Chapter 758: Efforts Will Ultimately Pay Off

In the evening, Klein, who had just returned from Saint Samuel

Cathedral, was just about to enter the dining hall on the second floor

when he saw Butler Walter walk over and say with a polite bow, "Sir, the

matter you wished to be investigated has been completed."

Klein didn't inquire further in front of the other servants as he

staidly nodded.

"Let's talk in the study."

Walter followed behind him and came all the way to the third floor.

Richardson then opened the door and lit the gas wall lamp inside.

Klein unhurriedly walked to his desk, sat down, and looked at the butler

for the report.

As Walter gestured Richardson to guard outside the door, he approached

the desk and deliberated over his words.

After the door closed again, he said, "Ma'am Wahana's husband is a cloth

merchant. He had been cooperating with someone and had invested 1,000

pounds into it, but the other party ran off with the goods. She has

already sought the help of Member of Parliament Macht and Ma'am Riana to

urge the police department to crack the case as quickly as possible.

However, the police usually doesn't dare to guarantee that they can find

the target for such cases."

Klein picked up the black fountain pen on his desk and stroked it.

"To Ma'am Wahana's family, 1,000 pounds isn't a small sum."

Based on what he knew, an ordinary home tutor didn't earn more than 150

pounds a year. If the employer provided boarding and lodging, the salary

would be even lower.

Although Wahana served high society and had many employers, her annual

income capped out at about four to five hundred pounds. Furthermore, a

large amount of her expenses would be spent on her dressing, posture,

and looks, to prevent her employers from finding her unfitting as an

etiquette teacher.

"Yes, her husband's income as a cloth merchant can only be considered

average. To him, a 1,000-pound investment is a rather huge investment,"

Walter said by mincing his words.

It's a lot for me too... Klein sighed and smiled.

"I just came to Backlund, so I'm not very familiar with the police."

Walter immediately replied, "Sir, back when I was under the service of

Viscount Conrad, I knew a few members of a Backlund high-ranking police

officer association."

*Backlund high-ranking police officer association? That would be the

most important members at Sivellaus Yard. Even the chief superintendents

who are in charge of an entire borough might not be qualified for

induction.*

Sivellaus Yard referred to the Backlund police department. It got its

name from the street it was located at.

As expected of a butler who served under a noble family...

Klein sighed inwardly as he smiled with a shake of his head.

"There's no need to do so for the time being. On this aspect, I'm sure

Ma'am Wahana is able to seek the help of many people. Be it Member of

Parliament Macht or others, all of them have the ability to make

Sivellaus Yard place importance on the case."

He paused and deliberately said in passing, "I've seen the lower rungs

of society, and I know their methods of survival. At times, the police

might not be as useful as gang members or bounty hunters.

"Walter, go to the police department to retrieve the corresponding

details and head over to the famous bars in the Backlund Bridge area and

East Borough to commission a bounty mission.

"Regardless if they find the corresponding criminals or the batch of

cloth, I'll be giving them 200 pounds in return.

"Heh heh, let's hope that those cheats had chosen to remain in

Backlund."

"A reward of 200 pounds?" Walter repeated the sum as he couldn't help

but steal a glance at his employer, as though he found it unbelievable

that he would offer so much for Wahana's matter.

He turned agape and was just about to say something but ultimately kept

silent. All he did was seriously reply, "Alright, sir."

"I'll give you this money directly." Klein slowly got up and took out

his wallet.

As Walter received the thick wad of cash, he asked in thought, "Should I

tell Ma'am Wahana?"

Klein smiled.

"There's no need."

Enlightened, Walter nodded with a bow.

"Your generosity will spread through this street."


East Borough, Dharavi Street, in a cramped but lively pub.

Xio, who had seriously combed her short, blonde hair before heading out,

squeezed through the area filled with men that stank of alcohol and

putrid sweat and arrived at the bar counter.

She tapped the counter and asked the bartender, "Any new missions

today?"

If it were anyone else who asked without ordering any drinks, the

bartender would've ignored them, but upon recognizing Xio, a bounty

hunter who no one wanted drinking, he could only sigh and say, "A very

handsome reward, 200 pounds."

"200 pounds?" Xio nearly suspected that she had heard wrong. Apart from

Miss Audrey's missions, she had never seen such a handsome reward in

East Borough or the Backlund Bridge area. Even the mission to seek out

Azik Eggers that drove bounty hunters crazy had only offered 150 pounds.

For an ordinary bounty hunter, completing a commission like this was

enough for them to not work for a year!

To Xio, it was equally important because she had been helping the

mysterious man in the golden mask over the past few months. She had

learned that the man was from MI9, and she was trying to earn enough

contributions to exchange for the Interrogator potion formula.

Therefore, the reward she received when completing his tasks only paid a

little. Most of it was exchanged towards her contribution goals, so all

her savings came from the advantages that her Sheriff Sequence had given

her to capture criminals.

*Once I receive the potion formula, I still have to spend money to buy

the Beyonder ingredients, and I only have 300 odd pounds... Fors is

right. Money isn't omnipotent, but it's sufficiently

important...* Upon having this thought, she looked at the

bartender and asked cautiously, "What's the mission? Who commissioned

it?"

"Find a few cheats. They cheated the victim of cloth costing 1,000

pounds." As the bartender handed the details to Xio, he said, "The

person who commissioned the mission looked like a butler. He called

himself Walter, and he's in service of a Mr. Dwayne Dantès from Böklund

Street. If you capture the cheats or find the cloth, you can head there

to retrieve the bounty."

Xio quickly flipped through the documents as something quickly

formulated in her mind. She instinctively knew the direction in which to

continue the investigations.

"I'll take this mission," she said immediately with a nod.

The bartender shrugged and said, "You aren't the only one. All the

bounty hunters have taken on this mission.

"Besides, they have other ideas."

"Like what?" Xio asked out of curiosity.

The bartender chuckled.

"They say that since Mr. Dwayne Dantès is so generous, they're willing

to recommend themselves if he lacks a bodyguard.

"However, they later gave up on the idea since being a bodyguard isn't

as free as being a bounty hunter. Even having drinks will have to wait

until they're given time off."

*That's not a problem for me, but I can only be a bounty

hunter...* Xio nodded, jumped off the high-stool in front of the

bar counter, and didn't waste time heading for the door.


The next day, just as Klein finished breakfast and was preparing to head

to his garden to have a stroll to aid in his digestion, Butler Walter

came in from outside and silently followed behind him until there wasn't

anyone around.

"Sir, there are two matters that need your attention," he said politely.

"Two matters?" Klein was somewhat surprised. He thought that there would

only be one.

Walter nodded.

"Yes, the first matter involves the 10% shares in the Backlund Bike

Company. Someone has already offered 10,000 pounds.

"Sir, do you still wish to continue in the bid?"

It has been raised to 10,000 pounds? Not bad at all! Klein

deliberately acted stumped as he thought.

"I'm new in Backlund, and there are many things that need me to hold

back on.

"Let's leave it at that..."

"Alright, sir." Walter then said, "The cheats who scammed Ma'am Wahana's

husband of the cloth have been captured. The bounty hunter has already

arrived and requested payment."

"That quickly?" Klein turned his head in shock as he looked at his

butler.

If he had taken action himself, he was indeed capable of settling it

that very day. After, he had Dowsing Rod Seeking to find people, but the

problem stemmed from the fact that most bounty hunters weren't Seers.

*Yes, perhaps it's a Beyonder good at tracking and searching for

people...* Klein made a preliminary judgment.

Walter answered in confirmation, "Yes, it's much faster than I imagined.

"According to that bounty hunter, she did a reverse search from black

market sales before finding the cheats."

*The black market peddlers gave in so easily? From the looks of it, they

must've been taught a lesson with the fist...* Klein nodded and

said, "What's that bounty hunter's name? She's quite capable..."

"She calls herself Xio," Walter answered truthfully.

No way... Klein almost stumbled. Thankfully, he had the

impressive balance of a Clown.

After calming the upheavals through his heart while acting calm, he

deliberated and said, "Keep the bounty hunter's contact method. Perhaps

there might be a chance to gain her assistance in the future."

"Alright, sir." Walter didn't find any problems with Dwayne Dantès's

instructions. Any decent member of high society kept some unofficial

means to their chests.

Klein didn't continue on the topic of Xio as he tersely said, "How much

was reclaimed?"

"The cash and the yet-to-be sold cloth from the cheats came up to about

850 pounds." Walter had apparently anticipated his employer's inquiry on

the matter and had asked ahead of time.

"Very good," Klein nodded and said. "After paying the bounty hunter,

help her send the cheats and the goods to the nearby police station."


North Borough Police Station.

Wahana and her husband, Bacchus, looked at the high-ranking inspector in

front of them as they asked in unison, surprise coloring their voices.

"It's been found?"

"They've been caught?"

The high-ranking police inspector smiled in response.

"Yes."

When he informed them how much cash and cloth was left, Wahana and

Bacchus heaved a collective sigh of relief.

They could afford 150 pounds in losses. Furthermore, the remaining cloth

still had space for greater appreciation and profit. In essence, they

hadn't suffered much of a loss.

They repeatedly thanked the inspector until someone invited Bacchus to

identify the goods and criminals.

Wahana sat there without losing her etiquette. She smiled at the

high-ranking inspector and said, "Your efficiency has exceeded my

expectations. I'm very curious as to how you found the bunch of cheats?"

Being aware that this beautiful and elegant lady knew a Member of

Parliament of the House of Commons, and that she would eventually learn

the truth, the high-ranking inspector didn't hide it from her.

"In fact, it was completed by a bounty hunter. She investigated the

black market of stolen goods and quickly caught the suspects."

"You even offered a bounty?" Wahana seemed to gain a full understanding

of the whole story.

The inspector shook his head and said, "No, someone beat us to it. He

offered 200 pounds."

"200 pounds?" Wahana asked in surprise.

That wasn't a small sum of money, and it even exceeded the expected

profit that her husband would earn from the sale.

Seeing the inspector give an affirmative reply, Wahana couldn't help but

ask, "Who was it that offered the bounty?"

"The bounty hunter didn't say, but accompanying her was a gentleman

dressed as a butler." The inspector simply described Walter's looks.

Wahana vaguely guessed at the butler's identity as she leaned back

slightly, muttering softly to herself, "200 pounds..."


In the afternoon, Wahana, who came to Member of Parliament Macht's house

to teach his daughter etiquette, first thanked Ma'am Riana for extending

their help.

After the blackish-green-haired Riana said a few words of humility, she

asked, "Wahana, I heard that you're Mr. Dwayne Dantès's etiquette

teacher. I wonder what kind of person he is?"

Wahana deliberated and said, "He's a true gentleman. He's warmhearted,

generous, kind, educated, gentlemanly, and very knowledgeable."

Riana nodded slightly upon hearing that before turning to look at her

proud daughter and chuckled.

"Unfortunately, he's a little too old, or he might make a good match.

"Well, I plan on inviting him to our ball this weekend."