As he climbed back up the stairs and returned to the reception hall, Klein was about to say goodbye to Rozanne when he heard the brown-haired girl cheerfully say, "The Captain said you should come back on Monday. Take care of any personal matters at home first."
"…Alright." Klein hadn't expected such considerate management from the Nighthawks squad, and he felt a bit of gratitude.
He'd originally planned to wake up early the next morning and take advantage of his "wandering" assignment to make a trip to Tingen University. He wanted to notify the instructor responsible for interviews that he wouldn't be participating in the subsequent rounds. After all, the original Klein had entered the interview process with a mentor's recommendation, and, regardless of the outcome, it felt only polite to follow through and give a proper explanation. Even if not for himself, he felt he owed it to the mentor.
Since there was no telephone, telegraphs were charged by the letter, and mailing a letter would likely be too slow, taking a public carriage there in person seemed the most efficient and economical choice.
Now, with the Captain's special permission, he didn't have to rush. He could sleep well, then make a leisurely visit.
Just as he was about to remove his hat and bid farewell, Klein remembered something, glanced around, and lowered his voice.
"Rozanne, do you know what the initial sequence is in the Church's complete pathway?"
This was the question he had forgotten to ask Old Neil earlier.
Rozanne's eyes widened as she looked at Klein, surprised. "You… want to become a Beyonder?"
Did I make it that obvious? Klein touched his mouth, feeling a bit awkward. "Now that I know there really are supernatural, mysterious forces in the world, I can't help but feel a little curious."
"Oh, my goddess! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Didn't the Captain tell you? A Beyonder's enemies aren't just cultists or black wizards; they're also their own worst enemy! Every year, someone loses control, someone sacrifices themselves! Aren't you thinking of your family?" Rozanne gestured emphatically, her reaction slightly over-the-top. "Klein, I really think staying as a clerk is a better choice. There's hardly any danger, your salary increases every year, and after a few years, you'll have enough savings to rent a detached house in the North District or near the outskirts, and settle down with a charming lady. You'll have adorable, mischievous little angels…"
"Rozanne, stop! Just… stop!" Seeing Rozanne drifting further and further away from the topic, Klein, now slightly sweating, quickly interrupted. "For now, I'm just interested in… learning some basic knowledge."
"Alright…" Rozanne was silent for a few seconds, her gaze dropping as she spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone. "Because of my father, I tend to, um, get a little emotional about these things. But, honestly, I have deep respect for every man and woman who willingly becomes a Nighthawk."
"I understand, I understand," Klein quickly echoed.
Rozanne blinked her light brown eyes and added, "My father used to say, 'Don't think that becoming stronger, reaching a higher sequence as a Beyonder, will make you safe or keep the dangers at bay. In reality, it's the opposite—you'll encounter even more terrifying things. When you face certain unknown and dreadful entities, madness and death are the only outcomes.' And, well, two weeks after saying that, he sacrificed himself… Klein, don't give me that sympathetic look. I'm doing just fine, really! You should be scared by all of this!"
"I just want to learn some basic information…" Klein repeated his earlier response, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
The Captain explained things much more clearly, he thought, and even if I don't become a Beyonder, I'm already involved in more than enough trouble…
"Alright," Rozanne said, pretending to think it over. "I've heard both the Captain and Old Neil mention that with the decline and disappearance of supernatural creatures, high-sequence Beyonders are almost nonexistent in this era. Becoming a Beyonder alone is already a huge accomplishment! Here in Tingen, including the outskirts, with tens of thousands, maybe more people, there are only about thirty or so Beyonders… well, I think… I'm not counting the cultists or black wizards lurking in dark corners…"
Before Klein could respond, she suddenly seemed energized again, clenching her fist in front of her chest as she added, "And out of those thirty Beyonders, the majority are Sequence 9! Uh, I think I'm getting off-topic…"
"No, it's fine. This is all part of the general knowledge I wanted to understand," Klein replied, hoping Rozanne would continue her usual scattered approach, inadvertently revealing more information.
"Well, as I was saying, becoming a Beyonder is already a huge accomplishment!" Rozanne repeated enthusiastically. "The starting point of the sequence our Church holds is 'Sleepless'—Sequence 9 Sleepless!"
As expected… Klein nodded almost imperceptibly, hearing Rozanne carry on, unable to resist adding more details.
"The name kind of gives it away, doesn't it? 'Sleepless' means they don't need to sleep at night; just three or four hours of rest during the day is enough. Oh, I'm so envious… no, no, I'm not. Sleep is a gift from the Goddess; it's the most wonderful thing in the world!"
"Where was I? Oh, right, 'Sleepless' can see through darkness without needing light. The deeper the night, the stronger they become—I mean in every way. Their strength, their intuition, their thinking, everything improves. But even though they can sense hidden dangers in the dark, they still need things like Demon Hunter bullets to deal with certain creatures. My father was a 'Sleepless.'"
Before Klein could ask, Rozanne continued on her own, "Next is Sequence 8, 'Midnight Poet,' and then Sequence 7, 'Nightmare.'"
Nightmare? Klein immediately thought of the time Captain Dunn Smith had guided his dream. Seeking confirmation, he asked, "The Captain?"
"You knew?" Rozanne's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"The Captain once entered my dream…" Klein glanced around and lowered his voice again.
"Got it…" Rozanne nodded in understanding, also lowering her voice in response.
She took a sip of her coffee and sighed, "In Tingen, our Church only has two Sequence 7 members—well, I think it's just two. The Captain is one of them. Even in a major diocese like Backlund, he would be a significant figure; not every deacon is necessarily stronger than him!"
"So the Captain is really remarkable," Klein responded with a smile.
Honestly, Dunn Smith's appearance in the middle of the night had left quite an impression. Klein had almost instinctively believed that he was a powerful Beyonder.
"Of course!" Rozanne replied proudly, straightening her back.
Then, with her characteristic quick shift in thoughts, she looked troubled. "Above Sequence 7, I don't really know. Probably only the Captain knows that."
"What about other starting points for different Sequences? The incomplete ones," Klein asked, satisfied to shift the topic.
He had to admit, Rozanne's description of the "Sleepless" fit some of his expectations of a Beyonder. But it wasn't exactly what he hoped for. The ideal "Sequence 9" in his mind would be one that allowed him to gain extensive knowledge of the arcane, laying a foundation for understanding why he had crossed over—and maybe how he could return.
Rozanne thought for a moment and sighed. "I'm not particularly interested in that kind of stuff. I only know that the Church has more than others; after all, the Goddess is also the Mother of Secrets... hmm, there should be two or three kinds. Some members are always cold and a bit frightening, with an odd aura around them. And some, well, like Old Neil… he knows so many things and performs some rather intriguing rituals. Let me think… yes, he once mentioned his Sequence 9 title, the name of his potion… ah, that's right! It's called the 'Seer'!"
"Several intriguing rituals? A Seer?" Klein felt a surge of interest.
"Also, I know the name of a Sequence 7 from one of the incomplete pathways!" Rozanne said, as if recalling it suddenly, with a hint of pride.
"What is it?" Klein asked, his curiosity piqued.
With the scarcity of high-ranking Beyonders, Sequence 7 might well be the backbone of the Church.
Rozanne flashed a sweet smile, looking somewhat pleased with herself. "Spirit Medium!"
"Miss Daly?" Klein blurted out.
After the initial surprise, he realized it wasn't all that unexpected; only a Sequence 7 Beyonder could achieve Miss Daly's level of spirit communication.
Rozanne's eyes widened in disbelief. "How… how do you know that?"
"I've met Miss Daly," Klein replied honestly.
"Alright," Rozanne said in a wistful tone. "If I could become a Spirit Medium right away, like Miss Daly… I'd definitely consider being a Beyonder. No, actually, I'd seriously think about it for ten whole minutes."
"Yes, Miss Daly really embodies everything I've imagined a Beyonder to be," Klein replied with a touch of theatrical admiration.
After achieving his intended goal, Klein chatted idly with Rozanne for a few more minutes. Once he sensed there was no more information to glean, he removed his hat, offered a polite bow, and took his leave.
Descending the staircase, Klein paused midway, reaching into his inner pocket to touch the banknotes tucked safely inside. A slight smile appeared on his face as he drew out the twelve gold pound notes, clenched them firmly in his left hand, and then stuffed his hand deep into his pants pocket, reluctant to let go of the precious bills.
Following the traditions of his homeland, he knew exactly what to do when he got his hands on some money—celebrate with a good meal!
Tonight, he'd treat his sister to something special!