After dealing with the mutated glass bottle, Klein took out his gold-cased pocket watch, turned it on, glanced at it, and memorized the current time.
He must return here in three hours to separate the " Unshadowed Crucifix " and the " Bottle of Enslavement " in order to obtain the individual " Manipulator " Beyonder Characteristic, rather than a product that combines all the previous Sequence properties.
"It feels like conducting an experiment..." Klein nodded slightly, put away his pocket watch, returned to the real world, and truly began his afternoon nap.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the personal servant Enuni, under the watchful eye of the butler Walter, knocked on his employer's door.
"What is it?" Dawn Dantès, wearing pajamas and rubbing his temples, opened the bedroom door.
Enuni bowed and said:
"Sir, you accepted Madam Liana's invitation to afternoon tea the night before last, and today..."
"Alright, give me fifteen minutes to prepare," Klein said, looking at the butler Walter.
Then, he gave instructions to his personal valet Enuni:
"Come in and help me change my clothes."
Once he was alone in the room with his Marionette, Klein Manipulation the doll to fetch clothes suitable for afternoon tea, while glancing at the wall clock every now and then.
About ten minutes later, after tying his bow tie and putting on his coat, he took four steps backwards from where he stood, heading towards the Gray Fog.
At this point, exactly three hours had passed since he last entered.
The mutated glass bottle, placed at the very head of the bronze table and firmly pressed together with the " Unshadowed Crucifix " by the power of the Gray Fog, has lost its original shimmering, grid-like appearance and seems to have transformed from an artwork into a common household item found on the street.
At the bottom of the glass bottle, a large amount of grayish-white material precipitated out, flowing on its own as if it were alive, forming a heart-shaped object the size of a child's fist. It was not only wrinkled but also cracked with eye-like slits. As for the complex, three-dimensional patterns, markings, and symbols that extended into the void, they were almost identical to what Klein had seen when he obtained Herabergen Rambis's Beyonder Characteristic.
There's only a slight difference... Klein released the suppression of the Gray Fog and took the " Unshadowed Crucifix " out of the bottle.
Only after these steps are completed can the extracted material be completely separated from the mutated glass bottle, becoming whole and independent.
Klein reached out his left hand and picked up the object that resembled both a brain and a heart. He examined it for a few seconds, then tossed it into the pile of junk, where it was shrouded in Gray Fog.
At this moment, the voice sounded again from inside the mutated glass bottle, but it was quite weak:
"You, you Demon..."
Klein did not respond, but instead inserted the " Unshadowed Crucifix " he was holding in his right hand back into place, pressing it down firmly with the power of the Gray Fog.
And so, tranquility returned to the ancient palace.
Back in the real world, Klein put on a top hat, picked up a cane, and left 160 Böklund Street in a carriage, heading to Senator Macht's residence at number 39 in the same block.
In the elegantly furnished living room of Congressman Macht, several guests sat around a delicate three-tiered tray, each with a cup of alluring black tea in front of them.
Klein took a slice of cucumber sandwich, took a small bite, and half-jokingly, half-revealed his true feelings:
"The desserts today all seem to have very unique designs, whether it's the carrot cake or the cream muffins."
Upon hearing this, Representative Macht laughed heartily and said:
" Dawn, your observation skills are really sharp."
This has nothing to do with observation skills. Anyone with eyes can see it; it's strangely shaped... Klein muttered to himself before continuing:
"That sounds like a good thing."
"Of course, this was made by Hibbert herself. You can try it later. Although she can't quite control the shape yet, it tastes really good," said Councilor Macht with a hint of pride.
On the other side, Portland Moment, the president of Backlund University of Technology, immediately laughed:
"This isn't like the Hibbert I know."
Congressman Macht glanced at Madam Liana and said with satisfaction:
Everyone grows up, doesn't they?
" Hibbert has really matured lately. She's not only willing to take those courses she used to resist, preparing for social life and marriage, and occasionally make us some snacks and play a piece of music, but she also often voluntarily accompanies her mother to concerts, horse races, and department stores, and quietly listens at various salons and banquets."
According to Miss " Justice," Hibbert's treatment has progressed to the point where she can recall the immense shock and pain she suffered. Although it's just a direct emotional experience without detailing the events, it's enough to make Hibbert dream from time to time that she has lost her parents and most of her relatives... This has made her unconsciously begin to cherish her family, and to some extent, it has changed her. Klein nodded thoughtfully and smiled.
"This is a good thing."
"Yes," Congressman Macht replied with deep feeling. "I was very worried about Hibbert's personality, worried that she wouldn't be able to have a good marriage, wouldn't be able to interact normally with people in this circle, and that after we're gone, when she encounters difficulties, she won't find anyone to help her. Now, I can finally rest assured."
Representative Macht smiled sincerely and, unusually, revealed his past concerns.
He then raised his arm, waved it lightly, and said with great gusto:
"Why should I fight against this damn smog and pollution? Why should we fight for colonial interests with Feysac in East Balam and Intis in West Balam? Isn't it all so that our descendants can live better lives with less trouble?"
" Hibbert's maturity is more meaningful to me than the achievements he made in East Balam or the struggles he waged in the House of Commons."
Klein listened quietly to Congressman Macht's account, and couldn't help but glance out the window.
The sky outside was overcast, and the Sun was nowhere to be seen.
At this point, Portland Moment responded to Senator Macht in a half-joking manner:
"No, those things were also to make our own lives better."
At this point, he looked at Klein and said:
" Dawn, have you made up your mind? Do you want to invest in my mechanical laboratory?"
Klein chuckled and said:
"Sir Principal, why are you still so impatient, like a young person?"
"I've reviewed the materials you provided and have a general idea of the benefits and returns from the investment. Frankly, I'm very interested and extremely satisfied that this mechanical laboratory can provide valuable training for talented young people. This is precisely where the investment should be made. What's most valuable in this era? Talent!"
"That's what Emperor Roselle said," Portland Moment chuckled. "So, how much are you planning to invest?"
Klein picked up his bone china teacup, took a sip of red tea, and said:
The initial plan is £10,000.
"No wonder you're the most famous tycoon in Backlund recently. I can't even guess how much wealth you have. First, you donated shares worth tens of thousands of pounds, then you spent 20,000 gold pounds to buy the Megro Manor, and now you're investing a full 10,000 pounds in a mechanical laboratory in Portland..." Madam Liana couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Portland Moment gave a thumbs up:
"This is a truly insightful investor."
Klein smiled and said:
"But I'll still first find a team of Lawyer and accountants to verify the situation and draft the terms. Professional matters should be left to professionals. Also, I need to consider whether to invest directly or first set up a company or fund to complete the transaction. Hmm, Portland, I think you've overlooked something. Such an important laboratory has no security measures! Aren't you afraid of corporate espionage or foreign infiltration and sabotage?"
Portland Moment paused for a moment, then slowly nodded and said:
"That makes a lot of sense... I had overlooked this issue before."
Having achieved his goal, Klein stopped dwelling on the topic and instead deliberately asked:
"Is there still no news from Major General Qonas Kilgor?"
Congressman Macht sighed and said:
"No, the people at the Sivellaus Yard said they've searched the entire Megro Manor and surrounding area, but haven't found a single clue."
As he spoke, the member of the lower house lowered his voice:
"I suspect that the major general encountered an accident during some secret mission; the atmosphere upstairs has been a bit strange lately..."
In a sense, you guessed everything... Klein sighed in agreement.
"I hope nothing really happens."
During the afternoon tea that followed, Klein made good use of his time, went to the restroom, and placed the " Dreamwalker " Beyonder Characteristic extracted from the mutated bottle into the pile of miscellaneous items.
By the time the party ended and he returned to 160 Böklund Street, it was truly dark, the gas streetlights along the road had been turned on ahead of time, and a light drizzle was pattering against the car window.
"Now all the questions are focused on what the ' Blood Emperor ' ruins are hiding. As long as the three major churches can discover the problem in time, they can prevent many things from erupting." Klein looked at the lights outside the window, which were blurred by the rain, and thought about the recent situation. "In the short term, unless we can capture Katarina, I can't help much. And the Goddess is digesting or mastering the Uniqueness of ' Death ' and may not be able to make that level of response."
"To solve this problem, we either need to bring in targeted '0' level Sealed Artifact from the Holy Cathedral, or rely on the Storm or Church of Steam and see which of those two true gods will respond... '0' level Sealed Artifact might not be enough, after all, it involves the Angel King, and there's a high possibility that there are traitors hiding within the two major churches..."
The distance from 39 to 160 Böklund Street wasn't far. Before Klein could even process what was happening, he was already back at his doorstep and had to get out of the carriage.
As he went to the third floor to change his clothes, he was suddenly struck by Spirit Intuition and saw Reinette Tinekerr walking out of the void carrying four blonde, red-eyed heads.
" Sharron's?" Klein guessed and took the letter.
"Yes..." one of the heads Reinette Tinekerr was holding responded by opening its mouth.
Klein said nothing more, opened the envelope, unfolded the paper, and saw only one line of words:
"The operation will take place at 10 PM tonight."