Chapter 46 – Saving Private Klein
Dunn and Klein stared at each other for a while; after a long pause, Dunn finally nodded.
"I believe you."
"But don't write the letter yet. Two Nighthawks will arrive in Tingen tonight to back us up and to review your situation."
One of them is the Church's 'sword of the goddess,' His Excellency Creste Celcima, who wields the Goddess's relic."
At this point, a smile unconsciously appeared on Dunn's face.
"The other Nighthawk is the 'Spirit Medium' Daly Simone you once met. Daly will remain in Tingen to help us investigate the 'True Creator's Descent' mentioned in Mr. L's letter, while Lord Cecema will be responsible for your review."
Bringing up the topic, Dunn added heavily,
"Klein, if you really are hiding something, I hope you'll say it now. If problems surface during your review, you'll face the Cathedral's Judgement…"
I am hiding something—but it's all Transmigrator stuff that can't be spoken… Klein felt the weight in his heart, yet still shook his head.
"I'm not hiding anything, Captain."
Dunn nodded, ending the conversation.
"Go about your usual duties, Klein. Sealed Artifact '2-049' is about to arrive; you'll take part in the operation."
"Understood." Klein nodded and left Dunn's office with a slightly heavy heart.
Some time later, Klein boarded the carriage transporting '2-049' and rode with the Nighthawks to the hideout of Antigonus Family scion Rhett Bieber.
Near Rhett's hideout, after a fierce fight, the Secret Protectorate's Magician—the Tuxedo Clown—fled in panic, while a piercing shriek came from the innermost warehouse.
Surrounded by several assailants, the rampaging Monster Rhett Bieber had the antigonus family notebook pulled from his body. The box containing '2-049' landed beside Klein, its surface webbed with cracks.
Seeing the brown arm reach out of the box, Klein's first thought was 'I'm done!' as his mind felt stuffed with glue and slowed to a crawl.
A torrent of self-rescue plans flooded Klein's brain, but his movements grew sluggish until he suddenly remembered something.
The mysterious gray fog!
He could send his spirit there to escape the Puppet's control!
Klein began the difficult four-step backward walk, chanting the four-line spell to reach the gray fog.
"Blessing… Xu Huang… Immortal Lord…"
"Blessing… Xu Huang… Heavenly Monarch…"
"…"
…Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
Ning Lu's ear twitched; a familiar voice echoed in his mind. Recalling Ince Zangwill's next arrangements in his office, he rose, puzzled, while a gleeful voice sounded beside him.
"Oh-ho, the 'Fool who doesn't belong to this era' is being controlled by a Marionettist?"
It was the Celestial Worthy, speaking with undisguised schadenfreude and sarcasm—clearly unhappy with Klein.
Ning Lu rubbed his temples. "Marionettist?" he muttered.
A Beyonder of the Marionettist level in Tingen?
Wait—there really is: that Antigonus Family Puppet… Ning Lu suddenly recalled where this 'Marionettist' came from, and, twitching his lips, decided to lend a discreet hand.
After all, if he didn't hurry, Klein would figure his own way out. Already, Klein had divined whether returning to the real world was safe; receiving an affirmative, he let his spirit sink back into his body.
But the instant he returned, he saw a hand gripping a jet-black cane strike his shoulder from far away.
Klein's eyes widened; as he tried to see who had saved him, the world spun and he crashed to the ground.
Hey, wait— Scrambling up the moment he hit the floor, Klein steadied his pistol.
First, check the surroundings: who had helped him, and what was the state of that Antigonus Family Puppet now?
His vision had been blurry, but it quickly cleared as he swept his gaze across the area.
He saw Dunn Smith and Al Hason lying on the ground, saw Leonard pale with shock in the distance, and, close by, the Tuxedo Clown facing a familiar figure.
Klein's pupils shrank; he recognized the newcomer at once.
"Ning Lu?"
"Hey, don't blow my cover," Ning Lu quipped, sliding the black cane silently toward the Tuxedo Clown's head.
"I came to save you; aren't you grateful?"
"There's no need for us to fight!" The Tuxedo Clown retreated inhumanly fast, shouting to the surrounding Nighthawks,
"I know you—Mr. L of the Aurora Order! I won't interfere; I only want to retrieve this notebook!"
The Tuxedo Clown, a member of the Secret Protectorate, wanted the nearby Nighthawks to realize this 'rescuer' was no ally, hoping they would join forces against him.
From what he knew, the Aurora Order's reputation among the orthodox churches was utterly vicious.
He had divined something, but couldn't tell whether the fallen Nighthawks were truly unconscious or safe.
Yet, facing the Aurora Order envoy, he sensed exactly where the danger lay.
If the Aurora Order's envoy hadn't been hiding here from the start, the Tuxedo Clown couldn't imagine how he'd arrived so quickly.
After all, the antigonus family notebook had passed through the Aurora Order's hands.
Ignoring the Tuxedo Clown, Ning Lu merely smiled faintly at Klein, then—under the Clown's wary gaze—twisted and vanished into thin air.