Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Klein: Is It Really Such a Coincidence?
Chapter 439: Klein: Is It Really Such a Coincidence?
Is it really such a coincidence?
After a long day, Klein returned to the old Rose Style Bar, intending to order a few of their signature exotic wines to relax his weary body and mind. Having spent so much time at sea, he may not have learned much else, but he had certainly mastered the skill of drinking to pass the boring nights.
But now, he regretted not just washing up and going to bed early tonight, instead of coming here.
If he had done that, he wouldn't have run into the person he had been thinking about all day: Count Hastur Campbell.
This young count, who should still be in Southwell County, was now standing right in front of him.
Should he call him naive or bold?
Thinking about the connection between the King in Yellow and Hastur, Klein felt a chill as he looked at Count Hastur Campbell. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending nothing had happened.
Fortunately, a patron got up and left, blocking the line of sight between them. Klein took the opportunity to find a secluded seat where he could avoid Hastur Campbell's gaze.
"Sigh..."
Klein took a sip of his drink, finding it more bitter than usual. The appearance of Count Hastur Campbell tonight had not relaxed him; instead, it made him even more exhausted.
Hastur and the King in Yellow were explosive figures in any worldview.
Stay away, stay as far away as possible. Klein didn't want to get contaminated.
"Sir, someone wants to buy you a drink."
As Klein was pondering, the bartender approached, bringing him a bottle of Green Jade worth about 5 gold pounds.
Under the bartender's gesture, Klein reluctantly looked at the person who had suddenly sent him the drink—Count Hastur Campbell. He forced a smile to show he had accepted the gift.
His heart was full of confusion. He had changed his appearance completely, looking nothing like Klein. How did Hastur see through his disguise at a glance?
Could his eyes see through reality and illusion?
Or was sending this bottle of wine just a test?
Klein believed the only flaw he might have shown was the momentary shock in his eyes when he first saw Hastur.
That small emotion must have been caught by the other party.
After silently finishing a glass of wine, Klein decided to go thank Hastur. If he pretended nothing had happened, wouldn't that make him seem suspicious?
Besides, even if Hastur saw through his true identity, they were not enemies.
When a slightly tipsy Audrey saw someone approaching, she squinted her eyes. For a moment, she seemed to see Mr. Fool walking towards her.
This sobered her up instantly. Upon closer look, it was clear the person was not Mr. Fool but an adventurer who had spent many years at sea.
She withdrew her gaze, glanced at Mr. Hastur, and continued to sip the strong wine.
"Sir, thank you for your generosity. It allowed me to taste the Green Jade, which I usually can't afford." Klein smiled and naturally sat in the empty seat next to Hastur, with Audrey on the other side.
"If you need any help, I can give you some valuable advice in return for the wine."
As Klein spoke, he asked the bartender for a glass, poured himself a drink from Hastur's bottle, and acted like a seasoned freeloader.
"I don't need any help."
"Giving wine for free? I can't accept such a gift without feeling uneasy."
"You resemble an old friend of mine."
Facing Hastur's calm gaze, Klein's heart almost stopped.
"It's just a resemblance. Don't worry about it. The wine is yours."
"It seems tonight is my lucky night."
Klein didn't dwell on it, thanked Hastur, and returned to his seat to enjoy the Green Jade.
"Mr. Hastur, is that person really your old friend?" Audrey curiously asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. Some people don't like to reveal their true identity when they're out. Necessary disguises are just a form of self-protection."
"Like me now?"
"Miss Audrey's beauty could illuminate the entire sea. Necessary disguises protect others."
"Mr. Hastur's compliments have become so straightforward?"
Audrey's already flushed face looked especially cute and charming when she said this.
While the two drank and chatted, Klein had already left the bar.
Not long after he left, Hastur also led the slightly drunk Audrey out.
Audrey still held Hastur's arm, leaning lightly against him. Her black mage-like robe concealed her beauty and figure, and her flushed cheeks from the alcohol could only be admired up close by Hastur.
"Mr. Hastur, shall we go out again tomorrow night?" Audrey's eyes sparkled like little stars.
Hastur agreed to this small promise, then took Audrey to a secluded spot, opened a travel portal, and returned to the Hope.
After a while, the sea breeze blew away most of Audrey's intoxication. She smiled, said goodnight, and went to her room with Susie to rest.
Hastur took a bath, then lay on his bed and entered the Hall of Stars, descending into the Star Vessel as the King in Yellow, and returned to the port.
This time, he didn't choose to seal his memory, just acting in his tattered yellow robe.
He wanted to see if anything different would happen tonight.
Finding Klein hiding in the Source Fortress was difficult, but finding Klein in disguise wasn't too hard.
As Klein was about to return to the inn to rest after a walk, he saw a tattered yellow figure on the street ahead.
Klein instinctively wanted to turn back but restrained himself, took a few steps forward, and then pretended to remember something urgent, turned around, and walked away from the tattered yellow figure.
But after a few steps, he saw the tattered yellow figure again, even closer.
Klein knew he was in a mysterious situation tonight.
He took a deep breath and prepared himself.
His right hand quietly gripped a gun named Death Knell, and a fate charm from Will lay in his left palm.
Although fighting wasn't a good choice, facing this unknown King in Yellow, he couldn't be too cautious.
As they got closer, Hastur lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Klein, I see the gun in your right hand."
"???"
Klein froze. He was shocked that Hastur had revealed his identity and that the voice was familiar—it was Hastur's voice!
Was he pretending to be the King in Yellow?
Hastur pretending to be the King in Yellow? What a coincidence!
After the initial shock, Klein's worry and fear diminished.
He put away the Death Knell gun and calmly asked, "Mr. Hastur, how did you recognize my true identity?"
"My eyes are good at seeing people. Your disguise is good, but it has some flaws."
"Mr. Hastur's disguise is truly admirable."
Klein's words were sincere. Who would have thought the tattered yellow robe was Hastur?
The King in Yellow and Hastur appearing in such a form was indescribably strange!
"In this regard, we are alike. We both use disguised identities when out."
Hearing this, Klein couldn't help but feel a toothache. He did use a disguised identity, but Hastur?
Hastur pretending to be the King in Yellow?
Is such a coincidence possible?
While Klein was full of doubts, Hastur pulled a book from his pocket and tossed it to Klein. "My disguise comes from this book."
Klein took the book and gasped at the cover.
The tattered yellow figure on the cover was indeed the King in Yellow!
There were worshippers of him in this world, who even wrote novels about his mysterious deeds.
No wonder Hastur disguised himself as this figure. The tattered yellow robe indeed fit people's fantasies about the mysterious world.
For a moment, Klein almost suspected Hastur was a transmigrator like him.
Seeing the book, he dismissed this unrealistic idea.
If Hastur were a transmigrator, why would he appear so openly before him?
And in a tattered yellow robe, no less.
Was he afraid Klein wouldn't know he was connected to the original world?
Moreover, with his status, there was no need to chat with Klein so frankly.
"Mr. Hastur, I sincerely advise you that the tattered yellow robe symbolizes misfortune and disaster. You should disguise yourself as someone else next time."
Klein offered a small suggestion. In the mysterious world, symbolism was important.
"Oh, really? Recently, many people like to use this image at night." Hastur laughed and added, "You haven't read this book, but you seem to know a lot about the King in Yellow?"
Klein was momentarily stunned by the question, his mind racing to find a suitable answer.
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