On Storm- ravaged sea, an old three-masted sailing ship is bobbing up and down with the waves.
It was neither fast nor large enough, and in this disaster scene where the sky and the sea merged into one, it was like a withered leaf separated from a tree. However, no matter how raging the hurricane or how terrifying the waves were, it sailed safely without tilting.
Alger Wilson stood on the empty deck, gazing at the towering waves that surrounded him, lost in thought.
"It's Monday again..." he murmured silently.
That was a day belonging to the Earth Mother, the beginning of a new cycle of prosperity and decay.
But for Alger, it had another meaning: it belonged to a mysterious being forever shrouded in gray mist.
At least I haven't gone Lunatic yet... He looked away and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
At this moment, one of his few crew members approached and asked respectfully:
"Your Excellency, what is the goal of our voyage this time?"
Alger looked around and answered in a flat tone:
"The hunt for an Aurora Order ' Listener '."
The Storm has passed, and fog has settled on a strange sailboat with cannon positions, but still out of step with the times.
An eight- or nine-year-old boy with soft, limp blond hair watched in fear the undisciplined pirates around him, watching them enjoy large barrels of beer, watching them swing back and forth on ropes, watching them taunt each other, and even punch each other.
He turned to look at the black-robed man standing in the shadows and lowered his voice:
"Father, where are we going?"
Five days ago, he met his father for the first time in his life, a father who called himself an adventurer.
If it weren't for the oil painting left by his mother proving the other party's identity, and if the orphanage hadn't opened its doors to him, he would never have wanted to leave his hometown and follow this almost complete stranger.
The man standing in the shadows lowered his head, looked at his son, and replied kindly:
" Jack, I'll take you to a sacred place, the 'Sanctuary' where the Creator once resided."
"Is that the kingdom of God? We mortals can only enter if we are blessed..." Little Jack, well-educated by his mother, possessed ample common sense, and at this moment he was both surprised and fearful.
The man standing in the shadows had a face with such deep lines that it was unforgettable, like a stone sculpture completed by the most outstanding Planeswalker.
He placed his hand to his ear, assuming a listening posture, and answered in an almost dreamlike tone:
" Jack, 'mortal' is a Error. The Creator created this world; He is omnipresent and exists within every living being. Therefore, all things possess divinity, and those with sufficient divinity can become Angel. The seven false gods we see now are merely more powerful Angel."
"Look, I can hear the Creator's teachings right now! Ah, what an extraordinary revelation! Life is nothing more than a spiritual Travel. When the spirit is strong and resilient enough, we can find our own divinity and unite with more divinities..."
Little Jack couldn't understand the complicated description, shook his head, and asked another question he hadn't had a chance to ask before:
"Father, I heard from Mother that after the Creator created this world, He differentiated into all things and did not actually exist. So why is there still His 'sanctuary'?"
For a seven or eight-year-old child, his logic is clear enough.
The man with the sculpted features paused for a moment, tilting his head slightly as if he had heard more whispers.
Suddenly, he collapsed to his knees on the deck, his exposed skin revealing bluish-black lines.
He covered his head with both hands, his face Distortion in agony, and cried out in extreme pain:
They're lying!
After lunch, and with Old Neil's promise to take him along on the next trip to the underground market, Klein leisurely returned to Blackthorn Security Company. He considered whether to read documents and practice his skills in the clerical office, or, while Captain Dunn hadn't yet forbade it, continue wandering around and Acting of " Seer " at the Divination Club.
However, before he could make a decision, he saw Dunn Smith enter from the outer room, wearing a black trench coat and a top hat.
"Captain, how is the situation?" Klein asked with concern, thinking about the whereabouts of the Antigonus Family Notebook.
Dunn's gray eyes showed no sign of fatigue as he said:
"Multiple sources have confirmed that the Antigonus Family's notes are in Riel Bieber's possession, however, he has completely disappeared."
"I have informed all the Nighthawks squads of this matter by telegram, asking them to keep a close watch on all ports and Steam train stations. The first batch of printed portraits was also mailed out yesterday afternoon and will be published in major newspapers."
If only we had telephones, fax machines, surveillance cameras, and big data at this time... Unfortunately, I only know how to use them, and I only understand a little bit about the principles behind them... Klein sighed silently.
"However, regardless, we have at least found the whereabouts of that notebook, and this is all your credit. Of course, further confirmation is still needed. I have already sent a telegram to the Backlund Parish, requesting that they send someone to escort the Sealed Artifact 2-049 over. It is a dangerous item that once belonged to the Antigonus Family, and it can help us know whether Riel Bieber is a descendant of the Antigonus Family."
"Level 2" Sealed Artifact... Dangerous... Use with caution and restraint... Klein wanted to ask curiously what this Sealed Artifact was, what special abilities it had, and where the danger lay, but he instantly remembered that he was not high enough in terms of secrecy and had no choice but to give up.
"May the goddess protect us." Klein tapped his chest four times and drew a Full Moon.
As Dunn opened his office door, he nodded slightly and said:
"The goddess has always been protecting us, Klein. If you hadn't chosen ' The Seer ' before, you should have been able to become a full member and select ' The Sleepless ' once this matter was settled. It's a pity... To be honest, I've never understood why you chose ' The Seer '. ' The Corpse Collector ' is repulsive, but you've met Daly, so you should understand how powerful ' The Spirit Medium ' is. ' The Mystery Pryer ' is also a good choice; at least with Old Neil as a role model, the risk of things going out of control will be very low."
Klein had prepared an answer to this question from the beginning, but Dunn never asked it until now, when he casually mentioned it.
He organized his thoughts and said:
"What I'm considering is that ' Seer ' and ' Mystery Pryer ' are auxiliary Beyonder, not always facing enemies, which is too dangerous. And you and Old Neil have also said that in the realm of mystery and extraordinary beings, curiosity and exploration often bring terrible consequences. The Mystery Prying of ' Mystery Pryer ' make me feel uneasy, so... well, you know, not long ago, I was just an ordinary college student, and cowardice is the only reason I made this choice."
"I must say, this is an answer that surprised me, but also makes a lot of sense." Dunn rubbed his temples and chuckled softly.
He turned halfway around, his deep gray eyes giving Klein a thorough once-over:
"During this time, you continue to go out, no longer limiting yourself to the route from the Welch house to Iron Cross Street. Perhaps, just perhaps, you can sense that notebook and help us pinpoint Riel Bieber's whereabouts."
"Okay." Klein realized he no longer needed to worry about it.
He said goodbye and turned to leave, silently counting in his mind:
"Three, two..."
"Wait a minute," Dunn called out.
Klein turned around and smiled slightly:
"Captain, is there anything else?"
Dunn coughed and said:
"Yes, even support-type Beyonder will have to face enemies sometimes. Although the ' Seer ' might seem like they can avoid these situations, we can't afford to be careless. You must continue practicing with firearms and systematically increase your strength."
"That's exactly what I've been trying to do." Klein pointed outside. "I'm going out."
"Okay, uh, wait a minute." Dunn called him back again, saying as he thought, "Perhaps I should consider hiring a combat coach for you, provided, of course, that you become a full member."
Klein hummed in agreement and asked cautiously:
"Captain, is there anything else?"
"That's all." Seeing Klein's somewhat disbelieving look, Dunn shook his head and smiled faintly, emphasizing again, "Really, that's all."
Klein then stepped out of the partition, said goodbye to Rozanne, Mrs. Orianna, and the others, went to the shooting club for practice, and then strolled around for a full hour, diligently completing the tasks assigned by the captain.
After doing all this, he went to the Divination Club and saw the beautiful Ms. Angelica leisurely reading a magazine.
"Family"... Klein finished reciting the title, picked up his cane, walked over, and greeted him with a smile:
Good afternoon, Ms. Angelica.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti." Angelica calmly put down her magazine and stood up. "Mr. Glacis arrived not long after you left yesterday; he has just recovered from a serious illness."
Klein breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying:
"This is truly a joyful thing."
Upon hearing this, Angelica, who had been quietly observing him, couldn't help but lower her voice and ask curiously:
"Mr. Glacis said that you are a very, very, very amazing Doctor, is that right?"
"What?" Klein stared in astonishment at the woman opposite him, wondering if he was hallucinating.
How can you tell I'm a Doctor?
I don't even know myself...