The steam locomotive finally made it to a stop at the backlund metro station. It was about 11PM so it was two hours after the peak hours.
Among the crowd of people coming out only one stood out in a blue tailcoat and gold rimmed glasses. On the coat was a brooch that had a design of two masks, one white and the other black. His blue eyes matched his coat and the one glove on his right hand.
The man left the station with a suitcase in hand and a cane in the other.
...
Backlund Bridge neighbored East Borough so Leon took a public carriage to reach his destination. Backlund Bridge was a major road crossing of the Tussock River which was the biggest river in the Loen Kingdom coming down from northwest and flowing down to South East.
The Backlund Bridge area also had the highest concentration of vagrants.
Leon was on his way to Iron Grate Street ready to partake in his first beyonder gathering. He was wearing a wooden mask that was painted white and covered the top half of his face.
He got off the carriage when it reached it's destination and looked down at the pocket watch in his inner pocket. There was still some time left so he walked around the area to take in the backlund Bridge area. He wanted to familiarise himself with the area first in case he had to escape from someone, but also for the future when he visited the place again.
All Leon knew about the Backlund Bridge area is that the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery had some influence, for example St. Estin's Hospital which belonged to the church. Or the Backlund Institute for Mechanical Research which belonged to the Machinery Hivemind.
The Machinery Hivemind was the Beyonder Division under the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery.
He passed by many places such as the Bravehearts bar and a few others buildings which weren't anything too interesting to point out, just houses and a few stores. While Leon didn't have much to gain from the beyonder gathering he wanted to see what it was like, he didn't have enough money to buy anything and didn't have anything to sell either.
Maybe in the future once I've gained a few beyonder Characteristics, there are gangsters who are beyonders after all... and with the war that will blow up at any second now, I'll be there to sweep up all the valuable things.
Leon was scanning every nook and cranny while simultaneously planning escape routes. His eyes then turned to the crimson moon in the sky before bringing himself back down to earth silently standing there in the night before retracing his steps and finding the meeting location.
It was in the back alley behind the Bravehearts bar, an unsuspecting darkened house that didn't stand out too much. Leon knocked rhythmically on the door and about ten seconds later the small board on the door was slid open.
A pair of eyes glared at him before opening the door. A man wearing a mask and robe handed another robe akin to his to Leon. The door closed behind them while Leon was putting on the hooded robe. When he finished, the man lead him into the first floor.
They passed by the living room and went into the activity room where there was a candle on the coffee table barely lighting up the room. There were about 9 or 10 people either sitting on sofas or chairs around the table.
Leon took a seat next to a fairly tall figure wearing gloves and a silver mask. He scrutinised everyone in the room trying to imagine their real faces, the only person who stood out to him was a fat-faced man and the tall dude he was sitting next to.
"I am selling a sealed artifact with the ability to transfer diseases and emanate a corruption aura... 1500 pounds."
Leon almost made a audible sound when he heard the price! 1500 for a sealed artifact?
I suspect the organiser Mr. Eye of Wisdom is a sequence 7 beyonder at most. I doubt there's anyone of higher Sequence in here, how could a sealed artifact be worth that much?
"1500? Where could you have gotten it from?!"
A woman sitting on a chair behind the sofa was full of disbelief. For example, a sequence 7 formula was worth around 800 pounds but a sequence 6 was worth 2000. Leon was suspecting that maybe the sealed artifact was equivalent to a sequence 6. The feminine voice continued.
"It's actually an piece stolen from the Blood Sanctify Sect, who stole it from the Church of the God of Combat. It's equivalent to a grade 2 sealed artifact. Like I've said it has the ability to transfer diseases and even cause corruption in enemies. They call it the hanging plague."
The figure took out a short sword about 80 or 90 centimeters long. It looked like an Marine Officer's Sword but the blade had strange writing on it that looked like it came from a different world completely. The tip of the blade had the same color as pus while the rest was a dark silver color.
Maybe in the future I can afford something like that.
Charlotte was the one who invited him to this beyonder gathering, while he was glad to ve here he also felt a a gnawing need to get money.
No one ended up buying the blade and the person selling it was disappointed but didn't mention it. While talking about things a man handed out a mission, his tone wavered, sounding like he was going to burst out in tears at any moment.
"There's someone i need one of you to investigate, 500 pounds for your trouble, getting to her is very difficult."
Leon listened to the mission details and realized it was too much for him to do alone, the woman's husband was actually a Royal Navy vice admiral. Her husband was usually away so she was alone most of the time, that made the people attending the gathering actually consider the mission, other wise it would have been a bit too dangerous for only 400 pounds.
400 pounds, maybe...
"I'll do it."
A man in the back stated with a voice full of confidence and finesse. The gathering continued with a woman offering a formula.
"I actually have the sequence 9 Bard potion formula for anyone who's interested. Only 200 pounds."
Right... potion formulas!
Leon was reminded that he could sell a potion formula and get about 200 pounds!
Phew, I'm lucky I was transmigrated in Leon's body. Imagine if I transmigrated and had to join the nighthawks or something, the limitations would be too much for me. Although this life has it's downsides it also has upsides.