Chapter 50: Old Neil's Way of Repaying the Debt (Third update, requesting recommendations)

Chapter 50: Old Neil's Way of Repaying Debts (Third Update, requesting recommendation votes)

7:30 PM, at the Moretti family dining table.

"Klein, why do you need to arrive early even as a consultant? Aren't emergency matters for a security company quite dangerous?" Benson asked with implied concern, poking a piece of potato from the beef stew, bringing up the events of the early morning.

Klein carefully spat out a bone from the pan-fried fish, answering with prior preparation

"A batch of historical documents needs to be transferred to Backlund immediately. I must be present to inventory them and ensure nothing is missing. You know, those fellows who only know how to swing their fists don't recognize Old Farsak at all."

Hearing his answer, Benson, having finished chewing his food, couldn't help but remark

"Knowledge truly is important."

Taking this opportunity, Klein took out the remaining 5-pound note and handed it to Benson

"This is the extra compensation I earned today. You also need some decent clothes."

"5 pounds?" Benson and Melissa spoke up simultaneously.

Benson picked up the banknote, looking at it over and over again, saying with half-surprise and half-confusion

"This security company is quite generous..."

His weekly salary was 1 pound and 10 shillings; four weeks made exactly 6 pounds. This extra compensation was only 1 pound more!

And with that salary, he supported his younger brother and sister, providing them with a reasonably good home, allowing them to eat meat two or three times a week, and getting them a few new pieces of clothing every year!

"Don't you doubt what I'm saying?" Klein asked back intentionally.

Benson chuckled. "I don't think you have the ability, nor the courage, to rob a bank."

"You aren't a person who lies," Melissa answered seriously, setting down her knife and fork.

*I, I am now a person who is used to lying...* Klein felt a sudden pang of shame.

Although it was driven by reality, his sister's trust still left him feeling a bit melancholy.

"Today's matter was quite urgent and important. I played a fairly crucial role in it... that is why it's worth 5 pounds," Klein explained briefly.

In a sense, he was telling the truth.

As for the 5 pounds of funds that were about to be issued—the amount he had previously prepared to join the Divination Club—he intended to keep it hidden. Firstly, bringing another 5 pounds home would truly scare his brother and sister, making them suspect he was involved in some illegal business; secondly, he needed to accumulate some money to purchase extra materials for his studies as a "Diviner" and his mastery of mystical knowledge.

Benson took a satisfied bite of oat bread and thought for about ten seconds before saying

"My current job doesn't require very decent clothes. Well, to be precise, clothes made of very fine fabric. The ones we have at home are enough."

Before Klein could persuade him, he proactively suggested

"With this extra income, we truly have savings. I plan to buy a few more books on accounting to study more deeply. Klein, Melissa, I don't want my weekly wage to still be under 2 pounds in five years. Ha, you know, my boss and my manager both have heads filled with excrement; every time they open their mouths, it's a stench."

"A very great idea," Klein agreed, taking the chance to guide the conversation. "Why not take a look at the grammar books in my room? If you want to become a truly decent person and earn sufficiently generous rewards, that is a quite crucial factor."

Perhaps, before long, the civil service examinations would appear in the Loen Kingdom; preparing in advance could provide a significant advantage...

Benson's eyes lit up upon hearing this

"I did indeed forget about that. Come, let us toast to a bright future."

He did not drink rye beer, but instead poured oyster broth into three glasses, lightly clinking them with his brother and sister.

After drinking the broth, Klein looked at his sister, who was battling the pan-fried fish, and chuckled softly

"Besides Benson's books, I think Melissa also needs a new dress."

Melissa raised her head and shook it incessantly

"No, I think it's best..."

"Save it," Klein supplemented for her.

"Mhm." Melissa nodded heavily.

"Actually, if we don't pursue expensive fabrics and the latest designs, it won't be too expensive. We'll save the rest of the money," Klein said with an uncompromising attitude.

Benson also chimed in

"Melissa, do you really want to wear your old dress to Selena's sixteenth birthday banquet?"

Selena Wood was Melissa's classmate and good friend. Her family conditions were quite good; her brother was a solicitor, and her father was a senior employee of the Tingen branch of the Backlund Bank.

However, their so-called banquet was simply inviting friends over to share dinner, chat, and play cards.

"Alright." Melissa lowered her head and answered with a mumble, then fiercely stabbed a piece of stewed beef.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly looked up

"Mrs. Shode next door had her maid send over a business card. She hopes to pay us a semi-formal visit this Sunday afternoon, at 4:00 PM, to meet her new neighbors."

"Mrs. Shode?" Klein looked at his brother and sister in complete bewilderment.

Benson tapped the edge of the dining table with his finger, appearing to think

"Mrs. Shode of No. 4 Narcissus Street? I have met her husband; he is a senior solicitor."

"A senior solicitor... perhaps he knows Selena's brother," Melissa said with a hint of joy.

*We are at No. 2 Narcissus Street...* Klein nodded slightly.

"Meeting neighbors is a necessary thing. However, as you know, I still have to go to the security company on Sunday and can only rest on Monday. Please apologize to Mrs. Shode on my behalf."

Speaking of this, he thought of his neighbors from his childhood in his previous life, and his neighbors when he lived in the Iron Cross Street apartments, and sighed with a wry smile

"A semi-formal visit... shouldn't neighbors get to know each other and interact naturally?"

"Haha, Klein, you don't understand. You've read many newspapers lately, but you haven't come into contact with the magazines provided to families and women. They call families with an annual income between 100 and 1,000 pounds the middle class, promoting them as the backbone of the entire kingdom, and praising the middle class for lacking the arrogance of nobles and the wealthy, and not being as crude as the low-income classes."

Benson explained easily and pleasantly, "These magazines simplify many of the rituals used in noble social circles to serve as a hallmark of the middle class. The difference between an intimate visit, a semi-formal visit, and a formal visit stems from this."

As he spoke, he shook his head and laughed

"Generally speaking, gentlemen, ladies, and misses who consider themselves part of this class pay special attention to such details. Their visits to neighbors and friends between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM are called 'morning calls'."

"Morning calls?" Klein and Melissa both asked in surprise.

What kind of "morning call" was a visit between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM?

Benson put down his cutlery, spread his hands, and laughed

"I don't know why either. I've only read a few magazines brought by female colleagues. Well, perhaps it's because one has to wear morning dress to visit..."

Morning dress was originally attire for mass or assemblies, but later came to denote daytime formal wear, distinguishing it from evening wear.

"Alright, remember to go buy some good coffee powder and tea tomorrow morning, and buy some small scones and lemon cakes from Mrs. Slane. We cannot be impolite in front of the neighbors." Klein laughed, dipped the remaining bread into the gravy, picked up a potato, and put it in his mouth.

...

The next day, Sunday morning.

Klein finished his last sip of inferior tea, put down the newspaper, donned his half-high silk top hat, took his silver-inlaid black cane, and slowly walked out the door, taking a public carriage to Zotlan Street.

He greeted Roselle, who had just finished her night watch and intended to sleep in the lounge, and walked all the way down to the underground.

At a corner, he encountered a member of a Nighthawk squad, the "Sleepless" Loya Latin.

She was a lady who appeared very cold, with slender eyebrows, large eyes, and hair as black and smooth as silk.

"Good morning, Ms. Latin," Klein greeted her with a smile.

Loya glanced at him with deep blue eyes and gave a nearly imperceptible nod of greeting.

As the two were about to pass each other, Loya suddenly stopped and said while looking straight ahead

"Ritual magic is a very dangerous thing."

*Ah...* Klein was stunned for a moment. By the time he turned around, he could only see her receding figure.

"Thank you." He frowned and called out softly toward Loya Latin's back.

Turning left, he soon saw Old Neil in the weapons depot guardroom, as well as Bright, who shouldn't have been there.

"Let's go, to my house. I've already collected the corresponding materials, and Bright has promised to help watch over them," Old Neil said with a chuckle.

Klein was suddenly surprised

"Not here?"

Old Neil carried his small silver box and clicked his tongue

"There is no space here to practice ritual magic."

Klein didn't ask further and followed Old Neil back to the surface. Then, the two took a public carriage all the way to the northern outskirts of the city.

Old Neil's home was a detached house, with "materials" such as roses and golden mint planted in the front garden.

Upon entering, there was a carpeted porch with two high-backed chairs and an umbrella stand.

Through the porch was a spacious living room with light-colored wallpaper, dark brown floors, a small patterned carpet in the middle, and a heavy round table.

Surrounding the round table were comfortable benches, chairs, and a piano.

"My late wife loved music very much," Old Neil mentioned casually, pointing at the piano. "The sofa and coffee table are in the sitting room... let's do our ritual magic in the living room today."

"Alright," Klein replied somewhat stiffly.

Old Neil put down the silver box and smiled

"I'll demonstrate a ritual magic for you first. Pay attention to observe and memorize."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of imitation parchment from the silver box and used specially prepared black ink with a tranquil scent to draw strange patterns on it.

Klein looked again and again, only to find that Old Neil seemed, perhaps, possibly, to be drawing a bill!

Once Old Neil filled in the number "30" and the corresponding "pounds" symbol in the appropriate positions, Klein could no longer control himself, asking in confusion and bewilderment

"Mr. Neil, what kind of ritual magic are you performing?"

Old Neil coughed twice and replied very seriously

"Today, I am going to use magic to resolve that 30-pound debt."

*That works too?* Klein's eyes widened, and his mouth hung half-open.

PS: Third update, requesting recommendation votes~

(End of Chapter)