High-End Streetwalkers

Klein had heard of Mr. Gal before while investigating the Serial Murder Case.

Because the victims of the Serial Murder Case were all, or had once been, streetwalkers, Klein had also gained some understanding of Backlund's streetwalker trade during his investigation.

Nearly every ballroom treated streetwalkers as money-making machines, with no concern whatsoever for whether they lived or died.

Some of these streetwalkers had been bought, some kidnapped. There were women from Loen and other Northern Continent countries, women from the Rorsted Archipelago, and even women from the Southern Continent.

The ballrooms were full of gang members, preventing these "assets" from escaping.

No one dared investigate those ballrooms, because doing so always implicated certain important figures, and every investigation ultimately came to nothing.

Mr. Gal was the hidden owner of the Nanmu Ballroom, and the Nanmu Ballroom was somewhat "unconventional" in the streetwalker trade. Aside from thugs maintaining order, no one there kept watch over the streetwalkers.

That was because the streetwalkers who went there had been driven to desperation and entered the trade voluntarily. The Nanmu Ballroom provided them with rooms to receive clients, protected them from extortion by gangs or the police, and even found Doctors for them when they fell ill.

In return, the streetwalkers had to hand over one-fifth of their earnings to keep the ballroom running.

Klein had been deeply impressed by Mr. Gal at the time. He felt that although the man operated in a gray industry, he still possessed the most basic conscience.

But when he saw Miss Mandy, Gal's subordinate, coming to the East District to "recruit people," he began to wonder whether the man was truly as kind as the rumors claimed. Were those streetwalkers really willing?

So Klein asked Old Kohler, "Have any of the girls who left with Miss Mandy ever come back?"

Old Kohler was slightly startled. "I haven't heard of any coming back."

Klein frowned.

But Old Kohler continued, "I heard that whenever a streetwalker catches the eye of some important figure, her whole family moves out of the East District and starts living like respectable people. I haven't heard of anyone coming back."

That was rather beyond Klein's expectations. He did not quite understand what kind of "business" the Nanmu Ballroom was actually doing.

"I've heard about Mr. Gal from a friend," Mike said then. "He's a man with quite a story. Supposedly, he always wears a silver mask, and no one has ever seen his true face.

"I also heard that after Miss Mandy selects several streetwalkers from the East District, she spends several months, sometimes even half a year, teaching them dancing, painting, music, etiquette, grammar, and so on.

"Under the influence of culture and art, these streetwalkers become elegant and refined. They generally entertain important figures who spend money without restraint.

"Once some streetwalkers have a few regular wealthy clients, Mr. Gal rents them luxurious villas, hires butlers and servants for them, and has them attend all kinds of high-end balls and social gatherings. They look just like women from high society.

"Supposedly, such streetwalkers... no, they can no longer be called streetwalkers. Supposedly, such 'professional women' can save up enough money in one or two years. Some move to other cities, while others are willing to become the mistress of some important figure."

Klein glanced at Miss Mandy again. This arrangement sounded awfully familiar!

His own values made him deeply disgusted by such "business," but faced with the circumstances of the East District, he could not really say anything.

Old Kohler adjusted his hat. "Look, that girl has seen hope again."

Sure enough, Klein saw that the nervousness and unease of the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old streetwalker had vanished, replaced by joy in her eyes.

He sadly realized that in this world, where class divisions had become severely rigid, this seemed to be the only path for women in the East District to live respectable lives.

51 Henry Street, West Borough.

Odys courteously saw Aria, who had finished today's lesson, to the door, leaving her feeling greatly flattered.

Today, she had learned how to disassemble and install an Arrow of Flames. Once she learned tomorrow how to make the corresponding Beyonder bullets, the entire course would be complete.

Odys watched Aria's carriage leave. The reason he had come out today was to observe the mysterious gaze watching the herbal shop.

Just as he had expected, the gaze that had been watching the shop followed the carriage away.

Odys curled his lips. He knew that gaze had definitely been drawn by Aria.

Aria surely could sense that gaze, which was almost openly looking in this direction, yet she had remained completely unfazed. It seemed both sides had their own plans.

Odys knew that he was merely a peripheral figure. If Bernadette had killed everyone coveting his research, the other side would at most send someone to watch him. For now, there was still no need to concern himself with that gaze.

Late at night, lush flowers suddenly sprouted outside a large warehouse in the Bridge District.

The flowers grew rapidly and soon covered the entire warehouse.

Only then did the people inside notice that something was wrong, but it was already too late. The warehouse became somewhat illusory, as though it no longer belonged to the Real World.

The flowers bloomed beautifully, and some even bore fruit. The flowers were the sweetest pastries in the world, while the purple fruits contained the finest wine in the world.

Eating just one flower was equivalent to learning the knowledge in an entire book. Eating one fruit and drinking all the wine within it was equivalent to gaining a secret or long-lost piece of mysticism knowledge.

Several Moses Ascetic Order members hiding here and handling Backlund affairs were all fanatical at the sight, rushing forward to devour the flowers and fruits.

But the moment they touched the vegetation, they seemed to fall into an illusion. It was as if they had suddenly arrived above the clouds, surrounded by strange flowers, plants, and animals, as though they were in heaven.

All of it made them stand there briefly, sweet smiles appearing on their faces.

In the Real World, numerous thorns suddenly grew from the flowers around the warehouse. The thorns grew larger and thicker, until they resembled iron swords and pierced into the bodies of those Beyonders from every direction.

They fell one after another, sweet smiles still lingering on their faces.

The flowers gradually withered, and the warehouse gradually returned to the Real World.

The next second, Aria stepped out of the illusion. After confirming that everyone here was dead, she calmly collected their Beyonder Characteristics.

Only after finishing everything did Aria cup those Characteristics in both hands and bow slightly. "Your Majesty the Queen."

The several Characteristics suddenly emitted dazzling light and vanished from her palms.

Queen Mystic Bernadette's voice came from midair. "What a pity. That Demi-God escaped."

She had thought there would be a fierce battle, but the fight had ended with ease.

Then Bernadette said in an ethereal voice, "There are still two pieces on the board that can be used. Go to Gall Herbal Shop and save Odys."

By the end, Bernadette's voice had become exceedingly distant before fading away completely.

Aria was slightly stunned. Save Odys?