I thought she would say dismissively that she didn't like immature, incompetent people, implying that she looked down on ordinary people. Who knew she wouldn't even bother to answer that question... Ha, this kind of overly superior mentality can easily lead to losing control when she gets promoted later... Klein couldn't help but mutter to himself.
In his understanding, Beyonder are simply humans with extra abilities, equivalent to being very rich and having a high social status. In essence, they still retain human attributes and cannot detach themselves from society. Only when they reach Sequence 4 can they undergo a qualitative change.
Moreover, most Demigod are active in human society, even the Sequence 1 " Snake of Fate " Will Auceptin is still happily pregnant... Perhaps only when they reach the stage of " Blasphemer " Amon can they truly observe the real world with the eyes of "gods"... Klein's thoughts shifted, and he spoke up:
"I'm sorry, I used to be a merchant who frequently traveled between the Northern Continent, so I don't have much experience with balls, haha, I mean these kinds of balls."
"It's alright," Hibbert replied calmly, seemingly unconcerned whether the other person had brought up the previous topic.
Anyone else would have been at a loss for words to say to this haughty young woman and would have been too focused on dancing to engage her in conversation. But Klein, now quite knowledgeable and experienced, possessed a deep understanding of the mystical world and its various Beyonder. Following up on his earlier apology, he smiled and said:
"This is no easier challenge for me than the sea. It has beautiful scenery, but also countless difficulties. Of course, there are all sorts of treasure stories circulating on the sea. Some of them are obviously false, while others sound real but cannot be verified, like the number one ' Death's Key '."
" The Death's Key?" Hibbert raised her head and glanced at Mr. Dawn Dantès was much taller than her.
Sure enough, these Beyonder with a strong sense of superiority are always interested in things involving the mysterious... Klein chuckled inwardly and nodded slightly:
"Yes, it's rumored to be in some Concealment place in the Raging Sea..."
He selectively recounted the treasure legends he had heard on the " White Agate," adding more details he had heard during his subsequent adventures.
In this process, he inevitably mentioned the " Four Kings " and the seven pirate generals.
Hibbert was clearly interested in this and, unusually, responded to Klein, even occasionally asking questions, which eased the awkwardness of their dance and brought it to an end before they knew it.
Klein skillfully ended the previous topic and changed the subject by asking:
"Are you going back to where you were, or are you going over there to get some food?"
After a dance, the man must respect the woman's wishes and take her to where she wants to go, not necessarily where she originally was.
Hibbert opened her mouth, as if she wanted to ask something, but in the end she didn't say anything, and nodded reservedly:
"The place we just left."
Hehe, she's clearly a little reluctant to part with the stories from the sea... She's just a big, mischievous kid. Once you figure out her temperament and find out her interests, she's not that hard to get along with... Klein suppressed a laugh and escorted Hibbert back to the edge of the dance floor, to where she had originally been standing.
As for himself, he casually walked to the long tables set with various foods, picked up a plate, and served himself a pan-fried grouper with sliced veal steaks drizzled with black pepper sauce.
More important than dancing and socializing is good food... Klein thought to himself as he tried to make his eating movements appear elegant.
Just then, he saw Mrs. Mary walk over and fork a piece of foie gras in red wine onto her plate.
Klein noticed that the other person glanced at him, so he politely smiled and nodded in response.
"I don't know how to address you? I didn't see you at the banquets and balls hosted by Councilor Macht." Perhaps it was because of Dawn Dantès, with his graying temples, deep Blue Eyes, and charming demeanor, but with high cheekbones and an average appearance, that Mrs. Mary took the initiative to inquire.
Klein smiled and said:
"I am Dawn Dantès, a businessman who just came from Desi Bay, and I live in this neighborhood."
"Madam, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Mary nodded thoughtfully, roughly understanding that this was a businessman striving to squeeze into high society, just like herself in the past.
She smiled and said:
" Mary Short, a director of Coim Company."
She didn't mention that she was the largest shareholder of Coim Company, nor did she say that she was currently a member of the Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Commission; this was a kind of Loen- style subtlety.
Mary Short, so she's reverted to her father's surname? Yes, she's divorced... Klein muttered silently, then smiled and said:
"I know this company. It mainly produces anthracite and high-quality charcoal, and it's been expanding very rapidly in recent months. To be honest, I've been interested in investing, but it seems I can't compete with them."
Following the enactment of air pollution-related laws, the demand for anthracite and high-quality charcoal surged, leading to a significant increase in the growth of Coim Company, surpassing years of previous efforts. Its total value is reportedly now exceeding 250,000 gold pounds. Klein's intention to invest wasn't just idle talk; he genuinely believed this industry would become even more important in the years to come, until humanity discovers alternative energy sources.
Mary, who was very proud of her role in pushing for the air pollution investigation report, which led to significant growth for Coim Company, couldn't hide her smile as she said:
This is because people are paying more and more attention to their living environment.
At this point, she sighed softly and said:
"Things are getting better and better, but the troubles are also increasing."
Since they had "just" met, Klein didn't press for details about any troubles. Relying on his prior acquaintance with Mrs. Mary, he easily found topics that interested her, making their conversation quite pleasant.
Heh, her attitude towards Sherlock Moriarty and Dawn Dantès is quite different... People who were once familiar with her, after changing their faces and identities, stand in front of her and receive completely new treatment, without any questions. This feeling is truly strange... As they chatted, Klein sighed, feeling that the extra " Faceless " Potion he had taken was being rapidly digested.
A few minutes later, a handsome man with brilliant blond hair approached, carrying a glass of red wine, and smiled at Mrs. Mary, saying:
" Mary, what are you talking about?"
" Hibbert, this is Mr. Dawn Dantès from Desi. His experiences at sea in West Balam were quite interesting," Mary immediately introduced them. " Dawn, this is Mr. Hibbert Hall, the eldest son of the Earl of East Chester. Well, we should address him as Lord, but he prefers to be called Mr. Chief Secretary, Chief Secretary of the Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Commission."
I've heard you mention him, of course, when you were active as Sherlock Moriarty... The Earl of East Chester, that's a high-ranking nobleman, truly at the top of society... Klein bowed respectfully but not humbly:
"Please allow me, as an ordinary person, to express my gratitude. The work of the Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Commission has given us a better living environment."
Hibbert Hall was quite pleased with this sincere thanks and responded with a smile:
"This is the result of all of our efforts."
Mary laughed from the side:
" Dawn, don't bring this up again. It'll make Hibbert proud. No, I was just joking. He's more humble than any nobleman I know. He should be on holiday at the East Chester County family estate, hunting with a group of friends, but he came back immediately after I sent Councilor Macht an invitation to the ball this week."
"It's not just for the ball; there are many other things I need to attend to. My father, Earl Hall, will also be frequently traveling between Backlund and the family estates until June," Hibbert explained earnestly.
A gentleman who values his social image highly... Klein made his initial judgment.
Upon hearing this, Mary casually asked:
"Is there anything else? When are you leaving Backlund?"
"Everything else has been taken care of, except for one last thing. Heh, my sister Audrey is very interested in a 10% stake in Backlund Bicycle Company and has hired a professional team to help her negotiate. I'm in charge of coordinating this matter," Hibbert said casually.
A 10% stake in Backlund Bicycle Company? What a coincidence... It has to be said, the circle of high society isn't that big... Klein sighed inwardly, deliberately mentioning:
"I also hired a team to acquire that 10% stake, offering £9,000, but unfortunately, I couldn't compete with others, so I had to give up."
Hibbert looked at him with slight surprise:
You have excellent taste.
He didn't mention his specific offer price to avoid further competition from the other party.
9,000 pounds... Mary muttered to herself, realizing she had underestimated Dawn Dantès's wealth.
At that moment, the melody of the third dance began, Hibbert Hall turned to Mary and said:
Would I have the honor of asking you to dance?
"I've been waiting for your invitation." Mary immediately extended her hand.
This prevented Klein from exchanging business cards with them directly, but he wasn't in a hurry, as the ball was still a long way off.
After preparing another plate of food, he ate it while watching the ladies dance on the dance floor.
During this process, he observed that Congressman Macht and Madam Liana were interacting with different guests, chatting happily with everyone, and even dancing a few dances.
"According to Walter, once the guest list is finalized, the host must carefully summarize each guest's preferences and experiences, and design different conversation topics or jokes accordingly, so that everyone feels treated individually... Social interactions in high society are really troublesome... Heh, perhaps this is why the gentlemen of Loen generally have high hairlines..." Klein sighed to himself.
He looked away, staring at the empty plate, and seriously considered whether to invite a lady to dance or eat some more.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of Hibbert Macht out of the corner of his eye; the young woman was hurrying towards the third floor.