At 2 Narcissus Street, Klein nodded at Azik, quickly walked to the front door, took out the key, and opened it.
Melissa, who had already returned home, heard the turning of the lock and hurried from the kitchen to the living room.
When she saw Klein, her eyes brightened and she said:
"I bought groceries—chicken, potatoes, onions, fish, turnips, and peas. I also bought a small jar of honey."
Little sister, have you gotten used to these occasional little "luxuries"? Klein chuckled and said:
"You'll have to prepare dinner today; don't count me in. I have something to do and might not be back until dawn. Mm, I'm helping Instructor Azik, an instructor in the History Department of Hoy University."
As he spoke, he half-turned and pointed to the carriage waiting outside.
Melissa's lips moved, then she pursed them and said:
"Alright."
Klein bid farewell to his sister, walked out, and boarded the hired carriage Azik had arranged. It took two hours and forty minutes to reach Lamud Town.
It was nearly nine o'clock, and the sky was completely dark. Only the occasional Crimson Moon breaking through the clouds and scattered stars illuminated places without gas lamps.
After instructing the coachman to wait in town, Klein led Azik along the road to the abandoned castle.
As they walked, he noticed Azik was getting faster, forcing him to jog to keep up. Eventually, Azik was leading the way.
Klein wanted to say something, but seeing Azik's silent face and tight lips, he wisely swallowed his words.
At this pace, it wasn't long before they arrived at the abandoned castle.
Almost a ruin, it stretched its body in the thick darkness, its spires jutting brokenly toward the sky—desolate, wild, gloomy, dim.
Azik gazed at the abandoned old castle and slowed his pace.
He stopped there, his eyes alternating between deep and distant, as if wandering between dreams and reality.
Suddenly, he groaned in pain, raised his hand to pinch his forehead, his facial muscles twisting into something ferocious.
"Mr. Azik, what's wrong?" Klein asked cautiously, activating his spiritual vision.
On the carriage ride back to Narcissus Street, he had discreetly performed a quick divination using a coin, predicting that the return to Lamud would be nearly risk-free.
But he believed divination wasn't infallible, always wary of misinterpreting or phrasing the divination incorrectly. Plus, Instructor Azik was a powerful figure shrouded in mystery—no one knew his past or how he might react to certain stimuli. Caution, vigilance, and concern were Klein's natural emotions.
Azik didn't answer immediately. With a pained expression, he stepped forward two paces, released his hand from his forehead, pointed ahead, and said in a dreamlike tone:
"I've seen this castle in my dreams."
"Back then, it was still intact, with sturdy walls and towering spires."
"I remember there was the stable, the well, the soldiers' barracks, and a field cleared to plant potatoes and sweet potatoes…"
"I remember a training ground. My child, a boy, was only seven or eight but loved dragging around a broadsword taller than himself, saying he would become a knight…"
"My wife always complained that the castle was too dark; she liked sunlight and warmth…"
…
Klein, who was examining Azik's aura, felt his scalp tingle but was also slightly moved, as if experiencing a supernatural story firsthand.
So this old castle really is connected to Mr. Azik… Could he be the first Baron Lamud, a supernatural being who lived for over a thousand years? Is he human or an evil spirit? No, what evil spirit would wander in the sunlight and have contact with the Nighthawks? Klein couldn't control his thoughts, letting them clash and spark more ideas.
Just then, Azik stopped his muttering and walked through the entrance.
He moved through the interior, needing no direction from Klein, and expertly found the mechanism to open the secret door to the basement.
Gripping his cane, Klein stayed two steps behind, following the stairs down to where the coffin was placed.
Unlike before, the coffin lid was closed, and the warmth and purity were gone.
The coffin is sealed… Frey must have done it. It's the professional ethics of a 'Corpse Collector'… Klein nodded thoughtfully, using his spiritual vision to watch the emotionally disturbed Instructor Azik approach the coffin.
Azik reached out and pushed the lid, creating a gap.
He stared for a long time at the headless skeleton inside, then let out a cry of pain and sorrow.
Thump, thump, thump. Azik stepped back heavily, staggering before Klein could react, falling against the wall and sliding down.
He covered his face with his palm and sat there dejectedly, the surroundings seeming to grow darker.
Klein stepped forward, ready to reach out, but stopped himself, not daring to disturb him.
At that moment, his instincts told him that Mr. Azik was now very dangerous—dangerous enough to make the basement feel cold and eerie again.
Klein quietly moved closer to the stairs.
He trusted Mr. Azik's character but feared he might lose control.