Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 364: The Game Is Set Up

Accompanied by upbeat music, Klein led Hazel onto the dance floor.

The men and women on the dance floor moved lightly, passing each other in pairs.

As he passed Triss, Klein suddenly noticed that Triss's dance partner had changed.

The man was in his thirties, dressed in a black suit, wearing a silk top hat, and carrying a gold-plated cane.

He appears to be a wealthy gentleman.

He looked older than his age, with dark skin from being constantly exposed to the sun, hands that looked like dried wood, and extremely rough fingers.

If you didn't look at his clothes and appearance, Klein would believe he was a farmer, gardener, or coachman. It's hard to imagine that such a person would be at a banquet like this.

This is not dignified.

Triss wore a yellow dress and a gold necklace; her overall look was quite flamboyant.

Regardless of her gentle and beautiful appearance, she easily attracts men's attention. Every smile and gesture exudes charm, and no one can tell that she was originally a man.

Klein looked away, a hint of doubt in his mind.

Triss is...

The prince might be a little green on the head.

His eyes darted around, and out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Edsack, who was standing not far away in the dining area, eating with a plate.

At that moment, Klein sensed an unpleasant emotion.

He looked again at Hazel, whose expression remained calm, and noticed that his constant observation of his surroundings while dancing was not particularly polite.

While not exactly rude, this undoubtedly suggests that "the lady in front of me is not attractive enough to draw attention even if we dance together."

Klein smiled and said to Hazel with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry, I used to be a merchant who frequently traveled between the North and South continents, and I don't have much experience with balls. Hehe, I mean this kind of ball."

“It’s alright,” Hazel replied calmly, seemingly unconcerned about the other person’s earlier behavior.

Anyone else would have been at a loss for words by now. But Klein was different; as the leader of the group of close friends, he easily steered the conversation to something that interested Hazel.

"For me, this is not much easier than the sea. It has beautiful scenery, but also contains countless difficulties. Of course, there are all kinds of stories and legends about the sea. Some of them are obviously false, and some sound like they are true, but cannot be verified, like the number one 'Key of Death'."

Next, Klein told her many stories he had heard about or experienced at sea.

For example, the key to death, the relics of the sea god or the spirit, and the relics that are particularly famous at sea recently, known by pirates as "Mad Dog" by the pirate hunter named Gehrman.

Hazel was clearly interested in this and, unusually, responded to Klein, even occasionally asking questions, which made the dance less awkward and brought it to an end before they knew it.

Klein skillfully ended the previous topic, creating a sufficiently suspenseful "interlude," and then asked:
"Are you going back to where you were, or are you going over there to get some food?"

After a dance, the man must obey the woman's wishes and take her to where she wants to go, which doesn't necessarily have to be where she originally was. For example, to the restroom, the sewer, or the guillotine.

Hazel opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to extend the time, but ultimately refrained from saying those words in the face of Klein, who was only selling his art and not his body, and nodded demurely, saying, "The place we just stayed."

Hmph, she's clearly a little reluctant to part with the stories at sea... She's just a big, spoiled brat. Once you figure out her temperament and find out her interests, she's not that hard to get along with... Klein suppressed a laugh and escorted Hazel back to the edge of the dance floor, to where she had originally been standing.

Goodbye, Hazel. I hope you enjoyed these few minutes of your screen time.

As for himself, he casually walked towards the long tables set with various foods, arriving not far from Edsack, who had been eating there for almost ten minutes.

I picked up a plate and served myself a pan-fried grouper, along with sliced ​​veal steaks drizzled with black pepper sauce.

More important than dancing and socializing is good food... Klein thought to himself as he tried to make his eating movements appear elegant.

He looked at Edsack and smiled kindly. Since they had met before, simply avoiding him would seem strange.

Edsack responded with a smile and chatted casually with Klein.

“Mr. Dantes, did you also move here recently?” Edsack asked. “I remember seeing you a few days ago when I was looking at houses.”

“I am Dao Dantes, a businessman who just came from Dixi Bay. I live in this neighborhood. I also remember you; I recall you were with your female companion that day.”

“Yes, she’s dancing with Mr. William Sykes right now,” Edsack gestured toward the dance floor.

"Aren't you jealous?" Klein joked, trying to close the distance.

“Of course not. Every day of your life should be treated as your last,” Edsack replied with a smile, but Klein sensed a deeper meaning in his words.

Klein quietly activated his ability to mourn the actor and sensed Edsack's hatred for that "William Sykes".

So that's the case, then it's not surprising.

This gentleman has been set up. A honey trap? Hmm, it seems it was brought by Emperor Roselle again.

"Hehe, then I wish you a very pleasant day every day," Klein replied with a smile.

“Thank you, this is the best blessing for a follower of the Lord of Fools,” Edsack replied with a smile.

Lord of Fools? Yes. Edsack said he would convert to the Lord of Fools if Serres saved him.

They're quite trustworthy.

Klein subtly changed the subject, showing no intention of delving deeper into the topic.

I don't want to meddle in your business, so please don't send me your side quests, okay?
Edsack clearly saw through this and had no intention of dragging innocent people into the situation, so he readily changed the subject.

(End of this chapter)