"Although there is only a slight wavering at the moment, it indicates an opportunity. With persistent effort, the Death Consul might eventually evolve into Azik earlier. At that time, I could recruit him from the God of Death, potentially adding an angel-level member to my Eye of Secrets..."
In the Fifth Epoch, Lynn, multitasking as usual, was grooming himself in front of a mirror. His first smurf account continued assisting Sasrir with official duties, while his secondary Smurf account stayed at the banquet, observing the lively scene.
As for the Death Consul Azik, after being swayed by Lynn's words, he ultimately made a hasty retreat. Lynn didn't mind this, as he could see that Azik was already somewhat shaken, which was enough for now. Lynn had never planned to change Azik's mind with just one conversation; such matters take time.
"Yes, after the banquet ends, I have arranged for Mr. Door to schedule another talk with Azik. I can further probe then. Hmm, should I spoil a bit of the future to him? That could be interesting..."
Thinking this, Lynn adjusted his golden curls in the mirror. Looking at his incredibly handsome reflection, he smiled and then, taking his pen and notebook, headed to 15 Minsk Street. He began to ring the bell in front of Klein's house.
"Sherlock, are you ready? We need to visit the next school..."
Lynn cheerfully shook the bell and called out, despite being busy with Azik-related matters in the Fourth Epoch. In the Fifth Epoch, his primary task was to learn how to be a good teacher. Thankfully, Lynn had grown accustomed to multitasking, handling everything without issue.
Soon, the door opened, and Klein appeared. To Lynn's slight surprise, Klein had not changed into outdoor clothes but was still wearing his usual home attire.
Lynn raised an eyebrow, already suspecting the reason, and asked, "Are you not planning to be my assistant anymore?"
"It's not that," Klein shook his head. "Mr. Azik, my teacher, has replied. He will likely arrive this morning, so if you want to meet him, we might need to cancel our morning plans."
Just as I thought!
Lynn wasn't surprised but feigned delight, "Really? That's great!"
"Come in. You can wait in the living room. Mr. Azik should be here soon." Klein stepped aside, gesturing for Lynn to enter.
Lynn, not being a stranger, found a familiar spot on the sofa and sat down. Seeing Klein about to make tea, he said, "I'd like coffee today, very strong, please."
"No sugar?" Klein gestured to the sugar jar and asked.
"No sugar, but you can add milk," Lynn thought for a moment and said.
"No problem." Klein nodded, expertly making coffee for both. Handing the strong cup to Lynn, he sat opposite him, picked up the day's newspaper, and handed half to Lynn before starting to read.
After a few minutes, the doorbell rang. Klein put down the newspaper, stood up, and walked to the door. Before opening it, his instincts as a Clown told him who the visitors were.
Outside stood two women, not Mr. Azik as Klein had expected. One was his landlady, Mrs. Sammer, who was dressed quite formally with elaborate makeup, and the other was an unfamiliar woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat with a veil and dark-colored attire.
Why is Mrs. Sammer here, and who is this woman? Is it a commission?
Klein wondered but opened the door, greeting the two ladies.
"Sherlock Moriarty, my friend needs your help," Mrs. Sammer said directly, unusually serious.
Then she noticed Lynn behind Klein, "And you are?"
"Hello! I'm just a friend of Sherlock," Lynn smiled and greeted Mrs. Sammer. He wasn't surprised she didn't recognize him, as he wasn't universally known despite his minor fame in Backlund.
As he greeted them, Lynn recalled the plot involving Mrs. Sammer and the woman beside her. If he remembered correctly, this was Mary Gale, a woman betrayed by her husband. In the original story, her commission was crucial as it led Klein to join the Quelaag Club. Through this club, Klein met Dr. Aaron, who would become the father of the Snake of Mercury Will, and horse-riding coach Talim, who had ties to Triss, the vessel for the Primordial Demoness. This series of events eventually dragged Klein into the Backlund fog incident.
Even later, when Klein reappeared as Dwayne Dantès, Mary Gale still had a role, making her an important minor character in the storyline.
I recall they came to commission him on a Tuesday. Is this a butterfly effect because I took Klein to school early yesterday...? Lynn mused, feeling a bit guilty. Although he remembered all the plot details about Mary Gale, this situation hadn't crossed his mind due to his recent busyness.
However, Klein's circumstances meant that even if he missed this commission, he would eventually join the Quelaag Club for other reasons. So, there wasn't much to worry about...
With this in mind, Lynn's fleeting guilt disappeared. He then said, "You seem to have a commission for Sherlock. I'll leave you to it."
Lynn winked at Klein and swiftly retreated to 16 Minsk Street, deciding not to get involved in Klein's marital investigation commission as he had his pride.
"However, Will..." Lynn pondered, standing by the window and watching the scene unfold.
Should I reach out to this Snake of Mercury? It feels like it could be interesting.
(End of Chapter)