Klein didn't answer with "yes" or "no." Instead, he stopped walking towards his bedroom and flatly said, "That was a question."
"Right, right, a question! That was a slanderous question with no basis! Besides, I also gave a negative answer," Danitz responded with delight and had emphasized that he had never admitted to it.
Klein gently nodded his head.
"I will clarify this with your captain."
Clarify... Danitz stared, then he half opened his mouth, his expression twisted.
He was also considered a somewhat knowledgeable person, so he stopped explaining and arguing, and he forced a smile.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
Klein took a deep breath and used his Clown powers to control his facial expression.
"Monitor it well."
"Yes, alright!" Danitz quickly agreed.
Seeing Gehrman Sparrow turn around and walk to the bedroom's entrance, he couldn't help but ask, "You're not going to clarify this with Captain, right?"
Klein twisted the handle and replied expressionlessly, "Monitor it well."
After he finished speaking, he pushed open the door and entered the room. Before he could widen his mouth into a laugh, he closed the door behind him.
...
The next morning, after breakfast, Klein put on a pair of pantaloons, a thick brown jacket, and a cap. He changed his appearance and went out, leaving Danitz alone in the room to watch the radio transceiver.
Along the way, Klein changed his appearance again, making himself look more like a native.
He found a special store, bought a pair of linen gloves, a shroud, and a body bag. Then, according to the surroundings he had previously witnessed, he scanned the area around him for landmarks before finding the bridge and the girl who had died amid the mud in a corner.
As it was still winter, the weather wasn't too hot, and there were no obvious signs of decay from the corpse, but the festering skin and the stench still made Klein instinctively nauseous.
He didn't immediately come to bury the girl who wanted to live like a human being last night, due to the recent events—Bayam was under strict curfews at night, as well as the fact that the cemetery didn't open until dawn.
Pulling out a small metal bottle, Klein poured some Quelaag Oil onto his hand and rubbed it at the tip of his nose.
A choking sensation invaded his mind. The smell of peppermint mixed with disinfectant filled his olfactory senses, making him sober as if he had just fallen into a sea of floating ice. He was no longer affected by any other smells.
Putting away the metal bottle, Klein put on his gloves, took a few steps forward, and crouched next to the female corpse.
He unwrapped the shroud and began to gently move the corpse into the body bag.
Carrying the bag over his shoulder, he deliberately walked through the most bustling streets of Bayam until he reached the outskirts of the city. Along the narrow road where horse carriages couldn't pass, he scaled a mountain to its mountainside.
There was a cemetery specially prepared by the Church of Storms and the governor-general's office, for the natives.
As for foreigners, such as businessmen, adventurers, people from Loen, Intis, and Feynapotter, who had settled down here, they had their cemeteries situated on the opposite side of Bayam on a flat and soothing plain with forests backing them.
Klein climbed higher and higher and entered the unnamed cemetery, where he found the gravekeeper dozing off.
"How do you want to bury him?" The gravekeeper pointed at the body bag. "If you want to do it for free, you have to wait a few days until the corpses in the morgue accumulate to a certain amount, then they'll be cremated together and buried in the same grave. Of course, there will be priests who will do a send off for the souls of the dead in advance. 5 soli and he will have an urn and a niche he can call his own. 2 pounds, he'll get an urn and a grave with a tombstone. If you don't want him cremated, you'll need a coffin. You can pick one over there. They're priced differently based on the type of wood."
Klein thought for a moment, then he took out 5 soli in notes and handed them over.
"What's his name?" the gravekeeper counted the notes, picked up a fountain pen, and asked with a good attitude.
He didn't actually know how to write words, he just wanted to draw symbols to help him remember.
Klein paused for a second and said, "Bourdi."
"Bourdi..." the gravekeeper repeated it in a low voice and drew a symbol.
Without looking up, he continued, "She can have an epitaph on the niche."
Bourdi was a typical female name in the Rorsted Archipelago; therefore, the gravekeeper no longer mistook her gender.
Klein remained silent for a few seconds, then he said in a low voice, "She is a human being."
"She is a human being? What a strange epitaph..." the gravekeeper muttered, "Do you have a picture? I know you don't."
Before he could finish his words, he saw the other party hand over a "photo."
It was a portrait that Klein had drawn using a ritual. It perfectly reproduced the girl's looks before she fell ill. In order to not be suspected, he used the corresponding type of paper and some technique to make the portrait look like a real photograph.
The gravekeeper was surprised but didn't say anything. He quickly took the information and carried the body bag to the hut where the priests resided with Klein.
After the send off and cremation, as well as the storing of ashes into an urn, the photograph was pasted on, and an epitaph was engraved, putting an end to the entire matter. Klein took a deep look before turning around to leave the cemetery.
As he walked down the mountain path, he saw Bayam in its entirety.
The sea was pale blue, nearing the color of green. It was empty as far as the eye could see. Sails were stacked by the harbor, and the chimneys towered high. The streets were crisscrossed as people came and went. The surrounding estates were densely packed, and there was plenty of greenery. The distant public roads were wide, and the railways were straight... It was like a beautiful oil painting that was produced by a master. It was filled with vitality that was hardly describable.
...
At the top of the clock tower of the Cathedral of Waves, the Church of Storms Cardinal, high-ranking deacon of the Mandated Punishers, Jahn Kottman, stood at the edge, looking out over the refreshing sea and the mountain range that stretched out along the coastline.
The pollution in Bayam was rather low as the mining and smelting industries were located in other cities on the island. The mainstay here was the spice trade, the brothels and casinos, and the accumulation and transit of goods. It lacked a fully-formed industry, and there was a limited number of days needed for coal to be burned for heat.
As soon as Sea King Jahn Kottman retracted his gaze, he saw a Mandated Punisher running up the spiral staircase.
"Your Eminence, there's new information." The Mandated Punisher struck the left side of his chest with his right hand.
"What is it?" the well-built Jahn Kottman turned around and asked.
The Mandated Punisher handed over the piece of paper in his hand.
"News from within the Resistance. They've received a response from Kalvetua. They're in the process of creating new statues."
"New statues?" Jahn Kottman unfolded the note and skimmed through it.
He then turned his head to the interior of Blue Mountain Island, which was covered in a sea of dense forests. After a moment of thought, he said, "Search for abnormalities in the archipelago's sea area."
He was certain of one thing from the intelligence, that the mysterious person who had taken away the characteristic left by Kalvetua hadn't left the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago. This could be determined from the fact that the person could disguise himself as Kalvetua and reply to his followers.
Meanwhile, Jahn Kottman knew very well that the Beyonder characteristic left behind by Kalvetua, who had gone mad before its death, would lead to severe side effects regardless of whether or not it was reduced to a real item; therefore, it would definitely result in an abnormality in the surrounding area.
Moreover, he believed that it wouldn't be easy for the mysterious person to find a proper sealing method.
Even if he had found it, there was no way he could control the effects when responding; hence, exposing the problem.
This was the clue!
"Yes, Your Eminence, May the Storm be with you!" The Mandated Punisher bowed again.
...
After entering Bayam City, Klein dispelled his Faceless power when no one was paying attention. He returned to the Wind of Azure Inn via carriage.
As soon as he opened the door and entered, he saw Danitz sitting in front of the radio transceiver, his expression strange and grave.
"Got something?" Klein asked in a low voice.
"No, no." Danitz raised his right palm and shook the papers in his hand. "My bounty! My bounty has been raised to 5,500 pounds..."
This was almost reaching Steel Maveti's bounty!
Because of this, he didn't dare head out to drink or relax; all he could do was stay in the room and listen out for a signal.
This rate of appreciation is really tempting... For a moment Klein didn't know how to react, so he said without expression, "This is just the beginning.
"Mr. 10,000 Pounds."
... Dogsh*t! Danitz cursed inwardly, but he didn't dare to show any disrespect on his face.
All of those things were done by Gehrman Sparrow. Why did it end up increasing my bounty? Those sons of b*tches from the Church of Storms! He forced a smile and shook his head, his facial muscles twitching slightly.
Klein held back his laughter and ignored him. He went back to his bedroom to catch up on his sleep.
At this moment, he saw a letter suddenly appear, floating down from midair and landing right in front of him.
Klein raised his right hand and grabbed the letter.
The messenger didn't even show its face and just left after throwing the letter? Klein clicked his tongue, opened the letter, and read it.
"... There were two methods for obtaining a messenger. The first method is to think of an accurate description, hold a ritual, summon the corresponding spirit world creature, and make a contract with it. The second method is to directly enter the spirit world and search for a messenger that you wish to obtain. After obtaining its consent, sign a contract with it and then record down the accurate description language for later use.
"The first method is relatively simple, but it is also rather dangerous, because what fits the description might be a powerful spirit world creature or a strange evil spirit. Every time you summon it, you cannot be completely sure what you will attract, and this is a risk that is hard to divine in advance.
"The danger of the second method is that it isn't easy to find the appropriate messenger, and there's a risk of getting lost in the spirit world.
"Unless you're a Traveler; otherwise, I do not suggest the second method. For the first method, I can provide you a description that has been tested and verified. As long as the process is done accurately, the level of danger will be rather low. But it might not satisfy you. Also, the contract needs to use powers in the undead domain. You can use my copper whistle to provide for that.
"The format includes the following paragraphs...
"Of course, if you don't mind, I can transfer a messenger to you as a gift and have it sign a contract with you..."
Transfer it to me as a gift? It's no wonder that the messenger didn't even dare show its face... Klein thought in enlightenment.
Considering that he had used the previous messenger as a shield and was unfortunately finished off by Mr. A, causing the later messengers to become increasingly rude to him, he inwardly declined the offer.
Use the first or second method? The first method is prone to error. I might even summon a candidate messenger and get beaten up... A commonly used description isn't unique enough, making the messenger's strength worrying... The second method? I'm not afraid of getting lost since I'm able to instantly return above the gray fog. Furthermore, in my Spirit Body state, I can use the Sea God Scepter. The spirit world creatures aren't afraid of having their blood drained either. Yes, I have to do it outside the archipelago; otherwise, I'll be affected by the prayers. Klein quickly came to a decision.
