Chapter 353
Finally, the elderly man, with gray hair by his temples, took a sip of tea and sighed with a smile .
"In truth, this is already much better than my previous situation, and it's much better than many of the people here . For instance…"
He pointed out the window to the tramps huddled in a corner .
Klein and Mike looked over and saw a group of cowering tramps lying on the ground in a filthy place that provided shelter from the wind . They were of all sexes and ages .
It was possible for them to never wake up again in the coldness of late autumn .
It was then that Klein noticed an old woman in her sixties standing by the street . Her dress was old and worn, but she was relatively neat, and her hair was neatly trimmed .
The white-haired old lady had the usual tired look of a tramp, but she still persisted in not squeezing together with the group . Instead, she slowly walked by the roadside, occasionally gazing into the coffee shop numbly .
"She's also a pitiful person . " The former tramp who had eaten the leftover black bread also noticed the old lady and sighed, "She was said to have led quite a good life in the past . Her husband was a grain merchant and had a very spirited child, but unfortunately, he went bankrupt and her husband and child died not long after . She's different from us, really, and you can tell at a glance… Sigh, she won't be able to hold on much longer, unless she's lucky to be admitted into the workhouse every time . "
As he listened, Mike's expression changed from quiet to somber . He slowly let out a sigh and said, "I want to interview her . Can you invite her for me? She can eat and drink whatever she wants here . "
The man wasn't surprised by this request . He merely looked at Klein and Mike separately, as if to say: "the both of you are indeed colleagues . "
"Yes, I'm sure she would like that . " He drank his tea, got up, and walked out of the greasy coffee shop .
Not long after, the elderly woman in her old but tidy dress followed him in . Her pale face slightly lightened thanks to the warmth of the coffee shop .
She continued to tremble, as if she wanted to release the coldness in her body, bit by bit, and absorb the relatively high temperature within the coffee shop . Even after she sat down on the chair, it still took her a full minute before she could truly warm up .
"You can order whatever you want . This is the reward for accepting this interview," Klein spoke on Mike's behalf .
After Mike nodded, the old lady modestly ordered toast, low-quality cream, and coffee . Then she smiled and said, "I heard that one cannot eat greasy food after not having eaten in a while . "
Very polite, very self-restrained, not like a tramp at all… Klein sighed silently .
Before the food arrived, Mike asked casually, "Can you talk about how you became a tramp?"
The old lady revealed a look of reminiscence and said with a bitter smile, "My husband was a grain merchant who mainly bought all kinds of grain from domestic farmers, but we rapidly went bankrupt ever since the Grain Act was repealed .
"He wasn't very young to begin with . After suffering that setback, his body quickly collapsed . Not long after, he passed away .
"My child, a brilliant young man, had been learning the ropes of doing business from his father . He couldn't suffer the blow, and he ended up jumping into the Tussock River on a moonless night .
"His first suicide didn't work . He was sent to the magistrate's court, and the police and judges were very impatient, feeling that he was wasting their time .
"If you want to commit suicide, please do so quietly and successfully . Don't trouble us… Yes, that was probably what they wanted to say, but they found it too direct .
"My child was put in prison . Not long after, he committed suicide for the second time and succeeded . "
The old lady spoke very calmly, as though it wasn't something that had happened to her .
But for some reason, Klein felt a deep sense of sorrow .
Nothing is more lamentable than a dead heart… He suddenly recalled the saying he had heard in his previous life .
In this world, suicide was not only prohibited by the Churches, but it was a punishable crime .
As for the reason, Klein knew very well why . First of all, many suicides were committed by jumping into a river, and without being discovered in time, there was a certain probability of them turning into a water ghost . Second, the suicider often had very abnormal emotions . Thus, under such states, ending their lives was equivalent to a sacrificial offering which could resonate with particular strange and terrifying existences .
Thus, their corpses and certain objects that were around after them after their deaths would carry strange curses that harmed others .
This was probably where the Misfortune Cloth Puppet behind Tingen City's Chanis Gate came from .
Therefore, the seven Orthodox Churches forbade their believers from committing suicide through their own doctrine, and the royal family also promoted the corresponding legislation .
Of course, this seemed ridiculous to Klein . How could a suicider be afraid of punishment by the law?
While Mike was taking notes, he was about to say something when the owner of the coffee shop brought the food over .
"Fill your stomach first, we'll talk later . " Mike pointed to the toast .
"Alright . " The old lady ate the food in small bites, appearing very cultured .
Having not ordered much, she quickly finished her meal .
After reluctantly drinking the last mouthful of coffee, she rubbed her temples and pleaded, "Can I get some sleep first? It's too cold outside . "
"No problem," Mike answered without hesitation .
The old lady thanked him gratefully a few times before she sat down on the chair and curled up into a ball as she fell asleep .
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