Bab 94: Chapter 94: Imitating Roselle’s Diary
Chapter 94: Imitating Roselle's Diary
Although he was certain that Mr. A harbored no ill will towards him, he still preferred not to get too close to Mr. A.
Who knows if Mr. A might suddenly go mad? It's better to keep a distance.
Soon, Audrey, Gehrman, and Hugh decided to attend this extraordinary gathering, while fors and Hastur chose to stay at home and keep their distance, respectively.
Audrey curiously asked, "Mr. Hastur, aren't you interested in this extraordinary gathering?"
Hugh covered his mouth and chuckled, "He's afraid of being fancied by Mr. A."
fors added, "Actually, Mr. A is quite decent. There have never been any issues in the many extraordinary gatherings he's attended."
The stories between two handsome men, though blush-inducing, carried an excitement that was hard to resist.
fors's face turned red, and he quickly refocused his mind, no longer fantasizing about the doujinshi story between Hastur and Mr. A.
Hastur just smiled and offered no explanation.
After chatting for a while, Hugh glanced at fors and coughed lightly, "We've recently collected two more original manuscripts of Emperor Roselle."
Audrey immediately showed interest.
These were items even the mysterious Mr. Fool was interested in. They referred to them as manuscripts, seemingly unaware that these 'manuscripts' were actually diaries.
She should also collect some of Roselle's diaries, not only to clear her debt with Mr. Fool but also to exchange them for knowledge and assistance.
Before she could ask, Hastur said with a smile, "Certainly, an original manuscript for 50 pounds, the purchase price remains unchanged."
Audrey's eyes widened in surprise; she hadn't expected Mr. Hastur to be collecting Roselle's diaries as well.
How could she make an offer to Hugh and fors to help her find Roselle's diaries? If she offered a higher price, wouldn't that be competing with Mr. Hastur's business?
She couldn't bring herself to do such a thing.
Yet, she needed Roselle's diaries and couldn't waste this opportunity.
Audrey puffed her cheeks, then quickly realized it was unseemly.
After some thought, she decided she could discuss it privately with Mr. Hastur under the guise of studying.
She didn't necessarily need the originals; copies would suffice as long as the content was accurate.
But Mr. Hastur was offering 50 pounds per original; was it right to take advantage of him like this? After all, Mr. Hastur had taught her much about mysticism.
She wasn't without funds; she could afford to pay a higher price for a few of Roselle's diaries from Mr. Hastur.
Perhaps 100 pounds each.
The price was steep, but she didn't need every diary.
Occasionally, she could 'freeload' a few diaries under the pretext of study and discussion.
A few copies shouldn't be a problem, right?
Audrey glanced nervously at Hastur, who was finalizing a deal with Hugh and hadn't noticed her. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Once their transaction was complete, she smiled and said, "Mr. Hastur, I'm also very interested in the original manuscripts left by Emperor Roselle. May I consult you on related knowledge in the future?"
Hastur smiled back, "Of course, you're welcome."
The two, each with their own agenda, smiled brightly.
Gehrman asked curiously, "Can you understand the original manuscripts left by Emperor Roselle?"
"Can't understand them," Audrey and Hastur answered simultaneously.
Hastur added, "I've always been a follower of Emperor Roselle's knowledge."
"I also admire the impact Emperor Roselle has had on this era," Audrey chimed in.
"You both seem odd," Gehrman muttered softly, then said no more.
Hastur and Audrey tacitly dropped the subject and started discussing other matters.
Later, Hastur shared some simple mystical knowledge.
As they were about to part ways, Audrey, not far from Hastur, said, "Mr. Hastur, I think the original manuscripts left by Emperor Roselle look like pages torn from a whole diary."
Mr. Hastur had taught her much about mysticism, and she felt she could share some advanced knowledge with him.
It wasn't to show off her intelligence in front of Mr. Hastur.
Well… she couldn't completely deny that motive… Sometimes, she wanted to be the one at the pinnacle of intelligence, looking down on others.
She wanted to see Mr. Hastur's surprised expression.
Yes, let Mr. Hastur experience a little shock.
"Oh, Miss Audrey, you've noticed as well?" Hastur's counter-question left Audrey momentarily speechless.
This wasn't the reaction she had expected.
She forced a smile, "Do you think so too, Mr. Hastur?"
"Yes, I've always had such a suspicion, and it's one of the results of my research into Emperor Roselle's manuscripts."
"So, I've inadvertently penetrated this secret."
"Miss Audrey, you're truly intelligent."
Audrey just smiled at the compliment without saying a word.
Yes, she was indeed smart.
She had naively thought she could hold the intellectual high ground in front of Mr. Hastur for a moment.
Turns out, the joke was on her.
Sigh, so it's better not to seek applause and accolades in fields where one is not skilled.
Hastur enjoyed Audrey's little expressions for a while, then continued, "Miss Audrey, since you're so interested in Emperor Roselle, do you also collect his diaries at home?"
Audrey paused, then quickly replied, "We could study them together."
She feared Hastur might suddenly offer to buy her family's collection of Roselle's diaries.
That would be awkward, and she wouldn't know how to respond.
"That would be nice," Hastur said with a smile, looking at Audrey with increased pleasure.
Before getting into the carriage, Audrey pondered and decided not to ask Hastur directly about his financial situation.
Instead, she said with a smile, "I have some spare money I'd like to invest. Do you have any good suggestions, Mr. Hastur?"
"The mosquito repellent powder that Gehrman developed tonight should have a good market; it would be a nice investment."
"But this spare money is quite substantial, and Gehrman's business probably won't need 20,000 pounds, right? I'll think about it more when I get back."
Audrey looked troubled, then left in the carriage under Hastur's shocked and envious gaze.
On the carriage, Audrey quietly pumped her fist, feeling a bit smug.
So, Mr. Hastur wasn't in great financial shape.
But soon, she felt embarrassed, her cheeks burning.
To recover from the earlier embarrassment, she had teased Mr. Hastur about his financial situation.
And she had deliberately enjoyed his shocked expression.
Audrey, you've changed. The old you wouldn't have done this.
You must change; you can't be so frivolous in the future.
Audrey reflected deeply on what had just happened.
But after a while, she muttered, "But in terms of money, I can't win against Mr. Hastur in any other aspect, even though he seems about my age."
…
In the study.
Hastur sat at his desk, reviewing the two newly acquired pages of Roselle's diary. After reading them, he locked them in a drawer with the previous pages.
Now that Audrey understood the importance of Roselle's diaries, it was time for him to start revealing some information to Klein.
Taking out paper and pen, he thought for a moment and began to imitate Roselle's diary style.
"August 12th, I attended a dinner hosted by Viscount Reed. Viscount Reed, who had drunk quite a bit, boasted endlessly about his prowess in a certain area. It wasn't until I saw his wife and a baron emerge from the depths of the back garden, faces flushed, that I realized people often boast about what they lack."
"August 15th, I heard something interesting from Mr. Door. It was a sealed item, a miraculous pen that could write scripts and bring the stories within to life. Isn't this just an otherworldly version of Ma Liang's magic pen!
Mr. Door also specifically warned me that if coincidences, chance encounters, and random events frequently occur in daily life, one should be careful not to become a character written into a script by that pen."
"August 19th, I took Green and Edward to enjoy a performance by a song and dance troupe. Ah, it was an adult version of the performance, quite shocking."
After writing these three entries, Hastur stopped to review them, then added two more small stories, filling the page.
He then put down the pen and admired his work.
The other four stories were unimportant; only the event on August 15th mattered.
It was the first hint and guidance for Klein, using the character Mr. Door.
He didn't directly reveal that the pen was called 008, planning to clarify it in later entries.
This also fit the fragmented recording style of Roselle's diaries.
As for tarnishing Roselle's reputation?
Did Roselle's libertine behavior need his defamation?
(End of chapter)
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