Lord of Mysteries

Chapter 27 Dinner for the Three Siblings

That's incredibly sharp... Klein laughed out loud, adding another sarcastic remark based on his extensive "experience" from his past life:

"In fact, there is no evidence whatsoever that those important figures have brains."

"Great! Excellent!" Benson laughed heartily, giving a thumbs up. "Klein, you're much funnier than before."

Taking a breath, he continued:

"I have to go to the dock this afternoon and won't be able to rest until tomorrow. Then, um... let's go to the Tingen City Housing Improvement Company together to see if they have any cheap and nice townhouses for rent. Also, we need to visit Mr. Frankie first."

"Landlord?" Klein asked in confusion.

Does the current landlord own a townhouse in a good location in the neighborhood?

Benson glanced at his younger brother and said with amusement:

"You haven't forgotten that we have a one-year lease, have you? It's only been six months."

"Hiss..." Klein gasped.

I had completely forgotten about this!

Although the rent is paid weekly, the lease is for a year. Moving out now would be considered a breach of contract, and if sued, the tenant would have to pay a large sum of money!

"You still lack enough social experience," Benson said, touching his receding black hairline. "These are the terms I fought hard to get. Otherwise, Mr. Franky would only be willing to sign a three-month lease. For the wealthy, landlords rent for a year, two years, or even three years for stability. But for us, for us and our neighbors before us, landlords are always worried that someone will have an accident and be unable to pay the rent. They only hope for short-term contracts."

"This way, they can frequently raise prices depending on the situation," Klein added, combining fragments of the original owner's memories with his own rental experience.

Benson sighed and said:

"This is the reality and cruelty of society today. Okay, don't worry, the contract issue is easy to resolve. To be frank, as long as we are a week behind on rent, Mr. Franky will immediately throw us out and confiscate our valuables. After all, his intelligence is not even as good as a curly-haired baboon, and he can't distinguish things that are too complicated."

Upon hearing this, Klein suddenly recalled a joke about Sir Humphrey and shook his head seriously, saying:

"No, Benson, you're wrong."

"Why?" Benson asked, his face full of confusion.

"Mr. Frankie's IQ is still a bit higher than that of the curly-haired baboon," Klein replied seriously, and just as Benson gave a knowing smile, he added, "if he's in good condition."

"Haha." Benson couldn't control his reaction.

He laughed for a while, then pointed at Klein, unable to find a good way to express it, so he had to get back to the main topic:

"Of course, as gentlemen, we won't resort to such shameless methods. We'll go directly to Mr. Franky tomorrow. Trust me, he'll be easily persuaded, very easily."

Klein had no doubt about this; the existence of the gas pipeline was the strongest proof of it.

The two brothers chatted for a while, then added the small amount of pan-fried meat and fish left over from last night to the vegetable stew, and while it was cooking, they used steam to soften the rye bread.

With a little butter spread on their bread, Klein and Benson made do with a simple meal, but they were still quite satisfied, as the creamy and sweet flavors were unforgettable.

When Benson left, Klein took 3 soules and some loose copper pennies and went to the "Lettuce and Meat Market." He spent 6 pence on a pound of beef, 7 pence on a large, tender, and boneless tassoc fish, as well as potatoes, peas, white radishes, rhubarb, lettuce, turnips, and other ingredients, along with rosemary, basil, cumin, and oils.

Throughout this process, he could still sense that someone was spying on and watching him, but there was still no actual contact.

After lingering at "Slin Bakery" for a while, Klein returned home and began to train his arm strength with heavy objects, such as stacked books.

He originally wanted to practice military boxing to improve his health, but he has already forgotten even the basic exercises for broadcast gymnastics, let alone something he only learned during military training. So he had no choice but to keep it as simple as possible.

Klein didn't push himself too hard during training, as that would only lead to exhaustion and increase the danger. He stopped at the right time and began to review the original owner's textbooks and notes, hoping to go through the knowledge related to the Fourth Epoch again.

…………

As evening fell, Benson and Melissa sat at their desk, looking at the food laid out, as proper as upper-grade elementary school students.

The various aromas blend together to create a rich culinary prelude: the enticing scent of simmering beef, the distinct and lingering stimulation of mashed potatoes, the sweet and cloying aroma of thick pea soup, the subtle and balanced harmony of stewed rhubarb, and the delicate sweetness of butter surrounding rye bread.

Benson swallowed hard, turning to look at Klein as he placed a crisp, golden-yellow fish onto his plate. He could feel the aroma of fried food wafting from his nose into his throat, esophagus, and stomach.

Gurgle! His stomach made a distinct rumbling sound.

Klein rolled up his shirt sleeves, placed the plate of fried fish in the center of the tidy desk, then turned around and took out two large glasses of ginger beer from the cupboard, placing them on Benson's and his own seats respectively.

He smiled at Melissa and magically produced a lemon pudding:

"We have beer, and you have this."

"...Thank you," Melissa said softly as she took the lemon pudding.

Seeing this, Benson picked up his glass, smiled, and said:

"Come on, let's celebrate Klein finding a great job."

Klein raised his glass, clinked it against Benson's, and then against Melissa's lemon pudding:

"Wow, goddess!"

He gulped it down, tilting his head back. The spicy flavor burned through his esophagus, leaving a wonderful aftertaste.

Ginger beer, also known as ginger beer, does not actually contain any alcohol. It uses the spiciness of ginger and the sourness of lemon to create a beer-like taste, making it a beverage that women and children can also enjoy. However, Melissa doesn't particularly like the taste.

"Amazing, goddess!" Benson took a sip, while Melissa took a small bite of the lemon pudding, chewing it repeatedly, reluctant to swallow it.

"Give it a try." Klein put down his cup, picked up his fork and spoon, and pointed to the food on the table.

Of all these, he had the least confidence in pea soup, since he would never eat such a strange thing on Earth. He could only "recreate" it based on the original owner's fragmented memories.

Benson, as the older brother, didn't stand on ceremony and scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and put it in his mouth.

The potatoes, stewed to their limit and mashed until very soft, had a flavor that blended with a hint of lard and just the right amount of salt, making his mouth water and whetting his appetite.

"Not...not bad...not bad," Benson mumbled in praise. "It's much tastier than the one I had at the company last time, which had cream in it."

This is one of my specialties... Klein readily accepted the compliment:

"Thanks to the Welch family's chef for his guidance."

Melissa looked at the beef soup. Green basil leaves, green lettuce heads, and white radish chunks were submerged in the colorless broth, concealing the tender stewed beef. The colors were refreshing, and the aroma was enticing.

She forked a piece of beef, put it in her mouth and chewed. She found it tender yet still chewy, with a hint of salt, the subtle sweetness of the radish, and the spiciness of the basil, all of which brought out the deliciousness of the beef itself.

"..." She seemed to be praising something, but she couldn't stop talking.

Klein tasted it and found it delicious, but he was also a little disappointed. It was still not up to his best standard. After all, some seasonings were unavailable and had to be substituted, which inevitably made it seem strange.

Of course, even at the best level, the food I cook is only passable.

Suddenly, he felt sorry for Benson and Melissa, who were inexperienced in the ways of the world.

After swallowing the beef, Klein picked up a piece of fried tasok fish sprinkled with cumin and rosemary. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, golden brown and delicious, with a savory and oily flavor that blended together perfectly.

Klein nodded slightly, then tried a piece of stewed rhubarb. He thought it was alright, just enough to cut through the greasiness of the meat.

Finally, he mustered his courage and scooped a spoonful of pea soup.

Too sweet, too sour... Klein frowned.

But seeing the satisfied looks on Benson and Melissa's faces after tasting it, he began to doubt his own sense of taste and couldn't help but gulp down a mouthful of ginger beer to cleanse his tongue.

The three siblings ate until their stomachs were bulging, and it took them a long time to get up from their chairs.

"Let's praise our goddess once again!" Benson said contentedly, picking up the last sip of his ginger beer.

"Wow, goddess!" Klein downed the last of his drink in one gulp.

"Beautiful goddess." Melissa then put the last bit of lemon pudding she had been holding back into her mouth and savored it.

Seeing this, Klein, taking advantage of his slightly tipsy state, laughed and said:

"Melissa, this is not a good thing. You should eat your favorite food as soon as it's served, so you can experience its most delicious side. If you wait until you're full and your appetite has decreased, the taste will be less appealing."

"No, it's still just as delicious," Melissa replied firmly and stubbornly.

The three siblings chatted and laughed for a while, digesting the food, before working together to clear away the plates, forks, and spoons, and pouring the oil used to fry the fish back into the pan.

After their busy schedules, one of them reviewed their courses, another studied accounting on their own, and the third continued to review textbooks and notes, leading fulfilling and satisfying lives.

At 11 o'clock, the three Klein siblings turned off the gas lamps, washed up, and went to bed.

…………

The scene before him was dim and he felt disoriented. Suddenly, Dunn Smith, wearing a black knee-length trench coat and a top hat, appeared in Klein's line of sight.

"Captain!" Klein snapped back to reality, realizing he was dreaming.

Dunn's gray eyes remained calm as he spoke as if it were a trivial matter:

"Someone broke into your room, picked up your revolver, cornered him in the hallway, and then handed him over to us."

Someone broke into my room? The monitors have finally made their move? Klein was startled and didn't dare ask any more questions, simply nodding and saying:

"OK!"

The scene before him immediately changed, with colors appearing chaotically, bursting one by one like bubbles.

Klein opened his eyes and carefully turned his head to look at the window. He saw a thin and unfamiliar figure standing in front of the desk, silently searching for something.

(End of this chapter)