Klein retracted his gaze in a natural manner, held his gold-inlaid cane, and followed closely behind Haggis before entering the general's residence.
The architecture style was completely unlike those found in the Southern Continent. It didn't make any use of light manipulation to make the rooms appear dark and gloomy, nor did they boldly use some human bones as accessories to produce a strong visual impact. Instead, it was more in the style of the Northern Continent. Furthermore, there was an undeniable hint of Intis influence.
Every column was covered in segmented gold foil. The use of colors in the murals were warm, and there were sculptures embedded with gold. A beautiful spiral staircase descended from above, connecting all four stories before ending in the middle of the huge hall where it faced the entrance. It was extremely grand.
I have to say that countries led by the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun are really at the forefront when it comes to gold artwork. It doesn't have the feeling of the gaudy nouveau riche... Klein swept his gaze to the palm-sized golden angels that extended out from the staircase's railings and mid sections of the columns, holding back his urge to caress them.
Looking at the guards standing by the two sides, he casually found a topic and said to Haggis, "Colonel Alfred Hall seems to have made some significant contributions in West Balam?"
Haggis nodded and used a Loenese noble accent to say, "He's a determined and brave man. He once led a special forces team of more than thirty men to raid an Intis battalion with more than a thousand people, completely crippling them. I heard that he had also made significant contributions in East Balam; therefore, becoming a colonel before the age of thirty."
Sounds impressive... Perhaps Miss Justice's brother has already become a Beyonder with quite a significantly high Sequence... Hmm, in every aristocratic family, every generation should have some members taking the Beyonder path... Heh heh, if this Mr. Alfred finally reaches his goal of becoming a Beyonder with a relatively high Sequence and gaining the rank of brigadier general or major general through hardship, I wonder how sad would he be when he returns to Backlund to realize that he's no match for his sister's dog... Having drank his medicine before heading out today, Klein used the act of lampooning to adjust his mental state.
He didn't ask further about Alfred as he asked with a curious tone, "I realize that there are some differences in the traditions of East and West Balam. Here, in many houses, there are people with human bone decorations, but it's not present in East Balam.
"I've been here several times, but I've never been able to bring myself to get the answer to this question."
Haggis stopped and pointed to the exaggerated spiral staircase.
"Mr. Dantès, the general will be here in a few minutes."
After informing him of this, he chuckled.
"It's actually not common to see human bone traditions. Only fiefs that came under the royal family of the Balam Empire still have this tradition. To us, the death of family members doesn't mean that our relationship has come to an end. After the burial, we will take a piece of their bones and place it at home as a decoration as a way to indicate that the deceased continue being with the living.
"As for which bone to choose, it will be decided by the interring priest through a ritual. The best and most symbolic part is the skull.
"Some families will even make the skull into a vessel for drinking alcohol, using it only when entertaining the most honored guests.
"Mr. Dantès, if you close a deal this time, I wish to invite you home. I wish to offer Finis Wine in my grandfather's skull to show my respects to you."
II
11
Klein's expression nearly fell apart. He felt that he was incapable of accepting the local customs in this aspect.
He laughed and was just about to be perfunctory when he saw a figure slowly walking down the golden railings of the staircase.
The person didn't wear a hat. He was wearing a cut black military attire with shimmering gold buttons. The sash he wore was red like blood.
He had light-brown skin and a rather soft facial outline. His facial features looked scrunched up in the middle of his head, making his face appear abnormally big
Klein, who had obtained the relevant information from various channels, instantly recognized the man to be the dominant ruler of West Balam's Northern State. He was Maysanchez who declared himself as general.
On the surface, he wavered between the factions of Loen, Intis, Feynapotter, Feysac, and the Resistance, maintaining a balance, but secretly, he had received the support of the Numinous Episcopate's royal family faction.
Meanwhile, Klein suspected that this native general had established a solid working relationship with the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
As for Maysanchez's strength, be it Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina or Admiral of Stars Cattleya, he was noted to be a Sequence 5. But the two ladies didn't mention which pathway he was from, as the powers this local general exhibited were mostly related to spirits, but he carried a mystical item from the Death pathway.
"Good afternoon, Your Excellency." Klein took off his hat, pressed his hand to his chest, and bowed.
At this moment, he sensed gazes locking onto him from some unknown location. They were like lights that flashed across the golden angel figures, the sunlight reflected from the stained glass or the lustrous glow from the smooth marble.
"Hello there, Mr. Dantès," Maysanchez replied in Dutanese.
Having grasped Dutanese through his marionette, Klein naturally was able to understand him. However, in the Southern Continent, the longer he stayed in East and West Balam, the more he felt the similarities between Dutanese and ancient Feysac.
Although these two languages obviously followed different systems, making it much more difficult if he were to truly study Dutanese, certain details were shockingly similar as it was as though they shared a common heritage.
Klein could only be certain that the heritage wasn't Jotun.
Pretending as though he hadn't noticed anything, he very naturally chatted with Maysanchez until the other party raised the topic of the arms deal.
"How many goods do you have in total?"
Klein laughed and replied, "It wouldn't be a problem equipping three to four thousand people. In addition, there will be a few cannons."
Maysanchez fell silent and said, "Name your price."
Klein pretended to deliberate and said, "If you wish for me to send the goods to the Northern State, the price would be 50,000 pounds. If you send your troops to retrieve the goods with me and be responsible for the subsequent transportation and safety, it will only cost 40,000 pounds."
Maysanchez thought and said, "The latter.
"Take the down payment and go with my men. Once they see the goods and move it onto our carriages, my men will pay the rest."
He paused for a moment and then added, "However, I do not have much Loen gold pounds."
So you don't have enough foreign reserves... Klein surveyed the area and said with an unconcerned smile, "You can directly pay me in gold coins, or even gold bars or gold bricks."
Maysanchez was rather decisive. He didn't waste any time to nod and say, "Deal. I'll get Haggis to bring my men and money to you tomorrow."
Not bad. I like doing business with people who don't haggle... Klein first heaved a sigh of relief before suspecting if his price was too low.
After Klein left the general's residence, Maysanchez suddenly looked up and said to the person above, "Your Excellency Lucca, is this the person you're waiting for?"
One story above the beautiful staircase, a figure slowly appeared.
He was an elder in a white robe with inlaid brass lines. His hair was completely white and neatly combed. His pair of gray-green eyes were so deep that they appeared bottomless.
He replied with an unhurried tone, "There's no way to be certain. Although my prophecy tells me that I'll meet the person who can resolve my future predicament in the next two days here, that person was too ordinary. Besides being a Beyonder, there's nothing worth taking note of.
"Of course, I can't tell the more profound truth. He might have an existence that's at least not weaker than me behind him."
Having said that, he slowly walked down and, after a few seconds, said, "I'll attempt to use a dream to see if I can discover more."
"Do I need to prepare a special room for you?" Maysanchez asked reverently.
Lucca shook his head.
"I'll use the activity room here. Hmm... The best time will be four hours later. Don't disturb me before that happens."
He then entered the room, sat down, and leaned against the sofa. He relaxed himself, closed his eyes, and fell silent.
Only when it slowly turned dark did the old gentleman fall asleep.
In the dream, he found himself standing in the hall of the general's residence, standing at the first floor of the beautiful staircase. By the side was Maysanchez and numerous guards.
The middle-aged man named Dwayne Dantès was standing opposite him when he suddenly curled his lips into a smile, revealing an exaggerated smile.
Flames soared up as poker cards fell from above.
Lucca's green eyes instantly darkened as Dwayne Dantès's body instantly fell into a strange darkness that appeared.
The old white-robed gentleman immediately spread his arms open, revealing a dark vortex at his chest.
The vortex expanded and devoured Dwayne Dantès.
Before Lucca could confirm the situation, he felt something. He turned to the side and saw Maysanchez's face squirming and turning tall before instantly becoming another Dwayne Dantès.
Almost at the same time, Haggis and all the guards present turned into Dwayne Dantès. All of them were casting their gaze at Lucca!
Lucca was jolted awake, and under the watch of Maysanchez, who had entered at some point in time, he faltered for two seconds and said heavily, "I have to personally meet that gentleman from before and see the demigod behind him."
Before he finished his sentence, he subconsciously turned his head to look out the window.
At this moment, the street lamps lit up. It was dark outside, and the crimson moon's moonlight was strangely tainted with a bloody color.
Another Blood Moon!
Thankfully there's Mr. Fool... I must say that there are way too many Blood Moons this year... It's only been two months since the last time... I didn't even have any time to prepare! Fors who sat up, wiped her cold sweat, and muttered silently.
She had arrived at a town near Delaire Forest and had checked into a hotel. She shared a room with Xio, and they had made preparations to do some investigations of the abandoned castle early tomorrow morning. To Fors's surprise, there was a Blood Moon just as she was preparing to get some rest.
At this moment, she seemed to recall something as her body stiffly turned to the side.
Xio, who had exhorted her to sleep early, had already woken up at some point in time. She was looking at her with her eyes open.
