4
Mr. Fool, have you considered adding more members?"
More members?
Mr. Fool reflected on the question. He hadn't thought about this matter.
Now, he was already leading a two-person gathering.
He was an unknown god with no influence and no followers—except for his anchors on the Western Continent who believed in the Celestial Worthy.
Why did he continue to convene this gathering?
What did he intend to achieve with this gathering?
Silence fell above the gray fog, Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man patiently waiting for his answer.
Was it really okay to hold this gathering?
Would he be able to take responsibility for even these two people?
No, he hadn't considered adding more members.
Then, would he add more members?
The Fool lowered his gaze, his face hidden by a thicker fog than usual.
In the end, the answer to that question may have been fixed from the moment these two appeared in Sefirah Castle.
"If you wish."
The god watched the two humans.
"As long as my honorific name remains as secret as possible."
The Fool didn't need faith.
The Fool needed humanity.
But He didn't know if He would be able to face that humanity that could make Him plunge into madness at any moment.
The Fool observed Miss Justice as she nodded gently and said, "That is to say that we have to follow a process of observation, recommendation, and testing process. Yes, a process."
The Fool didn't answer.
At that moment, realizing that Justice temporarily had nothing else to say, Alger took the initiative to speak, "I've heard that a Listener from the Aurora Order is searching for traces of the True Creator, which is the holy residence they advocate."
Well, the topic had switched real fast.
"True Creator?" Audrey asked, puzzled.
"It is an ancient entity worshiped by numerous secret organizations and cults. They believe that the Creator hasn't completely perished. The Core he left behind is the True Creator." Alger gave a rough explanation. "Since the Fifth Epoch, the True Creator has appeared in many forms, such as The Hanged Giant or the Eye behind the Shadow Curtains. Heh heh, many people believe that Emperor Roselle referenced the imagery of the True Creator when he was creating the tarot cards; hence, there exists the card of The Hanged Man."
At this point, he looked at the Fool and said, "Mr. Fool, there's nothing with what I said, right?"
The Fool, who didn't have a very good opinion of the True Creator, indifferently commented, "The 'True' Creator has inherited the humanity of the Ancient Sun God and has fallen into madness. The latter was betrayed by the Kings of Angels following Him—a betrayal He had actually orchestrated behind the scenes to get rid of the corruption on Him and use the True Creator as a resurrection plan—and the True Creator was born as a result with the remaining Sequence 0 Beyonder characteristics of the Hang-" He corrected himself, "Secrets Supplicant pathway; the Kings of Angels following him becoming the gods you know now with the other Beyonder characteristics they took after killing the Ancient Sun God."
The two were stunned at the overload of information the god gave them.
The Ancient Sun God?
A resurrection plan?
Gods could die?
Gods could also fall into madness?
Corruption?
Kings of Angels?
The gods they know now?
Alger could discern even more details, his body shivering, 'Sequence 0? There is something above Sequence 1?'
Beyonders could become gods?
Since she was new to the Beyonder world, Audrey recovered her senses first and raised her hand, "Mr. Fool, what is a 'King of Angels'?"
She hurriedly added, perhaps realizing that she was too rude, "I can pay for that information."
The Fool shook his head since it was a simple matter, "It's fine."
Anyway, educating these two Low-Sequence Beyonders was somewhat his responsibility now.
The Fool tapped the table, the face of a certain mischievous brat who wore a monocle coming to mind.
"The requirement for becoming a god is to accommodate the Uniqueness of one's pathway as well as three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics. A King of Angels is the level between Sequence 1 and Sequence 0 and refers to Beyonders who have accommodated the Uniqueness and a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, the Uniqueness and two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, or possess two or three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, but are not yet gods."
Amazed, Audrey inquired, "Which gods are the Kings of Angels who betrayed the Ancient Sun God?"
The Fool recalled the past. It had been a while since he had last mentioned these names.
Then, like a teacher talking to their student, he patiently explained, "Out of the 8 Kings of Angels following the True Creator, there are the Wisdom Angel Herabergen who become the God of Knowledge and Wisdom; the Wind Angel Leodero who is the present Lord of Storms..."
Alger's eyes widened.
"…And the White Angel Aucuses, who is the Eternal Blazing Sun."
That should be all.
After all, Amanises became the Evernight Goddess at the end of the 2nd Epoch and thus did not count as a King of Angel.
Audrey heaved a sigh of relief as the goddess of her faith wasn't mentioned, unaware of the truth.
'Praise the Lady!'
Then, she realized what she had done and wondered if Mr. Fool would be mad that she praised another god in front of Him.
'He wouldn't, right…? Mr. Fool is a kind and generous god.'
As she thought this, the Hanged Man spoke up, "Who were the other Kings of Angels?"
The Fool was slightly surprised that Mr. Hanged Man had directly asked a question to him.
He wasn't scared anymore?
Nonetheless, he answered, "There was also Dark Angel Sasrir."
The leader of Rose Redemption, approximately dead.
"Angel of Fate Ouroboros."
Alive.
"War Angel Medici."
Currently in a ruin in Backlund, approximately alive.
"Angel of Time Amon."
A bit too lively.
"…And the Angel of Imagination."
Who goes around making 'necessary sacrifices'.
The Fool deliberately omitted Adam's name before warning them, "Be careful not to say these names aloud in the real world as it can attract their attention."
Or divine punishment. It was also a good way to attack people if you were ready to sacrifice yourself with the enemy.
Audrey and Alger nodded, catching onto the fact that the Fool hadn't told them the name of the Angel of Imagination.
Did He perhaps not know His name? Or was there another reason?
However, what struck Alger the most was the Fool's relaxed, natural, and nonchalant attitude as He mentioned these names.
The Fool was a god after all.
Upon seeing The Fool remain silently engulfed in the thick gray fog, Audrey questioned them about mysterious organizations and the Hanged Man accepted to answer for one thousand pounds.
After a further exchange of information, the Fool announced the end of the Gathering.
"By your will." Audrey and Alger stood up together.
After they left, the Fool considered what Audrey had said and cast his gaze at the illusory crimson stars.
Other members, huh…
The Fool raised his hand and touched a nearby illusory crimson star, injecting his spirituality to listen to the prayer inside it.
Then, a hazy and contorted image appeared within his sight. He could faintly see a blond teen kneeling on the ground, facing a pure crystal ball.
The area surrounding the teenager was dark and had old furniture. From time to time, the room would be illuminated, but the Fool couldn't hear the roaring thunder or the pattering of rain.
'The Forsaken Land of the Gods.'
In the image, the teenager had his hands on his forehead, fingers crossed. He bowed forward, continually praying for something.
The Fool attentively listened to the prayer in Jotun, his face devoid of any expression, before turning his gaze away.
He didn't pull the teenager into Sefirah Castle.
***
The two Low-Sequence Beyonders the Fool was taking care of sometimes brought some strange surprises.
"Honorable Mr. Fool and Mr. Hanged Man, who has helped me all this time, I have a question to ask. What can a pet with Beyonder powers do for its owner? In other words, how useful is it?"
The Hanged Man Alger Wilson was silent for nearly twenty seconds before he replied in a strange tone, "That depends on what kind of Beyonder powers the pet has. For example, if it's a Spectator…"
'Wait, Mr. Hanged Man, why did you use Spectator as an example? C-could you have guessed what happened?'
Strange surprises, indeed.
Watching Miss Justice be so embarrassed about cultivating a Beyonder pet and the Hanged Man's dumbfounded reaction were somewhat entertaining.
From Mr. Hanged Man, he also received another type of surprise.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, I'd like to ask if the True Creator's Holy Residence that the Aurora Order advocates is the legendary Forsaken Land of the Gods?"
The Hanged Man asked a direct question again?
The Fool nodded.
"Yes."
He rested his chin on his hand, observing them.
The Forsaken Land of the Gods, huh.
Audrey wanted to ask about the Forsaken Land of the Gods but gave up the thought when she saw the Fool's expression.
Was He solemn? Reminiscing? Nostalgic? Frowning?
She stopped herself from trying to read into the thoughts of a god, realizing that her behavior was blasphemous.
Fortunately, Mr. Fool was a kind and generous god, or else she may have already received divine punishment.
In the lofty divine hall above the gray fog, silence suddenly filled the air.
Audrey tried to break that silence and asked a question, "Mr. Fool, if I found a suitable gentleman or lady for this gathering, could I guide them to join? How do I do that?"
Alger followed suit, "Mr. Fool, what is the requirement to be a member of this gathering? How do we determine?"
The Fool looked at the long table, thoughtful.
Finally, as the silence stretched on enough that Justice and the Hanged Man began to feel uneasy, he raised his head.
"…You can inform me here of people who you find suitable. I will decide if they will join us."
His face devoid of any expression, he warned them, "Before that, you can't give any hint that would cause the secret of the Tarot Club's existence to be exposed. You must remember, to non-Gathering members…"
The Fool paused and said in a heavy voice, "You must not speak my name without my permission."
Audrey and Alger felt a chill running through them and immediately nodded.The Fool extended his spirituality and saw the young man that spoke Jotun again. He saw him kneeling before a pure crystal ball.
He knelt there and prayed with an unusual pain in his tone.
"O Magnificent Deity, please cast your eyes on this land that you have forsaken."
The Fool watched the young man, listening to his prayer.
"O Magnificent Deity, please allow us, the People of the Dark, to be freed from the curse of our destiny."
A prayer that shouldn't have reached his ears.
"I am willing to dedicate my life to you, using my blood to please you."
But also one that the person who should have heard it would never respond to.
The Fool tapped on the edge of the long bronze table with his fingers, listening to the words being repeated over and over again, then came to a decision.
He extended his right hand and touched the illusory crimson star.
When Derrick regained his senses, he realized that he was standing in a magnificent palace supported by giant stone pillars. In front of him was a long ancient table, and on the other side of the table was a human figure obscured by a thick fog.
Other than that, there was nothing around him. It was empty and ethereal. Under him was a boundless fog and incorporeal dark red specks of light.
Derrick felt a flame of hope ignite in his heart. He stared at the human figure at the very top, confused and puzzled.
"You, are you God?"
After asking this, he suddenly remembered a statement he read from a book in the City of Silver and quickly lowered his head.
That statement was: "You may not look directly at God!"
The Fool stared at the teenager, examining him from head to toe. Derrick felt that nothing could be hidden from that gaze that seemed to pierce through him.
After a moment of silence, the Fool answered, "Yes."
The gray fog around Him became thicker, as if reflecting its owner's emotions.
However, He didn't tell Derrick to lift his head.
"I am a god."
Being stared at by a god, Derrick overcame the sense of intimidation engulfing him and begged the god.
He had to get His help to save the City of Silver!
"I hope that the people of the City of Silver will be freed from the curse of their destinies. I hope that the sun and sky described in the books will appear in our skies. If possible—if possible, I wish that my parents can be revived."
The Fool looked at him blankly.
Wasn't the child asking for too many things?
Did nobody teach him to respect gods?
"Lift your head."
Derrick obeyed.
Save us.
It was laughable how people always asked for the same thing.
Humans were fragile beings who couldn't even protect themselves, or who died because of their greed.
It was also ironic how gods acted the same.
Save us.
How would the child react if he knew that the Fool had deliberately ignored his previous prayer to save his parents?
Would he resent Him?
Or would he repress his emotions because he was helpless against Him?
"Why should I help you?"
The Fool was tired of always hearing the same prayers. He was used to ignoring them since long ago.
He had learned by now how futile it was to try to save everyone.
After all, all humans will eventually die.
But gods don't.
It was tiring.
Derrick froze. He thought for some time before saying,
"I will offer my soul to you. I will use my blood to please you."
How would he know that He had really answered his prayer if he was dead?
"I have no interest in the soul and blood of a mortal."
The Fool saw the color of the youth's feelings turn into the color of despair bit by bit.
However, he still had hope.
If the teenager had known who He was, would he have been scared of Him instead?
Facing Derrick's hopeful gaze, the Fool finally opened his mouth.
It was time to erase that hope.
"I am an evil god."
The teenager continued to look at Him, waiting for the end of His words.
"Evil gods don't save people."
The Fool could still vividly remember the countless hands stretched toward Him, begging for mercy, and the prayers asking for help.
Evil gods can't save people.
However, Derrick thought that a god who wasn't interested in the souls and blood or mortals shouldn't be that evil.
Moreover, even if the one in front of him was an evil god, he was prepared to do everything as long as it could save the City of Silver.
The Fool watched the teenager, the color of despair replaced by determination and a hope that wasn't extinguished.
The child didn't understand.
'Why couldn't gods save people?' Derrick thought, 'Aren't gods powerful?'
If He couldn't intervene Himself, could He intervene indirectly?
"Then, can you help me become stronger?"
The human who had lived in darkness all his life declared, "I want to become the Sun. I wish to obtain the formula of the corresponding starting Sequence potion from you."
Couldn't he give up?
Why did he still harbor hope?
Anyway, the child didn't have anything to exchange against the potion formula.
This situation also happened because the Fool didn't have anything He wanted. Equivalent exchange was practically a decoration at this point.
The Fool made a divination.
"Okay. In exchange, you will owe me a debt."
Still, the situation could degenerate quickly if there wasn't any equivalent exchange.
This rule was important.
After all, people who gave freely could also take freely, or lose everything.
Humanity.
Right, He had to keep this rule in place even if He lost all His humanity. Because it was something the Fool would have done if He had more humanity.
The Fool resigned Himself.
Didn't the two Low-Sequence Beyonders also want a new companion?
Then here is a new companion.
"I like fair and equal exchanges. You can use what you can attain to exchange with me, or people like you, to exchange for things you want. But remember, they must be equal in value."
Become stronger if you want.
"This can make you powerful. Perhaps one day, you can rely on your own strength to free the City of Silver from its curse and make the sun appear in your sky once again."
But don't hope too much from me.
The Fool made the Sun potion formula appear on a piece of paper in front of Derrick and watched him read it.
When the child finished memorizing it, He added, "The next gathering will happen tomorrow. I will warn you ten minutes in advance, so make sure not to be in the same place as anyone else."
"Alright, I'll follow your instructions," Derrick replied with his head lowered. He didn't have any objections.
Then, the teenager seemed to remember something.
"How should I address you?"
He didn't know how to call the god in front of him.
The temperature suddenly decreased, chills running through Derrick's spine as the Fool tapped the table.
"You can call me…"
If He had known He would come in contact with the Forsaken Land of the Gods, He wouldn't have had introduced Himself as such to Justice and the Hanged Man.
"The Fool."
Derrick felt awe-inspired by the lofty title but didn't seem to recognize it.
After scrutinizing the teenager's reaction, the Fool made a deck of tarot cards appear in front of him, missing the cards Justice, The Hanged Man and The Fool.
Once more, the Fool didn't ask for the human's name.
He gave him a new nickname instead.
I have no interest in the soul and blood of a mortal.
"Pick your code name among these cards."
Derrick took two steps forward, flipped through the tarot cards, and said without hesitation, "Sun. I pick The Sun."
The Fool nodded, and as He was about to send him back, he looked into the Sun's eyes and solemnly warned, "Remember, you must never mention my name to anyone around you. No one must know it."
The Sun nodded, his spirituality warning him.
The Fool extended His hand and severed the connection. Then, He watched as the crimson glow receded, and the young man opposite Him turned incorporeal and dispersed bit by bit.
Saving the people in the Forsaken Land of the Gods?
What nonsense.
The Fool rested His cheek on His hand, His face cold and His gaze seemingly staring at the distant past.
Evil gods can't save people.
Evil gods cause people's deaths instead.
Audrey Hall surveyed her surroundings and froze suddenly. She then heard the ever-calm voice of Mr. Fool.
"This is our newest member, his code name is Sun. This is Miss Justice, and that is Mr. Hanged Man."
Newest member? Audrey was shocked at first, then her shock immediately turned into joy. She was very excited to see the development of the Tarot Club.
At the same time, the Hanged Man Alger creased his brows, a little upset that The Fool would drag in a new member so suddenly without informing them.
After greeting each other and observing the new member, Audrey thought for a moment before smiling.
"Mr. Fool, the open selection of government officials through examinations that you described previously has already garnered the support of the King and the Prime Minister. It will soon be passed by the House of Lords and the House of Commons and is predicted to be implemented early next year."
"It looks like the King and the Prime Minister still use their brains," Alger mocked out of habit.
The Fool didn't move, tacitly agreeing with what she said.
Audrey then straightened her back and said, "Mr. Hanged Man, you got me to check on something for you previously. I've received an answer. The King has been convinced by the Prime Minister and won't seek revenge on the Feysac Empire at the East Balam Shore for the time being. I think you can now give me the extra payment that you promised me."
Listening to the two, Derrick was very confused, feeling that he only understood a few terms but couldn't string them together to provide any logical sense.
Derrick looked at Justice and The Hanged Man, suddenly having the feeling that they might not come from the same world.
'To be able to gather people this far away from each other, disregarding the terrifying monsters hiding in the darkness of the cursed lands, the Fool is really a god, an ancient god…' he thought.
Meanwhile, the Fool watched the show, his spiritual vision turned on.
'Why did he suddenly look at me?' He wondered.
And why was the Sun feeling awe right now?
The Fool decided to ignore what the teenager was currently thinking, glancing toward the two other Beyonders instead.
After accomplishing everything that she set out to do, Audrey wanted to become a silent observer, but she suddenly remembered something. She spoke in a hurry, "I recently came into contact with a Beyonder circle and found out about a powerful person named Mr. A. Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, Mr. Sun, do you know of this person's background and identity?"
'I don't even know what you're talking about…' Derrick maintained his silence.
The Fool saw the Hanged Man looking his way and decided to answer.
"He should be an envoy from the Aurora Order," Then, he added, "The Aurora Order has five Saints and twenty-two Oracles. These Oracles use the alphabet as their code names, from Mr. A to Mr. X. They are Beyonders, with the weakest being Sequence 7 and the strongest Sequence 5. They are all adept at hiding themselves. Should an Oracle die, a new Oracle will take their place."
Audrey nodded, becoming even more cautious of Mr. A.
"Thank you for your answer, Mr. Fool. What do you want in exchange?"
Such knowledge is valuable?
Although he was surprised, the Fool didn't refuse and thought about it.
Not long after, he arrived at an answer.
Since he didn't know how much money this information cost nor could he use money himself-
"More Desi pie."
Really, he didn't have any image as a god.
It was all for the sake of his humanity.
However, if he felt ashamed, would that help him maintain his humanity? Just the fact that he considered bringing himself social death for a moment made him notice how much humanity he was lacking.
Audrey agreed happily, half-surprised and half having expected the god's answer.
'Desi pie?' Derrick was intrigued by the unknown thing a god could desire.
What was it? Some sort of ritual?
However, the teenager did not ask.
Then, the Hanged Man spoke up, "I received intelligence that the pirate Qilangos, codenamed Rear Admiral Hurricane, has secretly gone onshore and infiltrated Backlund. I don't know what he's up to, but I would like your help to locate his whereabouts."
"Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos? One of the seven great admiral pirates?" Audrey widened her eyes, almost unable to maintain her Spectator state.
"Yes, he's a Sequence 6 Beyonder of the path of the Sailor, a Wind-blessed. He also has a miraculous item that could be classified as a Sealed Artifact. He's quite crafty and cruel. Don't attempt to deal with him," Alger introduced seriously.
Although the request was more directed toward Miss Justice, since everyone could take on the commission, the Fool made a casual divination.
Then, he tapped the table and told them result, "He is going to assassinate Duke Negan on September 6, 1349."
Alger was stunned.
That fast? That easily?
Was this the power of a god?
Moreover, this indeed indicated the location of his target in the future. As long as he shadowed Duke Negan on that day, he would inevitably encounter Qilangos.
Mr. Hanged Man bowed his head, "Thank you for your revelation. What might you want in exchange?"
The Fool looked at Alger with suspicion.
'I feel like this fellow has a slight misunderstanding about me…'
The Fool wasn't omniscient and all-knowing, His pathway was simply skilled at divination.
He didn't want to be misunderstood to have the same authority as the Ancient Sun God.
Brushing these meaningless thoughts aside, the Fool wanted to ask for money but didn't know how much money it was worth.
"…"
What a dilemma.
Instead of doing a divination, he directly asked the person concerned, "How much is this information worth?"
The Hanged Man froze, thoughtful.
'This is a test. I have to answer well.'
How much was he willing to give? But if he gave a price that was too cheap, would it anger the god?
Sensing her companion's distress, Miss Justice covered her mouth and looked away.
The Fool's mouth twitched.
After deliberating, the Hanged Man replied, "Two, no, three hundred pounds."
The Fool nodded.
He now had a fortune of seven hundred pounds!
That was not nearly enough to cultivate a mid-Sequence Beyonder. Wasn't he quite poor as a god?
The Sun only watched the exchange, keeping silent.
After a while, the Fool woke up from his daze, realizing that they were suddenly talking about Shepherds.
"Which Sequence pathway is Shepherd from? Which number is it?"
The Fool answered Miss Justice's question.
"The Secrets Suppliant pathway, Sequence 5."
"Secrets Suppliant… Aurora Order…" Audrey suddenly recalled Mr. A, who was a suspected Oracle of the Aurora Order, and she immediately felt heavy-hearted.
She started thinking seriously, thinking of what price she could pay in exchange for Mr. Fool to take action and get rid off that disgusting fellow effortlessly.
Would He accept money? Or more Desi pies?
Mr. Fool felt his spiritual intuition warning him, not knowing why.
Soon after, he learnt the answer.
"Mr. Fool, what might you want in exchange for eliminating Mr. A?"
And that, was not something he had expected.
If asked what was the problem with Miss Justice's question, putting aside the fact that it was blasphemous, Mr. Fool didn't really know the answer himself.
Was it because the Lord of Mysteries eliminating a Sequence 5 was straight up bullying?
Because the naive young lady was asking for murder?
Or because his actions were limited since he was stuck above the gray fog?
Did he seem too easy to approach because of his meager demands? The Fool didn't really want to interfere with the True Creator's followers for no reason.
Then, the Fool found a reasonable and legitimate reason to refuse.
"Intervening myself would make my existence be known to the world."
"Ah." Miss Justice was disappointed.
She didn't know why the Fool wanted to remain hidden, but if it was the god's wishes, she wouldn't go against it. After all, it made sense.
Mr. Hanged Man, who had wanted to ask the Fool for help against Qilangos in the same manner, also had to give up.
Then, Audrey regained her spirits, thinking of something, "In that case, you don't have to intervene yourself. Don't you have followers who could kill him in your stead?"
Although Miss Justice's question was a little too straightforward and bordering on blasphemy, Mr. Hanged Man was curious as well. He looked at the two with a mix of vigilance and anticipation.
As for the Sun, he found it to be expected that the god had followers to do things in His place. But shouldn't they respect Him more?
The Fool, who was a secret existence for a reason, was momentarily speechless.
Now, how should he tell them…
Should he lie?
But then it would become embarrassing when they really needed the help of these so-called 'followers'.
The Fool mentally sighed.
"…No, I don't."
Does himself count? If he could still control secret puppets, he's sure he could have a lot of followers.
Moreover, the ones on the Western Continent couldn't leave and come to Backlund either.
The Fool was met with the bleak reality that he had no real follower here.
Meanwhile, the Sun's eyes widened in surprise. How could such a great existence have no followers?
Should he offer to believe in Mr. Fool? However, the Sun hesitated to abandon his faith in the True Creator.
Miss Justice finally gave up her request while Mr. Hanged Man was lost in thought.
Was His influence on the real world that limited?
Or was He lying? But He was a god, He had no reason to lie.
However, if He couldn't intervene directly nor did He have any followers, then wasn't He quite weak-
Alger felt the Fool look toward him and shivered.
Nevermind, He was still a god who could decide his life and death in an instant. He shouldn't think about it any further.
Maybe it's because His followers are all dead. After all, didn't He claim to be an evil god?
It was even more terrifying to think about.
Miss Justice finally realized the other meaning of the Fool's sentence and stared at Him with pity.
'Mr. Fool is a kind and great existence! I'm sure people would easily follow Him,' she internally comforted, not daring to say it out loud.
Then, she turned her gaze away, realizing that her behavior was impolite.
The Fool silently watched the three.
Notes:Humanity and time can't coexist peacefully.
Thus, time was harsh on His humanity.
Loneliness was bearable.
As for loss, He was somewhat used to it by now.
However, what really made Him break is—
"Mr. Fool."
He would have rather been lonely.
"Mr. Fool?"
Are you sure breaking that loneliness was really a good idea?
"Are you listening?"
His thoughts were interrupted by Miss Justice's concerned question.
"No, sorry," He answered apologetically.
Miss Justice shook her head and repeated, "Since you have no followers, can't we just spread your name in secret? Don't you want followers?"
The Fool's face became solemn, the temperature dropping rapidly as He said in a low voice, "Never."
The three Beyonders were a little intimidated by Mr. Fool's firm statement and gave up immediately; Miss Justice in particular guessed that there should be deeper reasons behind it judging by the Fool's actions.
Sometimes, the Fool would rather that the Tarot Club were scared of Him instead.
"My Lord."
The Fool couldn't help but remember the past.
"You are ——"
He really didn't want followers.
***
As if to answer the Fool's desperate wish to not have any followers, a crimson star lit up, carrying a prayer.
If there was a god, then that person clearly didn't like him.
Nevermind, God exists. The Fool should remember to hit Him at least once one of these days.
Mr. Fool sighed and listened to the prayer.
In the crimson star, he saw an old man with white hair dressed in a classic black robe.
'How did this old man know my name?'
He didn't appear to possess any item related to the Fool pathway.
Seeing the influence of the Hidden Sage on him, the Fool had an answer.
'I see.'
Did the Hidden Sage mix the Fool's honorific name along with the knowledge He imparted into that Beyonder's brain?
But then, why did only one person recite his name by now?
How suspicious.
The Fool felt annoyed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw people—presumably Nighthawks—knock at the old man's door; their presence most likely caused by fate aka Adam or the Quill of Alzuhood's influence.
With how pointless this situation seemed, it should be the latter.
One of them took a step forward and pulled on the rope connected to the bell within the building.
Clink! Clang!
A pleasant chime resounded in the house as it broke the heavy silence.
The Fool's eyes alternated between the situation in the house and the people outside, already guessing how it would go.
The Nighthawks present were a good-looking young man with green pupils and a poetic temperament as well as a man with light brown hair, a straight nose, sharp gray eyes and a receding hairline.
After trying several times and waiting for a few minutes, they didn't hear any footsteps approaching the door.
Suddenly, a melody came from within the building. It was the music from a piano. It was like a silent lake veiled by a thin mist beneath the moonlight.
The expression of the man with a receding hairline became abnormally stern and grave. The poet's heart sank as well.
Liquid then began flowing out from the gap beneath the door.
The stream of liquid was transparent and pure at first before it became dyed crimson.
At that moment, there was a light cough from within the house. The old man spoke with a raspy voice, "Dunn, why are you here?"
The so-called Dunn's gray eyes were extremely deep. His mellow voice replied calmly, "I heard that you're sick, so we came to visit."
How strange.
He was now witnessing some Nighthawks dealing with their companion who lost control.
Was this a drama?
What was the purpose of receiving a prayer from such a man?
The Fool leaned back.
Could He have saved the man? Probably. But that wouldn't benefit Him in any way.
Moreover, if the old man continued trying to resurrect his dead wife, he would still end up dying from his foolishness one day or another.
That was the price for believing in an evil god.
"…All this time, I've never hurt anyone, nor have I thought of hurting anyone! I never—I never betrayed the secrets of the Nighthawks, not even one! At the most—at the most, I've made claims for undeserving expenses. I really haven't committed any evil!"
The words of a dying man.
How pathetic.
"Dunn, Leonard, go back. Go back. Wait till tomorrow—by tomorrow, I'll be back to normal. I swear—I swear to the Goddess, I wouldn't harm anyone. Really!"
The Fool watched such a man.
Dunn closed his eyes and asked extremely gently, "What do you plan on doing? What have you been trying to do all this while?"
"Me?" The old man was confused at first before he described with a tone filled with hope, "I'm trying to resurrect Celeste. Dunn, I found a way, I'm on the right track!"
You can't resurrect people.
Only gods will resurrect.
"You should have heard about it. Back then, I made a mistake during the ritualistic magic to treat her illness, so I failed. I failed to save her. I now know it was because I had yet to master mysticism. But now, I now have enough knowledge and experience to complete everything! It's regrettable that I wasn't inspired by the maxim of the Mystery Pryers and Daly's example. I missed the best opportunity. If-if I was a High-Sequence Beyonder, all of this would become extremely easy." As he spoke, Old Neil's voice sounded tearful, "No, I cannot give up again… Dunn, go back. Go back, please. I beg of you."
What is lost can't be recovered.
Dunn lifted the corner of his lips forcefully and said, "Yes, it's a great idea. Old Neil, let us in. Perhaps we can help you."
He wasn't having a good time this week.
"…Dunn, are you still not willing to let me off the hook?" Old Neil pleaded, "Go back, just go back. I'll return to normal tomorrow, really. Dunn, I swear I'll never steal your coffee beans again. Leonard, I swear I won't make you help me with my undeserved claims! Really!"
The man named Leonard was silent, clenching his hands into fists and gritting his teeth.
Dunn lowered his head before lifting it up again. "Old Neil, you're misunderstanding. We're here to visit you. You are our teammate. You're sick, and you aren't well. We definitely needed to visit you. Open the door. Let us see you, so that we can be certain. If you're really okay, we'll return immediately. As you know, there are especially many missions recently. We have to monitor the asylum while we take care of various other sudden incidents."
Old Neil hesitated for a moment before saying, "There's really nothing serious about my condition, really. I'll recover by tomorrow."
The bloody water that flowed out through the gap under the door went down the stairs, towards the stone path, and onto the garden's soil.
"Old Neil, we've known each other for about fifteen years now, right? We've worked on countless missions together. I'm really concerned and worried for you. I have to see you with my own eyes before I'll be at ease," Dunn said gently.
"… Alright," Old Neil pouted. "There's really nothing wrong with me."
With a creak, the door opened slowly.
The carpet in the lobby was red and sticky, covered in blood and hair while the living room's floor, ceiling, round table, piano, and chairs were all covered in the same disgusting, sticky and hairy liquid.
Old Neil's head hung in the air, connected to the ceiling by a thick liquid. His forehead and cheeks each had a pair of eyes. They were cold and ruthless eyes with no eyelashes.
The piano's keys were dancing on their own, playing a melodious tune.
"Dunn, look. I'm really okay," Old Neil said with a radiant smile. "Leonard, you think so too, right?"
The poet—who by the way had a parasitic angel of the Error Pathway in his body—couldn't bear to look at him.
Dunn's gray eyes shimmered as he chatted like everything was normal.
"Old Neil, where did you learn the Alchemical Life and resurrection ritual from?"
Old Neil replied excitedly, "I heard it. I tried the first part, and confirmed its authenticity! It's a gift from God! He kept describing it in my ears. He kept describing, He is—He is…"
Old Neil's voice came to a halt. More than ten seconds later, he continued in fear and in apparent loss, "He is the Hidden Sage…"
Upon mentioning the Hidden Sage, Old Neil seemed to finally awaken. He looked around vacantly and observed everything.
The Fool tapped on the table, unheard of by the people inside the crimson star.
In the indescribable silence, Old Neil's six eyes looked towards Dunn, and he said with a bitter smile, "So it turns out—it turns out that I've already become a monster…"
Without waiting for Dunn and the others to reply, Old Neil suddenly revealed a smile, one of groveling, fear, and cowardice.
"Let me go. I'll go deep into the mountains and won't appear again. I'll never harm anyone. I'll only attempt my ritual quietly, really. Let me go, please. I beg of you."
The old man, no, the monster, begged for mercy from his companions.
"You're pulling me into a dream!"
He was barely maintaining his own rationality.
"No, it's useless! My eyes can see through all of that!"
That's what it looked like when a Beyonder lost control.
The sticky blood that covered the ceiling, floor, and walls started squirming, like a giant opening its mouth to swallow the Nighthawks, breaking his own principle of not harming people. Old Neil's head grew blurry like overlapping afterimages.
It's too late for you.
Suddenly, everything calmed down before him. The sticky, bloody liquid suddenly turned placid like a still lake.
Old Neil lost his coldness, hatred, desire, and all other expressions. He became quiet and peaceful.
The four lashless eyes on Old Neil's forehead and cheeks slowly closed, seemingly having lost the desire to keep them open.
Dunn and Leonard drew their guns at the same time and aimed at Old Neil's head.
Then, Old Neil revealed a look of extreme fear. He was struggling, his strong desire to live fought against the effects of Sealed Artifact 3-0611.
The four extra eyes disappeared. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth were still deep, his hair was still white and his crimson eyes were still turbid, appearing normal.
"Dunn, do you remember the time I saved you…"
Bang! Bang!
The old man's skull was torn open, the red and white within spurting in all directions.
The sticky blood that coated their surroundings started shrinking as it flowed back into Old Neil's broken head that had fallen to the ground. Dunn and Leonard lowered their guns simultaneously, and all was silent.
Dunn looked at Old Neil's 'corpse' and muttered heavily, "We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness."
Finally, the crimson star stopped shining, as if deciding that the prayer had stopped.
Indeed, with its host being dead, it couldn't continue.
The Fool had stopped tapping on the table, silently looking toward the place where the crimson star was before leaning back into His chair, His gaze lost into the faraway past.
How long was He going to continue to pretend being human?
However, the reason He really didn't want to have followers…
"My Lord."
The Fool closed his eyes.
"You are loved."Adam."
The priest was looking at Him with eyes full of pity, as if it was the destined fate.
"Ha, haha-"
The corners the Fool's mouth moved up uncontrollably, forming a distorted smile.
"Hahahahaha!"
He bent over in laughter.
"I see. So it was all in the plan. Since that I am deemed a failure, you are discarding me."
The Fool understood why He hadn't helped Him maintain His sanity.
His eyes swirling with madness, he declared, "But you haven't won, Adam. I am going to live."
The Fool looked at the priest, who watched Him with eyes full of pity, and sneered.
The Ancient Sun God, no, even before the Ancient Sun God perished, His compatriot was no more.
To Him, the Lord of Mysteries was merely a necessary sacrifice.
Because there was still time for a new Lord of Mysteries to be born.
Because He wouldn't be able to carry out that role anymore.
And in a sense, the Fool knew that Adam was right, so He hated it even more.
So the Fool laughed, mocking His own fate like a clown.
In a way, didn't that make him no different from Medici?
The Fool recalled the sacrificial rituals in the past.
The corpses.
The despair.
He finally opened his eyes.
He didn't know why he was thinking of all this now.
Was it due to the recent prayer when nobody should have remembered his name?
"Woof!"
The Fool looked down in surprise.
There was a hound, its entire body covered in short black fur and the ends of its mouth extending to the back of its head.
It was a hound of Fulgrim, a unique creature of the spirit world and Keeper of Sefirah Castle.
It stayed a distance away from Him, hesitating to approach but also looking as if it wanted to comfort its master.
Meanwhile, the Fool was still staring at the dog in astonishment.
The hound had entered Sefirah Castle, its body fine as if nothing had ever been wrong; only two missing balls of dark-red burning flames in its eye sockets betraying a hint of the previous wounds it had suffered.
Slowly, the hound took a step and paused, asking for permission while trembling in fear.
Why had it entered Sefirah Castle?
It had been so long…
"…Woof?"
The Fool stared at the hound, still in front of him.
Then, he stretched out his hand.
Recognizing the sign, the hound hesitatingly took a few steps forward and reached the god, looking up at its master.
"You are not alone, my lord."
He should have felt less alone.
Even after everything that happened, the hound had gone back to him in the end.
Moreover, it was still alive after all this time, so it was an existence that would never leave.
Yet.
Yet…
The Fool simply patted the hound with an impassive face, while the latter tilted its head while wondering what was wrong.
Loneliness had never been the problem.
It only started it.
The gray fog covered the Fool's eyes thickly as He stared at the dog in silence.
Then, He pulled up His lips into a smile, a bright smile like one of a clown.
Yeah, shouldn't I be happy?
***
"Honorable Mr. Fool, if I were to find out Qilangos's true intention and the very important and magical item that he intends to obtain, please allow me to recite your name and inform you through the ritual."
The Fool considered it for a moment, glancing toward Mr. Hanged Man.
"Only recite my name if you are in grave danger."
That was a refusal.
Alger was disappointed but bowed his head, thanking Mr. Fool for His answer.
The majestic palace was silent for a few seconds before Audrey spoke, "I need the complete pituitary gland of a Rainbow Salamander."
The Hanged Man Alger nodded slightly as if he was contemplating.
"I don't have it. To be honest, I've only seen this creature in textbooks." The Sun, Derrick, heard the term automatically translated to him as Phantom Netherdrake.
At that moment, Alger looked at The Fool, then retracted his gaze. He then looked opposite him and said in thought, "I might have a way of obtaining the complete pituitary gland of the Rainbow Salamander."
The Fool completely ignored the two, having zoned out.
Meanwhile, the Sun was lost for the majority of what they said.
"…Does the near-extinction of the Rainbow Salamander mean that the Spectator pathway will be severed soon?"
Oh, Miss Justice, that's not something you want to know.
"No, there will definitely be substitute materials." Alger gave a definite answer.
"What substitute materials are there?" Audrey's eyes brightened as she asked.
Alger shook his head, replying without revealing certain profound truths, "I don't know. Perhaps the members of the Psychology Alchemists might know."
"Then how can you be so sure that there will be substitute ingredients?" Audrey didn't understand.
The Fool crossed his hands, debating whether he should tell them certain truths of the world.
Alger laughed and said, "You will understand in time. Or do you have something to trade for the information right now?"
"I guess I'll wait." Audrey pouted and sighed. She also dismissed the idea of asking Mr. Fool.
Yes, maybe he shouldn't disclose the existence of cannibalism just yet.
Mr. Fool took pity upon these mortal souls and kept silent, all the while Mr. Sun was wondering if they really didn't know something so simple or if he had misunderstood what they were talking about.
***
In the real world, Mr. Hanged Man's hunt on Qilangos went relatively well.
After some twists and turns, the pirate was eventually killed by the official Beyonders—though not by Alger—and Creeping Hunger was retrieved by the Church of the Lord of Storms.
However, due to investigations from the official Beyonders, Mr. Hanged Man and Miss Justice asked for leave from the gathering.
Thus, Mr. Fool was alone with Mr. Sun right now.
The Fool looked at Derrick, standing straight like a nervous student, and leaned back in his seat.
He didn't know how to start a conversation. What was he supposed to say?
He didn't hesitate as much as now even when solving crisis with high-level existences in the past. How curious.
Stuck with a strange dilemma, the Fool pondered on what he should do, feeling the teenager's increasing nervousness as time passed.
Maybe he shouldn't drag it out any longer. The Sun was going to follow in the Hanged Man's footsteps and also get a heart attack at this rate.
The Fool finally broke the silence.
"…Well, why don't you tell me more about the City of Silver?"
Breathing out a sigh of relief, the Sun nodded and began his story, not knowing that the Fool was only listening with one ear.
"The City of Silver has existed ever since the omnipotent and omniscient God, the Lord that created everything forsook this land. No, it existed before that, but it was called the Kingdom of Silver."
'Ancient Sun God, will your existence haunt me even through the mouth of Tarot Club members?'
For a god that was supposed to be dead, He was almost as present as Roselle.
Well, technically, He was as approximately alive as Him, it's just that Roselle was stuck in His mausoleum and hadn't really resurrected.
Gods and their masochistic tendencies to make people stab Them in the back and kill Them, only to resurrect later.
Decide if you want to die or live for once! This isn't some kind of drama.
The Sun continued to recite what he knew, unaware that the god in front of him was already distracted.
Anyway, since before, the Fool was receiving some kind of bad feeling from fate, as if someone was writing over it.
Leonard Mitchell———
And his spiritual intuition was usually not wrong.
——This is reasonable.Leonard collapsed on the floor, out of strength as he desperately called for the Old Man in his mind. However, the Old Man wasn't answering. Neither did the goddess or the Church.
He felt despair as his saw his captain facing Megoses.
They were losing.
He couldn't do anything.
Captain was about to die.
If only he had the strength.
If only he had digested his potion properly.
If only he had told them about the acting method-
Leonard gritted his teeth.
He had to do something.
He clenched his hand.
Actually, there was only one thing he could do right now.
If the Old Man wasn't going to help…
Leonard opened his mouth, remembering the paper he had seen in Old Neil's house.
Faced with no way out, Leonard Mitchell recited the honorific name of an evil god that he had stumbled upon.
He was ready to give up on his soul if it could save his captain.
In a low voice, Leonard began, a glimmer of determination in his eyes, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"
This is reasonable.
"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog."
Pallez didn't stop him.
"The king of yellow and black who wields good luck."
Please.
"Please, save us."
If only he were stronger.
"I will do anything."
After reciting the honorific name of an evil god, Leonard had expected to be struck down by lightning.
Maybe he would lose control, his body could be taken over, or they could be saved.
Anything that could change the status quo.
However, none of that happened.
There was no answer.
Leonard had lost the last sliver of hope he held onto.
Then, he saw his captain reach for his heart, no external help there to stop him and unable to muster enough strength to open his mouth and shout for him to stop.
Maybe there was another way.
There should have been another way.
Please, anyone, anything…
His captain fell to the ground.
That was the last thing he saw as Leonard last consciousness, the child of the True Creator now free to destroy anything.
Was this how he died?
***
Above the gray fog, the Fool received a prayer and clicked on the crimson star.
"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."
He noticed that the one praying was the same Nighthawk he had seen when the old man influenced by the Hidden Sage was dying. That should be how he had obtained his honorific name.
"Please, save us. I will do anything."
Through the crimson star, he could also sense the aura of the True Creator.
Was He trying to resurrect through a child?
The Fool saw the destruction caused to the Blackthorn security company, the poet on the ground watching his captain facing the child of the True Creator, the threat it would pose to the city…
He could have stopped it.
Then, the other man reached for his heart, tearing it out of his body as the poet could only stare in despair.
However, the Fool didn't do anything to stop it.
He only watched, his head resting on his hand, indifferent as the poet lost consciousness and the other died.
Would he have moved if it had been a member of the Tarot Club in this position?
He didn't know.
Did he not intervene because he didn't want to be noticed by the True Creator or because he simply didn't care?
Now, the child of the True Creator was set loose.
The Fool still didn't act when the 'child' wreaked havoc, conveniently heading out into the city while leaving behind Saint Selena's ashes.
A man entered, picked it up and left. He was the culprit for all of this.
Then, an angel of the Evernight goddess appeared to deal with the child of the True Creator before it could do anything to Tingen's inhabitants.
In a second, the 'child' was erased out of existence. If the Blackthorn security company hadn't been destroyed and people weren't lying dead there, it would have seemed as if nothing had actually happened.
Now finished, the angel looked up at the sky and stared at him through the crimson star, making eye contact.
The Fool cut off the prayer.
***
Contrary to what he thought, Leonard didn't die.
Why?
When he woke up, everything had been dealt with.
Why was he the only one left alive?
Nevertheless, his captain was still dead.
He would avenge him.
Leonard was completely out of his mind, trying to process the situation but also refusing to accept it.
If only he had listened to the Old Man.
If only-
Suddenly, his vision was covered in crimson.
He was now sitting at a table in a space full of gray fog, a mysterious figure staring at him.
Where was he?
At the same time, he also knew the answer.
"Are you the Fool?"
When he recited that honorific name, he was ready to die.
Now, his captain was dead and he had to pay for the consequences of his actions.
Was this how he died?
No, he still had to avenge his captain before that.
He had nothing to lose.
If only the god had helped.
Before the evil god could answer or dispose of him, Leonard grabbed the last straw he could hold onto and spoke up.
"Please help me get stronger so that I can get revenge, I'll do anything. No, I don't care what you do with me, but at least kill Ince Zangwill."
It didn't cross Leonard's mind that the god had voluntarily decided to not help him. How would he react if he knew?
The Fool stared at the one he had pulled into Sefirah Castle that so bravely demanded help. Then, he let out a bit of his mythical creature form to intimidate him.
Around Leonard, the gray fog started to boil, moving slowly and getting thinner to reveal faint symbols on the Fool's body. The symbols were filled with madness, making his mind dizzy as he began to hear ravings in his ears.
Leonard's body was shaking.
It reminded him that he was facing a god.
Then, the fog settled down and the ravings stopped.
Leonard could only look down and wait in silence as the Fool tapped the table, lost in thought.
This time, the Fool did not care that this silence made the Low Sequence Beyonder more and more uneasy.
Finally, the evil god made a decision.
"I won't help you."
Leonard wanted to protest but didn't dare to, his only choice being to accept it and resign himself. He clenched his hands into fists.
Meanwhile, the Fool ignored his reaction and continued.
"Instead, you should get stronger and get revenge by yourself."
He waited for the end of the god's explanation.
"I hold a gathering here every Monday at 3 pm, Backlund time. Pick your code name."
Without leaving him the freedom of choice, the god made a deck of cards appear.
Now that didn't really look like an explanation.
Leonard leaned forward and randomly took one before looking at it.
"Eh?"
It was the Star.
"Can I pick another card?" He blurted out.
Wanting to be mean, the Fool stared at him and turned him down.
"No."
Leonard didn't protest any further.
Now having recovered from his previous depression, Leonard was quite shaken.
He hadn't expected that reciting that honorific name would make him meet an evil god and join a gathering.
Did this count as betraying the goddess?
No, it didn't. He still believed in the goddess.
At least, joining the gathering could be seen as a good thing. It would help him get stronger.
He finally relaxed, knowing that he could only accept how the situation turned out. Leonard even wanted to put his feet on the table but restrained himself.
Then, the god sent him back, now alone above Sefirah Castle once again.
The Fool leaned back into his chair and sighed.
Notes: