The morning sun cut through the dark clouds overhead and puddles of water were scattered across the ground as Casper boarded the train along with Klein.
"3869 huh?" Casper muttered to himself. He walked through the coach as the train hissed its way out of the station, passing 3867 and 3868 he finally reached his own compartment.
"Klein," Casper called softly only to pause.
His gaze swept across the hallway and witnessed Klein staring at the passing surroundings, his eyes were slightly damp as his throat unconsciously tightened.
Casper sighed deeply before calling him once again, "Klein! I found our compartment!"
Klein turned his head and pressed his top-hat down further. He took a shaky breath before walking towards him.
Casper slid the compartment door open, a faint fresh mint smell lingered in the air as he slid his suitcase below the seat. Klein followed suit.
A few minutes passed by and Casper could no longer bear the overbearing silence, "Shall we have lunch? It's fairly late," he suggested.
After a brief pause, Klein nodded.
The two made their way down the narrow aisle, the burgundy dull walls and velvet fabrics gave the train a rustic charm.
Casper adjusted his coat as they walked, glancing at Klein, who seemed depressed. The thought of leaving Tingen and being separated from his family clearly weighed on him.
Soon the corridor widened into a dining coach.
The tables were dressed with white cloth with floral patterns, and silver cutlery were nearly arranged next to the porcelain plates.
At their arrival, a waiter in a neatly pressed vest turned to greet them with a polite smile.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," he said. "Would you prefer a window seat?"
Casper returned the smile. "That would be perfect."
As they got settled, Casper thought it was best to take Klein's mind off the depressing thoughts. "Have you decided what you're going to do in Backlund as a profession I mean?"
Klein glanced at him and took a deep breath. "No, I'm still undecided."
"I see… Klein, do you want to know about the circumstances pertaining to your death?" Casper asked softly, twirling a spoon between his fingers.
Hearing that, Klein's eyes regained some luster. "Yes," he stated without hesitation.
"Your death was orchestrated by a rogue Archbishop of the Evernight Church — Ince Zangwill in his aim to advance to a Demigod. The Saint Selena ashes were required for his advancement to Sequence 4 of the Sleepless Pathway."
Klein's fingers stiffened against the tablecloth. "Ince Zangwill…" he repeated the name quietly.
Casper nodded solemnly, "You suspected it already, didn't you?
He then continued. "Ince possesses a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact – 0-08. That allows him to make whatever he writes true as long as it's logical and also…" Casper paused before his lips curved into a smile, "if it's a reasonable development."
Klein shivered, "Isn't that a little bit too strong."
Casper nodded, "Of course, that's the power of a sequence 1 characteristic."
Klein's eyebrows furrowed. "A Sequence 1 characteristic?" He repeated, unable to process it.
"Yes, a sequence 1 characteristic of the Spectator pathway titled — Author. The quill also has the power of being aware of whoever that knows about it, thus, the more you know about the quill the more you'll be drawn into its script. This is the uniqueness of the Spectator pathway and why Roselle warned everyone to beware of the Spectator."
Casper announced grimly, leaning forward from his seat.
After that, he leaned back. "Anyways, that's about it. Although the Spectator pathway might seem fearsome to you, every other sequence 1 is exactly the same…. except for a few certain ones."
Mainly, Tyrant, Twilight Giant, and Red Priest. He added in his heart.
Klein remained silent for a moment, considering his words then asked casually, "Why did you tell me that my revenge waits for me in Backlund?"
Hearing his question, Casper couldn't help but smirk. He placed his arms on top of the seat and tilted his head forward, "That's because Ince Zangwill has another script to write in Backlund… and this time, it'll be worse, way worse than what happened in Tingen."
Klein sighed softly. "How worse are we talking about?"
Casper rubbed his chin and thought for a moment before raising three fingers.
Klein narrowed his eyes and asked simply. "Three hundred casualties?"
Casper shook his head. "No… three hundred thousand," he said seriously.
Klein's eyes widened as his fingers twitched. "Ho— how do you know about all this?"
Casper smiled faintly and raised his finger before placing it on his lips. "Shh."
"Fine. I won't pry into your secrets. Regardless, after thinking over it — I think I'll become a private detective." He spoke calmly, taking a bite out of the steak.
Casper gave a slight nod, acknowledging his decision. "I think that's a good choice."
Klein's gaze then drifted towards the window as he supported his head with his hand, "What is the name of your organization, you still haven't told me."
Casper paused for a moment, before his lips parted into a satisfied smile. "Cassia," he announced with pride.
Suddenly, a sharp blood-curdling scream tore throughout the calm atmosphere of the dining car. "M–Murder! Someone's been murdered!!" a woman cried.