Part 1 The Joker Chapter 213 – One More Look

　　Ince Zangwill has gone to Berkland …… There’s no telling how long he’ll be there …… Well …… every once in a while can confirm… …Klein leaned forward thoughtfully, erasing the surface of the parchment and writing down a new divination statement:

　　”Llanerus’ current location.”

　　There was no doubt in his mind that the culprit who had caused the deaths of the captain and others, and who had brought himself perilously close to a permanent slumber, was Inns Zangwill, but the madman Lanlus was also an accomplice who could hardly shirk his responsibility, and for that there would have to be a price in blood!

　　After seven silent recitations, Krynn entered the dream world once more, but the image presented by the cracking of the gray world was exactly the same as the one he had just seen!

　　The wide, slightly muddy river, the docks one after another, the houses lined up one after another, the various buildings in the Ruin trend, interspersed with the Gothic style, the crowded streets, the bustling scene, the chimneys that constantly spewed out the “mist”, the magnificent palace complexes, the towering, iconic Gothic clock tower! ……

　　Llanerus is also in the “Land of Hope”, the “Capital of All Capitals”, Birkeland!

　　Klein opened his eyes, slightly puzzled because he was trying to divine the exact location of Lanlus, but the result was still only a very large, vague range.

　　”This means that Lanlus’s sequence is much higher than I expected …… Nope, it could also be that he gained a huge benefit in helping the ‘Real Creator’ descend his children, like, a little bit of divinity, like, something like That umbilical cord-like item remaining in the baby’s stomach in Mego Oss, er …… the latter was more than likely taken by Ince Zangwill as well …… “Klein’s thoughts raced, whispering to himself as he made his initial guesses.

　　After confirming the vague locations of his two enemies, he considered a realistic problem, which was that he currently did not have the strength to take revenge!

　　Even if Lanlus was only Sequence 7, or even Sequence 8, he who had gained great benefits was not easy to deal with, and he was obviously known for his cunning, and pitting strong people more powerful than himself was part of his normal operation……. Innes Zangwill was even more terrifying, being a Sequence 4 Demigod himself and possessing a horrific “0” level seals …… Although my crossing is still hiding some secrets, but obviously can not be converted into combat power, perhaps for a long time will not see the possibility of …… Only continue to improve their own Sequence, collect powerful magical items two methods …… grasp both hands, both hands must be hard ……

　　Between the rummage of thoughts, Klein decided to add a divination.

　　After weighing his words, he solemnly put pen to paper and wrote:

　　”My hope of becoming strong.”

　　Gently putting down the materialized round-bellied fountain pen, Klein leaned back and closed his eyes.

　　While silently chanting, he entered a deep sleep with the help of meditation.

　　In the gray world, he once again saw the scene he had just witnessed, saw the river, docks, chimneys, crowds of people, palace complexes, all kinds of machinery and gothic bell towers, and the capital of the Kingdom of Ruin, Beckland!

　　Immediately afterward, the scene changed, and he saw a lofty peak piercing into the white clouds, a magnificent, ancient palace, the great seat at the top, carved out of stone and inlaid with dull gems and gold, and the eerie vertical pupil of a myriad of mysterious symbols.

　　Wordlessly, the scene shattered, and Klein slowly sat up straight, reaching out to tap up the edge of the long bronze table.

　　”Becklander has my hope of becoming stronger ……”

　　”Is the second scene a reference to the main peak of the Hornachis Mountains, to the treasure left behind by the Antigonus family? That ‘Eerie Vertical Pupil’ made up of countless mysterious symbols and passed on to me after the Antigonus family notes contaminated the ‘Doom Muppet’ is the key to unlocking everything …… ”

　　One thought after another flashed by, Klein decided that it would be better not to rush to the Hornachis Mountain Range just yet, the dangers hidden in here were so high that even Sequence 4 Demigods might not be able to withstand them.

　　So, it’s better to go to Beckland …… Klein sighed and made a decision, wrapping himself in spirituality, simulating the feeling of falling, and leaving this mysterious space above the gray mist.

　　Returning to the real world, he slowly walked out of the hideout and returned to Dunn Smith’s grave.

　　Looking deeply at the picture and inscription on the headstone, Klein slowly drew a Crimson Moon on his chest before turning and walking beyond the cemetery.

　　As a former night watchman who had to patrol Raphael’s cemetery from time to time, he was familiar with the grave watchman’s movement patterns and surroundings, and easily broke away from that silent and cold territory without causing any disturbance, and walked along the rammed-earth paved road with the help of the shadows of the trees, all the way to the downtown area of Tingen.

　　The night is so peaceful, the red moon is so dreamy, Klein walks alone, his thoughts are like a horse out of control, spreading out, sometimes considering the revenge plan, sometimes recalling the captain’s unreliable memories, recalling the sadness hidden under the old Neil’s witty humor. ……

　　Unconsciously, Klein walked like a wandering soul into the nearest street and turned a fork in the road.

　　By the time he had completely shaken off that state and fully grasped his attention, it was two hours later.

　　He found himself standing on Daffodil Street, across the street from the home he shared with his brother and sister.

　　Instinctively, Klein returned to it.

　　Taking a slightly delighted step forward, he suddenly paused again with a bitter smile and a self-deprecating whisper:

　　”If I go over and knock on the door here, I’m afraid Melissa will faint on the spot …… Benson would have gotten so nervous that he would have started losing his hair, and then tried his best to calmly convince me that in the name of the curly-haired baboon …… ”

　　Shaking his head down, Klein gave the familiar door a deep look and marched off in the direction of Iron Cross.

　　It’s better this way, it’s better …… that what I have to do in the future won’t involve them …… The pensions from the Night Watchman Squad and the police department will surely be enough to provide them with a stable, middle-class life, even if Melissa doesn’t get a job and Benson loses his job ……

　　Walking in silence for a while longer, Klein began to feel his own fatigue, but as a “dead man”, he had nothing more than the clothes he was wearing, and the citrine pendant and Aztec brass whistle he had with him, including the gold pounds, and the Soule, and the pennies.

　　”Isn’t it time to blow the brass whistle, and send a letter to Mr. Azick, that he may come quickly to my relief?” Klein gave a bitter-sweet laugh, “Forget it, don’t contact him for the time being, maybe Ince Zangwill is still secretly observing him, wait until the time is right, then look for him …… As an ‘old monster’ who has lived life after life, for thousands of years ‘, he should be able to understand such a thing as ‘coming back from the dead’ right …… Well, it’s not too cold tonight, so I’ll just find a random place to make do with some sleep, and tomorrow morning I’ll go to the Tingen branch of the Bank of Beckland and take out the money in my bearer account .”

　　–Because of the recent events, he had not been able to do the follow-up experiment of the “sacrifice”, the 300 gold pounds in the bearer account remained intact.

　　”That’s enough to cover my expenses for a long time …… I’ll buy another newspaper tomorrow to make sure it’s the day of the week …… Ms. ‘Justice’ and the rest of them No new prayers have come in, which means I haven’t missed the party yet ……” Klein thought as he found a sheltered corner, sat down, took off his jacket, covered himself, and fell asleep with his back against the wall.

　　After a short while, he was suddenly pushed awake and saw a police officer with a short stick.

　　The shoulder badge only has a “V”, the lowest level of the police …… officer Klein took a glance and identified the other party.

　　The constable said viciously:

　　”You can’t sleep here!”

　　”Streets and parks are no place for you lazy bums who don’t want to do anything to sleep!”

　　”That’s the rule of the Relief of Poverty Act!”

　　Is it? Klein froze for a moment, not arguing with the other man because of his sensitive status.

　　He grabbed his coat and walked the streets once more, into the light of day.

　　Soon after, with his head down, he entered the branch of the Birkeland Dettingen branch where he had opened his account, and withdrew 200 pounds in cash using a predetermined “password”, leaving the remaining third of the “deposit” in the account in case of accidents!

　　–While writing the ancient Hermetic incantation that was to serve as the password, Klein undoubtedly heard a “prayer”.

　　Next, he spent a total of thirty-eight pounds on two suits, two shirts, two pairs of pants, two pairs of leather boots, two bow ties, four pairs of socks, two double-breasted tweed coats for the winter, two solid-colored sweaters, two pairs of heavy pants, a walking stick, a money clip, and a leather suitcase.

　　Having done all this, Klein found an inn to bathe and change his clothes, and then, in order to avoid any acquaintances he might meet, took a hired carriage directly to the steam-train station at Tingen, and on the way bought a newspaper to confirm that it was Sunday.

　　The trip from Tingen City to Birkeland is only about four hours by steam train, and the deluxe first-class seat is three-quarters of a pound, or fifteen soules, and the second-class seat is ten soules, or half a pound.

　　The very crowded and very poorly equipped third-class seats were quite cheap, costing only five soules.

　　Klein thought about it and bought the two o’clock in the afternoon class, second class seat.

　　Taking the ticket and carrying his suitcase, Klein found a random seat in the waiting hall, and it was only a little before 9 am.

　　He was very thankful that the Kingdom of Ruen didn’t have a strict household registration system yet, and he could prove his identity with three months of tap water, gas and rent bills, and buying a steam train ticket was even simpler, just give money.

　　Sitting in the waiting hall, thinking that he would be leaving Tingen City in the afternoon and heading to the capital city of Bekrand, Klein’s heart was suddenly a little empty.

　　He remembered the sister who lived out her mother’s feelings, remembered his brother who liked to tell mocking sneers, and remembered the scene of the three people who had eaten so much that they were paralyzed in their seats, and no one wanted to move…….

　　Scene by scene, Klein burst out laughing, laughing a little too hard, because he thought of Melissa’s turtle called “doll”, and Benson’s poor hairline.

　　Suddenly he had a strong urge to see his brother and sister again.

　　It was only then that Klein realized why he hadn’t picked the earlier train and bought the 2:00 p.m. one.

　　He picked up his leather valise, left the waiting hall at a brisk pace, and returned to Daffodil Street in a rented carriage.

　　Then, hiding in the shadows of the houses across the street, he looked at his front door and tried several times to get past it, unable to cross the wide street.

　　Crane stared blankly across the street, feeling for a moment that he was homeless, having had a similar feeling when he first crossed over.

　　Suddenly, he saw the door to his room open and saw Melissa and Benson walk out.

　　One of them was wearing a black skirt and a black sarong, and the other a black shirt, a black vest, black pants, a black jacket, and a black bowler hat, with the same wooden expression, and both in a low mood.

　　Melissa has lost weight …… how Benson is so haggard …… Klein s heart is sour, open his mouth, but can no longer shout those two names.

　　He unconsciously followed Benson and Melissa toward the nearest one of the town squares, saw a tent set up there again, and saw the new circus performing.

　　Benson paid for the tickets and led Melissa inside, forcing out a little smile as he said:

　　”This circus is famous.”

　　Melissa nodded with little expression:

　　”Uh-huh.”

　　Suddenly, her feet slipped and her ankle slightly crooked, about to fall.

　　Klein, who had followed her ticket in, opened his mouth to help his sister, but could only retract the hand he’d subconsciously extended, standing helplessly a short distance away from the oncoming crowd.

　　Benson, startled, was too late to help, but Melissa stood quickly on her own feet, pursed her lips, and said nothing.

　　By this time, clowns were pouring in, some performing a stomp on a wagon wheel that wouldn’t fall over, some creeping on a giant leather ball, some throwing a tennis ball into the sky and catching it one by one in a comical maneuver.

　　Melissa watched the performances, looking as stoic as if the other side didn’t exist, and Benson made several efforts and cheered loudly, but none of them mobilized his sister’s emotions, and he slowly slumped himself.

　　Klein pursed his lips and watched the scene from a distance, wanting to get closer but not daring to.

　　Suddenly, he touched the money clip in his coat pocket and had an idea.

　　Benson and Melissa continued on their way, watching the various performances in silence.

　　After a while, they saw a clown painted in various colors of red, yellow, and white run by, first throwing a tennis ball into the air, and then, as people’s attention was drawn halfway up, conjuring up a bouquet of flowers out of nowhere, a bouquet of Seville chrysanthemums.

　　The bouquet came up to Melissa and Benson’s eyes, golden in color and symbolic of joy.

　　Melissa and Benson looked across the room at the clown in a slight daze, only to see the corners of his face, covered in various colors of red, yellow, and white greasepaint, curled up high at the corners of his mouth, fixing a happy, pompous, and comical smile.

　　(End of Part 1)