Klein and Pallez kept at the imagining of a brilliant future ahead of them.
"Hey Klein, could you buy some groceries for our dinner tonight?!" Benson yelled.
"Yeah, of course!" Klein yelled back.
After their imagination session ended, Klein and Pallez were riding high. Klein joyously went to buy groceries.
After Klein bought the groceries, Melissa returned. After an additional hard-fought battle for a good dinner, they managed to get Melissa to agree. Pallez, though 'He' didn't share 'His' thoughts, still questioned Melissa's desire to stay like a peasant. Then Klein began to cook, and he received much praise. Pallez, despite apparently being a noble from the fourth epoch, knew some cooking tips, surprisingly to Klein. The tips helped Klein out rather well. When Klein finished cooking, he served the food. After Klein, Melissa, and Benson ate, they began to clean up and go to bed. Pallez may or may not have stolen some food to eat.
Klein immediately woke up when he realized someone was attempting to enter his apartment.
Pallez
I also have detected him. Don't bother with him yet; the Nighthawks are coming.
You used Leonard.
Yes.
How did you explain it? Or does Dunn know Leonard's secrets?
No, there was no need. Dunn had already conveniently told Leonard to watch you because of the first spy.
I see.
Klein decided to wait. He was still lying in bed, conversing with Pallez to kill time while the Nighthawks arrived. The Secret Order member had already entered his apartment and beelined to Klein's room.
Meanwhile, Dunn tried to enter Klein's dream before quickly remembering something 'Her' Eminence Arianna said: "Don't directly enter Klein's dream because of his false angelic rank."
Dunn remembered what he should do: approach the periphery of Klein's dream and then ask to enter. Dunn did exactly that.
Knock! Knock!-
"Come in."
Dunn entered and felt an immense pressure before it quickly subsided. Dunn realized, truly realized, how bad it would have been if he forgot 'Her' Eminence Arianna's warning. If he didn't, he would have lost control on the spot, assuming he didn't just die on the spot.
Praise the Lady for my sudden good memory!
Dunn quickly performed the praise gesture for the Evernight Goddess.
"Did something happen?" Klein was pretending that, one, he didn't realize there was a spy right in his room, and two didn't realize that Dunn was forced to feel the pressure of Klein's dream. Klein slightly forgot he couldn't just let someone in; he had to actively shield the person entering his dream.
"Yes, another member of the Secret Order has entered your apartment and is currently in your room. If you could, could you force the member into the corridor? We can deal with him after." Dunn replied professionally, but Klein could tell Dunn was shaking from feeling Klein's angelic rank.
"Alright." Klein was wondering how he should do it.
I'll just parasitize him and send him out.
Alright.
Klein still got up to pretend that he was forcing him out. He pulled out a gun and put the gun to the intruder's forehead. Pallez and Klein acted out a scenario and sent him out. Pallez then unparasitized him and left him to the Nighthawks. It was a rather short battle since the Secret Order member was reeling from Pallez's parasitization.
Klein heard Dunn Smith's staid and warm voice from the door.
"It's settled."
"That's good to know." Klein put on a nervous and relieved tone while speaking. "Why was he here?" Klein already knew why the Secret Order member was here, but decided to still ask.
Dunn raised an eyebrow in confusion since he thought Klein already knew or guessed at it already. "For the Antigonus family notebook, it came from them, but due to negligence they lost it to Welch McGovern. The member or members that lost it have likely been frantically searching. Which is why they came to you. Did you not already know this?"
"I had guessed at it; I just wanted to confirm." Klein did this intentionally to look like a new and naive Sequence 9 Seer Beyonder.
"Alright." Dunn decided to believe it. "Anyway, we can take this member back for interrogation; you can go back to sleep. Also, for your contribution, you will be getting a bonus of sorts. Perhaps we can get you as a true Nighthawk with this, or really begin to use this as the reason why you can be a formal Nighthawk."
"I look forward to that," Klein replied truthfully.
After Dunn and the other Nighthawks left, Klein went back to sleep. Pallez decided to also take a nap through this avatar.
When the morning came, Klein cleaned himself up through his powers and went to go buy food for his, Melissa, and Benson's breakfast. While eating breakfast, Klein started to discuss new housing. Soon after a conversation about housing companies, they decided to go out. Though before they went out, Benson described the true reality of housing. This was depressing to Melissa, but for Klein, since he had anchors, it was depressing but to a lesser extent. For no matter if 'He' had anchors, he was always subjected to the corrosive divine will of the Original Creator. Pallez stayed silent; in a way, 'He' didn't care, yet still he felt bad for the truly poor.
Klein, Melissa, and Benson went to a clothing store before going to the housing company to appear proper. This was done from the prodding of Pallez, perhaps due to his experience from being a Swindler; 'He' understood presentation was important. So Klein and Benson got better casual wear, suits, and canes. Melissa got better dresses for casual and formal wear. Then after that they decided to go to Tingen City Housing Improvement Company.
While an employee was advertising houses, Klein was communicating with Pallez.
See how the employee is treating you and your family better? It is because of your better clothing.
Klein understood what Pallez was talking about. The employee Scarter visibly got excited when he saw Klein and Benson's, while not necessarily expensive, still good clothing. Scarter, Klein noted, didn't even hide how he was fawning over them. After Benson talked to Scarter, they began to walk to a house to look at.
Can you tell me about your pathway, Marauder or Error and Apprentice or Door? I would like to know my related pathways to Fool.
Good idea, since most of your enemies, or at least some of the important ones, will come from these pathways. You don't have to worry about me since I don't intend to compete; I know my place very well. I also know while I'm one of the best Marauder pathway angels, I'm not at the level of . . . 'Him'. Pallez shuddered after saying 'Him'.
Yes, also I know you swore to Perran you wouldn't compete for the throne of mysteries. Klein was somewhat afraid but more curious of this 'Him'; he learned this 'Him ''s name was Amon, the Angel of Time.
Klein was afraid because he knew this was a far more experienced angel than him and was powerful to boot. Klein knew they were somewhat evenly matched in power level, with Klein having a Sequence 1 characteristic and Sefirah Castle ownership, with Amon having a Sequence 1 characteristic and an accommodated Error Uniqueness. While Sefirah Castle was powerful, it was powerful when Klein was in it, not out of it. If Klein had two Sequence 1 characteristics while Amon had only one, Klein would be far more powerful. If Klein had only one, though, it could only match Amon's Uniqueness. Additionally, Amon was far more experienced, which would be the real tipping point. Klein understood he really needed to gain more experience quickly to strategize properly in angel-level battles. One couldn't simply just be plopped into an angel-level battle and succeed to any extent, even if the angel was somewhat more powerful. Experience was power!
So what information do you have to say about Marauder and Apprentice?
Sequence 9 of Error and Door is, as said before, Marauder and Apprentice. Marauders are simply better thieves, while Apprentices are given the ability to open doors and perform ritualistic magic.
So the former just has magical enhancements to steal, while the latter gets a party trick and ritualistic magic.
Marauders mainly just get physical enhancements to steal better.
Sequence 8 is Swindler and Trickmaster. Swindler: Charm, Physical Enhancements, Eloquence, Thought Misdirection, Mental Disruption, and former powers are enhanced. Trickmaster: just a bunch of spells, mainly to entertain rather than defeat opponents. Though, if used properly, any Beyonder ability is useful.
That isn't too bad. Must take real skill to use these abilities to combat useful. Though a lot of abilities probably just need to be in a proper context to be truly useful.
That is true; anything can be good if done in the right context. Pallez understood that all Beyonder powers were useful, but only in the correct environment. Not all powers were meant for combat. Though one could try to make them effective in combat.
Sequence 7 of Error and Door is Cryptologist and Astrologer. Cryptologist: Decryption. Also, Amon has altered this pathway to lack a Superior Observation enhancement for 8 and 7, causing issues among the Beyonders. In fact, until Sequence 4, a useful amount of powers are missing.
Right with the Uniqueness, Amon can change 'His' pathway's abilities to an extent.
Unfortunately, yes, anyway, Astrologer: Spirituality Enhancement, Interference with others' divination and spiritual intuition, Astrology, enhancement to Door Opening.
Klein listened to a slightly more in-depth explanation and found it not concerning.
Sequence 6 of Error and Door is Prometheus and Scribe. I have been wondering about why Sequence 6 of Error is Prometheus.
It deals with a legend. Klein was very interested in a mythical Earth name being in this world. Klein knows that while this is Earth, very few actually know that. Perran hadn't told Klein that the Ancient Sun God was a survivor, only that Lilith was. Klein pondered whether the ancient god that wielded the Error pathway in the past was a mythology enthusiast.
What legend? Pallez was very curious since 'He' could tell that Klein wasn't lying and that there was something rather important behind it.
I'll consider telling you. Klein didn't desire to tell anyone about the Pre-Epochs, not yet at least.
Pallez wisely left it, but was hoping 'He' could gain Klein's trust quickly so he could learn about it.
Sequence 6: Prometheus has Physical Enhancements and Theft. This sequence should have included Mental Resistance, a second form of theft, and Superior Observation. Pallez then further went into the main ability, Theft.
Why is Amon moving so many abilities to Parasite? Klein could, though obviously, guess the main reason was likely to weaken Beyonders of the same pathway. While knowing this, Klein suspected there was something more.
It deals with a Sequence 2 power of creating avatars. The avatars are simply born with powers; they need characteristics, and weakened Beyonders mean an easy way to gain characteristics.
Damn. Klein hissed in frustration.
Scribe only has the power to record. Pallez went into further detail about what 'He' remembered about Scribe's record power.
Klein thought this was an amazing power to have, and praised it.
Sequence 5 is Dream Stealer and Traveler. Dream Stealer has better Theft and Decryption. Pallez then went into how Amon had removed the disguise power, which would only appear weakened in Sequence 4 and fully restored in Sequence 3. 'He' also talked about how they can't keep stolen abilities, and the second type of Theft that should have been in Prometheus has been restored.
Klein was more just shocked at how Amon had been moving powers around so 'He' could devour Beyonders, though it was easy to understand the sense behind it. He wondered: when Amon moved the powers, this would answer whether Pallez was affected by it and 'His' skill in the Error pathway. If it was done before Pallez, then it would explain why Amon was so much better at the Error pathway. If done after, well, it didn't change anything.
Did you know about this? Pallez understood what Klein was asking.
No, I only recently learned about it from the Lady. Praise the Lady for that. It was done somewhere in the Third Epoch before I was born. Moving from that, Traveler has Positioning, Teleportation-otherwise called by several names-, Blink, Invisible Hand, and improved Record. Pallez explained the difference between Traveler's Door (one name of Teleportation) and Blink. 'He' also further went into the powers of Traveler.
Meanwhile, Klein and family plus Scarter had arrived at the first house. Pallez said 'He' would explain the later sequences later. The houses they were being shown were 2, 4, and 6 Daffodil Street. They entered the first one, and Scarter began to advertise the house. Melissa was shocked when shown the bathroom; Klein remembered the times when using the bathroom back at the apartment. He shuddered internally; he also felt Pallez shudder.
Scarter concluded the advertisement and gave the rent for this house. The rent was thirteen soli and five pence for use of the furniture weekly. In addition, there was a deposit that amounted to four weeks of rent.
Without waiting for Benson to say a word, Klein looked around and asked curiously, "Roughly how much would it cost to buy the house?"
As a transmigrator from China, the desire to buy property still existed within him. Pallez, while agreeing that Klein should buy, was shocked that he just asked like that. This offended Pallez's professionalism as a Swindler. Even Benson and Melissa were looking at him with horror.
Scarter replied calmly and firmly, "Buy? No, we do not sell property. We only provide rental properties."
"I'm just trying to have a general sense of the prices," Klein explained awkwardly.
Scarter explained it was about 850 pounds. He also said this was a very low price.
Hmmm, I have that 1,000-pound bonus. Hey Pallez, can you convince Benson and Melissa to agree to buy and then buy the house at a discount?
I mean, I could. Pallez was considering it rather deeply, while 'He' understood Klein was in charge; 'He' didn't want to be pushed around either. Pallez was a coward, but he still had some angelic dignity. Then 'He' felt that this was a minor thing that 'He' shouldn't bother to get worked up about, and decided to simply do it. 'He' was also considering why 'He' got so worked up by this and decided to also do some self-introspection. So 'He' began considering how to convince Klein's siblings.
Can I just plant the thought into them?
While Klein didn't want to, he realized he didn't really think it through. Oh, om, sure.
Pallez planted the thought into Melissa and, more specifically, Benson. 'He' had realized Benson seemed to have a talent for negotiation.
Benson was affected by Pallez, and with Melissa not resisting because of Pallez, began negotiating for a better price with the owner curtsy of Pallez. It took some time to get to the owner through Scarter but Pallez dealt with it. Also, because of Pallez, no one questioned where the money was going to come from. Once an acceptable price was gained, Klein got a marionette to get the money from the bank. They paid 800 pounds for the house and agreed to some conditions.
Standing before the door of 2 Daffodil Street, they each held a bunch of copper keys. They were momentarily unable to look away; Benson and Melissa's emotions churned within them.
"It feels like a dream..." After a while, Melissa lifted her head to look at the "Moretti Residence," and she spoke with a low yet unsteady voice.
Benson let out a breath and smiled. "Then don't wake up."
Klein smiled with happiness and felt true joy that his family was happy. Even Pallez couldn't help smiling. Klein, though serious, asked about changing the locks.
To which Benson replied, "There's no hurry. The reputation of Tingen City Housing Improvement Company is very good. However, before that, we need to visit Mr. Franky." Benson pointed in the direction of the apartment.
Pallez decided to take some initiative. First, he let Benson negotiate to gain some understanding of Benson's skill, then simply caused both of them to agree that Benson wouldn't pay anything. This was to see whether Benson had the skill to become a Beyonder!
Klein noticed Pallez's interference. You dealt with the curly-haired baboon I meant, Mr. Franky?
Indeed, after looking at your brother's talents, have you considered letting your siblings become Beyonders?
As if waiting for that, something happened to Melissa that was only noticed by Klein and Pallez.
What happened to her?! Klein, while in panic, wasn't fearful because he and Pallez had both realized the thing that happened to her wasn't bad; it could be said it was good.
She became blessed, of . . . the God of Steam and Machinery? Pallez and Klein were simply baffled at this sudden and oddly well-timed event.
Pallez quickly realized why the God of Steam and Machinery did this. Klein: 'He' did that to place a bet on you. By making your sister a blessing, 'He' shows 'His' goodwill while maintaining some leverage. Right, 'He' can influence her against me if I begin opposing 'Him,' right? Klein was immediately put into a bad mood, but was careful not to show it because he was still around his siblings.
I don't think you need to worry about that though, since what you and 'She' plan to do completely works in 'His' favor.
Klein quickly realized this was true and was put back into a happy mood.
Hmmm, I guess I should help Benson become a Beyonder. Melissa, will the church of steam and machinery come to help her?
We could just drop her off at the church of steam and machinery and see what happens?
Klein would have laughed, but his spirituality said that that was a good idea. Klein immediately performed some divinations and clearly received that the God of Steam and Machinery would help her if Klein sent her to 'Him'.
My spirituality says I should send her; I even received that 'He' would personally help.
Makes sense; 'He' likely wants to build goodwill with you so you will help 'Him' with his goals. I even want to do that.
What about your pride or dignity?
I'm willing to do many things to help you, even small demeaning tasks, so long as I can live a carefree life and get a chance to spite Amon for what he did to me. This was a rare moment of pure hatred from Pallez.
Klein decided not to ask any further unless Pallez wanted to add anything; this was clearly a personal thing. Klein viewed Pallez as a dear friend and didn't want to offend 'Him' out of courtesy and friendship.
Meanwhile, while conversing, Benson and Melissa were planning to move everything they owned to their new house. With that, Klein joined in to move everything.
"Well, I'll have to go to work tomorrow." Klein lampooned.
Dunn had given Klein this day off to get his housing in order and whatever else he needed to get in order. Klein would have to go to work tomorrow and do some reading and translating? Then work with Old Neil and take some lessons to keep up appearances even though Pallez had already explained far more than Old Neil ever could. Klein went to sleep after Benson and Melissa.
Today was Monday; Klein needed to head to Blackthorn Security Company for work and also had to host the Tarot Club, which he decided to also bring Pallez as an archangel. Klein went to work and, after communicating with Dunn, went to Old Neil.
Klein arrived where Old Neil was, and after talking to Old Neil, he asked, "Mr. Neil, what documents and books should I read?"
As he spoke, he took out the note written by Dunn.
Neil responded with anything to do with history that was incomplete or missing in parts. Neil was lamenting how bad this was for some pieces.
To which Klein asked, "Why?"
Neil pointed to a few yellowed pages in front of him.
"These are from Roselle Gustav's lost diary before his death. To keep things secret, he used strange symbols he invented to take records."
Emperor Roselle? The transmigration senior? Klein was taken aback as he immediately listened attentively.
Meanwhile, Pallez, who wasn't really listening, felt Klein's surprise and became far more attentive.
Old Neil was talking about Roselle and how he even managed to decipher some symbols! Neil asked whether he was a genius or not, to which Klein responded yes on instinct. He then replied that Klein should help him with deciphering, to which Klein thought Pallez could help. Then Old Neil showed the symbols.
The symbols stunned Klein, to which Pallez immediately picked up on and began theorizing.
Although the 'symbols' had been copied in a terribly ugly fashion. Even a 5-year-old could do better, Klein lampooned. They even got to the point of looking a little distorted; there was no way he could be mistaken...
This was because they were words he was most familiar with.
Chinese! And it's f**king Simplified Chinese!
Pallez, who wanted to communicate with Klein, heard this last line. This was because Klein had accepted Pallez's request without thinking. Pallez immediately confirmed that Klein could read this, and it was important to Klein that he could read it. 'He' decided to make a wild conjecture that Prometheus, Sequence 6 of Error, was related to this.
Klein was still in shock and was in general a state of ... well, he honestly felt he transmigrated back before his spirituality reminded him where he was. The transmigrator, Emperor Roselle, is really a fellow countryman of mine? He was using Simplified Chinese—which doesn't exist in this world—to record secrets? With the indescribable feeling of identifying an old friend in a different world, Klein quickly read through the three pages.
"18th November. Truly a fascinating matter. A blue-sky experimentation and a chance mistake made me discover the pathetic fellow lost and trapped in the deep darkness amid the storms. He can only approach the reality of this world on the day of the full moon every month; yet, he is unable to transmit his cries. He is lucky to have met me, the protagonist of this era."
Thanks to Klein not cutting off the connection, Pallez could understand what was being read. 'He' immediately theorized on who this 'pathetic fellow' was and pretty much confirmed who it was.
"After reading the paragraph I wrote above, I suddenly felt a little down. Even my Chinese is written like a translation. Four decades have passed in a finger snap. My memories feel more like a dream."
This Emperor Roselle isn't from here?! That was what Pallez came to the conjecture of.
"1184, 1 January. At the grand New Year Gala, Lady Florena was truly splendid."
"2nd January. My diplomats are all idiots!"
Useless information.
"3rd January. I made a hasty choice back then. In hindsight, I should have chosen the Apprentice, the Seer, or the Marauder. Unfortunately, there is no way of redoing it."
So 'He' learned about that information.
"4th January. Why are my children so stupid? I've repeated myself so many times. Do not be fooled by those charlatans! The key thing about potions is not about grasping them, but digesting them! It's nothing about tapping powers, but acting! And the name of a potion is not solely symbolic at its core, but a concrete imagery, and the 'key' to digestion!"
The acting method and children will be silly; I can still remember. That last part left Pallez in pain.
"9th September. An alliance opposing me has been established. Feysac from the north, Loen from the east, Feynapotter from the south. My enemies have finally joined forces, but I have no fear. I will use facts to teach them that the generations of weapons and knowledge cannot be compensated by mere numbers and low-grade Sequencers. Besides, it's not as though I do not have subordinates. As for the higher-grades, heh heh. Have they forgotten who I am?"
Not important.
"23rd September. I have lost communications with the ship seeking the Forsaken Land of God. I should consider inventing wireless telegraphs. I hope it will not be affected by the storm."
Definitely from somewhere else, likely from where Klein is from somehow? I have always felt 'He' was different from the brother that those two originally had.
"24th September. Miss Ithaca is more mesmerizing than Lady Florena. Perhaps, I'm just being nostalgic about my youth."
So free with 'His'... preferences; Intis suits 'Him'.
Meanwhile, Klein was in upheaval; he noticed Pallez understanding the passages because of him, but he honestly didn't mind. He felt that it would be beneficial for his mind to talk about his transmigration with someone else, since Perran hasn't been speaking to him. Maybe he should reestablish communications with Perran? He could also accurately tell that the most important information was about the part of the 'pathetic fellow' that Pallez seemed to know.
Pallez, who is this 'pathetic fellow'?
Another enemy on par with Amon, the ancestor of the Abraham family, the one who possesses three Sequence 1 characteristics and the Uniqueness of Door. Mr. Door, Bethel Abraham.