Chapter 51 Change
Hearing Klein's question, Anna hesitated for a few seconds, her beautiful eyes flickering with uncertainty, before finally leaving the decision to him.
Klein thought briefly, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands near his face. Calmly, he said, "We'll use astrological divination."
Using Anna's fiancé's name, physical description, address, birthdate, and other details, Klein quickly drew the star chart. Once finished, he asked Anna to wait outside, then interpreted the signs—the constellations, planetary positions, and other symbols—to determine that Anna's fiancé, Joyce Mayer, was in grave danger but would eventually return to Tingen after enduring great hardship.
Though the divination was complete, Klein wanted to be thorough—to establish a reputation that would help his future as a Seer. Taking up a pen, he wrote a line in Hermes:
"Joyce Mayer's condition."
Muttering this phrase repeatedly, he stared at the page, focusing on Joyce's birthdate and personal details as he sank into concentration.
After repeating it seven times, Klein leaned back in his chair, entering a meditative state. He envisioned a sphere of light, his eyes turning dark as he slipped quickly into an ethereal trance.
His surroundings fell silent and empty. A surreal mist stretched out endlessly above him. Recalling the details once more, he allowed himself to drift into a deep, lucid dream.
He was performing dream divination.
Everything blurred. Klein found himself in a twisted vision—half-conscious, half-oblivious.
Gradually, the dream cleared, revealing a young man with a hooked nose and blond hair, swimming frantically in a sea of blood. He was nearly swallowed several times but eventually escaped to shore.
The scene shifted. Klein saw a familiar garden villa, and across the street, the signboards of nearby buildings. In a dark corner, the blond-haired, hook-nosed young man crouched in crazed distress, staring intensely at one sign:
Divination Club.
Suddenly, the scene changed again. Klein now stood inside a vast yet dilapidated palace.
The walls were crumbling, moss and weeds growing through cracks. Through the gaps, he could see distant mountain peaks and white clouds drifting by.
At the far end of the hall stood an enormous stone throne, inlaid with dim gems and streaks of gold, clearly not meant for any human. The massive, mottled throne sat empty—weathered and ancient.
Perplexed, Klein looked around, trying to understand why he was seeing such a place.
As his haze began to lift, he subconsciously moved toward the exit, wanting to see what lay beyond.
Then suddenly—he felt a gaze upon him.
A gaze from behind.
Klein turned sharply to face the massive throne, only to see countless transparent maggots writhing together, slowly growing and merging.
"Hiss!" Klein's eyes snapped open. He awoke abruptly from the dream.
Rubbing his temples, he frowned. "The beginning was the result of my divination, but what was the latter part? It felt like it was directed at me."
He was certain this wasn't a subconscious fear manifesting as a dream—it was something external, something real.
"And the divination's result… troubling. Joyce seems to be outside the Divination Club?"
From his appearance in the dream, it looked like he was ready to attack. "No… something's terribly wrong with his state. This is definitely a supernatural incident."
Klein decided to alert the authorities immediately.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door to the reception hall, where Anna was gazing absently out the window, her tea untouched.
"Ah, Mr. Moretti, did the divination yield any results?" Anna asked, standing up quickly as she saw him.
Klein didn't answer directly. Given the warning he had seen, he spoke carefully:
"Don't worry about him for now. My divination shows you're in great danger if you leave here—and that danger may come from your fiancé."
"How can that be?" Anna replied in disbelief. After a moment, she asked uneasily, "Could Joyce have angered someone?"
"In any case, it's safer for you to stay here until the police arrive," Klein said before moving toward the door to summon the Blackthorn Security team.
But as he reached the door, he paused, turned back, and fetched a citrine pendant from the divination room. Holding the silver chain, he let it dangle and settle before him.
Focusing on the sphere of light once again, he asked softly, "Will I be in danger if I go out now?"
After repeating the question seven times, Klein opened his eyes to see the citrine spinning clockwise—fast.
This confirmed it. Leaving now would indeed be dangerous. And not just mildly so.
"Could Anna's fiancé suspect her of seeing me romantically? But then why target me too?" Klein rubbed his temples, an uneasy thought forming.
After confirming through divination that other female guests would be safe, Klein approached the front desk and tapped lightly to get Angelica's attention.
"Mr. Moretti, is something wrong with your reading?" Angelica asked, startled.
"Anna may be in danger. Could you please go to the police and ask them to send someone to escort her home safely?" Klein said seriously.
"Oh dear—is that true?" Angelica exclaimed, shocked.
To reassure her, Klein showed her a badge from the Seventh Special Operations Squad. "Take this to the station. Tell them Probationary Inspector Klein Moretti requests Senior Inspector Dunn Smith's support."
"Oh! You're an inspector, Mr. Moretti?" Angelica looked at him with new respect. Her doubts vanished instantly, and even Anna gave up her plan to leave, choosing instead to wait for police protection.
Feeling both nervous and excited, Angelica hurried out, while Klein remained at the front desk, his hand resting on the revolver in his pocket.
"My bullets ran out at the range earlier, and I forgot to restock…" he muttered ruefully.
At Blackthorn Security Company, Captain Dunn Smith read a newly translated dispatch. His expression grew serious. Rising, he walked to the entertainment room and called for a young poet with green eyes.
"What's the mission, Captain?" the young Nighthawk asked with a grin.
"Be serious, Leonard," Dunn reminded him. Then he added, "It's a rescue mission—for Klein Moretti."
Leonard Mitchell blinked in surprise. "Him again? He really does attract trouble."
At the Divination Club, Klein checked the lobby clock, estimating that his team should be close. He walked to the second-floor window and spotted Leonard pretending to read a newspaper below.
Suddenly, dizziness struck. Klein realized Dunn had drawn him into a dream state.
"What's going on?" Dunn asked.
Klein quickly explained the situation, adding, "Joyce seems unstable—someone might be influencing him."
Dunn nodded. "Do a quick divination to confirm he's still outside, then lead Miss Annaout with you."
"Understood, Captain," Klein replied.
When the dream dissolved, Klein performed another divination, confirming Joyce's presence nearby. He then led Anna and a curious Angelica downstairs.
The moment they exited the club, a figure lunged from an alley—a young man with blond hair and a hooked nose, his face twisted in fury. He aimed a pistol at them as Anna and Angelica froze in shock.
Before Joyce could fire, his vision blurred, and his mind was pulled into a vast, boundless cosmos. When he regained awareness, he was already pinned to the ground by a young man with a poet's air—his weapon confiscated.
"Joyce!" Anna gasped as she recognized him. Her voice trembled. "Why did you attack me? Do you know how much I've worried about you?"
Joyce glared back with bloodshot eyes, looking ready to attack if freed from Leonard's grip.
Leonard chuckled. "Perhaps he needs a poem."
"Why so rash? Wouldn't it be better to treat your lover gently?" he murmured, his tone soft and melancholy.
His words resonated strangely. With each line, a calming power filled the air. Anna, Angelica, and even Klein felt as if bathed in tranquil moonlight.
Joyce's twisted expression eased. His eyes slowly closed as he drifted into deep sleep.
Anna turned to Klein, confused. "Inspector, what's happening? Joyce seems… different."
Klein wanted an answer himself, but before he could respond, Captain Dunn stepped out of the shadows.
"We didn't detect any manipulation," Dunn said, shaking his head. "If there was, the culprit must have fled the moment things went wrong."
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Meanwhile, after nearly two days at sea, Enber and his companions finally arrived at the island Miss Gwyn had described.
(End of Chapter)
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Author's note:
Finally free of tests. From now on I will post at least 5 chapters a week. If I have extra chapters ready then I will post them too. Well I don't really care for power stones but throw them at me if you have any.
There won't be any over the top goals or anything, so just sit back and enjoy the read. Also there might be some inconsistencies with chapters because I will change and try my best to mend the plotholes but don't expect too much. I'm not some official writer. So when Reading power off your brain and just read the shit.