"The Blackthorn Security Company."
Seeing the sign, Klein paused for a moment, feeling both surprised and oddly expectant.
He shook his head with a bemused smile, taking the stairs up before knocking lightly on the partially open door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The slow, rhythmic knocking echoed, but no one responded. Only faint sounds of movement could be heard from inside.
Knock, knock, knock.
Klein tried again, but the outcome was the same.
He pushed the door open a bit further, peering inside. There he saw a set of classic sofas, soft cushioned chairs, and a natural wood coffee table. Directly opposite him was a desk, behind which a young girl with brown hair sat nodding off.
While the "security company" sign was only a front, this was too unprofessional, Klein thought. How long had they gone without business? Well, I suppose they don't need much business...
He approached the desk, knocking twice directly in front of the girl to wake her.
Knock, knock.
The brown-haired girl jolted upright, immediately grabbing a newspaper from her desk and holding it up to cover her face.
*The Tingen City Honest Man Newspaper,* Klein noted, amused by the newspaper's title.
"Today, the direct steam train 'Flyer' opens its route to Conston City... Really, when will it extend to the Disi Bay area? I really don't want to take the boat anymore; it's dreadful, absolutely dreadful... Hmm? Who are you?" she asked, lowering the newspaper to reveal her fair forehead and light brown eyes. She initially appeared friendly, then quickly became puzzled upon seeing Klein.
"Hello, I'm Klein Moretti. I'm here at the invitation of Dunn Smith," Klein said, removing his hat and bowing slightly.
The brown-haired girl appeared to be in her early twenties, dressed in a light green dress with lace trim on the sleeves, neckline, and chest, which accentuated her delicate features.
"Oh, the Captain... Alright, please wait here while I inform him," she replied, hastily rising from her chair and disappearing into the next room.
No offer of water or anything... service could use some improvement, Klein thought, amused, as he waited patiently, refraining from sitting on the sofas or chairs.
A couple of minutes later, the brown-haired girl returned, a sweet smile on her face.
"Mr. Moretti, please follow me. The Captain is on duty at the 'Chanis Gate' today and can't leave."
"Alright," Klein responded warmly, though inwardly puzzled.
*Chanis Gate... what is that?*
They passed through a partition, and Klein saw a short hallway with three offices on either side.
Some offices were locked, while others were open, revealing people inside, diligently typing away on heavy mechanical typewriters.
In a quick glance, Klein recognized a familiar face—the young officer with black hair and green eyes, the one who had come to search his house the other day, with that air of poetic romance.
This time, the officer wasn't in uniform, and his white shirt was untucked, giving him a rather carefree look.
He gave Klein a slight nod, which Klein returned with a polite nod of his own.
The brown-haired girl turned the handle on the left office door at the end of the hall, opened it, and gestured inside with a smile.
"We'll have to go down a few flights."
The office was entirely empty, except for a gray stone staircase leading downward.
On either side of the staircase, elegant gas lamps illuminated the way, their steady light dispelling the darkness and creating a sense of calm.
The brown-haired girl led the way down, keeping her eyes on the steps, carefully watching her footing.
"Even though I walk this way all the time, I'm still afraid. I always worry I'll trip and roll down, all the way to the bottom. You wouldn't believe it, but Leonard did just that—yes, the one who greeted you earlier. On his first day as a Sleepless, before he had complete control over his abilities, he tried to sprint down the stairs. And, well, he ended up rolling like a wheel... It's so funny to think about. That was three years ago. You know, I joined the Night Watchers five years ago... I was only seventeen back then..."
As she kept an eye on the path, the girl chatted away, then suddenly gave herself a small smack on the forehead, saying:
"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rozanne. My father was a full member of the Night Watchers, but he lost his life in an accident five years ago. I suppose we'll be colleagues now... or maybe I should say 'associates' since we're not exactly teammates—we aren't Extraordinary, after all."
"I'd be honored, though I guess it's still up to Mr. Smith to make the final call," Klein replied, glancing around the enclosed surroundings as they descended deeper underground. The stone walls exuded a chilly dampness that pushed away any lingering summer warmth.
"Don't worry. If the Captain had you come here, it means he's already made up his mind," Rozanne replied in a voice as sweet as a piece of candy. "I'm a bit intimidated by the Captain, even though he's kind and considerate, like a father figure, at least from my father's perspective. Still, I don't know why, but he's kind of scary."
Klein replied with a bit of humor, "Isn't being afraid of a father figure normal?"
"True," Rozanne chuckled, steadying herself with a hand against the wall as they turned a corner.
Their conversation continued as they reached the end of the winding stairwell, stepping out onto a stone-paved floor.
A long corridor stretched before them, lined on either side by gas lamps encased in metal grilles. Their glow cast elongated shadows of Klein and Rozanne along the floor.
Klein quickly noticed that every few steps along the walls hung a "Dark Sacred Emblem," the symbol of the Goddess of the Night—black as pitch with small sparkling dots surrounding a half-red moon.
Though these emblems didn't seem particularly special, Klein felt a gradual sense of calm as he passed each one. Rozanne, too, fell silent, no longer making casual conversation.
Before long, they arrived at a crossroads, and the brown-haired girl briefly explained:
"To the left leads to the Saint Selena Church, the right goes to the armory, the materials and document library, and straight ahead is the Chanis Gate."
*Saint Selena Church? Could Zotlund Street be just behind Red Moon Street?* Klein thought, slightly stunned.
The Saint Selena Church on Red Moon Street was the headquarters of the Tingen City branch of the Church of the Goddess of the Night, revered by local believers. Together with the "Cathedral of Sacred Numbers" of the Church of Steam and Machinery in the outskirts and the "Church of Rivers and Seas" of the Lord of Storms in Tingen's northern district, it formed the religious backbone of Tingen City and its surrounding towns and villages.
Feeling it inappropriate to ask too many questions in his current role, Klein kept silent, listening intently.
After passing through the crossroads, they continued for less than a minute before a large double door of black iron came into view, etched with seven Sacred Emblems.
Standing there, the doors projected an immediate impression of weight, coldness, and an imposing aura, like a towering guardian in the darkness.
"The Chanis Gate," Rozanne noted, gesturing toward a nearby room. "The Captain's in there. You can go in by yourself."
"Thank you," Klein replied politely.
The room Rozanne indicated was just a few steps in front of the Chanis Gate. Light poured out from an open window, and Klein took a deep breath, calming himself before raising his hand.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in," Dunn Smith's warm, deep voice called from inside.
Klein gently pushed open the partially closed door, finding a simple room with only a table and four chairs. Dunn Smith, his high hairline visible, wore the same black trench coat as last night and was leisurely reading a newspaper. A gold chain from a pocket watch glinted near his chest.
"Take a seat. Have you made up your mind? Are you certain you want to join us?" Dunn set aside his newspaper and asked with a smile.
Klein removed his hat, offered a polite nod, and took a seat at the table. Slowly, he nodded, "Yes, I'm certain."
"Then look over this contract. Nowadays, everyone prefers to call it an agreement." Dunn pulled a drawer open, taking out two identical copies of the contract.
The terms were straightforward, mostly covering the points Dunn had mentioned before. The main emphasis was on confidentiality. Violators wouldn't go through the kingdom's courts but would instead be tried directly by the Night Goddess's arbitration court, much like soldiers and officers are subject to military courts.
Five-year contract… weekly salary of 2 pounds and 10 soli, with an additional 10 soli for confidentiality and risk allowances… Klein read through each term carefully and replied, "I have no issues with it."
"Then go ahead and sign." Dunn pointed to the dark red fountain pen and inkwell on the table.
Klein tested the pen on scrap paper, discreetly took a breath, and then signed his full name, Klein Moretti, in the designated spots on both copies of the contract. Since he didn't have a personal seal yet, he pressed his fingerprint in its place.
Dunn collected the signed contracts, took out a stamp from the drawer, and applied it to several key areas on each copy.
After finishing, he stood up, offering one of the contracts back to Klein and extending his hand. "Welcome. From this moment, you're one of us. Remember, the contract itself is also confidential."
Klein stood as well, taking the contract and shaking Dunn's hand with a smile. "Then I should start calling you Captain?"
"Yes," Dunn replied, his gray eyes appearing especially deep in the dim lighting.
After the handshake, both took their seats again. Klein glanced at the stamp on his contract and saw the words "Night Watcher Squad, Tingen City, Ahowa County, Kingdom of Ruen."
"I honestly didn't expect you'd use 'Blackthorn Security Company' as a cover," he said with a smile.
"We actually have another official title." Dunn pulled a sheet of paper from the drawer.
Stamped with seals from both the city government and police department, the document had only two lines of text:
"Special Operations Unit, Division Seven, Ahowa County Police Department, Kingdom of Ruen."
"The first four divisions are standard police units handling security, like the VIP Protection Unit and Important Sites Security Unit. Starting from Division Five, however, it's all about managing supernatural incidents across various cities in the county. Our Division Seven handles cases specifically related to the Goddess's followers in Tingen. For individuals of different faiths, it's sorted by region; we mainly cover the North, West, and Golden Sycamore districts."
Dunn gave a brief introduction: "The Sixth Squad, under the Church of the Lord of Storms' 'Punisher' team, is responsible for the Docklands, East, and South districts, while the Fifth Squad, which is the 'Heart of Mechanics' unit here in Tingen, manages the University District and the outskirts."
"Understood," Klein nodded, not having much to ask on that matter. Then, with a chuckle, he said, "What if someone actually comes in with a request, thinking that 'Blackthorn Security Company' is a real security firm?"
"We'd take it, why not?" Dunn replied in a slow, humorous tone. "As long as it doesn't interfere with our regular duties. Any money earned is a welcome bonus, and the team members don't mind. In any case, trivial tasks like finding lost cats or dogs are mostly handled by private detectives these days."
"Speaking of the Night Watchers, how many people are on our squad?" Klein followed up, curious.
"Supernatural incidents aren't that common, and even fewer involve the extraordinary. Altogether, there are only six active Night Watchers in Tingen, including myself. Counting you, we also have six support staff," Dunn replied calmly.
Klein nodded thoughtfully, finally asking the question that had been weighing on his mind: "Captain, you mentioned the risk of extraordinary individuals losing control. What does that mean, exactly? Why would they lose control?"