Chapter 144: A Three-Way Transaction

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four
A Three-Way Transaction

In truth, there were three pages, but the characters were too complicated and too hard to memorize. Right now, my limit is a little over two pages… Any more, and they will get mixed up… I can only leave the rest for next time…

Audrey silently added those few sentences in her heart.

New Roselle diary pages?

Klein’s spirits immediately rose. Though he already knew the answer, he still smiled and asked, “Miss Justice, what do you wish to obtain?”

Audrey’s eyes brightened at once, but she deliberately maintained reserve as she answered, “As you know, I am about to finish digesting the Spectator potion. I hope to obtain the formula for the Telepathist potion a little earlier, so that I may prepare the ingredients ahead of time. Mm, I understand that the contents of these two diary pages may not be enough to match the value of the Telepathist formula. I will provide another page later, and I will pay you an additional sum of money…”

Before she even finished speaking, she suddenly realized something was wrong and fiercely scolded herself in her heart.

Mr. Fool is at least a great figure close to divinity. How could He possibly care about vulgar money?

As a result, Audrey failed to maintain her Spectator state. Hurriedly, she stammered in supplement, “That is not what I meant! Mr. Fool, what I mean is, you may designate any compensation you wish. Yes, that is what I meant!”

I liked your previous suggestion…

I would answer like this: once you truly finish digesting the Spectator potion, you may obtain the subsequent formula. I have a subordinate—no, I should use a more impressive term: a blessed one—who is currently busy with a certain matter and happens to need some money. This is his bearer account, a bearer account with Backlund Bank… Mm, this week I will disguise myself and go to the Tingen branch of Backlund Bank to open a bearer account…

Klein did not immediately reply. He appeared profound, but in reality he was carefully polishing his words.

Backlund Bank was one of the seven major banks of the Loen Kingdom and held the right of clearing.

The Loen Kingdom handled interbank transfers within the same city through centralized bill clearing. Unlike their counterparts in the Intis Republic, however, not all banks could join that system. The seven largest banks firmly controlled this right, and thus were also known as clearing banks. Other banks could only depend on them.

Accounts in different cities could only be connected within the same bank, through clearing between different branches. After steam trains and wired telegraphs appeared, the efficiency in that area had risen considerably.

Just then, the Sun, Derrick Berg, suddenly spoke.

“Telepathist potion formula? The Telepathist that comes after Psychoanalyst?”

Audrey looked at him doubtfully.

“You know of it?”

At the same time, Miss Justice, through the instincts of a Spectator, tasted something unusual.

The other party was using the ancient name of the corresponding Sequence 7: Psychoanalyst. Not the more modern “Psychiatrist.”

How strange… This person…

Audrey once again examined the Sun’s every movement.

Derrick did not feel he had revealed anything abnormal at all. He answered earnestly, “I can help you obtain that formula!”

After saying this, because he could not produce it immediately, he felt guilty and forcibly explained, “This Sequence originated from the dragon race, and the City of Silver was once ruled by the Giant King’s Court. As you know, giants and dragons were mortal enemies. Therefore, the City of Silver possesses Sequence 9, Sequence 8, and Sequence 7 of this pathway. I have a way to obtain it.”

This child…

Klein nearly wanted to raise a hand and cover his face.

Sigh. Although the Sun boy looks silent, pained, and mature, he truly is still only a boy!

Still, this lets me figure out something else… So the Spectator Sequence originally came from the dragon race. No wonder the symbol formed by stars behind Miss Justice’s high-backed chair is a “dragon”… The City of Silver’s history has been preserved rather well…

Klein maintained his posture of leaning against the back of his chair, listening thoughtfully as the Sun explained.

In truth, he could have stopped the Sun from revealing those matters with perfect ease. So long as he did not provide the “simultaneous translation,” even if Justice and the Hanged Man heard him speak, they would have heard nothing useful, because they would not understand a word.

But Klein then thought again and felt that this could effectively strengthen his powerful and mysterious image in the minds of all three members. So he listened with a smile and did not speak, making no unnecessary attempt.

The Giant King’s Court, the dragon race, the City of Silver…

Audrey listened in confusion. First, she looked at the Hanged Man opposite her, and from his body language, judged that the gentleman was equally shocked and puzzled.

She hurriedly turned her head toward the head of the bronze long table and saw the Fool seated in that high-backed chair, His entire body shrouded in dense gray-white fog. His right elbow rested on the armrest, His palm leisurely propping up His slightly angled head. He was not surprised. He was not astonished. He did not appear to be thinking or doubtful. With only a faint smile in His eyes, He calmly watched everything unfold.

He knows… He knows all of it…

Audrey and Alger arrived at that certain judgment almost simultaneously.

“The City of Silver. I have never heard of that place… Where is it?” Audrey asked tentatively, while the Hanged Man, Alger, listened with full attention.

At that moment, the Sun, Derrick Berg, was filled with questions as well. He could tell that aside from the Fool, who might be a deity, Justice and the Hanged Man were clearly more like Beyonders—Beyonders of certain Sequences.

Yet in the land abandoned by God, Derrick had never seen any living person except the people of the City of Silver.

So he asked in return, “If you are not citizens of the City of Silver, which city-state are you from?”

Sigh…

Klein almost could not resist sighing again.

Audrey’s lips moved, but for a moment she did not know how to answer.

Mm. His hidden meaning is that if you do not want to answer questions of this kind, then do not casually ask about another person’s city…

Miss Justice nodded gently and elegantly shut her mouth.

Clearly, the Hanged Man, Alger, had also misunderstood the Sun’s purpose. He did not know that the other party was genuinely and simply asking. Thus, he too kept silent.

Having received no answer, Derrick seemed to understand something as well. He no longer mentioned the matter and instead said, “I will obtain the Telepathist formula as quickly as possible. I want to use it to exchange for the initial Sequence of the Sun pathway.”

“The Sun pathway? Sequence 9, Bard?” the Hanged Man, Alger, immediately asked.

The Sun, Derrick, thought for a moment and said, “It should be that, but I lack understanding of it.”

Klein, who had been watching everything from the side, decided to step forward. He did not want to risk having someone else snatch the business away.

He smiled and said, “I believe Miss Justice does not possess the Bard formula.”

But Mr. Hanged Man can most likely get it…

Seeing Audrey nod, he chuckled again.

“I will give the Sun a copy of the Bard formula. The Sun will provide the Telepathist potion formula to Miss Justice as soon as possible, preferably within two gatherings. Miss Justice will give me the newly obtained Roselle diary pages. That will complete the transaction.

“Mm. From the principle of equivalent exchange, the Sun will suffer a loss. But for now, he is only making a promise. Once he truly produces the Telepathist formula, Miss Justice may consider how to compensate him. Or I may compensate him, while Miss Justice provides money to one of my blessed ones. He has recently needed to accomplish certain matters. Heh, this is because the Sun may not necessarily be able to receive Miss Justice’s cash or material compensation.”

Klein deliberately added that last sentence. His purpose was to make the Hanged Man and Justice focus on the fact that the Sun might not be able to receive compensation. He wanted to emphasize his own unfathomable nature, so that everyone would overlook the fact that this particular blessed one was short of money.

May not necessarily be able to receive compensation… Where exactly is the Sun? The Southern Continent?

Alger’s brows furrowed slightly.

The Sun’s background is mysterious too… As expected, Mr. Fool also has subordinates in reality…

Audrey finally saw hope of becoming a Sequence 8 Telepathist. How could she have other thoughts? Restraining her excitement, she smiled faintly and said, “I have no objections.”

“I have none either,” Derrick said, nodding without hesitation upon seeing that he could obtain the initial Sequence of the Sun pathway on the spot. He did not care about later compensation at all.

Excluded from this three-way transaction, the Hanged Man, Alger, had no position from which to speak. Though he truly could obtain the Bard formula, he would likewise have to wait a week or two.

At that moment, the Fool, Klein, pleased to have successfully pushed compensation into the next gathering or the one after that, pressed his hand forward and manifested the Bard formula.

“Main ingredients: one crystallized sunflower, or the tail feather of an adult flint bird, or the tail feather of an arson bird… one siren stone, or one singing sunflower… Supplementary ingredients: one midsummer grass, five drops of July wine sap, and one elven dark leaf…”

He “sent” that formula before the Sun and watched the other first frown, then relax.

Mm. The ingredient names in the Forsaken Land of the Gods must still retain ancient characteristics… Fortunately, this formula came directly from the Eternal Blazing Sun. It marks ancient names and provides various substitutes…

Klein came to a faint realization and shifted his gaze toward Miss Justice.

Audrey glanced at the Sun, who was silently reciting the formula, then hurriedly gave the idea of the two diary pages she had forcefully memorized.

The diary immediately appeared upon yellow-brown parchment and flashed into Klein’s hand.

As he had done before, he began reading at once.

“November 3rd. Matilda is three months pregnant. Now even the maids from the countryside look rather pretty to me. No, I cannot lower my taste and style. It just so happens that Countess Frey invited me to a private party. Heh-heh.”

“November 8th. Archbishop Van Estin needs my help with something. Huh. What can I help an archbishop with?”

“November 9th. So this kind of secret is hidden within the Sequence pathways. Archbishop Estin told me that after becoming a Sequence 5 Beyonder, the following portions can be mutually substituted with one or two other corresponding pathways! In other words, this begins at the step from mid-Sequence to high-Sequence. But this is limited to that one or two specific pathways. If one switches to a potion from the wrong pathway, going half-mad is already the lightest outcome, and further advancement becomes impossible.

“The pathways capable of exchanging from Sequence 4 onward include the Sleepless pathway and the Corpse Collector pathway. Mm, the Church’s Savant pathway and the Mystery Pryer pathway can also substitute for each other at high Sequences.”