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Chapter 815: After-action review

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Backlund, 160 Böklund Street.

Gehrman Sparrow's figure suddenly appeared inside his bedroom as his black trench coat fluttered while his half top hat remained straight.

The Dwayne Dantès lying in bed immediately turned incorporeal, receding into a palm-sized mirror.

Probably no one came tonight. Arrodes didn't cause any trouble… Upon seeing the peace and quiet, Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief as his body grew a lot taller and his sideburns turned gray. His blue eyes deepened as he transformed into Dwayne Dantès.

Meanwhile, watery waves stirred in the mirror as silver light gathered to outline words:

"Great Master, I didn't do anything today! No, I seriously acted as the sleeping Dwayne Dantès.

"In addition, I encountered something. Do you wish to know what it was?"

Ignoring Arrodes's desire to be praised in its first sentence, Klein felt his heart skip a beat. As he took off his hat and threw it on the reclining chair beside him, he said in a deep voice, "Tell me."

The words on the mirror disintegrated and squirmed into new text.

"A lady peeped into this house when she was walking past this street."

How does that matter? There are plenty of people who admire the surroundings when passing by every day… Klein was just about to say something when the aqueous light stirred on the mirror's surface, outlining a figure.

The person was dressed quite oddly in the eyes of normal people. She wore a spirit medium's black robe. Her eyeshadow and blush were blue. She looked beautiful, but she also had an uncanny appearance. She was none other than Daly Simone.

This lady had turned her head to look out as she passed by Unit 160 while on a carriage moving down Böklund Street. She had stared out for more than three seconds.

Man, she not only had an impression of Dwayne Dantès because of his eyes, but she has also grasped something about the situation? Klein frowned slightly and asked, "Anything else?"

"No!" As Arrodes presented the word, it sketched what symbolized a sworn oath.

Klein nodded and ignored the mirror's passion. He then sent it away.

After doing all of this, Klein took out a candle and set up a ritual. He summoned and responded to himself, bringing all the spoils of war and his clothes above the gray fog. He planned on separating Gehrman Sparrow's and Dwayne Dantès's clothes. He didn't wish to miss out on any details in the future.

Pa!

He snapped a finger and made the candlewick burn with a scarlet flame.

Flame.

Flame…

Klein's gaze froze as he quickly closed his eyes and turned around, his back facing the candle.

Then, he controlled Senor to approach the desk.

During this process, Senor's body trembled violently, but he ultimately reached out his right hand to extinguish the fire.

I'll sleep for the night and think about it tomorrow… No, I have the Tyrant card on me, and it has already been activated. Although there's the wall of spirituality to seal it, it might not be able to fully screen out the attraction force from those of the same pathway. It might only weaken its influence and take more time… Back when I was in Bayam, I came and went quickly, without daring to stay too long… Just as Klein calmed down, he thought of certain problems.

A few seconds later, he slowly took a deep breath, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers to light the candle.

Following that, he held back the horror in him as he controlled Senor to take another two candles to set up the sacrificial ritual. This way, it skipped the step of him responding to the summoning for the entrance to the real world via the flame.

After everything was done, Klein turned around with great difficulty as he "piously" lowered his head. Without looking into the candlelight, he seriously chanted the honorific name of The Fool.

Via sheer willpower, to the point of him bursting out in tears, he finally completed the ritual and sacrificed all the items, sending them above the gray fog.

Phew… Klein exhaled, taking four steps counterclockwise, he arrived at the silent mysterious space. Sitting in The Fool's seat, he first picked up the Tyrant card, and he triggered the content hidden within.

The Card of Blasphemy immediately became three-dimensional, like a palm-sized book.

As he flipped through the pages, each page had a Roselle Gustav. He was either playing the role of a sailor, or he was wearing a captain's hat and holding a sextant; otherwise, he was singing loudly with the sea as his background.

Klein was rendered speechless by this sight. He felt increasingly convinced that his fellow Earthling was way too narcissistic.

I'll be really impressed if the Demoness card also uses his image… As Klein lampooned, he read through the corresponding contents, analyzing the Sequence names, ingredients, and rituals of the Storm pathway.

"Sequence 9: Sailor… Sequence 8: Folk of Rage… Sequence 7: Seafarer… Sequence 6: Wind-blessed… Sequence 5: Ocean Songster… Sequence 4: Cataclysmic Interrer… Sequence 3: Sea King… Sequence 2: Calamity… Sequence 1: Thunder God… Sequence 0: Tyrant…

The ritual to become Tyrant, or in other words, the Lord of Storms, is very different from that of the Black Emperor. Firstly, it needs hundreds of thousands of followers to submit and believe in said person out of fear. Secondly, it is to challenge a true deity, in other words, another Sequence 0, and survive. Finally, in this atmosphere of fear and submission, consume the potion to complete the advancement.

This sucks. A Sequence 1 who hasn't experienced a qualitative change is to challenge a Sequence 0 true deity, doesn't that spell almost certain death?… Besides, what if there's no Sequence 0 during that era? Then, wouldn't one need to think of a way to nurture one, or to switch to a neighboring pathway… Of course, the ritual might not be necessary. With enough luck, there's still a chance of succeeding by directly drinking the potion. Sea God Kalvetua was such an example. It didn't even consume a potion but instead an unconcocted Beyonder characteristic…

The core of this ritual is the courage to challenge a deity, with massive feelings of fear and submission?

Hmm, Tyrant doesn't seem to come equipped with the Black Emperor's uniqueness of distorting rules, preventing "Him" from resurrecting from the dead and returning from the void. However, it seems to be able to transform into lightning or light for a short period of time, perhaps capable of creating a planet-level disaster… Emperor Roselle's focus is on the formula and ritual. His description of the Beyonder powers and deity authorities are very vague…

Klein casually summoned a piece of paper that wasn't conjured. Using a fountain pen, he recorded the Cataclysmic Interrer's potion formula and wrote a note in The World Gehrman Sparrow's style of speech.

"Avoid recalling the contents of that picture usually."

This was a warning for The Hanged Man. In the mysterious domain, matters that involved Sequence 0 required caution and carefulness. Care needed to be taken even if it violated common sense.

It didn't mean that seeing and discussing that picture on the primitive island meant that they were safe in the outside world. If they often recalled the matter, there might be a day when they were "lucky" enough to have lightning smite down at them, them suffering from an unresolvable conundrum that killed them with an aneurysm, or them dying from heatstroke from the sun's radiance.

The ritual of the Cataclysmic Interrer is extremely dangerous. It will trigger earthquakes and tsunamis, and the advancer needs to consume the potion in such an environment, holding out until it ends… Klein folded the piece of paper and placed it to the side while putting away the Tyrant card.

After using divination to confirm that the three Beyonder characteristics he obtained were separately the Black Emperor pathway's Sequence 5 Mentor of Confusion, Storm pathway's Sequence 5 Ocean Songster, and Planter pathway's Sequence 5 Druid, Klein finally had the time to recall what had happened during his exploration as he considered the information it hid.

Eternal Blazing Sun is clearly of the Sun pathway, and that City of Silver Creator is also known as the ancient sun god. This can be determined from some of the Fourth Epoch history and the murals of the elves… According to the law of Sequence Beyonder Characteristics Conservation of having no Sequence 1 when there's a Sequence 0, the White Angel back then likely wasn't a King of Angels. But if "He" wasn't a King of Angels, "He" had no right to partake in the feast of the City of Silver Creator. This not only has external elements in play, but it also includes the problem of jumping directly from Sequence 2 to Sequence 0 which has a high chance of losing control!

Either Eternal Blazing Sun had switched pathways to become a god, or the City of Silver Creator's main authority wasn't the Sun. After he defeated the ancient gods, "He" had already allocated parts of his authority to the angels beside him, making "Them" become Kings of Angels. Therefore, the elves' murals and the name that eventually spread had only indicated that "He" once wielded authority over the Sun, and that it wasn't an authority he held the entire time.

There's also another possibility. The Creator, who took over the ancient gods' authorities, had the ability to allow a Sequence 2 of the same pathway to advance to Sequence 1…

Klein's train of thought quickly turned to who had built the cathedral and left behind the mural. Due to the messiness of the various situations, he conjured a piece of goatskin, and he summarized all the points by writing them down to seek out the connection.

"That primitive island was discovered by Qilangos and Mr. Hanged Man…

"Qilangos received a mission from the Twilight Hermit Order. To obtain a priceless item, he headed to Backlund to assassinate Duke Negan, and he ended up dying at Mr. Azik's hands…

"Qilangos told Mr. Hanged Man that deep inside the ruin was a precious item that was in no way worse than Roselle's tarot card, but it was something that could only be obtained at Sequence 5…

"He later obtained Creeping Hunger and became a pirate admiral, with a strength already equivalent to a Sequence 5…

"That Tyrant card remains deep inside the cathedral's catacombs…

"Qilangos didn't make any subsequent attempts? Or did his attempts fail?

"That cathedral was built by an existence who worships the ancient sun god. The mural depicts the dark history of the true deities before the Cataclysm, and is clearly on the ancient sun god's side…

"The Twilight Hermit Order is suspected to be established by the son of God, Adam, with the goal of resurrecting the ancient sun god, the City of Silver Creator…

"That primitive island suddenly disappeared as though it never existed…

"Adam is an Angel of Imagination… Amongst the Twilight Hermit Order's core members, there's at least one angel of the Spectator pathway, Hermes…

"The Twilight Hermit Order tends to select members of the Sailor, Reader, or Sun pathways. It has a high chance of possessing High-Sequence ingredients and items from the Storm domain… There might be angels from the Storm domain in it…"

Klein lowered his pen and looked at the content listed out as he slowly made a guess.

Chapter 816: Completing the Transaction

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After listing down all the important points, Klein rapped the edge of the long mottled table and silently muttered, The one who sighed in the depths of the cathedral is a member of the Twilight Hermit Order?

Qilangos had caught the eye of the Twilight Hermit Order after he managed to venture deep inside? Later, he obtained an advancement and received Creeping Hunger, allowing him to become a Pirate Admiral?

If that's the case, it can be understood why he didn't go to the primitive island again to take away the Tyrant card after possessing the strength of a Sequence 5… It's yours only if it's given. You can't touch it if it's not given?

Of course, Qilangos might've established contact with that member of the Twilight Hermit Order during his second visit of the cathedral after possessing enough combat strength…

Regardless, that primitive island must have quite a connection with the Twilight Hermit Order.

The reason why we arrived at the tomb rather smoothly in the other zones and saw the picture of the Kings of Angels feasting on the Creator was because that Twilight Hermit Order member had the intention of letting us do so? They are happy to let that lost piece of history spread given the chance… However, their depiction of something from their own standpoints might not be the truth as well…

Later, that Twilight Hermit Order member probably sighed because he or she didn't expect us to quickly finish off the awakened deceased bodies and the six-winged gargoyle to obtain the Tyrant card?

With how things normally go, we should've been in danger, and "He" quells everything, talking to us from a distance, making us outer circle members of the Twilight Hermit Order?

Klein carefully used "He" to refer to the existence in the depths of the abandoned cathedral.

He even suspected that the person might be the former King of Angels, son of God, Adam!

Of course, he wasn't certain if the primitive island belonged to the Twilight Hermit Order. He believed that even divination wouldn't give him a certain answer, as there were too many possibilities. It also involved other hidden existences, and any information related to the spirit world would definitely be wiped away or hidden.

If it's really as I guessed, does that mean that I missed the chance of joining the Twilight Hermit Order? If I pass their test, then I might be able to take a glance at the second Blasphemy Slate and obtain the High-Sequence potion formulas of the Seer pathway… What a pity… However, Gehrman Sparrow has a mysterious origin with a secret existence backing him. This is known by the various factions at sea, and as the most ancient and secret organization, the Twilight Hermit Order will definitely be aware of the corresponding situation. The outcome for Gehrman Sparrow would probably be immediate execution and then having answers obtained via spirit channeling… Klein first found it a pity before feeling afraid.

As his thoughts whirred, he even thought of sending The Hanged Man to the primitive island again and seek out an opportunity to make him an outer circle member of the Twilight Hermit Order, so that he could slowly reach its core.

Sigh, but the problem is that the primitive island has vanished… Otherwise, Mr. Hanged Man really has a chance of being a triple, no—a quadruple spy… Klein snapped his fingers and made the paper in front of him disappear, throwing the night's exploration to the back of his mind.

However, he warned himself that he needed to pay attention to the appearances of any abnormalities in his daily life.

He was afraid that it wasn't that the hidden existence deep in the cathedral wasn't able to stop himself and The Hanged Man from escaping, but that "He" had a deeper motive.

If not for the gray fog and him having been "sterilized," Klein even suspected if there were any hidden marks left on him.

Glancing at the items on the table, Klein first flipped the Tyrant card over and placed it beside the Black Emperor card. Following that, he began considering how he would deal with the remaining spoils of war.

He already had plans for the Sequence 5 Druid Beyonder characteristic of the Planter pathway—sell it to Frank Lee via The Hermit Cattleya.

But the problem is whether I want to accelerate the destruction of this world… Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh as he fell into a dilemma.

Allowing a dangerous fellow like Frank Lee to advance to Sequence 5 meant that cows, fish, the sea, and Rose Bishops would be fearful. No one knew what this fellow, who was no better than a lunatic, would achieve in his experiments after obtaining greater powers. It was an unknown what sort of strange species he could create.

What if he plants himself and obtains a bunch of Franks. The world would truly be in danger if that happens… Klein silently exhaled and planned on letting Admiral of Stars vex over this problem.

After all, I'll just be selling the Druid Beyonder characteristic normally. Whether Ma'am Hermit wishes to buy it is up to her… Besides, it's only a Sequence 5. I believe Queen Mystic and the Moses Ascetic Order will support her and be able to ensure nothing goes wrong. Besides, the Church of Mother Earth has a bunch of Saints, Angels, and Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, as well as a true deity. There's nothing they can't handle… As Klein consoled himself, he placed his attention onto the Mentor of Confusion and Ocean Songster Beyonder characteristics.

His initial plan for the latter was to create a mystical item, but he wasn't sure if the Artisan that The Hanged Man knew had the ability to do so. As for the former, he planned on selling it.

Although it could also be made into an item, it overlapped with the Baron of Corruption inside the glove. Besides, Klein also began to realize that having too many mystical items wasn't necessarily a good thing. Particular negative effects were a pain when stacked. With Creeping Hunger and the rentable Leymano's Travels, he believed that it was best if he traveled light most of the time.

Under normal circumstances, Creeping Hunger matched with Death Knell, along with a few Purifying Bullets, it was enough to deal with most matters!

When in a sea or air battle, he could have an additional mystical item made from an Ocean Songster. In complicated situations, he could rent Leymano's Travels when given the opportunity. If there wasn't an opportunity, he could use Groselle's Travels for defense, and throw out the Fate Siphon charm.

And this wasn't considering his own Beyonder powers, Wraith marionette, or the hard-to-use Sea God Scepter!

In terms of fixed assets, I'm considered a true tycoon… Klein sighed as he made the Beyonder characteristics fly to the junk pile.

As for the eyeball of the six-winged gargoyle, this was a material rich in spirituality and had some hint of strangeness. It could be used in a ritual to create charms. Klein temporarily had no better use or requirements for it, so he had already thrown it into the junk pile.

After doing all of this, he disappeared from above the gray fog, and he returned to the real world.

…

On Saturday morning, Fors had originally planned on waking up naturally, but she ended up being awoken by The World's transmission via Mr. Fool.

He was returning Leymano's Travels to her!

Fors rubbed her eyes and planned on directly preparing the ritual, but when she saw her messy hair and puffy eyes, she decided to wash up first to make herself look human.

She had finally sold the two properties yesterday, selling them at a higher price than she had expected. Even after deducting the corresponding taxes, she had received 6,550 pounds.

To her chagrin, gold coins which were used in daily life may appear common, but when she attempted to collect them en masse, she failed to obtain much. After plenty of work, all she got was 600 gold coins.

Phew, I can finally repay the debt and complete the transaction. Fors combed her hair and began setting up the ritual.

Last night, to celebrate her first time accumulating such immense wealth, she secretly drank half a bottle of Lanti and a barrel of Southville beer. This resulted in her waking up in a terrible state.

During the ritual, and after some communication, Fors paid 5,200 pounds and 600 gold coins, closing the assassination commission and receiving an Interrogator Beyonder characteristic.

This way, she still had 2,530 pounds in cash. As for the royalties from her two books, although they weren't much, they were relatively stable.

After a brief wait, Fors saw the Door of Sacrifice and Bestowment light up as two items flew out.

One of them was Leymano's Travels, and the other was a light-blue, translucent hexagonal prism. In it were streaking bolts of lightning.

Mr. World sure has many Beyonder characteristics on hand… Fors sighed silently and first thanked Mr. Fool before ending the ritual to accept the Interrogator's Beyonder characteristic.

Finally, she picked up Leymano's Travels and flipped through it to see what additional Beyonder powers there were.

As the pages flipped over, her gaze suddenly froze. This was because two of the charred yellow pages weren't empty. They were filled with mysterious and strange patterns and symbols.

These represented Beyonder powers at the demigod level!

A total of two pages!

"How extravagant…" Fors couldn't help herself as she muttered.

This was the first time she was seeing a demigod Beyonder power which she could freely use!

As a best-selling author who mainly wrote romance, her first reaction was that The World Gehrman Sparrow was chasing after her.

But thinking back to how they hadn't met before, and how the gentleman was a cold and powerful assassin, she quickly rejected such a guess. She believed that The World Gehrman Sparrow was probably able to receive help from a demigod at any time, so he didn't mind such matters.

Phew, I should try not to use it. I'll let Mr. World use it when he rents it again… Fors exhaled with some fear, completely lacking the guts to take advantage of the terrifying assassin.

After composing herself, she used her crystal ball and identified all the new Beyonder powers. She felt that they were all relatively useful apart from Full Moon.

If I wish to commit suicide, this is quite a useful one… she muttered and closed Leymano's Travels. She planned on giving Xio the Interrogator's Beyonder characteristic when she returned in the evening.

…

At seven in the evening, Klein wore starched clothes as he waited at the foyer with Butler Walter and Valet Richardson to welcome the guests at his ball.

Soon, he saw a familiar face walk over.

Aaron Ceres!

This famous surgeon walked to the main door while helping his pregnant wife.

Pregnant lady… Klein's heart stirred as he walked over with a beaming smile.

Chapter 817: Guests

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As a polite gentleman, Klein obviously wouldn't stare at Aaron's wife. He looked at the famous surgeon and said, "Good evening, Aaron. How may I address your lovely companion?"

Aaron's cold demeanor hadn't changed, but it didn't stop him from handing over an intricately packed bottle of red wine and say with a polite smile, "My wife, Wilma Gladys, a middle school teacher."

"It appears you are about to become a father again. When's it due?" Klein received the present and asked.

The topic he had planned to cover when talking to Dr. Aaron had been about a few new surgery techniques in the papers, but he never expected him to bring his pregnant wife.

This was a pleasant surprise for him. This was because Ma'am Wilma Gladys was expecting the unborn Snake of Mercury, Will Auceptin.

Aaron subconsciously glanced at his wife's tummy and said with a smile, "Early July. If you don't mind, I wish to invite you to his birth party."

Just as he said that, the gentle and beautiful black-haired lady, Wilma, suddenly held her tummy and exclaimed in pain.

"What happened?" Aaron asked in concern.

"He kicked me, but he's calmed down," Wilma said with an eased expression.

She then looked at Dwayne Dantès and smiled.

"Because of my pregnancy, I've been home all the time and haven't been to such balls in a while. Feeling pent up at home, I got Aaron to bring me along. Although I can't dance, I'll be able to chat with the other ladies, and I'll even find some time to play some cards."

"Your presence honors me," Klein sincerely replied. "I will come for his birth party in early July."

He wasn't affected by the tiny accident, as he still remembered Dr. Aaron's invitation.

After exchanging a few words of pleasantries, Klein handed over the gift to his valet, Richardson, and got him to lead his two, no—three guests into the hall.

Without needing to wait too long, he received his second guest. It was Bishop Elektra, who was still wearing his black clergyman robe, and his female partner.

His partner was a lady in her early twenties who still had a little bit of baby fat to her cheeks. She looked at everything with a sense of wonder, and she was filled with energy. However, she had an additional hint of maturity to her due to her already having a child.

"Good evening, Your Excellency. My sleep has recently been excellent," Klein said, feigning ignorance of the Church of Evernight's secret efforts.

Elektra immediately tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion.

"This is a blessing of the Goddess."

He then introduced his female partner.

"She's my wife, Shona Johnson."

As he often visited Dwayne Dantès and had been to his residence several times, he didn't need to prepare any gifts for the ball. It would appear overly polite and too distant.

"Nice to meet you. You are a lot younger than I imagined," Klein greeted Shona half-politely and half-jokingly with a nod.

Meanwhile, he silently did the math.

It's said that the bishop got married two years ago. That means that his wife was only eighteen or nineteen… This age difference is quite huge… In a few years, I might have to introduce a particular chubby Apothecary to him…

Upon hearing Dwayne Dantès's joke, and recalling the conversation back when he visited him while the former was sick, Elektra immediately felt uneasy. He coughed gently and replied, "She's someone who likes a bustle. If she's free, she has no wish to miss any ball."

Klein didn't speak further because he saw Ma'am Mary alight from her carriage and was walking over.

After letting Bishop Elektra and his wife enter the hall, Klein smiled at Mary and said, "Ma'am, perhaps we will be fellow workers next week."

The lawyer and accounting team he hired had completed their investigations and had cleared the Coim Company's audit and said that it was very suitable for investing into. Furthermore, he had already reached a preliminary agreement with the gentleman who was selling the shares. Final confirmation of the sale of 3% shares for 12,800 pounds was to be made next week.

When Mary heard that, she chuckled and said, "I already treat you as a partner."

This seems to have a deeper meaning to it… Don't tell me that Dwayne Dantès has caught your fancy… Klein's heart stirred as he feigned ignorance and reached his hand out.

"I hope for a pleasant partnership."

After a shake of hands, he got Butler Walter to lead the lady in.

At this moment, more and more guests were arriving. Klein recalled the corresponding topics and warmly and humorously received them, receiving plenty of gifts as a result.

If not for my instinctive ability as a Faceless to remember a person's looks and characteristics, I wouldn't be able to tell who is who, much less find the correct topic to raise… It's no wonder that a butler's help is often needed at such times… As Klein was stirring in poignancy, he saw Member of Parliament Macht and his family arrive.

He smiled again and took a step forward.

"Good evening. Today's starry sky is especially beautiful."

Member of Parliament Macht smiled as he handed a bottle of black Rand from some unknown vineyard to him and said, "I've been in Backlund for nearly twenty years, but the number of starry skies I've seen combined cannot even compare to the number I've seen this year."

"I hope there will be more with time." Klein then said to Ma'am Riana, "I heard that the both of you have gotten a boarding school for Miss Hazel?"

Riana looked at her daughter who wore a cold expression despite maintaining a polite smile.

"Boarding school education is becoming increasingly popular. It's the same for females. And most importantly, perhaps Hazel will get to know more friends. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem too happy about this arrangement, as she can't bear to leave us."

In Backlund, boarding schools that targeted females of high society had already grown in popularity. The education they provided might not be better than home tutors, but it created a social circle.

The school fees for such a boarding school like that was about 500 pounds a year.

She probably can't bear to part with the sewers here… Klein lampooned. After a short chat, he let Member of Parliament Macht and family into the hall.

When it was almost time, he didn't wait by the door and instead walked to the second floor. Standing behind the railing that faced the main door, he gestured for the musicians to pause the music.

Holding a cup of champagne, Klein surveyed the surroundings. With all the guests looking at him, he loudly said, "I'm very happy that all of you can grace this ball with your presence. First, I'd like to thank the Goddess, as well as you…

"I've prepared for everyone local music and food from Desi, and I hope you will like it…"

After a simple speech, Klein walked down the stairs to the first floor, in preparation to invite a lady to dance the opening dance.

Typically, a married host would definitely invite his own partner for the opening dance, while unmarried men or women would dance with a relative of the opposite sex, or invite someone they had their eye on, in an alternate form of a blind date. But Dwayne Dantès didn't have any family or any suitable target, so this matter appeared somewhat embarrassing.

However, he had an experienced butler. His butler had hired a socialite of high society, and although dancing the opening dance would result in some rumors, it wouldn't make others believe that they were dating.

Therefore, Klein looked at the lady named Oria without any guilt as he walked towards her.

This lady was a widow who had good relationships with several people in Backlund's high society. She enjoyed quite a status in this circle, but of course, she wasn't well-liked by the ladies. Anyone with a bit of standing looked down on her.

Regardless, Oria's female charms and her bearing was excellent. It was especially so with her figure that had alluring curves. If it wasn't because her looks were only above average, Klein would have suspected that she was a Demoness.

"Ma'am, may I have the pleasure of dancing with you?" Klein followed the teachings of his etiquette teacher, Wahana, and posed flawlessly.

Oria with her blonde hair bun smiled and reached out her hand.

"You are a gentleman that cannot be rejected."

…That sounds ambiguous… Her identity and the role she plays in social settings ensures that she can't act as demure as most ladies and madams… Klein held her hand, entered the dance floor, and began dancing under the tune of a village folk song.

The aristocrats all had land, manors, and castles in the villages, and they spent several months a year there; therefore, folk songs were one of the mainstream songs in high society social events.

"You dance really well. If Wahana hadn't mentioned it before, I wouldn't believe that you weren't able to dance before." Oria deliberately leaned in close. As they moved in step, her breathing could be heard.

As she was a stranger, Klein was a little uneasy by the close distance, but he couldn't push her away while under everyone's gaze, so all he could do was smile.

"I just didn't know how to dance such dances.

"In fact, I'm good at the kind of dances from Desi Bay and the Southern Continent where there's greater freedom."

"I also like those kinds of dances. They are full of strength and passion. It's danced for yourself and not for others." Oria found a topic as she gyrated her body, appearing extremely intimate with Dwayne Dantès.

Towards the end of the opening dance, she said with a suppressed chuckle, "If it wasn't for the rumors, I would even suspect that you don't fancy women because you're a little stiff.

"However, I no longer have any doubts."

As she spoke, she glanced down.

Klein was actually rather embarrassed. She was really good at using her body and words to create a suggestive atmosphere; however, Dwayne Dantès was an experienced man and couldn't admit defeat.

He smiled with a natural expression.

"Stiffness is a result of not being used to Backlund's social scene."

"I can teach you," Oria said with a chuckle.

At that moment, the tune came to an end as she took a step back and winked with a smile.

"You're really passionate."

The words were a double-entendre that left Klein nearly blushing. He even began to suspect if she was related to Demonesses.

He continued wearing a stoic expression as he bent his back into a bow, and he sent Oria back to her spot. Through the corner of his eye, he caught Wilma Gladys, who was pregnant with the Snake of Mercury, walking towards the long table to the side. Her target was apparently the first batch of ice-cream.

Chapter 818: Warning

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Klein's gaze moved away from Wilma Gladys and looked to the pastries like carrot cake and cream puffs to the side, as well as the roasted poussin, stewed lamb, seared rib-eye, Desi roasted fish, and the other food nearby.

He gulped his saliva slightly and forced himself to retract his gaze as he prepared to invite Ma'am Mary for the second dance.

As the host, he couldn't skip any of the first three dances; therefore, all he could do was temporarily forget his hunger and the delicacies.

And at this moment, Wilma Gladys, whose pregnant state showed, walked to the spot where there was ice-cream. She reached out her hand before retracting it.

"You want some?" Dr. Aaron hadn't joined the first dance as he stayed by his pregnant wife's side.

Wilma Gladys sternly shook her head.

"No, I don't. I'm pregnant. It's not good to have ice-cream.

"However, the little fella in my tummy seems to want a little, just a little."

Dr. Aaron nodded indiscernibly and said, "Then have some. Leave the rest to me."

Wilma immediately revealed an irresistible smile.

"You spoil him too much!"

She didn't object to it as she watched her husband pick up a scoop of ice-cream that had been circled with ice.

After taking two bites, Wilma closed her eyes and suddenly shifted her gaze. She looked at a few ladies who hadn't participated in the first dance. They were chatting about something in hushed tones. They had smiles across their suggestive faces, often covering their mouths and laughing covertly.

What interesting matters are they talking about? Wilma's curiosity was instantly piqued, and after informing her husband, Aaron, she walked over.

However, the few ladies quickly dispersed as though they were awaiting the second dance.

Wilma was disappointed as she asked the young beautiful lady who remained standing there, "Do you know what they were discussing about?"

"I'm not interested in their topics," Hazel said as she glanced at the pregnant lady beside her.

She didn't fault her for being a little impolite because pregnant ladies often had some privileges.

Only then did Wilma notice that Hazel, with her long black-green hair, was holding a cup of champagne. She looked like she had no wish to be invited to a dance.

She has a sense of pride that stems from the bottom of her heart. Even when looking at baronet madams, she will only maintain the most basic courtesy… This is a delightful character, but the problem is that she's like that to everyone. She's overly cold and aloof… Perhaps, she's in the rebellious stage that Emperor Roselle had mentioned before? As a middle-school teacher, Wilma couldn't help but make comment inwardly. Then, knowing better, she opened up a distance from Hazel and began looking for the ladies she was familiar with.

After completing three dances, Klein finally had a brief reprieve to stuff himself with more food and drink some thirst-quenching sweet ice tea. This was a Deis specialty that he specially got the kitchen to prepare.

Due to the influence of Death Knell, he had drank a little too much. After having a short conversation with Bishop Elektra, he had to apologize and take his leave to the washroom.

In fact, he could hold back for another three more dances. However, he felt that Snake of Fate Will Auceptin might have wanted to communicate with him, judging from his sudden appearance; therefore, he found a suitable place without anyone around.

Although "He" is an unborn fetus and came here passively, if "He" doesn't wish to meet me, "He" has a hundred ways to stop "His" mother from heading out… In short, it's worth giving it a try… Klein mumbled as he entered the washroom and locked the door.

Just as he was in a dilemma to deal with his burgeoning bladder or patiently wait another two minutes, his spiritual perception triggered as he looked at the mirror.

At some point in time, the mirror had produced a black pram that was covered in shadows that prevented him from seeing any details. The only thing he could discern was that there was a child wrapped in silver silk inside.

The child used a clear voice and said, "Your fate deviated a little."

"What happened?" Klein tensed up immediately.

Will Auceptin in his infant form scoffed and said, "You should ask yourself!

"All I know is that you likely met an angel."

Klein immediately recalled his experiences on the primitive island and had a guess. After contemplating for a few seconds, he asked with a frown, "Can angels see my uniqueness?

"I've met Orange Light, and he said that only a few high-level creatures of the spirit world, as well as deities with certain unique authorities or Beyonder who represent fate can discover this point to a certain extent. Of course, close contact has to be made."

In the pram, Will Auceptin sucked at his thumb and laughed.

"Probably not, because you aren't dangerous.

"Besides, apart from you being unique, some items on you or your companion might have a similar uniqueness that can garner the interest of that person."

Items on me, my companions… Klein's mind raced as he discovered that he might have been psychologically cued in the past, and along with the fact that he hadn't thought of it, he had missed out something.

When exploring the primitive island, he had brought Groselle's Travels along!

This was a book created by an ancient god, the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt!

If that primitive island is related to the Twilight Hermit Order, be it the Angel of the Spectator pathway deep inside the cathedral with a High-Sequence ingredient of the Storm pathway, or the opposite, "He" will likely be interested in the notebook. After all, the leader of the organization is the Angel of Imagination, the son of God, Adam! And it's because of this notebook that I was allowed to take away the Tyrant card while also preventing me and Mr. Hanged Man from continuing the exploration? Klein had a hunch as he asked, "How should I resolve this?"

"There's no need. In the long term, this should be something good, but there might be some trouble midway," Will Auceptin replied with a clear voice. "Furthermore, you are already burdened with so many matters. An additional matter wouldn't matter. I warned you so that you can take note so as to not be struck by trouble."

…Makes sense. One stops worrying when there are too many debts. Perhaps it might create opportunities and let my debtors end up fighting… On careful thought, Klein echoed inwardly.

He asked instead, "My friend who wishes to obtain a drop of a Mythical Creature's blood wishes to know exactly what you need."

"What do I need?" Will Auceptin scoffed once again. "There's plenty I need. For example, the means to accommodate the Die of Probability, or how to finish off Ouroboros. If it's possible, you can take as many vials of blood as you want! But, can it be done?"

If it's possible, why take the risk to finish off Ouroboros? Wouldn't it be easier to just deal with a weak Snake of Fate like you? As Klein lampooned, he shook his head without a doubt.

"No."

"Then think of something else. I'm not in a rush." Will Auceptin paused and said, "There's a very arrogant lady at the ball tonight. There's something wrong with her. If you have the chance to chat with her, you can lead the topic of conversation towards dreams."

Hazel? Dreams? Klein nodded in thought.

"Okay."

Seeing that Will Auceptin had the intention to leave, he hurriedly said, "That paper crane is about to tear. How should I contact you in the future when I encounter an emergency?"

Will Auceptin fell silent for a moment before saying, "Are you hoping that I can fold a paper crane for you in my mother's tummy? Even if I can, you won't be able to get it!

"If I have any desire to find you, and as long as you live here, I can do so at any time during dreams.

"If you have any emergency matters, just visit my father directly! After all, don't you have to wait when using the paper crane?

"Alright, as a fetus who hasn't been born, I need to have more sleep. Let's leave anything else to the future."

All Klein could do was nod and say, "If there's nothing else from you."

Just as Will Auceptin was about to dissipate his body, he suddenly paused for two seconds and said, "Another thing."

"What is it?" Klein tensed up once again.

Will Auceptin dragged out his tone and said, "The ice-cream your cook made is too sweet…"

Ah? Klein temporarily didn't react to what he was saying until the black pram vanished from the mirror. He then snapped out of his daze and couldn't help but twitch the corners of his lips.

After settling the problem with his burgeoning bladder, he washed his hands and came out. He found Richardson and instructed, "Go to the kitchen and get them to lower the sweetness of the ice-cream that is subsequently being made."

Richardson didn't ask why, and he immediately did as he was told. Only when he was about to enter the kitchen did he recall the problem.

Mr. Dwayne Dantès hasn't touched the ice-cream yet, so how did he know that it's a little too sweet?

Towards this problem, Richardson quickly had an answer. He believed that a guest had informed his employer after sampling the ice-cream.

Although it was a little impolite, it wasn't something rare, especially among familiar friends. They would proactively and kindly inform him so as to prevent the host of the ball from suffering unpleasant critique.

At this moment, as the previous dance was still happening, Klein wasn't in a hurry to consider a dance partner. He walked to the long table by the side and seized the opportunity to have some of the delicacies.

Just as he selected a piece of Desi roasted fish without many bones, he suddenly saw Wilma Gladys lean over and pick up a cup of sweet ice tea.

The lady nodded at the host and smiled.

"This beverage is nice. I've never had it before."

"It's sweet ice tea from the south," Klein explained with a smile as he casually glanced at her tummy. "He seems to be very obedient. Oh, perhaps, it's a she."

Wilma smiled.

"Most of the time, but there might be some stirrings in the middle of the night at times."

Middle of the night… At times… Don't tell me it's when he's replying to my questions… Klein suddenly broke out into a sweat as he feigned ignorance and cast his attention back onto his plate. As Wilma drank a sip of sweet ice tea, she headed back to her previous conversation.

When the new dance began, Klein handed his plate and cup to an attendant beside him and glanced at Hazel. He slowly walked over and bowed with a smile.

"Lady, may I have the pleasure of dancing with you?"

Hazel fell silent for a few seconds and placed the cup of champagne onto an attendant's tray and replied politely, "It will be my pleasure."

Chapter 819: Gift

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Amidst a soothing melody, Klein and Hazel began dancing with their backs straight. One was tall and slim, and apart from the clear difference in age, their movements, demeanor, and looks were highly compatible. It was a beautiful sight to behold, one that could almost be used as a prime example for dancing.

Klein took the initiative to break the silence. As they twirled, he casually said, "I often had nightmares some time ago, but thankfully I had the Goddess's blessings. I prayed a few times at the cathedral and drank a few cups of holy water, and after that, I stopped jolting awake."

Hazel silently looked up and, after two seconds, asked, "What kind of nightmare?"

To think you will be interested in such a topic… Will Auceptin was right after all… Klein replied with a smile, "I was being pursued by all kinds of monsters inside an abandoned, dilapidated cathedral.

"But you probably know, it's almost impossible to remember the details in a dream. I find it difficult to describe those monsters."

Hazel didn't say a word, but her bright, brown eyes were colored with dissent.

That also meant that she believed that dreams weren't necessarily impossible to recall.

Klein took a step diagonally with her in his arms as he said with a smile, "Indeed, I've had a very clear dream in the past.

"Back then, I was still in the Southern Continent. I dreamed of an inverted mausoleum. It was constructed from pitch-black stone columns that extended underground. There were zombies covered in white feathers that appeared from them in a bid to pull me in.

"I had such dreams for several days, and it's really quite embarrassing. I was very afraid back then, so I frantically went to a nearby city and found a divination club. I got them to interpret my dream, and I received the conclusion that during one of my purchases of local goods, I had offended the faith of a tribe that believed in Death.

"Strangely, when I went to the tribe to apologize, gave them gifts, and participated in their celebrations, I never had that dream again."

He had fabricated the story from his experience as a Seer. His goal was to pique Hazel's interest to see if she would unknowingly reveal something. At the same time, this was a suggestion with a deeper meaning, one that wouldn't garner suspicion. The deeper meaning was that Hazel could find a divination club member or a cathedral's priest to interpret her dream if she was troubled by it. It was best not to make rash choices while blindly believing the contents of the dream.

When Will Auceptin mentioned that there was something wrong with Hazel and suggested chatting about dreams, Klein suspected that her dilemma stemmed from a dream that kept happening. Otherwise, it was hard to explain how, despite being at least a Sequence 8, she had a severe lack of knowledge towards the mysterious world with her blind arrogance. Furthermore, she was a lady from high society who had been educated at home. Thus, it made it difficult for her to make contact with unaffiliated Beyonders or those without clear intentions. After all, her father was a Member of Parliament who was definitely protected. She likely had no lack of Beyonders around her.

Therefore, Klein believed that Hazel might have made contact with something or had caught the fancy of some powerful Beyonder due to her personality. Through dreams, she was slowly guided to become a Beyonder, without giving her the necessary knowledge. At the same time, the entity enticed her to dig in the sewers to search for something.

There were two reasons that solidified his theory. Firstly, it was because of Will Auceptin's words. Secondly, Sequence 5 of the Marauder pathway was Dream Stealer. It was impossible that it only had the one Beyonder power of stealing the intent behind an action!

Hazel quietly listened to Dwayne Dantès's description as her mouth subconsciously gaped before closing again. After nearly ten seconds, she asked, "Why didn't you head to the Goddess's cathedral?"

As expected, she's reacting to topics about dreams. However, she's quite careful and doesn't divulge anything… Klein smiled wryly and said, "There weren't any cathedrals of the Goddess around. It was a region that held faith in the God of Steam and Machinery."

Hazel didn't continue the topic as she focused her attention back onto the dance, as though she was fully immersed in the music.

Klein also quietened down as he swirled around in the beautiful melody with the girl.

After the dance, he sent Hazel back to where she was standing, and then he headed for the long table due to his thirst, hoping to get a cup of sweet ice tea.

At this moment, he saw Bishop Elektra enjoying some red wine over there.

Unlike the Church of Storms and the Church of the God of Combat, clergymen of the Evernight Goddess were prohibited from excessive drinking. They needed to reject distilled spirits, and they could only drink champagne, beer, and red and white grape wine in moderation.

"How is it? This should be your first time holding such a grand ball, right?" Elektra smiled as he raised his cup.

Klein smiled and replied, "Very troublesome, and it's also, hmm… The biggest problem is that having so many dances in a row is exhausting. I kept sweating and wanted to drink more water."

Bishop Elektra chuckled and said, "When you're here in Backlund, don't slack on any physical exercise. At times, the social scene is more tiring than you can imagine."

With that said, he said with a jibing smile, "Ma'am Oria has endorsed you, believing that your character matches your appearance."

…I'd like to thank her for her endorsement… Klein was momentarily unable to find the words to reply with as he replied in a jokingly manner, "A person's character cannot be identified from a single dance."

Without waiting for Elektra to reveal a smile that all men understood, he switched to saying, "Your Excellency, I've recently involved myself in some business, and I'm afraid that I might offend a gentlemen in power. I'm a little worried."

He was referring to the Coim Company and Baron Syndras.

Elektra took a sip of red wine and said, "Don't worry. Backlund follows the rule of law. Besides, the Goddess will bless you."

"That's relieving. Praise the Lady!" Klein seriously drew the crimson moon on his chest.

After Elektra headed for the dance floor, his gaze darkened as he sighed silently.

He wasn't feeling fearful or hatred. He just felt a slight guilty conscious. Up to this point in time, the Church of Evernight had been good to him. Although money was the reason, they had provided him plenty of help to the point of providing him some protection. Yet, he was planning to deal with the Keepers, as well as contemplating how to steal something from the core seal behind Chanis Gate.

Sigh, if this plan takes too long to complete, I'd really need periodic psychological treatment. Otherwise, I'll have some mental problems… Klein monitored his emotions as he shook his head indiscernibly.

…

In an apartment in Cherwood Borough.

Xio came home with Feynapotter pies and Desi Bay sweet ice tea. As she put it on the dining table, she said to Fors, "Don't eat too much of such food. It's unhealthy."

"Why do you say that?" Fors picked up a pie stuffed with fruits and ham before taking a bite.

"I read about it in a magazine. As a bounty hunter, maintaining one's figure is a necessity." Xio hesitated for a moment before pulling a pie to her mouth.

Fors scoffed.

"You're a Beyonder geared for combat, an extraordinary bounty hunter. There's no need to bother about maintaining your figure.

"Perhaps, you might've missed out on your final opportunity to grow taller as a result. Oh right, I heard that the Warrior pathway has an effective way of raising a person's height. It's obvious just from looking at those barbarians from Feysac."

Xio was taken aback as she suddenly sighed.

"But I was born as a half-Arbiter. I have no way of becoming a Warrior."

Clearly, she had seriously considered it in the past.

Realizing that she had triggered her friend's memories, she acted as though she hadn't said a word as she focused on having her late dinner.

After they were done eating and clearing up, Fors pulled Xio into her bedroom and cleared her throat.

"You've helped me tremendously, so I plan on giving you a present."

"What troublesome matter do you need help with this time?" Xio touched her short, blonde hair warily.

"…" Fors blinked as she suddenly reflected on her recent behavior.

She chuckled dryly and said, "This is for the past—the past."

Without waiting for Xio to reply, she took out a metal box under Xio's doubtful gaze, one that was used to store cigars.

"I don't smoke," Xio said with a shake of her head.

Fors tersely answered as she opened the box, revealing a translucent hexagonal pillar that was light-blue in color.

Xio's gaze froze as she looked at the luster that streaked inside the crystal-like lightning as she instinctively asked, "Interrogator?"

"Yes, a participant at a Beyonder gathering was selling it cheaply. I was afraid of missing the opportunity and hurriedly bought it," Fors said the complete truth. "As you know, I've recently been rewarded by my teacher because of something just a while ago. I'm not lacking in cash."

Xio knew that her friend had been out recently, claiming that she was doing something for her teacher. However, she found it unbelievable that she could so easily buy her an Interrogator Beyonder characteristic as a gift. This was completely unlike her original lifestyle!

Is she still gambling, having earned large sums of money after becoming an Astrologer? Or did she finally cast her sights onto a bank vault and used her Door Opening powers to rob the cash inside? Many guesses flashed through Xio's mind, but she wasn't able to find the corresponding proof.

About two to three seconds later, she made a decision. She was to randomly pretend to head out two days a week, and she would secretly observe what Fors was doing.

If it wasn't for her trust in her friend's character and bottom line, she would have suspected that she had become the mistress of a powerful Beyonder or tycoon.

"I-it's too valuable." Xio waved her hand, in an attempt to reject the gift.

Fors had already thought of the excuse as she said with a smile, "I'll have matters to trouble you with in the future. Just treat it as an advanced payment."

"We are good friends. There's no need to talk about payment," Xio hesitated for a second as she said with a shake of her head.

I was waiting for you to say that! Fors immediately smiled and said, "Then treat it as an early birthday present. Don't you reject it!"

"But my birthday is more than half a year away…" As Xio muttered, she eventually reached out and took the Interrogator Beyonder characteristic.

…

Sunday afternoon. Xio repressed her excitement and anticipation as she headed out as per normal. She planned on heading to a specific spot to leave a corresponding mark to schedule a meeting with the masked man from MI9 at some secluded alley.

After obtaining the Interrogator's Beyonder characteristic and having digested her Sheriff potion, all she needed was the correct formula to advance to Sequence 7. It would be a crucial step for her investigation of the truth and restoring her family's honor. Therefore, she was eager to receive a few more missions from the military to accumulate the amount of contributions she needed.

After doing all of this, she planned on circling East Borough first to see if there was any important news. Then, she planned on returning home to tail Fors, so that she could figure out what her good friend was up to, or if she was in any danger.

However, the moment she entered East Borough, she had a hunch that someone was staring at her.

Chapter 820: Two Dazed Instances

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Who is it? As a Sheriff, Xio had a sharp intuition for monitoring others and for being monitored by others. Her heart tensed up as her mind raced to consider what had just happened.

In the past two to three weeks, she hadn't encountered anything particularly noteworthy. The few criminals she apprehended weren't Beyonders, and they were, at best, related to certain gangs. No one would offend a famous bounty hunter in East Borough for them. Therefore, she quickly narrowed down the list of suspects, and she vaguely guessed at the spy's faction.

A member from the Aurora Order? I didn't attend Mr. X's gathering, and an accident happened. Apparently, it was quite a stunning scene… The person from MI9 said that Mr. X was assassinated on the spot, and had his corpse taken away. Furthermore, the assassin had used powers at the demigod level… Is the Aurora Order investigating the possible culprits? Every invitee is in their sights? Although Xio was careless and short-tempered at times, her thought process was relatively direct. But in similar fields, she had a strong intuition that allowed her to figure out the crux of the matter.

And on the matter regarding Mr. X's assassination, she had once been thankful that Fors had stopped her from attending; thus, avoiding the accident. On the other hand, she felt that there wasn't anything wrong about her, allowing her to stand up to the scrutiny of any investigation. Therefore, when she met the masked man from MI9 last week, she had been frank and confident, and she had accepted the mission to investigate the truth behind the matter. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure which other Beyonders had participated back then, and she had no clues to kick her off.

Hmm, that man from MI9 said that the members of Aurora Order are either lunatics or potential lunatics. You can't use common sense to guess at their actions. Even if they believe that there's nothing wrong with me, they can kill me in passing to vent their anger as a warning to the real murderer… The stressed Xio walked forward as she revised her path in East Borough.

This new route allowed her to obtain the help of friends at any time. If she suffered an ambush, there was a considerable chance that she could escape or kill the assailant.

As she walked, Xio's mind suddenly went into a daze, as she realized that she had unknowingly arrived back at her residence in Cherwood Borough at some point in time.

Xio entered blankly and drank a cup of water when she was patted on the shoulder by Fors.

"Accompany me to East Borough."

Xio was taken aback as she found herself saying something very familiar.

"You want to head out to gather material?"

Fors immediately said that it wasn't the case, indicating that she had previously accepted a mission to find the dust left behind after a ghost faded away. As the deceased had been given a send-off by the priests at the cemetery to their respective deity's kingdom, there wasn't any ghosts. Thus, they could only head over to East Borough to find targets.

Xio hesitated and said, "Can't you push it back a day? I'm planning to participate in Mr. X's gathering."

Fors immediately wore a bitter look and said that she had delayed it by too much, and the mission's deadline was looming.

Xio sighed and agreed to accompany her friend to East Borough to find a deceased person that had just died or one that hadn't been discovered after a period of time since their death.

Just as the two were about to exit, Xio felt the wind strike her in the face as she trembled and snapped awake. She saw a wandering poet sitting in a corner, playing a seven-string guitar as he sang a folk song that was famous in the southern villages.

Xio frowned slightly as she rubbed her temples. She had a nagging feeling that her mind had gone adrift, but she couldn't remember what she was thinking about.

She continued maintaining her vigilance as she followed her originally set route, entering a bar that sold lunch. On the way, she met an East Borough resident who would occasionally provide her with intelligence.

He was a man who was either twenty-three or twenty-four years old. He had thinned his brows, and his brown hair reached his shoulders. His facial features were rather soft, and he had put on cheap makeup. He gave off quite an odd vibe.

"Sherman, did anything happen in the past few days?" Xio greeted.

According to what she knew, this young man named Sherman had always thought of himself as a woman. However, fate had played a terrible joke on him, making him a man. This made him suffer serious levels of ostracization for many years.

Sherman grinned and said, "It's been peaceful. No man offered to buy me any drinks."

"Drinking is bad," Xio advised him seriously, walked past him, and walked to the bar counter.

Sherman spat as he walked to the entrance, swaying his hips until he arrived at the condominium he rented.

He paused at the door for nearly a minute before walking two steps to the side and knocking on the door next door.

The wooden door creaked open as a low, female voice sounded with an undeniable sweetness to it.

"Have you made your decision?"

Sherman walked in and closed the door behind him. Looking towards the bed, he said to the black-dressed lady, "I'm still doubtful. I don't believe that there's something as magical as that."

To him, the lady had a round face and a gentle and refined temperament. Not only was she sweet-looking, but she also had a different air to her. She was extremely charming and alluring.

Of course, to Sherman, he was more envious instead of smitten.

The black-dressed lady replied with a deadpan expression, "Haven't you seen the picture of my former appearance?"

Her gaze moved as she couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.

"But that might've been your twin brother. I find it difficult to believe that there really is a substance to change me into a woman…" Sherman said in a wavering tone.

The black-dressed lady chuckled without any humor in it.

"Then, you can pretend that it's fake. You may leave."

Sherman's hands tightened as he fell silent for a long while.

"I-I'm willing to give it a try. Although I know that you might be bluffing me, I still wish to give it a try.

"Then, what should be the price I need to pay?"

"Listen to my instructions, and help me do certain tasks. Don't worry. They will definitely be things you are capable of," the black-dressed lady said. "To truly change your sex, you need to drink three potions and complete certain rituals. I'll guide you."

Upon saying this, she said in a self-deprecating manner, "You can consider your female name."

…

At night, in the Backlund Bridge area, in a small alley at Iron Gate Street.

Xio stood under a street lamp that had been shattered by someone. She was recounting what had happened in the morning.

After confirming that she wasn't being tailed, she returned to Cherwood Borough and secretly observed Fors. She discovered that her friend didn't head out at all, staying at home like she usually did. She spent most of her time reading novels, newspapers, and magazines. She also drew the curtains in her room for nearly an hour, as though she was familiarizing herself with her Beyonder powers. Until she had nothing to do, she got a piece of paper and spent fifteen minutes writing the opening to her new book. Finally, she tore it apart, crumbled it into a ball, and threw it into the trash can.

She smokes and drinks excessively… Xio silently clenched her teeth when she saw a figure in a black suit walking out of the shadows from the other end of the alley.

The man was tall and wore a golden mask that revealed his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and cheeks. He was none other than the MI9 member who was in contact with Xio.

"Is there anything urgent?" he asked directly.

Although Xio was short, she said in a similarly domineering manner, "I was tailed in East Borough. I suspect that it's someone from the Aurora Order. They seem to be investigating what happened during the gathering."

The topic Xio had prepared to talk about was about someone she was asked to look for. She planned on using a clue that couldn't be confirmed, to make a request for the emergency meeting to appear normal. However, she now had a more suitable excuse thanks to the Aurora Order.

"The lunatics from the Aurora Order are like that. Although they know that we're also investigating the matter and are finding them, they don't shrink back. If it's not because of that, they wouldn't always be suffering setbacks," the golden-masked man said with a laugh. "To be frank, I'm very surprised that they didn't directly surround you and bring you to a secluded place to interrogate and channel your spirit."

Xio was about to answer him that the Aurora Order member didn't tail her for long when she suddenly recalled the dazed feeling she found inexplicable. Hence, she deliberated and mentioned, "I'm not sure what I encountered. For a very brief period of time, I seemed to be in a daze and can't remember what I recalled."

The golden-masked man fell silent. After nearly twenty seconds, he said, "The investigation pertaining to you should have ended… The importance the Aurora Order has placed on this matter has exceeded my imagination. I will report this matter.

"Hmm… You mentioned that many Beyonders received the invitation but didn't attend?"

Xio nodded and said, "The participants of each gathering doesn't exceed a third of the number of people invited.

"This is mostly normal for a gathering. It's not an exception for Mr. X's gathering either."

The golden-masked man considered for a moment before asking, "Are there any clues about the person I got you to search for?"

"The person whose original name was Trissy?" Xio shook her head after seeing him nod. "Not yet. She's likely experienced."

The golden-masked man immediately chuckled.

"The number of people she has killed is more than the number of bounty missions you have completed. If you have any clues, make sure not to approach her. She's highly dangerous."

Xio tersely answered and focused on the main topic at hand.

"Is there a new commission?"

"Why have you suddenly become so proactive?" the golden-masked man asked in surprise.

Xio frankly replied, "I'm almost about to save up enough points to exchange for the Interrogator potion formula. I wish to obtain it early."

"Actually, there's no need for that. You can directly exchange it for the potion, as it will save quite a bit of points," the golden-masked man suggested in Xio's behalf.

I already have the Beyonder characteristic! Xio shook her head and said, "That would still take a very long time. I might be able to buy the ingredients at other Beyonder gatherings."

The golden-masked man didn't insist as he said with a laughing sigh, "I wish you luck.

"This time, it's a rather complicated commission. If you can complete it, you should have enough points."

Xio held back her delight and asked, "What's the mission?"

The masked man said with a slightly odd tone, "Take note of the people Viscount Stratford interacts with, and list them down in a report before submitting it to me.

"There's no need for you to frequently monitor him. Whenever you are free or walk past, take note of it in passing. Trust me, you aren't the only one working on this mission. As long as you hand over a report of certain value a week, it'll be considered as you contributing a certain amount. This can be repeated every week."

Viscount Stratford… Xio suddenly fell into a daze again, but this time, she knew why.

This viscount was the captain of the royal guards; he was once her father's deputy!

Chapter 821: Soul Imprint

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Xio was dazed for about ten seconds before remembering the need to reply. She looked at the golden-masked man and nodded.

"Alright, I'll take note of the people Viscount Stratford interacts with."

The golden-masked man seemed to sense her dazed state as he said, "There's another mission. The Church of Evernight's Red Gloves are investigating something related to the Numinous Episcopate. If you have any relevant information on that, immediately inform me."

Xio tersely responded, unable to extricate herself from her emotions.

The golden-masked man fell silent for a few seconds and asked after some deliberation, "Are you interested in directly joining MI9?

"You can continue maintaining your present identity, being active in East Borough."

Xio was taken aback for two seconds as her mouth turned agape. She was momentarily unable to make a decision.

The golden-masked man didn't require an immediate answer as he said with a smile, "There's no rush. Tell me your answer after you become an Interrogator."

After saying that, he walked back, step after step, slinking away into the shadows at the other end of the alley.

…

That same evening, Klein snapped awake from a dream.

The soul imprint he had set up in Böklund Street's sewers had been touched!

Who is it that isn't sleeping in the middle of the night… Is Hazel not afraid of being possessed by a Wraith? Klein sighed helplessly as he took out the iron cigar case which was wrapped in a wall of spirituality from under his pillow. He then walked to the balcony where the curtains were tightly drawn.

Wraith Senor rapidly leaped onto the surface of a street lamp before passing the manhole and sinking deep into the sewers.

After advancing a short distance, with the eyes of his marionette, Klein saw Hazel in commoner clothes.

This lady was warily walking forward as she raised her left hand without realizing it to touch the necklace with seven emeralds. In her right hand was a charm made from gold.

Although the charm hadn't been activated, it exuded the feeling of sunlight and warmth, as well as the refreshing sense of morning dew.

Upon seeing this scene, Klein suddenly recalled his encounter when strolling in the morning.

Hazel had woken up early to stroll in her garden!

She was gathering materials to create the Sun domain charm? Morning dew? Klein guessed with uncertainty as he felt a little puzzled. This was because Hazel wasn't only half-illiterate in the mysterious domain, but she also lacked quite a bit of knowledge. Furthermore, she was a believer of the Evernight Goddess.

Such a Beyonder wouldn't receive any response if she prayed to the Eternal Blazing Sun. Even if something special happened, the smallest probability event would be that of receiving punishment!

As she hasn't been digging and searching in the sewers for too long, that Beyonder that has been guiding her with a dream has turned anxious. That's why she was taught how to make Sun domain charms via a dream? Hmm, from the Marauder pathway, the corresponding High-Sequence representative, Amon, is also known as a Blasphemer. Does this mean that at a certain Sequence of this pathway, they have the ability to pretend to be believers of other deities and circle around any defenses to obtain a response and create various kinds of charms? This does match their modus operandi… With Senor's vision, Klein watched Hazel walk deep into the sewers.

Based on his spiritual intuition, although the Sun domain charm was targeted at a Wraith, it was far from sufficient to truly threaten a Sequence 5, with it dealing a certain amount of damage at best. After all, Hazel had no way of obtaining high-level materials. However, Klein didn't let his Wraith possess her again, afraid that it would alarm that Beyonder who was influencing Hazel. After tomorrow's Tarot Gathering, he believed he would obtain a low-level item from the Marauder pathway, allowing him to make the corresponding investigations. Before that, maintaining the status quo was the best choice.

Of course, the premise was that he was certain that Hazel wasn't able to dig up anything within a day or two. He had plenty of time to prepare.

As a Seer, he had many ways to make a confirmation. The simplest way was to head above the gray fog.

After retracting his marionette, Klein took four steps counterclockwise and arrived inside the ancient palace which had stone columns propping it up. He conjured a pen and paper, and he wrote down the corresponding divination statement:

"Something major will happen in Böklund Street over the next three days."

With the topaz pendulum, Klein obtained a negative revelation. This also meant that in three days, no major incident would happen in Böklund Street.

As for the possibility of what Hazel would really dig out, it would only affect him while being trivial to Böklund Street, he wasn't fazed. This was because something trivial wouldn't affect his subsequent plans. He didn't have any strong intentions of stopping her.

He had previously given a hint to her at the ball. If Hazel didn't understand or didn't take it to heart, it was her problem. Klein didn't have any psychological burden on such matters.

After returning to the real world, he waited for forty-five minutes before Hazel came out. After confirming that no significant changes happened underground, Klein laid back in bed, and with Cogitation, he quickly fell asleep.

…

Monday afternoon at three.

Dark red beams of light that soared up from both sides of the long bronze table appeared before The Fool Klein's, The Sun Derrick's, and The World Gehrman Sparrow's eyes.

Justice Audrey remained in a good mood as she bowed at the figure shrouded in gray fog.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"

Klein nodded with a smile as a response to this lady who often delighted him.

Meanwhile, Audrey swept her gaze and discovered an additional card beside Mr. Fool's hand!

A new Card of Blasphemy? I wonder which pathway it's from… I really wish that it's from the Spectator pathway… Audrey's heart stirred as she turned to greet the other members.

Once everything was done, she looked to the end of the mottled table ahead of The Hermit Cattleya and said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I've found three new pages of Roselle's diary."

This was actually obtained from the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation, but as its founder and main sponsor, she easily received the opportunity to make a copy.

Audrey was rather proud in regards to this. She was increasingly convinced that establishing such a foundation was a wise decision of hers. Unfortunately, to not expose her identity, she didn't share this matter with the other members of the Tarot Club.

"Very good." Klein smiled with a nod, indicating that Miss Justice could conjure the diary.

And at this moment, The Hermit Cattleya didn't interject, as though she hadn't obtained any new Roselle diary pages.

There's temporarily no response from Queen Mystic? Or has she focused her attention on something else? Klein looked at the three diary pages which Miss Justice had conjured as he allowed them to jump into his palm.

When he scanned them, the corners of Klein's lips nearly twitched. This was because he had encountered a familiar page of one of Roselle's sexual escapades.

Compared to the pages specially chosen by Queen Mystic Bernadette that had plenty of information, the other members often obtained parts that weren't too important. The content tended to be about Roselle's daily life. The three pages that Miss Justice had provided was such an example. Klein casually flipped through them and discovered a diary entry that was worth a detailed read. As for the rest, it was either about him having a rendezvous with some lady or madam, or him belittling people who survived due to their status instead of intellect. He even expressed his desire for a Demoness from all the rumors he heard.

Soon, Klein placed his attention on the most valuable diary entry.

"…Based on the information obtained from the Church, there really are monsters in existence that are stitched at the soul level.

"After High-Sequence Beyonders die, the Beyonder characteristics they produce will have remnants of the imprint of their soul. It can be very powerful and resilient. It might not even fully dissipate after centuries or even a millennium.

"But when Beyonder characteristics form a mystical item with their surrounding objects, there's a need to have a sufficiently similar soul in order to use them; otherwise, the negative effects will be extraordinary. And when such Beyonder characteristics are preserved and made into the main ingredient of a potion, the consumer similarly must have a powerful Soul Body to withstand it; otherwise, there's a high chance of failure.

"In mysticism, an advancement's failure will often lead to a loss of control or death. Only very few lucky ones can be calmed down and maintain an intricate balance. However, it's rumored that certain special Sealed Artifacts can draw out unfused Beyonder characteristics and recondense them. It would be akin to not having consumed the potion, so the failures will only suffer a storm-like assault on their soul. But according to my conjectures, there's likely some level of mutation at the gene level. This is because, based on the information provided, those who failed their advancement and survived by this method had mostly died from terminal illnesses within five years.

"Therefore, consuming a potion similar to one's Soul Body can effectively decrease the difficulty of advancements, but it will leave behind remnant soul imprints. Unknowingly, one will suffer an identity dissociation, and they would slowly transform into a monster stitched at the soul level. It's just like that High-Sequence Beyonder who resurrected on his body. Resurrected…

"On careful thought, it's really quite terrifying… However, the Church told me that there are roughly three methods to rid the High-Sequence Beyonder soul imprints in a Beyonder characteristic. As for what they are, they didn't tell me. They don't seem simple. It's no wonder the Sauron family enjoys calling descendants who look similar to their ancestors as having talent. Heh, talent. I have to say that I do pity Floren quite a bit."

Monster's stitched at the soul level… High-Sequence Beyonder soul imprints… Sounds a little alarming… So High-Sequence Beyonder potions have such a problem. Hmm, the Churches probably have a way to resolve them. They have no lack of Angels and Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts. They can shatter a Beyonder characteristic and recondense them; thus obtaining a purified one… Those ancient families probably aren't that lucky. They might not have any more Angels protecting them. They might only have one or two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, but they aren't that easily used. Furthermore, different Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts have different uses. They might not be adequate for such matters… Klein's mind raced as he made the diary pages in his hand vanish. Then, he looked at Miss Justice and asked with a chuckle, "What do you wish to exchange them for?"

Audrey was waiting for her potion ingredients, and she temporarily had nothing she lacked. Therefore, without any hesitation, she chose to satisfy her curiosity.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, is that an additional card by your hand a Card of Blasphemy? Which one is it?"

Chapter 822: Another

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I knew it. Miss Justice wouldn't not ask when she sees an additional card… I got through another question so easily… Klein secretly smiled as he casually flipped over the new Card of Blasphemy, showing it to Justice.

"Tyrant."

As expected, Gehrman Sparrow has handed it over… That was Mr. Fool's goal? Alger eagerly glanced at Emperor Roselle in a papal tiara as he thought poignantly.

He had already obtained the Cataclysmic Interrer potion formula, and he knew what ritual was needed. He was in a great mood and felt that, although there were obstacles ahead of him, he was filled with radiance and hope.

Audrey quickly took in the details of the Card of Blasphemy.

Tyrant card… It looks like it's the Sailor pathway. How I envy Mr. Hanged Man… Eh, Mr. Hanged Man doesn't seem alarmed or surprised… From a psychological point of view, his reaction should have been greater than mine! Hmm, he was already aware that it was the Sailor pathway's Card of Blasphemy?

Eliminating all other impossibilities, this is the only explanation… But how did Mr. Hanged Man know of it ahead of time?

Sequence 0: Tyrant… The potion name corresponding to the Lord of Storms is Tyrant?

This Tyrant card was likely in the form of The Hierophant; however, the actual meaning has certain discrepancies with some similarities. Some of it is inversed, and some are just an extension… In short, the interpretation of the card is that of a conservative view, an emphasis on submission at the level of the soul. By relying on dominance and strength, fear is created to bring about faith…

Audrey, who had liked mysticism from a young age, interpreted it as she felt a strong sense of satisfaction. She felt that the payment of three Roselle diary pages was especially worth it!

Card of Blasphemy… Hmm… Being equally good at interpretation and being knowledgeable, Cattleya also quickly figured out the pathway in which the card represented. She also managed to add Sequence 0: Tyrant to the gaps in her knowledge.

Apart from these facts, she also made a connection.

The World Gehrman Sparrow plotted the death of Sea God Kalvetua; thus, allowing Mr. Fool to obtain that scepter representing Sea God's authority and begin answering believers in the name of Sea God…

This time, "He" obtained the Tyrant card of the Storm pathway…

It's definitely no coincidence…

As she thought about the matter, Cattleya was suddenly alarmed, suspecting that Mr. Fool was secretly attempting to erode away the Lord of Storms's authority!

A battle between gods! It's a massive plan that has a far-reaching influence! This is one of the true goals of Mr. Fool? As thoughts flashed through Cattleya's mind, she retracted her gaze and stopped looking at the Tyrant card.

Fors and Emlyn didn't understand much about Sequence 0. They had only heard Mr. Fool mention it once at a previous Tarot Gathering; therefore, they were only surprised that it was a Card of Blasphemy. They also began to link the name Tyrant and the Sequence 0's potion name to the Lord of Storms. The former began trembling a little, feeling as though she was being sacrilegious. As for the latter, he began imagining and guessing what was the name of the artificial vampire pathway's Sequence 0.

It must be Moon! Or Crimson Moon! Emlyn's mind raced as he came to an answer. As for whether it was correct, he didn't mind it at all. He just felt that it was definitely close to the truth.

Having grown up in the City of Silver, Derrick had received quite a solid education in mysticism. He wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of Sequence 0, and he had even aimed his sights to becoming one at that level. Only by doing so could he bring the City of Silver out into the light and warmth, so as to bring hope and a future.

This likely represents Elf King Soniathrym… So it's called Tyrant… However, "His" authority seems to be a little more than what the card represents… Derrick thought as he participated in the ongoings of the Tarot Gathering in a rare instance.

After showing it for two seconds, The Fool Klein covered the Tyrant card again before casually glancing at Ma'am Hermit.

Cattleya hurriedly said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, there aren't any new Roselle diary pages this time."

As expected… Klein nodded gently and said with a smile, "That's all from me."

Just as he said that, The World Gehrman Sparrow looked at The Hanged Man.

"After this gathering, I'll send you that Ocean Songster's Beyonder characteristic. Can you find an Artisan to create an easily portable mystical item?"

A-another Ocean Songster Beyonder characteristic? The same thought surfaced in the minds of Audrey, Emlyn, and company.

Powerful Sequence 5 Beyonders weren't carrots that you could easily buy on the street!

And Mr. World had killed several in the past two months!

Which quasi high-ranking member of the Church of Storms met harm this time? Cattleya started off with her conjecture that Mr. Fool was attempting to erode away the Lord of Storms's authority as she came to such a thought.

Fors became increasingly fearful of Gehrman Sparrow as she kept warning herself not to use the two pages with demigod-level Beyonder powers!

Derrick couldn't help but think back to how City of Silver teams would clear a region of monsters. In that dark environment of despair, the number of Sequence 5 main ingredients and Beyonder characteristics were few and far between. There were even instances where there weren't any at times!

"Alright," Alger, who had already made the promise, calmly replied without mentioning the Artisan's fees.

This made people like Audrey and Cattleya notice something. They suspected that Mr. World and Mr. Hanged Man had secretly cooperated and negotiated on certain matters. This coincided with Audrey's belief that The Hanged Man had the knowledge that the Card of Blasphemy was the Tyrant card, making her guess that the Tyrant card might have been one of the spoils of war that they had obtained in a private partnership!

Without waiting for them to ask about anything they needed, The World Gehrman Sparrow surveyed the area whilst under Klein's control.

"I have here another Beyonder characteristic of a Sequence 5 Mentor of Confusion from the Black Emperor Sequence pathway. It can be made into a mystical item, and it should possess the power to use the loopholes found in order so as to distort the words, will, and actions of a target. It can also raise one's physical state and create a certain degree of chaos and confusion to the surroundings."

He described it in such detail because his target clients were Miss Justice and Ma'am Hermit. It was impossible for the two of them to switch to the Black Emperor pathway, so their requirements for Beyonder characteristics were naturally for a mystical item. Of course, the latter had subordinates, so it was possible to purchase Beyonder characteristics for her organization's members.

Another one… And it's Sequence 5… What major event did Mr. World do last week? Audrey instantly forgot to generate interest in the Beyonder characteristic.

Cattleya, Emlyn, and company exchanged looks, puzzled as to which Sequence 5 Beyonder met harm again.

Again!

What Alger cared about was that this belonged to the Black Emperor pathway, a Sequence 5 Mentor of Confusion.

The latter was something he wasn't previously aware of.

After nearly twenty seconds of silence, Audrey began to ruminate over Mr. World's words.

Use loopholes found in order… Create chaos and confusion, raise one's physical state, and distort a target's speech, will, and actions… It seems to be very compatible with my dear Earl Hall… Besides, I also want to have such powers. I still have too many shortcomings just by relying on myself and Lie…

Hmm, I should figure out the price first and find a chance to ask Father. Let's see if he's interested in buying such a mystical item for himself or his adorable daughter…

Audrey thought for a few seconds before raising her hand slightly.

"Mr. World, what do you plan on exchanging it for? Or how much do you plan on selling it for?"

A reasonable price for a ready-made mystical item like Death Knell costs 10,000 to 12,000 pounds… Just the Beyonder characteristic alone will be cheaper. It will be about 7,000 to 8,000 pounds… Klein had already done the math. Now, after some thought, he made The World Gehrman Sparrow reply, "8,000 pounds."

He knew that if Miss Justice was really interested, she wouldn't haggle.

"Okay." Audrey nodded and turned to look across the table. "Mr. Hanged Man, roughly how much would it cost to pay the Artisan to turn such a Beyonder characteristic into a mystical item?"

Alger quickly did the math and said, "1,500 pounds at the very least. It might be higher."

"Alright." Audrey shifted her gaze and said to The World Gehrman Sparrow, "I'll consider it for a few days and give you an answer by the end of the week. You can continue asking if anyone else wants it."

The World nodded in silence as he looked at the other members. He noticed that Ma'am Hermit hesitated for two seconds but ultimately kept silent. As for the rest, they were only watching with interest.

Just as Audrey was about to ask about the fruit of the Illusory Chime Tree, all the members heard The World Gehrman Sparrow hoarsely say, "There's another Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic from the Planter pathway, Druid."

Suddenly, the palace that looked like a giant's residence turned extremely quiet. Apart from Mr. Fool who continued observing everyone in a leisurely manner, The Hanged Man Alger didn't show any additional thoughts.

A-another… When did Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristics become so common? What did he do? Cattleya suddenly felt baffled. She felt that the risk and hard work she had put in over the years was, in essence, no different to the commercial goods The World Gehrman Sparrow was selling.

I-it's terrifying… Fors had already begun imagining a series of stories.

Impressive! Derrick idolized Mr. World even more.

Audrey and Emlyn remained silent for a long time, momentarily finding themselves suffering from a lack of vocabulary.

After nearly ten seconds, Cattleya realized the hidden meaning behind The World Gehrman Sparrow's words.

He didn't mention the effects of what the Druid Beyonder characteristic can have after being made into a mystical item… He's asking me if I'll buy it for Frank?

At that instant, Cattleya felt an unprecedented dilemma.