The hooting of owls, mingled with the chirping of insects, echoed along the road leading from the abandoned castle to the town. Azik stared ahead, silent for a few seconds, and then said:
"Although it's not entirely certain yet, I already have some ideas."
"Perhaps, perhaps I am someone who has lived for a very, very long time."
Mr. Azik, you really should seriously consider whether you are still considered a "human being"... Klein thought to himself, but didn't dare to say it aloud.
In this desolate wilderness, in the stillness of the night, one always becomes vulnerable...
"I must have paid a price to gain such a long life, living from the end of the Fourth Epoch until now, like a ghost wandering the continent..." Azik's voice was low, as if suppressing his emotions, "I don't remember the past, I've forgotten those people and things I swore to remember..."
Klein thoughtfully pushed aside the weeds ahead with his cane and said:
"Mr. Azik, I have a guess about your situation."
"What conjecture?" Azik glanced at his companion.
"I believe your forgetting is cyclical. Perhaps every few decades you die, erasing your previous memories, and then after a certain period of time, you awaken from a dark slumber to begin a new life. Only in this way can your different dreams be explained; they are things you encountered in different lives," Klein described his speculation.
Azik's steps suddenly slowed, as if the darkness had tugged at his clothes. He stared ahead with a deep, somber gaze, and after a long while, he said:
"This matches some of the memories that I've had since been triggered by the shock."
Did the shock just now awaken some memories? Klein's heart stirred, and he blurted out:
"Mr. Azik, perhaps you don't need to leave Tingen to search for your lost past; you will gradually remember it!"
"Why?" Azik turned his head in surprise.
Klein smiled slightly and said:
"You haven't completely lost your memory; the fact that you regained some of it today after being stimulated is proof of that."
"Also, do you remember when you woke up in Backlund and found that you had forgotten everything from your past?"
Azik nodded solemnly, "This is a nightmare that has been haunting me."
Klein pointed to the black cane inlaid with silver and explained in detail:
"Before today, I didn't think there was anything wrong with this, but considering your description and my own guess, it seems a bit strange. When you wake up from a dream in a daze, you have new identification, enough money, and a way of making your entrance without startling anyone... It's all like it was arranged, allowing you to quickly integrate into society."
"And who arranged that?"
There's only one answer: your past self!
"You, from the past, have regained your memories and know that a new chapter in your life is about to begin. So you've made arrangements for everything that follows, trying your best to avoid arousing suspicion."
Azik stopped, gazing at the sparse, dim lights in the distant town, and once again fell into a long silence.
"Perhaps the 'parents' I've been searching for are my past self..." He sighed, implicitly acknowledging that Klein's reasoning was quite convincing.
"So, you don't need to do anything. Just wait patiently, and your memory will gradually return," Klein concluded, reassuring the other person.
Azik unconsciously waved his cane, and then his whole body seemed to transform into a marble statue.
After a long silence, he replied with a profound look in his eyes:
"Perhaps, perhaps, I will only fully regain my memories when my old life comes to an end. I don't want to wait that long. I want ample time to figure things out and break free from this fate. Therefore, I must actively seek out the past, stimulate myself little by little, and complete the awakening you speculated about ahead of time. Waiting will only make me repeat the previous cycle."
"This is indeed the most promising option." Klein stopped trying to dissuade him and instead said, "Mr. Azik, besides helping each other find the Criminal caused my Fate and took your child's skull, may I ask you for a favor, a very small one?"
Azik nodded slightly and said:
What do you need me to do?
Klein organized his thoughts and said, "I hope that next week, or the week after, you can go to a town around Tingen, preferably one that takes more than two hours by carriage but less than five hours, and create some supernatural events—things that won't harm anyone. Hmm, judging from the way you traced the Criminal based on bloodlines just now, you seem to be quite skilled in certain aspects of the Death realm."
"No problem." Azik agreed without hesitation, without even asking why the other party wanted to do that.
At the same time, he also tacitly acknowledged Klein's speculation about his abilities.
"Thank you. This is very important to me. Um, when you choose a target for a paranormal event, you can only choose followers of the Evernight Goddess. Also, don't leave any clues," Klein instructed.
Only in this way can the incident be transferred to the Tingen Market Nightwalker Squad. Only in this way can he join the mission team and propose using the sealed artifact "3-0782". Only in this way can he steal the divine blood power within that sealed artifact, namely the "Mutated Sun Emblem", during the shift guard duty, to create the "Sunfire Talisman"!
This is the most powerful item he can currently obtain.
With the mastermind residing in the Red Chimney House still in Tingen, Klein must do everything in his power to become stronger while conducting his own investigations!
Well, based on my knowledge, Stealing just a little power won't damage "3-0782," at most it will shorten the lifespan of its Purification effect... I'm doing this for the peace and stability of Tingen City! Klein mentally defended himself.
Azik didn't care about the other party's purpose and nodded as before:
I'll tell you the name of the town and the approximate time in advance so you can prepare.
Whew... Klein breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that his Ramde Town hadn't been in vain.
Well, although we've only lifted the outermost veil of Mr. Azik's many mysteries, and there are still many unknowns and unsolved questions, at least we've gained his friendship and found a reliable ally in dealing with the mastermind behind the scenes!
At 11:30 p. m., Klein returned to No. 2 Daffodil Street, exhausted, sleepy, and hungry.
"Mr. Azik didn't even invite me to dinner... Sigh, he's in no mood to eat right now..." Klein muttered to himself as he took out his keys and opened the door.
The house wasn't as dark as he'd expected; an elegant gas lamp quietly cast its glow, making the living room warm and bright, and giving Benson, sitting alone on the sofa, a luminous "cloak."
Seeing the door wide open, Benson, who was holding books, was about to speak when he suddenly yawned and had to cover his mouth with his hand.
Klein closed the door, and casually smiled as he mentioned:
"I went with Instructor Azik to the Ramde Town, where there is a historic abandoned castle."
Benson suddenly realized, and smiled, saying:
"A the Moon night, an ancient castle abandoned for a thousand years, a cold and eerie environment, plus an archaeological team of only two people—this is the standard opening for a supernatural story."
What happened tonight could truly be considered a paranormal event... Klein thought of the eerie door Mr. Azik had created, and the cries of babies, and said with a slight lingering fear:
"In that kind of environment, you definitely feel that way."
Benson yawned again, then closed his book and said, "I need to sleep. Ever since I started studying grammar and reading classical literature, my sleep quality has become excellent."
Klein chuckled inwardly, then suddenly remembered what Miss " Justice " had mentioned, and lowered his voice to say:
" Benson, as you know, our company has some connections with the Awwa County Police Department. I recently heard a rumor circulating in Backlund that the King, Prime Minister, ministers, and members of parliament are tired of the sluggish and inefficient government and are planning reforms, such as selecting officials to handle specific tasks through open examinations, just like university entrance exams."
Benson was initially bewildered, then his eyes lit up as he asked in return:
"The method of open examination?"
"Yes, as long as you pass the exam, you can become a government employee handling specific affairs. I guess, well, I guess the exam content will be similar to a university entrance exam: grammar, classical literature, a certain level of math and logic skills, and basic legal knowledge..." Klein took the opportunity to instill his ideas, concluding, " Benson, this matter must be kept secret, and don't have too high hopes. Nobody knows if it will be approved by the House of Lords and the House of Commons."
"I'll remember that. I understand I just need to study hard." Benson smiled and continued, "Regardless of this incident, I will study hard and strive to get out of my current situation as soon as possible and find a better job. Studying is the biggest difference between humans and curly-haired baboons."
No, scientific research shows that baboons are quite intelligent and possess a certain learning ability... Klein muttered to himself as he watched Benson head towards the second floor.
Then, he smiled, patted his deflated belly, and stepped towards the kitchen.
Finding the leftovers and the chicken Melissa had deliberately saved, Klein began preparing "dinner" with a completely relaxed attitude.
At this moment, all was quiet outside, the night was deep, and most people had already fallen asleep. The only sound nearby was him breathing in the cool air mixed with fragrance, making a slight hissing noise.
Everything was so peaceful and serene.
After eating and drinking his fill, washing the dishes, and soaking himself, Klein returned to his bedroom and locked the wooden door.
He yawned, forced himself to stay awake, drew his ritual silver dagger, and sealed the entire room with Wall of Spirituality.
He was going to ascend above the Gray Fog to Divination whether summoning the " The Fool That Doesn't Belong to This Era " was dangerous!