Klein's weekend had not gone as he had hoped. His first shift watching Chanis Gate had been disrupted by the Misfortune Cloth Puppet opening the gate from within and showing him a symbol that had since reappeared in his dreams. Other than that, it had actually been quite peaceful, but alarming his co-workers and heaping another unresolved mystery atop the pile was far from restful.
His conversation with his siblings over Sunday lunch had also been... odd.
Melissa had woken him, as agreed, but then she had stood in the doorway, studying his face with her eyes squinted in deep calculation. When he'd smiled at her quizzically, she had scoffed in disgust, before making her way downstairs, leaving him bewildered.
Benson, at least, greeted him warmly at the dining table. The budget had not allowed for meat today, but Melissa had outdone herself by taking the time to thinly slice the potatoes. They had clearly been one of the last ingredients added, as there was a crisp firmness to them that allowed them to keep their shape on the fork. Yes, when your meals lack a variety of ingredients, you must diversify your methods...
Klein was still considering his food review, savouring the sensation, when Benson pushed back from the table with a contented sigh.
"It's a shame you couldn't attend Mass with us, Klein. We ran into Miss Falkner."
"What?" Klein blinked in surprise. "How did you recognise her?" Meeting her at the Cathedral was reasonable, but his siblings should have no idea what she looked like.
"She recognised us, actually, so she decided to introduce herself," Benson explained. "If she wasn't dressed so finely, I'd have thought she had something to sell."
Klein snorted a laugh, picturing a scene where Clarice Falkner was turned away at the door by Benson, who was tapping a sign: No cold callers!
"Yes, that sounds like her," Klein turned his focus back to his food. Considering how the woman had identified him walking down Zouteland Street, that wasn't too outrageous. They did have a strong family resemblance... Klein subconsciously checked his hairline and played it off as if he had an itch. "Did you ask her about the charity fund?"
"No, it didn't come up. It was just an introduction, and she clearly had places to be."
"Ah? That makes sense. Perhaps she'll reply next week," Klein glanced up from his plate and realised that Benson once again had an expression of concern and a strange sense of disappointment. What do you expect me to do? Reform the postal service?
Melissa had been glancing at Klein for the entire meal, and now she finally levelled him with a very expectant stare. "Since it's your rest day tomorrow, do you have anything planned?"
"Just my usual visit to Khoy University to see my mentor and brush up on my knowledge. I can't afford to slack after all," Klein recalled the excuse he'd given previously, about preparing for an inspection ahead of being hired part-time by the police. "Why do you ask? Was there something you wanted to do?"
"No," Melissa dropped the topic with a flat denial and seemed inexplicably grumpy.
Benson smiled helplessly when Klein looked to him for help. Why is she so moody today... Has she gotten some strange idea in her head after meeting Clarice? Klein sighed and volunteered to wash the dishes, pestering the chef with compliments until a smile twitched onto her face.
Monday July 23
His Monday morning visit to the university had, at least, allowed him a chance to talk to Mr Azik, who had confided in him about his missing memories and confirmed that he was some kind of powerful Beyonder. The Tarot Club meeting in the afternoon had also been fruitful, as it had allowed him to read more of Emperor Roselle's diary.
After a day so thoroughly immersed in the Beyonder world, visiting the Divination Club to further his digestion would be the perfect capstone. His coin flip divination had shown today was definitely a good day to visit the club. Rest and relaxation would have to wait!
Still, he had doubted his divination when he entered the Club's meeting room and received a fierce glare from one of the other members. With only six or so people present, the animosity was incredibly obvious.
What's his problem? Klein even looked over his shoulder to confirm no one was behind him. He cast his mind back, but failed to put a name to the other man. He was certain they had not been introduced.
Klein moved to sit in his usual corner, newspaper already in hand, and Angelica soon delivered his cup of Sibe black tea. The man who had glared at him was now glowering at his own copy of the Tingen City Honest Paper. The other man who was sharing a table with Mr Evil Eye seemed bewildered by his friend's behaviour.
Klein tried to eavesdrop, but when the confused friend had asked in a low voice what was wrong, Mr Evil Eye had tersely refused to elaborate. Should I confront him? A look with his Spirit Vision only confirmed that the man was angry, with no signs of anything interfering with his state.
I could divine if he is connected to the Aurora Order or influenced by Beyonder activity later, although I highly doubt it... Ah, protecting Tingen would be easy if the culprits simply lined up to glower at me. If I tried to use dream divination, then how could I refer to him? "The man who glowered at me at the Divination Club" feels too vague...
Klein amused himself with this mental exercise and had made it halfway through his cup of tea when the friendly face of Mr Glacis arrived, alongside an ostentatiously dressed woman whom Klein had not met before.
Hearing Glacis and Madam Christina's tale of Lanevus' fraud quickly distracted Klein from the issue of a random man disliking him. By the time he returned to the lounge with Glacis, the hostile man and his friend were gone.
The thought of a reward of 10 pounds for clues to Lanevus' whereabouts was undeniably tantalising for the Seer, not to mention the 100 pounds reward for a precise location. Alas, the man had left no belongings behind...
So when Clarice Falkner arrived, over an hour after Madam Christina had departed, he was actually quite happy to see her. Perhaps her social circles overlapped with Lanevus, since he was targeting the wealthy elite of Tingen?
He greeted her as he would a friend who liked to visit during working hours: a somewhat welcome nuisance. If she had no clues, then this time he would definitely charge her for the divination!
"Miss Clarice," he smiled at her warmly as she entered the Topaz room. His brows shot up when another woman followed in behind her. She was dressed plainly, and her presence seemed to occupy less space than her body. "And this is - ?"
"My servant," Clarice clarified, sitting down in the chair. "She's very good at her job. I thought that if I could not tempt you to a restaurant, then I could at least surprise you with some tea."
"That's -"
"Don't worry, I already checked with the receptionist," Clarice smiled at him brightly, and her servant stepped forward to set a tea tray on the table, placing two cups before them and elegantly pouring into both from the teapot. He did not recognise the tea set, and could only conclude that Clarice had brought her own.
Hey, this room isn't intended for afternoon tea, you know. Really... She can be so extravagant. Klein's lips twitched helplessly as Clarice's servant curtsied and left the room, presumably to wait on one of the seats in the reception hall. As she turned to leave, he was suddenly struck by the thought that he had seen her before.
"I thought you only brought a servant for shopping trips?" He asked, struggling to place the face.
"You're my last stop," she replied brightly.
Klein looked over Clarice, finally taking in the details of her new outfit. It was a burgundy dress with a darker trim, complemented by a capelet that covered her torso and had a high collar that sat snugly under her chin.
"I was grateful for your letter," he assured her. "My reply is in the post."
"Don't worry, I received it this morning, although I haven't had time to write my reply," she waved off the comment. "There were quite a few questions, and I'm afraid I don't have all the answers prepared, so I intended to send my reply tomorrow for you and your siblings."
And my siblings...? He recalled how he had phrased the questions and nodded in understanding. "Thank you, I'm sure they will appreciate it. I hope their introductions yesterday left a good impression," Klein couldn't help the way pride bled into his smile. He was a very fortunate brother. I would also like to hear more about that exhibition on Roselle. He considered dropping a strong hint, but he did not want to unintentionally encourage a joint trip.
"The resemblance is undeniable. Your brother comported himself very well, and your sister was quite endearing."
Recalling how Benson had described the encounter, Klein had to hold in a laugh. "They were also quite impressed. Shall we get to business, then? I am afraid that I will need to charge the divination fee this time. If not for my sake, then to ensure that Miss Angelica gets her tips."
Clarice giggled, agreeing readily as she leaned back in her chair. Her eyes studied his face intently. "Are you alright?"
"What?" He was flummoxed. Where did that come from? He raised a cautious hand to his face, as if to check his cheeks still worked. He had thought he looked quite good... "Do I look ill?"
"You look tired," she clarified with a gentle voice, that hint of pity present again. "I hope you are not overworking yourself."
"No, no," he shook his head. "I assure you that I feel perfectly fine. You may be noticing the natural fatigue of a working man."
Klein reached for his cup of tea.
His hand paused.
A strange feeling had distracted him, like his intuition was telling him to pay attention. Why now? His hand drifted away from the cup, and the tingle of alarm ebbed away back to a subtle hum. A constant disquiet, keeping him on edge.
It reminded him of the feeling of being watched... It wasn't danger, but a sudden certainty that he had been placed in the crosshairs. A tickle of intent.
Klein carefully kept a smile on his face, leaning on the 'customer service face' practice that acting as a mysterious diviner had given him. Even practiced, maintaining it felt like a strain on his mind as his guts churned in anxiety.
There was something wrong with the tea.
Is Miss Clarice trying to poison me? But why? No, could it be that someone is targeting her? We're sharing a pot! Is there another faction at work here?
"Is something wrong, Klein?" She looked worried.
"The scent surprised me." If she's really the poisoner, then... "Is this a special blend?"
She smiled brightly. "Yes! Did you notice just from the tea leaves? It's supposed to be good for vitality."
I certainly believe it has an impact, he lampooned. "Wonderful, I can use this to demonstrate a divination technique." He dropped his pendant out of his sleeve and showed it to her. "The pendant divination is one of the simplest... You ask a yes or no question, and it will move clockwise or counter-clockwise."
"Oh, how cute." She giggled, clearly amused. No obvious tells, there... For a new divination fan, she's not very interested in the methodology, or she would pick up on how obviously abbreviated my explanation was. Well, that's not too strange, most people just want the results...
"This tea is good for vitality..." He murmured the statement once and repeated it six more times in his mind as he dangled the pendant over the cup. It began to steadily rotate clockwise. "Well, that's conclusive!" Not poison, then? Vitality, huh... No way...? He looked back at her face, and she was still smiling with a smug contentment.
"Won't you try some?"
"Thank you, but I drank quite a few cups before you arrived." He smiled apologetically as he stowed away the pendant with a flick of his wrist. For now - no matter what - I'm not thirsty!
"Oh, that's a shame," she sighed as she picked up her own cup and took a delicate sip. "I was told it has more health benefits for men. If I'd known then I could have gifted you the blend. What a waste..."
Does... does that count as a confession...? No, she could claim to have misunderstood a sales pitch... He kept his smile firmly in place. "Thank you for your consideration. What would you like to divine today?"
"I would like to know my love fortune. Which method would you recommend?"
Oh. Oh no. Absolutely not. Klein pinched his chin, acting as though he was seriously considering the question. He gazed at the amber liquid in his own cup and the sediment that had clearly settled at the base. "We could use tea leaf divination, since you've provided the means."
It was a form of divination that used the inquirer's spirituality to communicate with the spirit world, but was only practiced by mundane hobbyists. After all, a Beyonder with sufficient spirituality could use dream divination to see much clearer symbols and revelations.
His goal here was not to give Clarice an accurate divination. It was to get her to leave. That this method used none of his own spirituality - much like the tarot divination he had performed for her before - was just a bonus.
"It sounds cute. Do I think of the question as I drink?"
"Yes, focus on wanting to know your love fortune as you drink your tea. Swirl the dregs seven times before you finish the cup, and the final positions of the leaves will form the symbols we interpret."
Actually, you only need to focus on the questions at the end, but this way you should drink quickly...
Clarice followed his instructions amiably, steadily drinking her tea and swirling the cup before her final sips. She placed the cup down in the centre of the table, and they both leaned in to examine the leaves.
Well. That's a clump of leaves. Klein had not studied the symbols specific to the art, and so he was truly playing the role of a charlatan. "Like the Tarot cards, we can divide the cup into regions that represent different times."
Clarice shifted, unbuttoning her capelet and letting it drape over the back of the chair, revealing a low-cut dress that exposed her shoulders. She fanned herself with one hand, cheeks red from the hot tea.
For a 21st-century earthling, the impact was minimal. For a respectable lady of the Loen Kingdom, it could be considered downright salacious.
Miss Falkner, please don't do this.
He kept his eyes glued to the cup and let lies run freely from his mouth. "The majority of the leaves are in the bottom half of the cup, suggesting that your fortunes in love are in the future. They have actually formed a small mound, rather than spreading out, which we can interpret as encountering adversity. You should not expend too much effort pursuing love now, as there will be a smoother path - perhaps a better match - in the future."
"How disappointing," she sighed, chest heaving, and began to run her finger along the rim of the cup, disrupting his line of sight and drawing his gaze back to her face. "To tell you the truth, I attended Khoy University in search of a husband."
"A husband?" He stared at her blankly. "Didn't you say you were on the Law course?"
She giggled. "Yes, but that was just for fun. I spent a lot of time socialising and attending extracurriculars in order to meet more people."
Klein felt a dull pang of empathy for anyone who'd tried networking with the wealthy Clarice Falkner, unaware of her dead-end ambitions... perhaps this is why the original Klein had not remembered her?
Would Naya really have been friends with such a shallow student? I had the impression that she was very serious... This could be an example of how opposites attract.
He'd stayed quiet too long, obviously taken aback. Clarice's eyes were glimmering with mirth. "I know, it's unbecoming, but I have always been the sort of girl who dreams of marriage. So, do you have any way of telling how far off my suitor may be? Or how far away?"
"Not so precisely," he replied. His mouth felt dry. "Divination is always up to interpretation."
"I was hoping," she spoke softly with a vulnerable quiver in her voice, "that it would be soon."
Sorry, but I have no intention of changing that...
Zhou Mingrui's only attempt at romance had been met with rejection. Klein Moretti's fragmented memories didn't even have a crush. Now, for the first time in either life, it was his turn to turn someone down. It felt like icy hands were twisting his stomach into knots.
He had lowered his guard and even begun to think fondly of her, only to have her - presumably - lace his tea. Or had she been misled and fooled into the purchase? He would need to divine it once she left. If I hadn't been a Beyonder, then would I have noticed anything was wrong?
The whole situation felt absurd. That she was attempting to seduce him was now undeniable to Klein.
Recalling his previous divination, Klein spoke carefully. "Miss Clarice, take heart that these are ultimately positive signs for your future. You may not have met him yet, but it is only a matter of time." Because it's not me!
There was a flash of anger in her eyes and her mouth pursed into a moue. Slowly, her expression smoothed out into despondency.
"Klein, may I ask you a question?" She began to twirl her loose curl of hair. "One not related to the divination?"
No. "For the next few minutes, I am at your disposal," he answered smoothly, only crying out in his heart. He did not want her to realise he was rushing her out the door.
"Do you really not remember our past conversations?"
"Past conversations? Of course I do, Miss Clarice, this is only the third time we've met."
"It's not," she replied, voice quivering. "Naya introduced us last year. I know you forgot my name, but do you really not remember any of that? Back then, I answered many of the questions that you asked in your letter. I told you my father was a Baronet, and we talked about my family's business, since you recognised the Falkner name. It was a very nice conversation between the three of us."
Klein's brain stalled. Have I really forgotten so much? Wasn't it just a passing introduction?
"And graduation... do you really not remember graduation?" Her wet eyes were searching his face, scrutinizing his expression. Clarice reached out towards him, and he was stunned by the warm sensation of her gloved hands clasping around his own. "Klein, I am worried for you. If you - if you need a psychiatrist, or a doctor, then I can help -"
"Miss Clarice," he ventured shakily, wondering how this had spiralled so quickly. "I am sorry to have hurt your feelings." She was definitely trying to seduce me. There's no way I misinterpreted that... Why did she shift the topic like this? Is this some kind of reprisal, or have I really forgotten something key to her relationship with the original Klein Moretti?
To his horror, she heaved a sob, and tears began to roll down her cheeks, "I'm just so worried."
Please! I'm the one who should be crying! Annoyance surged, the heat of it dispelling the chill that had crept through his veins, and Klein took a steadying breath.
"It is very kind of you to worry for me, Miss Clarice. It is true that some memories are missing..." His mind quickly spun up a tale of half-truths, eager to end the spiral. He flexed his fingers gently, but she kept hold. "I do not like to speak of it, but I was told that it is not an uncommon trauma response. Thanks to my employer, I have already received specialist care. So - while I cannot promise that I remember all of my time at Khoy, I can at least assure you that I will not forget the present." While they may not be medical professionals, Captain Dunn and Madam Daly are still experts in their fields.
Clarice's eyes darted across his face, her lip quivering. Finally, she broke into a shuddering smile and released his hands from her grasp. "Oh, I'm blubbering. I'm sorry, this is so unbecoming of me."
She let out aAfter he had prepared dinner - another unexciting vegetable stew, as the budget decreed - Klein had promptly retreated to the privacy of his bedroom and formed a spirituality wall to seal the room before he ascended above the grey fog.
Once more, he held out the pendant over parchment. He had to consider his statements carefully. His first thought of 'Clarice Falkner added something to the tea' was too vague, and could include milk, sugar, and so on. Plus, the servant was the one who had prepared the drinks, which added a degree of separation.
He decided to start with the worst-case scenarios. Heart in his throat, he repeated his first statement seven times.
"There was poison in my tea."
As expected, it spun steadily anti-clockwise. If it had been rapid then it would have been more reassuring.
Next theory. "There was an aphrodisiac in my tea."
Rapid. Clockwise.
Shit.
Between the flirting, the tea, and the immodest dress, her goal today must have been to seduce me. With the love divination as her opening line, she retreated when I didn't drink the tea or answer as she hoped?
I'd already deduced her goal, but it still feels absurd. Did she truly understand what she was doing?
He wound up his pendulum and waved his hand, manifesting a fresh strip of goatskin parchment. On it he wrote: "the source of the aphrodisiac." He recalled the earlier scene in the Divination Club and recited the statement seven times, beginning his dream divination.
He saw the servant woman who had accompanied Clarice to the club. He still did not know her name. The woman seemed to be standing in a store, talking with the round-faced man behind the counter who was wearing a strange and elaborately embroidered robe.
"Oh, yes, your husband will be very satisfied!" The man was smiling as he held out a papered bag of ground herbs.
While he had not personally met the man, Klein was able to recognise the store -- it was number 18 Vlad Street! So it was you! Lawson Darkwill! Is this how you reward me for sending you business? Klein's lips twitched as he ended the divination.
An aphrodisiac from Lawson's... there's no way it was actual mummy powder, right? Did she add fucking mummy powder to my tea?! That's disgusting! His throat convulsed at the thought of how close he may have come to committing dusty cannibalism. Thank goodness I didn't try it.
Although if Mr Lawson was truly a Beyonder, as I suspected, then he likely replaced it with something that's actually effective... After all, a divination would not consider actual mummy powder to be 'good for vitality'. Unless he mixed the product? Urgh. That's not the important thing here.
Mr Lawson fled town two weeks ago, which was at most three days after I first met Clarice. Or reunited with her, from her point of view...
Klein drummed his fingers on the long bronze table, seriously considering his next steps.
He could no longer afford to assume the best, but he also could not rely solely on his divinations. The Secret Order's clown had taught Klein that lesson with his life, and today was yet another example. When he had divined if it was a good day to go to the Club, the coin's answer had an unambiguous yes. His visit had allowed him to learn of the Lanevus story ahead of time, and earn some extra money from divinations, but also led to his disastrous encounter with Clarice...
He had confirmed the means; now he must confirm the intent and eliminate other explanations. He wrote on the parchment: "the reason the aphrodisiac was purchased."
The dream showed him an unfamiliar room with an understated yet luxurious décor. Clarice Falkner was sitting at a desk, wearing a nightgown, face cold and posture immaculate. She scrutinized a small pocket notebook that she held with one hand while she issued instructions to the servant woman.
"Acquire an aphrodisiac, or some similar libido enhancer. Ensure there's no side effects. It must be legal, benign, and should only be effective for men." Clarice sipped from a cup of coffee, snapping closed her notebook. "Be discreet. Lawson's on Vlad Street has received particular praise, so look there first."
The servant woman bowed, and the dream dispersed.
He had anticipated that it had been purchased at Clarice's request, but... what was that? Was that the same person? His impression of the Clarice Falkner in the dream felt totally at odds with the restless woman he had been interacting with. She could have been carved from stone.
A theory he had begun to nurse after talking to Angelica came back to the front of his mind. He had once divined that his meeting with Clarice Falkner had not been due to Beyonder elements.
He flicked out his pendulum again.
"Meeting Clarice Falkner was a coincidence." This statement was a truth he had been taking for granted.
The pendulum rapidly spun anti-clockwise.
Dread had no time to gather as he doggedly pursued the truth. Every assumption was overturned.
Clarice Falkner had known that she could find him on Zouteland Street, between Blackthorn Security Company and the Shooting Club. If that was an intentional encounter, then how many of Clarice's actions had been calculated? She 'coincidentally' wandered into the Divination Club just three days after arranging their first meeting? Unlikely.
When Angelica had told him that Clarice had visited on other days, he had taken it to be part of her new interest in divination. However, her interest seemed superficial at best, and she had asked for Klein directly on the two days he was also present. She had also brought an entire tea set, utterly confident that he would be present today.
He confirmed his theory using the pendulum: "Clarice Falkner entered the Divination Club by chance." False.
For now, he would hypothesize that there was no such thing as a coincidence. When else had Clarice been mentioned?
She had told him that her mother was encouraging her to go to the Cathedral, and then she had met his siblings at Mass that same week... It was also the same week that her family began the charity fund for Melissa's school, despite Clarice claiming to be unfamiliar with Tingen Technical School when they talked at the start of the month. How long did it take to set up a charity fund? Certainly more than one week.
"Clarice Falkner arranged the Tingen Technical School charity fund." True.
How many lies had she told him? Was this all an effort to manufacture goodwill...? Is this how nobles court? A thought for later.
Leonard had also mentioned encountering her near Blackthorn. Something to do with a dropped handkerchief... An excuse to get close to one of his co-workers, only to be scared off by the poet's perceptiveness and penchant for casual interrogation?
"Clarice Falkner meeting Leonard Mitchell was a coincidence." False.
Clarice Falkner clearly had information on his movements since he had joined the Nighthawks, and there was an obvious loose end that could explain how. He had even suspected her of it before.
The private investigator, Harry Bidwell, had seemingly been hired after Klein had visited Tingen University, and the Nighthawks had concluded that he had been hired by a member of staff there. And her family provides a lot of money to the universities... It's not impossible for her to have connections there, or to grease someone's palm. Just like how the servant purchased and prepared the tea, she is keeping herself at least one step removed.
The private investigator had claimed to be investigating whether Klein was connected to the burglary. Was that the true reason he was hired, or was Clarice just looking for more information on him?
If she truly suspected I was the culprit, then there's no way she would try to court me... Right? All the reasons given to Bidwell could have been a lie to mask her true intentions.
Confirming that "Clarice Falkner is the reason I was investigated" was trivial.
Watching the pendulum spin, it was felt as though he had tugged on one loose thread only to start unravelling things he had previously felt certain of. The "what-if" scenario posed by the laced tea nagged at him again. If he hadn't become a Seer, then...
The dread was becoming more difficult to ignore. His tunnel vision on the pendulum gave him the illusion that the grey fog was roiling, and Klein took a moment to calm himself.
He had not yet followed the loose threads all the way to their end, and he was unsure how much of his headache was from stress or from draining his spirituality with back-to-back divinations.
He had spent enough time confirming the basic conjecture. Now he needed more information, and the best method was dream divination.
"The reason Clarice Falkner hired Harry Bidwell."
The dream took him back to what he assumed was Clarice's study. She was glowering at a male servant whom Klein had not seen before. "What do you mean you couldn't deliver the letter?"
"The Moretti family has moved house, Miss Falkner."
"And? Where did they go?"
"I don't know, Miss," the servant kept his back straight, a fine sheen of sweat the only sign of his anxiety.
"Useless," she clicked her tongue derisively and dismissed the servant with a wave. "Shred the letter."
Once again, the dream dispersed. She knew our previous address and was trying to get in contact with me... And her attitude with her staff is pretty awful.
Which led him to his next divination. Klein had felt a stir of familiarity when he had seen Clarice's servant at the Divination Club. The memory of a Seer held few mysteries, so he followed his intuition and performed another dream divination to recall where he had first seen her.
He was rewarded with another revelation: the servant had been the other customer in the café the day that he had met Clarice. The customer in the corner that had still been there when he had left with Leonard and Kenley...
Clarice had led him to that café without ever disclosing the presence of her servant. Was the entire café a part of her web of influence?
It seems the wealthy are able to outsource their stalking. Technically, none of this was illegal. It's not like they were breaking into his home, or even invading his privacy. The herbs added to his tea were also not considered a controlled or harmful substance. The authorities would only care about Lawson's potential Beyonder status, and the man had long since left town.
Isn't this... kind of dangerous? How did Klein Moretti even get on such an extreme person's radar? As a keyboard folklorist and veteran forum-goer, he'd seen his fair share of true crime stories playing out online and had speculated over other peoples disastrous relationships. Even so, he'd held the subconscious belief that he was 'too plain' to ever be dragged into such an incident, and Klein Moretti's face had not changed that assumption.
Focus.
One final divination, barring new leads: "The reason Clarice Falkner arranged the charity fund."
Unfortunately, the dream this time was not as clear as eavesdropping on a conversation. He saw Clarice consulting a map while jotting down notes in her pocket notebook. The vision shifted to Clarice writing a letter, forcing Klein to read over her shoulder. The text was dense, but from skim-reading he saw that it was an argument to start the fund in order to foster new talents and strengthen the family's connections to upcoming industries. It was addressed to her father.
Then the scene shifted again, changing entirely. It was no longer set in Clarice's ornate study, but it was outdoors, on the banks of the river Khoy. He could hear the clamour of a crowd, but everything was blurred beyond a certain distance from the focus of the divination: Clarice. She was standing by a table of drinks and holding out a glass of water to a tired Klein Moretti, flushed from exertion, who was accepting it with a grateful smile. The sun shone between the overcast clouds, dappling them with light.
The dream ended, and Klein was alone above the grey fog save for a pounding headache.
What was that last part? I don't remember it at all. Could that have been her first meeting with the original Klein Moretti...? Yes, come to think of it, she mentioned the rowing club when we first talked. From the crowd and drinks stand, he could deduce that she had volunteered at one of the events to help give the athletes refreshments. Possibly an event from last Summer? Ultimately, it seems Klein was her motivation. The map was likely her determining the conditions for the fund - that we still qualified after moving to Daffodil Street was a happy accident.
How do I resolve this situation? I still don't fully understand what she wants, but that might be trying to understand madness.
I cannot assume such an extreme person will simply give up if I stop replying to her. She is much more calculating than I thought, and has been presenting herself with a false face... Or, at least, reserves a very nasty face for her staff.
If I don't cut ties and fully snip this in the bud, then she may try again. If I confront her over how she hired an investigator, then surely she will have to agree that the relationship is hopeless?
If I try to do this over letter, then she will no doubt attempt to confront me in-person. I must take the initiative.
He had no idea what to expect from her. Klein heaved out a deep sigh.
He could only try.
Notes: