Upon entering the "East Balam Retired Officers' Club," Klein had just handed his cane and hat to his personal valet Enuni when he spotted Colonel Calvin of the Loen Ministry of Defense, dressed in army uniform and holding a glass of red wine, waiting in the main hall.
The donkey-faced officer broke into a smile and raised his glass toward Dantès.
"It's been a while."
"It certainly has been some time." Klein walked over with a smile.
Colonel Calvin immediately extended his right hand.
"Congratulations. You did quite well this time. Everyone's satisfied."
"So am I." Klein expressed, in the understated Loen manner, that their collaboration had been a pleasure, and shook the other man's right hand.
Calvin withdrew his gaze, glanced at MP Marchetti standing beside Dantès, and sighed with a smile.
"When you first introduced me to Dantès, I wasn't too sure about your judgment. Now I understand why you were able to become a Member of the Lower House."
"Anyone who's spent time with Dantès can easily conclude he's an expert in these matters." MP Marchetti accepted the Colonel's compliment with the same Loen-style subtlety.
Calvin looked away, took a sip of red wine, regarded Dantès with a smile, and asked conversationally:
"How much did you make this time?
"Don't worry—I'm not trying to lowball you later. I'm purely curious."
"Gold worth twenty thousand pounds." Klein picked a figure in the middle.
In truth, he had earned twenty-five thousand pounds, but after paying the lady Messenger ten thousand in compensation, he was left with fifteen thousand.
Colonel Calvin nodded.
"Not bad. If you need those gold bars minted into coins, I can introduce you to someone at the Royal Mint.
"So, did anything unusual happen on Messanesis's territory this time?"
Klein didn't pause to think. He answered directly:
"Yes!
"There's a place called Resurrection Plaza there. It was destroyed by lightning."
"I know about that." Colonel Calvin responded, his expression turning somewhat grave.
You probably don't know that the lightning was caused by the man standing right in front of you… Klein chuckled and changed the subject.
"Also, Messanesis appears to maintain a fragile balance among multiple factions, but in reality he has already secretly sided with one of them. Of course, I have no idea which."
He hadn't intended to betray the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom — he had merely let slip a little, enough to earn the trust of Loen's military.
"The only thing we can be sure of is that it's not us." Colonel Galvin nodded, his gaze deep.
"It probably isn't the Intis either." Klein helped them rule out one incorrect option.
Colonel Galvin grunted:
"That's good, then. Most of the factions around Messanesis are backed by the Intis. If he wants to expand, he can't bypass them. And when that time comes, perhaps we'll be able to sell weapons again."
At this, he raised his cup:
"By the Storm, may we all grow wealthy together."
As a believer in the Goddess of the Night, Klein and Councilor Machet could only smile in response without making any direct reply.
After taking another sip of red wine, Galvin pointed toward the second floor:
" Dunn, the reason I asked you here today is to have you join a certain important figure for a game of cards — Texas Hold'em."
"Which important figure?" Klein asked with evident interest.
Galvin's expression turned slightly more serious, a faint smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth:
"Admiral Amelius. He's been reinstated and is currently heading the Ministry of Defense."
Admiral Amelius… the admiral whose brother had been stripped of his governorship, whose mistress had been corrupted by the Mother Tree of Desire, and who himself had lost his position as supreme commander of the Mid-Sonia Sea fleet? I've worked with him before — I even impersonated him for a time… Sure enough, for a demigod, as long as you don't go too far and are willing to endure, you'll always find your way out of the trough… Klein recalled the various events that had unfolded on Oravi Island, and a wave of sentimentality washed over him.
He still felt a measure of guilt toward Admiral Amelius Leviatt. Although most of what had happened at the time had nothing to do with him, the transformation of the man's mistress had ultimately been triggered by the Mother Tree of Desire's attempt to control him.
"So, from now on, our cooperation will require the admiral's approval?" Klein asked, feigning a sudden realization.
"That's right." Colonel Galvin nodded, then pointed at the staircase leading to the second floor. "Let's head up."
Arriving on the second floor, they stopped before a pair of deep crimson doors. Galvin turned his head to glance at Dawn Dantès.