After leaving Azk's house, Caine took a public carriage back to the Narcissus Street. Click—he pulled out his key to open the door, and suddenly saw a figure seated in the dining room. Caine instinctively tightened his grip on the walking cane in his hand, but then realized it wasn't a thief— it was the housemaid, Bella. Bella was intently reading the newspaper spread out on the table, and she jumped up in surprise upon hearing the door open, stammering as she explained: "I just finished my morning tasks and was waiting—waiting for the water to boil so I could have bread for lunch." Ah, I still haven't fully adjusted to the sudden arrival of a housemaid here... Caine chuckled to himself, removed his hat, and gave a slight nod: "Reading is a good habit; maintaining it amidst a busy schedule is something the goddess of Night encourages." He wanted to ensure she wouldn't think he was being dismissive, so he invoked the name of the goddess of Night. In fact, only the gods of knowledge and wisdom have placed reading on a lofty pedestal... Of course, every church encourages learning... Well, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, believing in the goddess of night suggests influence from one's parents. And such parents—so long as they aren't entirely helpless—would certainly ensure their daughters receive an education. While they might not be able to afford public elementary schools, the church's free schools are usually accessible, perhaps only delayed a little. Thus, Bella is not illiterate; she knows the words and can read newspapers. Klein thoughtfully set down his walking stick and entered the living room. His impression of Bella remained quite favorable. Though she seemed a bit awkward and clumsy in the kitchen, she clearly demonstrated a willingness and determination to learn. Bella lowered her hands, slightly embarrassed, saying, "I never really read the newspaper before. The landlord didn't allow us to buy old newspapers to cover the walls... When I picked it up earlier, while wiping the tea table, I accidentally glanced at it and found it quite interesting." How pitiful the girl is! When I came over, newspapers were at the bottom of the fun rankings. Klein muttered under his breath, smiled, and, following the silver watch chain, produced his pocket watch, clicked it open, and glanced at the time, then said casually, "As long as you complete your tasks well, you can arrange your time freely—don't worry. Of course, if I'm chatting with Benson and Melissa, you'd better stay in your room. I'll allow you to use the gas lamp inside and bring a few old newspapers with you." "Yes, you'll knock on my bedroom door at one in the afternoon, then bring me a cup of Tibetan black tea, two soft white bread slices, a piece of oat toast, and a small plate of cream." To celebrate his promotion to Sequence 8, Caine decided to indulge a little, eating the white bread that Bensen had planned for the weekend. Hmm, I'll buy another eight pounds later—my staple bread will now be white bread! With a Sequence 8 exceptionalist, his weekly salary will surely increase... Captain didn't mention this at all. He must have forgotten again! Caine paused, deciding to ask for clarification the next day. "Yes, yes," Bella responded with genuine delight. Then, she hesitated slightly and asked, "Mr. Caine, is this the Tibetan black tea typically served for guests?" Since all of them were Moretti, she used his formal title. "Yes, from now on, that will be my regular tea." Caine waved his hand and stepped toward the staircase. After becoming a "clown," he suddenly found his financial situation to be excellent. First, there were no additional, substantial expenses—only the daily fixed rental of two sou for the carriage at the Red Chimney house, and occasional material replenishments, many of which were reimbursable. Second, there were steadily accumulating 300 gold pounds in his non-named account. Given that land and pastures in the countryside cost only five to six and a half sou per acre, he could purchase between 920 and 1,200 acres—equivalent to 137 to 179 acres, or 23 to 30 English acres—while also being able to buy a house on the Narcissus Street for a period of fifteen years under a property deed. If the entire income were converted to land rent, it would amount to about 23 to 31 pounds annually—quite decent, but currently unnecessary. That 300 pounds must be kept as an emergency reserve. Ah, I’ll have to find an opportunity soon to tell Benson and Melissa my actual weekly salary! While thinking about this, Kline entered his bedroom. Locking the door behind him, he sat on the bed and began meditating once again, carefully and cautiously managing the subtle overflow of magical power, maintaining a steady, deliberate control. For him, loss of control had originally been merely a term spoken in passing—until the encounter with the "Substitute Punisher." Yet, he did not know who that "Substitute Punisher" was, nor what had transpired before that event, only instinctively perceiving it as an anomaly, a rare occurrence. It was much like a person hearing about a murder in another city through the news, expressing a few remarks of concern, and then promptly moving on, forgetting the incident entirely. But Neil's situation had deeply shaken Caine, making him clearly realize that chaos was right beside him, all around, poised to strike at any moment in an unexpected way! A most vivid lesson indeed... Caine ended his meditation, opened his eyes, and silently murmured to himself. In recent days, he often dreamed of that scene, and frequently woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. He grieved deeply for Neil's passing and worried about his own future; if it weren't for meditation helping him fall asleep, he was certain he would have been sleepless most nights. "Besides digesting the magic potion, I must strive to control my emotions and desires, keeping them within reasonable bounds, so they don't corrode me..." Caine exhaled, lay down, and soon slipped into deep sleep. On the day Neil passed away, Dunne's demeanor and words deeply moved him, prompting him for the first time to seriously reflect on the responsibilities of a night watchman and to eager to take on his own share of the burden, in order to support both the captain and his teammates. Thus, he had no intention of wasting the afternoon, and would continue attending the combat training sessions as scheduled. ……… At 3 p.m., in the modest training ground. Gwen, with his golden hair slightly streaked, frowned as he watched Kline's movements gradually evolve—from awkward to fluent, and then to the poised, confident demeanor of a trainee knight who had undergone nearly six months of training. All of this had happened within just forty minutes! He halted the practice and examined Kline closely, unable to help but ask, "What happened?" Kline had already prepared a well-rehearsed explanation to attribute his performance to scientific research, but as soon as Gwen spoke, he paused and added, "If it's not convenient, there's no need to answer." "It seems the relevant officers from the police department have already spoken with Professor Gaowen... of course, since he occasionally trains exceptional individuals, it makes sense that he would have given advance notice. Klein exhaled a deep breath and smiled gently. "Teacher, do you think it will take me how long before I can participate in actual combat?" …… On a Saturday morning, Caine entered the Blackthorn Security Company and knocked again on the captain's office door. Dunn Smith seemed well-prepared, only lifting his head slightly before continuing without pause: "Yesterday, I forgot to inform you—following your promotion to rank 8, your position within the police department has automatically advanced from Probationary Inspector to Inspector. I'll have them come promptly to update your credentials and shoulder insignia. Your weekly salary will increase from six pounds to ten pounds, with the Church and the Police Hall each covering half—this now matches the level of a Senior Night Watcher, of course, which I mean, specifically, the rank 9 level." …Captain, did you draft this? Caine was momentarily stunned, then his expression softened and a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth as he replied: "This is more than I expected." He had thought the weekly salary would only rise to eight pounds. Dunne picked up his coffee, took a sip, and said, "The increase in night-watchers' salaries depends on three factors: the length of service, the contributions made, and the individual's rank—though the third is often closely tied to contributions as well." Indeed, without notable achievements, even if they successfully absorb the potion and meet the promotion criteria, they still cannot apply for the recipes or materials. Kline nodded thoughtfully. A weekly salary of ten pounds, plus bonuses, amounts to roughly fifty-four pounds annually—without any taxes, this is quite solid for a middle-class income, ranking only behind the careers of prominent lawyers, well-known architects, senior surgeons, and high-level government employees, which are nearly social elites. The Deputy Director of the Financial Division at the Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Roon earns only 700 pounds annually—before taxes, and after taxes, it's at most 640 pounds. That's barely a little over six hundred. According to newspaper listings, a decent house in the western district of Beckland or in the Hillsdown district costs around 2,500 pounds. If we can maintain our current expenses, we could afford such a home within seven or eight years. Simply relying on our own salaries, we could purchase a standalone house in a central location of the Imperial and Magical Capitals within just seven or eight years—what a delightful salary! Klein stood up to say goodbye, his steps light as he entered the underground and took his shift at the Charnes Gate. Just before ten, he suddenly heard someone approaching the watchroom. Soon, Dunn appeared at the door, his gray eyes deep and thoughtful. "There's a case that requires your assistance," he said. "A case involving the extraordinary?" Klein instinctively asked. "No, Mr. Mead, the city councilor was found dead at his home this morning. The Tinggen police have been under considerable pressure and hope we can help them identify the killer through mediumship. Indeed, among our team, only you possess this ability." Dunn explained, adding, "The Church will be sending a 'Seer' to join us next week. In fact, they should have done so earlier—only because you joined us and chose the role of 'Diviner'."