章 309: Chapter 309: Klein: Should I Start Striving?
Chapter 309: Klein: Should I Start Striving?
Knock, knock.
In the evening, Klein, who had been busy in the kitchen for twenty minutes with an apron on, had just finished preparing a pot of potato and beef stew when he heard a rhythmic knock on the door.
He put down the fork he was using to taste the beef, covered the pot, and half-stepped out to look towards the door.
At this time, it should be Benson and Melissa returning home, but they both had keys and wouldn't need to knock.
Could it be that Benson left in such a hurry today that he forgot his keys?
Klein thought for a few seconds, wiped his slightly greasy hands on his light blue apron, and then walked out of the kitchen to the door.
To be safe, he cautiously asked about the identity of the person knocking.
"It's Crestet Cesimir . I worked with you and Leonard on the Ince Zangwill case in Tingen."
The familiar voice made Klein relax a bit. He opened the door slightly and saw that it was indeed Crestet Cesimir standing alone outside.
Klein then fully opened the door and smiled, "Mr. Crestet Cesimir , what brings you to my home?"
"Mr. Klein, we meet again," Crestet Cesimir said. "I apologize for the sudden visit."
"Please come in. Would you like tea or coffee?" Klein stepped aside to let Crestet Cesimir in.
"Just a simple cup of tea will do. I'm not particular about such things, as I'm often on the move."
Crestet Cesimir entered the house and sat on the sofa. He noticed Klein was still wearing an apron and could smell the faint aroma of food from the kitchen. He chuckled, "Seems like I came at the right time."
"Sorry for the casual setting. I got off work early today and decided to cook something simple at home," Klein said as he brewed tea for both of them, then removed his apron and brought over the tea.
After some small talk, Crestet Cesimir explained the purpose of his visit.
He wanted to invite Klein to join him in handling matters in Punin Port, Southville County.
Archbishop Anthony had allowed him to choose a few people to assist him, and Klein was his first choice.
"Why did you choose to invite me to Southville County?" Klein asked, puzzled. Since coming to Backlund, he had little contact with Crestet Cesimir , and their personal relationship was quite ordinary.
Crestet Cesimir looked at him and explained, "Because this matter is related to Ince Zangwill, and you have had contact with him."
He smiled and added, "Of course, that's not the main reason. The real reason is that I believe you have a certain kind of luck, which I lack."
Klein laughed, "That sounds rather mystical."
"No, it's not mystical at all. When it comes to extraordinary matters, some people are just more fortunate, often turning dangerous situations into safe ones. You proved this during the 008 incident," Crestet Cesimir patiently explained.
Klein felt a bit relieved, thinking Crestet Cesimir might have noticed something special about him.
He thought for a while and asked, "Since this is official business, why not just requisition me instead of visiting privately?"
Crestet Cesimir sincerely replied, "I wanted to give you the freedom to choose. Official requisition would be more efficient, but it seems you don't want to leave Backlund, so I chose to visit privately."
Klein was silent for a moment, then curiously asked, "How did you know I don't want to leave Backlund?"
"From your daily life. You go home to your family after work and don't seem to enjoy going out or being in lively places. Based on this, I inferred you don't want to leave Backlund."
Seeing Klein's slightly unnatural expression, Crestet Cesimir added, "Don't misunderstand. I didn't follow you or hire a private detective. I learned about you from your colleagues."
Klein's expression softened, but he didn't immediately respond to Crestet Cesimir 's invitation, leading to a moment of silence.
**Click.**
It was the sound of a key turning in the lock.
Before the door fully opened, Benson's slightly exaggerated voice was heard.
"Klein, what delicious food are you making tonight? I smelled the beef stew from the hallway."
Benson entered, changed his muddy shoes, and then noticed the guest.
He paused and looked at Klein.
"Benson, this is Mr. Crestet Cesimir , who helped me in Tingen and is my colleague. He works in Backlund," Klein briefly introduced. Crestet Cesimir smiled kindly at Benson, then stood up and turned to Klein, "I have to leave Backlund at eight tomorrow morning. I hope you consider it."
After Crestet Cesimir left, Benson frowned slightly, "Klein, are you leaving Backlund?"
Klein shook his head, "I haven't decided yet. Mr. Crestet Cesimir is giving me the choice."
"Going on a business trip..." Benson stopped himself, then smiled towards the kitchen, "Let me taste your labor's result tonight."
"Potato and beef stew. I'm quite confident in this dish," Klein smiled and followed Benson into the kitchen.
About ten minutes later, Melissa returned from school and caught Klein and Benson sneaking bites of the stew.
That night, Klein lay alone in bed, thinking about what Crestet Cesimir had said. Even someone like Crestet Cesimir , who rarely interacted with him, could see that he preferred a peaceful life and didn't want to leave Backlund.
Was it that obvious?
He had a regular job, working from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with overtime only for emergencies. He had one day off per week, usually Sunday, to spend with Benson and Melissa, exploring beautiful Backlund.
Such a comfortable life was like a nine-to-five job in his previous world.
"Maybe I should go out and see the world."
Klein had made up his mind. He got up, went to the bathroom, and then walked the four steps to the gray fog.
He wanted to use divination to see if the trip to Southville County would go smoothly.
The result was: the journey would have some difficulties, but the outcome would be good, involving significant changes in his life.
As for whether these changes were good or bad, the divination couldn't be that precise.
"Should I try divining the whereabouts of 008?"
Klein thought for a couple of seconds before giving up on this risky idea.
No one knew who had 008 now, and probing could be very dangerous.
Morning, 7:50 AM, steam train station.
Crestet Cesimir was waiting for Klein.
He wasn't surprised because he knew Klein would come.
"Mr. Crestet Cesimir , I will need your guidance on this journey."
"Mr. Klein, that's what I wanted to say to you," Crestet Cesimir smiled.
**On the sea, a small ship had been sailing for over ten days.**
On the deck, Leonard was fishing, enjoying the cool sea breeze.
Since leaving Punin Port, they had been at sea, encountering several groups of pirates, but none knew the exact location of the Black Emperor.
They had no choice but to keep searching and asking around.
"Sigh, the fish in this sea are quite stupid, biting so easily," Leonard said, pulling a nearly twenty-pound fish onto the deck, glancing at a teammate who hadn't caught anything.
Seeing his teammate's bitter smile, Leonard felt much better.
**Thud, thud.**
Footsteps approached. Leonard put down his fishing rod and looked at Ilya, who had just come out of the captain's cabin.
Ilya glanced at Leonard and the other teammate before saying, "The church sent a message. The team members left in Punin Port are in trouble and can't communicate properly."
In trouble?
Leonard's first thought was relief that he hadn't stayed in Punin Port. His second thought was concern for his teammates.
" Ilya, do you think we were deliberately lured away from Punin Port?" Leonard asked tentatively.
"Yes, it's quite a coincidence, and coincidences are the biggest obstacles in our investigation," Ilya agreed.
Another teammate asked, "Should we return to Punin Port now?"
"That's why I'm here," Ilya said just as a ship appeared on the horizon.
As it approached, they recognized it as the Black Emperor.
Leonard's face grew serious, "Is this another arranged coincidence?"
Ilya's expression changed slightly but remained confident, "Whether it's a coincidence or not, we shouldn't miss this opportunity."
**(End of Chapter)**
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