Much like when Angel arrived in Backlund three months ago, the busy platform was shrouded in thick fog, a mixture of steam expelled by the locomotives and Backlund's own smog. Compared with before, however, there was a little less of that pungent smell.
"Because of the worker shortage, half the factories in the East Borough have already shut down, and the Docklands are about the same. Compared to the Environmental Protection Act that still hasn't passed, this is the quickest 'solution' for eliminating the smog."
Klein stayed close to Angel as they walked toward the steam train stopped at the platform, speaking in a low voice. His short black hair was neatly combed to one side, and he still wore those gold-rimmed glasses. However, he had used the Faceless's abilities to alter the details of his face. His cheeks were leaner, his features sharper, and the beard he had grown over the past few months had completely vanished, restoring his youthful, vigorous appearance from his early twenties.
"But they raised the wages, even to twice the minimum pay required by the newly signed act. Look, plenty of workers from nearby cities have already come to Backlund. Within a week, all the factories will be running again."
Angel had not known much about such matters before, but Mr. Hanged Man had "educated" her at the Tarot Club a few days earlier. With a companion beside her who was quite interested in current affairs, she had picked up quite a bit of recent news.
The steam train they planned to take had entered Backlund from the north and would continue south until it stopped at Pritz Harbor, their first stop in "escaping Backlund."
Once the train came to a halt and its doors opened, a dark mass of people poured out of