Bang!

Eric, the captain of the "Red Gloves" who was on high alert, shuddered inexplicably when he saw the wandering magician who called himself Merlin Hermes explode directly behind the astronomical telescope.

However, there was no splash of blood or flesh, and the broken limbs disappeared into the air as quickly as soap bubbles.

"..." Eric and the team members who came over after hearing the noise were all stunned, not understanding why such a sudden change had occurred.

A second later, Eric said in a deep voice:

“Evacuate!”

He wanted to lead the team out of the apartment before the danger really dissipated.

At this moment, another figure walked in through the open door of Room 403. It was Merlin Hermes who had just exploded out of thin air.

The wandering magician, wearing a tall top hat and a black robe, said to Eric and his team members as if nothing had happened:

"The source of the problem is really that astronomy telescope."

As he spoke, Klein walked to the balcony area and tapped the astronomical telescope with his right hand.

With another bang, the astronomical telescope suddenly shattered into metallic spots of light, and a foul-smelling blue-black gas spread out.

After the gray-white mist appeared and disappeared, the stench disappeared, the blue and black turned away, and the interior of the room completely returned to normal.

"...What on earth is going on?" Eric forced himself to forget the other person's death and reappearance, and asked carefully.

As a fairly experienced "Red Gloves" captain, he had some guesses about the truth of the whole incident, and the purpose of asking questions was mainly to seek confirmation.

Klein smiled and said:

“To put it simply, this astronomical telescope has experienced some abnormalities for some reason, causing the owner of the room to see things he shouldn’t have seen.

"If you want to know more detailed details, you can only collect clues yourself. I don't know much about it."

Eric nodded slightly and turned his gaze to his team members, signaling them to continue exploring.

After a busy period, Eric said to Merlin Hermes:

"There aren't many clues left in the room. We can only confirm a few things:

"First, John is a local resident who served in the war, and his mental state seems to have some problems. Second, he has been an astronomy enthusiast for a long time. After the war, he joined an academic organization called the 'Astronomy Research Society', but we have not collected any information about this organization before. Third, John seems to be looking for a way to see the real starry sky."

When mentioning the word "starry sky", Eric paused for a moment, as if he had received a warning from the upper echelons of the Church of Night.

After the war, he joined an organization called the Celestial Research Society... looking for a way to see the real starry sky... Combining his previous "experience", Klein had a certain degree of understanding of the matter, so he nodded slightly and said:

"You should all know that 'Starry Sky' means danger, and you can't even try to understand it."

"We will report this case to the Archbishop as soon as possible and define the Celestial Research Society as a dangerous organization." Eric said as if he was communicating with a superior who was not directly in charge of the Nighthawks.

Klein did not respond. He walked towards the door and sighed:

"The war has indeed had an irreversible impact on all aspects..."

After the fall of the "God of War", the already shaky original barrier lost part of its support, and the "Goddess of Night" has not yet fully mastered the corresponding "uniqueness". As for becoming the "Old One", it is unknown how long she will have to wait. Under such circumstances, the erosion of the world by the Outer Gods has naturally deepened, which is combined with the war trauma suffered by a large number of ordinary people.

Klein suspected that during the period of post-war reconstruction, many cult organizations pointing to the "starry sky" and different foreign gods had quietly appeared in various parts of Loen. If they were allowed to recruit believers and make various high-risk attempts, the end of the world would definitely come early.

With a sigh, he walked out of Room 403 step by step. His figure quickly blurred, became transparent, and finally disappeared.

In a hotel near Praia Street, Klein, who had already checked in, picked up the coffee in front of him and took a sip.

While it was still early, he went out again and took a carriage to the outskirts of the riverside area of ​​​​Conston City.

There is a cemetery here with towering tombstones, like a low forest.

Klein walked through the cemetery and, relying on spiritual "guidance", found a tombstone.

The owner of this tombstone is called:

"Welch McGowan".

This was Klein's original college classmate. Because he bought the Antigonus family notes, he died mysteriously in Tingen, which indirectly led to Zhou Mingrui's "time travel".

Welch McGowan's father was a banker in Constantine. He paid to bring his son's body back to his hometown and buried it in this cemetery.

Klein stared at the photo on the tombstone for a few seconds, bent down, and placed the white bouquet in his hand in front of Welch's grave.

He was about to turn around and leave when he suddenly stopped. Twenty or thirty seconds later, an old man holding a black cane walked over from the other direction.

Klein recognized him. He knew that this was Welch's father, the banker from Jianhai County who had once treated him and his classmates to a grand dinner.

However, compared with a few years ago, this gentleman has aged a lot. He used to be a very energetic middle-aged gentleman, but now his hair is half white, and there are many more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, mouth, and forehead.

"Who are you?" Welch's father looked at the stranger in front of the grave, asking with confusion and caution.

Klein sighed and said:

"Uncle, I'm Welch's friend, and I happened to be passing through Constantine City recently."

Welch's father nodded slightly and said in a low voice:

"He was a man who liked to make friends, and I only knew some of them."

What he said was actually an explanation for why he did not invite the guest in front of him to the funeral, and he was very sorry about it.

Klein didn't say much. He looked around and said:

"Is there anything you need help with, or do you have a wish you want to fulfill? I hope I can be of some help."

Welch's father looked around and said with a bitter smile:

"Can you make all the dead here stand up again?"

It’s not impossible, but it’s not quite the same as what you want, standing up again... Klein sighed and shook his head.

"Then can you restore Conston to his original state?" Welch's father asked again with a wry smile.

Without waiting for Klein to respond, he sighed and continued:

"There's no need to offer help. If I can do it, I can do it myself. If I can't do it, I can only pray to the gods."

As he spoke, the banker walked past Klein, approached his son's tombstone, bent down and put down the white bouquet in his hand.

Klein looked at his back and whispered to himself:

"I'll do my best."

After saying this, he turned around and left the cemetery.

…………

Conston, a bar with a decoration style from the last century.

A man wrapped in a thick jacket, holding a beer, walked to the wooden board next to the bar and tried to find a part-time job from the pieces of paper posted on it.

Suddenly, he saw a strange commission:

"I am a journalist and I want to collect stories from different people about the war, preferably stories from people who have experienced it themselves. The reward I can offer is to help you repair and rebuild your house for free. I have enough resources for this.

"Merlin Hermes."

The man frowned subconsciously, thinking that the commission was too strange and seemed like the product of a prank.

"Can you understand the words above?" A thin man sitting next to the wooden board seized the opportunity and asked.

Among the customers who come and go in this bar, only a very small number can read. Even if they want to find a job or take on a corresponding commission, most people cannot understand what is written on the papers posted on the wooden board, and the bartender can only remember the few with the highest pay.

Based on this situation, the thin man relied on his attendance at free school and mastered common Rune words, and provided corresponding interpretations to others at the price of a quarter penny each time.

That's how he survives.

The man shook his head, indicating that he could understand Rune text. He pointed at Merlin Hermes's commission and said:

"Is this true?"

"Really, the reporter is sitting in that corner, wearing a very tall top hat." The thin man pointed out the direction enthusiastically.

The reporter had promised him a quarter of a penny for every person he introduced.

The man holding the beer fell silent. He hesitated for more than ten seconds before walking to the corner and finding the reporter named Merlin Hermes.

"Will you really help me rebuild the house?" he asked a little nervously and worriedly.

Klein pointed at the documents on the small round table and said:

"We can sign a contract."

“…No need. Even if you just provide some materials, I will be satisfied.” The man sat down opposite Klein and said rather stiffly, “I don’t have a very vivid story.”

“As long as it’s real enough.” Klein nodded slightly in encouragement.

The man lowered his gaze and stared at the table.

"I am a native of Constanton. I once had a decent job and bought a townhouse on Danchao Street. Later, the war broke out and my house became a ruin in a bombing. My eldest son, who had just entered primary school, was buried in it...

"We had to rent another two-bedroom apartment until the Feysac people occupied Conston. They, they took my wife away, and she never came back...

"Some time ago, someone notified me to identify the body. I couldn't recognize her. She was too decomposed to be recognized. However, in the pocket of her remaining clothes, there was still our water bill...

"She missed our home a lot when she was living in the rental house, and so did my little daughter. I don't have much money now and can only make ends meet, but I hope to rebuild the house bit by bit.

"To be honest, I really don't like telling others about my misfortune. I would rather remain silent. But if I can really get help in the reconstruction, then I can..."

Klein held a pen and paper and pretended to take notes. He nodded slightly and said:

"Your wish will come true. Go and wait for me in front of the ruins of the house on Tanchao Street tomorrow."

At the same time, he pushed a 1 soli note over:

"Here's money for your drinks."

The man's eyes flickered, as if he wanted to refuse, but he finally picked up the bill.

The next day, after sending his little daughter to the church school, he walked along the familiar road back to the familiar Danchao Street, and then saw the familiar house.

Its chimney, its windows, its door, and the weeds on its walls have all remained the same, making them seem so familiar, as if in the next second a beautiful hostess would open the door and lead her two children out to greet their father.

The man stood there in shock, unable to believe this was real.

But even if it was an illusion, he was willing to indulge in it.

…………

Several days passed, and Klein, who had fulfilled similar wishes one after another, opened the window of the hotel and snapped his fingers in the morning mist.

In a high-altitude district in Constance, Welch's father woke up early as usual because he dreamed of his dead son and relatives, and walked to the balcony to breathe the morning air.

In the bright light of dawn, he suddenly saw the dense rows of chimneys and blast furnaces, and the tall buildings one after another.

The former city of Conston reappeared completely before his eyes, bathed in the orange morning light.