And I've also earned an extra credit for the "Circus" potion formula—this was all due to the inconvenience of splitting the recognition into two parts back then. Well, lately, I haven't found any opportunity to mention that I actually possess the "Circus" potion formula. Kline took a deep breath and managed a smile, saying, "I hope the evaluation goes smoothly." He wholeheartedly agreed with Dune's decision to send him back to maintain watch over the Charnis Gate, as not only did he lack the professional skills in surveillance and investigation, but he also fell short in direct combat. In shooting, he performed reasonably well compared to ordinary police officers, though his team members were all exceptional individuals with enhanced physical fitness—even if not master marksmen, they were only slightly better. As for close-quarters combat, Kline was still just beginning to learn. In short, even with slumbering runes, sleep runes, and dream runes, he still remains a support-type extraordinary one. He handles ordinary people easily, but becomes quite dangerous when facing combat-specialized peers. When I reach Sequence 8 and become a "clown" skilled in technique-based combat, possibly wielding a few spells, I'll be able to handle regular extraordinary tasks on my own... Well, if I can also successfully seize the power of the sealed object "3–0782" and create the "Yang-Yin Rune," that would be even better—defeating the stronger foes isn't impossible.克莱恩 thought this through with growing anticipation, and slowly walked back to the Black Thorns Security Company. Until the early morning of the next day, when he ended his shift and left through the Charnes Gate, the night watch team still hadn't gained any useful insights into the condition of the asylum's patient, Hude Egen, and had to rely temporarily on the supposed internal investigators. Back home, Caine quietly finished his breakfast and lay back in the bedroom, sleeping straight through until noon. He woke naturally, took a brief shower, and, smelling the aroma of food, walked down to the first floor. "Is Melissa preparing lunch?" Caine asked, looking at Bensen, who was reading the newspaper in the living room. Bensen lowered the paper. "Yes, she has guests visiting today. I asked her to chat with them while I prepared lunch, but she didn't trust my cooking—she pulled them both into the kitchen instead. That's incredibly impolite." Bensen, you've already noticed Melissa's lack of confidence in your culinary skills so quickly… Caine managed a smile, walked over to the armchair, and casually inquired, "Melissa's guests?" "Yes, you should know them—Elizabeth, whom you met at Silena's birthday dinner." Bensen leaned back, continuing to read his newspaper comfortably. Not only have we seen her at the birthday dinner—she actually came to visit! Clary's expression paused slightly as he glanced toward the kitchen door. At that moment, Melissa stepped out with a tray, followed by Elizabeth, who also wore an apron. "Clary, you've woken up—I was just about to go and call you," Melissa said with genuine delight, placing the fragrant tray of meat on the table. "This is Elizabeth, someone you know." "Hello, Clary," Elizabeth said warmly, her baby-faced smile bright. Clary responded politely and gently. Once the two had exchanged greetings, Melissa blinked and said seriously, "Elizabeth will be joining us to help at the 'Family Housekeepers Association' later. They employ several housekeepers and have extensive experience in this area—she'll be able to offer us some valuable insights." "Actually, we've already drafted the requirements for selecting a general housekeeper. Listen to them, and let me know if there's anything you'd like to add," Melissa wiped her hands on her apron and pulled out a sheet of paper from her home clothes pocket, unfolding it and reading aloud: "1. Good health." "2. Hardworking and responsible." "3. Skilled in cooking." "4. Quiet and unobtrusive." "5. Simple family background." "6. Ordinary appearance." ... One requirement after another was read out, and both Crain and Bensen sat there with their mouths slightly open, eyes wide, completely surprised that hiring just a general housekeeper would turn out to be such a complicated matter. "Melissa, didn't you used to oppose hiring a general housekeeper?" Crain asked instinctively once she finished. Melissa bit her lip and nodded firmly: "Yes, I oppose it. But since my opposition has fallen through, I believe we must do this well. To do something well, we need adequate preparation, um, do either of you have any additions?" "No!" both Cline and Bensen shook their heads, prompting Elizabeth to smile and suppress a chuckle. After lunch, the four of them took a streetcar to the "Tinggen City Association for Assisting Household Servants" on Champagne Street. This was quite similar to the household service companies Cline had known in his previous life, though with a semi-charitable character. On one hand, they maintained detailed records of household servants' personal information and work needs, helping employers make selections while also increasing employment opportunities for the beneficiaries. On the other hand, they organized basic training programs to enhance the work skills of the assisted individuals. Part of their operating funding comes from charitable organizations, part from additional employer contributions. Thanks to their aggregation, comprehensiveness, convenience, and organizational strength, they quickly drive individual agents either to join or to switch careers. Once they joined the association, Klein and the others were immediately greeted with warmth. A young woman in a light yellow dress with frilled sleeves guided them to a sofa area and smiled, asking, "How can I assist you?" "We need to hire a housekeeper who can handle household chores," said Bensen, who was pushed forward by his brother and sister. "Do you have any specific requirements?" the young woman asked smoothly. Bensen thought carefully about his own cooking skills compared to Klein's, and spoke earnestly, "She should be skilled in cooking." "Skilled in cooking?" the young woman raised an eyebrow, "Honestly, among our housekeepers, no one is particularly skilled in cooking. Perhaps you'd be better off hiring a professional chef?" "If you need female chefs, we also have quite a few." "None of the housekeeping maids are particularly skilled in cooking?" Melissa interjected, surprised that her initial requirements were already facing setbacks. The young woman nodded in affirmation. "The housekeeping maids are either daughters of lower-level laborers or country girls. Their exposure to culinary skills is limited, and even after receiving basic training from the association, they can only ensure that the food doesn't make guests sick." "...", Melissa remained silent, finally grasping what it meant for plans to change swiftly. "It's truly a pity," Benson reflected, organizing his thoughts. "Perhaps we can adjust our request: someone willing and capable of learning to cook." Indeed, Benson thought quickly—no need for me to speak up at all... Clary sat beside him, one hand holding her staff, the other resting on her hat, calm and at ease. "There's no issue at all. During our cooking training sessions, we'll keep track of the girls who stand out." The young woman smiled professionally. "Are there any other requirements?" "Yes." Feeling Melissa's gaze, Benson swallowed and pulled out the paper from his pocket, reading it item by item. The young woman listened intently, then hesitated before responding, "I'll go through the records and recommend a few suitable housemaids who meet your criteria. You don't need to make a decision right away—just select two to four of them, and I'll have them come to your home for a trial period. After that, you can finalize your hires. Of course, this will incur an additional fee to the association, and you'll also need to prepare the ingredients yourselves." "Very good," Benson folded the paper and nodded politely. The young woman stood up, walked a few steps into the office, then turned back, blushing slightly, "Could I have that paper, please?" "I'm afraid I might have missed something..." "Never mind," Benson replied, holding back a smile. A few moments later, the young lady in a light yellow dress came out with a stack of materials and handed them to Benson for selection. Each document listed the actual names, birth years, family backgrounds, physical descriptions, health conditions, past experiences, specific traits, and expected salary of the housekeeping maids. While Benson and Melissa carefully went through the materials, Elizabeth approached Klein and whispered, "Do you have any specific requirements?" "Indeed, though not very specific," Klein casually replied. Elizabeth grew more interested. "Then, how would you go about making your choice?" Klein chuckled softly and pointed to the pendulum concealed in the inner sleeve of his left cuff. "Of course—I'd write down the corresponding sentences, eliminate the less suitable ones one by one, and use divination to identify the perfect candidate for our household housekeeping maid." “…”, Elizabeth was momentarily stunned, nodding with slight confusion after a few seconds, “The simplest and most effective solution… I had completely forgotten you were….” She didn’t finish, as Melissa noticed their whispered conversation and turned to look. Gazing deeply at her friend and brother, Melissa adopted a thoughtful expression. Hey, don’t misunderstand! We’re just having a normal conversation… Klein cleared his throat and took over some of the materials, flipping through them casually. Soon, they finalized three candidates, with weekly fees ranging from four soules eight pence to five soules two pence. Instead of pressing the housekeeper’s salary, Benson engaged in a serious discussion with the young lady about the additional amounts to be paid to the association. After some friendly negotiations, he successfully reduced the cost from two weeks' wages of the housemaid to one week's wages, at the additional expense of one sou for the association's carriage that would transport the housemaid to try out the household services. Once this was settled, Elizabeth took her leave and the three siblings returned to the water lily street by public carriage. On the way, Clarens felt increasingly uncomfortable under Miss Melissa's steady gaze, and as soon as they entered the house, he found himself heading straight for the second floor. "Clarens," Melissa called out, speaking with a tone that had been carefully considered and formal, "if you wish to propose to Elizabeth, you will need to work even harder—her father is a merchant in imports and exports, and her mother is the daughter of a baron, commonly known as a lord." Wait—engagement? When did this happen? Clarens stared at his sister, utterly bewildered. How far had she gone in her concern?