Part 2 the faceless man chapter xiv the inventor reppard
In the foggy morning, Klein sat at his dining table, breaking up the specially bought oatmeal bread and dipping it into the milk, improving the way he ate it.
Although his body had changed long ago, his pursuit and obsession for food was engraved in his soul, completely unable to adapt to the monotonous and repetitive breakfast style of the Kingdom of Ruin, he could only try as much as he could, not sticking to the toast, bread, bacon, sausage, butter and cream and all of these, and striving to expand the boundaries, and enriching the way of eating, for example, he had added new pork pies, Fernet’s Porter noodles, and baked corn pancakes popular in the south, within the recipe Variety.
”The caviar from the Forsak Empire is not bad, it’s just too expensive and only suitable for formal meals ……” Klein scooped up small pieces of softened oatmeal bread with a spoon and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing just a little bit, he felt the flow of wheat-stained milk, and the bread’s aftertaste grew sweeter and sweeter.
After finishing his breakfast, Klein put down his fork and spoon, and without hurrying to clean up, picked up the newspapers that had just been delivered, and leisurely unfolded them to read.
Later do a divination, if nothing else, go to the St. George District Sage Street to visit Mr. Repard, see if his new transport is worth investing in …… Beckland is really big ah, each district is almost equal to the city of Tingen, the East District is especially exaggerated, at least more than twice as much… …The easiest and least expensive way to get around is still to turn both feet to the steam subway and back again, it’s just a bit of a waste of time …… Klein rambled on, thinking out loud.
–The public carriage system in Berkland was similar to that of Tingen, and the pricing was about the same; the only problem was that a good portion of them were confined to a single district, and if one wanted to get from Chorwood to St. George, one had to make several transfers on the way, and the price naturally went up.
Such a situation makes the prospect of a new form of transportation very attractive.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Just then, a loud as a pounding knock echoed out and drilled into Klein’s ears.
Who …… doesn’t even know to pull the doorbell …… He muttered twice, straightened his collar, went to the door, and reached out to pull it open.
Appeared in front of his eyes is a familiar person, before in the steam subway chased the small Ian that highland man, dark skin, deep eye sockets, thin and tough that highland man.
According to the result of Klein’s “psychic”, he was called Meursault, the “Executioner” of the Zimanga party, the head of the party in a low position.
”Excuse me, who are you looking for? Is there something you want to entrust me with?” Klein deliberately showed some confusion.
Meursault wore a black coat and a pompous silk bowler hat, but did not look like a gentleman at all.
He surveyed Klein with a cold gaze and asked rhetorically in Ruin with a strong Highland accent:
”You are Sherlock Moriarty?”
”Yes.” Klein replied succinctly.
Meursault nodded stiffly:
”There’s someone I’d like to entrust you with.”
”Come in and talk about what exactly.” Klein didn’t let himself show the slightest abnormality.
Meursault shook his head coldly:
”No need.”
When he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly became sharp:
”The man I’m looking for is called Ian, Ian Wright, he has bright red eyes, he’s about fifteen or sixteen years old, he likes to wear a brown, old overcoat and a bowler hat of the same color, I think you should know him.”
Klein gave a laugh and said:
”I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Meursault didn’t seem to hear the other’s denial, “He’s a thief who stole a very important item from me, and you’ll be paid at least ten pounds if you can find him.”
”The clues you provided are too little.” Klein made a random excuse.
”Thirty pounds.” Meursault gave a new offer.
Klein looked at him and said:
”No, it goes against my principle of confidentiality.”
”Fifty pounds.” Meursault responded icily.
”…… I’m sorry, but I won’t be taking this assignment.” Klein was stunned for two seconds, but finally chose to refuse.
Meursault examined him slowly and deeply for several seconds, his gaze gradually becoming cold and fierce.
He didn’t give a new offer, nor did he politely take his leave, turning around violently and walking quickly towards the end of the street.
The intelligence ability of this gangster is very good Well …… it is surprising to know that Ian once came to me …… Klein secretly lamented twice, and did not have too much worry and fear because of this.
I am, after all, the person who has faced the evil god s heir directly, even though there is a layer of belly …… thinking about it, his smile suddenly brightened, and he began to flip a coin to decide whether to go out today.
The answer was yes.
……
St. George’s Quarter, Saatchi Street.
The railed public carriage to steam subway to trolleyed public carriage Klein finally arrived at his destination, costing a total of 11 pence.
He had just stepped out of the carriage when he realized that a drizzling rain was falling outside, and he had not brought an umbrella.
”According to the newspapers and magazines, it’s an everyday thing in Birkeland, and hats are in vogue because ladies and gentlemen don’t carry umbrellas at all times ……” Crane pressed his half-height silk bowler hat, and rushed at a trot to the outside of house No. 9, where, with the aid of the the eaves of the house, sheltered from the rain.
He patted away the obvious droplets of water from his body and pulled the doorbell.
But he did not hear the cuckoo cuckoo, nor did he detect a jingle of movement.
”Doorbell broken?” Klein was about to raise his hand to knock on the door when he suddenly realized that there were footsteps coming from far away.
The figure of the visitor, a tall, thin, dark-haired, blue-eyed gentleman in his thirties, who was dressed in gray and blue workman’s garb, but who appeared to be a man of refinement, naturally dawned upon him within his mind.
Creaking, the door to the room opened, and the gentleman rubbed the corner of his forehead and said:
”May I ask who you are looking for? What can I do for you?”
Klein removed his bowler hat and bent slightly:
”I’m here to see Mr. Repard, I have some interest in his new type of transportation.”
The gentleman’s eyes lit up with horror:
”I am Raypard, please come in.”
He sidestepped his body to allow Klein to enter, but the foyer was not positioned with a coat rack.
Crane could only lean on his cane and follow Repard to the living room without taking off his coat.
Needless to say, the gentleman’s home was very cluttered, with many pieces of machinery-related items such as wrenches, bearings, and screwdrivers on the coffee table in the living room alone.
”How much do you want to invest? Ah yes, do you want coffee, or black tea, uh …… black tea seems to be out ……” Repard blurted out.
This gentleman is a bit blunt, ah, does not seem to be very good at interpersonal communication …… Klein’s thoughts flashed, changed the intended rhetoric and replied bluntly:
”I have to see your new mode of transportation before I can make a decision.”
”There’s no way I can give promises without knowing anything.”
As he spoke, he looked around and saw the triangular holy emblem hanging on the wall.
It was the symbol of the God of Steam and Machinery, a solid triangle filled with symbols of steam, gears, and levers.
Repard had no aversion to Crane’s straightforward approach, and said at once:
”I’ll lead you to it.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he slapped his head, “I almost forgot, we have to sign a non-disclosure contract first to make sure you don’t steal my invention.”
Mr. Repard, your memory isn’t too good either …… Klein smiled:
”No problem.”
After signing the simple contract, Repard led Klein into the suspected living room of the house, which he had opened up with the guest room and basement next door, becoming much wider and emptier.
The floor was cluttered with many parts, and a crude half-man-high near-wagon carriage-like thing loomed in the center.
Additionally, the doorbell cord was attached to it and cleverly arranged so that whenever someone pulled on that cord, the mechanism would eject a steel ball and let it roll along a special track, hitting the thing located in the center and creating a dangling echo.
It certainly wasn’t too loud, but it was enough to wake up the mechanically obsessed Lepard.
”Is that the new type of transportation you invented?” Klein said, pointing at the rough thing located in the center.
”Yes, I invented it based on Rossel the Great’s imagination!” Repard replied with wild eyes.
”Rosel the Great’s imagination?” Klein asked back, stunned.
Repard explained in an adoring tone:
”Rossel the Great left behind a manuscript in which he drew his imaginings of various mechanical devices in the future, he was truly an exceptional genius, no, master! Many things in it became reality! Oh, this manuscript is kept in the Church of Steam and Machinery, and there is no way to borrow it if you are not a devout believer.”
…… Great Emperor, do you still give others a way out …… The corner of Klein’s mouth twitched, and he was nearly unable to keep his smile.
”Be specific.” He changed the subject.
Repard led Klein over to the rough metal thing, brushing it and pulling open the doorway:
”This is transportation without horses.”
”The driver sits at the left front and keeps pushing on the pedals, connecting the four wheels through levers, chains, and so on to make them roll forward, and on top of the wheels, I’ve used rubber inflation, which will make the ride smooth.”
So, that is, a human-powered automobile? Klein couldn’t help but sputter.
He said with deliberation:
”I’m afraid such a massive compartment, with at least four passengers, can’t be traveled much farther by people alone.”
”That’s exactly what I’m aiming for next, to reduce the weight and magnify the leverage! But my finances are no longer too good to support more attempts.” Repard looked hopefully toward Klein.
”Why don’t you consider other ways? Like using steam for power?” Klein said, slowly organizing his words.
Repard shook his head, “That has already been invented, but the size is so large that it has had difficulty traveling on many streets.”
Klein waited for the words:
”So why don’t you make a simpler one, say, with only two wheels, that can only carry one person, without a shell.”
”You mean a pedal car type?” Repard asked rhetorically as if in thought.
It’s in Rossel’s manuscript? Klein nodded heavily:
”Yes.”
”All those pedal cars invented by other people aren’t very practical …… simplify this one …… seems like it could really, indeed, be less so …… but who’s going to buy it ?” Repard said as if to himself.
Klein didn’t hesitate to give directions:
”Postmen, working class people with a bit of savings, merchants who don’t need much decency but can save up …… which is plenty in Berkland.”
Repard thought for a while and nodded slightly:
”…… I’ll give it a try, but I don’t have the money for parts ……”
”I’ll invest 100 gold pounds in you, and with the suggestion I just made, I’ll take up a total of ……” Klein hesitated whether it was better to say ten percent or fifteen percent, after all, 100 pounds wasn’t technically too much.
”You can take up thirty-five percent of the shares! But only for the pedal car project you described!” Repard said before he could, afraid that the other party would demand too much.
”Deal!” Klein immediately laughed, “Let’s draft a simple contract to finalize this matter, I’ll find a solicitor to get a formal contract afterward, adding some detailed clauses, for example, if anyone else invests, they must get my consent first.”
”No problem.” Repard couldn’t wait to answer, just wanting to buy the parts quickly.
……
In the dimness brought on by the steady rain, Klein returned to Minsk Street in the Chorwood neighborhood.
He entered the house and went straight to the first floor washroom to comfortably settle the small bulge in his belly.
WOW.
Between the echoing sounds of water, Klein bent down to wash his hands.
Just then, an image suddenly appeared within his mind:
There was a reflection of him with his head bowed in the wash mirror, a dim environment, and a pair of eyes located on the side.
A pair of eyes!