"You look like you saw a ghost. Sober for once...oh, I guess not." Xio Derecha paused and sighed, seeing a mug of bear in her friend's hand.
Xio Derecha was Williams' friend. And Williams had helped Xio out in numerous situations when she newly arrived in Backlund. She was able to gain a quick foothold in Backlund's East Borough, all thanks to his help, so she had always wanted him to be better off.
Kiyotaka avoided eye contact and looked at the pale blue eyes staring back at him from the liquid's surface. The liquid rippled as Xio sat by the chair beside him and tapped her fingers on the table.
"Care for a drink?" Without looking at her, Kiyotaka tried to speak in a cadence that mostly resembled Williams but kept a level of flatness to it. After all, he didn't want to speak in a way that wasn't his own style for extended periods of time, and it was best to incorporate a little bit of his own touch to it.
"You really want me to drink?" Xio looked at him in a baffled manner.
Suddenly, a core memory hit Kiyotaka from Williams. Xio would get really violent while drinking and would force others to stop drinking. It was really problematic.
"No, I suppose I don't." Kiyotaka tried to muster up a guffaw, or at least a nervous laugh, but in the end he subconsciously didn't. While it was preferable, his brain decided it wasn't a necessity that needed to be fulfilled and hence refused to perform the action.
"Good." Xio smiled a little. From the corner of her eye, she sized Williams up before talking. "You look much more sober than before. And you are not finishing your glass. Are you really trying to...?" Xio let her words wander, her tone conveying the full meaning.
Kiyotaka exhaled, his fingers around the handle of the half-full mug. He could tell from the memories that Williams, while being "almost" beyond saving, wasn't completely irredeemable. "I try. My best." He paused, and then pursed his lips, trying to come up with something less serious. "It is quite hard to not love the taste of this beauty though."
Xio smiled, once again, her small frame hunching over the counter as she laid her arms on it and then her chin over her arms. "At least you are trying. That makes me happy." She turned her face towards Williams and beamed.
Kiyotaka sighed inwardly. 'She doesn't seem suspicious at all.'
"As I said, I try." Kiyotaka repeated.
"Good effort. If you continue to do so, maybe in a years' time you'll be able to get married, have a child. It would be nice, right?" She looked at Williams, her tone persuading. "To come home to a warm meal and share the warmth with someone at night. It could be your own little heaven."
Kiyotaka felt the corner of his lip twitch. "I can't get married and have a child in a single year. Besides, I am not sure if I am fit for that."
Xio looked at Williams for a long moment, before realizing something. Her shoulders drooped and she patted Kiyotaka's knee. "It's fine. You can always adopt one. There are many nobles who have gone bankrupt and are even resorting to selling their young ones. You can contribute a little by adopting someone from the East Borough as well, or those homeless people. They have quite a lot of children as well!"
Kiyotaka sighed. Xio had interpreted his "I am not fit" in a wrong manner and had gone down a completely different tangent.
He was going to clarify himself but decided not to. It was simply too much of a task when his memories related to Williams were hazy and he was still recovering quite a lot of them. Instead of correcting and adding context to his previous statements, he added. "There is also the matter of my income being unable to support me. The amount of money I earn is enough for only me to live comfortably."
"I have seen people live with 7 Solis and 6 Pences a week with a family of four. They have a roof over their head and modestly full bellies. They live a life of comfort in each other's embrace."
Kiyotaka was a little confused. Not in a traditional sense, but rather his confusion stemmed into the absurdity of the thinking model of Xio Derecha—or rather, this world as a whole. "Is that all there is to our lives? Living in misery while compromising on each and everything and then just simply...dying?"
Xio was a little taken aback. Not because she didn't have an answer to that, but rather the way Williams talked. "There is a difference between living and just merely existing."
Xio sighed and then bit her lip. The two of them sat in silence for a long moment before she spoke again, leaving the topic of his marriage behind. She had gotten an impression that Williams could take care of himself and didn't need to marry if he could just leave his drinking habits. Somehow, a sober Williams seemed very responsible and trustworthy to her. "How are you holding up these days?"
"Alive." Kiyotaka ruminated before speaking again. "How have you been?"
Xio chuckled which surprised Kiyotaka but nonetheless, he kept his gaze down. "I can tell that much. As for the latter, it has not been too good, honestly. While Backlund is crawling with crime—thieves, frauds, you name it—but good, weighty bounties are scarce. Been chasing crumbs for weeks. It is very frustrating."
Kiyotaka looked at his reflection. 'It is true that Backlund would be full of opportunities as well as crimes. It resembles the position back on Earth. Countries with good developments, opportunities, work benefits and wide assortments of industries attract immigrants from all over the world. And just like many things, there are good ones, and the troublesome ones.'
'Backlund might be suffering from something like that as well. Since this is a medieval era, even wars can be initiated over it. In places like these, all kinds of crimes can easily take birth. And due to crimes rising, jobs like Lawyers, Police and Bounty Hunters would be in high demand.'
'That said there is never a shortage of talent supply, especially when people from all over the world, or in this case, all over the Loen Kingdom come here to somehow change their fate. Most of the time, the most in-demand job fields are over-saturated with people. This girl—Xio must be in the same predicament. Since Bounty Hunts can help The Police department, there must be heavy rewards.'
'But since this is a job that requires skills that have no need for regulated or certified skills, unlike the Analyst and Lawyer roles, Xio would have to face a lot of competition.'
"It must be tough. Any big targets lately?" Kiyotaka tried to keep his tone casual. He gulped a dry lump of saliva and hungrily stared at his cup. He wanted to take another sip but refrained from doing so and tried to not depend on it.
"Not much. I heard a whisper about some odd job. There are suspicions of an investor from Tingen. He has a lackey. The MI9 is looking for both of them, but so far there have been no leads."
Kiyotaka felt a little bit of interest, but not enough to do it. "How much is the offer?"
Xio looked at him and smiled. "Are you interested?"
Kiyotaka shrugged. "Depends. If it buys me enough beer."
Xio rolled her eyes. "Williams. For God's sake...and here I thought you were kind of redeeming yourself."
'I suppose I need to make my humor a bit more apparent.' Kiyotaka looked at her. "I was merely joking."
Xio snorted. "Well, whatever. I can only suggest things. It's not like I am your wife or mother. Anyways, the MI9 is offering 8 pounds for any amount of intel on them. More, if we can help them arrest the investor or his lackey."
"Of course, even if you, or I, or both of us help them, we won't be splitting £8 amongst each other. Since I was not the one who personally got the commission from MI9. One of my close associates who is also a detective got the commission from MI9 and has asked for my help in the matter."
"So, what do you think?"
'Offering £8 is quite generous, given this world's system. That said, after taking out contributions of the detective, and any other contributors, since detectives have a chain of other informants and spies, I would barely even get £1. While something is better than nothing, I am sure The Investor would have a lot of means at his disposal to protect himself.'
'This body is weak, and heavily reliant on alcohol. Just spending 2 hours without it initiates withdrawals. While the body has a decent enough height and a sufficeable weight, the posture is hunched and there is not much mind-muscle coordination. The only thing I have is a revolver. I would most likely get killed.'
Xio who stared at Williams being absorbed in his thoughts, sipped from her glass of cold water and let out a content breath. "Well, I will leave you to think about it. You do not have to accept it. I only told you since you have connections to a lot of gangs here in Backlund, so you could benefit from it. That said..." She paused, and Kiyotaka fully diverted his attention towards her, "...get your life under control. I know you don't like the idea of living for someone else, but as you said, drinking yourself to sleep is not all there is to life."
Xio adjusted her coat and moved through the crowd, her extremely small frame disappearing in the crowd.
'The real Williams would've appreciated your suggestion, I suppose.' Kiyotaka ruminated before looking at the half-full cup. He gulped, and every inch of his body told him to drink it. But instead, he suddenly stood up, left a few pennies as payment and left.
Now that the lingering anxiety was gone, Kiyotaka could focus more on what to do moving forward. While the current job of being an Informant and a part-time Bounty Hunter was profitable, and had a huge earning potential, Kiyotaka had just arrived in this world. It was his first day.
Engaging in such dangerous activities was certainly harmful. There were quite a bit of other strange things as well that Kiyotaka noticed quite later on. For example: his language. He was not speaking any language that he could remember. It was only after ruminating over the topic that he realized that it was a variation of Ancient Feysac.
'Honestly, this place feels oddly like Victorian Era Great Britain. From the gas lamps littering the sides of the roads and streets, the design of the carriages, architecture, infrastructure, dressing style—everything.'
'It is entirely possible that I have reincarnated—no, transmigrated into the Steampunk Era of Great Britain. There is also this very hidden memory of The Supernatural in Williams' memories. Something...no, some people called Beyonders. While there is not sufficient information on Beyonders in his memories, they are people who have the so-called "supernatural" powers.'
'This does align with my initial hypothesis of me being in the past rather than in a totally another world. The knowledge of Supernatural also aligns with the Victorian Era records as it was predominant in all kinds of circles.'
'They ranged from poor Spiritualists and Romani Gypsies doing palm reading, fortune telling and practicing folk magic to even the elites where they had strong fascination with the occult where they attended many séances or joined occult societies like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.'
As Kiyotaka was walking, he coughed loudly.
While Backlund was full of earning prospects, it still had one of the largest percentages of the population suffering from homelessness and the quality of life was horrendous. The pollution had gotten so bad that most of the time of the year, it was hard to differentiate between night and day.
'Back to the money problem. I really need a rather less dangerous job to pick up. Something that pays well and I can exploit it using my knowledge of the future.'
Kiyotaka ruminated over different career prospects as he pried into Williams' memories. 'The most basic one is to become a Clerk. One can become a Clerk with just 1-2 week formal training from Backlund Municipal Office. The work it involved was learning single-entry ledgers, filing, and Loenese forms under a senior clerk. No formal exam, but a 1-hour practical assessment like sorting records is required. I can earn around 2 pounds max, per week.'
'While it is quite easy to start given how it only requires basic literacy and numeracy, there is a fierce competition on the slots.'
Kiyotaka ruminated. 'The ease will definitely draw a giant crowd. Too many hands for too few coins. It's a steppingstone, but I'd be trapped in mediocrity. And I would like my new life to be half-decent.'
After a moment, he rejected the idea.
Another option immediately provided itself in his head. These were the professions that paid a lot and were talked about quite a bit in Williams' circles. And even though it was in high demand, there were too few people to do it. It was because the jobs that came to his mind were extremely hard to pass.
The first was to become a Royal Solicitor. The exam was held by LSRA, Loen Solicitors' Regulatory Authority. It held around 8 exams which were held biannually.
'The exams include Loen Civil Law, Contract Law, Commercial Law, Regulatory Compliance, Advanced Advocacy, Property Transactions, Evidence and Procedure and Client Relations. The earning potential for a newly qualified Royal Solicitor can range from £7 to £8 a week if associated with a Law Firm. Even if one works independently, they can earn in the same range or multiple times over, depending on the client.'
'That is not bad, considering £400 plus yearly salary falls into a Medium-Class household income. And I am a single person who is not thinking of starting a family, at least for a long while from now. I won't need that much money anyways. There is also a potential to get bonuses of around £50 to £100 a year, based on Clients' generosity. Although the amount for all exams would total to £3.'
'I currently have £4. I can give the exam but that would leave me almost nothing to survive on as I won't get jobs immediately after the exam. The result takes 1 month to arrive...Well, there is also the option of becoming an Analyst or an Accountant.'
'Since the Loen Kingdom has its own RCAA - Royal Chartered Accountant and Analyst - I can peruse that as well. And contrary to the Solicitor exams, it has two scenario-based case-studies, each comprising of 500 marks. And the cost of each exam is no more than £1. The results come out in 15 days. It is much quicker than the Solicitor exam as it has a passing ratio of 0.5%, and hence not many people attempt it, unless they already have enough experience as a Clerk.'
Kiyotaka sighed as he looked over at the river that was near to the Empress Borough—The Tussock River. The biggest river in the Loen Kingdom was the Tussock River, coming down from the northwest where the Mirminsk mountain was. It flowed towards the southeast, passing by the Midseashire, Awwa County, and then passing through the capital, and into the sea near Pritz Harbor.
Suddenly, a man arrived from behind him. He had long, golden and curly hair that was rested messily on his broad forehead and kind, warm blue eyes. The man, due to his dense blonde beard, looked old but Kiyotaka could tell he was relatively young.
He approached Kiyotaka and smiled warmly. "Good evening."
Kiyotaka bowed slightly. This surprised him, as if his body had instinctively bowed in veiled fear. However, his tone remained bland, almost overshadowing the tremble in it. Straightening his back, but keeping his eyes down, he shivered and managed to speak: "Good evening. Can I help you?"
The man smiled again. "Is there something troubling you?"
Kiyotaka had a slight premonition as he ruminated over the man's words. They felt sincere, but there was a queasy feeling in the back of his head. However, through the miasma of broken memories and reeling withdrawals, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Nothing..." As Kiyotaka spoke, he felt something crunch in his hand. He looked down and saw a pamphlet between his fingers. It was related to a firm looking for newly qualified Accountants.
'I do not remember having this...I never picked it up nor did anyone hand it to me. What's happening?'
Kiyotaka was confused. It was a feeling he wasn't much used to. It did not scare him, but it certainly made him extremely uneasy. He felt as if he had fallen into a pit.
Shaking his head slightly, he looked up at the man who was smiling decorously.
"Are you looking for a job? Are you a fresh graduate?"
Kiyotaka kept his gaze low. His body refused to look the man in his eyes, so he kept his gaze at the man's knees. He moved his lips to form a 'no,' but suddenly, he spoke: "Yes" instead.
'What...what do you mean '"yes"? Why did I say that?'
The golden-haired man smiled. "Well, make sure to arrive by 7 am at 2 King's Avenue, Royal Museum. We are an old Security Company and would love for an Accountant to be a part of our organization. Of course, you would be well compensated. Due to various reasons, we need to bond with an Accountant who can control our costs and make good budgets."
"Of course, we would not restrict your freedom, and you are allowed to have other clients, as long as it doesn't clash with our interests."
Kiyotaka wanted to refuse but his instincts told him not to. However, Kiyotaka had some qualms to it. Regardless, he replied: "7 am, yes? I will be there."
The man raised his half-top hat and turned around, walking away.
Kiyotaka sighed and decided on giving the RICA exam and get his License as soon as possible.
'However, that doesn't mean I have to join whatever security company he is trying to rope me into. Firstly, the appearance of that pamphlet in my hand was really suspicious. Secondly, the man appeared before or as soon as I got it. Could it be possible that he was the one who did it...but how?'
'Is the presence of Supernatural powers a real thing in this world? Really? Because I was really aware of myself and my surroundings. There is no way that I could happen to grab it and not notice it. Not to mention, the terrifying feeling that I felt when the man met me.'
'This is very strange. And no doubt, dangerous. I do not know what problems I could face if I went to meet the man tomorrow...hmm, but if they are capable of exerting pressure like that, or fool my senses, then not going there could just exacerbate the situation.'
'My head hurts so much...I should probably eat some food and then get some rest. I will think about going there tomorrow, once I have a clear head. If, I have a clear head. Because I am not sure when the withdrawals from not drinking alcohol would subside.'
He turned around and was about to leave when suddenly the smoggy environment around him became darker and grey fog started to envelope him. Kiyotaka looked around and saw that no one else was noticing the strange fog that stilled around him and covered his feet like the stream of a stilled river.
His hand prickled as he looked at his hand.
There was a strange symbol that pulsated a few times before vanishing, just like the strange gray fog.
However, inside his vision, beyond the "physical" eye, he saw a high back chair that was covered in the same Grey Fog as before and a meek man sitting on it. He was thin, and non-domineering. His legs were crossed, and he was prepping himself, like readying oneself for a performance.
The same prickling sensation invaded Kiyotaka once again and he looked down. His hand had the strange symbol once again and it was illuminating with dull red luster.
'What's happening to me...? This isn't normal. Am I hallucinating?'
The man on the high-back, seat of honor chair spoke something that was not directed to Kiyotaka but he heard it regardless. It felt like he was eavesdropping.
"Prepare for the meeting."
'Prepare for the meeting? Hmm...'
There wasn't much Kiyotaka could think in this situation. He turned around and ran as quickly as he could to his apartment. Thankfully, there was no one in his apartment at the moment. He basically had an agreement with another bounty hunter and "Williams" could only be in the apartment from 10 pm to 10 am.
He laid down on the mattress underneath the small window by the southern wall and heaved a deep breath.
'Why is everything around me and about me so bizarre and full of mysteries?'
------------
Author's Note: Honestly, wtf?
I know I was trying to replicate the mysterious tone of LOTM, but fucking hell is it slow. You lot don't deserve to be punished for a whole week, only to be left with so little development.
This makes me anxious. Anyways, here is the next chapter, I guess.