After climbing the stairs and returning to the reception hall, Klein was about to say goodbye to Roselle when the brown-haired girl said in a light tone:
"The Captain wants you to come back on Monday. Take care of your household affairs first."
"...Alright." Klein hadn't expected the Nighthawks' management to be so considerate, and he felt quite grateful for a moment.
He had originally planned to wake up early tomorrow and take advantage of the morning shift of "wandering" outside to visit Tingen University, find the clerk responsible for interview admissions, and let him know that he wouldn't be participating in the subsequent rounds. After all, the original owner had entered the interview process with a recommendation letter from his mentor. Regardless, wrapping things up with a proper conclusion was basic courtesy. Even if not for his own sake, he had to respect the favor his mentor had extended.
And with no telephones, telegrams charged per letter, and regular mail clearly too slow, taking a public carriage there was the most economical and practical option.
Now that the Captain had given him special permission, Klein no longer needed to tire himself out. He could sleep in, wake up, and head over at a leisurely pace.
Klein was about to take off his hat and say goodbye when something suddenly occurred to him. He glanced around, then lowered his voice:
"Roselle, do you know what the beginning of the complete Sequence that the Church possesses is?"
This was something he had forgotten to ask Old Neil.
Roselle's eyes widened as she looked at Klein in surprise:
"You want to become a Beyonder?"
Was it really that obvious? Klein touched the corner of his mouth and answered with a slight awkwardness:
"Once you know that supernatural, mysterious powers truly exist in the world, it's only natural to feel a bit of longing."
"Oh my Goddess, do you know how dangerous that is? Didn't the Captain tell you? The enemies of a Beyonder aren't just heretics and dark sorcerers — they're also yourself! Almost every year, someone loses control, someone sacrifices their life! Have you considered how your family would feel?" Roselle used gestures to emphasize her tone, her reaction somewhat overwrought. "Klein, I honestly think staying as an office worker is the better choice. Almost no danger at all, and the salary increases every year. After a few years, once you've saved up some money, you can rent a detached house in the North District or near the suburbs, start a wonderful family with a charming young lady, and have adorable, mischievous little angels..."
"Roselle, stop! Please stop!" Klein, seeing the brown-haired girl drifting further and further off-topic, hastily broke in with sweat forming on his forehead. "For now, I just want to — want to — yes, understand the basic facts."
"Fine..." Roselle fell silent for a few seconds, then lowered her gaze and said somewhat sheepishly. "Because of what happened to my father, I always get, well, you understand, a bit emotional about these sorts of things. But frankly speaking, I have the utmost respect for every gentleman and lady who voluntarily becomes a Nighthawk."
"I understand, I understand," Klein quickly agreed.
Roselle blinked her light brown eyes and added:
"My father once said: don't think that becoming stronger, becoming a higher-Sequence Beyonder, will let you resolve hidden dangers or combat threats. In fact, it's the exact opposite. You'll encounter increasingly terrifying things, and when you face certain unknown, horrifying existences, madness and death are the only two outcomes. Heh, the week after he said those words, he made his sacrifice... Klein, don't look at me with those sympathetic eyes. I'm living well now, truly well! You should be the one feeling afraid of these things!"
"I just want to understand the basic facts..." Klein repeated his earlier answer, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
The Captain explains things far more clearly and thoroughly than you do, and even if I never become a Beyonder, I've already encountered things that are no small matter...
"Fine." Roselle adopted a thoughtful pose. "I've heard both the Captain and Old Neil say that because supernatural species have decreased and gone extinct, powerhouses of higher Sequences are practically nonexistent in this era. Being able to become a Beyonder at all is already incredibly impressive! In all of Tingen City and its suburbs, there are several hundred thousand people — perhaps, maybe even more — and only about thirty-something Beyonders. Well, that's my guess... I'm not counting the heretics and dark sorcerers who lurk in the shadows..."
Before Klein could respond, she seemed to regain her energy and clenched her fist before her chest:
"And among those thirty-something Beyonders, the vast majority are Sequence 9! Uh, I think I've gotten off track..."
"It's fine—these are basic things I'd like to know about anyway." Klein was hoping Rosa would do what she usually did and ramble on, revealing more details in the process.
"In short, just being able to become a Beyonder is already incredibly impressive!" Rosa repeated once more. "The complete Sequence belonging to our Church begins with the 'Nighthawk'—Sequence 9, the Nighthawk!"
Just as expected… Klein gave an almost imperceptible nod as he listened to Miss Rosa, who simply couldn't keep herself from continuing:
"Just from the name you should be able to guess—the 'Nighthawk' is someone who doesn't need to sleep at night, and during the day, three to four hours of rest is more than enough. Sigh, I'm so jealous… No, I'm not jealous at all. Sleep is a blessing from the Goddess—it's the most wonderful thing there is!"
"Where was I? Oh right—the Nighthawk can see through darkness without needing light, and the deeper the night, the stronger they become. I mean stronger in every sense—their strength, their perception, their thinking. However, although they can detect unknown dangers hidden in the darkness, when they encounter monsters that can't be dealt with through ordinary methods, they still have to rely on items like monster-hunting bullets. My father used to be a Nighthawk."
Without waiting for Klein to ask, Rosa continued on her own:
"After that comes Sequence 8, the 'Midnight Poet,' and above that is Sequence 7, the 'Nightmare.'"
Nightmare? Klein immediately thought of how Dunn Smith had guided his dream, and he asked in a tone seeking confirmation: