146 LOTM

It was an ordinary paper crane, bursting into scarlet red flames just as it flew out, scattering ashes in the process.

Amon, who had been looking up into the sky, suddenly turned "His" head and looked at the paper crane who was a vessel of flames. "He" then raised His" palm again.

A cold glint had lit up in the eye beneath the monocle.

Suddenly, the flames on the paper crane's surface vanished. Klein and his ability to swap locations with his marionette vanished. Likewise for Flame Controlling, Flaming Jump, and Air Cannon!

In that instant, he had six Beyonder powers stolen—four of which were rather important ones!

If Amon was able to make a few more thefts, then Klein might've even turned into an ordinary person.

This was "Theft" at the angel level!

Amidst the extinguishing flames, the paper crane slowly floated.

Backlund, Dr. Aaron's house, in a black pram.

Wrapped in silver silk, Will Auceptin rubbed his mouth and eyes, grumbling, "Life is just so hard..."

Before "He" finished "His" sentence, "He" took out what looked like a cane from somewhere. It was embedded with clear gems.

Pure bright light lit up, illuminating the calendar in the room clearly.

Today was Tuesday[1].

160 Boklund Street, inside Dwayne Dantes's garden.

The paper crane which was already charred and incomplete suddenly froze in midair. Complicated chrome-colored symbols appeared out of it, instantly taking on the form of a huge, illusory, scaleless snake.

The dense patterns and symbols on the surface of the gigantic silver snake formed a wheel that was connected to each other. Around each wheel were different symbols.

With a sweep of the cold, bright red eyes, this giant serpent soared into the sky and stayed above Boklund Street. It curled its body and bit its own tail.

Its shadow blanketed the entire street like a mysterious and ludicrous wheel.

Suddenly, Macht, Riana, and several servants in 39 Boklund Street's activity room wiped the smiles from their faces. They raised their hands in unison, taking off the monocle on their faces, allowing the monocles to turn incorporeal in their hands before transforming into beams of light.

Immediately following that, they wore their eye accessories once again and pinched their eye sockets, either leisurely looking out the window or returning to their former state.

Hazel sat on the ground watching this scene. As she shook her head, feeling the world crumbling around her, she used her hands to hold her body up while rapidly retreating.

The cold glimmer in Winner Enuni's eyes vanished. The crystalline monocle was left cooked, and he no longer wore that supercilious look.

In addition, something in his body seemed to be extracted as a clear, thick, but transparent and mysterious Worm of Time took form above his head.

And amidst Concealment, this Worm of Time quickly transformed into a figure with black hair, black eyes, a broad forehead, and a thin face.

This wasn't time reversing itself on Boklund Street, because Klein and Leonard didn't suffer any of its effects. It was Amon having "His" condition return to a few minutes prior to this!

Snake of Fate. Reboot!

Although Will Auceptin had predicted that there would be some changes in Fate, things had happened slightly later. However, "His" influence that descended from afar came in such a timely fashion.

In order to gain this Snake of Fate's help, Klein had not only fed "Him" five different flavors of ice-cream, but he had also agreed to further compensation. The outcome of their negotiation was that Klein had to think of the means to create at least two items that could allow Will Auceptin to briefly regain some of "His" strength while in "His" weakened state!

When Amon suffered this unexpected blow, Klein didn't hesitate and drew Death Knell. He cocked it, gently pushed the cylinder, and aimed it at his enemy.

Bang!

He staidly and decisively pulled Death Knell's trigger, shooting out the Control Spirit Bullet he had long prepared.

A black stream of light flashed out, striking the illusory Amon figure with the sharp bonnet and classic black robe—the Worm of Time. This was even thicker and clearer than all the Worms of Time Klein had previously seen before!

The light scattered as Amon's figure quivered in midair and froze without being able to wear any expression. @@novelbin@@

And at this moment, Leonard, who had already arrived overhead, followed Old Man's instructions. Standing on Word of the Sea, he floated in midair, slightly spread out his arms, and relaxed his Spirit Body.

Both his green eyes immediately reflected a slightly gloomy, twelve-ringed transparent Worm of Time in each one of them.

These two Worms of Time had their heads and tails connected together, forming a similar loop.

As the loop slowly spun, they projected a huge ancient mottled illusion behind Leonard.

This illusion looked like the surface of a wall clock carved from stone. There were twelve segments, each segment was either grayish-white or bluish-black. They were clearly demarcated from each other, and the symbols were all different. With just one look, Klein had the feeling that life was speeding past him.

Gong!

A bell gong that seemed to travel across time from ancient history resounded through the spacious secret world. Everything before Klein seemed to slow down, including the Amon figure above Enuni.

An indescribable invisible surge appeared, sweeping around that Amon figure before hurling it towards that huge, illusory stone-carved wall clock.

What was actually a Worm of Time—Amon's avatar with a monocle—suddenly extended a hand, aiming it at Gehrman Sparrow.

Suddenly, Klein saw the skin on the back of his hand rapidly dry up as they wrinkled up, producing unobvious aged spots.

The speed at which Amon's illusory figure was being pulled away slowed down, but the process couldn't be interrupted. Finally, it contracted into the form of a ringed worm and was thrown towards the illusory, ancient stone- carved wall clock behind Leonard.

Gong!

Another bell gong sounded as the grayish-white and bluish-black clock's surface had an additional mottled hand.

This hand quickly rotated a few segments, speeding up the sound of the gongs.

Inside 39 and 160 Boklund Street, all kinds of resplendent glimmers of light flew out, pulled and attracted by that ancient, illusory, stone-carved wall clock.

Law of Beyonder characteristics convergence!

"He" had used the connection between the avatars and "His" higher level to strengthen the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence!

Gong!

Several streams of light from different spots in Backlund flew over.

After everything calmed down, Klein's current appearance appeared in his mind.

He had more white hair than black. His forehead and the corners of his mouth and eyes were covered with obvious wrinkles. His skin had sagged with several aged spots. He looked like an elderly gentleman, ready to pass away at any moment.

At this moment, the clock's gonging sounded again.

The grayish-white hand on the ancient, illusory stone-carved wall clock began spinning counterclockwise!

One tick. Two ticks. Three ticks. Klein saw his skin rapidly recover its luster as the spots faded and vanished.

In just seconds, he recovered his original appearance. Life had seemed to begin flowing in him again.

Powers at the angel level are almost godlike... I only suffered some repercussions of it, and I nearly died of old age... I wonder if I can revive under such conditions... Klein observed his condition and hurriedly look up and said to Leonard Mitchell, "How should the people Parasitized by Amon be rescued?"

At this moment, the ancient, illusory clock behind Leonard rapidly faded away, turning into glimmers of light that drilled back into his body.

Leonard cocked his head slightly as though he was listening to something. After a while, he said, "The Beyonder characteristics of the Worms of Time in them have been sucked out. The remaining parts have either been absorbed or have some remnants left behind. However, it wouldn't result in having an excessive influence on them. Uh, Old Man said that it won't be excessive, but it might be from the viewpoint of an angel. In short, they can pray to the deities they believe in and see if they can obtain a complete purification. However, without them explaining what exactly happened, the deities might not give a response. If you're afraid of any remnant effects, you can consider guiding them to pray to... uh, that existence. All the items that come from that will be yours."

Perhaps having personally "experienced" a battle at the angel level, and having seen the Snake of Fate's spectral form, Leonard's agitation and trembling could hardly be suppressed in an instant.

The people on this street are basically the believers of the Goddess, so how can I get them to pray to The Fool? I don't wish to be thrown into the foggy town... Uh, the Goddess is very aware of this matter. They will likely receive a response if they were to pray to "Her." Then, I can get Her Eminence Arianna to return the Worms of Time that they cough out to me... Uh, I can give "Her" some... As Klein's thoughts raced, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

He then asked in passing, "Will there be any side effects after a complete purification?"

Although he had some experience from Little Sun, this youth of the City of Silver wasn't an ordinary person.

After listening for a moment, Leonard said, "A little. As it's a deeper level of Parasitizing, even if ordinary people were to experience a full recovery, there will be some level of influence left on them, such as them liking to wear monocles."

"...Alright. Head back first. Leave the rest to me." Klein nodded and was glad that the parties involved in this battle weren't the kinds with obvious destructive might. Otherwise, it might not only be Boklund Street, but all of North Borough might not be left intact.

In Pritz Harbor, a black-haired, black-eyed, thin-faced young man wearing a monocle rode on a bicycle as he leisurely returned home.

He wore an obvious smile as he opened the letterbox and took out the newspapers and letters inside.

After entering the house, the young man pinched the monocle on his right eye while tearing open the letters, reading their contents as he walked. This continued until he found a letter without any name on it.

"If all connection to 'us' in Backlund is lost, it means that Pallez Zoroast might very well be hidden in the vicinity of North Borough's Boklund Street.

"Don't ask us why we're taking such risks. Life often requires some excitement, joy, and anticipation."

[1] Author's Note: To make the plot run smoothly, the details of a Tarot Gathering was skipped. As for Will's prediction, a deviation happened because of Amon's ability to bore through fate.

-x-X-x-

On 160 Boklund Street, after watching Leonard fly out of the world of Concealment with the Word of the Sea in one hand, Klein turned his attention back onto his surroundings.

He first observed Winner Enuni. He originally imagined that he couldn't use the marionette that had been Parasitized by Amon, but to his surprise, he realized that he could control his Spirit Body Threads again!

This... Klein was first stunned before he came to a realization.

When Snake of Fate Will Auceptin used Reboot to reverse Amon's condition in time, it also made the things "He" Parasitize experience similar changes. Hence, Enuni had turned back into his marionette!

As expected of the strongest power of a Monster pathway's Sequence 1... Klein heaved a sigh of relief before allowing his figure to fade away from where he stood.

He "Teleported" back to his master bedroom, leaving a bunch of marionettes around to defend against any accidents.

Right on the heels of that, Klein entered the bathroom and headed above the gray fog. He used Enuni's prayer light and began observing the entire street with the Sea God Scepter in hand.

Without a doubt, his focus was on his residence and Unit 39. He found Butler Walter, Housekeeper Taneja, Member of Parliament Macht, Ma'am Riana, and many servants having remnant signs of being Parasitized. They appeared somewhat in a daze.

As for Hazel, she was on the brink of total collapse. Her hands were on the ground, having pushed herself backwards into the corner. Her back was leaning close to the wall as she huddled into a ball, trembling.

Macht and company had noticed something wrong with her. They surrounded her in concern, hoping to know why.

However, Hazel would scream loudly whenever they attempted to approach her. She would resist violently, so all they could do was stand meters away, wearing a panicked and helpless look. @@novelbin@@

During this process, they would, from time to time, nudge their glasses or pinch their eye sockets. This only served to leave Hazel even more horrified. She appeared to be on the brink of losing control.

Klein felt horrified when he saw this scene above the gray fog. He imagined a scene:

Daddy Amon, Mommy Amon, Maid Amon, Footman Amon were circling around Hazel, trying to soothe her nerves but were helpless. They wore the same expression and the same monocle with different clothes.

Even if Hazel were to hold out and not lose control, she would definitely develop mental problems. At the very least, she would be in a half-crazy state... Klein's thoughts raced as he lowered the Sea God Scepter and returned to the real world.

Boklund Street and the several streets remained enshrouded in darkness. It exuded a serene, tranquil, and profound feeling.

This was a world that had already turned into a "secret."

Klein took down a hat, wore it on his head, and "Teleported" to a director's office in 22 Phelps Street—Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.

Audrey had already changed into a light-green dress and was daydreaming with a fountain pen in hand, reminiscing over every detail of the punishment operation in the afternoon. Susie, on the other hand, had gone out for a stroll.

Suddenly, this noble lady sensed something and looked up.

A black-haired, brown-eyed, thin-faced figure with cut facial features was rapidly reflected in her emerald, limpid eyes.

This figure wore a white shirt, black vest, black trousers, and black leather boots. He had a cold expression, his body was bent slightly as he held one hand over his top hat.

Audrey was first taken aback before she recalled who this person was.

Gehrman Sparrow!

Although she had never met him before, she had already seen his extremely lifelike picture on the papers and wanted posters.

Klein realized that he hadn't changed back to Dwayne Dantes based on Miss Justice's reaction. However, he wasn't too mindful of that. He released his hand from his top hat and straightened his body. He said with a nod, "There's something that requires your help."

His disguise had also been stolen by Amon. But after a Reboot, it was returned to him. He just didn't have the time to change back into Dwayne Dantes.

Mr. World, who's already a demigod, needs my help? He's in need of therapy because of some mental problem? No, it doesn't seem to be the case... Audrey pursed her lips as she put down her fountain pen in anticipation and curiosity. She stood up and gave a serious reply:

"No problem."

Klein didn't waste any time and walked over. Grabbing her by the arm, their figures faded away as they vanished from the spot.

Instantaneously, they appeared outside the activity room at 39 Boklund Street.

This is "Teleportation? Audrey's eyes turned slightly as she instinctively wanted to ask something. However, when she felt the heavy atmosphere and the screams, her face immediately wore a solemn look.

"There's a patient?" she asked without much doubt.

It's really easy to talk to a Spectator. There's no need for much explanation... Klein tersely acknowledged and said, "Yes, she encountered a supernatural incident and suffered a terrible fright. She's on the brink of losing control.

"Do you have the means to not be seen by the people inside?"

There was no need for him to say his last sentence, as a large-scale illusion was enough to resolve the problem. Furthermore, after receiving the blessings of Concealment, ordinary people likely didn't retain much of their corresponding memories. However, after witnessing Adam's powers of invisibility, Klein was rather curious if Miss Justice had such skills at Sequence 6.

Mr. World is feeling curious... That's really rare... He doesn't seem to be wearing a thick mask and has changed to a thinner one. He's a really good patient who heeds medical advice... Audrey's chin moved slightly as she nodded.

"Yes."

As she spoke, she glanced at Gehrman Sparrow who reached out for the handle and pushed open the door after receiving her response.

Member of Parliament Macht and Ma'am Riana completely ignored this beautiful girl as they discussed in a panic about hiring a doctor. As for Hazel, she remained curled in a corner, trembling vigorously like an abandoned baby animal.

"Miss Hazel..." As a senior Spectator, Audrey didn't have the problem of forgetting others.

She observed Hazel's condition and frowned slightly. She turned her head and said to Gehrman Sparrow, "Uh, Mr. Sparrow, can you briefly explain what she encountered?

"Only with sufficient knowledge can I quickly resolve the problem."

Klein was already prepared as he quickly and succinctly explained, "She's a Beyonder of the Marauder pathway, a student of a demigod who had nefarious thoughts. Her teacher attracted Blasphemer Amon's avatar and ended up getting herself killed, her destiny and identity were stolen.

"As such, Amon infiltrated her family, Parasitizing her parents and servants. Just now, while we were eliminating Amon's avatars, she realized that her parents and servants had all turned into Amon. Uh, she didn't know that 'that' was Amon, but she understood that it was a strange existence.

"If you have anything you wish to understand at a deeper level, things which do not involve the psychological treatment, you can always ask during the next gathering."

Blasphemer Amon? Mr. World and company have eliminated Amon's avatar again, no—avatars? Audrey was somewhat shocked as she instinctively glanced at Macht and company. She couldn't imagine that they had once been Parasitized by Amon and had turned into "Him."

To have everyone Parasitized... Audrey recalled Mr. World's words and felt more afraid the more she thought about it. She felt her entire body turn cold as she couldn't help but think of herself if she were in Hazel's shoes.

This left her somewhat stifled as she subconsciously cast Placate on herself.

"Is the supernatural world always this cruel and terrifying, or is it just occasionally?" After calming down, Audrey muttered softly.

She didn't wait for The World Gehrman Sparrow's reply, because from what she had seen at the Tarot Gathering, she knew the answer very well: Always!

Looking back at Hazel, Audrey walked over, filled with pity. She crouched down and first used Placate.

Hazel looked up blankly and saw a perfect, flawless face, as well as that pair of emerald-like eyes.

At that instant, she seemed to return to the ball of that previous night, having witnessed this lady "descend" like an angel.

She instantly calmed down. She saw ripples rise up in that pair of limpid, green eyes. They were serene, calm, and deep.

"There's no need to be afraid. Calm down. Everything is already over..." Audrey used Hypnosis to directly communicate with Hazel's Body of Heart and Mind. She heard hysterical screams and the horror that was taller than mountains and deeper than the ocean.

Taking into account Hazel's condition and encounter, she quickly came up with a plan for treatment. She directly Hypnotized Hazel and made her forget today's encounter and the existence of her teacher. She was only capable of vaguely remembering her identity as a Beyonder and other general knowledge.

Hazel gradually calmed down before she slowly fell asleep.

"After you awaken, that terrifying experience will no longer exist, and I was never here." Audrey used a gentle voice to complete the last step of the Hypnosis.

Following that, she slowly got up and observed Hazel for a few seconds.

She pursed her lips and whispered without turning her head, "I made her temporarily forget the corresponding memories, but that memory remains. It's just hidden deep down. In future gatherings, I'll continue treating her, guiding her to slowly remember and accept this memory. Only then can her mental problem be completely resolved.

Otherwise, perhaps a familiar action or sentence will jolt her awake. She will then break down once again, and perhaps it will result in a direct loss of control."

Miss Justice is becoming more and more professional... Klein sighed as he asked cautiously, "Then you will have to Hypnotize all the people who were Parasitized. They are not to show any hobbies that don't originally belong to them, like the wearing of monocles.

"Also, let them pray to the Evemight Goddess after fifteen minutes to obtain complete cleansing and purification." Audrey nodded with abnormal seriousness.

"No problem."

Klein immediately stood to the side, watching this noble lady "cue" everyone who had been Parasitized in this house with the greatest feelings of pity.

-x-X-x-

Minutes later, Klein—with the face of Gehrman Sparrow—walked out of 39 Böklund Street with Miss Justice Audrey and headed for places where the other Parasite victims were.

After a few silent steps, Klein suddenly looked ahead and said, "It's not rare to see such matters happen among unaffiliated Beyonders. Without any suitable guidance, it often implies that they're constantly dancing at the edge of a cliff with the possibility of falling at any time."

Audrey tersely acknowledged and said after a few seconds, "I know. Compared to before, I'm not as... not as..."

She deliberated for a moment before breaking into a grimacing smile, as though she had found a suitable adjective she required to mock herself.

"Naive."

Phew... She then exhaled without hiding it as she looked ahead. "If I had known that the mysterious world was so cruel and terrifying last June, I might not have raised the request of becoming a Beyonder."

Klein turned his head slightly and took a look at the noble lady's face. He asked in a seemingly casual manner, "If I were to give you the chance now to completely leave the mysterious world, would you accept it?"

Audrey was taken aback as she slowly pursed her lips and said, "No..."

After giving such a response, she seemed to relax a little as she smiled and continued, "Under the premise of knowing how cruel and terrifying the mysterious world is, the me from last June would've given up being a Beyonder. But the me of this year wouldn't.

"This might be the price of growing up."

"I understand what you're getting at." Klein continued forward at the same pace as he said, "After those victims are completely purified, a number of them will spit out Worms of Time. They can be used to create Fate Siphon charms. It's a demigod-level item that can switch the fate between two parties for a short period of time. When the time comes, I'll give you one as payment for today's treatment."

Audrey was about to decline it before she fell silent again. She then nodded gently and said, "Okay."/ wu xi a w or l d . si te

Just as she said that, she suddenly paused. She turned her head to glance at Gehrman Sparrow and smilingly said with a mixed expression, "I know why you just asked me that question."

Klein chuckled without giving a direct answer.

Audrey retracted her gaze and immediately felt a lot better. She asked as though they were having a chat, "I participated in the punishment operation at noon, and I dealt with the Amon aftermath in the afternoon. Today is really a 'Tarot Day'..."

Her words were a double entendre as she said with utmost wistfulness.

From her point of view, noon was a cooperative operation that involved five members—The Moon, The Star, Judgment, Justice, and The Magician—with different levels of involvement. In the afternoon, the Tarot Club's The World and Justice had involved themselves in the elimination of Amon's avatars in different ways. This was indeed a day to remember, and in a sense, it could be considered a "Tarot Day."

Klein nodded in agreement at Miss Justice's words, but he didn't tell her that The Star Leonard had also been involved in the afternoon operation. Furthermore, he was the main force in the operation.

"Amon's avatar must've been difficult to deal with, right?" Audrey finally found an opportunity to raise the question.

She stared at Gehrman Sparrow, making no attempt to hide the curiosity in her green eyes.

Klein smiled.

"If I had done it alone, you wouldn't be seeing Gehrman Sparrow, but Amon here instead."

"Having your destiny and identity stolen?" Audrey asked in enlightenment.

Klein tersely acknowledged.

"We'll discuss the specifics in the future. In short, to eliminate all of the Amon avatars in Backlund this time, we had mobilized angels.

"If you were to encounter Amon's avatars in the future, never believe that you have the means to handle 'Him' alone. Immediately find an opportunity to seek help. Yes, 'His' trait is the wearing of a monocle. He enjoys pulling off harrowing pranks..."

Angels were mobilized... I wonder if it was that Death Consul or the angel from the Fate domain, or... Audrey looked up at the sky and saw the clouds frozen in midair. They appeared like props under the dark background.

Like an attentive student listening to a teacher, she seriously nodded and said, "I will keep that in mind."

The two continued walking, occasionally silent, occasionally breaking out into a conversation until they entered 160 Böklund Street.

After a few minutes, inside the activity room of Hazel's house.

Macht and company suddenly had the strong urge to sit in their seats, raise their hands, and place their clasped hands before their mouth. They then began to piously pray and chant the Evernight Goddess's honorific name.

After an unknown period of time, they coughed in unison until their tears and snot flowed out.

Cough! Cough! Cough!

Without realizing it, they separately coughed out worms with twelve translucent rings.

The moment these worms fell to the ground, they vanished without garnering any notice.

Similar things happened in other places of Böklund Street, but everything was quickly restored to normal. And the darkness had faded away at some point in time as the clouds began churning again from the sweeping winds.

Amidst her parents' coughing, Hazel slowly regained consciousness. She was puzzled as to how she fell asleep on the sofa during high tea.

She felt that she should've been in an excellent mood, but she just couldn't bring herself to smile. She felt as though there was a feeling of indescribable sadness and pain bearing over her heart.

Upon seeing her parents' concerned gaze landing on her, not only wasn't she touched, she even felt a little fearful. She trembled like an introvert who wasn't accustomed to making contact with others.

Hazel knew that this wasn't her personality, but she couldn't control herself.

However, she didn't find it weird or puzzling as she continued enjoying the high tea pastries.

Macht and Riana felt the same. They had a nagging feeling that there was something hazy about their memories, but they just couldn't recall what.

160 Böklund Street. In the master bedroom which had its curtains drawn.

A figure suddenly outlined itself across the coffee table. It was the barefooted Ariannaleader of the ascetics, matron of the Evernight Cloister, head of the thirteen archbishops of the Church of Evernight. She was wearing a spartan robe with tree bark as her belt.

In the lady's eyes, the gray sideburned Dwayne Dantès was about to leave the sofa. On the coffee table in front of him were nine transparent ringed worms.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am Arianna," Klein said with a solemn bow. "Thanks to your help, Amon's avatars in Backlund have all been eliminated. You can choose a portion of these spoils of war."

He had previously prepared a marionette beside every person who had been Parasitized, and he used an Illusion to bring these Worms of Time back.

After hearing him, Arianna tapped her chest four times in a clockwise fashion and replied in a pious manner, "Praise the Lady."

"She" didn't decline the offer or stand on ceremony. She reached out her right hand, and two Worms of Time flew up and landed in her palm.

"Amon must have certain guesses about this. You still have to be careful in the future," Arianna said simply before her figure vanished inch by inch as though she had been erased.

Watching this archbishop leave, Klein sat down and picked up a pen and paper, writing to Leonard Mitchell.

He wanted to ask what other effects the Worms of Time had other than creating Fate Siphon charms!

He believed that he couldn't turn all the remaining Worms of Time into Fate Siphon charms, as it would be too monotonous. It made it easy to be countered, and it prevented him from handling different situations. Therefore, he had to consider other possible uses.

With the Worm of Time as a vessel, he could use the powers stirred from other symbols, patterns, and labels that differed from The Fool. This would likely result in different effects from the Fate Siphon charm. And this was something Pallez Zoroast was an expert at.

After writing his letter, Klein took out the adventurer's harmonica and blew at it.

Reinette walked out of the void with the four blonde, red-eyed head in hand. The eight eyes paused before looking at the remaining seven Worms of Time on the coffee table.

Miss Messenger looked at it for three full seconds before retracting "Her" gaze. She then bit on the letter and gold coin which Klein handed over.

"Still 7 Pinster Street," Klein succinctly said.

Reinette Tinekerr's remaining three heads replied, "In the future..." "You..." "Can seek..." "My help..." "In such..." "Matters..."

"The payment..." "Will be the..." "Spoils of war..."

Klein was taken aback as he said, "Alright."

After Miss Messenger returned to the spirit world and vanished from his room, he frowned and muttered, Since she can recognize the Worms of Time, it means that she knows that this battle might have escalated to the level of angels...

She wasn't afraid at all...

Miss Messenger is stronger than I imagined?

7 Pinster Street. Leonard received Klein's letter from Reinette Tinekerr's mouth.

He still felt a hint of excitement as he eagerly unfolded the letter and read it.

After the messenger left, he immediately asked with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, there should be other ways to create charms, right?"

Just now, Pallez Zoroast had given him two Worms of Time from Amon as today's reward for the risk he took.

In Leonard's mind, the slightly-aged voice replied with a smiling tone, "Of course, once I sleep for a while and digest what we received this time, I'll teach you. It wouldn't take too long. Also, do not go to Böklund Street any time soon."

"Why?" Leonard asked in surprise.

Pallez Zoroast chuckled and said, "All of Amon's avatars in Backlund have been eliminated, and it is in no way a trivial matter. The number of people who can do that is just a handful. So, do you think 'He' will have some guesses?"

This... Leonard's nerves tensed up again.

Pallez continued, "However, there's no need to be too worried. 'His' true body wouldn't be able to enter Backlund, and having recovered quite significantly, I don't have to be too worried about 'His' avatars. In addition, I've found a piece of information from Flora Jacob from 'His' memory fragments. Somewhere in Backlund hides the treasure of the Jacob family.

"We shall wait until the end of the year for the gathering. There, we will seek out and cooperate with the other descendants of the Jacob family to excavate that treasure trove to share the items inside. When that happens, even if Amon gathers a large number of avatars, raising it to almost the level of a Sequence 1, there's no way he can truly defeat me. Heh heh, to ensure balance, Dwayne Dantès can also be involved in it."

-x-X-x-

Leonard immediately felt very relieved when he heard Old Man Pallez.

He cast his attention back to the angel-level battle that happened in the afternoon and asked rather curiously, "Which pathway's angel does that giant serpent phantom belong to?"

Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a moment before saying with a sigh, "Snake of Fate. The councilor of the Life School of Thought. A Sequence 1 angel.

"I never expected 'Him' to join them..."

Councilor of the Life School of Thought? "He" has also become a Blessed of Mr. Fool? The corresponding card is the Wheel of Fortune? Leonard's eyes widened as he realized that Mr. Fool's faction seemed comparable to the seven orthodox Churches. It was truly unfathomable.

Death Consul... Snake of Fate... Incomplete messenger... There are three angels under Mr. Fool... It's no wonder Klein was able to become a demigod so quickly... Just how long has it been and I've already been embroiled in a battle at the angel level. It's really unimaginable how things will develop in the future... Leonard held the letter and sat on the sofa. He felt another sense of urgency towards digesting his Soul Assurer potion and advancing to Spirit Warlock.

He had been busy placating the souls in the Backlund region recently, but due to the numerous missions, he was still far from completing them. He couldn't find an excuse or opportunity to visit Tingen City to steal the powers from that drop of the Eternal Blazing Sun's blood. Furthermore, the arrival of Amon's avatars had been quicker than he had expected.

South of the Bridge, Rose Street, Harvest Church.

Emlyn White, who had changed into a brown priest robe, stood in front of a long table with candle stands. He watched Ernes Boyar working hard at wiping the altar before he raised his right hand and casually pointed.

To the side. Left side. That spot's dirty."

Ernes Boyar, who also wore the clergyman attire of the Earth Mother, shot an angry look at Emlyn, but he still listened to his instructions and re-wiped the area he hadn't wiped seriously.

"I know you're very mad. It's how I felt when I learned that you deliberately hid key information from the ancient castle intel you sold me," Emlyn said with a smile, completely unfazed by his glare. "Also, I forgot to inform you. I'm also a viscount. It happened last week."

Sanguine Viscounts corresponded to the Moon pathway's Sequence 5 Scarlet Scholar. The advancement ritual required the illumination of the full moon. Apart from that, one had to gather different metals, gems, and Beyonder creature blood that represented the different moon phases. It was rather complicated.

However, Emlyn had long obtained the promise from the Sanguine upper echelons that a free advancement ritual would be held for him. He could advance easily once the full moon came.

As for the digestion of Potions Professor, he had completed digesting it without putting too much effort into it. This was because he often taught commoners who were willing to learn at the Harvest Church to learn about herbs and medicine, and even combinations of some special potions. And apart from usually collecting dolls, researching history, and doing volunteer work at the cathedral, he loved thinking about the different potions and considering how they could be used in different battle situations.

"...You're a viscount?" Ernes Boyar abruptly stood up straight as he wore a flabbergasted look.

Among the Sanguine, as they were all long-lived, they had quite a huge population. The number of Beyonder characteristics was limited, so advancing was a very difficult endeavor. One had to be in a long line before they had the opportunity to advance. However, Emlyn White had only been a Baron for half a year!

Ernes remembered that it took him six years to go from Baron to Viscount. This was because his father had suffered an attack from Artificial Vampires. His passing left him the inheritance.

"Of course." Emlyn's smug smile grew obvious, but he remained restrained. "I obtained a Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristics from Artificial Vampires."

Ernes Boyar looked at Emlyn, momentarily at a loss for words. He felt that he had suffered a heavier blow than needing to do volunteer work at the Harvest Church.

Your expression is rather interesting." Emlyn tsked and said, "Perhaps one day, you'll have to address me as lord when I become an Earl."

"Preposterous! What arrogance!" Ernes blurted.

I'm already very humble. I didn't mention I would become a Duke or even a Princeps... How am I to be the Sanguine's messiah without being an angel? Besides, in our Tarot Club, Mr. World has already advanced to become a demigod. Ma'am Hermit won't take much longer. This will definitely be a club filled with demigods... Emlyn chortled without arguing with Ernes like he usually would. He took on an attitude that whatever Ernes said was beneath him.

Of course, he also understood that the advantage the Sanguine had after the Scarlet Scholar stage no longer existed. Becoming an Earl was in no way easier than an Artificial Vampire advancing to Shaman King.

The digestion of the Scarlet Scholar potion is still relatively simple. All one needs to do is sincerely like the moon, worship the moon, and study the moon. This is what most Sanguine do usually...However, the corresponding ritual is in the hands of the demigods. Without their approval, even if I were to obtain a Shaman King Beyonder characteristic from The Sun, I won't be able to become an Earl... Emlyn might be arrogant, but he knew very clearly what was required of him subsequently.

There were two core powers of Scarlet Scholar. First, it was to create an environment that was advantageous to them. When the enemy wasn't good at spirituality or things related to the spirit world, they could create the effects of the full moon. On the contrary, they would also make the moon vanish if necessary. Second, it was to gain an instantaneous blink and a spectral form state under a certain area of the moon's illumination. Even if they were smashed to bits by an enemy, they could still reform themselves under the moonlight.

And the strength of these powers was derived from one's comprehension and research of the moon domain as Scarlet Scholars.

As for the strengthening of darkness-related spells, the enhancements of potion effects, and the resistance towards Nightmare-like influences, they were just supplementary.

Ernes was enraged by Emlyn's attitude. Just as he was about to speak again, he saw the mountainlike half-giant, Utravsky, walk out from behind the cathedral.

He hurriedly bent his back and bowed his head as he continued cleaning the altar.

Emlyn White also picked up his cloth and the candle stand, wiping its surface with great proficiency.

In the silent atmosphere, he thought of something: If he were to leave the Harvest Church now, would the upper echelons of the Sanguine force him to hand over the mystical items and supernatural props he obtained from Ernes.

This... I really have no reason to reject their request, because some of the items don't belong to Ernes in the first place... Emlyn thought about it seriously and decided to return to the room later. He would set up a ritual and sacrifice the spoils of war he received to Mr. Fool. When the time came, he could split it with the other members like The Star and Justice.

Uh, Oath of Rose cannot be sacrificed. It's only one part of the pair. Whoever obtains it will be discovered and identified by the wielder of the other ring... I'll just treat it as a spoil of war. I'll hand it over to Marquis Nibbs tonight. I should be able to exchange it for some rewards... As for the rest, I won't participate in the splitting... Emlyn very quickly came up with a plan. @@novelbin@@

As for whether the Sanguine upper echelons would bear a grudge over this, he wasn't too worried. This was because he would also mention in passing about the cooperation that the Rose School of Thought's temperance faction had requested while handing over the Oath of Rose.

This matter had happened last week. He had planned on informing the Sanguine upper echelon, but in the few minigatherings, The Hanged Man had advised him to do so after the punishment operation. It would accentuate his importance and mitigate any anger or resentment.

Striking with a stick, and offering a carrot? At that moment in time, Emlyn suddenly had a deeper understanding of the suggestion.

160 Boklund Street. Inside Dwayne Dantes's bedroom.

The spoils of war received are pretty good. A diamond brooch that can raise one's energy and maintain lucidity while resisting spells that act on the Body of Heart and Mind. A paper figurine that can prevent any fatal damage and Psychic Piercing. A belt that can produce Sun and Lightning damage. A wallet that contains more than 300 pounds... After receiving the sacrifice and returning to the real world, Klein silently sighed as he sat in front of his study desk. He then took out a transparent maggot.

Upon seeing this maggot, he felt his head ache, recalling the pain of having his Soul Body fracture.

This was a Worm of Spirit that he had fractured from himself. It was to be made into the payment given to Snake of Fate Will Auceptin.

He already had an idea on how to replicate the item which could briefly allow someone to restore their strength. It was to use the Worm of Spirit as a vessel and copy the complete symbol from before to garner a response from the mysterious space above the gray fog.

For this, the outcome of his divination was that it would be rather successful.

That item's true essence is actually one of the powers of the Seer pathway's Sequence 3, Scholar of Yore. To borrow a portion of one's power from one's past self... Responding with The Fool's identity would definitely work...

The only problem is that the corresponding dimensionality, mystery, complexity, and danger of the symbols cannot be directly engraved on different metal plates... According to Will Auceptin, I have to use Cogitation and draw on my spirituality to draw it on the Worm of Spirit...

If it succeeds, I'll make myself one. I'll look at myself from the past and see if it will be Klein Moretti's childhood or myself hanging in the cocoon above the door of light... If it's the latter, it's best if I can confirm how long I've been hanging... Klein entered a Cogitation state while in thought. Then, he kept constructing symbols with his mind, allowing his spirituality to repeat this process outside as it penetrated the Worm of Spirit.

This was a complicated and difficult task. If he wasn't careful, it might lead to failure.

As the invisible symbols fell and augmented the Worm of Spirit, Klein suddenly trembled. The Worm of Spirit ignited by itself and turned to ashes.

Looking at his empty palm, Klein felt a headache. After a long period of silence, he silently muttered, Life sure is difficult...

-x-X-x-

After rubbing his forehead, Klein was just about to split another Worm of Spirit when he suddenly saw Reinette in her dark, complicated-looking dress walk out of the void and stand beside the desk.

In the mouth of one of Miss Messenger's heads was a neatly folded letter.

"Who's it from?" Klein asked in passing.

Reinette Tinekerr's remaining three heads replied, "The..." "Mushroom..." "King's..." "Superior..."

Mushroom King? Klein was stunned for a full two seconds before realizing that it could be Frank Lee.

And Frank Lee's superior was Admiral of Stars, Cattleya. @@novelbin@@

"The 'Mushroom King' is Frank Lee?" Klein asked in confirmation as he reached out to take the letter.

With the four blonde, red-eyed heads' hair being held, they were made to bob up and down as though they were nodding.

Miss Messenger even gives others nicknames... That's not right. Frank doesn't just specialize in mushrooms. His "domains" include cows, malt, fish, Rose Bishops... It's because Frank has had a breakthrough in his mushroom experiments, so Miss Messenger saw a boat-full of mushrooms? Klein couldn't help but draw a breath as he hurriedly unfolded the letter.

He was worried that the letter was Ma'am Hermit's plea for help.

Of course, he wasn't too anxious because, at the most critical juncture, an experienced pirate like Admiral of Stars would definitely choose to pray to Mr. Fool.

This letter did come from the Future's captain, Cattleya. On it were neatly written words:

"... The Queen has already confirmed the time and place. Wednesday, 11 p.m. Same place.

"...I've no idea what you said to Frank Lee, but I can tell that he has been very excited recently. He has done many experiments with the Artisan. He said that he would be able to produce another phase of results in three-to six-months time. He also made it clear that if he were to obtain the Druid potion, he could save on making many intermediary objects and directly produce the final outcome. All I can say is that I wish you the best.

"...I hope that everything will come to an end before the Artisan completely breaks down. He has already begun regretting his faith in the Primordial Moon..."

Should I be happy that the securing of the City of Silver's food supply has progressed, or should I be worried about accidents? Klein rubbed his temples and decided to put the matter aside. After all, Ma'am Hermit, who was almost about to become a demigod, was watching Frank. If some unexpected development really happened, she would definitely seek help.

Phew... Having finally confirmed his meeting with Queen Mystic, he heaved a sigh of relief and flicked his wrist, burning the letter in scarlet red flames.

After watching Miss Messenger leave, he continued splitting a Worm of Spirit when he suddenly frowned. He felt that the desk and the letter's ashes in the trash can were abnormally off-putting.

Subconsciously, Klein got some tissue and wiped the desk before covering the trash can.

After doing all of this, he looked at his dirtied hands and stood up. He headed for the washroom and turned on the tap.

As he washed his hands, he caught sight of the toilet beside him through the corner of his eye. He frowned bit by bit again.

"Today's cleaning wasn't done well enough..." Klein softly muttered and suddenly sensed something wrong with him.

Amidst his thoughts, his spiritual intuition quickly explained why he was feeling this way.

This was a side effect of using Death Knell!

As he had already become a demigod, allowing him to have a qualitative change in his Spirit Body and attain godhood; the corresponding negative effects had been reduced by more than 90%. The terrifying weakness of germaphobia ended up becoming a trait of cleanliness OCD.

Likewise, the period of weakness dropped from six hours to one hour. And the thirst that Death Knell gave him was no longer as obvious.

"Thankfully..." Klein heaved a sigh of relief as he skillfully pulled out the toilet brush from the side.

Eleven in the evening, above the gray fog, due to Emlyn White's request, all the members who had involved themselves in the punishment operation- Justice, The Star, Judgment, The Magician, and The Hanged Man

-appeared inside the ancient magnificent palace.

"These are all the spoils of war." Emlyn threw 3,000 pounds that he had just sacrificed in the middle of the table and explained, "One of the mystical items was Oath of Rose. It's a paired ring, allowing the wearers to be able to share their senses and thoughts with one another within a normal-sized city regardless of the distance. It's very valuable, but only one of the rings was acquired. It would spell danger for anyone who takes it. Therefore, I handed it over to the Sanguine upper echelons and received 3,000 pounds in return."

He originally thought of keeping the 3,000 pounds as his spoils of war, but he decided that it was better to sacrifice it and make it be one of the options.

After a pause, Emlyn introduced the other items, listing their uses and negative side effects. He had even added more to the description-knowledge stemmed from his penchant for Sanguine history and some shared by Ernes Boyar under Father Utravsky's watch.

He is doing it with the intent of flaunting... Otherwise, with Mr. Moon's character, he wouldn't say so much... Oh, the reason for him being relaxed is due to Mr. Fool's absence... Audrey watched as a bystander without saying which item she wanted.

Alger glanced at the spoils of war and said to Emlyn, "Have you met the Sanguine upper echelons? Has the hunting of the key members of the Rose School of Thought been confirmed?"

"Pretty much. I've also established contact with a member from the temperance faction. However, he wishes to carry out the operation after September." Emlyn didn't hide the truth, believing that Mr. Hanged Man could provide useful pointers.

Indeed, Alger nodded and asked, "It has to be after September?

"This means that they are waiting for something that will drastically change the situation..."

Klein, who was waiting for the mini-gathering to end somewhere else in the ancient palace, suspected that it had something to do with Miss Sharron's advancement when he heard that.

According to Miss Sharron, she should've been able to attempt the demigod ritual in July... Don't tell me that this ritual will last at least a month? If that's the case, it's quite different from the other pathways... Klein had a theory he wasn't too sure about.

"Possibly." Emlyn thought for a while before agreeing with Mr. Hanged Man's words.

Following that, he surveyed the area and said with a smile, "You can begin choosing."

Audrey had Mr. World's promised Fate Siphon charm, and Leonard had obtained the corresponding rewards from Old Man Pallez. They appeared rather calm with the spoils of war "offered" by the Sanguine Viscount. None of them rushed to speak as they politely waited for the others to go first.

In addition, they had either experienced an angel-level battle in person or witnessed the horror brought about by Amon's avatars. Furthermore, they had confirmed that the Tarot Club contained potent forces, and they were suffering from some level of mental fatigue.

Xio looked to her right before looking forward. Seeing everyone being so modest, she broke the silence.

"I was involved in a very simple part of this and didn't take much of a risk. Furthermore, Mr. Moon has already paid 60 pounds in advance. I'll just take the cash in the wallet."

As she spoke, she took the handcrafted wallet, took out the cash, and counted it.

"335 pounds."

Emlyn surveyed the area and nodded when no one objected.

"Okay."

As for the handcrafted wallet, Xio threw it in the middle of the table and returned it to Mr. Moon to handle it himself.

With Xio taking the lead, Fors said, "I only lent out Leymano's Travels and didn't take on any risks. I'll take that Moon Paper Figurine..."

Compared to the mystical items, such expendable Beyonder items were relatively lower in value.

However, to The Magician herself, she wouldn't have selected a mystical item even if she was qualified. This was because she could hire the corresponding member to Record it if she needed a particular power of the mystical item. As for Moon Paper Figurine, an expendable item that could take a fatal blow and Psychic Piercing once, it couldn't be Recorded. It was definitely the first choice for someone who feared for her life.

After saying that, she waited for a moment. Only when no one objected did she take the Moon Paper Figurine.

Emlyn then cast his gaze at Miss Justice. Leonard extended his hand and said with a smile, "Ladies first."

Audrey didn't decline the offer as she swept her gaze across the items on the table. She pointed at the diamond brooch and said with a smile, "I'll take this."

She had heard Mr. Moon mention that its name was Alcohol Nemesis. It kept the wearer brimming with energy with lucidity in their thoughts, giving them resistance to influences on the Body of Heart and Mind.

Thankfully, I had first used Bribe-Charm to be safe, and with Ernes still being in a half-conscious state after waking up from the dream, I wouldn't have been able to Hypnotize him... This item is also useful to me. At the very least, it will give me another layer of protection when facing the higher-level members of the Psychology Alchemists... I don't have to worry about the negative effects if I don't always wear it... Audrey thought thankfully as she retracted her gaze from the diamond brooch in satisfaction.

After the selection, Emlyn didn't give Leonard the chance to speak as he directly said, "This Moon Sash is yours."

From his point of view, the Moon Sash was worth more than 5,000 pounds, something more valuable than the 3,000 pounds in cash.

Actually, I was leaning towards taking the 3,000 pounds... I have to buy the Word of the Sea, and the price is still 10,000 pounds after Klein gave a discount... After spending that, I'll only have 650 pounds in savings... Leonard ultimately didn't reject it as he nodded.

"Okay."

Emlyn finished distributing the spoils of war and picked up the remaining 3,000 pounds in cash. He then split a stack and pushed it to the side.

"Mr. Hanged Man, this is your payment. 1,000 pounds."

"You should call it the consultation fee." Without Mr. Fool present, Fors was also a lot more relaxed.

Alger didn't stand on ceremony as he nodded, reaching out to take the stack of cash.

"The compensation for the carriage driver will also be borne by me." Emlyn surveyed the area in a rather good mood.

11 p.m. on Wednesday, at the south entrance of the Backlund Bridge.

A figure quickly phased into existence in the night sky, with one hand on his hat and the other hand by his buttons.

He had black hair, brown eyes, and sharp facial features. This strongest adventurer with the cold expression was none other than Gehrman Sparrow.

-x-X-x-

It was late at night with the thick clouds concealing the moon. It was dark across the Backlund Bridge.

Just as Klein "Teleported" here, he saw green pea vines descend from the sky like a storm that enveloped his surroundings before he could look around.

They intertwined and quickly formed a forest. They stacked upwards in layers, making it impossible to see its peak.

Klein released his right hand's grip on his top hat and familiarly followed up the path paved by the vines.

It didn't take long before he saw a naturally-formed swing made out of green plants. He also saw Queen Mystic Bernadette who stood beside the swing.

This eldest daughter of Emperor Roselle had a head of long chestnut hair. She wore a blouse with laced flowers that formed a bow tie. She matched it with a gray dress that went past her knees and a pair of Wellington leather boots. She also wore a bonnet with a hanging black fishnet.

"You've grown faster than I had imagined." Bernadette's blue eyes behind the black fishnet reflected Gehrman Sparrow's figure.

Klein replied without any change in expression, "Praise Mr. Fool."

As he said that, he inwardly lampooned, This is what it means to strive to be stronger, relying on oneself rather than on others!

Queen Mystic nodded slightly as she said with a gentle but emotionless voice, "I know why you want to see me."

Without waiting for Klein to say a word, she tilted her head slightly and looked at the vine swing beside her. She said in a tone as calm as a lake that had countless undercurrents beneath it, "I feel that he hasn't really perished completely."

...Does that mean you believe that Emperor Roselle hasn't died completely? He lives somewhere in this world, with a chance for him to return? Klein didn't expect to hear such a straightforward and sensational words right at the beginning of their conversation. Although he easily controlled his expression, he was somewhat at a loss for a reply.

At the same time, he noticed that Bernadette referred to Emperor Roselle as "he" instead of "He." Regardless if they were using ancient Feysac to speak or the normal daily language used in Loen or Intis, they were completely different words.

This means that deep down in Queen Mystic's heart, Emperor Roselle isn't an angel, but a father... Klein calmed down his emotions and deliberated before asking, "Why do you have such thoughts?"

Bernadette retracted her gaze from the vine swing and said with the same gentle voice, "Towards the final stages of his life, although he was crazy and radical, everything he did had preparations in place. I believe that he must've prepared something for himself.

You should know that he attempted to switch pathways in his later years and tried for the vacant Black Emperor throne. This required him to build nine secret mausoleums in the form of pyramids.

"After he died in the White Maple Palace, the Churches of the Eternal Blazing Sun and Steam jointly found eight mausoleums and destroyed each one of them. However, the ninth mausoleum remains to be discovered. No one knows where it's hidden.

"If he had already become Black Emperor, he can definitely awaken inside that mausoleum. If he fails, I believe that there's a possibility of using it for his resurrection..."

Bernadette's voice softened as she spoke. Towards the end, her voice was ethereal and nearly indiscernible.

You aren't that confident either... It's mostly a kind of hope and expectation... Klein sighed.

Suddenly, he recalled the words by King of the Five Seas Nast.

Emperor Roselle liked to stand in front of a particular floor-to-ceiling window and look to the west.

From Roselle's diary, Klein knew that "He" had discovered the Abyss's entrance in the Fog Sea west of Intis. There, he had found a primitive island and believed that it was filled with oddities and was worth exploring.

Could it be that... Emperor Roselle built the last secret mausoleum in the Abyss or on that primitive island? Klein thought for a moment before smiling.

You seem to understand the Black Emperor pathway very well."

He suspected that Emperor Roselle had left the Black Emperor card as a bookmark and had used Bernadette's name in ancient Feysac as the activation incantation because he partially wanted to inform his daughter of the corresponding ritual. In the end, Bernadette had seemingly grasped the information via other means.

The lips behind Queen Mystic's fishnet veil produced a slight curl.

"I've already investigated this matter for more than a century. And to figure out the details, I've suffered the infusion of knowledge from the Hidden Sage.

"I can tell that you, and Mr. Fool who's backing you, have a deep understanding of this... I've always been curious why you're so interested in his matters."

From the current situation, and in terms of seniority, you could call me uncle... The emperor and I might very well be "roommates" who had been hung up for many years... Klein lampooned to relieve his emotional upheavals. However, he replied in a calm tone, "You can raise this question to Mr. Fool."

He didn't plan on telling Bernadette that the ninth secret mausoleum might be somewhere in the Fog Sea, very likely to be on the primitive island, or in the Abyss. It was more suitable for The Fool to answer the question.

Queen Mystic wasn't surprised by Gehrman Sparrow's response. She cast her gaze west to a certain spot far away.

Although he couldn't see Bernadette's gaze, Klein could vaguely sense that this lady was looking at the place where she had her childhood. She was looking at her spiritual home, the home where she could no longer return to.

At that moment, in the green vines and deep darkness, there were a lot of subtle emotions and dreams that hid deep in the heart, fermenting.

In just a matter of seconds, Queen Mystic retracted her gaze and gently said, "After my matters in Backlund ends, I'll pass a few pages to Cattleya and get her to ask the question on my behalf."

"Why don't you ask next week?" Klein didn't hide his puzzlement.

Bernadette calmly replied, "I feel that the answer will affect my mood, and a bad mood will result in my failure."

A failure because of a bad mood? What sort of matter has such strict requirements? A clash with a demigod of the mind domain? Or perhaps, after she resolves the knots in her heart, will she have the confidence to attempt to become an angel? Klein nodded in thought without pressing.

This was a secret of hers, something that it was best not to ask about unless necessary.

Queen Mystic then said, "When he wrote those few diary pages, I was sitting opposite him. I wanted him to teach me how to interpret and write those symbols. He didn't agree to it and only ruffled my hair. Back then, I was already of age...

"I can tell that he was worried, apprehensive, and in a difficult position when he wrote those pages. Finally, he told me that if I can really become an important figure of the mysterious world as Zaratul predicted, I must make sure to remember—be careful of the 'Spectator.'"

Be careful of the "Spectator"... Klein couldn't help but inwardly repeat Roselle's warning.

He believed that the emperor wouldn't be broadly referring to the Beyonders of the Spectator pathway. He was definitely pointing to a particular special existence, some special matter, or both.

Emperor Roselle was a member of that ancient secret organization... That ancient secret organization's founder and leader is... Klein's eyelids twitched as he didn't dare to think any further, afraid that a particular existence would hear his thoughts.

"Perhaps there are detailed descriptions on that diary page," he said, hoping to see that diary page as soon as possible.

"I know." Bernadette nodded.

She didn't continue on the topic. After two seconds of silence, she said, "I should thank Mr. Fool and you on Cattleya's behalf. Obtaining the blood of a Snake of Fate is very helpful towards her future.

"Although the advancement ritual of a Mysticologist doesn't have any requirements on the Mythical Creature's pathway, the best choice is still the Fate pathway. This will make it a lot easier for her when she advances to Sequence 3."

"Why?" Klein asked with the mindset of learning new knowledge.

After all, it was impossible for a Blessed to know everything. Even a true god was incapable of that!

Bernadette's eyes turned slightly vacant.

"Another way to call 'prying into the secrets of fate' is 'clairvoyance.' The Mystery Pryer's Sequence 3 is called Clairvoyant. This also why I'm in Backlund."

Due to a particular future prediction? Klein mused, having a guess and some level of enlightenment, "Many pathways seem to have the ability of clairvoyance."

The corners of Queen Mystic's mouth curled up slightly as she sighed and said, "In ancient times, many Beyonder creatures believe that gathering similar powers would lead to a qualitative change and breakthrough, but all of them went mad without exception or lost control. Only after the first Blasphemy Slate appeared did all creatures realize that balance—the kind of balance needed to walk on t;he edge of a cliff—was key to the path of extraordinariness."

Therefore, a domain's powers can be scattered across many pathways, concentrating on a few main pathways while the other pathways share the remnants? Hmm, a negative example is the King of the North from Groselle's Travels, Ulyssan... Klein fell into a deep thought without pressing.

After a while, Queen Mystic broke the silence.

"If you have nothing else, let's end it here today." @@novelbin@@

Klein thought for a moment before saying, "Alright, if you need any help, you can find me through Admiral of Stars."

Bernadette nodded gently as her figure suddenly turned transparent before turning into a cluster of bubbles.

The bubbles scattered and flew off before vanishing immediately. The dark green pea vines retracted and vanished into the night.

Klein seemed to be held by an invisible hand as he landed gently on the Backlund Bridge.

He reached out his hand to press his top hat and surveyed his surroundings. There were rows of houses lining the banks, emitting faint yellow lights. Amidst the gushing sound of the surging river and the darkness of the night, everything appeared serene, silent, warm, and peaceful.

I hope none of this will be destroyed... Klein sighed as his figure quickly turned transparent and faded away.

-x-X-x-

"Dear Mr. Azik,

"Ever since September was ushered in, Backlund's temperature has been dropping day after day. Recently, the elderly can already be seen wearing gloves when outdoors.

"Just like last year, the smog has begun to envelop the city. This would happen one to two days a week, or even more. Clearly, the environmental measures governing air pollution aren't something that can be resolved in a year or two. It will take at least five years. Something that should be worth being happy about is that the pungent smell in the air has already lessened significantly. My Sanguine friend is very pleased with such weather.

"Another delightful change is that more and more students, postmen, and technical workers have bought bikes. The number of carriages on the streets has decreased, implying that the smell of horse feces and the stench it brings is no longer the main pollutant in Backlund's air. Of course, they still occupy a rather important position. As you know, those ladies and gentlemen who think highly of their standing wouldn't casually lower their own standards of 1泠邮 However, based on my observations, their kids are gradually having a growing interest in bikes.

"I've been leading a normal life during this period of time. I go to Saint Samuel Cathedral and the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation a few times a week, participating in their activities and continuously donating cash. I occasionally visit the turf club, watch plays and orchestras, or play cards or golf at the club. During weekends, I either participate in balls, banquets, or saloons.

"I forgot to mention that I've already bought a manor. It formerly belonged to Duke Negan and is called 'Maygur.' It has its own excellent vineyard and brewery, as well as a huge forest and plantation on it. It can be used for farming and hunting. Its main building has a huge rectangular shape with four stories. It has a large number of rooms, and a casual tour of the place without walking out the door would take me more than ten thousand steps. At the same time, it also has a large number of sculptures, oil paintings, decorations, and exquisite cutlery. It's simply palatial.

"Perhaps my description is a little exaggerated. After all, I've never seen a real palace. This is also the first manor that I own. I still remember my time in Tingen. I lived in a rental apartment with only two bedrooms with my brother and sister. Every day, we slept to the smell of coal.

"This was introduced to me by Brigadier General Qonas Kilgor. It cost me 20,000 pounds. You don't have to worry about my financial situation. I made a huge sum of money from the Southern Continent, and I also sold some mystical items. Currently, I still have more than 17,000 pounds in cash and 15,000 pounds worth of gold bars, including various gold coins, soli, and pence.

"I'm rather satisfied with Maygur and have sent my former valet, Richardson, to be the land steward. It's now autumn, and I'm going to invite guests to enjoy a pleasant weekend there. I hope Richardson can make adequate preparations.

"The mysterious world in Backlund hasn't changed for now. I hope it will continue like this.

"The magic mirror I previously mentioned to you has been restored to normal. However, it seems to still suffer from post-traumatic stress due to the damage Amon had dealt it. As long as I question it about what happened, it will automatically change the color of its text and give an erroneous answer and repeatedly request me to compliment it.

"It also has different views on leaving the Church of Steam. It seems to have decided to stay a little longer, believing that it would be safer that way. It has even thought of showcasing its danger and become a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact. I have to say that I'm always surprised with the way it thinks.

"Thanks to some of its answers, I've found a way to create pure darkness. It is to create it with a charm of the Evernight domain that has dreamworld properties. It's considered a response of the Evemight Goddess and is categorized under pure darkness. In addition, after repeated tests, I've finally figured out the way to carve the godhood symbols through Cogitation and create the item I want."

Upon writing this, Klein, who was sitting on the sofa while using his thigh as his table, stopped writing and rubbed his temples.

Repeated failures implied the repeated loss of Worms of Spirit, and every separation was a damaging blow to his Spirit Body. It took him a long time to recover.

Therefore, in order to have redundancies to prevent any accidents, Klein never pushed himself to the limit. After separating three or four Worms of Spirit, he would choose to rest for a few days before beginning the engraving process. Such breaks took him this long to master the method and create a finished product.

Glancing at the rectangular "diamond" beside him, he saw layers of complicated symbols that extended into the void from the constantly refracting light. His head felt a little dizzy as though he was witnessing a part of history.

I'll call it the Yesterday Once More charm... Klein retracted his gaze and continued writing:

"The coastal regions have had another storm brewing. The two Houses of the kingdom have entered the traditional phase of debating over bills. With the footsteps of the new year approaching and getting louder, it makes me worried for some baffling reason.

"May you recover quickly and wake up soon.

Your eternal student, Klein Moretti." @@novelbin@@

Putting away the pen and folding the letter, Klein blew Azik's copper whistle and summoned the skeleton messenger that stood nearly four meters tall.

Unlike before, this messenger had only shown its head and one arm. The rest were beneath the floorboards on the second floor.

This made it appear significantly shorter than Klein.

After all, I'm now barely considered a Blessed of Death... Klein handed the letter to the messenger as he watched it crumble into bones, gushing down into the ground like a waterfall.

After doing this, he picked up the Yesterday Once More charm on the armrest.

This was his first successful product, and he planned on using it first. After all, making it again was easy now that he had the experience.

As for whether borrowing strength from his historical self posed any dangers, Klein had already performed a divination above the gray fog ahead of time. He believed that if it involved the real Fool or the owner of the door of light, then he would have the mysterious space above the gray fog to block it for him.

And the result of the divination was that it was very safe.

After staring at the diamond-like charm for a few seconds, Klein no longer hesitated. He opened his mouth and said a single word in ancient Hermes, "History!"

He had attempted it in the real world and not above the gray fog because he was worried that the mysterious world would sever the connection to the past.

Amidst the echoing of the jarring word, Klein injected his spirituality into the Yesterday Once More charm.

Light that appeared like scattered fur lit up, illuminating the surroundings with bright and pure light.

Vaguely, a scene flashed past Klein's eyes:

It was him dancing leisurely with Daly Simone beside Ince Zangwill's corpse;

It was the gray-sideburned and exceedingly handsome Dwayne Dantes;

It was Gehrman Sparrow pressing down on his top hat while landing on the Black Tulip thanks to the blessings of the wind;

It was the Sherlock Moriarty who struggled during the descent of the meteor;

It was Klein Moretti who summoned sunlight when he heard the baby's cry in the Blackthorn Security Company;

It was the pale university graduate who raised the revolver and aimed it at his temple.

Beyond this, all the scenes vanished. All that was left was the grayish-white fog.

And only when the powers of the charm were exhausted did Klein find himself at the end of that fog.

Indeed, my transmigration is related to the gray fog, that mysterious space, and that strange door of light... This basically verifies it. I was sleeping in a cocoon in the past, hanging above the door of light. I've no idea how long I was in that state... Compared to his first time seeing the door of light, Klein, who had made the confirmation, remained calm as though he had long expected it.

Phew. Next, I'll make two Yesterday Once More charms for Will. This charm isn't of much use to me... I won't be visiting him this week. It will incur suspicion if I feed him ice-cream every week. Their maid is already looking at me in an odd way... Also, since I've mastered the Cogitation engraving method of the godhood symbol, I can bring forward the creation of the extraordinary bullets made with the Worms of Time. Yes, Leonard said that he will be visiting Tingen in the next few days. Let's see if the power of the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem can be stolen... Klein rubbed his forehead and left the sofa.

At a previous Tarot Gathering, Leonard had already informed him of the four types of godhood symbols and magical labels he learned from Pallez Zoroast. They came from the Marauder domain, and it was said that one of them was capable of misdirecting the enemy, making them make errors in judgment. Another was to steal three Beyonder powers that the target had formerly used, beginning with the most recent power. The third would cause the enemy to lose plenty of vitality if the enemy could be affected by it, making them enter an aged state. Finally, one of them could create Worms of Time that didn't live long. They would secretly Parasitize the target's body and allow the charm-user to control them.

Among the seven remaining Worms of Time that Klein had, he had already made three into Fate Siphon charms and had given Miss Justice one and kept two. This also meant that he still had four Worms of Time, allowing him to try out each of the four effects. Of course, his intuition told him that the chances of a successful product weren't guaranteed.

As for Leonard's two Worms of Time, one had been made into a Fate Siphon charm. He had followed The World Gehrman Sparrow's instructions to pray to Mr. Fool and had received a reply. The other relied on Pallez Zoroast's help to create a Parasite charm.

After busying himself with a series of tasks, it was evening. Klein had five successes and one failure. He obtained two Yesterday Once More charms, one Parasite bullet, a Deceit bullet, and a Deprivation bullet.

The only failure was the Aging bullet, seemingly due to the inability to use sufficient powers from the mysterious space above the gray fog.

Looking at the three similar-looking bullets that were a mix of transparency or translucency, Klein heaved a sigh of relief. He took out Death Knell and loaded the bullet. In the revolver were three of his Control Spirit Bullets.

After clearing the altar, he walked out of the room and headed for the second floor. Upon entering the dining hall, he said to Butler Walter who was waiting for him, "Invite the guests to a hunting trip over the weekend in the city outskirts using the name list."

"Yes, sir." Walter was already prepared for this, remaining stem and serious.

Tingen City, 36 Zouteland Street.

Leonard got off the carriage as he looked at a newly built building with a mixed expression. He momentarily forgot to enter.