The scene before him immediately reminded Klein of the romance story Talym Dumont had told him:
His friend, of noble birth, fell in love with a commoner and insisted on marrying her, something absolutely forbidden in the upper echelons of the aristocracy. Talym was deeply troubled by this and nearly hired someone to kill her, but in the end he persuaded the woman to leave his friend voluntarily.
Could the protagonist of this story be Edessak Augustus? Everything seems to fit perfectly. As a prince, marrying a commoner is practically a heretical act in this era. Since the founding of the Kingdom of Loen, the spouses of direct members of the Augustus Family have been, and could only be, noblewomen... Judging from the implication in his words just now, Edessak has brought that commoner woman back? And he's even punished her by confining her to her quarters? True love... In an instant, a story of a domineering prince and a pitiful innocent flower took shape in Klein's mind.
He let his gaze wander, admiring the scenery ahead.
"This is not its true appearance now. When spring comes and the grass sprouts, you will see a top-class golf course," Prince Edessak said, dismissing the maid and raising his riding crop to point around.
"Golf?" Klein asked, already having figured out the answer.
Prince Edessak gestured for his guards and attendants to leave, keeping only the old butler and Klein by his side.
He strolled across the barren plain, chuckling as he spoke:
"Yes, golf. It's a sport that truly belongs to the aristocracy. Most magazine and newspaper owners rarely have the opportunity to participate."
"While I don't like Roselle, I have to admit that his whimsical ideas have given us a world that's interesting enough, and if you can figure out Talym's death, this place will be open to you anytime."
It really was Roselle... Klein let out a soft sigh.
Seeing that he did not respond, Prince Edessak continued to sigh to himself:
" Roselle is a man worth learning from in many ways, but his attitude towards relationships disgusts me. Of course, this is a common characteristic and style of most Intis nobles, and also the root of their obsession with luxury and decadent lifestyle."
Edessak gazed at the slow-flowing, sparse stream ahead and said in a mature tone beyond his years:
"Ninety-nine percent of people are not geniuses like Roselle. To achieve success and build a great career, one must figure out what one truly wants, what price one is willing to pay, and resolutely move forward without looking back."
At this point, his tone softened, and he laughed self-deprecatingly:
"Before this year, I always thought I really liked Earl Hall's daughter. She had perfect looks, elegant manners, abundant wealth, a prominent family, and a very powerful father. She was a marriage prospect that a prince could never be too picky about. But now I realize that what truly attracts me, what I dream of possessing, is a unique temperament and a profound soul born from experience. Ah, I'm not saying that the Earl Hall's daughter lacks temperament, but that's not what I want, admire, or like."
Your Highness, your tone, attitude, and expression are almost identical to Talym's when he was alive... Don't suddenly die in front of me, or I won't be able to clear my name even if I jump into the Tussock River... Besides, if I hear too much about this kind of thing, I'll easily be silenced. Are you trying to tie me to your chariot...? Klein was inexplicably a little scared.
He cleared his throat and deliberately changed the subject:
"Your Highness, with your status and position, you certainly don't lack subordinates; there are plenty of people willing to investigate Talym's death for you. Why do you insist on coming to me?"
Edessak shook his head and chuckled softly:
"As a prince, the more power I have, the less freedom I have. There are many things I cannot let those around me do, and most eyes are on me."
"You are a capable and intelligent Detective, and you have a good relationship with Talym. You were also present at the scene. I don't think anyone is more suitable than you."
"Don't worry, if anything happens, I can definitely guarantee your safety."
This promise is like toilet paper in the bathroom... Klein couldn't help but mutter to himself.
Prince Edessak had already made his point, and he felt that if he refused again, he might not be able to leave Red Rose Manor. He could only sigh and say:
"Actually, I'm just as angry as you about Talym's death, but reality forces me to remain calm."
Edessak smiled slightly:
What kind of help do you need from me?
"You can have either Talym's hair or his flesh, plus his personal belongings," Klein demanded.
"Okay, I'll have someone deliver these things to your house later." Edessak readily agreed, then asked curiously, "Is that all?"
Klein didn't stand on ceremony:
"Once I have a preliminary direction, I'll know what kind of help I need. Your Highness, you'd better give me a way to contact you. It's bound to arouse suspicion if a private Detective keeps coming to this manor."
Edessak nodded, as if he had been prepared, and said:
"I will have someone Concealment rent the house next to yours, which is 13 Minsk Street. When you need to contact them, just write a letter to visit your new neighbor and drop it in the mailbox. As for the payment, you should know that I am not a stingy person. Even if there is no result in the end, as long as you have made a contribution and taken risks, you will receive corresponding income. If you do find out the truth, I will give you a sum of money that is enough for your retirement."
"This prince is quite decisive... For retirement, that's at least 3,000 pounds..." Klein thought to himself.
"Very well, may Talym's spirit find peace in the land of storms and lightning." He bowed.
Edessak nodded slightly and instructed the old butler:
"Take Detective Moriarty out and escort him back to Minsk Street."
They won't even invite me to lunch? Isn't that incredibly Pride of them to treat their guests? Of course, the main reason is that it's still a long time before noon... Klein silently made a couple of sarcastic remarks.
He followed the old butler all the way to the manor gate, where he retrieved the gun holster, revolver, and bullets.
Inside 15 Minsk Street, Klein stood by the bay window, watching the carriage bearing the royal coat of arms drive away.
"If we really investigate further, Sherlock Moriarty could die at any moment... There might even be people watching me now, well, not for now, since I haven't taken any action yet..." Klein frowned slightly and stood quietly.
At this moment, he felt an unprecedented urgency to be promoted to " Faceless ".
"We can't just wait for ' Machinery Hivemind ' to explore the Amon Family's tomb. We also need to continue trying to purchase the properties of the Human-skinned Shadow through other channels. After all, no one knows how long ' Machinery Hivemind ' will prepare. What if it takes more than a month, or even more than half a year? It's not impossible. Sending people to guard the entrance first, and then slowly collecting the corresponding information to ensure that nothing goes wrong, is a pretty good strategy. But I can't afford to wait that long..." Klein had many thoughts in mind, but he made up his mind.
At 2:45 p. m., he took the newspaper, went into the restroom, and began preparing for this week's Tarot Gathering.
It's exactly three o'clock.
A deep red, ethereal light rose up, and Audrey Hall looked around with a pleasant expression.
Last night, she finally obtained the Sequence 7 " Psychiatrist " Potion recipe she had been dreaming of. She was still feeling a mixture of excitement, thrill, and a sense of security and peace. The Psychology Alchemists did not ask her to make any contributions immediately, calling it an advance payment.
They had full confidence in Miss Audrey's exceptional ability to "repay".
No new members... " Justice " Audrey stood up, turned her gaze to the head of the long bronze table, lifted her skirt slightly, and gave a curtsy:
Good afternoon, Mr. The Fool ~ Good afternoon...
Her light and cheerful voice broke the eternal silence above the Gray Fog, temporarily freeing Klein was feeling somewhat depressed, from his external troubles.
He nodded slightly in response to the greetings from the members.
As Audrey sat down again, she took in the figures of the other members, creating a dynamic scene with what she had observed before:
After bowing, Mr. " The Hanged Man " glanced discreetly at Mr. " The Fool " with barely concealed curiosity. Then, he looked at Mr. "The World" with anticipation... In other words, this man, with close ties to the Church of Storms, knew the details of Duke Negan's assassination and the involvement of the rogue " Black Emperor," and was eager to uncover the truth behind the events... It seems that the " Werewolf " Beyonder Characteristic that Mr. "The World" entrusted him to sell has yielded results; he may have also found one of the two materials: the Human-skinned Shadow trait and the Deep-sea Naga hair...
" The Sun " was in a stable mood, even somewhat relaxed, indicating that he believed City of Silver had lifted its surveillance on him... What made him this judgment? Was it because he had been reassigned to the so-called exploration team?
Fors a mix of relaxation and depression... She had passed the test of the Abraham Family member and become his student, but was forced to accept some things that were detrimental to her?
Mr. World was as cold and enigmatic as ever... Perhaps I need to reach Sequence 7, or even Sequence 6, to grasp his emotional shifts and thoughts...
Hmm, the " The Fool " remains as mysterious, powerful, and unfathomable as ever.
A series of thoughts flashed through Justice 'Audrey mind as she looked at the figure shrouded in Gray Fog and said:
"Dear Mr. ' The Fool,' I have received three new pages of Roselle's Diary."
This was a copy she had obtained from the " Psychology Alchemists." Because the matter was only mentioned last night, time was limited, Islante only had time to give her three pages.
"What kind of reward do you want?" Klein asked with a smile.
Audrey answered sincerely:
"Consider this payment for answering my question earlier, okay?"
When she said that, she inexplicably felt a little proud:
Mr. The Hanged Man, you all still don't know about the Hermits of Fate ' Society!
Ah, how envious I am! I wonder what difficult question Miss Justice has been asking me in private... I'll write to my teacher when I get back and ask him if he has Roselle's diary, no, to be honest, his notes... Magician Fors was suddenly filled with longing and motivation.
Under the suspicious gaze of the " The Hanged Man," Klein nodded nonchalantly.
"Can."
Audrey quickly materialized three pages of a tan diary and passed them on to Mr. The Fool.
Klein took it and saw that the first page read:
"On January 13th, we successfully made contact with Mr. 'Men'."