St Samuel's Church, inside the Great Prayer Hall.
The bishop with short black hair withdrew his gaze and no longer looked at the middle-aged gentleman in front of the donation box, nor did he think of going over to chat with him.
Here, in front of the altar, he represented the church and was under the gaze of the goddess. It was impossible for him to treat anyone enthusiastically just because he donated more money.
However, he remembered the other person's good looks and mature and elegant temperament, and planned to try to get to know him if he had the chance to meet him again in the future.
After quietly watching the last banknote slide into the donation box, Klein closed his eyes and turned away.
As he passed the preaching bishop, he deliberately glanced at the clergyman, smiled and nodded.
The bishop smiled warmly in response and tapped his chest four times clockwise.
Klein was not in a hurry to contact the relevant personnel. He made sure that his behavior was logical and not abrupt enough to arouse suspicion. He calmly and casually stepped aside to let a believer pass, walked back to the seat he had just sat in the aisle, picked up his hat and cane, and walked out of the church step by step.
At this time, believers who have finished listening to the sermon either go to the offering box to express their thoughts, or simply get up and leave. They do not feel that there is any problem because this is not a forced behavior.
Even devout believers who love to donate will not throw money into the donation box every time they come here. They usually do it once or twice a week or two, depending on the specific circumstances of the family.
The common people paid a few pennies each time, the middle class paid three to five solis, and the rich and nobles paid in gold pounds, no more than 100.
This is the general situation. Every year on the holy day of the "Goddess of Night", also known as "Winter Day", the amount of a single offering will increase a lot. Commoners with ample money will choose two to three solis, the middle class will choose about 5 pounds, and people in the upper class will donate directly to the parish bishop or church charities, ranging from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds.
——"Winter Day" refers to the day with the longest night every year, which is considered to be the birthday of the "Goddess of Night".
…………
After leaving the church, Klein stood at the edge of the square outside, watching flocks of white pigeons fluttering into the sky and circling down as if nothing had happened.
He even bought some food from nearby vendors and fed the pigeons leisurely. He had no intention of looking through newspaper ads to find a suitable house in the North District, as that was the housekeeper's job.
An excellent butler who had lived in Backlund for many years should know roughly which neighborhoods different nobles, different wealthy people, and the upper middle class who could provide assistance to their master lived in, and thus choose a residence purposefully.
Interaction among neighbors is the first step for newcomers to enter the corresponding circle!
"Whether it's the Carlton Club where Conservative bigwigs gather, or the Liberal Club of the New Party, or the various active or retired officers' clubs representing the military, you need an introducer with enough weight to get in touch... Alas, the kingdom is now in the so-called club politics." Klein pulled his thoughts back and considered what to do after the act of feeding the pigeons to create a persona was over.
After careful consideration, he realized that there was really nothing he needed to do immediately because his plans were still superficial.
Therefore, he prepared to enjoy an expensive but sumptuous lunch. This was what Dwayne Dantès should do, and it was also out of Klein's own curiosity.
In the past few months in Backlund, he never mustered up the courage to try out the most prestigious restaurants in this metropolis. He had always chosen between his own restaurant, the buffet restaurant of the Krag Club, an ordinary restaurant on the street, and the restaurant of Lawyer Jurgen. Occasionally, he would go to the East District and have breakfast or lunch in a greasy-looking cafe.
"La Poli Restaurant? Their head chef is said to be from Earl Hall's family. He provides aristocratic flavors that are difficult to access normally for wealthy people, lawyers, and senior government employees... Earl Hall seems to have invested in this restaurant and holds a large stake... Well, this restaurant mainly serves local Backlund dishes, and the desserts are very famous. The prices are very unfriendly...
"Intis Serenzo Restaurant, here we have the most authentic Intis cuisine. Haha, many of the signature dishes are named after Roselle, and it is said that they came from the emperor's court... Moreover, it is not like most restaurants of the same level that only offer a few main dishes to choose from every day. The variety is very rich..." Klein recalled the information about top restaurants he had read in newspapers and magazines before, and finally decided to go and see the emperor's court cuisine.
Without stopping, he hailed a carriage and headed for the Intis Serenzo restaurant in the West End.
When he reached the door, Klein handed his coat, hat, and cane to a red-vest waiter and asked:
"Are there any seats available? I don't have a reservation."
"Yes." The red-vest waiter asked humbly, "Sir, is this your first time here? Are you alone?"
Klein nodded calmly and said with a smile:
"Yes."
"Then may I have the honor to introduce to you our restaurant's most distinctive dishes and famous wines?" The red-vest waiter said as he led the customers in.
"This is exactly what I need." Klein passed through the ornately decorated door and saw the wall that seemed to be reflecting golden light.
At this moment, he seemed to be in a vault.
Then he noticed the paintings hanging on the walls, the marble statues placed in appropriate positions, and the gold objects inlaid or dotted in different places.
"Watch your step," the red-vest waiter reminded him and led Klein to sit by the window. The beautiful melody of the violin came from the band in the distance.
The waiter brought the menu and wine list, flipped through them and introduced:
"Our most famous dishes here are braised Dagya beef short ribs, black truffle porcini, and Intis-style foie gras. I would like to mention that the raw materials of foie gras come from the Bonasse Farm in the Champagne Province of the Kingdom of Intis..."
While listening to the waiter's introduction, Klein browsed the menu written in ancient Feysac language and was attracted by the prices on it.
After talking about the main course, appetizers, and desserts, the waiter turned to explain the wine pairings and said at the end:
"All of our champagnes, red wines and white wines come from famous wineries in Champagne, including the Olmier red wine produced in 1330, which is worth 126 pounds. If you buy it, you can take it away directly, or you can keep it here and have a glass every time you come."
126 pounds... I can hire an excellent butler... Hehe... Klein smiled gracefully:
“Your food and wine are both excellent, it’s hard to choose.”
The red-vest waiter smiled attentively:
"You can choose today's chef's recommendation, and our chef will prepare a pure and delicious Intis meal for you. There are three options: 15 pounds, 10 pounds, and 8 pounds."
I don’t want to choose any of them… Klein leaned back slightly and smiled:
"Fifteen pounds."
"Okay." The waiter in a red vest put away the menu and wine list and walked towards the kitchen.
Klein took a breath, exhaled slowly, and looked ahead casually.
Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure, a lady in an olive green dress.
She was tall and well-proportioned, wearing an old-fashioned black bonnet with fine tulle hanging down to cover her face.
As a "faceless man", Klein has a strong ability to distinguish the appearance of humans and immediately recognized who this lady is:
"The Mysterious Queen", the eldest daughter of Emperor Roselle, Bernadette Gustav!
He did not hastily look away, but naturally moved his gaze to the side. Bernadette seemed not to notice anything unusual and disappeared at the stairs.
How did she appear here? Oh, this restaurant's signature dish is Emperor Roselle's court cuisine. Ha, it's not the Chinese style I imagined. The emperor probably can't cook. At most, he can explain his ideas. There are indeed stir-fried dishes here... Hmm, is she the master behind the scenes? If she's not drifting on the sea, what is she doing in Backlund? Hasn't she found the thief "Black Emperor"? Klein sat there calmly on the surface, but doubts arose in his mind one after another.
…………
At this time, on the street, a carriage was driving towards the Intis Serenzo Restaurant.
Inside the carriage were the family of Alan Kress. This famous surgeon was a member of the Krag Club and a good friend of Sherlock Moriarty. He once commissioned the great detective to handle the Will Auceptin case.
Ever since his wife became pregnant, he felt that his luck had become quite good. His career was getting better and better, and his income was increasing month by month. Recently, he successfully completed the internal organ surgery of Baron Syndras, and was appreciated by this new nobleman, who invited his family to have lunch at the Serenzo Restaurant.
"I heard the ice cream inside is very good." Alan smiled reservedly at his wife.
His wife was a black-haired beauty with a very noticeable belly. She smiled gently and said:
"I am more looking forward to Emperor Roselle's court cuisine."
Alan hummed and looked out the window:
“Almost there.”
As soon as he finished speaking, his wife covered her stomach and frowned:
"It hurts a little."
Alan, who was not a first-time father, checked quickly but found no problems. However, his wife became more and more uncomfortable, and the baby in her belly seemed to be making a fuss.
"I, I'd rather not go. I want to go home and rest." Alan's wife offered.
Alan thought about it:
"I'll go back with you."
He immediately ordered his personal servant:
"Get off here and go to the restaurant to apologize to Baron Sindras on my behalf."
When the carriage started to return, Alan's wife's discomfort was inexplicably relieved, and after returning home, everything was back to normal.
She pointed to her belly, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and said to her husband:
"It looks like he doesn't want ice cream."
A-choo! In the Intis Serenzo restaurant, Klein, who had not missed any of the food, enjoyed his ice cream with both heartache and satisfaction. During the process, his nose felt a little itchy, so he took out a piece of paper and sneezed.
…………
In the West District, inside a dark house.
Fors, who has been promoted to "Astrologer", actively and seriously participates in various extraordinary people's gatherings, looking for ways to make money.
She currently owes £220 in pensions, so much so that her friends suspect she has been involved in illegal gambling.
I can’t even afford the necessary crystal ball right now… As her thoughts drifted, Fors suddenly heard a party member speak:
"I have a 'moon puppet' for sale."