Chapter 22: Monocle
Amid his mixed thoughts, Klein went across the street and went to the second floor . He entered the main foyer to see a beautiful female attendant .
The woman with coiled brownish-yellow hair sized up Klein before saying with a smile, "Sir, do you wish to have your fortune told, or do you wish to join our club?"
"What are the conditions for entry?" asked Klein casually .
The woman explained with great familiarity, "Fill in your particulars and pay an annual membership fee . The first year is five pounds and subsequent years will be one pound a year . Don't worry, we are not like political or business clubs which allow entry through recommendations from formal members .
"Members can freely use the club's meeting room and various divination rooms and tools . They can enjoy the coffee and tea we provide and read the newspapers and magazines we subscribe for free . They can buy lunch, dinner, and alcoholic beverages at cost price, as well as education materials and materials needed for divination .
"In addition, we invite at least one famous fortune-teller to lecture every month to answer any questions .
"Most importantly, you can find a bunch of friends with the same hobbies and have an exchange with them . "
It sounds pretty good, but . I do not have the money . Klein gave a self-deprecating smile before asking, "Then what if I want my fortune told?"
I will come again after captain given me a written recommendation. Klein thought.
Upon hearing Klein's question, the beautiful lady with elegantly tied-up brownish-yellow hair appeared to lose her patience . However, she maintained her smile and said, "Our members are free to do divination for others in the club . They also have their prices and we take a very tiny cut as a fee . If you wish to have your fortune told, you can take a look at this album . It has introductions and rates of the members who are willing to do divination for others . "
As she introduced the club, she invited Klein to have a seat on the sofa beside a window in the reception hall . Then, she flipped through the album and pointed out the present club members .
"Hanass Vincent . Famous Tingen fortune-teller . The club's resident mentor . Good at various forms of divination . He charges four soli each time . "
Hanass... Aurora order, Klein was in deep thought.
It's really expensive . . . That's enough to feed Benson, Melissa, and me to two sumptuous dinners . . . Klein clicked his tongue silently and did not reply .
When the woman saw this, she continued flipping the page and introducing one member after another .
" . . . And the this one, Glacis . A member who joined the club this year . He is skilled in tarot divination . He charges two pence each time .
"Sir, who do you plan on choosing?"
Klein did not stand on ceremony and answered, "Mr . Glacis . "
" . . . " The female attendant fell silent for two seconds before saying, "Sir, I have to remind you that Mr . Glacis is only considered a novice . "
"I understand . I will be responsible for my own decision . " Klein nodded with a smile .
" . . . Then please follow me . " The woman stood up and led Klein through a door beside the reception hall .
It was not a very long corridor and an open meeting room was situated at its end . There was enough sunlight and it was equipped with tables and chairs . There were newspapers, magazines, and paper cards . A faint coffee aroma drifted out .
About two rooms from the meeting room, the attendant gestured for Klein to stop . She sped up her pace and entered the room . She shouted gently, "Mr . Glacis, someone wishes for your divination . "
"Me?" A voice filled with surprise and doubt immediately sounded . Following that, there was the sound of a chair moving .
"Yes, which divination room would you like to use?" replied the lady without any emotion .
"Topaz Room . I like topaz . " Glacis appeared by the meeting room's door and looked curiously at Klein who was waiting not far away .
He was a man in his thirties; his skin was slightly dark and his pupils were a dark green shade . Under his light, yellow and soft hair, he was dressed in a white shirt and black vest . A monocle hung from his chest and he seemed to have a good disposition .
The attendant did not say anything further as she opened the door to the Topaz Room which was next to the meeting room .
The curtains inside were tightly shut, making it dim . It appeared that only by doing so would one gain revelations from the gods and spirits to obtain an accurate divination outcome .
"Hello there . I'm Glacis . I never expected you to choose me for your divination . " Glacis gave a gentleman's bow, briskly stepped into the room, and sat behind a long table . "Frankly, I'm only attempting divination for others . I do not have much experience . For now, I'm not a good fortune-teller . You still have a chance for regret . "
After Klein returned the bow, he entered and closed the door behind him .
By the light seeping through the curtains, he said with a smile, "You are a really honest man, but I'm someone who is very firm on his choices . "
"Please have a seat . " Glacis pointed at the seat in front of him and thought for a few seconds . "Divination is my hobby . Heh heh . In life, one often receives guidance from the divine, but the ordinary person is unable to accurately understand the meaning . This is the reason why divination exists and also why I joined this club . In this aspect, I still lack confidence . Let's make the divination that follows an exchange, a free exchange . How do you like my suggestion? I'll cover the fees the club requires . It's just a quarterpence . "
Klein did not agree or shake his head . Instead, he smiled .
"From the looks of it, you have a pretty well-paying and decent job . "
While he said so, he leaned his body forward slightly . He held his forehead with his right fist and tapped at it twice .
"But that does not enhance the accuracy of my divination," answered Glacis humorously . "Does your head hurt? Do you want to divine problems regarding health?"
"A little . I wish to divine where an item is . " Klein had already thought of an excuse as he slowly leaned back .
In his eyes, Glacis's aura clearly presented itself . The orange colors by his lungs were dark and sparse . They even influenced the brightness in other areas .
"Are you searching for a lost item?" Glacis thought for a few seconds before saying, "Then let's do a simple determination . "
He pushed the neatly stacked tarot cards on the black table toward Klein .
"Calm down . Think of that item and ask yourself 'can it still be found . ' While doing so, shuffle and cut the deck . "
"Alright . " Klein actually did not wanted to do anything with notebook. He only come today look for him.
Please do not be The Fool again . . .
While praying, he suddenly relaxed because the card was that of The Star and it was inverted!
"From the looks of it, the item has not been taken by others yet," interpreted Glacis with a smile .
Klein nodded and raised his right hand . He tapped his glabella, looking as though he was deep in thought . Then, he took out two pennies with a dark copper luster from his pocket and pushed it towards Glacis .
"Didn't I say it was free?" Glacis said with a frown .
Klein laughed as he got up .
"This is the respect divination deserves . "
"Alright, thank you for your generosity . " Glacis stood up and reached out his hand .
After shaking his hand, Klein took two steps back and turned around . He walked to the door and twisted the doorknob .
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned his head and made a terse sound .
"Mr . Glacis, I suggest that you see a doctor as soon as possible . Focus on your lungs . "
"Why?" asked Glacis in surprise .
Are you cursing me because you aren't pleased with the divination results?
Klein thought for a moment before saying, "It's a symptom based on the color of your face . You, well . . . your glabella seems dark
"Glabella seems dark . . . " It was the first time Glacis was hearing such a description .
Klein did not explain further as he walked out the room with a smile . He closed the wooden door behind him .
"Is he an unlicensed doctor or a herbalist?" Glacis shook his head, amused . He then picked up his monocle for divination .
On careful look, he realized his glabella was indeed dark .
But this was a problem of the environment . In the darkness due to the closed curtains, not only was his glabella dark, his entire face was shrouded in darkness!
"It's not a very likable joke . " Glacis muttered .
He worriedly divined his own health to make sure that everything was alright .
After leaving the Divination Club, Klein had an additional plan for the future . But it cannot be exercised that plan.
A few minutes later, the public carriage arrived . He spent two pence and reached Zouteland Street which was not very far off .
He pushed open the door to Blackthorn Security Company but did not see the familiar brown-haired girl . He only saw the black-haired, green-eyed Leonard Mitchell with his poetic bearing behind the reception counter .
"Good afternoon . Where's Rozanne?" Klein asked after taking off his hat and bowing .
Leonard smiled and pointed at the partition .
"It's her shift tonight at the armory . "
Without waiting for Klein to ask another question, Leonard said as though he was pondering over a matter, "Klein, I have a question that has always puzzled me . "
"What is it?" Klein was puzzled .
Leonard stood up and smilingly said with a relaxed tone, "Why did Welch and Naya commit suicide on the spot while you returned home?"
"It likely has to do with how the unknown existence made me take the Antigonus family's notebook away to hide it," answered Klein with the official surmise .
Leonard paced around before turning to look straight into Klein's eyes .
"If your suicide was meant to silence you and wipe out any clues, why weren't you made to destroy the notebook there and then?"
Upon hearing Leonard's question, Klein instantly went into keyboard detective mode and said with a sigh, perhaps that notebook finding his real owner killing other one. However, some mishap happened during the process and I failed to succeed in my suicide . "
This was a reasoned guess Klein made from his consumption of novels, movies, and TV dramas which involved cult sacrifices .
"Quite a good explanation, but I believe there might be other possibilities . Welch's and Naya's suicide sacrifice might have made it possible for the unknown existence to descend on this world . Then, that notebook is a vessel or a breeding ground for evil . It made you take it away to hide it, worried that we would destroy it if we discovered its birth—before it became strong . " Leonard Mitchell suggested another possibility .
Having said that, he stared into Klein's eyes and smiled slightly .
"Of course, perhaps the notebook has been destroyed . The goal is to hide its content, to conceal the vessel or the brooding of evil . That way, there is a sufficient reason for your failed suicide . "
"Are you saying I am vessel for evil then you are correct I am a evil God and I have two subordinate." Klein wanted to say this and shut up himself before he reached sequence 8.
"I'm only considering a possibility . It does not eliminate the blow the unknown existence encountered when it descended which caused your suicide to fail . We believe that the Goddess will ultimately bless us . " Leonard laughed as he changed the subject . "Did you discover anything in the afternoon?"
"Yes, I am also bless with Goddess." After the conversation and the previous encounters, Klein was very wary of Leonard . He answered in a composed manner, "No . I plan on trying a different route tomorrow afternoon . "
He pointed to the partition and said, "I'll need to head to the armory to draw the bullets . "
The Shooting Club opened to nine at night . After all, its availability increased only after many of its members got off work .
"May Goddess bless you . " Leonard smiled as he gestured the sign of the crimson moon on his chest .
He watched Klein pass through the partition and listened to his footsteps down the stairs . Leonard's smile gradually vanished as a look of doubt appeared in his green eyes .
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