Inside the Great Prayer Hall of Saint Samuel Cathedral.
The bishop with short black hair withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at the middle-aged gentleman in front of the offering box, nor did he have any intention of going over to strike up a conversation.
Here, before the altar, he represents the church, under the watchful eye of the goddess, and cannot be treated with equal enthusiasm simply because someone donates more.
However, he remembered the other person's rather good looks and mature, refined demeanor, and planned to try to get to know him if he had the chance to meet him again in the future.
Klein watched silently as the last banknote slid into the offering box, closed his eyes briefly, and turned to leave.
As he passed the preaching bishop, he deliberately glanced at the clergyman and nodded with a smile.
The bishop responded with a warm smile and tapped his chest four times clockwise.
Klein didn't rush to contact anyone, making sure his actions were logical and didn't seem abrupt or suspicious. He calmly and gracefully stepped aside to let a believer pass, walked back to his seat along the aisle, picked up his hat and cane, and walked out of the church.
At this point, the believers who had finished listening to the sermon either went to the offering box to express their feelings or simply got up and left, without feeling any problem, because it was not a forced act.
Even devout believers who love to donate don't throw money into the offering box every time they come here. They usually do it once or twice a week or two, depending on their family's specific circumstances.
The common people would pay a few pence each time, the middle class three to five Soli, and the wealthy and nobles paid in gold pounds, not exceeding 100.
This is the general situation. On the holy day of the " Evernight Goddess," also known as the " Winter's Gift Day," the amount of a single offering increases significantly. Commoners with ample funds will choose two to three Soli, the middle class around five pounds, while the upper class will donate directly to the diocesan bishop or church charities, ranging from several hundred to several thousand pounds.
-- " Winter's Gift Day " refers to the day with the longest Evernight of the year, and is considered the birthday of the " Evernight Goddess ".
After leaving the church, Klein stood at the edge of the square, watching as flocks of white doves fluttered up and circled down as if nothing was amiss.
He even bought some food from nearby vendors and leisurely fed the pigeons, without intending to look through newspaper ads to find a suitable residence in the North Borough himself, as that was the butler's job.
A skilled butler who has lived in Backlund for many years should know roughly which neighborhoods different nobles, wealthy people, and upper-middle-class people who can help their masters live in, so as to choose a residence purposefully.
Interacting with neighbors is the first step for newcomers to enter a relevant circle!
"Whether it's the Carlton Club, where Conservative Party bigwigs gather, the Liberal Club of the New Party, or various active or retired officers' clubs representing the military, you need a sufficiently influential introducer to even get in touch... Sigh, the Kingdom is now what's called club politics." Klein pulled his thoughts back, considering what he should do after the pigeon-feeding, character-building activity was over.
After careful consideration, he realized that he didn't really have anything to do immediately, because the plan was still superficial.
So he decided to enjoy an expensive but lavish lunch, which was both what Dawn Dantès should do and what Klein was curious about.
During his previous months in Backlund, he never mustered the courage to visit some of the most prestigious restaurants in the metropolis. He always chose between his own restaurant, the Cragg Club buffet, ordinary street-side restaurants, and the restaurant owned by the Lawyer Jurgen, occasionally going to the East Borough to have breakfast or lunch in cafes that looked rather greasy.
" Raporé Restaurant? Their head chef is said to have come from the Earl Hall's family, providing aristocratic cuisine that's usually inaccessible to the wealthy, Lawyer, and high-ranking government officials... Earl Hall seems to have invested in this restaurant, holding a significant stake... Hmm, it mainly serves Backlund local cuisine, its desserts are very famous, and the prices are quite high..."
" Intis Serenzo Restaurant, this place has the most authentic Intis cuisine, hehe, many of its signature dishes bear the name of Roselle, saying they originated from the Emperor's court... Moreover, unlike most restaurants of the same level, which only offer a few main courses each day, it has a very rich variety..." Klein recalled the information about top restaurants he had read about in newspapers and magazines before, and finally decided to go and experience the Emperor's court cuisine.
He didn't linger, flagged down a carriage, and headed to the Intis Serenzo Restaurant in the West Borough.
Upon reaching the door, Klein handed his coat, hat, and cane to a waiter in a red vest, while asking him:
Are there any seats available? I didn't make a reservation.
"Yes, we do." The waiter in the red vest, seeing nothing amiss, asked humbly, "Sir, is this your first time here? Are you alone?"
Klein nodded calmly and said with a smile:
"Yes."
"May I have the honor of introducing you to our restaurant's most distinctive dishes and fine wines?" the waiter in the red vest said as he led the customer inside.
"This is exactly what I need." Klein looked through the ornately decorated gate and saw walls that seemed to reflect golden light.
For a moment, he felt as if he were inside a vault.
Then he noticed the oil paintings hanging on the wall, the marble statues placed in appropriate positions, and the gold objects inlaid or adorning different places.
"Watch your step," the waiter in the red vest reminded him, leading Klein to a seat by the window, where the beautiful melody of a violin drifted from a distant orchestra.
The waiter brought over the menu and wine list, flipping through the descriptions and saying:
"Our most famous dishes include braised Dagia short ribs, black truffle and porcini mushrooms, Intis- style foie gras. I'd like to specifically mention that the foie gras comes from the Bonaparte Ponas Farm in the Champagne Province of the Kingdom of Intis..."
As Klein listened to the waiter's explanation, he browsed the menu written in Ancient Feysac, his eyes drawn to the prices.
After explaining the main course, appetizers, and desserts, the waiter turned to discussing the appropriate wine pairings, concluding with:
"Our champagne, red wine, and white wine all come from renowned wineries in the Champagne Province, including a 1330 vintage of Ormir red wine, valued at £126. You can purchase it and take it home, or store it here and enjoy a glass each time you visit."
£126... I could hire a great butler for that... hehe... "Klein chuckled with great poise.
"Your food and wine are both excellent, making it difficult to choose."
The waiter in the red vest smiled solicitously:
"You can choose today's chef's recommendation, where our chef will create an authentic and delicious Intis meal for you. There are three options: £15, £10, and £8."
"I don't want to choose any of them..." Klein said with a slight lean back.
"15 pounds."
"Okay." The waiter in the red vest put away the menu and wine list and headed towards the kitchen.
Klein took a breath, exhaled slowly, and casually looked ahead.
Suddenly, he saw a somewhat familiar figure—a woman wearing an olive green dress.
She was tall and well-proportioned, wearing an old-fashioned black soft hat with a thin checkered veil hanging down, obscuring her face.
As a " Faceless," Klein possessed a strong ability to distinguish human physical features and immediately recognized who this woman was:
" The Mystery Queen," Bernadette Gustav, the eldest daughter of Emperor Roselle!
He didn't abruptly avert his gaze, but naturally shifted it to the side. Bernadette seemed oblivious to anything amiss and disappeared at the top of the stairs.
How did she end up here? Right, the restaurant's sign says " Emperor Roselle's Court Cuisine," ha, it's nothing like the Chinese-style I imagined. The emperor probably wouldn't cook, he'd just explain his philosophy. They do have stir-fries here... Hmm, could she be the mastermind behind this? Why isn't she at sea? What's she doing in Backlund? Didn't she already find the rogue " Black Emperor "? Klein sat calmly on the surface, but a series of questions arose in his mind.
At that moment, a carriage was heading towards the Intis Serenzo Restaurant on the street.
The carriage was occupied by the Allen Kreis. The renowned Doctor was a member of the Cragg Club, a friend of Sherlock Moriarty, and had once commissioned the great Detective to handle the Will Auceptin case.
Since his wife became pregnant, he felt his luck had improved considerably. His career was getting better every day, and his income was increasing month by month. Recently, he had even successfully performed internal surgery on Baron Sindras, earning the appreciation of this newly promoted nobleman, who invited the family to lunch at the Serenzo Restaurant.
"I heard the ice cream there is really good," Allen said to his wife with a reserved smile.
His wife was a beautiful woman with dark hair, her belly already quite noticeable. She smiled gently and said:
"I'm more looking forward to the royal cuisine of Emperor Roselle."
Allen hummed in agreement and glanced out the window.
"Almost there."
As soon as he finished speaking, his wife clutched her stomach and frowned.
"It hurts a little."
Allen, who wasn't a first-time father, quickly checked his wife and found nothing wrong. However, his wife was feeling increasingly unwell, and the baby in her belly seemed to be making a fuss.
"I... I think I'd better not go. I want to go home and rest," Allen's wife suggested.
Allen thought for a moment:
"I'll go back with you."
He immediately gave orders to his personal male servant:
"Get off here and go to the restaurant to apologize to Baron Sindras on my behalf."
As the carriage began its return journey, Allen's wife's discomfort inexplicably eased, and once inside the house, everything seemed normal.
She pointed to her stomach, both amused and exasperated, and said to her husband:
"Looks like he doesn't want ice cream."
Achoo! Inside the Intis Serenzo Restaurant, Klein, who hadn't missed a single dish of food before, enjoyed his ice cream with a mix of regret and satisfaction. His nose started to itch, so he pulled out a tissue and sneezed.
Inside a dark house in the West Borough.
Having been promoted to " Astrologer," Fors actively and diligently participates in various gatherings of Beyonder, seeking opportunities to make money.
She currently owes £220 in unpaid leave, leading her friends to suspect her of involvement in illegal gambling.
I can't even afford a crystal ball right now... Lost in thought, Fors suddenly heard one of the party members say:
"I'm selling a ' The Moon Puppet '."