Guarding Selina's sleeping body. Klein's nerves were triggered the moment the lamplight burgeoned dimmer.
Selina had encountered a dangerous dream!
Klein instantly looked at her condition, she was paler. He wasted no time but to fish the seed out, hoping it would move.
In what felt like forever, it suddenly dent itself, a crevice of the shell was pried by a root forming out.
Klein felt deeply relieved.
Just as after he siphons the dream, he secured Dunn's status, confirming that he's still asleep.
...
Selina felt a disconnection of another ghost limb. She drew a breath, mixed with emotions, "That makes it two..."
Wearily standing on the carpet of tall grass, seeing it rolling onto the vast plains and into the infinite horizon. For an inexplicable reason, after easing her emotions, she felt her mind and soul recover at an exponential rate.
Finally, Selina felt whole. Both mind and body.
Over the past weeks, he mastery over controlling her spirituality have been improved drastically. Thus, it made her further grasp the dreamworld and her relation to it from this last few days.
Trying to occupy her mind in other matters to relieve her swirling mind. It was also when Selina did recalled Klein's discovery of something, from Mrs. White's sacrificial ritual.
He mentioned and detailed to her along their way to the company.
"Flawed... Sigh, I can't say I knew it. I trust Yesir's attempt because it had worked. To think that the dreamworld's faint corruption is polluting the ritual is due to this."
In the documents Yesir gave, the procedures mentioned of dualistic ritual which is the standard and that the Child of God's unique ritual allowed believers to bypass other requirements that are otherwise present in the standard ritual.
"The Child of God existed in the Kingdom of Silver, possibly dated all the way to the mysterious era of Third Epoch. Of course certain rituals would become outdated..." Selina raised a finger to press against chin.
Then, she nodded lightly, "What could those other requirements possibly be then?"
This issue could resolve her inability to bestow herself more anything more than a seed, or at least one more seed. But at the same time, this was also when she started to recall her experience bestowing.
"Now that I think about it, what I've been doing was only just extending my hand and reaching a spare of my spirituality to open the door of light." Selina was struck by an epiphany.
"I haven't been actually opening the door myself. More or less it was the emerald sparks that push on its own.
"Even from the first time, I did not open it consciously, let alone know what spirituality is.
"...Is the dreamworld, doing it for me?" Her hands fell and Selina lifted her gaze to observe the endless, white and blue sky.
"I'm not the one who's responding...
"I was merely just the person the other end of a call...
"The dreamworld is doing this under my behalf and it causes pollution!" Selina has felt she had roughly deciphered the cause.
"I have to try this! I have to need know what the ritual is missing!"
Considering that it was about time to wake up. Selina didn't dallied and let herself face the daybreak of waking up.
...
Several minutes later.
Selina in her three-piece attire was constantly dozing to Klein's shoulders on their way to Daffodil Street.
The fleeting buildings over the windows projects Klein's calm but uneased chest. He's somewhat stiff but at the same time, peeved.
He glanced at the braided-bun haired Selina, asked her a simple question, "Do you need a serenity agent?"
Selina shook her head before proceeding to silence.
They now have two powerful seeds that on its own is the base of a charm. However, in exchange, Selina had to experience sorts of mental dangers lurking in the artifact.
She also had her spirituality expended, and of course the residual images still haunt her mind that it affected her condition, turning it pale.
"We're almost there. Benson and Melissa will come back around four so only rest until then."
Dunn Smith, across from them, had his arms crossed while quietly looking at the passing road, thoughts a mystery.
Then, Klein added, "I'll excuse you with Mr. Gawain, and after I return we're going to find a maid for the house... I just wanted you to know."
There's also the meeting with Mr. Gudarian, I'll inform this to Captain after returning from the combat practice...
"Okay." Selina said languidly.
"..." Klein stared at her head, leaning against him. He slowly closed his eyes and averted away from seeing her. Instead, threw his gaze outside.
Soon after, they arrived at Unit 2 Daffodil Street. Frye steered the reigns until the carriage halted at the street walk.
Selina alighted thanks to Klein's support and after escorting her in, he returned to the carriage and boarded.
...
On their fourth and last person on the list. The coupled lived at a rented boarding house with which had many sticks and nitrates lying about in the room.
This time, the victim was a child, so Dunn had to investigate two people, but was listed as one due to proximity.
He used another Night Tranquility to effectively pull the man to sleep. Klein and Frye had to accompany the wife in another room.
...
The darkness shattered like globe and on the first instance, a light flickered.
As the dim light grew, it illuminated more of the room. A wardrobe, curtained walls to separate some space, a desk with surmounts of books and a single backdrop of a window.
Dunn saw the man, Haltim, on his one knee while accompanying a girl with dark-brown hair, dressed in a gown, staring at the starry sky next to the crimson moon.
"Pa, one day I'll be the first to discover stars miles and miles into sky!" her squeaky voice sounded so enthusiastically.
"I'm sure you will." Haltim smiled and caressed the girl's head, smoothening it.
"Hehe." The girl chuckled sweetly and pulled away to gaze at the stars once more.
It was clear this became their daily routine each night. Allowing the girl to gain hope of leaving this unprecedented living condition and to give attention to her regardless of their toils.
Haltim is a dock opportunist who, among many other working classmen, seize every bit of chances to work. He had a reputation, thus it made him stick to that job all while his living partner, Thetil, sell matches.
At some point, he was hired. However, it also resulted in a contract that bind him to the company, Carter Works.
Dunn stayed at a corner while listening.
"Alright. Go to sleep now." Haltim smiled gently.
The little girl nodded and took her materials with her. The dream shifted after that, it swirled to when Haltim was going to his work.
At this moment, Dunn was following him closely behind. Assuming a passerby or a coincidental pedestrian.
Dunn saw him took a turn, and so he did as well. Only he waited moments before doing so.
Haltim was approaching a building, it was near the harbor. Three-story tall and had a tinted blue color.
It hadn't been long before Dunn completely halt on his tracks. He seemed frozen.
Because reflected on his eyes, the building was radiating strange, misty and dreamy colors. As if an aura cloaked everything around it.
Then, Dunn recalled.
Royale and Selina both reported high concentration of weariness around the totem, in which the meteorite is present.
Prudently judging the radiation. Dunn completely forfeited in his investigation and instead left.
Once he returned, he did not waste any time and immediately went into the room where Klein and Frye is waiting.
"I found something." Dunn said deeply in passing, as well as, "Let's not idle. We'll need to head back and report this to the Church."
Captain found something? Klein abruptly stood up, while his heart skipped. Due to the moment, he didn't had the chance to ask.
He grabbed his cane, gripped it tightly and donned his top hat, following closely behind Frye.
Because of this discovery, the investigation was complete. And although Klein realized from Dunn that it was three-story building near the harbor, by company Carter Works, it left lingering in his mind throughout his combat practice.
In the end, he carried this along with the meeting with Daxter Gudarian for Sequence 8: Telepathist formula.
A mix of lighten and weight came from when Dunn accompanied him, successfully lodge an investigation with Hood Eugene and informing that he would not need anymore meritorious deeds.
The next morning when he and Selina ended their shift and left Chanis Gate, the Nighthawks still hadn't obtained any useful information from monitoring Hood Eugen. For now, they had to place their hopes on their informant's internal investigation.
"Mrs. Heath's Seared Mutton is delightful isn't it? They came at a sudden notice.
"Well, since Benson and Melissa seem to like it. I'm planning on preparing it tomorrow, what do you think..." Selina's words was cut off.
In her three-piece suit, reflecting the discipline of an officer, she called,
"Klein?"
Klein was staring blankly toward the road.
"Klein!" and when Selina raised her voice, he snapped.
"Yes?" he replied hurriedly.
"What's wrong?" Selina asked softly.
At this moment, Klein was caught in the mirror of her eyes. He pulled away for a bit, shook his head and smiled, "I finished the charms. Sorry I didn't told you this when on our way to work."
He presented her on his palm, two seeds that had multiple sigils and symbols etched on its surface, alongside a prominent jade at the center.
"The one in the middle, I thought it was jade as well, but apparently it was the seed's interior trying to fix itself." Klein said after seeing her fixated on the spot.
Selina slowly lowered Klein's hands and said, "But you didn't properly answer my question. What's wrong?"
While walking, Klein sighed. "It was about Captain's discovery."
He described the time from which Selina had left early. Sharing even his suspicion to when he divined Marvik's location.
"The Mandated Punishers will likely blow up the whole building." Selina suddenly chuckled.
Because of that, Klein was at the same time stunned.
"You're treating this way better than I do." and so, he was infected by the gentleness and ease of her emotions.
"How would you even know they would do that?"
Then he added in his heart, Unless they're me...
"Well, out of curiosity, I asked and Lady Lovers told me the situation of Milo before." Selina's voice sounded mellow and calm.
Milo... Klein repeated.
"She said that thanks to Him, her plea reached the Mandated Punishers. And you know what happened when the officials arrived? They made a wreckage of her hometown, completely destroyed." continued Selina with a tinge of reminisce.
How irascible... Klein understood what the Sailor pathway's Sequence 8 is, and being a Folk of Rage definitely added to their disposition.
"Could you tell me what actually happened?" he asked, leaning more into her voice.
He hoped that in doing so, it would avert his attention away from Marvik and the Rose School of Thought.
...
When they returned home, Klein had his breakfast quietly and laid down in his bedroom to sleep until noon.
He woke up naturally, washed up, and walked to the first floor, following the smell of cooking food.
"Who's preparing lunch?" Klein looked at Benson who was reading the newspaper in the living room.
Usually, he would instantly thought of Melissa, but since Selina is also living here, that changed.
Benson lowered the newspaper and said, "Melissa, she has a guest visiting today. I wanted her to chat with her guest while I prepared lunch. But she doesn't trust my cooking and took the guest into the kitchen. How rude."
Benson, you actually managed to quickly realize that Melissa detests your culinary skills... Klein held back his urge to laugh and walked towards the single seat sofa as he asked, "Where's Selina?"
"She's also there at the kitchen talking to the guest." Benson leaned backwards and continued to read his newspaper comfortably.
Then, Klein asked again, "Melissa's guest?"
"You should know her. Elizabeth, we met her at Selena's dinner banquet." Benson turned a page and still answered casually.
It wasn't only at the dinner banquet... She came to visit for real... Klein turned to look at the kitchen with a stunned expression.
Just then, Melissa walked out carrying some plates while Elizabeth and Selina followed behind, the former also wearing an apron.
"Oh Klein, you're already up." Folding her arms loosely, and lightly cradling her elbow, Selina, sporting a soft floral dress, called mid-convo with Elizabeth.
Melissa laid the plates on the dining table delightedly and noticed her brother, "Klein, I was just about to wake you. This is Elizabeth. You know her."
"Hello, Klein." Elizabeth's adorable face flashed a splendid smile as she greeted him.
Klein replied gently and politely.
After they greeted, Melissa blinked and spoke seriously, "Elizabeth will follow us to the Family Servant Assistance Association later. They hire a few maidservants at home, so she has experience in that. Her opinions might be helpful.
"Actually, we've already drawn up the requirements for picking a maidservant. Listen to this and see if there's anything that needs to be added."
Melissa wiped her hands on her apron and took out a piece of paper from the pocket of her home clothes. She opened it and read it out loud.
"1. Healthy.
"2. Hardworking and responsible.
"3. Good at cooking.
"4. Quiet, not rowdy.
"5. Simple family background.
"6. Looks ordinary."
...
She read the requirements one by one while Klein and Benson gawked with a vacant look; they never expected that hiring a maidservant would be so troublesome.
Selina pressed a finger to her soft smile. Very meticulous. Hmm I believe Klein once told me Melissa opposes to this idea?
"Melissa, weren't you against the idea of hiring a maidservant?" Klein subconsciously asked.
Melissa pursed her lips and nodded solemnly.
"Yes, I was against it. But as my opposition was in vain, I thought we should get this thing done properly. To be able to get it done well, we must be well prepared. Hmm, do you have anything that you'd like to add?"
"No!" Klein and Benson shook their heads in unison, causing both Selina and Elizabeth to laugh.