7
Alger's body shook, his head lowered as the words reverberated in his mind.
'An evil god.'
Although he already had an idea that it could be the case, hearing it directly felt different.
Alger had never heard of the Fool before. However, instead of a high sequence beyonder or a hidden existence, He had introduced himself as an evil god.
What would He do to them now that He had said this? Were they done for? Would He kill them? Use them as sacrifices? Why did He tell them that He was an evil god?
Did he not know of the Fool because everyone who had come in contact with that existence died?
Beside him, the blond young lady was similarly frozen.
'An evil god?'
Embarrassed, Audrey looked at the Fool, then at the scared Alger, and calmed down.
He appeared trustworthy and didn't seem to have any ill will toward them. Moreover, she reasoned that since He was so strong that He could make a table appear out of thin air, they would've already been dead if He had intended to kill them.
It was a train of thought she could have only because she was still naive and ignorant of the Beyonder world.
Meanwhile, the Fool watched them, resigned to his fate.
Right, was it too much to say that he was an evil god?
This moment was already over. He wouldn't be able to talk to them anymore. Maybe he shouldn't have told them that after all.
He only got what he deserved.
Should he send them back now?
The Fool didn't want to admit that he felt slightly disappointed.
Snapping him out of his thoughts, the young lady hesitantly spoke.
"Then, are you not going to send us back?"
Alger stared at her in horror. How did she dare to ask such a question?
He trembled even more, thinking that the Fool would kill her for her insolence.
However, contrary to his expectations, the Fool replied to the brave young lady.
"Uh… I'll still send you back?"
Of course he would. Didn't he already tell her that?
Satisfied with his answer, Audrey clapped her hands, a relieved smile forming on her face.
"Great. Then nothing has changed, has it?"
Alger stared at Audrey, shocked.
'She's still alive.'
The Fool hadn't struck her with lightning.
This young lady was truly ignorant.
The Fool was also stunned, wondering what kind of strange person he had brought into Sefirah Castle.
Did she really just believe him? Just like that?
She wasn't scared?
Wow, she would die fast. She seemed so naive that it was worrying.
Although he wasn't the type to go back on his word, was it really okay to accept the words of an evil god without any doubt?
With his spiritual intuition, he could see that she was still slightly scared, wary and on guard, but this wasn't nearly enough.
On the contrary, the other guy…
'Why is he so scared?'
What kind of strange thoughts was he having? The Fool didn't show any sign of hostility, did he? Then why was the other man acting as if he would be killed at any moment? Wasn't this reaction going a bit overboard?
Nevermind, this was still a far more normal reaction compared to Audrey.
Well, it wasn't his business if the young lady was so naive that she got scammed in the future. She seemed rich anyway.
Audrey stood up, held up her skirt slightly and bent her knees, curtseying to the Fool.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, would you please permit me to take the liberty of requesting you to be the witness of our trade?"
'Because the trade is still ongoing?'
The Fool decided to just accept the situation and glanced at Alger.
The person in question was frozen, probably thinking that their previous conversation was invalid due to the sudden strange introduction of the Fool.
However, he remembered the young lady's words and regained his composure.
That's right. Although the Fool had presented Himself as an evil god, nothing had changed. It's just that it was verbally confirmed, that's all.
Despite the lingering doubts in Alger's mind as he reconsidered his life's choices, the previous atmosphere of fear seemed like a lie.
Staring at the scene, the Fool also reconsidered his life's choices, but since nobody knew it, that was also fine.
He just resigned himself and nodded.
"Okay."
"It's our honor, Mr. Fool." Alger stood up as well, hiding his shaking. He bent his back slightly with his right palm over his chest.
The Fool looked at the two of them, silence settling in, after finally intervening when he saw that the two didn't seem to have any intention of sitting back down.
"…You don't need to be so polite."
The cheerful young lady smiled and took it as permission to sit down, the other man following suit.
While she couldn't feel completely comfortable being in the presence of a god (Alger even less), she still relaxed slightly.
As expected, how could a gentleman who acted like that be an evil god? That didn't suit the stories she read at all!
Moreover, she was amazed to be able to speak to such a high-ranking existence.
'I didn't know gods would be so polite… No, Audrey, that's rude!'
The Fool glanced strangely at Alger who seemed to tremble even more, his mind full of conspiracy theories, and decided to ignore it.
"Shall we continue?"
Alger still stared as Audrey in horror, but seeing that the evil god didn't stop them, he finally recalled at what point their previous conversation had stopped.
"If you can obtain the Ghost Shark's blood, get someone to send it to the Warrior & Sea Bar at Pelican Street, in the White Rose Borough of Pritz Harbor. Tell the boss, Williams, that it's what the 'Captain' wants."
The Fool didn't mention the sacrificial ritual that would make this trade far easier.
"Once I acknowledge receipt, will you be giving me an address to mail the potion formula to or do you want me to tell it to you here directly?"
Audrey thought for a moment before saying with a smile, "I will choose the more secure method. Let's do it here, although it's a test of my memory."
Since Mr. Fool had agreed to bear witness for the trade, it also represented that there would be a similar 'gathering' the next time.
With this in mind, she suddenly turned her head as she looked at the Fool with sparkling eyes. With a tone of interest, she suggested, "Mr. Fool, would you mind making a few more 'attempts' like this?"
As for Alger, he was slightly hesitant. Yet, seeing the young lady's expectant gaze, he also insisted, "Mr. Fool, don't you find such 'gatherings' interesting? Although your powers exceed our imaginations, there has to be certain domains that you don't understand or excel in. The person across me is obviously a young lady of lofty stature. I also have my unique set of experiences, insights, mediums, and resources. Perhaps there will come a day when both of us can help you complete something trivial that might be inconvenient for you."
From his point of view, the fact that he had been pulled into this space without any warning or any means to resist meant that the mysterious Mr. Fool was in control. Participating in the 'gatherings' was not necessarily something he could refuse. Therefore, it was better to reap the benefits of this encounter as much as he could to make up for his passive and disadvantaged state.
No, what was he saying, how could a god be unable to do something? Was he too rude?
But He was still an evil god, so He couldn't act in plain sight and His influence should be restricted…
A young lady of lofty stature… Was my behavior and accent that obvious? Audrey stared blankly, mouth slightly agape, but she soon jolted back to her senses and nodded her head without any hesitation.
"Mr. Fool, I think it's a very good suggestion. As long as this gathering becomes regular, you can totally leave certain things that are inconvenient for you to us. Of course, it has to be something within our capacities."
The Fool stared at them blankly.The Fool hadn't anticipated such a situation at all.
At a loss, he didn't say anything, the silence stretching on as he unconsciously rapped the side of the long table with his finger.
His expression was hidden by the gray fog as he stopped his rapping and hesitantly answered.
He never expected that he would touch the crimson stars yesterday.
When he touched the crimson stars, he didn't think that such a thing would happen either.
"…Okay."
But was it truly okay?
"I'm a person who likes a fair and equal exchange. Your help will not go unrewarded. Every Monday at three in the afternoon, try your best to be alone."
Maybe it was fate.
Without waiting for Alger to say a word, Audrey said in excitement, her eyes glowing, "Then, shall we give ourselves call signs? After all, we can't use our real names for conversation."
The Fool nodded, watching them proceed.
How strange.
"You are Mr. Fool which is derived from tarot cards. Then, as a fixed, long-term, and secretive 'Gathering', we should be uniform in our designations. Yes, I'll also choose one from the tarot cards."
Her tone slowly turned joyous.
"I've decided. My designation shall be 'Justice'!"
It was one of the twenty-two Major Arcana tarot cards.
"What about you, Mister?" Audrey cheekily smiled at her 'partner' sitting across her.
Alger frowned slightly before relaxing it immediately.
"The Hanged Man."
It was another Major Arcana card.
"Alright, then we can be considered as the founding members of the Tarot Club!" Audrey was the first to blurt it out happily, only to look fearfully at the fog-concealed Fool. "Will that be alright, Mr. Fool?"
The Fool nodded again.
"Yes."
"Thank you!" Audrey was clearly thrilled.
How strange it felt to interact with normal humans after such a long time.
"Mr. Hanged Man, can you repeat the address again once more? I'm afraid that my memories will fail me."
"No problem."
After repeating the address to herself silently thrice, Audrey said again in excitement, "I heard that tarot cards were invented by Emperor Roselle as a game. In fact, doesn't it come equipped with the power to divine the future?"
The Fool was lost in thought once more, basking in the unfamiliar sensation of having people, at least real ones, around him.
"—Was what I said correct?"
He came back to his senses not long after as he saw the young lady's gaze on him, expecting a response.
Embarrassed, the Fool awkwardly forced himself to smile, trying to appear friendly.
"…Ah. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I have a bit of difficulty focusing."
That was true.
Stuck with his thoughts for hundreds of years, that was the only thing there to distract him. If he couldn't be distracted, he couldn't pass the time. At one point, the only thing to focus on was 'how many poor victims is Amon going to traumatize today and in what way?' A question that divination could unfortunately answer very easily for him.
And even while waiting for people to be traumatized, he had to distract himself to pass the time.
Then, he slept. Sleeping could also pass the time.
Yes, the Fool needed a hobby.
At least, a sane one.
Let's just get distracted.
Seeing the Fool's apologetic attitude, Alger froze while questioning his ears.
'A god apologized-'
He must have heard wrong.
Alger.exe has stopped working (again).
Meanwhile, Audrey chuckled before noticing that it was rude to laugh at a god and hiding her smile. Although the person in front of her was an (evil) god, his human behavior made him feel approachable, making her relax a little more.
Audrey happily repeated her previous words.
"It's nothing. I was saying that I heard Emperor Roselle created another set of twenty-two paper cards which symbolized a particular unknown power. Later on in life, he referenced them to create the twenty-two Major Arcana tarot cards which are used as a gaming tool. Is it true?"
The Fool, who hadn't had a conversation with anyone for years was still familiarizing himself with how human beings communicated.
Ah, right, he was also supposed to be a human being (instead of a mass of worms stronger than any gods out there).
What did Roselle do again?
Nevermind, may his spiritual intuition give him the answer.
"…Yes. That gu- Emperor Roselle created twenty-two cards containing the sequence names and potion formulas corresponding to the different Beyonder pathways."
'With his own portraits on it.' He left that part silent.
Ignoring his slip of the tongue, Audrey was amazed.
"And where are these twenty-two cards now?"
Alger also turned toward him in curiosity.
The Fool thought about it.
"Most of them are hidden. Some should be in His daughter's possession, another hidden as a bookmark in the Church of Steam and Machinery, another is in an evil spirit's possession in Backlund, another is among the out-of-control corpse of Antigonus on the Hornacis mountain range… But considering their strong anti-divination abilities, the cards should be corrupted by an at least god-level entity. I don't recommend that you seek for them."
Interesting, so Medici was in Backlund and had fused with Einhorn and Sauron? Wasn't He dead?
The Fool was briefly distracted by the results given by his spiritual intuition.
Oh, had he said to much?
Fortunately, he had stopped at 'god-level entity'. He should keep in mind that humans were very fragile these days, he should be careful not to corrupt them.
Audrey stared at Him in awe, her eyes sparkled as her brain registered and assimilated all of this knowledge, while Alger could grasp the weight of His words more clearly.
The location of these cards was something that nobody knew, not even the orthodox churches, yet the god in front of them did.
Or should it be expected since He is a god?
He was even more scared of Him now.
'Calm down. If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't even be able to resist,' The Fool lampooned.
Was the Sailor pathway usually this paranoid?
At last, the Fool decided to put an end to this gathering.
It was time for the two to go home now.
"Alright, that will be all for today's gathering."
Alger bowed his head respectfully, "By your will."
The cheerful and naive young lady imitated him, smiling at the Fool, "By your will."
As he severed the connection, the Fool also smiled, "Let us look forward to the next gathering."
The 'stars' brightened once more as the crimson light receded like water. Just as Audrey and Alger heard Mr. Fool's words, their figures turned into a blur as they phased away.
In a second, the 'projection' shattered as the gray fog restored its silence.
The gray fog had returned to its calm state, the previous lively atmosphere and his smile disappearing like a lie.
Now, Mr. Fool was alone once again.
He stared at the fog, blankly.
No more conversation, no more questions, no more wondering how to answer or how to act like a normal person, no one to interrupt his thoughts.
The gray fog was peaceful, unchanging, and empty.
It would remain that way for at least one week.
Mr. Fool was alone once again.
He leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes.
Wasn't he used to this situation by now? He had resigned himself since a long time ago.
Then why did the empty fog feel different this time?
The Fool had forgotten for a moment.
There weren't supposed to be anyone but him above the gray fog.
This empty state was how Sefirah Castle was supposed to be.
And it was also how it would be in the future.
Maybe he had touched the crimson stars bIn an endless, silent darkness filled with moonflowers and night vanillas, an extremely beautiful woman with a hazy face stood there.
She wore a layered black dress with countless sparkling specks of radiance like the stars and Her ribs and waist each stretched out two arms.
Then, as if She had noticed something, She frowned.
"…Mysteries?"
With an uneasy expression on Her face, She frowned and raised Her hand to send an oracle, but ultimately decided not to.
Let's wait and see.
***
After one week, it was time for another gathering.
Above the gray fog stood a majestic divine hall that looked like a giant's residence.
Dark red colors bloomed on both sides of the bronze table. They surged upwards like a fountain before pattering down. It 'carved' two blurry figures who sat in the same spots as before.
Audrey, with her soft blond hair and tall, slim build, instinctively looked towards the seat of honor.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~!" Audrey shouted with a cheery voice.
Following that, she turned her head and looked at the person opposite her. With the same tone, she said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man~!"
Now somewhat familiar with her carefree behavior, Mr. Fool calmly received her greeting.
"Good afternoon, Miss Justice."
After Alger also greeted them, Audrey drew a light gasp as she asked in anticipation, "Mr. Hanged Man, did you receive the box of Ghost Shark blood?"
Alger took a look at the god and saw Him being absentminded again. His words that He had difficulty focusing were probably true.
"Thank you very much. It perfectly met my expectations. I never expected you to send it to me so quickly. The Ghost Shark blood is not the typical extraordinary creature," said Alger frankly.
Audrey smiled humbly and said, "I'm very happy to see this outcome."
Alger looked deeply at The Fool who was enveloped in fog before turning his head back with a smile.
"According to our agreement, I will tell you the formula to the potion, Spectator."
"Let me prepare myself. Alright, begin." Audrey inhaled as she focused her full attention.
"Low-Sequence potions are very easy to concoct. Just follow the order that I provide you. Do remember that there can be smaller quantities of the ingredients but not more. It would cause major problems. You should have heard about news of Beyonders losing control. I believe there's no need for me to repeat it?" Alger first mentioned things to take note of.
Audrey nodded gently and said, "I understand completely."
While she spoke, she turned her head to look at Mr. Fool. She wished to know if the mystery expert had anything to add; unfortunately, The Fool seemed to be distracted again.
Chuckling slightly, she interrupted the god's thoughts.
"Mr. Fool, do you have common sense in mysticism to add?"
The Fool blinked, returning to his senses, and registered the question.
Then, he stroked his chin, thoughtful.
"Do you know the acting method?"
Audrey listened to him with anticipation while Alger also turned toward him, intrigued.
"The acting method?" She repeated.
The Fool organized his words.
"It's the process of acting according to the potion's name in order to fully digest the Beyonder potion. However, the acting principles summarized by different people will vary according to their unique minds and experiences."
Seeing Audrey frowning as if she couldn't understand it, he gently explained it in simpler words.
"Imagine the core powers of your potion as a tightly guarded castle. The remnants of the psyche that can cause a backlash reside within that castle. Your goal is to get rid of it and become the true master of the castle.
There are two ways you can do that. The first is to forcefully invade the castle. There is no guarantee that this will work, and you will most definitely injure yourself unless you can suppress it with absolute power. But of course, you are not equipped to do that.
The second way is to get the owner of the castle to extend an invitation. This invitation can allow you to slide through the scrutiny of the guards and infiltrate the castle. You can then easily finish off the enemies. But the problem lies in the fact that this invitation specifies the facial features and characteristics of the guest. Thus, you have to disguise yourself and act as a guest."
Audrey then had a look of realization, now having a rough grasp of the acting method's meaning, at least in theory.
Looking at their amazed expressions, the Fool then warned them.
"However, remember that you are only acting."
Audrey made a serious face and nodded.
Trying to maintain his composure, Alger glanced to the Fool, checking if the god would add another mysticism knowledge, before continuing his explanation.
The Fool also tried to stay focused for once and lengthen his attention span.
Alger thought for a moment before saying, "Having smaller quantities does not mean it should deviate by too much… If you do not have an assistant, I suggest you spend some time familiarizing yourself with chemistry experiment."
"I have a family tutor for such matters," answered Audrey without feeling the burden.
After Alger mentioned the furthest extent of the deviation, he recited with great fluency, "Spectator. Sequence 9 potion. 80 milliliters of pure water. 5 drops of autumn crocus essence. 13 grams of cow teeth paeonol powder. 7 petals of elf flowers. A matured Manhal Fish's eyeball. Add 35 milliliters of goat-horned black fish blood.
The final two items are the main ingredients. They are extraordinary creatures from the sea. You have to be careful."
'The potion formula seems to be correct,' The Fool thought.
"Alright." Audrey recalled and repeated, "80 milliliters of pure water. 5 drops of autumn crocus essence, 13 grams of cow teeth…"
"Paeonol powder," reminded Alger.
The Fool then recalled something and interrupted them.
"You don't need to worry about forgetting it. After this gathering, you can recite my honorific name and remember the potion formula with ritualistic magic."
Since he would hold a gathering with them every Monday, he might as well tell them his honorific name.
That way, he could also protect them if they were in danger. It would be boring if they died too fast after all.
While Alger pretended to act normally (even though the Fool could see his emotions with spirit vision), Audrey excitedly asked, "Your honorific name?"
Alger was also curious.
The Fool leaned back into his chair, remembering the name he hadn't used since a long time ago.
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era. The mysterious ruler above the gray fog. The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."
Audrey Hall recited the three descriptions to herself silently, awe coursing through her body.
As He had claimed, she once again realized that the person facing her was a god and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, the Fool selectively ignored Alger shivering on the side and added, "Oh. And you can set up a bestowment ritual next time. It would be more efficient than trading things in a roundabout manner."
He then patiently explained the ceremony to Audrey who intently listened to him.
Then, a thought flashed through her mind. Could The Fool have forgotten to mention it last time and recalled it just now?
'Mr. Fool seems quite forgetful… Stop, Audrey, it's rude!'
Audrey memorized everything, Mr. Fool watching her.
'She is quite happy… Is she still not scared to be facing a god? Does she not realize the situation she is in?'
This human being was quite puzzling. It may have been the first time that he faced someone so ignorant.
Then, Alger saw Mr. Fool turn his gaze toward him, and realized after a while that he was waiting for him to continue his explanation.
He cleared his throat and asked, "Do you know about Cogitation?"
After talking about cogitation in more detail, he then turned to the Fool.
Since the other party was a god, he couldn't afford to offend Him and should return the favor for learning the acting method.
"Thank you for your explanation on the acting method, Mr. Fool. Your hint is as valuable as my life. You have enlightened me greatly."
Following his hint, Audrey looked at the Hanged Man's reaction and realized that the knowledge He had imparted upon them was precious, something that the average beyonder did not know.
She followed suit, "Mr. Fool, what do you wish for us to do?"
Opposite to her, Alger said with a nod, "What matter might you wish to entrust us with?"
Although he was slightly hesitant to receive a request from a god, it was nothing if he could be seen in a favorable light. Still, he hoped it wouldn't be too hard to complete.
The Fool was embarrassed. To his knowledge, what he had told them was really 'common sense', and he didn't really have anything in mind that he wanted either.
However, he was the one who promoted the principle of equivalent exchange in the first place and shouldn't break it.
Well, what could he ask?
Something worth learning the acting method…
Mr. Fool thought of something and raised his head.
"Sacrifice a meal to me."
Then, in case they deliberated over pointless things such as what food would fit a god and spent a lot of effort to find luxurious products, he added, "Common food."
He hadn't tasted anything in a long time.Food?'
The two were taken aback by the god's unexpected demand.
Fortunately for Alger, it was a request extremely easy to complete.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Audrey questioned, "Do gods need to eat?"
Alger was shocked by his companion's rude remark and warily eyed the end of the long table. She was still talking to a god!
On the contrary, Mr. Fool was already accustomed to her naive and ignorant personality and resigned himself.
As long as she didn't meet other gods in the future, she would be fine.
…Let's make sure she doesn't encounter any high-ranking individuals, okay?
He was really worried for her life. Was it how people living in a peaceful era behaved?
"We don't need to eat, but we can still taste food."
Alger.exe has stopped working.
Audrey happily nodded, learning things that her peers would surely never know.
"Do you have any preference?"
"Not really."
Anything was probably better than eating fles-
Yeah, let's stop there.
Alger shook, scary thoughts passing through his mind. 'Food'? Was he asking them to sacrifice people? Then he would do it. At least this request wasn't too difficult…
Following his spiritual instruction, the Fool solemnly added, "As long as it's normal food."
Alger stopped his train of thought.
Audrey tilted her head. Normal? How would food be if it wasn't normal? Did He mean edible?
She still nodded, unaware of the feelings of the companion next to her.
'So gods can also be interested in food…'
She would make sure to fulfill his request!
"You are truly a generous gentleman." Alger fell silent for a few seconds before bowing slightly with his hand on his chest.
After the bow, he turned to Justice and said, "Let me emphasize once more. A Spectator will forever be a spectator.
I know that many Spectators enjoy imagining themselves to be the protagonist or some other character. As a result, they invest a lot of feelings into it, to the point of crying, laughing, raging, and turning sorrowful because of the drama. However, that is not what a Spectator should do.
While faced with the various dramas of society and figures who knowingly or unknowingly act the role of particular characters, you have to maintain the attitude of being an absolute bystander. Only then can you calmly and objectively observe them. You will discover their habits, their tics from lying, or their scent of nervousness. From those minute clues, you can grasp their true thoughts.
Believe me, everyone is different because of their emotions. They will secrete different 'things' and different smells. However, only a real Spectator can sniff it out.
Once you invest too many of your emotions, your observation will be influenced. Your sensitivity towards the emotions of others will deviate."
Yeah, this explanation was far too long for the Fool to pay attention.
Audrey listened attentively as her eyes brightened gradually.
"It sounds, really, really interesting!"
Alger finished explaining the demands he knew of a Spectator. He sighed before saying, "It seems like there's nothing else?
Perhaps we can have a casual chat. We can talk about things happening around us. Perhaps it is something very normal to you, but in the ears of others, it might be a very important clue."
He looked toward the Fool and hesitated.
"…"
Audrey also looked toward the Fool and saw that He was distracted again.
She subconsciously puffed up her cheeks then immediately released it, not wanting anyone to notice this habit.
Well, He wasn't offended the last time so it should be okay to interrupt His thoughts, right?
Helpless, she called out to Him.
Were gods usually distracted?
"…Mr. Fool? Should we talk about the things happening around us now?"
The Fool was slightly embarrassed to have been lost in thought again and nodded.
"Sure."
His attempts to stay focused didn't seem very successful.
'Should I do a concentration training this week?' He lampooned.
However, what was he supposed to talk about? Who backstabbed which king of angels or the hidden plans of the gods didn't seem very appropriate…
Neither were Roselle's habits with ladies.
Now that he thought about it, Roselle also had a daughter…
Well, let's focus.
"Then, shall we begin with you, Mr. Hanged Man?" Audrey agreed in excitement.
Alger thought for a moment before saying, "The infamous pirate who calls himself Lieutenant General Deweyville has begun his voyage to explore the eastern end of the Sonia Sea again."
"Oh? The owner of the Black Tulip?" returned Audrey with a question after some thought.
"Yes," Alger replied with a nod.
The corners of the Fool's mouth slightly twitched, feeling bewildered.
'I don't even know who that is…'
Their attention then turned to Him.
However, the topic he knew the most about was Amon traumatizing people.
Did they wish to know about the king of angels' habits to toy with his victims?
As for recent news, since he couldn't leave, that would be complicated.
"I don't really know what's happening in the world," he admitted.
Audrey had a look of realization on her face and cheerfully asked, "Then, do you want us to also sacrifice newspapers to you?"
Alger: Us?
The Fool was stunned but accepted her offer. It would indeed let him learn more about the current era.
"Sure. This is an advance payment. In exchange, you can ask me for something in the future, as long as it's within my power."
Audrey was happy but shook her head.
"It's fine, I can at least do that much for free."
She had a lot of money. Although a god owing her something seemed very exciting, realistically, she knew that she shouldn't burden Mr. Fool for something so insignificant.
Mr. Fool simply accepted her answer.
"Alright, my turn. Let me think of what I have to share."
She cocked her head and held her head up with her hand before chuckling.
"Yesterday, my etiquette teacher taught me how to faint, how to faint elegantly without any faux paus. It's a practical skill used at social events to avoid awkward situations or nasty guys…"
That indeed seemed more interesting than news about some unknown pirate.
"Heh heh. I was just organizing my thoughts. What I really wanted to say is that ever since the failure of the battle on Balam's eastern shore, the king, premier, and gentlemen are under immense stress. They eagerly wish to change."
While Audrey recalled the conversation between her father and elder brother about the situation, she put in her own words, "They believe that the government's structure is too chaotic. Every election, if there is a change of the ruling party, there will be a change of personnel from top to bottom. It makes things a mess and lowers efficiency tremendously. Not only does it cause the battle loss, it also brings great inconvenience to the civilians."
When the Hanged Man, Alger, heard that he interjected with a soft chuckle.
"They believe? Then their beliefs are a little slow. Perhaps they will only feel the itch a year after they get bitten by black mosquitoes."
Audrey extended her palm and covered her mouth. Ignoring the Hanged Man's mockery, she expressed the core information of what she said, "Unfortunately, they are temporarily unable to find a good solution to replace this system."
The Fool listened carefully and reflected on the matter, "This is a simple problem."
"Simple?" Audrey returned with a question in puzzlement.
Mr. Fool then explained his reasoning due to his experience dating from the pre-first epoch.
Audrey ruminated over the suggestion Mr. Fool had offered and after a while, said in surprise, "It sounds like it actually might work… It's a very simple but effective solution!"
She looked at the Fool and sincerely marveled.
As expected of a god!
He was not only strong, but also possessed outstanding intelligence and was very experienced in life.
One should not judge a book by its cover.
As if sensing her thoughts (except the more blasph- innocent ones), the Fool shook his head.
"It was a very common system in my hometown."
"Your hometown?"
Audrey was curious.
Did gods have a hometown?
Now that she thought about it, gods indeed had to be born in some way. Then how were gods born in the first place?
However, she had never heard about such a system, even in her history books.
The Fool that does not belong to this era. When was the Fool born?
Hearing Audrey's question, the Fool had a distant look in his eyes, reminiscing about the far-away past.
The hometown he could never return to.
Seeing Him like this, Audrey paused and felt that she shouldn't ask further.
Then, as if nothing was wrong, the Fool spoke up.
"Let us end today's gathering here."
Audrey was surprised but quickly regained her senses.
"By your will." Audrey and Alger stood up together.
The Fool severed the connection and watched Justice and the Hanged Man's illusory and blurry figures instantly shatter and dissipate.
Above the gray fog, in the opulent palace where gods seemingly lived, he was the only one sitting silently at the head of the bronze table.Soon after, the Fool received sacrifices from Audrey and Alger respectively.
Audrey had sacrificed a pie and some other dishes as well a bunch of newspapers, even leaving a corresponding explanation of the dishes' name and origin.
Should he bless her to make sure she doesn't lose control during her advancement?
As for Mr. Hanged Man, he had also sacrificed food and… also newspapers.
It seemed that the fact this was a free favor hadn't deterred him.
Mr. Fool seized the food called Desi pie that was given to him by Ms. Justice.
It was apparently a type of pie from Desi Bay that stood out amongst the southern pies; a baked dish made of wheat dough filled with a tiny bit of meat.
Then, the god took a bite.
The rich, meaty juice seeped into the outer crust, neutralizing the dryness and made up for its shortcomings. The wheat fragrance was clearly brought out, and the small pieces of crushed apples were used to stimulate appetite with a slightly sour and sweet taste while neutralizing the oily taste.
Desi pie was his favorite food from now on.
In a brighter mood, Mr. Fool savored the sacrifice while reading a newspaper.
The Grain Act…
***
Feeling something from his spiritual intuition, the Fool looked at the pocket watch he had taken out from the pores of history and set to be synchronized to Backlund's time.
Maybe he shouldn't rely too much on a historical projection.
Should he ask for a real pocket watch next time?
He nodded to himself.
Though, it was funny how he was reduced to asking for a pocket watch as an equivalent exchange. And even if he had money, he wouldn't be able to use it himself to buy something in the real world.
Seeing that it was time for the gathering to begin, the Fool put away the (historical projection) pocket watch with the other items under the table.
Then, he extended his right hand and formed an invisible connection, connecting him to the two familiar crimson stars.
As Audrey and Alger's figures began to form, Mr. Fool saw that Audrey had become a beyonder.
Moreover, the chair belonging to Miss Justice changed.
The bright stars on the back of the chair moved swiftly, forming an illusory constellation that didn't belong to reality.
It was a symbol that represented a 'Giant Dragon'.
He noticed that Alger also seemed to have advanced.
"Congratulations, Miss Justice, you are a Beyonder now."
Audrey was stunned and smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Mr. Fool, and thank you, Mr. Hanged Man."
"That was much faster that I thought," Alger Wilson said honestly.
The Fool added, "Congratulations for advancing as well, Mr. Hanged Man."
Following the Fool's example, Audrey also congratulated him, happy that the Tarot Club had become stronger even though it was a small gathering.
Then, she inquired, "Mr. Fool, did you like the food?"
Alger turned over as well.
Although the god had asked for common food, what should they do if He didn't like it?
The Fool nodded.
"Yes, thank you."
Alger unnoticeably froze.
'What did I hea-'
Not noticing Alger's reaction, Audrey curiously questioned him, "If I may ask, what was your favorite dish? Knowing your tastes would help me know what to sacrifice next time."
'Oops, was I too rude?'
However, the Fool wasn't offended and calmly answered, "Desi pie."
Audrey nodded with a serious face, committing it to memory.
Then, seeing that Alger seemingly didn't have anything to say, Audrey put her palms together and placed them in front of her.
"Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, I have two questions to ask. If you think that the answers warrant a high price, tell me what you want, I will try my best to seek it."
"No problem," Alger answered succinctly.
Mr. Fool also nodded.
Audrey took a look at The Hanged Man and then The Fool. She smiled faintly and said, "Then, I shall ask the first question: what is the name of the subsequent potion for Spectator? Where can I find the clues?"
Although it was a trivial matter for the Fool, he knew that gods and low-Sequence Beyonders had different values. Thus, the Fool inquired, "This question is free, but until what Sequence do you want to know the potions' name? Is Sequence 5 enough or do you want to know more?"
Audrey was a little dazed.
Was Sequence 5 enough?
Did that mean that the Fool knew the potion names of the Spectator Pathway above Sequence 5?
Audrey understood that it was a test.
Would she take advantage of the god's kindness and be greedy, or would she be satisfied with this result for a free question?
Naturally, Audrey already knew the answer.
Miss Justice bowed gratefully, "Thank you for your generosity. Sequence 5 is even more than enough, I will pay back this favor with whatever you desire."
However, the Fool shook his head, frowning slightly, "It's fine, I said it was free."
Then, he answered, "Sequence 8 is named Telepathist, Sequence 7 is Psychiatrist, Sequence 6 is Hypnotist and Sequence 5 is Dreamwalker."
Audrey broke out of her Spectator's state, feeling excited, while the Fool continued, "As for clues, I have the subsequent potion formulas of that pathway."
"Can you sell the Sequence 8 Telepathist potion formula to me? What do you want in exchange?" asked Audrey as her eyes beamed with joy.
The Fool recalled what he was missing earlier.
"A pocket watch with Backlund's time."
Audrey was stunned then helplessly reminded the Fool, "Mr. Fool, a Sequence 8 potion formula usually costs at least 400 pounds; a pocket watch is simply too cheap. You can ask for more."
The Fool thought for a while.
There weren't many things he wanted. Then, the next best option would be to ask for something other than knowledge that would help him trade with humans even as a god.
"Then, in addition to the pocket watch, enough money to cover the rest of the Sequence 8 potion formula's price. I'll leave the exact amount up to your judgment."
Audrey nodded, determined, while Alger was dazzled by the possibility of being able to ask the same things to the Fool if He also happened to know the potion formulas of his pathway.
"I'll sacrifice the money and the pocket watch to you today," declared Audrey.
She would buy a new pocket watch right after the gathering.
Not checking the amount of money he would receive, the Fool nodded and made the Sequence 8 potion formula of the Visionary pathway appear on a piece of paper in his hand, before the paper disappeared and teleported in front of Audrey.
Surprised, Audrey received it and read the potion formula, 'Rainbow Salamender's complete pituitary gland…'
After she memorized it and thanked the Fool, she drew a deep breath and asked bashfully, "The second question. If—and I'm saying if—a normal animal were to drink a Sequence 9 potion, what would happen?"
The Fool noticed that Audrey's emotions had turned frantic, nervous, and a little ashamed, indicating that this question may not be purely hypothetical.
After being distracted for a moment, the god began to reflect seriously on the question.
The result shouldn't be that different from humans, right? Weren't there quite a few people with Beyonder animals?
The Hanged Man Alger, who was obviously dumbfounded, took a while to reply.
"Normal animals do not have the brains of humans. They wouldn't be able to learn Cogitation in a timely manner. Therefore, it would most likely lead to immediate death or a breakdown into a monster. However, if they survived the initial ingestion of the potion, they should become an extraordinary creature. If the potion has the ability to enhance their intelligence, they can even become smarter."
"Alright." Audrey breathed out a silent sigh and nodded while saying with a relaxed tone. "I have no other questions."
Alger considered for a moment and did not mention matters regarding the Aurora Order or the Listener. Similarly, he shook his head and said, "Nor do I."
After a moment of silence, the Fool spoke up, "According to The Hanged Man's suggestion last week, we can have a time for casual conversation after all official issues have been discussed. Who shall begin?"
Audrey sighed and said, "Mr. Fool, the suggestion you made regarding the exam selection and the separation between civil and political matters has received the approval of many members of parliament. Perhaps it could become a reality. Of course, with the efficiency of this government, the bill will only appear half a year from now at the earliest."
"Let's hope so," Alger replied sarcastically.
He paused for a few seconds, then glanced at The Fool. He deliberated before saying, "In recent decades, the amount of activities of the various secret organizations has seen an upward trend. In fact, there are even new secret organizations appearing, some of them having reached scale with a good number of Beyonders."
The Fool saw Alger glancing at him.
'Is he trying to ask why?'
Though, it's not that he didn't know the answer.
'The apocalypse is coming.'
The Fool didn't comment on The Hanged Man's news and changed the subject.
Seeing the Grain Act being announced in the newspaper and his spiritual intuition, the Fool had found something to share for this gathering.
"George III is preparing to become a god. His Apotheosis ceremony should happen within the next three years."
Audrey and Alger were shocked.
The Grain act.
The incoming disaster in Backlund.
The inevitable future war.
The king's current Sequence.
The Black Emperor's ascension ceremony.
The apocalypse.
Indeed, George III should be preparing to become a god.
Not that it concerned him, though.
Then, silence fell above the gray fog, the two low-Sequence Beyonders' emotions in a turmoil.
The Fool swept his gaze toward The Hanged Man, then past Justice and declared, "If there is nothing else to share, then let's end today's gathering here."
"By your will." Audrey and Alger stood up together.
The Fool moved his finger and severed his connection with the dark red stars. He watched as the two figures vanished from the magnificent palace.
Not long after, 400 pounds and a pocket watch were sacrificed to him, as well as another newspap