Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After a moment of his mind going adrift, Klein rubbed his temples and slowly composed himself. He discovered that the matter had little to do with him.
He wasn’t motivated to participate in the matter. He was apathetic to whether the Loen military found Turani von Helmosuin, because he lacked a sense of belonging to the Loen Kingdom. What he had done in the past was solely to ensure a stable society and that its citizens wouldn’t suffer any accidental damage. If possible, he didn’t mind instigating a revolution to allow the poor to lead better lives.
I never expected myself to become more of an internationalist after coming to this world… He gave a self-deprecating laugh as he prepared to return to the real world and have some sleep. Under the cloak of darkness, he would allow the tempest outside to freely unleash its might.
At this moment, his attention was caught by the biggest item in the junk pile through the corner of his eyes—the radio transceiver.
Speaking of which, what is the faction controlling Turani von Helmosuin? It’s nothing much if it’s people from Queen Mystic Bernadette’s side. She’s a strong believer of “do as you wish, but do no harm,” so she wouldn’t do anything overboard.
It wouldn’t be good if it’s the Rose School of Thought represented by Admiral of Blood. Ignoring the temperance faction that’s being suppressed, as believers of the Chained God or Mother Tree of Desire, their level of vileness can’t be lower than the Aurora Order. Letting them grasp the most advanced technology available might bring about a disaster… Klein stopped his actions of wrapping his body with his spirituality. He gently tapped the edge of the mottled table.
He soon had an idea, which was to bring the radio transceiver back to the real world, adjust it to the correct frequency to see if he could receive the telegrams from Admiral of Blood’s crew. Then, he could use the codebook he had to decipher the communications.
There will be a huge sweep of the city tonight. The matter must be at a rather important and intricate point. If the ones controlling Helmosuin are them, there’s a possibility of the appearance of crucial telegram exchanges… In a situation in which the governor-general’s office, the Loen military, and the Church of Storms haven’t placed importance or even accepted this technology, this is the safest method. Therefore, Admiral of Blood and company have a nonzero chance that they wouldn’t change the frequency and codes after Old Quinn’s death… Anyway, I’ll just give it a try. After some deliberation, Klein didn’t delay as he returned to the real world and busily prepared a bestowment ritual.
After bringing the radio transceiver into his room, he didn’t immediately use it. Instead, he used a ritual dagger and created a wall of spirituality to seal the room.
He was doing it to air out the gray fog’s “smell!”
To him, there was actually no need to go through so much trouble to confirm the faction that controlled Helmosuin. He could’ve used the gray fog’s aura to contact Arrodes and receive the answer. But the problem was that he had posed his questions recently, and the “smell” that frequently appeared might incur the notice of evil gods like the True Creator or the Primordial Demoness. It was extremely dangerous.
Therefore, Klein decided to play safe by relying on himself.
After about eight minutes, when the “airing” was almost complete, he dispelled the wall of spirituality and controlled the radio transceiver to begin his surveillance.
After an unknown period of time, the corresponding frequency received a transmission!
Klein held back the joy in his heart as he seriously made notes. Then, he flipped through the codebook which he had replicated using divination, and he began the necessary deciphering process.
Soon, he wrote a line on a note: “32 Black Pepper Avenue. 7 a.m. tomorrow.”
Indeed, the people in control of Helmosuin are Admiral of Blood and company. There might be powerhouses from the Rose School of Thought involved… Klein immediately made a judgment.
This wasn’t confirmed based on the content of the telegram, but a simple inference from the existence of the telegram itself.
If Admiral of Blood and company were uninvolved, it was unlikely for them to send and receive telegrams involving Bayam’s streets!
The meaning of this telegram is to gather by 32 Black Pepper Street tomorrow before 7 a.m.? Does it mean that Helmosuin and Silver Coin Viper Oder are hiding there, and they’re reporting to Admiral of Blood of their location and giving a corresponding time? Klein thought for a moment and immediately returned above the gray fog. With the intel he had just received, he wrote the divination statement: “Turani von Helmosuin’s present location.”
With the paper in hand, he leaned back into the chair and chanted the statement in a raving-like manner as he entered a dream with Cogitation.
In the gray, hazy world, he saw an underground hall with countless gas wall lamps.
Inside the hall was a massive, complicated machine. It was constructed from copper cylinders, operating levers, take-up levers, and countless gears. It took up nearly two-thirds of the space.
A thin elder with grizzled, disheveled hair wore a thick coat as he paced in front of the machine. From time to time, he would pop a sweet into his mouth and munch on it noisily.
“No, it shouldn’t be called a difference engine. It’s an adorable fellow who can analyze questions and calculate the answer based on a set of procedures. Yes, its name should be a calculator!” The elder kept muttering to himself as Klein’s vision was pulled upwards and out the underground hall, arriving at the building above.
It was a three-storey villa with a garden and lawn. Outside was its address, and it reads: “32 Black Pepper Avenue”!
He really is here… Klein opened his eyes as he silently exhaled.
Then, he was stumped about what to do next.
A scientist like him is useless to me. Instead, it’s the root of many problems. I can’t just keep him above the gray fog. Therefore, there’s no need for me to personally get involved and take him away… Hmm, hand over the news to the Loen military or the Church of Storms? This will effectively prevent the Rose School of Thought from obtaining any benefits, but there’s a faction in the military that is likely related to the true culprit behind the Great Smog of Backlund. It’s not a good thing to have Helmosuin fall into their hands… The Church of Storms is well known for being rash. A conflict might end up with the scientist meeting the deity he believes in… After some careful deliberation, he gradually had a bold idea.
It was to make the news public. He would make the existence and location of Turani von Helmosuin known to the Loen Kingdom military and the Churches. This could effectively ensure that the scientist’s capabilities would be employed by the Loen Kingdom itself, and not any one faction!
The key is balance… Klein smiled as he muttered. He then beckoned with his hand for the Sea God Scepter.
For the former him, he had to carefully “distribute fliers” across the city to make a matter public and known to all, but now, he had an even simpler and effective method!
He selected a believer who happened to be praying, and then pulled his view back as the surrounding area spanning five kilometers entered his vision.
Then, with the Sea God Scepter, he wielded control of the wind!
Once the wind calmed down, Klein’s will sank into the scene as he changed his voice, saying with a low roar, “Helmosuin is at 32 Black Pepper Avenue!”
Whoosh!
In Bayam, the howl of the wind turned intense as it swept in every direction, bringing with it the deep and loud voice.
“Helmosuin is at 32 Black Pepper Avenue!
“Helmosuin is at 32 Black Pepper Avenue!”
…
This voice soon spread across Bayam like a broadcast to the entire city.
Silver Coin Viper Oder was donning a cloak, pretending to be Helmosuin. He hid himself in a crowded building in the slums, occasionally appearing to mislead MI9 and the governor-general’s office’s police officers.
Suddenly, a gale swept past as the voice sounded in his ears.
“Helmosuin is at 32 Black Pepper Avenue!”
… What? As the voice resounded, Oder fell into a dazed shock. Without noticing it, he fell from the top of the roof and nearly injured himself badly.
Behind the Cathedral of Waves, and in a small nearby building of the governor-general’s office, Jahn Kottman and Robert Davis heard the voice in the wind.
The first reaction they had was to look up at the sky before casting their eyes towards the borough where Black Pepper Avenue was.
After the broadcast and being in a good mood, Klein threw the Sea God Scepter back into the junk pile and returned to the real world.
He wasn’t in a rush to bring the radio transceiver back above the gray fog. Instead, he left it there as he continued monitoring the transmissions.
This way, even if there are powerhouses from the Rose School of Thought hidden in Bayam, they wouldn’t dare appear. Heh heh, and regardless who takes action, they’ll have no choice but to “hand” it over to the country! Unfortunately, I don’t have the habit of writing a diary like the emperor. Otherwise, I could write something like: I did another good deed today! Klein silently sighed, took off his coat, got into bed, and slept. He didn’t care what was going to happen next, as it had nothing to do with him.
After sleeping for an unknown period of time, he suddenly woke up and sat up. Then, there was knocking on his door.
Who could it be? To knock in the middle of the night… I’m currently John Yode… Klein wore Creeping Hunger and took out Death Knell from under his pillow before coming to the door.
The visitor’s looks quickly surfaced in his mind. It was a thin elder with grizzled, disheveled hair. He was wearing a coat stuffed with cotton and a tweed overcoat. He was popping a coffee-colored sweet into his mouth.
Turani von Helmosuin!
Holy f*ck! Why is he here looking for me? I’m just the ordinary John Yode! Also, how did he escape the tracking of a demigod? Klein’s first reaction was to tell the man that he had gotten the wrong person, but he held back and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Helmosuin smiled weakly and said, “I noticed you when we were in the Seaweed Bar; however, I didn’t have a chance to talk to you.
“Heh heh, my life is at its end, so I recently recalled many things.
“Please allow me to introduce myself. You can call me Orange Light Hilarion.
Orange Light Hilarion? Klein was taken aback before he asked in puzzlement, “Is there something?”
Helmosuin chuckled.
“I’m here to warn you. Be careful of the Mother Tree of Desire!”
He paused for a moment before saying, “Alright, I need to leave, and I’m about to die before returning to the spirit world.
“Do you have any enemies here?”
“Why do you ask?” Klein asked, confused.
Helmosuin coughed and said, “I can silently die at their doorstep. That way, you would have your revenge.”
