Information on the Abraham Family

The "Wind Blessed" Beyonder characteristic Xio mentioned was from the infamous pirate with a 6,000-pound bounty whom she had "interrogated" on the ship. Of course, the pirate hadn't yet turned into a characteristic—but he was close.

Hearing this, Alger, "The Hanged Man," looked over, feeling a mix of emotions. While Beyonder characteristics could indeed be used as main ingredients for potions and were just as effective as traditional materials, this development left him conflicted.

Doesn't this mean the formula I purchased from Mr. Tower has gone to waste?

"Judgment" and "Tower" are quite close… Could they have conspired to swindle me?

Probably not… Forget it. I've made a fair amount helping Mr. Tower handle corpses and collect bounty rewards.

Still, the thought stung. Alger took a deep breath, adjusted his emotions, and asked in a steady tone, "How much will it cost to buy that Wind Blessed characteristic?"

Since Xio had contributed significantly during the earlier battle, she had priority in dividing the spoils. Purchasing the characteristic through the military's internal pricing would cost her only about 3,000 pounds.

However, Xio was in poor financial condition, saddled with considerable debt. She decided to make a profit on this transaction and looked diagonally across the table as she said, "4,000 pounds."

Even with a 1,000-pound markup, the price was still slightly below market value. Thus, Alger agreed without hesitation, "Deal!"

He had prepared himself to be overcharged, so he was pleasantly surprised by Xio's reasonable price.

"I'll have the characteristic by tomorrow noon. Just transfer the money to me before then," Xio said with a nod. She knew the price was below Alger's expectations and could have asked for more. However, as fellow members of the Tarot Club, raising the price too much might hurt their relationship. People who were too greedy often found themselves treated the same way when they were in need.

Alger replied calmly, "I'll have the funds ready by tomorrow noon."

He appeared confident in his ability to gather the required amount.

As an observer to the transaction, Fors, "The Magician," felt a stir of emotion. Brushing her wavy hair aside, she carefully phrased her question:

"Does anyone here know much about the Abraham family?

"I'm willing to exchange a chapter from Glimpses Beyond the Spirit World for information. Although some consider it the ramblings of a madman, my experiences entering and exiting the Spirit World suggest that much of it is accurate."

Glimpses Beyond the Spirit World was a mysticism journal left to Fors by Madam Anlisa. Its contents were illogical and absurd, and simply reading it could make a person irritable. However, after three trips to the Spirit World, Fors began to suspect the book was more than mere ravings.

Since encountering a man named Lawrence outside Madam Anlisa's former residence, Fors had renewed her interest in investigating the Abraham family. While Ebner had shared some information with her before, it was vague and lacked details about extraordinary matters.

After posing her question, Fors directed her gaze at Mr. Tower and Mr. Hanged Man, recognizing them as the Club's problem solvers after several observations.

Klein, The Fool, immediately grew interested in Glimpses Beyond the Spirit World but refrained from using "The World" to respond.

He knew that "The Magician" was actually Mr. Tower's friend, and based on their private full-moon discussions, Fors's understanding of the Abrahams was likely no less than his own. Thus, he stayed silent.

"Besides, Mr. Tower is in the Southern Continent. If Fors wants to give him Glimpses Beyond the Spirit World, she'll have to go through me anyway.

"And knowing Mr. Tower's caution, he'll probably request to read it above the Gray Fog."

Klein leaned back slightly, adjusting to a more comfortable position as he considered this.

Hearing Fors's question, Ebner, who had previously considered revealing some information to her above the Gray Fog, deliberately asked, "How much do you already know about the Abrahams?

"I'll need to tailor my response to avoid repeating information."

After speaking, Ebner realized that his tone resembled Edwina's, likely because they'd been communicating frequently lately.

Then again, this might be a common trait of those on the "Reader" pathway.

Fors thought for a moment. Sharing what she knew wouldn't hurt, as it was unlikely to be of much use to anyone else. It would also make her seem more open. Organizing her thoughts, she replied:

"The Abrahams were an angelic family loyal to the Blood Emperor. After the War of the Four Emperors, they gradually declined due to the 'Full Moon Curse' plaguing their members. Today, it's rare to encounter anyone from this family.

"That said, they still possess several Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts."

"That's all I know. Anyone with additional details is welcome to share—I don't require a private exchange."

That's all? I only know slightly more—that their ancestor was named Bethel and was possibly nicknamed 'The Door.' Klein silently rejoiced that he hadn't spoken up, avoiding potential embarrassment.

The Magician knows this much about the Abrahams? Even the highly classified detail about their Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts? Could she be a descendant of the Abraham family? That would explain her ability to enter and exit the Spirit World… She likely has a corresponding mystical item… Alger suddenly stared at Fors in realization.

Fors is part of the Abraham family? She's descended from an ancient lineage dating back to the Fourth Epoch? Audrey, "Justice," nodded thoughtfully, as though deep in contemplation.

She's just repeating what Ebner told her at the restaurant… with some embellishments. Xio, "Judgment," glanced at Ebner, who was feigning contemplation, and smirked faintly.

As for "The Sun," he earnestly tried to remember the unfamiliar names being discussed.

Ebner pretended to think for a moment before carefully saying, "The founder of the Abraham family was named Bethel, an Angel King.

"During the War of the Four Emperors, he assisted Antigonus in killing Zarathustra but was soon banished by the Goddess of the Evernight and the Lord of Storms…

"Since then, the Abraham family has been in decline. I suspect the 'Full Moon Curse' stems from their founder.

"Haha, I only learned this while researching Amon last week."

Though brief, Ebner's revelation contained details that left every Tarot member, except for Derrick, stunned. The information touched upon multiple True Gods and Angels, which was no small matter.

Fors's mind instantly replayed her first meeting with Mr. Fool above the Gray Fog. She had nervously asked, "Do you know the origin of the murmurs? Do you know who's targeting me? Do you know how to solve this problem completely?"

Mr. Fool had replied, "He may not intend to harm you. Perhaps… he's asking for your help."

Could it be? The whispers tormenting me all this time… were actually Mr. Bethel pleading for help?

Fors's thoughts swirled between disbelief and a helpless desire to cry.

(End of chapter)