Upon hearing the name "Gehrman Sparrow," all the members on both sides of the long bronze table looked at The World. No one spoke or interjected.
They more or less knew that the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow, had once again done something huge such as killing Admiral Hell Ludwell. However, Audrey didn't believe that this was the main reason why he would suffer mental problems.
And the way they acted made Leonard instantly realize a fact: Everyone in the Tarot Club knew that The World was Gehrman Sparrow!
Klein's disguise is really well done... However, why does he let the other members know of his identity as Gehrman Sparrow? Isn't it common sense to hide one's background at such gatherings? Amidst his puzzlement, Leonard heard the blurry-figured The World reply with a hoarse voice, "What clues has MI9 obtained?"
Xio showed no shame in betraying MI9 as she replied frankly, "They have confirmed that the identity "Gehrman Sparrow' is fabricated, and that it was sourced from Backlund."
Indeed, he was previously known as Sherlock Moriarty. He became Gehrman Sparrow after leaving Backlund. However, Sherlock Moriarty isn't his real identity either... Leonard subconsciously surveyed the area and realized that, although the other members weren't surprised, they didn't seem to show any signs of realizing it. Hence, he believed that their knowledge of Klein was only at the uppermost surface.
Under Klein's control, The World Gehrman Sparrow chuckled and answered Miss Judgment's information, "There's no need to bother about such matters."
To him, to figure out who the fake identity of Gehrman Sparrow was given to, one had to first capture Queen Mystic Bernadette, or one had to obtain news of Sharron from her. Clearly, the level of difficulty made it nearly impossible!
In comparison, if they did the same as Leonard, starting off from the events in which Detective Sherlock Moriarty was involved in, there was a chance of them figuring out more. However, since MI9 had chosen the wrong direction, Klein was happy to see them take the futile route.
Mr. World is unperturbed and very confident... Xio retracted her gaze and didn't continue.
At this moment, Audrey deliberated and asked, "Mr. World, will you be returning to Backlund in the future? Will you still use the identity of Dwayne Dantès?"
As a qualified Psychiatrist, she obviously wasn't going to inform the mental problems of The World to the other members of the Tarot Club. She only wanted to confirm if he would still return to the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation. That way, she could be in closer contact to him in the real world, allowing for a better checkup.
She didn't conceal the matter about Dwayne Dantès, since the original members already knew of it. As for Mr. Star, he was clearly familiar with Mr. World. As for Xio, she had Fors to inform her ahead of time.
Ah... Upon hearing Miss Justice's words, Leonard nearly couldn't believe his ears as he felt a little confused.
Klein Moretti is equivalent to Dwayne Dantès?
I've once asked Dwayne Dantès to his face about Klein Moretti...
No, it's impossible. Dwayne Dantès is an undying creature who has lived since the Fourth Epoch! The way he acted is sufficient proof!
Old Man said the same too!
At that moment, Leonard was unable to control his tumultuous emotions. He instinctively rejected the fact that Miss Justice had conveyed.
If what appeared here was his Astral Projection, he felt that his expressions would be rather obviousoscillating between red and white.
Opposite Leonard, Xio looked up as well, looking at Mr. World with puzzlement.
He's Dwayne Dantès? Dwayne Dantès is Gehrman Sparrow?
I even accepted his butler's mission... I even protected him before... I even pitied him...
He can squash me to death with one hand...
Xio then turn her head and glared at Fors.
I don't dare to say too much about Mr. World. I could only briefly mention a little... Fors turned her eyes away in guilt as she mumbled silently. Alger and Cattleya figured out something from the duo's reactions:
Miss Magician and Miss Judgment knew each other in the real world.
Miss Judgment had once interacted with Dwayne Dantès before, but she didn't know that he was Gehrman Sparrow.
As a senior Spectator, Audrey noticed the abnormalities of The Star and Judgment without a doubt. Immediately, she understood that she had made too many assumptions.
Audrey, you need to reflect on this! She said to herself in embarrassment and attempted to make up for it before Mr. World spoke.
"Dwayne Dantès is a public identity. At times, it will be Mr. World, and at other times, it will be the other Blessed of Mr. Fool."
So that's how it is... Makes sense! Leonard's mind stirred as he instantly accepted Miss Justice's explanation and figured out many different matters.
The Dwayne Dantès that appeared during the period before the breaching of Saint Samuel Cathedral's Chanis Gate was likely Klein. The periods before and after that was the other Blessed of Mr. Fool... That Death Consul? Indeed, he's an undying creature who lived since the Fourth Epoch. Old Man's old friend...
Yes, it might be other Blessed I'm not aware of, but their levels definitely aren't too low... Uh, other Blessed. Does that mean Klein is also considered Mr. Fool's Blessed?
It's no wonder Mr. Fool said that he comes here and participates in the gathering, but the experiences are different from mine... It's because he's a Blessed and enjoys the benediction of Mr. Fool, so he also has the ancient aura. It's why Old Man doesn't realize that Dwayne Dantès is played by different people?
This explains my previous question. As a Blessed, Gehrman Sparrow doesn't need to keep his identity a secret...
But to Judgment Xio, Dwayne Dantès being a public identity, or him being Gehrman Sparrow was not her concern. The reason why she overreacted was because, after realizing the truth, she felt embarrassed at all her various thoughts back then.
Seeing the atmosphere return to normal, Klein heaved a sigh of relief inwardly and controlled The World Gehrman Sparrow to answer Miss Justice's question:
"Yes.
"When the time comes, there might be certain matters that need all of your help."
When he finished the second half of his sentence, The World swept his gaze across Justice, The Magician, Judgment, The Star, and The Moon.
H-he has plans for something in Backlund? Audrey instantly understood what Mr. World was getting at. She momentarily felt excited but also a little worried.
She was excited because she was about to participate in a secret operation that all the participants didn't seem to have any ties with, to the point of not even "knowing" each other. This was something she had always looked forward to. Her worries stemmed from whether the operation would have any threat to Backlund's safety, or if it would bring harm to the innocent.
As for danger to herself, she wasn't too worried. She believed that Mr. World would arrange for the mission to be held in the outskirts of the city, provide key information, or cause serious misdirection to the target, without needing any direct participation or fighting. @@novelbin@@
Emlyn was the second person to read between the lines. And this was a result of his innate aversion towards troublesome matters.
Will it be troublesome... he thought with a frown without saying a word. While the other members came to a realization, Alger took a deep look at The World Gehrman Sparrow and said, "I recently received news that the traitor of the Church of Evernight, Archbishop Ince Zangwill, was killed in West Balam. Before that, he had already become a demigod. As for the Sealed Artifact, 0-08, which he had stolen, it's unknown whose hands it's in. The only thing that can be certain is that the battlefield was cleared by the Church of Evernight."
The Hanged Man is very updated on the news... It's only been a few days... The Church should've kept this strictly confidential... However, there might have been other factions arriving at the square that day... Leonard was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't provide more information.
This was the first time Audrey and company were learning about the news. They could only determine that the matter was rather important from the words "archbishop," "0-08," and "demigod." But since it had nothing to do with them and there wasn't any stimulus, they weren't too intrigued. As for Cattleya, as she had a deep impression and understanding of Grade o Sealed Artifacts, she planned on seeking out information on this via Queen Mystic and the Moses Ascetic Order after she returned to the real world.
Amidst a brief silence, The Fool Klein suddenly extended his hand and rapped the table's surface.
He felt that he needed to warn all the members.
In the coming years, the waves of the times would come flooding in!
Upon hearing that, all the members straightened their backs or made them even straighter before turning to the seat of honor at the long bronze table. Even the newly joined Leonard and Xio were no exception. It was almost instinctive.
Then, they heard the profound and lofty figure chuckle amidst the gray fog.
"The times have changed as a result."
The times have changed because of this? Ince Zangwill's matter is key to something? Although it involves a Grade o Sealed Artifact... Alger, who had shared the news, never expected Mr. Fool to place so much emphasis on it. He was momentarily unsure what to make out of it.
Leonard, who had participated in the matter regarding Ince Zangwill, felt the same. He knew how important and terrifying the Grade o Sealed Artifact was, but he never expected that what happened that day would change the times.
While Audrey and company wore blank looks, they focused fully. Even Derrick couldn't help but take on an attentive posture.
The Fool Klein surveyed the area and said with a laugh and sigh, "Adam is one step closer to being divine."
-x-X-x-
"Adam is one step closer to being divine."
Such a simple sentence instantly sent tumultuous waves through every member of the Tarot Club.
Other than Leonard, the other members, including Xio, who had been briefed of the important points by The Magician, immediately recalled the information regarding Adam.
Ancient sun god, City of Silver's Creator's son, brother of Blasphemer Amon. Suspected to be one of the eight Kings of Angels!
And this mythical figure, who had existed before the Cataclysm, had become active in the real world once again. And "He" was one step closer to being divine!
This... To make Mr. Fool sigh, it means that Adam is probably just one step short of reaching the divine throne, Sequence 0. There's a chance that "He" might make that step at any moment. Alger subconsciously came to a conclusion as he hurriedly clasped his hands and couldn't help but have thoughts run through his mind.
A Sequence o true god is about to be born!
There are still births of true gods in the Fifth Epoch?
This will be the first true god this Epoch?
With deities no longer able to descend upon the real world, it's unbelievable that a Sequence o would still appear!
Alger always found himself ambitious, with him now setting his sights on Sequence 2, to become an angel. But after hearing about Adam, he still found it unacceptable.
One had to know that the last one to become a Sequence o true god was the former God of Craftsmanship, the present God of Steam and Machinery. And that happened in the late Fourth Epoch.
Since the Fifth Epoch, over thirteen hundred years, there hadn't been any new existence reaching the divine throne!
It's no wonder Mr. Fool said that the times will change as a result... Amidst Cattleya's scattered thoughts, she suddenly came to a realization as though she could see the waves that marked the end of an Epoch flooding over.
Having already gathered the ingredients and being in the process of making preparations for the Sequence 4 ritual, she believed she had the chance of attaining divinity in the near future to change her existence. She was still reeling in joy, anticipation, and unease. But at this moment, she suddenly felt a baffling sense of horror. All she wanted was to communicate with Queen Mystic face to face to confirm the future.
Fors, Xio, and the other members had a myriad of reactions. On the one hand, they were shocked that Adam was attempting to achieve divinity, never expecting such a matter to happen in the Fifth Epoch. On the other hand, they were worried for their present life. After all, be it Emlyn from the Sanguine, or Audrey who lived amongst the Loen Kingdom's upper-class, all of them lived in the Fifth Epoch, living in a situation which had more than a thousand years of history setting the foundation. They didn't dare have any sacrilegious thoughts towards true gods. Even when facing evil gods like the True Creator, they still felt a deep sense of fear and awe, acknowledging "Their" level and loftiness. Therefore, they couldn't believe that a god would soon appear. They couldn't imagine what would happen next.
In their eyes, The Fool was a reawakened ancient god, an existence who originally sat at the throne of Sequence o.
One step closer to being divine... Becoming a god... Derrick was mostly excited, as though he could see hope and have a target to strive for.
To him, only a Sequence o could save the City of Silver!
Adam? Becoming a god... Although Leonard didn't know who Adam was, just the simple words of being "one step closer to being divine" was easy to understand.
He connected it to that ordinary priest who had appeared after the battle ended and had picked up 0-08 in front of Klein.
That's Adam? Or a subordinate of Adam? No, 0-08 is a Grade o Sealed Artifact. Only Adam, who's very close to the divine throne, can do it personally with great certainty... It's no wonder the battle with Ince Zangwill was easier than I expected. I thought the best outcome would be me and Klein dragging Ince Zangwill into hell together... Who's Adam? Why haven't I heard of "Him"... Perhaps a result of being parasitized by an angel, allowing him to know some of the secrets and developments of the Fourth Epoch, Leonard had a deeper understanding of Adam's path to being divine. The impact he felt wasn't too great, with most of his feelings puzzlement and curiosity over Adam's true identity.
And at this moment, The Fool didn't speak again or give further explanations. It was as though he was simply warning the members to make preparations for the change of the times.
Amidst the confusion and wandering thoughts, The World Gehrman Sparrow glanced at The Star Leonard and simply said, "Adam is the son of the ancient sun god, Blasphemer Amon's brother."
Leonard immediately jumped in fright and failed to control his expression.
He had a deep impression of Amon, and he had a deep trauma for Amon because of Old Man's descriptions. And Adam was Amon's brother, so it was very possible that the level of horror was likely the same between the two brothers!
The World ignored The Star's reaction and continued, "It can be confirmed now that Adam is one of the eight Kings of Angels, titled 'Angel of Imagination.' 'He' is ranked on par with Angel of Time Amon.
"The reason for 'Him' targeting Ince Zangwill is to obtain 0-08 to make up any shortfalls for 'His' path to being divine. And 'His' plan succeeded."
Angel of Imagination... Adam is a King of Angels from the Spectator pathway? Audrey instantly connected this to the Dragon King Ankewelt's title, Dragon of Imagination!
And she had long known that mind dragons represented the Spectator pathway.
As for Leonard, another comprehension obstacle appeared before him. He had been stumped by the concept of a King of Angels, but he was too embarrassed to ask. He had planned on seeking Old Man's help when "He" awakened.
Alger pondered over Gehrman Sparrow's words as his expression turned slightly odd. He probed, "You seem to have witnessed the matter?"
Just as he said that, all of them heard a familiar, hoarse laughter.
After Gehrman Sparrow finished laughing, he looked at The Star and said as though it was nothing, "The murder of Ince Zangwill was committed by me and my partner."
"..." Cattleya's mind instantly went blank.
She could accept that Gehrman Sparrow could easily finish off Admiral Hell, but she couldn't imagine that he would one day kill a real Sequence 4 demigod!
Cattleya quickly calmed down because, with a King of Angels involved in the battle, it was possible that a Sequence 5 could kill off a heavily injured demigod due to various coincidences. Furthermore, he had a partner.
Audrey "read" confidence from The World's tone. She couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Mr. World, have you already become a demigod?"
The World didn't give a direct answer as he chuckled.
"In the future, all of you can entrust matters involving demigods to me."
Every member present figured out the meaning in between the lines.
He had become a genuine Sequence 4 demigod. Furthermore, he was the kind who had the ability to kill peers at his level!
At that instant, Cattleya became abnormally calm. She tried hard to recall everything that she had seen and heard regarding Gehrman Sparrow. She was very certain that he was only a Sequence 6 before the visit to the ruins of the battlefield of gods. He relied on the glove to match a Sequence 5. @@novelbin@@
As for Gehrman Sparrow's search for mermaids without hunting any of them, it implied that it was a requirement of a ritual. This meant that he had indeed advanced to Sequence 5 back then. His various performances after that proved this point.
Today, it had only been about three months since Gehrman Sparrow stepped into the ruins of the battlefield of the gods, but he had already advanced to Sequence 4, becoming a demigod existence. This overturned Cattleya's understanding of the world.
She wasn't too old, with her age being less than thirty. But to reach Sequence 5 and gain the title of Admiral of Stars, it took her about seven to eight years. It was only in the past one or two years did she have the confidence to attempt to breach the gate to become a demigod. With her starting to make preparations, she believed she was already far ahead of the pack.
Mr. World is impressive! He became a demigod so quickly! Derrick sincerely felt joy. His idolization for Mr. World grew more intense as he hoped that he could be like him, becoming a demigod at the fastest speed possible.
Audrey was both alarmed and delighted. Following that, she gained an understanding towards the abnormality in Gehrman Sparrow's mental state.
From the looks of it, his low spirits, gloomy, and depressed feelings happened after he became a demigod. These are the negative effects accumulated from potions. It's just like how I nearly lost control when I became a Psychiatrist...
Also, after becoming a Sequence 4 and gaining godhood, he could naturally penetrate more of reality. He then realized that he had been sleeping for a very long time. His family had passed away, making him lose his goals...
How pitiful. With his warm nature, he must've had deep feelings for his family and friends...
However, I'm so envious. Does being Mr. Fool's Blessed make one advance so quickly... I also wish to become a demigod early. Mr. Fool's mention that "the times have changed as a result" leaves me fretting...
While Emlyn and the other members were still in shock, Alger, who also shared the same feelings and felt deep envy and jealousy towards Gehrman Sparrow, had other thoughts.
As Mr. Fool's Blessed, Gehrman Sparrow's embroilment with this King of Angels and 0-08 matter clearly isn't an accident...
On the contrary, it might be more reasonable that it's a mutual plan between Angel of Imagination Adam and Mr. Fool. That will explain it!
Two mythical figures that existed before the Cataclysm. One is awakening, and the other is making an advancement, the two secretly coming together!
Amidst his thoughts, Alger had another idea:
Since Adam had obtained 0-08 and opened the door to the divine throne, what about Mr. Fool? What benefit did "He" get in this matter?
Subconsciously, Alger turned his body and slightly bowed his head to look at the seat of honor.
He didn't dare look directly, and could only look through the corner of his eye.
-x-X-x-
Almost instantly, Alger discovered that Mr. Fool was somewhat different than before.
In the past, although Mr. Fool was distant and profound, making "Him" appear unfathomable, as though "He" was looking down upon everything from above, that was all. It wasn't like "He" was now. Even though "He" wasn't doing anything, he seemed to have fused with the entire space, a clear expression of "Him" being the ruler at the pinnacle level.
Sweeping his gaze, Alger saw the third Card of Blasphemy as he felt more certain of his guess.
Indeed, Mr. Fool and the Angel of Imagination Adam had cooperated to machinate Ince Zangwill's demise. One of "Them" obtained 0-08, making "Him" take one step closer to being a god, while the other obtained the various benefits in a Card of Blasphemy and regained a substantial amount of "His" strength!
The times will change as a result! At that instant, Alger had a deeper understanding of what Mr. Fool had just said.
The other members undoubtedly noticed him turning his head, and they realized that he was looking at Mr. Fool.
After a brief moment of surprise, they made a certain realization at different speeds.
Mr. Fool was aware of Angel of Imagination Adam's plot against Ince Zangwill from the very beginning and had sent "His" Blessed to cooperate. "He" had even provided a certain level of help!
If that weren't the case, how could a recently advanced demigod participate in a matter that involved a King of Angels and Grade o Sealed Artifact?
If this weren't the case, The World wouldn't have been able to understand the situation that well, even if he had been embroiled due to all kinds of coincidences.
The obtaining of the Card of Blasphemy, Mr. World's advancement, Ince Zangwill's death, the meeting of Angel of Imagination Adam's goal, these all happened in one week... This means that the relationship between them is tightly intertwined... My previous intuition was right. The obtaining of a new Card of Blasphemy and the appearance of an abnormality in Mr. World's mental state were the different outcomes of the same matter... Audrey nodded very slightly as she confirmed her theory.
Leonard was increasingly convinced that Ince Zangwill's matter was more complicated than he had imagined. Apart from King of Angels Adam, there were likely other important figures of similar levels appearing back then. Otherwise, Amon's brother, the son of the ancient sun god, had no need to seek out Mr. Fool's help. After all, no matter how powerful or terrifying 0-08 was, it was incapable of comparing with the Blasphemer as described by Old Man, as Adam and Amon were likely on par with each other.
The evil spirit that Klein pulled into the Underworld probably isn't simple. It's definitely not something that "being from the Hunter pathway" would be enough to describe it with... Hmm, Klein's participation in the matter regarding Ince Zangwill isn't solely for revenge, but is also due to Mr. Fool's orders... As Leonard sighed, he didn't generate any negative feelings. Instead, he was secretly relieved.
From his point of view, this was a very ordinary situation. Mr. Fool's agreement in convening such a gathering to establish a corresponding organization while hosting it as a deity was definitely not because "He" solely wished to make the area more lively or being done out of goodwill. "He" definitely had "His" goals and needs that "He" wished Blessed like Klein or members like him could complete.
Therefore, seeking revenge on Ince Zangwill and accepting Mr. Fool's mission wasn't in conflict. The latter didn't reduce the former's meaning and importance.
As for why he was relieved, it was because Leonard believed that Mr. Fool's clear expression of "His" goals had made it better than having everything chaotic and unknown. He didn't need to guess or wait with trepidation.
He originally had intense wariness for Pallez Zoroast precisely because he wasn't sure of "His" true motives.
At this moment, The Fool Klein didn't say a word. He didn't confirm or deny the members' guesses and theories. Controlling The World, he made him continue, "Adam might've established a very secretive organization, and it has been secretly steering the development of the times.
"Many important figures you might never have expected are members of this organization. They would machinate one matter after another.
"Also, after leaving this place, do not say or write down Adam's name, including 'His' title. Try not to think about such matters, because 'He' has the trait of 'any mention of it will be known.' The more you know about 'Him,' the more 'He' might know about you. This is somewhat similar to 0-08."
After hearing Mr. World's description, Audrey instantly recalled learning of the mysterious organization from Mr. Fool: the Twilight Hermit Order!
This made her quickly come up with a corresponding theory:
The King of Angels Adam was the leader of the Twilight Hermit Order!
The Angel of Imagination was a member of the Spectator pathway. Likewise for 0-08. Therefore, "any mention of it will be known" was a Beyonder power of this pathway at higher Sequences. Likewise for "the more you know of it, the more it knows of you"! @@novelbin@@
Impressive... But won't this be rather noisy... Audrey momentarily looked forward to it with envy while also feeling worried and puzzled.
"Any mention of it will be known"... So the organization behind the assassination of Duke Negan, the one backer behind Qilangos was established by King of Angels Adam... Alger was first somewhat enlightened before his expression fell.
He began to suspect that the primitive island that he had previously explored was related to this secret organization. This was because Qilangos had once ventured deep into it and discovered several items. Furthermore, the final disappearance of the island had resembled the powers of the Dragon of Imagination as described by The Sun.
Putting the two together, Alger couldn't help but come up with such a theory as he made a deeper realization that Mr. Fool's cooperation with the Angel of Imagination had started when he and Gehrman Sparrow stepped into that primitive island!
He was more convinced that it was the truth because after the existence in that island's ruin "awakened," the only thing that happened was a sigh. He and Gehrman Sparrow weren't stopped from leaving.
So that's how it is... The way important figures set up their ploys are truly well-concealed. I didn't notice it at all back then... The games between gods are truly complicated. Perhaps only Sequence 1 Beyonders or even King of Angels are qualified to participate... Alger sighed as he felt a baffling sense of desire.
Fors had already forgotten the mysterious organization which Mr. Fool had mentioned previously. Only when she heard "any mention of it will be known" did she recall that it was related to Duke Negan's assassination.
However, she wasn't concerned about this problem but something else.
Back when she was informing Xio about the general situation of the Tarot Club and the general knowledge, she had mentioned Adam's name!
Adam has the trait of "any mention will be known"? This... Xio and I are known by "Him"? Fors instantly felt horrified as she couldn't help but turn her head and cast her gaze to Xio.
She had learned that Adam was the son of the Creator from Ma'am Hermit. Furthermore, she had never emphasized to not mention the King of Angels's name in the outside world!
"I-I've mentioned Adam in the real world," Fors said with a clear stammer. Xio's nerves were taut as though a venomous snake had crawled into her clothes and was sliding across her back.
Cattleya tersely acknowledged.
"No need to worry. Although not many people know of Adam and Amon, there's no lack of them. I've mentioned 'His' name on several occasions. As long as the words you mention doesn't involve any secrets, I believe 'He' will only observe you for a moment before casting 'His' gaze elsewhere."
She was rather certain when saying that because, in the Moses Ascetic Order that had been pursued by knowledge, Adam's existence wasn't a secret. People often mentioned "Him."
At this moment, her mind was filled with another matter. Could it be that the secret, ancient organization that Emperor Roselle joined was the one that King of Angels Adam established?
Fors hurriedly tried recalling and said somewhat hesitantly, "There were mentions involving the Forsaken Land of the Gods, the Giant King's Court, Amon, King of Angels, and other knowledge. Would that be a problem?"
She was very happy that she had never mentioned the words "Tarot Club" or described the other members. At most, she mentioned that the gloomiest was Gehrman Sparrow. Cattleya thought and said, "At your Sequence, discussing knowledge at that level is indeed strange. However, if Adam were to delve deeper, he will realize that you're related to the Abraham family. It's quite normal to be aware of this information.
"What you need to pay attention to is that any major matters involving the Abraham family will require you to be wary of Adam."
How do I be wary of him... Fors forced a helpless smile as she glanced at the seat of honor at the long bronze table. Then, she looked back at The Hermit and said, "Thank you for your analysis."
As Mr. Fool hadn't said anything, she decided to believe Ma'am Hermit's words.
At this moment, Klein sighed inwardly.
Back when Cattleya mentioned Adam during the Tarot Gathering, he wasn't aware that Adam's name wasn't to be verbalized, nor did he know that he was related to the Twilight Hermit Order. It was only when he entered Groselle's Travels and learned from Ascetic Snowman about Adam being the Angel of Imagination that he grasped this point and came up with the theory.
After seeing Mr. Door's warning from Emperor Roselle's diary and gained preliminary confirmation, he ultimately lacked the opportunity to warn the various members. Furthermore, the way the archbishop of the Church of Steam casually mentioned Adam's name made him believe that many people in the real world knew of Adam and that it wasn't taboo. Furthermore, Adam might not be "His" full name. He wasn't in a rush to guide the conversation towards this, but he was waiting for an opportunity.
Any mention of it will be known? The organization established by Adam is really impressive... Is this the target our Tarot Club is aiming at? As Emlyn reflected over it poignantly, he gained a clear picture of the Tarot Club.
He had previously been figuring out a category for the Tarot Club. He realized that it wasn't like an orthodox Church, and it was unlike the other secret organizations. Apart from being a messiah alliance, there wasn't anything too special. It muddled his analysis.
And today, he finally confirmed that the early development of the Tarot Club could match Adam's organization!
Knowing 0-08's trait, Leonard wasn't surprised that Adam had a similar trait. He was more concerned about the organization with many important figures participating, as well as the Abraham family which Ma'am Hermit had mentioned.
He had once heard Pallez Zoroast mention: This family's standing in the Fourth Epoch was very high!
-x-X-x-
According to what Leonard knew, amongst the major noble families of the Fourth Epoch's Tudor Empire, the Abraham family was ranked first. It was even stronger than the Amon family who had the Blasphemer. Of course, he couldn't be certain if the Amon family didn't have any members—that it was all filled with the son of god's avatars.
Miss Magician is actually an important member of the Abraham family... Everyone here isn't to be trifled with... Is this what's called a gathering of protagonists? Leonard first sighed before he made a self-deprecating comment.
Derrick didn't say a word, nor did he make any connections. He seriously listened to Mr. World's description, as well as the conversation between the two ladies—The Magician and The Hermit-before keeping them to heart.
To him, the other members were in the outside world. Regardless of what happened, it had little to do with him or the City of Silver. Only matters regarding the King of Angels was something to be concerned about. After all, be it the Angel of Fate Ouroboros, the Dark Angel Sasrir, and Red Angel Medici, they had left traces around the City of Silver. As for the Angel of Time, Amon, he had personally visited it before, bringing about inexplicable horror.
After everyone quietened down, Derrick couldn't help but consider certain matters.
Any mention of it will be known... How should I inform the Chief about such matters? Or is it fine not saying it for the time being? I'll just mention that Amon is a son of the Creator, that "He" has another brother who's of the same pathway as the Dragon of Imagination...
If the City of Silver were to encounter an overwhelming disaster, would Adam be able to hear it if I said "His" name? Can "He" enter the Forsaken Land of the Gods?
With this in mind, Derrick instantly felt somewhat ashamed. This was because, in such situations, the honorific name he should chant was Mr. Fool's.
At this moment, The World spoke again: "Although War Angel Medici has long perished, 'He' isn't completely dead. The soul 'He' left behind has fused with the souls of the ancestors of the two major families of Sauron and Einhorn, forming an evil spirit. During the death of Ince Zangwill, there were traces of its appearance."
Klein had specially brought up this point to firstly pass this information to the Church of Evernight via Leonard. Secondly, it was to remind The Hanged Man to take note. After all, he had been to Bansy twice, possibly embroiling himself with the Red Angel evil spirit's fate.
That evil spirit was War Angel Medici? While Leonard was feeling alarmed, he was taken aback. He had just guessed that Adam wasn't the only bigwig who had been present!
Later, setting off from the titles of War Angel and Angel of Imagination, he suspected that the evil spirit was a King of Angels in its former life.
And such an evil spirit had been sent to the Underworld without putting up any resistance under the influence of the Luck Siphon charm!
Old Man's level is higher than I previously imagined... Yes, the evil spirit must've been weakened by Adam, and perhaps even by Mr. Fool, before Ma'am Daly and I arrived. Otherwise, it's not an enemy we could've handled... Right, what was Adam doing back then? There wasn't any sign of "Him" during the entire battle... Could it be that there was another figure at the level of a King of Angels holding back Adam? Leonard felt tumultuous waves swishing through his heart as he forgot to observe the reactions of the other members.
War Angel Medici... "He" perished and became an evil spirit... Bansy was the place "His" descendants lived... "He" was one of the founders of Rose Redemption... Alger quickly linked up the pieces of information and learned many new things.
That mural I saw in the Bansy Harbor telegraph office must've been drawn by that evil spirit!
The World Gehrman Sparrow had gotten me to head to Bansy Harbor to search for traces in order to grasp that terrifying evil spirit's location. It was to prevent his subsequent plans from being disrupted.
Thankfully, I didn't destroy that mural. Otherwise, I might've caught the notice of the evil spirit...
While Alger sighed in relief, he felt increasingly alert. He planned on getting the Blue Avenger to leave Bansy Harbor and head for the northern front of the Sonia Sea to investigate the matter Mr. Fool had previously given him. @@novelbin@@
Audrey, Cattleya, and the other members listened attentively as they kept it in mind without making too many connections. This was because the matter The World was describing contained information that mostly consisted of key and rich points. And lacking the additional experiences and knowledge, they were unable to expand on the matter.
After sharing the information that everyone needed to take note of, The World chuckled hoarsely.
"That's about it."
After a brief silence, Emlyn straightened his back and looked ahead.
"An important figure from my kind will arrive in Backlund, and a meeting with me has been arranged."
After a pause, and seeing how no one responded, he cleared his throat and asked, "How should I deal with 'Him?"
"Him"... Another angel... Leonard felt numb as he noticed something: Mr. Moon had mentioned the concept of his "kind," and he had red eyes.
Leonard was taken aback as he thought to himself, He's a Sanguine?
Sanguine... Don't tell me he's Emlyn White from the Harvest Church? He had been close to Klein's identity as a detective!
Leonard couldn't help but look at The Moon's side profile and figure a few more times. The more Leonard looked at him, the more familiar he appeared. He was almost certain.
Without any doubts, Emlyn noticed The Star sizing him up, just as Audrey was surprised and excited to confirm that Mr. Star had suddenly realized he knew Mr. Moon.
Did I say something wrong? That fellow, The Star, looks somewhat astonished... He knows me in the real world? Do I know him? A series of thoughts flashed through Emlyn's mind as he subconsciously sniffed, trying to catch the scent of the new member beside him; however, the gray fog ensured that he failed.
As he surveyed the area and waited for The Hanged Man, The Hermit, and The World to provide him with an analysis and suggestion, he tried hard to recall if he had met someone like The Star.
Gradually, he felt a sense of familiarity, but he couldn't recall who it was due to the superficial impression the person left on him.
At this point, Audrey recalled another problem:
Mr. World and Mr. Star know each other, and Mr. Star knows Mr. Moon. Then, does Mr. World know Mr. Moon?
She subconsciously sized up the person at the lower end of the long bronze table, but she failed to "read" anything of use from The World Gehrman Sparrow.
As for Alger, he turned to look at The Moon after a few seconds of thought. He said with some deliberation, "Mr. Fool just mentioned that the times are changing. Although the important members of the Sanguine might not know of the ins and outs, at their level, they will more or less sense something and make preparations.
"The reason that this important figure wishes to meet you is both a probing action and surveillance. You just need to act as you usually do, but there will subsequently be some tests and missions."
As I imagined. A second test and mission will begin. I wonder what revelation the Ancestor has given... Emlyn nodded and said to The Hanged Man, "Thank you."
With the question answered, Fors, who had been holding back all this while, finally spoke:
"Mr. Moon, the intelligence you gave me regarding the abandoned ancient castle was highly problematic.
"There were two ancient wraiths, but in the underground area was a door. Sealed behind the door is a powerful corruptive power. As long as one enters the region where the ancient wraiths are, they will be corrupted."
This... Emlyn frowned slightly.
He wasn't enraged, and he instead felt that her description was completely right.
If the person who had provided the intelligence knew that there were two ancient wraiths, he wouldn't have ignored that door!
As a cultured and noble Sanguine, Emlyn never wished for anyone to incur any losses or harm because of his mistakes or neglect. He was rather perturbed by this as he thought and solemnly said, "I will investigate the source and provide you with an answer."
As Fors had returned safely, she didn't mind it too much. She tersely answered, indicating that she was awaiting the outcome.
As for being saved by Mr. Fool, with it happening once a month or even twice a month, she had already lost count. She was prepared to do anything Mr. Fool instructed her to do in the future.
After they finished their conversation, Audrey was somewhat concerned. She asked out of curiosity, "Do you know what brought about that corruptive force?"
Fors shook her head.
"I don't know."
With Mr. Fool not sharing any information, and how she didn't have any Roselle diary entries to exchange for the answer to the Card of Blasphemy, Audrey retracted her gaze and attentively listened to the conversation of the other members.
After a while, the learning segment came to an end as the Tarot Club drew to a close. The members stood up and bowed at the existence at the end of the long bronze table to bid "Him" farewell.
This time, Leonard didn't appear too slow.
The dark red light dissipated as he returned to the real world. In front of him was a Red Glove he hadn't worn.
At this moment, a slightly-aged voice suddenly sounded in his mind:
"Whose dream did you enter a moment ago?"
Old Man has woken up... Leonard was first delighted before he heaved a sigh of relief.
He didn't immediately answer Pallez Zoroast as he deliberated over an answer.
"Say, it is possible that, at certain times, Dwayne Dantès is Azik Eggers who's disguised using some particular item?"
After learning that Dwayne Dantès was a shared identity, he began doubting Old Man's original theory. This was because this Parasite had came to a conclusion based on the different appearances and auras of Azik Eggers and Dwayne Dantès. Furthermore, not every one of Mr. Fool's Blessed looked identical to Dwayne Dantès, nor were every one of them Beyonders of the Seer pathway; therefore, since a shared identity was needed, it meant that they wielded a mystical item or Sealed Artifact that allowed them to transform into someone else. Together with the ancient aura of being a Blessed causing some interference, it wasn't impossible for an angel to make an error in judgment.
Pallez Zoroast fell silent for two seconds before saying, "You reminded me. Azik Eggers does have a mask that allows 'Him' to transform into anyone."
-x-X-x-
As expected... After confirming his hypothesis, Leonard didn't harp on the matter as he returned to the topic at hand.
"Old Man, didn't you ask whose dream I entered?
"Yes, on the day we sought revenge against Ince Zangwill, Amon's brother and a King of Angels appeared."
In his mind, the slightly-aged voice didn't immediately reply. After a few seconds, there was a sigh.
"It's just as I expected. Matters related to 0-08 will often attract Adam.
"Thankfully, I chose to sleep ahead of time."
Leonard didn't have the time to ponder over Pallez Zoroast's words as he instinctively cried out, "Old Man, y-you said 'His' name!"
Adam's gaze was about to be cast over, or might have already landed on them!
The slightly-aged voice chuckled. "You actually know about Adam's trait... However, me mentioning 'Him' doesn't matter. 'He' will only imagine that someone else is talking about 'Him.' Of course, there's no need for you to know too much. That will definitely make you occasionally think of it. Once that happens too frequently or at a close physical distance, Adam will also know of it, just like 0-08. Furthermore, 0-08's influence is limited to a huge city, while Adam's is the entire world." As horrifying as Amon... Another form of horror... Leonard composed himself and forced himself to stop thinking about Adam as he ruminated over what Pallez Zoroast had said.
Suddenly, he nearly blurted out without suppressing his voice:
"Old Man, did you sleep not because you were weak, but because you were afraid of encountering Amon's brother?"
"Ahem." Pallez cleared "His" throat. "It was a result of both reasons, but they don't contradict one another. After giving you the two Worms of Time, my condition deteriorated again. Under such circumstances, how am I to deal with a King of Angels and conceal my existence? I'm already old and feeble. There's no need for such developments, so it's almost necessary for me to hide."
Leonard was momentarily at a loss for words and said after a few seconds, "Amon and 'His' brother should be older than you. The ancient sun god is an ancient god before the Cataclysm..."
Without waiting for Pallez Zoroast's reply, he heaved a sigh of relief.
"That is to say that, because of your act of sealing yourself and sleeping, that King of Angels didn't discover a problem with me?"
Pallez chuckled.
"No, it was discovered."
"..." Leonard's expression sank as he nearly looked around frantically.
He suspected that Adam was sitting in some corner, silently listening to his conversation with Old Man!
At this moment, Pallez Zoroast added, "You were very close to 'Him.' Do you think you can hide from a King of Angels who has accommodated the Spectator pathway's Uniqueness?
"Besides, you likely cried out 'Old Man' impolitely at the most critical moment."
Leonard was taken aback as he subconsciously answered, "...Y-you heard it?"
He suspected that Old Man had heard him but had deliberately chosen to ignore him for fear of being discovered by Adam.
"No." Pallez's slightly-aged voice teased, "I don't have to hear it to know what you would do. How can I not be aware of what kind of person you are?"
Amidst Leonard's embarrassment, Pallez Zoroast continued, "Adam definitely knows that you've been parasitized, but as I'd sealed myself and was asleep, 'He' didn't discover who was parasitizing you. The demigods with such abilities aren't many, but it's also not a very tiny number."
Is that so... Leonard instantly heaved a sigh of relief. He was most worried about having Adam see Old Man before returning to inform Blasphemer Amon.
With this in mind, Leonard raised a question he had been wondering all this while:
"Old Man, what's a King of Angels?"
Pallez Zoroast didn't ask where Leonard had learned of this concept as "He" simply explained, "Those that exceed Sequence 1 but have yet to become a deity.
"If we are specifically talking about the eight Kings of Angels, apart from those that meet the previous definition, they're the ones who served the ancient sun god before the Cataclysm."
What does it mean to exceed Sequence 1 but have yet to become a deity? How is that achieved? By accommodating the so-called Uniqueness? Leonard had the intention of asking, but he suspected that Old Man wouldn't answer in detail. He gradually decided to first talk about other matters before finding an opportunity to raise this issue again.
He deliberated for a moment and said with a suppressed voice, "During the battle for revenge with Ince Zangwill, I faced immense adversity, to the point of not being able to look at my enemy head-on, much less use the Luck Siphon charm... When seeking your help failed, I chose to chant Mr. Fool's honorific name and had received a response.
"After everything ended, I found myself heading for an ancient palace as though I was dreaming. It was above the boundless gray fog..."
Before Leonard finished his description, Pallez, who had been listening quietly, cut him off.
"You met The Fool?"
"Yes, 'His' aura is vastly deeper than the sea, loftier than the mountains. His figure was cloaked in the gray fog, preventing anyone from seeing it clearly," Leonard recalled his encounter and described in a poetic manner. "'He' established an organization, holding a Divine Council-a true one-every Monday afternoon. I'm already one of the members."
Pallez fell silent once again and didn't say a word for quite some time. Only after a while did he say, "The Fool allowed you to tell me this?"
"Yes." Sitting there, Leonard nodded and let out a suppressed voice into the air as he said "Old Man, do you know 'Him?"
Pallez Zoroast sighed and said, "No, but I can roughly guess of 'His' origins. You don't have to ask what it is because I won't tell you.
"Heh heh, this might be an opportunity for you. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to become a demigod."
Leonard turned agape before closing his mouth. He stopped mentioning the Tarot Gathering because Mr. Fool hadn't given him permission to go into the details of other matters.
He thought and said, "Old Man, is there another King of Angels named Medici, known as 'the War Angel'?"
Pallez tersely acknowledged:
"You can also address 'Him' as Red Angel. However, 'He' has long perished. You were even close to where 'He' died."
"Where?" Leonard was surprised, but he had no impression of that happening.
Pallez scoffed.
"Are the memories of you people from the Evernight pathway so terrible? I recall that your Goddess wasn't like that.
"Do you still remember the ruin found beneath Backlund?"
"The Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire? The place where Alista Tudor became Blood Emperor?" Leonard asked in enlightenment.
Pallez Zoroast's slightly-aged voice resounded once again:
"That's right."
As Leonard tried to figure out the logic embedded in this matter, he informed Old Man of the evil spirit.
"The remnant soul of Medici fused with the two angels of the Sauron and Einhorn family, becoming a brand new evil spirit?" Pallez repeated Leonard's words in disbelief. Following that, "He" couldn't hide his amusement and said, "The three of 'Them' are absolute archenemies, the kind that can't stand each other's existence. To think that 'They' are together in death, fused as one, is truly–haha, it must be quite lively."
Leonard didn't know what Old Man was laughing about as he subconsciously asked, "They' are archenemies?"
Pallez held back his laughter as he said, "Yes, the reason why Medici failed and was captured was because 'He' was dealing with the Sauron ancestor who had fallen into 'His' trap.
"It wasn't that 'He' wasn't prepared, but that was mainly focused on the Primordial Demoness's side. Surprisingly, Alista Tudor suddenly went mad. Heh, on this matter, Amon and Adam had played a rather important role."
That evil spirit is an enemy of Adam... Why would the Blood Emperor want to capture Medici and the two angels of Sauron and Einhorn? The place "They" perished was in the palace where Alista Tudor was trying to become Blood Emperor... "They" were the ritual materials needed to become a true god? Hmm, according to Mr. Fool, Adam is one step closer to divinity after obtaining 0-08... Is this also considered a gathering of materials? Amon is dealing with Old Man because of similar reasons? Leonard had some theories and had the urge to ask, but he ultimately held back.
He was afraid that he touched on highly secretive matters, causing Old Man to react negatively. @@novelbin@@
He planned on finding an opportunity at the Tarot Club to ask about such matters.
After a brief silence, Leonard looked at the closed door and said with a suppressed voice, "Has Mr. Fool and the Church reached a certain degree of tacit cooperation?"
"That's the implication if no one is investigating you," Pallez Zoroast answered in a rather direct manner.
Leonard nodded indiscernibly.
"What will they arrange me to do next?"
"Arrangement? Reward you for the services rendered and allow you to advance to Sequence 5 after you finish digesting the potion. Then, you will be allocated a Red Gloves team, and you'll be sent to complete missions. Otherwise, they might send you to a large diocese like Backlund to be a deacon in charge of certain matters," Pallez said without much concern.
Back to Backlund... Klein seems to be planning something in Backlund... Leonard's thoughts were suddenly liberated.
He didn't converse with Old Man again as he slumped against the wall and cradled his head with his hands, sitting rather leisurely.
Late at night, in the border town of East and West Balam, outside a row of warehouses.
Dressed in a formal suit, Dwayne Dantès, with his white sideburns, was holding a gold inlaid cane. After exchanging signals and countersigns with the officer on duty, he watched as the officer opened the door to the warehouse and heard him say in a relaxed manner, "It's everything inside. Check the goods and move it yourself.
"Also, pay me the remaining amount before leaving."
Dwayne Dantès nodded slightly and weighed the suitcase in hand. In it was 5,000 pounds in cashentirely from Maysanchez's down payment.
At this moment, two figures were silently watching this develop two warehouses away in a three-story building
-x-X-x-
On the top floor of a small building, a black-haired, brown-eyed man donning dark-colored clothes was looking down at the arms deal not far away. This man who looked about twenty-eight couldn't help but say, "He actually got Maysanchez? Oh, Holy Lord of Storms, Alfred, if I had known it would turn out this way, we might as well have done the mission ourselves. Even if all the expenses are deducted, we should still earn at least 20,000 pounds!"
The man beside him was a young man in a black trench coat. He looked about twenty four and had a head of resplendent blond hair and blue eyes that resembled a lake. He had pretty good looks.
Being addressed as Alfred, he shook his head and said, "No, that would be too noticeable. Maysanchez's allegiance has always been unclear. Before figuring out his take on matters, rashly discussing an arms deal with him is extremely dangerous. Dwayne Dantès is able to earn twenty thousand pounds because he dares to take the risk."
The black-haired and brown-eyed man immediately scoffed.
"To think that Alfred Hall, who has led a few dozen men to assault a battalion with over a thousand troops, would claim that he doesn't dare take risks!"
Alfred shot a glance at him and said, "Pagani, this isn't the same thing. That happened because I was confident of wiping out their command center. And once there's a lack of leadership, a thousand scattered troops might not be as formidable as a thousand pigs.
"In addition, the transaction this time is solely a test. It's to establish communications and to set up a channel. If it's done by us, who are we to seek out the next time? And the subsequent ones? If we keep at it, we will ultimately expose ourselves. Once that happens, it will be a diplomatic matter. Furthermore, with the deals deepening and broadening, who knows if this would incur the notice of the demigods of other factions. That would spell danger."
"Haha," Pagani said with a smile. "How can demigods be that free to pay notice to such small-scale arm deals? Every faction has a limited number of demigods. There are too many matters awaiting them."
"I know. I'm only raising an example," Alfred replied in a staid manner.
Pagani didn't harp on the matter and turned his gaze back to Dwayne Dantès who stood outside the warehouse.
"This gentleman is said to be very generous. He donated stocks worth more than ten thousand pounds to the Church of Evernight shortly after he arrived in Backlund. Is this the early-stage investments that you often speak of?
"Also, he seems to be working at the same charity foundation with your sister. Tsk, such men are very welcome with the young ladies. He's good-looking and has an outstanding demeanor. He's smart, experienced, and has the artifice. He has seen all kinds of women, and he's at the age to settle down. Alfred, you have to warn Audrey that a playboy will always be one and that one's moral character is a flaw that can never be corrected. You can't let the most dazzling jewel of Backlund be taken by this fellow."
Alfred turned his head to glare at Pagani.
"There's no need for you to show any concern about such matters. Audrey isn't a young and clueless lady. Her knowledge of the world is far more mature than you imagine. Besides, my father and mother are in Backlund. They have the ability to prevent any nasty things from happening."
Upon saying that, Alfred looked at the nearby arms warehouse and paused.
"Maysanchez actually sent Haggis. I'll go greet him."
This isn't the best time to meet, right... Just as Pagani was about to say a word, Alfred had already turned to walk down the stairs.
Klein, in the form of Dwayne Dantès, didn't bring any servants. He held his gold-inlaid cane and stood with Maysanchez's representative, Haggis, outside the warehouse. They watched as crates of munitions were carried out and loaded onto carriages.
At this moment, he half-turned his body upon sensing something and looked elsewhere.
The person that was reflected in his eyes was a young man wearing a trench coat without a hat. His blond hair was combed into a slick back, and his blue eyes looked like a lake under a bright clear sky. He was tall with a good build. His every move exuded an indescribable sense of dignity. Even without any troops surrounding him, the authority he wielded was obvious. @@novelbin@@
"Alfred!" Haggis noticed the man as well when he cried out in delighted surprise.
Alfred... Miss Justice's second elder brother... This feeling resembles that of the Arbiter pathway... Klein raised his right hand and took off his top hat to press it against his chest as a form of greeting.
After Alfred Hall greeted Haggis, he turned to look at Dwayne Dantès.
"Your character is widely spread across Backlund. Even I've heard of you, despite being in East Balam."
Character? A character at making arms deals? Klein lampooned as he chuckled.
"I'm only doing things that I believe need to be done."
Alfred nodded.
"I believe there's no need for any self-introductions? Haggis should've mentioned me to you."
"Yes, Colonel Hall," Klein replied with a smile. "I only learned that Miss Audrey has another brother here in the Southern Continent after I arrived—that he served in the military and has rendered impressive services."
Alfred cast his gaze on Dwayne Dantès's face and changed the topic:
"I thought you would take the opportunity to work at the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation, but you surprised me by choosing to come to the Southern Continent."
Klein maintained his smile from before.
"For an outsider to truly enter a preexisting circle is quite impossible just by giving donations, doing charity, and hosting balls and banquets."
Alfred tersely answered, "Very wise."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he asked Haggis, "Did something happen in Cookawa? It seemed rather serious."
Haggis squeezed a smile.
"I'm not too sure. I was hiding in an underground bunker at the general's residence. I later heard that there was a lightning storm at Revival Square."
"Lightning storm?" Alfred's gaze turned towards Dwayne Dantès again.
Klein nodded and said, "Indeed. The hotel I was staying at isn't too far from Revival Square. I did see continuous bolts of lightning striking that area. All of that happened in the day."
Alfred's gaze turned towards Haggis again.
"What happened to the scene in the end?"
"Most of the area was in shambles. There were marks of lightning strikes." Haggis didn't hide the truth at all.
Alfred nodded gently and pointed to the side before saying to Haggis and Dwayne Dantès, "I still have other matters to tend to. We can chat again when the opportunity arises."
"See you again," Klein politely replied. It made them appear to be at a social gathering instead of being outside a munitions warehouse.
He was watching Alfred Hall leave when his body trembled. His head made an abrupt turn to the side.
In the primitive forests that covered East and West Balam, a figure was slowly outlined with his back bent.
He had a fleshy face with slightly brown skin. His clothes were baggy, and he had a rapier by his waist. In his hand was a silver mask.
Looking to his sides, this figure straightened his body. He was none other than Admiral Hell Ludwell who had entered previously entered the Underworld.
However, at this moment, two clumps of blood-red flames were burning in his eye sockets. He looked completely different from before.
"I'm starving..." Ludwell opened his mouth, letting out a sigh that seemed to come from his chest.
He then cast his gaze in a different direction, muttering, "The owner of this marionette is over there. Fate has brought us together again.
"He has a Hunter pathway item on him. It's perfect for replenishing myself."
Just as he said that, a bloody mouth appeared on the left cheek of Ludwell's face. It opened and closed as it said, "Medici, what we need to deal with first is our survival! After this marionette loses its connection to its owner, it's no different from the dead. The remnant spirit will quickly return to the Underworld and not be able to maintain the body. And without the Underworld inside him, we will inevitably be weakened until we dissipate!"
"Yes, the most pressing matter now is to find another Gatekeeper." Another mouth appeared on Ludwell's right cheek.
Red Angel Medici immediately scoffed.
"Sauron, Einhorn, were the two of you women in the past? Your nature as angels has been left in the dumps because of you! That fellow was able to resist 0-08's arrangements several times, implying that he's definitely not simple. With a chance to lock onto him, how can we give it up? Once this marionette completely dies, things wouldn't be that simple again!
"Besides, the Hunter pathway item on him can effectively extend our existence. Once we finish him, it wouldn't be too late finding a Gatekeeper."
The bloody crack on Ludwell's left cheek immediately scoffed.
"Medici, have you sacrificed your brain to the True Creator? That fellow has clearly advanced. In our current condition, defeating a Bizarro Sorcerer isn't difficult, but killing him is nearly impossible!"
Medici wasn't frustrated, and instead, he laughed deeply.
"This isn't something unresolvable. As long as you allow me to chant my Lord's honorific name, helpers will immediately arrive. A Gatekeeper might even be automatically brought here."
The mouth on Ludwell's right check immediately opened and closed.
"Sauron, let's work together to stop him and search for a Gatekeeper."
"Alright." The mouth on Ludwell's left cheek didn't hesitate to reply.
Upon seeing this, Red Angel Medici laughed.
"The two of you have fallen for it! My goal has been met. I can confirm that the two of you were previously women!"
The two mouths on Ludwell's cheeks roared, "Shut up!"
"Humph, we've been merged together for two thousand years. Would we not know what tricks you're up to? There's no need to struggle again!"
As they spoke, the colors around Admiral Hell Ludwell instantly saturated and stacked upon one another.
He had entered the spirit world and began traversing
it.
Outside the munitions warehouse, Klein finally retracted his gaze as his premonition for danger vanished.
For that one moment, he had a baffling feeling, but he was unable to project the corresponding scene in his mind.
What happened? Klein muttered to himself. Without waiting any further, he threw the suitcase in his hand to the officer who was in charge of handing and taking over. Then, he said to Haggis, "The rest is yours. You can give me the rest of the payment."
He was referring to the heavy case filled with gold bars and coins.
Haggis had planned on having drinks with Dwayne Dantès after the completion of the deal to celebrate its success, and to discuss any future deals. He never expected Dwayne Dantès to be in such a hurry to leave.
"Alright. It's on the carriage," he pointed and said.
Alfred, who had already walked quite a distance, turned his head to look over, perplexed. He wasn't sure why Dwayne Dantès wasn't following the predesignated procedure.
-x-X-x-
Seeing Alfred look over, Klein returned with a smile and nodded gently.
"I suddenly sensed some danger."
With that said, he calmly turned around and headed for the carriage which Haggis had pointed out.
"Danger..." Alfred repeated the word softly as he warily surveyed his surroundings but failed to find anything odd.
He slowed down his pace, constantly taking note of his surroundings before returning to the nearby three-story building with out-of-the-ordinary vigilance.
Pagani glanced at the heavy-expression wearing Alfred and asked, feeling somewhat puzzled, "What happened?"
He was quite a distance from the arms deal, so he hadn't heard their conversation.
Alfred walked to the window and looked down at the convoy that was prepared to leave after loading the munitions. He deliberated and said, "Dwayne Dantès suddenly left, saying that he had sensed danger."
"Danger?" Pagani didn't dismiss it as he warily looked around. He didn't notice anything amiss even when Maysanchez's men left the region and vanished into the darkness.
He then laughed.
"Haha, Alfred, I think you're too sensitive. I believe it's solely because Dwayne Dantès is a coward and was unwilling to stay here for too long!"
Alfred retracted his gaze and frowned.
"Perhaps."
After returning to his hotel, Klein made Enzo, who had turned into a mixed-blood lad, open the suitcase in his hand. He took out the gold coins and bars one by one and did the count.
It was valued at a total of 30,000 Loen gold pounds!
Thankfully my previous agreement with Miss Messenger is 10,000 Loen gold coins. I don't need to make any additional conversions... Sitting leisurely in the reclining chair, Klein drank the sweet and sour but refreshing Gwadar as he "monitored" his marionette's work.
After Enzo separated the items, he took out the adventurer's harmonica and blew into it.
Reinette Tinekerr walked out of the void with the four blonde, red-eyed heads in hand. It was as though she was constantly nearby.
Her eight eyes turned towards the pile of gold coins and gold bars that had been separated.
After a few seconds, the four heads in Reinette Tinekerr's hand said, "Very good..." "In the future..." "Missions will..." "Cost more..."
...What's the logic behind this? Why are you raising the price after the mission despite me paying you so quickly? Klein was taken aback as he asked with a straightened back, "What?"
Reinette Tinekerr's four blonde, red-eyed heads nodded seriously.
"Mission..." "Price..." "Depends On..." "Your..." "Ability..." "To..." "Earn Money..."
I never expected that... Klein turned agape, but he was unable to retort. After all, such matters were solely decided by the helper. Furthermore, with him advancing to Sequence 4 and becoming a demigod, the missions that he needed her help with in the future was likely to increase in difficulty and danger. It was seemingly reasonable to increase the price.
After Reinette Tinekerr swallowed the gold coins and vanished from the room, Klein reined in his thoughts and began doing calculations regarding his current wealth.
My expenses have been quite significant recently. I'm left with 17,275 pounds in cash and 65 gold coins... This pile of gold bars is worth 25,000 pounds... That makes for a total of more than 40,000 pounds. It's not something to dismiss in all of the Loen Kingdom. I can already buy a manor and some land for farming... Arms dealing sure is profitable...
Reinette Tinekerr needed gold coins, so whatever was left were gold bars.
Standing up and sending the gold bars above the gray fog, Klein walked to the window and cast his gaze to the north.
With the matter coming to a close, he was poised to return to Backlund.
Looking at the horizon, Klein suddenly sighed silently.
Backlund...
North Borough, Backlund University of Technology.
Audrey was touring the campus with a few staff members of the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.
She was dressed in a simple, light-green dress. By her waist was a white, unadorned leather belt. Her blonde hair had a veiled hat with ribboned flowers that showed off her playful side. She didn't wear any other accessories other than a silver bangle on her left wrist. She looked no different from a female student that came from a family that could only be considered middle-class.
Over the past few days, she had been to public primary schools that bordered East Borough, and she had visited the technical schools in the area around Backlund Bridge. She already knew the appropriate clothes needed for the occasion, not treating charity work as another social scene.
Her green, limpid eyes darted around slightly as she wore a faint smile as she observed the students that came and went.
Backlund University of Technology had recently sent out its acceptance letters, and it was matriculation day for the new class of students.
Matriculation should've happened in late-August or early-September, but as a newly restructured university, Backlund University of Technology's entrance examinations were later than the other universities. That also delayed the results, which also meant that students that applied to the school had also participated in the examinations of other universities or might've already been accepted. Therefore, they had brought forward the registration work to confirm the matriculated numbers before deciding how many more students needed to be accepted. @@novelbin@@
Due to this, Audrey and the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation's staff came to help the first batch of approved applicants to complete their matriculation procedure.
Wherever she could see, she discovered that the students on campus wore a beaming expression, and every action they made exuded obvious confidence. Their words and actions had an indescribable vigor, one that seemed to have immense hope for the future that allowed them to see light.
And this feeling was completely different from the few public primary schools that Audrey had experienced in the past. The students there were either boorish and noisy or silent and gloomy. A common trait of theirs was being uneasy and confused. Whenever they encountered strangers of status, they would be filled with trepidation. Their eyes were dull, lacking the spirit that youths ought to have.
I really wish those kids will have a chance of receiving higher education and be like the students here where they can work hard for a better future... As Audrey sighed silently, she swept her gaze to a male-female duo who were likely siblings.
The elder brother had clearly stepped into society and started working. He wore a silk hat and wore a rather thin black formal suit. He appeared to be in his thirties and had the air resembling a civil servant.
He had borrowed a rather old camera from somewhere and had placed it on a tripod. He gestured for his younger sister to move and adjust her pose as he searched for the best angle.
The sister was about seventeen or eighteen, and her black hair simply cascaded down. Her brown eyes had a look of exasperation, but she didn't say a word as she seriously listened to her brother's instructions.
Such combinations were everywhere on campus. Some of them had parents and their child, while others were groups of friends.
What a beautiful scene... Audrey looked away and continued proceeding forward.
It was a square, and in the middle of it was a decommissioned steam locomotive. Its massive body was standing there proudly, adding industrial vibes to the Backlund University of Technology.
Whoosh!
The behemoth-like steam locomotive spewed out smoke as it hauled its long body into the platform before slowing down a stop.
A mixed-blood, seven- or eight-year-old girl who looked like a doll, held her mother's hand as she waited in a long line. She asked her father, who was similarly mixed-blood with Loen and Balam heritage, about Desi Bay.
Amidst her shuffling, she saw a gentleman with white sideburns and a top hat holding a gold-inlaid cane. He had a servant with brown skin as he walked towards first-class.
The servant looked around curiously and said, "Sir, the recent situation is different from what I had imagined. I thought the people from Balam would lead tough and difficult lives, with squalid, chaotic, poor, and repressed surroundings. But there was none of them. We even drank Gwadar and smoked East Balam cigarettes. There were even some people who could afford bikes. Uh, as you know, although I have Balam blood in me, I was born in Backlund. I've never been to the Southern Continent. Of course, my Dutanese is still not too bad."
The very noble middle-aged gentleman chuckled and waved his cane.
"That's because we only went to the cities and regions that aren't too bad. The saddest people of Balam are in the villages, in the plantations. The rest take up residence around the factories, creating slums. We never had a chance to see them."
As though sensing the girl's notice, the gentleman with his deep blue eyes and his servant looked over and gave a warm smile.
The corners of their lips clearly curled up, revealing eight teeth before they nodded gently, looked away, and continued on their way.
Before long, the girl and her parents boarded the steam locomotive and found their seats.
When the whistle sounded again, the girl saw a man with dark brown skin, soft facial features, and red lumps on his cheek walk over with his head bowed. His hand pressed on his hat as he quickly walked down the aisle and headed for the head of the train.
The man knocked on the partition before quickly entering the operator's compartment and said to the train driver, "All the train attendants have been swapped with our men. The bridge ahead is where the sacrifice will be held."
With a thick mustache, the train driver nodded and said, "May God be satisfied with the sacrificial items on this train.
"Let's hope we can gain eternal life in the kingdom."
Whoosh!
The steam locomotive drove under a bridge before cruising past a huge bridge. After a long trip, it finally arrived at its destination, the pier.
The doll-like, mixed-blood girl was somewhat sleepy and was no longer as lively as before. Under her parents' lead, she followed the crowd and inched towards the door.
There were a few attendants at the door who were helping some of the passengers remove their luggage.
When the girl and her parents walked past, these attendants curled the corners of their lips and revealed eight teeth, showcasing a warm smile.
After the girl jumped onto the platform, she looked back at them subconsciously. She saw figures standing outside the door, discussing something. Among them was the train conductor, as well as the man with the lumps on his cheek.
A second later, these people turned their heads over and curled the corners of their lips, revealing eight teeth.
The girl retracted her gaze and skipped along as she left the platform with her parents.
-x-X-x-
Cold winds blew across the platform at night, causing the hanging gas lamps to sway.
The light of dusk stretched and shortened from time to time in this scene, allowing the steam locomotive that was silently parked on the tracks to oscillate between being cloaked in shadows or escaping the darkness. It had an indescribable sense of gloom and death.
At this moment, a squad of black-and-white checkered policemen entered the platform. Under the lead of the railway company's duty manager, they walked to the huge train that appeared old.
"For some reason, after the passengers disembarked, all the train staff, including the train driver, returned to the carriage and never came out again. I s-sent people to look for them and get them out to have some rest, b-but they quickly ran out looking like that had been inflicted with a disease. All they could do was hysterically shout, 'they're all dead,' 'they're all dead'!" The railway duty manager in a blue coat held a lamp, walking as he briefed the police about the situation.
From his stammering and trembling body, the police could easily tell the extreme horror in him. It was as though a sudden tap on his shoulder would literally cause him to jump and abandon everything to rush for the exit.
His emotions infected the police. All of them held their hands to their waists as they pressed onto their holsters.
Tap. Tap. Tap. The leather shoes hitting the solid, hard ground left reverberating echoes. The police followed the duty manager and warily entered the front carriage.
Inside the carriage, there were two people sitting in each row. They were distributed to the left and right, and they stood away from the windows. At that moment, they were leaning against the backs of their seats, motionless.
Through the illumination of the gas lamps outside and lanterns in their hands, the inspectors leading them very quickly recognized the scene before him. Here were the staff of the steam locomotive. They were wearing blue uniforms that differed for men and women, and they were sitting in different seats in silence. Their faces were pale and their eyes wide open. Although there wasn't any sounds of breathing, the corners of their lips were curved up, revealing eight teeth.
Everyone present felt their hair stand up upon seeing the uniform smiles as they subconsciously held their breaths.
This was an extremely bizarre and terrifying scene. All they wished was to turn around and leave, beginning investigations only when it was bright!
The leading inspector drew two deep gasps before he instructed the constables beside him:
"Go confirm if they a-are dead..."
Upon saying that, he glanced at the duty manager.
"Follow him and see if there's anyone missing or excess people included."
"A-alright, Officer," the duty manager said with a trembling voice.
As he and the constables ventured deeper into the carriage, the other policemen drew their revolvers and remained on high alert.
In an unbearable silence, time slowly ticked by until, finally, one of the constables stopped at the end of the carriage, turned around, and shouted, "It's confirmed. All of them are dead!"
The railway manager stuttered immediately after him, "There are two missing. The train driver and the train conductor..."
The inspector calmed down significantly when he realized that nothing had happened all this time. he thought and said to all the constables, "Maintain the corpses' present state and await an autopsy.
"Meanwhile, split into two teams. One team is to head to the other carriages to search for the train conductor and driver while the other team is to check the scene for clues and relevant information. Once the sun rises, we will begin investigations starting with the train personnel and the passengers who were previously on board. We will search for any commonalities and peculiarities."
Although many passengers didn't present their identification documents when purchasing tickets, the inspector believed that it was possible to find people who had registered themselves and learn from them of any abnormalities on the train or passengers worth paying attention to.
Just as he said that, a biting cold wind stirred, blowing through the carriage.
When all of this came to an end, the inspector was about to emphasize his orders when he suddenly noticed something amiss.
The steam locomotive staff members who were in their seats still had their eyes open with their whites showing and their faces pale. However, their mouths had closed at some point in time and were no longer showing their eight teeth.
Inside a luxurious hotel room, the wall lamps shone brightly onto the carpeted region where a desk stood.
Klein had transformed into Gehrman Sparrow and was sitting on a single-seater. He had his left leg crossed over his right.
Beside him was Enzo who looked like a native. In front of him stood a row of cultist marionettes.
They were the people involved in attempting to make a sacrifice on the steam locomotive—the man with the lumpy cheek, the train conductor and the train driver.
They had circled from different streets donning different looks to gather here.
"Who made you do the sacrifice?" Klein asked in a deep voice.
After advancing to Sequence 4 and becoming a Bizarro Sorcerer, not only was he able to read the thoughts of his marionette's superficial consciousness, he could also use the increased control of Spirit Body Threads to do things similar to spirit channeling.
Of course, the higher the level of the marionette, the poorer the effects of the spirit channeling.
After a brief silence, the conductor who was clearly Loen with rather thick body hair said blankly, "It's a revelation from God."
"Which god?" Klein received the porcelain teacup from Enzo and took a sip.
The train conductor replied in a daze, "God is God. There are no others."
Klein lowered his cup and asked, "How did 'He' reveal 'His' revelation? What was said exactly?"
The conductor instantly turned reverent.
"He' gave a revelation through a divine item, requesting us to sacrifice many lives to pleasure 'Him.' In return, 'He' will give us eternal life in 'His' kingdom."
Sacrifice many lives... Compared to the Numinous Episcopate, the Rose School of Thought prefers doing such things. They have always been infamous for blood sacrifices... But to have eternal life in God's kingdom is closer to the Numinous Episcopate's beliefs. Of course, I can't eliminate the possibility that it was fabricated... Klein pondered for a moment and asked, "What divine item?"
The train driver didn't reply as he glanced at the man with the red, lumpy cheek.
The man then took out an item from an inner pocket.
It was a cloth doll of shabby craftsmanship with curved eyes and mouth.
"God will issue us commands at a specific time through it. I bought it at a flea market," the man with the lumpy cheek said slowly without any perturbation in his tone.
This... Klein instantly thought of many possibilities before getting Enzo to take the cloth doll and scrutinize it carefully, but he didn't discover anything odd.
With his experience, this meant that the problem wasn't with the doll. That meant that there were two possibilities: First, someone was using the doll as a decoy while acting as a deity nearby. Second, it was a truly secret existence who had specially labeled the item to send a revelation.
If it's the former, the train attendants' death would've been discovered, and preparations would've been made... If it's the latter, perhaps nothing has been detected... Klein contemplated for a moment and made Enzo place the cloth door on the desk in front of the window.
He then stood up and instantly transformed into another train attendant and stood with the row of cultists.
Similar changes happened when Enzo returned.
After an unknown period of time, the night grew deeper.
Suddenly, on the desk bathed in crimson moonlight, the cloth doll with curved eyes and mouth moved its limbs and slowly stood up.
-x-X-x-