Above the gray fog, in a magnificent and solemn mysterious palace.
Due to the limitations of his own abilities, and the fact that the witch always maintained the anti-divination effect directed at herself, Klein formulated all the questions into sentences related to himself, and successively divined several of the most critical questions in his opinion:
I, my family, and my colleagues were spiritually enchanted and emotionally guided within a week.
My perception was altered within a week and I was completely unaware of the impact.
I was affected by hallucinations and auditory hallucinations within a week.
All of the above influences on me were caused by the same person.
What surprised and frightened him was that the divination results all showed affirmative answers to the above questions!
What this means is almost self-evident.
With the idea of giving it a try, Klein performed one last divination in the palace above the gray fog.
"The woman who is staying in my house now intends to gain 'pleasure' from me."
- This is the inspiration Klein got from the name of the potion "Witch of Pleasure".
If Alice was truly a mid-sequence warrior, a Sequence 6 "Witch of Pleasure", judging by her apparent age...
well, whether she was really seventeen years old, or seventeen years and a few months old, she must know how to advance quickly.
This also means that she needs "joy" when she is performing!
The silver chain of the yellow crystal pendulum was pulled by a mysterious force and swung clockwise.
Klein opened his mouth speechlessly. He felt a little confused for a moment, not knowing how to react next.
Yes, joy...
Alice seemed to want to find fun in his reaction. Every time she saw his awkward and immature performance, she would show a very happy expression.
If this is her role-playing need, it would explain her usual behavior.
Damn it, could joy be performed in this form? It sounds so inappropriate for children, but in the end it is just a pleasure crime?
Continuous thinking and divination made Klein feel spiritually empty and powerless, so he quickly meditated and simulated the feeling of falling to return to reality.
The furnishings in the room were exactly the same as before he ascended into the gray fog, without any change at all.
But in this warm and peaceful bedroom of his own, Klein opened his eyes and looked at the rays of sunlight shining through the curtains onto the floor, but he could not feel any warmth at all.
With the room temperature at around 20 degrees, he only felt an unknown chill spreading throughout his body.
I have spent so many days unknowingly, ignorantly and ridiculously!
If there hadn't been that mysterious luck-changing ritual, and he hadn't been able to go to the space above the gray fog, would he still be kept in the dark and continue to turn a blind eye to the abnormalities around him?
And as long as some time passes and he really gets familiar with the witch, the occasional sense of disharmony will be easier to ignore.
By then, he will just think that he really falls in love with the witch, and thus dispel all doubts, and even become willing to reveal the deepest secrets in his heart to her!
On the seventh day of becoming a Beyonder, Klein once again experienced the panic and anxiety he felt at the beginning of his journey.
But this time, he deliberately forced himself to calm down, and his long-term meditation practice enabled him to complete the process quickly.
After regaining his ability to think, the first thing Klein did was to move the dressing mirror to a corner of the room where it couldn't reflect other furniture. Even so, he was still a little worried, always feeling that a face would appear in the mirror in the next second.
Frightened by his own imagination, Klein went to find the old quilt cover that he hadn't thrown away when he moved and covered the dressing mirror with it. Only then did he feel a little more at ease.
Afterwards, he carefully closed the curtains in the room to prevent the reflection of the room from being reflected on the glass windows, thus preventing the witch from seeing what was happening on his side from that strange and fantastic world in the mirror.
After doing all this, Klein took out his pocket watch and took a look. He found that it was only close to four o'clock in the afternoon. He still had two to three hours to think about the strategy to deal with the witch.
After calming down and thinking for a while, Klein realized that the irrationalities he had drawn in his panic could actually be roughly divided into the following two types.
One is unconditional trust, and the other is a certain degree of goodwill.
Indeed, trust and affection can fully explain my attitude, as well as Benson and Melissa's attitude towards the witch.
If the whole process is prolonged, for example, after a month of familiarity and communication, and both sides gradually develop a foundation of trust and goodwill, then there will be nothing to doubt.
However, now, the process of generating trust and goodwill is obviously too fast, as if it was guided and catalyzed by some invisible force.
...Is it what was written in the Nighthawks' file? Is it the actual manifestation of the witch's skill in seduction?
But what is her purpose in doing so?
Klein fell into deep confusion.
If Alice is really the "Pleasure Witch" as written on the wanted poster, she should be focusing on avoiding the pursuit of the Night Watchmen and other official forces. How could she go out and wander around openly every day?
No, that's not right, you can't think like that.
How could he be sure that she went out just to stroll around the street and not to carry out some secret plan?
He had no idea what she did during the day!
Klein pressed his forehead with a headache, feeling that the information he currently had was still too little.
Before confirming the truth of Alice's unilateral statement, he could only conclude from the most objective perspective that she had not shown any obvious malice towards him and his family.
The biggest problem now lies with the "contract" on which he had signed his name.
The premise is that there is really something wrong with it.
Although Klein had verified the authenticity of the "contract", he no longer dared to trust his previous judgment, nor could he be sure that it was not caused by some magical "sealed object", so he inevitably felt a little worried.
Fortunately, if there is a problem, it will only affect him, and at least it will not involve Benson and Melissa who live under the same roof.
He smiled self-deprecatingly.
After a moment, Klein decided on the next strategy.
First of all, he would play the role of "Fortune Teller" as much as possible so that he could digest the potion quickly and improve his strength; when he was free from playing, he would look for information about the event related to the wanted order, that is, the "Disy County Serial Disappearances Case" that had been on the front page of the newspaper some time ago; on weekdays, he would pretend that he did not notice anything unusual, test the witch's attitude, and if possible, try to keep this dangerous variable away from his home.
Klein let out a long sigh of relief, only to find that his back was soaked with sweat.
He then went into the bathroom and tidied himself up briefly, putting on a clean shirt and coat, and picked up his non-silk half-high hat. After making sure that nothing was left out, he left home and took a public carriage to the Divination Club.
"Acting" could help him digest the potion faster, so even though there was not much time left this afternoon, Klein still chose to go to Halls Street and continue to act as his "fortune teller."
Fortunately, his hard work was not in vain.
Mr. Glacis, who has recovered from liver disease, invites Klein to predict an investment plan for him.
This was not a difficult task for him now, and soon he received a fee of 8 pence from the client.
However, when Klein left the Citrine Room that he usually used, he learned from Miss Angelica at the front desk that he seemed to have missed another guest who specifically asked him to do divination.
"I'm sorry, I was delayed today." Having missed a business opportunity, Klein could only sigh regretfully. "If this gentleman still wants me to tell fortunes for him next time, please be sure to tell him that I usually come to the club every other day. As for the time, ma'am, you know, it's in the afternoon." "
Okay, Mr. Moretti." Miss Angelica at the front desk agreed immediately.
Before leaving, Klein handed over his commission as per usual practice and gave the lady a small tip, pretending that he had received 1 soli.
Well, this is also the necessary expense of managing interpersonal relationships... He tried to comfort himself and ease the pain in his heart.
After walking out of the club and returning to the street, Klein thought about what he could do at the moment.
If he wanted to find relevant information about the cases in Deasy County, submitting an application to the Night Watchman would obviously be the easiest and most convenient way; but the disadvantages were also obvious, and he had no reason to do so.
Even if he used the excuse of writing novels as a shield, mentioning it repeatedly and deliberately would seem too abrupt and easily arouse others' suspicion.
Klein didn't want to cause any trouble before finding out the witch's true intentions. Even though the witch seemed easy to talk to, who knows what the consequences would be if she was angered. He didn't dare to gamble with his own and his family's lives.
Thinking about it this way, he realized that he could actually choose to go to the library.
According to the management methods of this era, libraries would most likely include newspapers published daily by major newspaper companies. As long as he picked out the case reports published by the local newspapers in Deasi County in recent times, he could preliminarily restore the witch's past -
provided that those cases were really written by her.
Yes, there is one more thing. Old Neil will take him to the extraordinary materials trading market in the next two days. Maybe he can buy some semi-finished products at that time to make spiritual amulets that can resist enchantment or distinguish illusions.
This way, he can at least maintain a certain degree of self-control when facing the witch and will not be affected too strongly.
"I should also consider the amulets for Benson and Melissa...hiss, this will cost a lot of money..."
It seems that I can only learn from Old Neil's style and find a way to get some materials by reimbursement...
Thinking of this, Klein got on the public carriage and reported the name of the place he wanted to go:
"Golden Sycamore District, in front of Deville Library."
The staff member who was about to remind him of the mileage and fee withdrew his hand and kindly reminded him:
"Sir, are you going to the library? But it should be closed at this time."
Klein was stunned when he heard it, took out his pocket watch and looked at the dial which was close to six o'clock. Only then did he realize that he forgot to consider the closing time of public facilities.
Worrying too much can lead to confusion...
Klein shook his head and told the name of the street where his home was located. He then skillfully took out a 4-pence coin and handed it over.
When they returned home in the carriage, Alice had not come back yet. Benson seemed to be busy in the kitchen, so Klein looked at his sister who was doing homework at the table.
Seeing him looking at her, Melissa raised her head and turned the pen in her hand to point in the direction of the fabric sofa.
"Klein, there's a letter over there. Check to see if it's addressed to you."
"Letter?"
Klein walked over curiously and bent down to pick up the letter that Melissa mentioned on the low table in front of the sofa.
As soon as he touched the envelope that was as dark as night, Klein shuddered subconsciously and felt the urge to throw it out of the window.
A warning from the spirit?
"Well, it's in the mailbox. I found it after I got home, so I brought it in for you." Melissa didn't notice his subtle change in expression at all, and said casually, "This should not be sent to me by any of my friends, and Benson also said it's not his letter." "
After all, we have only moved a week ago, and I haven't even had time to report the change of address to the company. Haha, you all know that the trade industry has been a little tense recently."
Benson walked out of the kitchen, wiping his freshly washed hands, touching his head and smiling.
The hairline on his head seemed to be receding at a speed visible to the naked eye.
During the conversation between his siblings, Klein regained his composure and turned the letter to the front with a wax seal. The wax seal emblem was bright red, composed of many twisted and winding lines, which made him inexplicably think of countless poisonous snakes coiled together and spitting out their tongues.
He held up the envelope and held the front and back of the envelope up to the living room light, but found no traces of ink.
In other words, there was neither a signature nor an address on the letter.
This letter may be sent to Alice.
Klein had this hunch.
But the question is, who delivered this letter to his house? Who knew that Alice was hiding in the house at 2 Daffodil Street?
...A witch's power? A witch sect whose name he could only know with his authority?
Or is there some mysterious organization that he doesn't know about yet?
In any case, this letter, which exudes weirdness everywhere and gave him a spiritual warning as soon as he received it, definitely has a big problem.
Klein took a breath calmly, put the letter away, and turned back to smile at Melissa and Benson.
"This should be for me. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you that something urgent happened at the company tonight, so I was notified to bring the documents over, so you don't have to wait for me for dinner later."
Melissa looked up after hearing this and gave Klein, who had just returned from outside, a strange look.
"But aren't you on a day off today?"
Sister, please don't be so sensitive. He just wants to quickly send this "time bomb" in his hand to the Nighthawks!
Klein pretended to be calm and answered her calmly:
"It was an emergency notice. I just remembered that I left the proof of an important document at home when I was called out."
After several explanations, he finally dispelled Melissa's doubts. Then Klein heard Benson sigh:
"It seems that behind the generous salary, Klein, you have to work hard. You have to report to the company on your day off..."
For the sake of his life, there is nothing he can do.
Klein forced a smile, rushed back upstairs, pretended to look through some so-called "important information," and then hurried out the door. On the way, he even looked around nervously for a long time, making sure that he did not see the witch, and then he got on the public carriage with the strange letter in his pocket.
During the journey, Klein kept his mind functioning and calmly found reasons for his actions.
As for the Night Watchmen, he decided to just hide the existence of Alice, report the spiritual warning he felt when he touched the letter and the strangeness of the envelope itself to the captain, and then leave it to him to make the decision; as for Alice, he could say that the letter itself was too strange, and he was worried that it would bring danger, so he went out to inform the police.
——Well, the Nighthawks were already registered with the police station, so he wasn't lying.
After finding a way out for himself, Klein relaxed a little. At this moment, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his identity as a Beyonder for a moment, and he didn't even use divination to make a final confirmation on the letter, and hurriedly ran out of the house.
What a misstep... Or rather, he subconsciously didn't want to stay at home for too long in order to avoid running into Alice who was coming home in the evening.
He was totally unprepared to face her.
It's okay, it's not too late to confirm now.
Comforting himself in this way, Klein took out the letter from his coat pocket while the other passengers in the carriage were not paying attention. He loosened the pendulum chain wrapped around his left sleeve and was about to perform divination.
But when he saw clearly the "letter" he took out of his pocket, he was stunned.
What he was holding in his hand was not the dark and strange anonymous letter, but a promotional poster that could be seen everywhere!
There was a blurry black-and-white photo printed on it, which seemed to be a photo of a circus performance. At the bottom, there were a few lines of words printed in fancy and exaggerated fonts, marking the starting time and number of the circus performances, as well as the ticket prices.
Klein took a closer look and found that this was even an expired promotion from last weekend!
——Why did this happen?
He couldn't have remembered it wrongly, he definitely went out with the letter. If something really changed on the way out, causing the letter in his hand to be replaced by an expired poster on the roadside, then there is only one explanation.
He encountered extraordinary events.
Some extraordinary power that was higher than his level took away the letter in his hand!
And the destination of that letter would only be--
...Oh no, Melissa and Benson, they are both at home!
Klein suddenly became alert and hurriedly stopped the carriage. He didn't even bother to ask the toll collector for his fare. He got off the carriage and ran in the direction he came from.
Fortunately, he woke up in time and realized something was wrong not long after he got on the carriage. So after just a few minutes of running, Klein returned to the street in front of his house, exhausted and out of breath.
No, my physical fitness is really too poor. What if I encounter an accident and can't even run?
With this thought in mind, Klein barely supported his exhausted body and raised his hand to open the mailbox at the door.
A pitch-black letter with a bright red wax seal lay there quietly.Klein did not choose to go in immediately. Instead, he picked up the strange letter and began his own attempt.
He took the letter and walked away from home.
Sure enough, when he arrived at another nearby block, the letter in his hand disappeared without warning, and was replaced by a crumpled issue of the Tingen Honest Man's Newspaper, which happened to contain a promotional announcement for a department store, dated two weeks ago.
Klein then returned to his front door, opened the mailbox, and saw the familiar letter again. He took it out and headed in another direction.
After repeating this process several times, Klein determined the maximum distance for the letter to "disappear" and return to his mailbox based on his own steps.
About one thousand meters.
But understanding the "automatic return distance" of the letter did not help at all. On the contrary, every time he approached the limit distance of one thousand meters, Klein would tap his brows to activate his spiritual vision, trying to find out the truth about the "instant disappearance" of the letter, but every attempt ended in failure.
There was nothing unusual within the range of his spiritual vision, nor did he see any possible "porters". There were only black letters that suddenly disappeared and junk advertisements that randomly appeared in his hands.
In addition to the expired circus posters and the department store discount promotions from last week, Klein once got a copy of the Rosen Folk Herb Shop, a store he had just heard of in the afternoon.
The text on it praised the herbalist's main product—a kind of powder that was said to be highly sought after among the nobles—so highly that Klein couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Finally he looked at the price, which was a full 10 pounds, so he cursed it as a robbery and put the rubbish back into his pocket.
...There was no other way. There were no public trash cans on the streets of Tingen City. He felt embarrassed to litter, so he could only put these junk in his pocket and prepare to throw them into the trash can in his room when he got home.
...I'm really not interested in that disgusting strange powder! He swore!
When Klein finally dealt with the strange letter at a suitable distance and returned to his doorstep, he was exhausted.
If this world also had a step count ranking list, I would definitely be able to rank first today...
Klein sighed in his heart and silently raised his hand to touch his empty stomach. He felt so hungry that he could eat a cow.
Unfortunately, there would be no such thing on his dining table. He could only pray that Melissa or Benson had left some leftovers for him, which he could just heat up and eat.
Otherwise he would have to cook with a rumbling stomach...that would be too miserable.
After taking out his key and opening the door, Klein weakly greeted Benson and Melissa in the living room, changed his shoes, and moved step by step to the kitchen.
Bread, soup, stew... He silently recalled Benson's cooking skills and finally decided to give up describing it. As long as he could eat his fill, it was fine.
"Klein, when you finish your meal, remember to come over here."
He heard Melissa say this outside the kitchen.
After almost wolfing down the leftovers and bread in the kitchen, Klein washed the pots and bowls with a little satisfaction, and wiped his hands and face. He finally felt alive again.
Alas, it would be even more perfect if I could have a cup of Mrs. Wendy's sweet iced tea after the meal -
Klein, who is a sweet lover by nature, thought regretfully.
Back in the living room, Benson and Melissa were still concentrating on their studies. Klein didn't see the witch lady, so he walked to his sister with a sense of determination.
"Melissa, what's up?"
"For you."
Melissa seemed to be concentrating on an exercise assigned by school, and without raising her head, she gestured in the direction of the other side of the dining table.
Klein had noticed the paper bag on the table earlier.
After hearing what Melissa said, he went over and opened it with a smile. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a beautifully packaged Intis-style dessert, a shell cake, and there seemed to be a drink attached to it. But before he could thank Melissa for her rare thoughtfulness, the smile on Klein's face froze.
"Miss Alice brought some snacks back today. Benson and I have already eaten them. This is what she brought to you."
Melissa finished marking the last punctuation mark of the answer on the exercise book, then put down her pen and turned to look at Klein, who looked a little dazed.
"Ah... Oh! She, she's back?" Klein was a beat late and his reply was irrelevant.
Melissa looked at him suspiciously, feeling that something was not right with Klein today. But what needs to be said still needs to be said, otherwise, with her stupid brother's slowness, he will not be able to take the initiative in the relationship!
Melissa made up her mind and motioned for him to sit opposite her. At the same time, she closed the exercise book in her hand, with a serious expression on her childish face.
"Klein, you weren't here at dinner time today, so I don't know—"
Listening to Melissa's speech, Klein subconsciously became nervous.
"Miss Alice said she found a job with decent pay. Today was her first day at work, and the tips she received were enough to cover the expenses of three snacks and drinks..."
...Ah?
Klein was a little dumbfounded. He suspected that he had heard it wrong, or that he was hard of hearing at such a young age.
Who? Got a job?
Alice?! That witch?! !
"Klein? Are you listening?" Melissa noticed that he seemed to be daydreaming, so she stopped her story and looked at him with a little concern, "...Are you too tired from work? How about we talk about this tomorrow when you have rested well?"
Tomorrow? How can that be possible! Any change in the witch Alice may lead to unpredictable consequences!
Besides, what kind of job can a witch of joy find? Can she play a role that brings joy to others?
Forcing himself to stop the increasingly strange imagination in his mind, Klein cheered up and said with a forced smile:
"No, I'm fine. Go on. Alice is going out to work... This is a good thing."
At least she has a normal source of income, and he has the courage to ask this witch who eats and lives for free for food and accommodation.
As for whether you can get it or not, that depends on the situation.
"...Or is there something wrong with her job?"
Seeing his sister Melissa's hesitant expression, Klein could only think in this direction.
...Is it really the kind of job he thought, not suitable for detailed description in works for all ages?
"No, it's not a problem... not really." Melissa shook her head and exhaled slowly, "It's a very good job, working hours are from 10 am to 6 pm, three days off a week, weekly salary 2 pounds 10 soli, if you count the tips from the guests, it's more..."
Working four days a week, there is an income of 2 pounds 10 soli, plus tips...
With the rough impression in his mind, Klein quickly estimated the price of the shell cake and drinks in the paper bag, and then multiplied it by three.
Hiss, this income seems to be higher than his 3 pounds weekly salary? And although the working hours are slightly longer than his, he can only rest one day a week...
Klein pretended not to be envious, took out the desserts and drinks in the paper bag, and asked:
"That, that's good, so Melissa, what do you want to say?"
"...Miss Alice's job is indeed a good job, but... her employer is not that good." Melissa seemed a little embarrassed to ask, and turned to ask Klein, "Do you know Sir Deville?"
"Sir Deville? The one mentioned before, who founded the 'Trust Company' to provide cheap rental housing for low-level workers?"
Because he had done a lot of preparation when renting the house, Klein remembered the name all at once - of course, this was also because he and Old Neil picked up each other's wallets a few days ago.
For now, he still has a certain degree of recognition for this philanthropic gentleman.
The 30 pounds that the other party generously gave to old Neil is a good proof of this.
Melissa said:
"Of course, I know you want to ask. He is a good gentleman. We don't need to worry about Miss Alice, right?... But Sir Deville's charity and kindness cannot prove that the lord's only child has inherited these good qualities!"
"...Her employer is little Deville?"
Klein, who was about to swallow the cake in his mouth, was stunned when he heard this.
At this time, Benson, who seemed to be curled up on the sofa and reading an accounting book carefully, couldn't help but join the topic. He coughed lightly and began to explain: "
Ms. Danielle Deville, the only daughter of the good knight, runs a coffee shop that caters to the middle-class consumption level... Of course, Melissa's statement is somewhat exaggerated. I personally think that things of that extent are not morally corrupt..."
"If something similar happened to Miss Alice, Benson, would you make the same comment?"
Melissa shook her head, as if she didn't agree with Benson's opinion.
Benson seemed to be speechless for a moment. After a long while, he touched his forehead and replied:
"That's different... At least, at least Ms. Danielle never forces others. Whether it's dating or other things, those girls are all willing."
"Then why don't you mention that Ms. Deville has changed seven girlfriends from January this year to now?" Melissa raised an objection.
"This only proves that she is more amorous... This should not be a big deal among those people who come from wealthy families, right? At least it's better than those curly-haired baboons who only know how to squander money... No, those who only know how to waste are not even as good as curly-haired baboons!... Wait, Melissa, how do you know so much? You even know how many girlfriends Ms. Danielle has had from the beginning of the year to now?" "
It's not me who knows, it's Selina. Apart from those weird mystical knowledge, she is also interested in the gossip about these 'upper class' people."
...
While Benson and Melissa were arguing, Klein took a sip of the sweet iced tea, pinched his brows, and searched for similar keywords from the original owner's memory fragments.
Danielle, Deville Café, Howers Street District... Hmm, I think I have some impression of them.
It seemed to be a high-end, high-consumption theme cafe.
Yes, that's right, theme cafe, this term seems to have been "invented" by Emperor Roselle.
Thanks to the original owner's classmate Welch McGowan who has unfortunately passed away, the original owner seemed to have the opportunity to go in and experience the sinful life of the middle class.
But unfortunately, the original owner, who was an introvert and nerdy person, was only impressed by the coffee and its price there, and could not remember anything else - according to the prices on the cafe menu, even the cheapest small cup of Southwell coffee would cost 2 soli and 5 pence.
If the same money was used to buy groceries and cook them yourself, it would be enough for the original owner's family of three siblings to have a full meal.
While lamenting the evil class society and listening to the conversation between Benson and Melissa, Klein finally pieced together the outline of the core issue.
To sum up, Alice found a job in the cafe owned by Ms. Danielle Deville. As for Ms. Danielle, the owner of the cafe, she seems to like women, and she is quite amorous and a bit philandering...
Well, Melissa is worried that Alice, who works at the cafe, will be favored by Ms. Danielle, the boss, and get into trouble? Or that she will develop lesbian tendencies and leave him and run away with someone else?
If Alice is really an innocent girl who could be deceived by someone, Klein might still worry about her, but in reality... just pray that the amorous Ms. Danielle doesn't get deceived by this witch.
"So what kind of cafe is that?" Klein was a little worried, but more of a curiosity.
Perhaps the witch chose to work in that cafe out of consideration for acting, to get "pleasure"?
...For some reason, the more Klein thought about it, the more he felt that it was not a decent place.
After hearing his question, the brother and sister stopped arguing, and finally Benson answered Klein's doubts.
"Maid cafes. The waitresses there dress like maids to serve customers."
Klein's mouth twitched. He felt that this answer was not surprising at all.
"However, I heard that the waitresses who apply for the job really do receive training courses to become professional maids."
Melissa added that Ms. Deville claimed that one of her original intentions in opening this cafe was to help middle and lower class women improve their self-worth and allow women from less well-off backgrounds to be influenced by upper-class culture. Even better, if an employee performs well, he or she may have the opportunity to be recommended by Ms. Deville and go to a real upper-class family to serve the bigwigs.
It sounds good, but it's hard to say how it actually works...
Klein just shook his head slightly and reached out to touch the paper bag, but found nothing. He took a quick glance and noticed that the piece of shell cake he had just eaten was the last piece of the snack.
...Forget it, it won't matter after he finishes eating it. The witch wouldn't poison the snack to death, would she? If she poisoned him, who would she turn to for "happiness"?
Klein thought silently and took another sip of the sweet drink.