After climbing the stairs and returning to the reception hall, Klein was just about to say goodbye to Rozanne when he heard the brown-haired girl say brightly:
"The captain said to come back on Monday. Take care of things at home first."
"...All right." Klein had not expected the Nighthawks team to be so considerate in its management, and he felt rather grateful.
He had originally planned to get up early tomorrow and take advantage of his morning spent outside doing his job of "wandering around" to visit Tingen University. He would find the faculty member responsible for receiving interview candidates and tell him that he would not be participating in the subsequent stages. After all, the original owner of his body had secured the interview with his mentor's recommendation letter. Whatever the circumstances, following through and providing an explanation was basic courtesy. Even if he did not consider his own interests, he had to respect the favor his mentor had done him.
And with no telephone, telegrams charged by the letter, and clearly not enough time to send a letter, taking a public carriage there was the most economical and suitable option.
Now that he had the captain's special approval, Klein did not need to tire himself out so much. He could get enough sleep and head over at his leisure.
Klein was just about to take off his hat and say goodbye when something occurred to him. He looked around and lowered his voice:
"Rozanne, do you know what the starting point of the complete sequence the Church possesses is?"
This was something he had forgotten to ask Old Neil earlier.
Rozanne's eyes widened as she looked at Klein in surprise:
"You want to become a Beyonder?"
Was I that obvious? Klein touched the corner of his mouth and answered with some embarrassment:
"After learning that supernatural, mysterious powers really do exist in this world, it's hard not to feel a little drawn to them."
"My Goddess, do you know how dangerous that is? Didn't the captain tell you? A Beyonder's enemies aren't just cultists and dark sorcerers, but themselves as well! Almost every year, someone loses control, and someone dies in the line of duty! Have you considered how your family would feel?" Rozanne reinforced her words with gestures, her reaction somewhat excessive. "Klein, I think sticking to clerical work is a better choice. There's hardly any danger, and your salary increases every year. After working for a few years and saving up, you can rent a detached house in the North Borough or somewhere near the outskirts, start a happy family with a charming young lady, and have adorable, mischievous little angels..."
"Rozanne, stop! Hold on!" Seeing the brown-haired girl stray further and further from the subject, Klein hurriedly interrupted, sweat breaking out on his forehead. "For now, I only want to, to, um, yes, learn the basics."
"All right..." Rozanne fell silent for a few seconds, then lowered her eyes and said rather sheepishly, "Because of what happened to my father, I always get, well, you understand, a little worked up about things like this. But honestly, I have nothing but admiration for every gentleman and lady who volunteers to become a Nighthawk."
"I understand, I understand," Klein hurriedly agreed.
Rozanne blinked her light brown eyes and added:
"My father once said that you shouldn't think becoming stronger and becoming a Beyonder of a higher sequence will let you resolve the hidden dangers and withstand the risks. In fact, it's just the opposite. You'll encounter increasingly terrifying things. When you run into certain unknown, horrifying beings, madness and death are the only two possible outcomes. Heh, he died in the line of duty the week after he said that... Klein, don't look at me with pity. I'm doing very well now, really well! You ought to be frightened by these things instead!"
"I only wanted to learn the basics..." Klein repeated his earlier answer, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
The captain explained it more clearly and thoroughly than you did, and even without becoming a Beyonder, I've already encountered something extraordinary...
"All right." Rozanne looked thoughtful. "I've heard both the captain and Old Neil say that because supernatural species have dwindled and died out, high-sequence powerhouses are almost nonexistent in this day and age. Just becoming a Beyonder already makes you very, very impressive! Tingen City and its outskirts have several hundred thousand people, probably, perhaps more, but there are only thirty-odd Beyonders. Um, that's my guess... Um, I wasn't counting the cultists and dark sorcerers living in dark corners..."
Before Klein could speak, she seemed to regain her energy, clenching her fists in front of her chest:
"And most of those thirty-odd Beyonders are Sequence 9! Uh, I seem to have gotten off topic..."
"It's all right. These are basics I wanted to learn too." Klein was hoping Rozanne would ramble as she usually did and reveal more information.
"In short, just becoming a Beyonder already makes you very, very impressive!" Rozanne repeated. "The starting point of the complete sequence belonging to our Church is 'Sleepless,' Sequence 9 'Sleepless'!"
Just as I thought... Klein nodded almost imperceptibly as he listened to Miss Rozanne, who could not keep herself from continuing:
"You should be able to guess from the name that 'Sleepless' are people who don't need to sleep at night. Even during the day, three to four hours of rest is enough. Whew, I'm so envious... No, I'm not envious at all. Sleep is a blessing from the Goddess, the most blissful thing there is!"
"Where was I? Ah, right. 'Sleepless' can see through darkness without any light. The deeper the night, the stronger they become. I mean stronger in every respect, including their strength, their spiritual intuition, and their thinking. But although they can detect unknown dangers hidden in the darkness, when they encounter monsters that can't be dealt with by ordinary means, they still have to rely on things like Demon Hunting Bullets. My father was once a 'Sleepless.'"
Without waiting for Klein to ask further, Rozanne continued on her own:
"After that comes Sequence 8, 'Midnight Poet,' and above that is Sequence 7, 'Nightmare.'"
Nightmare? Klein immediately recalled Dunn Smith guiding his dream and asked for confirmation:
"The captain?"
"You know?" Miss Rozanne's mouth almost formed an O.
"The captain entered my dream once..." Klein glanced to either side and lowered his voice again.
"I see..." Rozanne understood at once and responded softly in turn.
She picked up the coffee cup beside her, took a sip, and then said with feeling:
"Our Church only has two Sequence 7s in all of Tingen City, I think, and the captain is one of them. Even in a major diocese like Backlund, he'd be an impressive figure. Some deacons aren't necessarily stronger than him!"
"So the captain is that impressive," Klein agreed with a smile.
Honestly, Dunn Smith's appearance in the middle of last night had left a very deep impression. Klein had almost instinctively believed he was a very powerful Beyonder.
"Of course!" Rozanne proudly straightened her back.
Then, her thoughts jumping elsewhere, she said with a troubled expression, "I don't know what comes above Sequence 7. Maybe the captain is the only person in the whole Nighthawks team who knows."
"What about the starting points of other sequences? The incomplete ones." Satisfied, Klein changed the subject.
He had to admit that the "Sleepless" Rozanne described did match some of his imaginings and expectations of Beyonders, but it was not what he wanted to become. His ideal "Sequence 9" would allow him to learn and master a great deal of mysticism knowledge, laying the groundwork for figuring out why he had transmigrated and for transmigrating back in the future.
Rozanne thought for a moment and sighed:
"I'm not very interested in that. I only know we have more than the other Churches. After all, the Goddess is also the Mother of Concealment... Um, there should be two or three kinds, because some team members are always cold and frightening, and they smell strange too. Other members, um, I mean Old Neil, know a lot and can perform quite a few interesting magical rituals. Let me think, let me think some more. He once mentioned his Sequence 9 title, which is also the name of the potion formula... Ah, right, it's called Mystery Pryer!"
Quite a few interesting magical rituals? Mystery Pryer? That sounds very close to what I want... Klein felt a little pleased.
"I also know the name of another Sequence 7, one from an incomplete pathway!" Her recollections had reminded Rozanne of something else, and she spoke in a boastful tone.
"What is it?" Klein was extremely curious.
With high-sequence powerhouses scarce, or possibly even nonexistent, Sequence 7 should already count as the backbone of the Church, right?
Rozanne gave a sweet smile and answered rather smugly:
"Spirit Medium!"
"Madam Daly?" Klein asked reflexively.
After his initial surprise, he instead felt that this was not so unexpected. Only a Sequence 7 powerhouse could perform Spirit Channeling the way Madam Daly did!
Rozanne's eyes widened once more, and she spoke in disbelief:
"You, how did you know that too?"
"I've met Madam Daly." Klein did not hide it.
"All right." Rozanne said longingly, "If I could become a Spirit Medium directly, a Spirit Medium like Madam Daly, then I'd be willing to become a Beyonder too. No, I'd seriously consider it for ten minutes..."
"Yes, Madam Daly fulfilled all my imaginings of a Beyonder," Klein agreed with a touch of exaggeration.
Having achieved what he had intended, he chatted with Rozanne for a few more minutes. Finding no further information, he took off his hat, bowed, and said goodbye before leaving.
Klein took a few steps down the stairs, then suddenly stopped and reached out to feel the banknotes in his inner pocket again.
Immediately afterward, he took out the twelve pounds in banknotes and gripped them tightly in his left palm. Then he thrust his hand into his trouser pocket, refusing to loosen his grip or take it out again, while a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
According to the customs of the great nation of foodies, after getting paid, you had to go out for a feast!
I'll treat my sister to something good tonight!