"No! It should be 'My Daughter'!"
The man from the desk counter had a combed black hair with a few gray lines, a prominent build sporting a waistcoat, a white shirt and black trousers all were fitted to his body.
He stands at an impressive height of six feet, while having no facial features.
In his hand was a fountain pen and pinned by his other palm was a piece of paper written with the title; "Will and Testament."
"Darling...!" The silver haired lady holding an infant on his right was clearly frustrated and annoyed. "Why do you find it difficult to just write Selina's name? Why are you so persistent against it!"
The lady also lacked any visage. All that can be described is her hair tied into braids while wearing a simple long white gown and a short grey shrug over her shoulders.
"Because...!" The man retracted his body from the paper. The staff was scrambling on what to do.
"She is my daughter!", he declared. "I couldn't just deprive my daughter of my wealth! Others are allowed to call her Selina but as her father, it should strictly be my daughter!"
"Well you're doing it now!", The lady was the verge of drilling a sense into her husband.
"What if they don't know who's your daughter? I'm opposed in giving her a hard time in claiming the inheritance in the future..."
The man puffed his chest and smiled with confidence, "That is not an issue! Her marvelous father just have to amassed the people in acknowledging that she is my daughter!"
At that moment, disregarding the fact that lady had no face. One can sense that she deliberately curled her lips downwards to the side, wanting either punch her husband or face-palm herself in disbelief.
While seeing this. Klein's mouth involuntarily twitched. I wouldn't be so glad if I were in the infant's place...
Amid the couple's argument. He leaned closer and saw the infant being cradled by the woman. The little one had a rather long white lashes and short silver hair while a cloth was draped around her.
So this must be Ms. Roy...
"Sigh..." The woman's frustration erupted from a released breath. "Are you doing this because... You fear that they might be able to track her?"
They? Klein retracted his attention from the infant and onto the couple.
"Do you think this is enough?" said the woman, scouring for an assurance.
"Hopefully it will", the man placed the pen down and withdrew from the papers. He walked to the lady's side and caressed her shoulders along with the infant.
He smiled and added, "But I wouldn't let that happen... I love you. As much as our daughter."
"Pfff... Hahaha" The woman burst out a laugh from behind her right fingers.
The man chuckled. Somewhat perplexed by the display of emotions coming from his wife. He said cautiously, "Why are you laughing?"
"It's nothing", she quickly replied.
By the time they turned to glance at the infant. The crystalline sapphire eyes were already wide awake. Smiling like the sun's rays on an innocent morning dew, even the little one's first teeth was already creeping in.
"Look Selina..." said the lady, her void expression softened. "Don't be like your bison father alright? He's just too persistent. Once you grew up, ally with mommy against him.
"We can't let his persistence grow a dozen mile!"
"W-What?" The man's face grew pale.
Before replying. The woman chuckled and then said, "Also, you said you intend to spread to everyone that she is your daughter. Doesn't that renders your efforts futile?"
The man fell into silence.
After nearly ten seconds, he clicked his tongue and admitted, "You're right..."
Just as the lady was about to add, the haziness of the scene suddenly began to distort. Klein's thoughts turned chaotic and without a warning, he was exiled.
The dream turned black.
...
"He's waking up..." a relaxed tone of a man spoke his thoughts on a whim.
When Klein opened his eyes. What greeted him first was the snow, slender hand that was being wrapped by his fingers.
It extends to a lady in front of him. She had a pair of sapphire jeweled eyes, a white porcelain skin and hair that was styled into a braided-bun curl. Her lips were supple, red but thin.
"Are you alright?" the lady worriedly said.
Klein quickly recovered from his stupor, he breath in and replied, "I'm alright."
"Really?" probed Selina. Frowning slightly out of genuine concern. "You're holding onto my hand quite tightly."
Realizing his action. Klein retracted his fingers from squeezing her palm. In doing so, he hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry..."
Selina sighed in relief. She thought for a moment before saying, "Uhm... Do you think we should stop?"
I still haven't divined her nightmare... Klein turned and retrieved another note next to him. He gently shook his head and said, "No, I still need a few more description of what the dream meant. Will that be alright to you?"
"...Okay", after a bit hesitation, Selina chose to agree. Letting her hand rest in his care.
Amid this exchange. Leonard suddenly stepped in, "I reckon you obtained a crucial intel from the first dream. May I suggest letting us be informed as well before attempting another?"
While in the process of writing another lines. Klein replied dismissively, "Let's wait for Captain's instructions."
Leonard curled his lips before turning silently to his previous position by the window.
Hearing her fellow member's suggestion for Klein. A pang of curiosity gave Selina a simple inquiry.
What did Mr. Moretti saw that it requires the Captain's instructions?
Regardless of this urge. She stayed silent and watched how the trusted Seer mutter a few lines before squeezing her right hand again as he fell into a slumber.
Klein's vision blurred and darkness surged around the scene.
A myriad of colors blended into one and a single flame illuminated from the void.
The light covered a small area into the darkness.
From this single light begin the ignition of multiple sparks. They formed a circle on the corner, each of them revealed a piece of the room and their wick being melted by the plumes.
A cobblestone walls offered a limit to the light as they reflect the entire space. There was a stairwell leading upstairs. A sequence of tubes connects to the upper floor, appearing a pattern of valves in each tubes.
He's in a basement. And for an inexplicable reason, the design felt similar to the one in their resident at Unit 2 Daffodil Street.
It isn't entirely what Ms. Roy had described. However, Klein confirmed that were three lifeless individuals suspended on the chains, burrowing into their shoulders are hooks stained with blood.
He also noticed a small ball below them. It was wrapped tightly with numerous white cloths.
This horrifying scene distilled a blooming horror within him. He unknowingly took a step back, his mouth slightly agape.
At that moment, when he turned on the side. Klein saw a piece that was never mentioned by the dreamer.
From there, he saw Selina's fragile body. It was pale, so much so that it seemed she lacked blood circulating from her veins.
The man appeared next to her body.
It scooped her blood with a silver porcelain cup. Akin to the ceremonial cups being presented in cathedrals.
The figure brought the cup that contains Selina's blood and poured it onto the circle.
The blood was smeared across the black wooden idol—no, when Klein made a careful inspection, he reconfirmed it.
From the wooden base carved with a falcon, a visage of a simple doodled man laid frozen on its place. All were painted in a myriad of primary colors.
It was a totem. A ritualistic totem!
Klein stood in stillness as numerous thoughts whirred in his mind.
Is this a requirement for a specific pathway's ability? Why does it require Ms. Roy's life?
At that moment, the dream turned black.
...
Klein jolted awake.
His sight was obscured from the blurriness that came after an interruption.
The first sensation he felt was two soft hands wrapped around his right palm.
Upon regaining clarity, he saw Selina's face visibly worried.
Apart from her, Leonard was in a stance ready for any mishaps that occurs. The alarm rope in his reach.
"You're trembling..." Selina said softly.
His anxiety only grew from seeing Ms. Roy's face.
Klein fought the urge to retract almost immediately. He feared that it might startle the lady, reducing her perception of him.
Regardless, he still had the desire to withdraw his hand from enveloping her delicate fingers.
Within a few seconds. He drew a breath. With enough effort, he finally regulated his emotions.
Perhaps because of this suddenness. His hand that was clutching Selina began caressing her supple skin. The lady didn't seem to mind as she constantly checks for his condition.
He sighed.
The ritual's site is a basement. It's quite similar to ours... Having three pipes that joined after the two valves and a pressure meter by the front of the junction...
Klein carefully committed each details of the dream's setting in mind before replying, "I'm fine Ms. Roy, you don't have to worry too much. It's natural for dreams to have a sort of effect to the diviner."
"Natural?" it was clear that Selina wasn't entirely convinced as Old Neil did not gave a thorough explanation over divinations.
Putting into consideration of her pathway, she gave a rueful sigh.
All I could do was trust... Perhaps after the ritualistic magics will Mr. Old Neil begin teaching me of divinations. No I will just have to request just in case my future sequences relies on divinations...
Leonard bridged his gap from the two. He sized up the seer who had an awful dream and said, "You alright?"
Upon loosening his hold of Selina's hand. Klein replied, "I made a few notable discoveries from Ms. Roy's dream."
...
After detailing of the events that have transpired. Transitioning from the layout of the candles to the revelation of the stairs and confines. Klein briskly made a hypothesis.
"The site of the ritual was inside of a basement. The design was coupled with three distinct pipes making a junction on its pressure valve, it was located on the side facing the stairwell..."
Leonard lifted his index finger over to his chin in contemplation, in doing so he made an inquiry, "There could be many types of basements in the city, ones where even the pressure valve is underneath the floor. Klein, are you suggesting we should scour every building in the city for this specific basement layout?"
Are you stupid? That would undoubtedly alert the suspect! Klein almost gagged while drinking his tea.
"Wait, that would alert him..." Leonard added in realization.
Good to know there's still some dust left in you or else I might've mistaken yours was completely cleaned...
While lampooning, Klein managed to halt the tea from spewing from his mouth and safely gulped it.
Selina thought for a few seconds before saying, "I doubt that's the end of your discovery. Mr. Moretti do you perhaps have more to add?"
Klein seemed a bit pleased as he said, "Yes. The design was fairly familiar. The three pipes that separates after the pressure valve may be common among a specific housing company's estates...
Estates? Selina lowered the tea she had just brewed from her lips.
After awhile, she finally grew to not fear the dream and now that the case have been carefully examined, she felt relief.
However, it fails to remove her agency of obtaining the capability to protect herself. Being able to bestow and sacrifice is her key in resolving this issue.
"I'll confirm it later with the Captain", after finishing his drink. Klein rose from his seat.
He took out a pocket watch from his tuxedo and glanced at it before saying, "There's still some time before the party. Did Captain give us any starting lead on this accomplice?"
"Captain gave me a drawn picture of him", Leonard said as he walked over to the sofas.
He presented the note for both Klein and Selina to see.
On the surface was a photo of a man with curly black hair from the shading of the ink. He had a mole over his left nose and his eyes were slightly disfigured.
Selina took careful note of the man's image.
"Alright then how should we begin finding him?" she asked seconds later.
Leonard withdrew the picture to his pocket then replied while smiling, "Our clue lies in the way he's acting. Captain said that one of his traits that we should account for is his tendency to hoard."
"Like how he didn't pass his toilet when escaping", Klein raised Dunn's emphasis over this explanation.
"Perhaps it's a golden kind", He added as the corners of his mouth curled up.
Hearing his comment. Selina recalled her own opinion.
The lady couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle as she lifts her right index finger to cover it.
Klein halted and looked up.
Suddenly, he paused from buttoning his tuxedo.
Then, a voice of a young man spoke, "Let's better make a progress before noon... Rozanne is looking forward to tonight's feast."
Hearing this, Klein snapped from his stupor and quickly retrieved his cane.