15 Minsk Street
Wiping the forming beads of tears from his eyes, Klein laid down on the bed as the thin streaks of Crimson Moonlight intruded through the semi-thick curtains.
'On a second thought, I should advise him about the drawbacks of the Potion as well. Whatever I said was true, I did withhold a lot of information about the Assassin Pathway, and the Seer Pathway as well.'
'While I do not know what kind of human he was in the past, or what his future plans and agendas might be, one can't help but be cautious. Since there are limited characteristics, I would not want to be on opposing ends with The Emperor.'
Klein's lips twitched and he looked at the plain ceiling.
'I wonder what Emperor Roselle's reaction would be to him choosing The Emperor card.'
'Then again, I suppose it would be nothing, since there were many who had the name Emperor attached next to their names. I will advise The Emperor to not choose Assassin Pathway tomorrow. I do not want a joke to turn into enmity.'
'That said, if I had to guess, he is in Backlund as well. Should I find him? He is still weak, and he doesn't have the right power to resist me. Should I nip a potential problem right before it becomes big? Or should I give him some room to show his true colors and then strike?'
'This is a problem since he has some level of authority over the Gray Fog. And he immediately saw through the fact that I was pretending. Coupling that with him and me reading Chinese at the same time, it could spell a lot of problems.'
'Or maybe I am being too paranoid about it. Yes, I can observe him and at the same time know a lot of times when he is acting clueless or acting knowledgeable. It is not like I am the only one who is in jeopardy.'
'Wait...I totally forgot to ask him if he had done something before he got transmigrated. Kind of like how I had done the Luck Enhancement Ritual. Did he do something familiar? He had to...there should be a viable reason for our transmigrations.'
Klein sighed and looked to the side. The advance received from the commission of Ian Wright was on his side table. Recalling the scene from his divination, he recalled the scene.
His mentor was dead, and his corpse was infested with rats. An average looking man with blonde hair and blue eyes had stopped to look at it and then he had escaped in a hurried manner from there.
'I might have gotten myself involved in something big. I should take measures as soon as possible.' Klein thought before stuffing his face inside the pillow and falling asleep.
******
Iron Gate Street, East Borough
Kiyotaka woke up the next morning and repeated his routine. He did some push-ups, crunches and attempted to do a pull-up again, however, he failed. After that, he ran for around 3 kilometres before collapsing.
Then once he was inside his flat, he removed all bullets from the revolver and practiced quick-drawing and shooting. He had drawn curtains over the small window, so he won't be taken as an eccentric junkie. He visualised different scenes and imagined how he could quickly withdraw his revolver.
He practiced it by tucking the revolver inside his pants, inside his pockets, hidden underneath the pants and tucked inside his shoe as well as while holding multiple things.
Once he was satisfied, he loaded the revolver fully and hid it inside his bag alongside the small serving of alcohol.
For some reason, he felt like practicing shooting today would be a good idea.
Once his daily routine of pushing his body was done, he took a bath. The shared bath did not have a long line today and he got to his turn fairly quickly. After that he changed into his work clothes, combed his hair back and picked his bag carrying a pen, a sheet of paper and a revolver up to appear sophisticated.
Casting one last look at himself, he carefully placed the half top hat over his head. Since there was still quite a bit of time for his work, he walked leisurely. On the way to the Security Company, he picked up a Desi pie and gobbled it down like a hungry goblin, washing it down with some black coffee.
The half-full bottle of alcohol was now inside his office bag after Daly's last remark. He did not completely leave it at home, since it was basically his "medicine." However, he could feel his dependence dying down with the passage of time, no matter how little it was.
While he was walking to the office, he saw a bronze-skinned woman who looked just like a little girl. It was none other than Xio Derecha. She casted a look at Wiliams from head to toe and then pursed her lips. "Good morning, Williams."
"Good morning, Xio." Kiyotaka tipped his hat.
"You have totally changed, you know that?" Xio remarked with slightly wide eyes. However, there was no suspicion in them. Her eyes looked as if they had warmth and some degree of...relief in them.
'Is this what one would consider an older sister or a mother figure? Well, we are about the same age, so not literally, but she does tend to Williams as one would to their own kin. Is it because of her feeling gratified to me since I helped her when she was on the loose?'
Kiyotaka nodded his head. "For the better."
"For the better." Xio reiterated with a smile that she rarely showed out in public. After about 2 seconds, her expressions hardened. "Ah yes, your work is done."
'That fast?'
"I talked to Mr. A about you and he agreed to let you in. I and Mr. Glaint vouched for you. After you are done with your work, meet me in Bravehearts bar. Oh sorry, do you have time?"
'She is quite considerate.'
"Yes, I do."
"That is good then. Because we will have to take a carriage to Empress Borough. Mr. Glaint is there and one of my acquaintances has also informed me of something. She had a commission for me. So, you can get to know Mr. Glaint while I can handle business there. If you wish to, although I don't want you to, you can also help me with the commission if the commission prize interests you." Xio laid out her plan. "Of course, if you are going to go through the plan, you have to be on time."
"I will be on time." He replied solemnly.
"I would not have dragged you along unless it was important. You need to be a little familiar with the ones recommending you. Or else it would've been quite dubitable. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I do." Kiyotaka replied like clockwork.
Hearing him obediently reply, Xio nodded her head and folded her arms scrupulously. "Ok then, have a good day, Williams. Don't forget to eat something."
"Good day to you too. Thanks for caring."
Once Xio was gone, Williams placed a hand on his heart.
'She talks a lot.'
**********
He worked until the final hour and then packed his things. He walked with a slow stride and was in no particular hurry to arrive at the bar. Instead, he took a few rights and lefts until he was quite deep inside the slums of East Borough.
He brought his bag up to his chest as he walked over to the spot he had passed the other day and stopped. He saw a man, who was a little bit shorter than him, bent over the rotting corpse. After a while of standing there, he walked away before retrieving something from the corpse.
Once the man with a double-breasted frock coat was gone, Williams walked over. Suddenly, the ground underneath him lurched and his foot almost went inside the gutter.
Despite the sluggish thoughts, Kiyotaka's body reacted in a reflex, and he suddenly stepped to the side, avoiding the fall. He cautiously looked around.
Someone had laid a small trap!
Kiyotaka held the bag close to himself, as if guarding something precious. Then suddenly, someone leapt from behind him. Kiyotaka barely had any time to react as a fist drove into his sternum.
With his body caved in, a sharp pain spread through his ribs like cracked glass.
However, just as he had practiced this morning, Kiyotaka reached out for the inside of the bag and pulled out his revolver with an astonishing speed. This would've been impossible, but the rigorous exercise of drawing gun again and again had allowed him to react in time.
The man saw this and stepped back, but when he had punched Williams, Kiyotaka had slightly nudged his body in a way that positioned the man right ahead of the gutter.
As the man tried to step away, his leg somehow snagged in the trap's edge as the uneven ground buckled under him.
He stumbled but didn't fall completely as his strong frame twisted with surprising agility, and he lunged forward again, grabbing Kiyotaka's wrist to wrench the revolver away.
Kiyotaka felt his fingers wrap around his wrist. It felt like burning-cold metal.
As if his brain had entered an instant fight-or-flight response, many thoughts flashed inside Kiyotaka's mind. At the same time Williams feinted a pull-back with his arm, drawing the man closer, then used his free hand to jab sharply at the attacker's throat.
The man, of course, saw it coming and yanked his head to the side and then tried to headbutt Kiyotaka.
However, Kiyotaka had already seen through his attack pattern!
Anticipating a headbutt in this deadlock position, his legs had already sprung up and his knee was travelling up.
The head collided with the knee and a white-hot pain erupted all over Kiyotaka's body. It made the attacker disorient a little, but it did more damage to Kiyotaka's knee.
Kiyotaka yanked free, pivoted on his heel and was about to deliver a round-house kick when the man suddenly boxed in. The sudden movement caused his leg to sink fully into the gutter.
The man had somehow fallen in his own simple trap!
Before he had time to curse himself, the cold metal pipe drilled through his teeth, breaking them as Kiyotaka pulled the trigger. Blood gushed out of his throat as Kiyotaka withdrew his revolver, however, the man seemed to be not satisfied.
With his throat blown off and pieces of teeth sticking all inside his mouth, the attacker yanked his leg free and was about to bolt forward when the gun's barrel glinted and he found it placed between his eyes.
Williams' downturn lips were painted with several blotches of blood.
The attacker's brain was still midair as Kiyotaka withdrew the revolver and hid it inside his bag.
Only when the attacker slumped miserably to the ground did Kiyotaka wipe the blood off his face with his palm.
'That was dangerous. Why did he attack me? How did he fall in his own trap? Is he a rookie assassin?'
Kiyotaka thought as he put his revolver back into the bag.
Meanwhile, on the floor, the attacker twitched thrice before finally dying. He was thin and hardy and his skin was a dark shade. His eyes were much more recessed than the typical Loenese citizen.
Kiyotaka searched the man's body, but he had no weapons on him. Only a wallet that had 5 £1 notes in them.
'Spoils of war, I suppose.'
He quickly pocketed them, which increased his wealth to £8.
'Hmm, from the looks of it, it seems like he was observing the scene. But if he found me spying on the scene as well, wouldn't it make sense to knock me out and then interrogate me later...'
Suddenly, Kiyotaka realized something.
'With his physicality, it was possible to catch me. So, he wasn't trying to kill me. Alas, I could have gained some information from him if I had not killed him. However, if a person is attacking someone like this, without any explanation or initial confrontation first, it usually means there is no room for talks.'
As Kiyotaka was talking, something started to form over the man. It was an amoeba shaped object. It was incorporeal at first, but before long it materialized into a crimson object that resembled a jelly-like substance.
Kiyotaka bent down and picked it up. Its surface was incredibly slippery and lightweight. Mushing it between his fingers, Kiyotaka felt that it possessed a unique texture and elasticity while being as smooth as glass.
As he heard footsteps of people running over, an inexplicable feeling of irritation, arrogance and hostility invaded Kiyotaka's mind. His head started to pound, and red lines streaked through the white of his eyes.
The urge to take his revolver out and kill every single source of footsteps made his hand and brows twitch.
'This...'
Kiyotaka immediately placed the jelly-like substance inside his bag and ran away.
While he was running and the smog filled air entered his lungs, he coughed and the feeling of wanting to commit homicide also vanished. As he was running away, he looked down at his clothes.
Sigh...I suppose I have to buy some detergents and fabric soap to wipe the stains off my coat...
Hmmm, should I ask The Fool about it? But if he is in Backlund, and somehow investigations tie back to me, he would know of my identity. But that said, there are literally zero witnesses for the event...which is odd in itself but works for me at the moment.
Hmmm, I suppose I have to bring up the matter myself and somehow extricate myself of any kind of doubts and allegations that The Fool might have regarding this little scuffle. Yes, let's do that.
*********
Bravehearts Bar
After buying detergents and an expensive soap bar used by nobles to get rid of stubborn stains, Kiyotaka spent around an hour inside the common washroom, scrubbing and wiping the blood stains over his shirt while leaving his long coat at a laundry. Since it was much more expensive than the shirt, he decided not to take any chances.
On the way home, he had bought a white colored shirt for his meeting with Xio and for work tomorrow. He paired it with a cheap coat as well which cost him £2. All in all, his £8 were now reduced to £6.
Not letting it affect his mood; he then departed for the meeting place and arrived 10 minutes earlier than the intended time. While waiting for Xio, he ordered a serving of Half-and-Half and only drank about half of it before pushing it away.
After about 3 or so minutes, Xio finally entered the bar. There was an aura of intimidation around her and as she walked, people instinctively jumped to the side in fright. Following her close by was the author of Stormwind Villa: Fors Wall.
She looked ordinary, however, Kiyotaka believed that she had her own charm. She was wearing a mustard-colored top with a soft overlay and semi-detailed lace on the sleeves and hem. The blouse had a ruffled, high-neck design with a green ribbon tied into a bow at the collar.
The front of the blouse that had pleats and button closures fitted tightly around her somewhat modest chest.
The lower half of the outfit was what average, middle-class girls of Loen used to wear, consisting of a high-waisted, tan skirt with a corset-like belt that cinched tightly at her thin waist. All in all, while her facial features were not exactly out of the world, she had an undeniable feminine beauty.
On the other hand, Xio was dressed in new clothes. She was wearing a crisp white, long-sleeved blouse that was layered under a dark vest paired with tight-fitting black leather pants, finished with sturdy brown boots. The vest was tightened straight over her chest.
Her usually rough, short blonde hair was combed properly, and it framed her face in a way that gave her some kind of juvenile charm. Her eyes were darted here and there a few times before locking on Williams.
She dresses like a man. But I suppose it works for her. I can't judge her either...I am dressed like a tram pretending to be a gentleman.
Kiyotaka pasquinaded.
"Good evening, Xio." Kiyotaka greeted by getting off the long stool. Then he turned to the taller girl. "Good evening, Miss Fors."
"Good evening, Williams." Xio replied back, but her tone stayed flat, and she seemed to not want to sit down.
"Good evening." Fors pursed her lips and then looked away, her tone subdued.
Is she hesitant to approach or talk much to me because I reek of debauchery?
I mean, that could make sense. Roxanne has the same reaction. While Daly used to be the same, recently she has started to act more friendly and has shed the thought of me being a deranged junkie who would pounce on a woman under the influence.
It doesn't help since Williams isn't exactly what you would call a "handsome" human being. The face has no symmetry. Sigh...
If I had informed my previous self that I am lamenting my looks, it would most certainly make the past "me" believe I am not him. One remains ignorant to one's belongings until it's gone, no matter how little or unnoticeable they are.
I might've said it doesn't matter, but looking ugly on top of being unapproachable makes it hard to form alliances or naturally reel other people in. Perhaps if I eat well and exercise daily, I can deal with a few things, such as the weird symmetry of my face that can be somewhat cured after I am healthy enough.
The same can be said for my posture and my oddly persistent alcohol dependency.
But those things are well into the future. As for now, I should just focus on the different pathway, or well, whatever pathway I can get my hands on and then decide which one to go forward with. But seeing how little ordinary people know of it, the potion formulas are really sparse.
Or the churches are keeping it hidden really deep under the carpet.
That should align with what The Fool had said.
"Willaims? Are you ok?" Xio asked, snapping Kiyotaka out of his thoughts.
"Yes. I am. Should we go?"
"Yes. The sooner the better."
Kiyotaka nodded, and soon the three found themselves in front of a giant estate. Once they were through the giant gates, Kiyotaka saw two people arrive. Both of them were riding horses and a plethora of servants followed behind.
The one on the horse to the right stopped the other guards and servants to stay behind as the two figures of nobility jumped down. It was a man and a girl.
The man, despite having noble air around him, was insignificant in all its splendor. Be it because he was skinny and had no redeeming features, or because the girl beside him was so otherworldly beautiful that it made him dull.
Kiyotaka had only one thought when he saw the girl and that was that he had never seen a human of the opposite sex as beautiful as her.
She had a picture-perfect beauty, the kind of beauty people had only in fictional stories or in depictions of "beauty above all" in paintings, made by several artisans over the span of centuries.
The girl had long blonde hair, a shade that Kiyotaka had never seen before. He realized it was likely because of an extremely good hair care routine and using expensive products. However, he did admit that it was a unique trait as well, since even in the 2020s where humanity had progressed so much, no one had hair as silky and beautifully golden as hers.
Her eyes were like the highest quality emeralds.
"That is Miss Audrey Hall. She is 17." Xio whispered.
The last part was unnecessary.
As the girl and the man approached the trio, Xio and Fors dipped their heads a bit more than the usual curtsy.
Meanwhile the man in front of them did the least required to be considered polite while the girl made a gesture that one would make while wearing a skirt and slightly put one leg behind the other without dipping her head. "Good evening, Xio. Fors."
Her beautiful gaze swept over to Williams, who was the only one amidst the trio who had straightened his back after showing minimal possible gesture of respect.
"Williams."
Audrey pursed her lips, smiled faintly and then removed the smile from her face. "Good evening."
She then pried her eyes away from him and started to converse with Xio and Fors before he could reply.
"Williams. Ah yes, you're the one Xio made me give recommendation for. Nice to finally meet you." Viscount Glaint offered a hand which Kiyotaka took and shook it with slightly less force than Glaint's.
"It is good to finally meet you, Sir Viscount. I am really thankful for your recommendation."
Glaint patted his back. "Do not worry about it. Xio has enabled me to attend the gatherings and has enabled me to pursue my passion. This is the least I could have done for her savior."
The way he talks is soft and calm. The kind of calm that comes by being content with life and not having to worry about putting bread on the table.
Kiyotaka's thoughts wandered adrift as Glaint continued to talk about his passion for everything related to Beyonders. Meanwhile, Kiyotaka looked back, his blue eyes lustrous as his brows arched a little.
'Do I know her?
Hmm, most likely no. It would be quite funny if she was Miss Justice though.
Her silhouette does match Miss Justice's but well, there might be many noble girls out there who have golden hair and green eyes.
That begs the question, how come I can see more of The Fool than the other members? There is some kind of inconsistency in all of this.'
Kiyotaka ruminated before involving himself in conversation with Glaint. He tried to keep his tone as respectful as possible, while at the same time he was not acting too naive to not give wrong impressions.
"Have you thought about a Pathway? Usually, people attend these Beyonder gatherings to gain Beyonder ingredients, Beyonder weapons or intel." He then paused and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, that would be rude to ask. But well, I am trying to search for a formula for Sequence 9: Apothecary. To me good health is above all. I do not need to involve myself in fights or anything related to violence."
Even if you are passive, a person of your stature is bound to fall into conspiracies or some kind of violence, sooner or later. Won't it make sense to pick a pathway that can cover both? Or a Pathway like that is non-existent?
"Not as of now." Kiyotaka replied.
I have been considering Assassin Pathway, but I am not sure if I should fully trust The Fool. While black magic and other things that he mentioned do sound useful, I cannot find a reason to actually want to pick it.
Corpse Collector is a good pathway as well, however, that too relies on Spirits. Once that is overruled or neutralized by a high-Sequence Beyonder, it would be useless.
Sleepless is good, but that too, relies on dreams by Sequence 7. It won't be possible to do anything if the other party has a strong psyche.
Wait, he mentioned Beyonder weapons.
"Can you tell me a little about the Beyonder weapons?"
"Ah yes, Beyonder weapons are also called Mystical Items. But to be honest, the items sold there are not restricted to just that. There is also a distinction between Mystical Items and Beyonder Weapons. I am not sure what though."
"They also sell Amulets, Charms, Medicine and so much more."
"You can also find some artisans there who can forge Beyonder weapons for you, if you give them the right ingredients."
"I see. Thanks a lot."
After about 15 more minutes of small talk, it was finally time to leave.
Glaint was surprised that Williams was working as a Royal Chartered Accountant for a security company and promised him that he would definitely refer him if a high-profile client wanted to file their taxes or just in general required a business valuation.
Once Xio, Fors and Williams were inside the carriage, Xio folded her hands and looked at Kiyotaka. "There is a secret meeting tomorrow. Do you wish to join?"
Kiyotaka leaned back into his seat.
A wave of frustration washed over him, and he adjusted his inside pocket that had the jelly-like substance from touching him. "I will try my best... but I can't be certain."
Truth of the matter was, he wanted to go there alone.