The golden afterglow outside the window dimmed. Klein looked into Melissa's eyes and was unable to find words for a moment, because none of the prepared lines could be used.

He coughed twice and thought quickly:

"Melissa, this is a waste of salary. When Benson and my colleagues come to visit us, are we going to entertain them in a place like this? When Benson and I get married and have a wife, do we still need bunk beds?"

“Don’t you have a fiancée yet? You can wait a little longer and save more money.” Melissa said with clear logic.

“No, Melissa, this is the rule of society.” Klein felt a headache and could only give a general advice, “Since you are earning 3 pounds a week, you must have the dignity to match that 3 pounds a week.”

Honestly speaking, as someone who had once shared an apartment, he was not unfamiliar with the current living conditions and had fully adapted to them. However, it was precisely because of this experience that he increasingly understood the inconveniences that similar environments brought to girls. Moreover, his goal was to become an extraordinary person, study the occult, and find the "way" to go home. In the future, he would inevitably have to perform some magical rituals at home, and there were many people in the apartment, so problems were likely to arise.

Seeing that Melissa wanted to say more, Klein quickly added:

"Don't worry, I'm not considering a single-family house. I'm planning to look at a townhouse. Anyway, it has to have its own bathroom. Also, I like Mrs. Slin's bread, Tingen cakes, and lemon cakes. We can first consider a place close to Iron Cross Street and Daffodil Street."

Melissa pursed her lips, remained silent for a while, and nodded slowly.

"Besides, I'm not in a hurry to move. I have to wait for Benson to come back." Klein smiled and said, "Otherwise, when he opens the door, he will be shocked and surprised and ask, where are my things? Where are my brothers and sisters? Where is my home? Is this my home? Did I go to the wrong place? Goddess, please tell me if this is a dream. How come I come back after being away for a few days and I don't even have a home!"

He imitated Benson's tone, and Melissa unconsciously curled her eyes, revealing the shallow dimples on her cheeks.

"No, Mr. Frankie will wait at the door and ask Benson to hand over the apartment key. Benson won't be able to go upstairs at all." The girl insulted the stingy and greedy landlord.

In the Moretti family, everyone loves to make fun of the landlord Mr. French whenever they have time. This trend was started by the eldest brother Benson.

"Yes, he won't change the locks for the tenant behind him." Klein agreed with a smile, pointed at the door, and said humorously, "Ms. Melissa, shall we go to the Silver Crown Restaurant to celebrate together?"

Melissa sighed slightly and said:

"Klein, do you know Selina? My classmate, my good friend."

Selina? Klein's mind suddenly flashed with a girl with long wine-red hair and dark brown eyes. Her parents were both believers of the Goddess of Night, and blessed her with the name of Saint Selina. She was not yet sixteen, half a year younger than her sister Melissa, and was a happy, cheerful, and outgoing girl.

"Yeah." Klein nodded to indicate that he remembered Selina Wood.

"Her brother Chris is a solicitor and currently earns nearly £3 a week. His fiancée works part-time as a typist." Melissa described the situation first, then said, "They have been engaged for more than four years. In order to have a stable and good life after marriage, they are still saving money today. They haven't walked into the church yet and plan to wait at least another year. According to Selena, people similar to her brother are like this. They usually have to get married after the age of 28. You have to prepare in advance and save money well, and don't waste it."

We are just going to a restaurant for a meal. Is it necessary to have so much reasoning? Klein didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He thought for a few seconds and said, "Melissa, I currently earn 3 pounds a week, and it will increase every year. You don't have to worry."

"But we need to save money to prepare for unexpected events, such as the sudden bankruptcy of that security company. One of my classmates had to drop out of school because his father's company went bankrupt and he had to find some temporary work at the docks. The conditions at home suddenly deteriorated." Melissa persuaded her brother with a serious expression.

…Klein covered his face with his hands:

"That, that security company has some connection with the government, um, with the government, so it won't go bankrupt easily."

“But the government is not stable either. After every election, if there is a change of parties, most positions will be replaced, and it will become a mess,” Melissa retorted persistently.

...Sister, you really know a lot... Klein shook his head in anger and amusement:

"All right……"

"Then I'll make a soup with the leftover ingredients from yesterday, and you go to the street to buy a pan-fried fish, a piece of beef coated with black pepper sauce, a small can of butter, and bring me a cup of ginger beer. Anyway, let's celebrate a little bit."

These are the foods that vendors on Iron Cross Street often sell: a fried fish costs 6 to 8 pence, a not-too-big piece of beef coated with black pepper sauce costs 5 pence, a glass of ginger beer costs 1 pence, and a small can of cream, about a quarter pound, costs 4 pence - buying 1 pound of cream directly only costs 1 soli and 3 pence.

The original owner would be responsible for purchasing food for the family every holiday, so he was familiar with the prices. After a few seconds of mental calculation, Klein concluded that it would cost about 1 soli and 6 pence, so he directly took out the two 1 soli notes.

“Yes.” Melissa no longer objected, put down the bag of stationery, and took the bills.

Watching his sister take out a small jar of cream and a bowl of other food and walk briskly toward the door, Klein thought for a moment and called out to her:

“Melissa, use the remaining money to buy some fruit.”

Many vendors on Iron Cross Street purchase fruits of poor quality or that have been stored for too long from other places, and the people here are not angry about this because the prices are very cheap and they can enjoy the deliciousness by simply cutting off the rotten parts when they get home, which can be considered a cheap enjoyment.

After saying this, Klein quickly moved closer, took out the remaining copper penny from his trouser pocket, and placed it in his sister's palm.

“Ah?” Melissa looked at her brother with brown eyes puzzled and confused.

Klein took two steps back and smiled slightly:

"Remember to go to Mrs. Slin and reward yourself with a small piece of lemon cake."

“…” Melissa opened her mouth, blinked her eyes, and finally uttered only one word, “Okay.”

She turned quickly, opened the door, and ran towards the stairs.

…………

A river runs through it, with cypress and maple trees lining both sides, and the air is so fresh that it makes people feel intoxicated.

Klein, who came to handle the interview, got off the public carriage for 6 pence, holding a revolver and a cane. He walked along the cement road towards the three-story brick house surrounded by greenery. It was the office building of Tingen University.

“It’s worthy of being one of the two most famous universities in the Kingdom of Loen…” Klein, who was here for the “first time”, exclaimed as he walked.

Compared with here, Khoi University on the other side of the river is simply shabby.

“Ha!” “Ha!”

Shouts grew louder and louder, and two racing boats came rushing in from upstream on the Hoy River, their oars turning in neat and orderly fashion.

This is a rowing sport that is popular in all universities in the Kingdom of Loen. Klein, whose family had to rely on scholarships to finish college, had participated in the rowing club of Hoy University with Welch and others, and was a very good rower.

“How young they are…” Klein stopped to look at them and sighed.

In another week, this will no longer be the case as schools will be closed for summer vacation.

He walked along the tree-lined road to the gray three-story brick house, registered, entered smoothly, and found the office that had received him last time with familiarity.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!" He knocked lightly on the half-open door.

"Come in." A male voice came from inside the door.

Seeing Klein push the door open, the middle-aged teacher in a white shirt and black tuxedo frowned slightly and said:

"The interview still has one hour left."

"Mr. Stone, do you still remember me? I am Klein Moretti, a student of Senior Associate Professor Cohen. Have you seen my recommendation letter?" Klein said, taking off his hat and smiling.

Haven Stone stroked his black beard and asked doubtfully:

"What can I do for you? I'm not in charge of interviews."

"It's like this. I've already found a job, so I won't be attending the interview today." Klein stated his purpose truthfully.

"I see..." Haven Stone understood, stood up, and stretched out his right hand, saying, "Congratulations, you are such a polite young man. I will tell the professor and senior associate professors about this."

Klein shook hands with the other party and planned to say a few words before leaving, but suddenly a familiar voice came from behind him:

"Morretti, have you found another job?"

Klein turned around and saw an old man with silver hair, deep features but few wrinkles. He had sunken eye sockets, deep blue eyes, and a straight black tuxedo.

"Good morning, mentor, Mr. Azik." He saluted and said, "Why are you here?"

The old man was none other than a senior associate professor in the History Department of Khoi University and his mentor, Mr. Quentin Cohen. Next to Cohen was a middle-aged man of medium build and bronze skin. He was holding a newspaper, had no beard, wore a top hat, had black hair and brown eyes, had soft features, and his eyes revealed an indescribable vicissitude. There was a black mole under his right ear that could only be seen if one looked closely.

Klein recognized him. He was Mr. Azik, a history teacher at Hoy University who often helped the original owner. He liked to argue with his mentor, Senior Associate Professor Cohen, and their opinions often conflicted. However, in fact, the two had a good personal relationship, otherwise they would not like to chat together.

Cohen nodded and said in a soothing tone:

"Azik and I are here to attend an academic conference. What kind of job did you find?"

"It's a security company that searches for, collects, and protects antiquities. They need a professional consultant for £3 per week." Klein repeated what he had said to his sister yesterday, and then explained, "You know, I like to explore history, not summarize it."

Cohen nodded slightly and said:

"Everyone has their own choice. I am satisfied that you remembered to come to Tingen University to inform them instead of being absent directly."

At this time, Azik interrupted and asked:

"Klein, do you know what happened to Welch and Naya? I read in the newspaper that they were murdered by burglars."

The case turned into a home invasion? And it was reported in the newspaper so quickly? Klein was stunned for a moment, and then he chose his words carefully:

"I'm not too clear about the specifics. Welch got a copy of the notes of the Antigonus family of the Solomon Empire in the Fourth Epoch and asked me to help him interpret it. I went there for a few days, but then I was busy looking for a job. The police even came to see me a few days ago."

He deliberately revealed the "Solomon Empire" and the "Antigone Family" to see if the two history teachers would know something.

"The Fourth Epoch..." Cohen whispered with a frown.

Azik, with bronze skin and weathered eyes, was stunned at first, then he took a breath, rubbed his temple with his left hand holding the newspaper and said:

"Antigonus... sounds familiar... but I can't remember where I've heard of him..."