Chapter 164: Chapter 164: When Klein Arrived in Beckland
Chapter 164: When Klein Arrived in Beckland
"Klein, look, this is the steam train to Beckland. The discovery of steam is undoubtedly the greatest invention of this era!"
Leonard, brimming with enthusiasm, began to play the role of a tour guide, introducing Klein to everything from the invention of steam to the discovery of steam trains, and then to the laying of tracks and their introduction to civilian use.
Klein maintained a polite smile, but his thoughts were elsewhere, wondering what Leonard's reaction would be if he knew that in the future, there would be an era of electricity. Seeing cars driving on the streets, he would surely exclaim in surprise at how fast these four-wheeled iron beetles could move.
And when he saw airplanes in the sky, he would be utterly astounded, questioning when humanity had conquered the skies. The expression on his face would be priceless when he got his hands on a smartphone.
As he pondered, Klein's lips curled into a slight smile, wondering why he hadn't learned to enjoy these pleasures before.
After about half an hour, the two successfully boarded the steam train to Beckland. With a long whistle echoing in every corner of the platform, the monstrous steam train, pulling more than twenty carriages, began its journey to Beckland, the city of hope.
…
When another long whistle sounded, the steam train, dragging its heavy body, arrived in Beckland.
Dressed in a tailcoat and wearing a top hat, Klein and the lively Leonard stepped off the train with the crowd and came to the platform outside.
Leonard stared at the gloomy sky for a long time before complaining, "Klein, the sky in Beckland is even worse than described in the newspapers. Just thinking about living in such a place in the future dampens my spirits."
"Besides the dark sky, the air quality here is also terrible. Except for advanced technology and population, everything here pales in comparison to Tingen."
"Sigh, in such a gloomy world, the poetry of the countryside has drifted far from me, ever further away. If one day I can no longer write moving verses, it will surely be Beckland's fault."
"Hey, that last sentence was quite poetic. I must write it down; it might come in handy for a new poem."
With Leonard chattering away, Klein, who also wanted to complain, chose to remain silent and checked the time on his pocket watch.
It was four-thirty in the afternoon, but the sky was already dark, and gas lamps were lit everywhere, their dim yellow light dispelling the gloom and darkness.
He suddenly remembered a joke from the 'Tasok Times': "A gentleman who had just arrived in Beckland got lost in the thick fog and had to ask a drenched passerby for directions to the Tasok River. The man kindly replied: 'Just go straight, don't stop, I've just swum up from there.'"
Every time he saw a newspaper about Beckland, the reporters and editors spared no effort in mocking the air pollution here. Now it seemed they had been quite considerate of the dignitaries' feelings.
"Let's go, we need to report to St. Samuel's Church."
"Klein, why didn't you choose to join the Red Gloves with me?"
"I prefer to be a Watcher of the Night."
"Alright, I hope we'll see each other often."
"We will. After all, you've just joined the Red Gloves; it will take some time to adjust."
Leonard thought so too and started looking for the way with Klein, quickly boarding a steam train heading to the northern district.
After reporting to St. Samuel's Church, Klein was assigned to a Watcher of the Night squad responsible for the western district.
In Beckland, there were three Watcher of the Night squads: one stationed in the Queen's District, one in the West, and another in the Docklands.
Being directly assigned to the West was a good starting point for Klein.
Although the three squads were equal in rank, the Queen's District was where the great nobles and the royal family resided, making it the most coveted position with higher unspoken requirements for joining.
Klein didn't care too much about these things; he was only concerned about how much his weekly salary had increased after being transferred to Beckland.
And whether the Watcher of the Night squad was responsible for arranging accommodations.
If he had to find his own housing and food, shouldn't there be housing and meal allowances? After all, the cost of living in Beckland was definitely higher than in Tingen.
Leonard, who was staying with the Red Gloves for training, was lamenting the strength of the goddess.
Beckland was divided into so many districts, yet the Church of the Night Goddess had swiftly taken over the Queen's District, West, and North—three significant areas.
Although they managed their followers independently on a daily basis and the divisions weren't as simple, but rather mixed, it didn't stop Leonard from believing the goddess was the most powerful. After all, a faithful believer always finds ways to praise the divine.
"Klein, this is where we part ways. Once I settle down, remember to write to me if you're free."
"Sure, I'm also planning to learn how to summon messengers from Miss Daly."
"Summoning messengers from the spirit world, huh? When I have time, I'll get one too; that's what makes one a qualified extraordinary person," Leonard said excitedly.
Klein just shook his head inwardly, thinking that if he had to keep writing to Leonard, it would be a waste of postage. It would be cheaper to use a messenger.
After parting with Leonard, Klein went alone to report to the Watcher of the Night squad in the West.
…
"I wonder how things are progressing in Tingen, whether the original story has changed, whether Klein has rewritten the ending, or if he still perishes in that disaster?"
Hasta calculated the time at home, realizing that the events in Tingen were nearing their conclusion.
He hadn't sent anyone to Tingen, so he had no idea what had actually happened there.
However, a few days ago, he had read a brief mention of Tingen in the 'Ruen Briefing'. The paper mentioned a minor disturbance in Tingen that was quickly dealt with.
Such brief information made it impossible to guess what had actually happened in Tingen.
As a result, Hasta could only speculate about the situation in Tingen.
This had prevented him from continuing to forge Roselle's diary, forcing him to tell Audrey that there were no new entries for the time being, missing out on a chance to make a profit.
"Baron, Manager Halle has sent this month's factory earnings."
As Hasta pondered in his study, Butler Neil arrived, interrupting his temporary train of thought.
"How much is it?"
"3,400 pounds."
"Not bad, prepare a portion to send to the Grint family."
"Manager Halle has already divided it according to the shareholding ratio. The 3,400 is your net profit for this month, Baron. Manager Halle says it could increase by at least another fifty percent next month."
This time, Hasta was genuinely moved. He had thought his share would be around 2,000 pounds, but it was much more.
If things continued this way, he could earn at least fifty thousand pounds this year.
That was a significant sum.
"Keep 3,000 pounds for myself, and the remaining 400 for household expenses."
Hasta quickly decided how to allocate this wealth, and Butler Neil left to handle the matter as instructed.
"Now, I truly have my own industry, although it's still far from the likes of Earl Hall, the banking tycoon."
After some thought, Hasta decided to invest the 3,000 pounds further, planning to acquire some promising industries for the future.
With his current finances, he could only buy small businesses, far from reaching the threshold of industries like steel and banking.
At night, it was the fifteenth full moon.
Fors was lying in bed, ready to face the full moon's whispers.
With her previous experiences, she was not panicked at all.
The only thing she feared was Hugh discovering her secret.
Although she trusted Hugh would not tell anyone she was a follower of the stars, the more people who knew, the more dangerous it became.
Especially now, with the precarious situation of Beckland's extraordinaries.
So for Hugh's safety, Fors would send him out every time the full moon's whispers came, locking the doors and windows, staying alone in the room.
After waiting for about twenty minutes, the full moon's whispers arrived, and the familiar pain was something Fors felt she would never forget in her lifetime.
She knelt on the bedsheet in the standard posture of a devout believer, hands clasped, praying to the stars.
Mainly because she didn't know the specifics of the star faith, like what posture to pray in, what scriptures to recite, or what gestures to represent the stars.
When the ceiling above her head revealed a dazzling starry sky, and the starlight enveloped her, the whispers from the full moon disappeared in an instant.
Fors was left with only peace and tranquility, without any pain.
At such times, she would firmly affirm her faith.
No matter how turbulent the situation in Beckland was, she did not regret her faith in the stars.
Yes, she felt she was a steadfast believer in the stars.
After the duration of the full moon's whispers passed, Fors sincerely expressed her devotion and gratitude to the stars.
Usually, at this time, the starry sky would dissipate, and everything would return to calm.
But this time, Fors saw the brilliant starlight in the sky converge into lines of text, written in ancient Hermes script.
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era;
The Mysterious Ruler above the gray fog;
The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."
(End of this chapter)
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
audiobook_world
audiobook_world anybody know how i can add pic of the character on this platform
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone