Quelaag Club.
Wearing a beard and a detective's attire, Klein walked steadily toward the club's main entrance. Mike Joseph was already waiting there. When he saw Klein, he spread his arms warmly in greeting. "Long time no see, Sherlock!"
"So, I heard you're a member of the Quelaag Club now?"
Yes, though the circumstances of my joining weren't exactly glorious-I helped someone resolve an affair. Klein adjusted his hat and said evenly, "Yes. Mike, I hadn't expected you to be a member of this club either."
"Then our meeting really must have been arranged by fate-"
Mike sighed with feeling, but that single remark gave Klein goosebumps.
Please don't mention "arrangements" to me! Klein now had a considerable degree of PTSD over that word. Still, he kept his expression well under control and responded politely to Mike, "Why don't we go inside first?"
"Sure," Mike said simply. "Actually, there's something I'd like to commission you to do today."
I guessed as much. Following Mike into the club, Klein asked, "Do you have another investigation to carry out?"
"No, no, no. I'm not planning to go to the East Borough this time." There was a trace of lingering fear on Mike's face. "Something major happened there recently, exposing several groups of Evil God Followers. The churches are screening the area little by little now. Lord! I had no idea I'd ventured into such a dangerous place."
Klein and Mike entered the buffet restaurant. Since it was getting late, they took some food, intending to talk over their meal.
"Tell me about your commission." Carefully cutting the lobster meat before him, Klein casually prompted Mike.
"Well-strictly speaking, it's a problem a friend of mine is having," Mike replied. "He's descended from nobility, and an important person he knows has run into some