Part 1 the clown chapter 53 the listener
Above the stormy sea, an old three-masted sailing ship was tumbling with the waves.
It was not fast, nor was it large enough to be a dead leaf off the tree in this scene of disaster where the sky and the sea were one, but no matter how fierce the hurricanes were and how horrible the waves were, it sailed peacefully without tilting.
Alger Wilson stood on the empty deck, looking out over the huge waves that were mountainous and peaked around him, and wondering what he was thinking.
”It’s going to be Monday …… again,” he whispered silently.
That was the day that belonged to Mother Earth, the beginning of a new cycle of prosperity and blight.
But to Alger, it had another meaning, one that belonged to a mysterious being forever shrouded in a gray mist.
At least I haven t turned crazy …… He withdrew his gaze and smiled to himself.
At this time, one of his only few crew members leaned over and asked respectfully:
”Lord Bishop, what is our goal for this voyage?”
Alger looked around the room and answered with little rise or fall in his tone:
”To hunt down a ‘Listener’ of the Aurora Council.”
……
The storm cleared, the fog filled in, and the odd sailboat with artillery bits but still out of step with the times was aboard.
A boy of eight or nine, with soft, yellow hair in a suit, looked timidly around at the undisciplined pirates, at them enjoying vats of ale, at them swinging about with the aid of ropes, at them taunting each other and even swinging their fists at each other.
He turned his head to look at the black-robed man standing in the shadows and lowered his voice:
”Father, where are we going?”
Five days ago, for the first time since he could remember, he had met his father, the self-proclaimed adventurer.
If it wasn’t for the oil painting left behind by his mother that proved the identity of the other party, and if it wasn’t for the fact that the orphanage was opening its doors for him, he would never have been willing to leave his hometown and follow this near-stranger of a close relative.
The man who stood in the shadows lowered his head, looked at his son, and answered with a kindly air:
”Jack, I am taking you to a sacred place, the ‘sanctuary’ where the Creator once lived.”
”Is that the kingdom of God? We mortals can only go in there if we are gifted ……” Little Jack, who had been taught well by his mother and possessed enough common sense, was at this point amazed and terrified.
The man standing in the shadows had a face with lines so deep that it was hard to forget, it was like a stone sculpture done by the finest masters.
He put his hand to his ear in a listening posture, and answered in an almost dreamy tone:
”Jack, ‘mortal’ is a false concept, the Creator created this world, k is everywhere, k exists in every living being, therefore, everything has divinity, and when divinity is abundant to a certain degree, it can become an angel, and those seven pseudo-gods of the present are merely more powerful angels. ”
”You see, I can hear the teachings of the Creator now, and, ah, what an extraordinary revelation it is! Life, is but a spiritual journey, and when the spirit is strong enough and tough enough, we can find our own divinity and become one with more of it ……”
Little Jack couldn’t understand this complicated description and shook his head, inquiring about another question he hadn’t had time to ask before:
”Father, I heard my mother tell me that after the Creator created this world, he divided into all things and didn’t physically exist, so why is there k’s ‘sanctuary’?”
As a seven or eight year old child, his logic was clear enough.
The man with the lines of his face like a carving was stunned for a moment, and his head sidled a few more points, as if he had heard more whispers.
Suddenly, he slumped, both knees dropping to the deck, his exposed skin highlighting one greenish-black thing after another.
He covered his head with both hands, his face contorted to the point of abnormality, and cried out in extreme agony:
”They’re lying!”
……
After lunch, and after old Neil’s promise to take himself with him on his next trip to the Underground Market, Klein returned slowly to Blackthorn Security, contemplating whether to read the literature and practice his abilities in the clerical office, or to continue to roam around and play “soothsayer” at the Divination Club while Captain Dunn had not yet forbidden it.
Before he could make a decision, however, he saw Dunn Smith enter from the outer room, dressed in a black trench coat and a half-height bowler hat.
”Captain, what’s the situation?” Klein asked with concern as he thought about the whereabouts of the Antigonus family notes.
Dunn’s gray eyes couldn’t see the slightest bit of fatigue and said:
”Multiple parties have confirmed that the Antigonus family notes are in the hands of Ryle Beebe, however, he has completely disappeared.”
”I have informed the various squads of night watchmen of this matter by telegraph, asking them to keep a close watch on the various harbors, and the various steam train stations, and the first portraits printed were mailed yesterday afternoon, and will be published in all the major newspapers.”
This time if only there were telephones, fax machines, surveillance cameras, and big data …… Unfortunately, I only know how to use all of them, and I only know a little bit about even the principles …… Klein exhaled silently.
”However, no matter what, we also counted to find the whereabouts of that notebook, and it belongs to your credit, of course, that still needs further confirmation, I have sent a telegram to the Diocese of Bakerland, requesting them to send someone to escort Seal No. 2-049 over here, which is a dangerous item that once belonged to the Antigonus family, and it will help us to know whether or not Rill Beebe is not a descendant of the Antigonus family.”
”Class 2″ Seal Object …… Dangerous …… Utilized with caution and moderation …… Klein was going to be curious and ask what this sealing object what it was, what its special abilities were, and what the dangers were, but instantly remembered that he was not sufficiently classified, and had no choice but to give up.
”May the Goddess protect us.” Klein nodded four times on his chest and drew a full moon.
Dunn nodded slightly as he opened the door to his own office:
”The Goddess has been blessing us, Klein, if you hadn’t chosen ‘Diviner’ before, you would have been able to become a full member of the team and pick the ‘Sleepless One’ by the time this was finalized, but unfortunately …… Frankly speaking, I’ve never understood why you chose ‘Diviner’, ‘corpse collector’ is resistant to people, but you’ve met Daley, you should understand that How powerful a ‘psychic’ is, and ‘secret spy’ is also a good choice, at least with old Neil as a role model, the risk of losing control will be low.”
For this question, Klein had prepared an answer at the very beginning, only that Dunn never asked, and only mentioned it casually now.
He organized his words and said:
”What I’m considering is that ‘Diviners’ and ‘Secret Snoops’ belong to the auxiliary extraordinary, they don’t have to face enemies all the time, that would be too dangerous, and as you and Old Neil have said, in the realm of mystery and the extraordinary, curiosity and exploration often bring terrible consequences, and the peeping description of ‘peeping secret man’ makes me feel worried, so …… heh, you know, I was just an ordinary college student not long ago, and cowardice is the only reason I chose so.”
”I have to say, that’s an answer that was unexpected but felt like it made sense to me.” Dunn rubbed the corner of his forehead and let out a soft laugh.
He half-turned his body, his gray eyes deep as he looked Klein up and down:
”In the meantime, you continue to go out, no longer confined to the route from Welch’s to Iron Cross, and perhaps, maybe you can sense the note that will help us determine the whereabouts of Rielle Beebe.”
”Okay.” Klein realized he didn’t have to dwell on it.
He excused himself and turned around, mentally starting a silent count:
”Three, two ……”
”Wait.” Dunn opened his mouth to call out.
Krynn turned back and smiled slightly:
”Captain, is there anything else?”
Dunn coughed out:
”Well, there will be times when auxiliary extraordinarys will have to face enemies, and while ‘Diviner’ sounds like it will circumvent those, we can’t afford to be negligent, and it is important that you keep up with your firearms practice and have a plan to build up your strength.”
”That’s exactly what I’m trying to do.” Klein pointed outside, “I’m going out.”
”Okay, uh, hold on.” Dunn called out to him once more, thinking as he did so, “Perhaps I’ll have to consider hiring a fighting instructor for you, provided, of course, that this is contingent on you becoming a full member of the team.”
Klein let out a “hmm” and asked cautiously:
”Captain, there’s nothing else, is there?”
”No more.” Seeing Klein’s less-than-convincing eyes, Dunn shook his head and smiled faintly, emphasizing, “There’s really nothing else.”
Only then did Klein walk out of the partition, saying goodbye to Roxanne, Mrs. Oleanna, and the others, and first went to the shooting club to do practice, and then loitered for a full hour, earnestly completing the tasks explained by the captain.
This done, he came to the Divination Club, and saw the pretty Lady Angelica lazily reading a magazine.
The Family …… Klein finished meditating on the name and, carrying his cane, walked over and greeted her with a smile:
”Good afternoon, Ms. Angelica.”
”Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti.” Angelica unhurriedly put down her magazine and rose, “Mr. Grassis came in not long after you left yesterday, having just recovered from a serious illness.”
Klein sighed with relief and said with a smile:
”That’s a delightful thing to hear.”
Hearing this, Angelica, who had been quietly observing him, couldn’t help but lower her voice and ask curiously:
”Mr. Grassis said that it was said that you are a very, very, very amazing doctor, is that right?”
What? Klein looked at the lady across from him in shock, suspecting that he was hallucinating.
Where can I tell that I am a doctor?
I don’t even know myself ……