptions.
Edessak nodded slightly.
"Any progress?"
"I made several divinations using Talim's hair, blood, and belongings, but all of them led to the conclusion that he had died of a sudden heart disease." Klein used his emotionless, smooth narration to imply that "my Sequence isn't high enough," "my standards are limited," "although I'm good at divination, the other party is stronger," and "I'm sure that I can't figure out the truth."
Edessak looked disappointed and sighed.
"How do you plan on continuing the investigation?"
"Starting with the people Talim came in contact with a few days before his death and the places he went," Klein replied according to the plan.
Edessak looked at the old butler.
"There will definitely be no lack of threatening interrogations or bribery. Hmm... Pay Sherlock 100 pounds for his investigation fees."
"Yes, Your Highness." The old butler took out a stack of bills that he had prepared earlier.
A hundred pounds straight out? Once again, Klein felt Prince Edessak's generosity.
"I'll do my best." He took the hundred pounds in cash and pocketed it without counting it in detail.
"I hope that we can put Talim to rest." Prince Edessak clenched his right fist and tapped the left side of his chest.
He turned his head to look out the window at Crown Cemetery which wasn't too far away.
His friendship for Talim still remains strong... Klein sighed before he was led out to a carriage by the old butler.
...
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Earl Hall.
Audrey looked at her psychology teacher, whose long hair reached her waist, and she pretended to carefully look from side to side.
She immediately lowered her voice and said, "Miss Escalante, I recently joined a new Beyonder gathering. There were high offers for a Human-skinned Shadow characteristic and the Wind-blessed potion formula. Uh, different people. These are likely Mid-Sequence items, right? It sounds quite interesting. Ah, right. Will the Psychology Alchemists be interested?"
Escalante was startled. She pondered for a few seconds and said, "I'll ask when I return."
"Alright," Audrey responded briskly, as though she were simply intrigued by such Mid-Sequence transactions.
Escalante retracted her attention and said in a serious tone, "Miss Audrey, although you are already a Sequence 8 Beyonder, you have yet to receive formal education in mysticism. You still don't understand enough about the techniques and applications of a Spectator and Telepathist, as well as the foundation theories. Starting today, I'll guide you to become a true Beyonder."
"That's what I wish," Audrey said sincerely.
The huge golden retriever, Susie, who was sitting by her feet, wagged its tail happily, as if happy for her mistress.
...
Having made up his mind not to work, Klein took the carriage back to 15 Minsk Street.
He opened the door and was just about to take off his hat when he froze.
His spiritual intuition told him that a stranger had entered the living room. Someone had entered his room!
This... He barely hid his tracks... Is it considered a warning? Having a warning is better than not having one... Klein stood in the hall for a long time in silence.
Immediately, he turned around and went to the Steam Cathedral in a rental carriage.
The cathedral towered over the chimneys and clock tower, the former representing the power of steam, while the latter represented the beauty of machinery through the hanging of its intricate clocks.
It was neither the weekend nor noon or the evening, so there were only a few devotees in the hall quietly praying.
Klein sat down in the aisle, leaned his cane, took off his hat, and pretended to pray for ten minutes in front of the Sacred Emblem.
Then, he picked up his things and walked along the aisle to the altar. He said to the bishop standing to the side, "I wish to make a confession."
"Good, God is watching you." The bishop, who had a kind face and hoary hair at his temples, walked to the confessional by his side.
Klein followed closely behind and closed the door.
He sat down on a chair and said to the bishop through the wooden board, "I confess that I didn't adhere to my principles when facing danger, and I chose to retreat."
"What were you thinking at the time?" the bishop gently asked.
Klein immediately described in detail about Talim's death; his suspicions; the reminder from the Machinery Hivemind; Prince Edessak's entrustment; and, after how he failed to obtain any answers from his divination, he expressed his heartfelt cowardice in the face of the royal family's strife.
The reason he didn't go straight to Carlson was that he was afraid that not only was he being watched, but Prince Edessak's men were also watching him from the shadows. Once he made his intentions clear, he couldn't be sure if he would encounter another calamity.
The Steam Cathedral was the headquarters of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, and it was one of the three Great Holy Temples. No one could spy on whatever happened inside.
What Klein intended to do was to use the Church of the God of Steam to convey his true thoughts and avoid getting caught up in a deeper conflict.
Simply put, it was to comply with what his heart wanted.
The bishop listened quietly and answered without changing his tone, "Your choice derives from human instinct; God will not blame you.
"Go back, God will protect you."
That's good... Klein understood the hint and quietly left the Steam Cathedral.
Standing on the street outside, looking at the misty sky, he sighed silently.
I need to advance as soon as possible.
