Chapter 97: Each Harboring Their Own Thoughts

Chapter 97: Each Harboring Their Own Thoughts

The Moon, Emlyn, had a flicker in his eyes. He leaned back in his chair and, speaking at an unhurried pace with a faint smile, answered Miss Justice’s question:

“What I need to do is very simple. I only need to ensure that both sides in the cooperation can smoothly push the matter forward.”

Then you probably do not need to directly participate in battle? Justice Audrey had originally intended to follow up with a few questions like this, but after observing The Moon for a few seconds and reconsidering what he had just said, she instead smiled faintly.

“In that case, the one thing you need to do most is ensure your own safety.”

That makes sense. I cannot let this matter affect me personally. In any case, there is nothing that requires me to intervene… I am not responsible for the stages that absolutely require risk. Afterward, I can rent Leymano’s Travels and spend money to have The World record a few pages of Teleportation. As far as safety is concerned, there should basically be no problems… The Moon, Emlyn, thought for several seconds before nodding lightly.

“An excellent suggestion.”

Since the other links in the Sanguine hunting operation involved no Tarot Club members and were completely outside their control, this small-scale private exchange soon came to an end. The participants returned to the real world at the same time.

Klein, however, was not in a hurry to leave. After his figure disappeared, he reappeared in The Fool’s seat and beckoned over the Unshadowed Cross and Severed Finger, the mystical item of the Marauder pathway that had been bound together.

At that moment, on the surface of the grayish-white “tweezers” seemingly polished from two finger bones, grains of black and profound sand had already surfaced after absorbing all light from the surroundings. They slowly flowed, gathered, and seemed about to reassemble into a new form.

As for the Severed Finger itself, its grayish-white color had become translucent, reflecting a faint sheen, and fine cracks had opened across its surface.

“The Unshadowed Cross really can make the Beyonder characteristic of a mystical item or Sealed Artifact slowly separate and recondense. Of course, the prerequisite is that some power similar to the mysterious space above the gray fog suppresses it and makes it ‘willing’ to touch other things containing Beyonder characteristics…” Klein nodded in satisfaction.

At that moment, the gray-white Severed Finger suddenly vibrated with a hum and released a voice overflowing with enthusiasm:

“Oh, my Sun!

“Praise You!

“Praise the Sun!

“…”

As the tweezer-like item continued singing, creaking and cracking sounds came from within it, as though it might break apart into fragments at any moment.

Yet that did not affect its praise of the Sun in the slightest.

“…” Klein watched this scene with his mouth slightly open and, for a brief moment, did not know what expression he should make.

After a few seconds, he sighed and separated the Unshadowed Cross from the Severed Finger. He tossed them both to the edge of the miscellaneous pile, in different positions, and used the power of the gray fog to suppress them.

Then he prepared to leave this place and return to the real world.

At that moment, the light dot representing The Fool’s only believer, which had also been specially marked, spread out rings of radiance and transmitted overlapping prayers.

Klein restrained his thoughts and extended his spirituality over. Before his eyes, the scene of Danitz devoutly praying inside his own room immediately appeared, while the corresponding voice echoed beside his ears:

“Great Mr. Fool, Your humble believer requests that You relay the following words to Gehrman Sparrow:

“According to my captain, there are many things rumored at sea to be Vice Admiral Ailment’s personal belongings, but without exception, all of them are fake. Ever since she was attacked and injured, that pirate admiral has attached great importance to keeping her movements secret, and has rarely engaged in plundering. Her fleet last appeared two months ago on Celos Island in the western Berserk Sea. After that, it sailed into the vast sea, and no one knows where it went.

“The foreign object inside Anderson’s stomach has already been brought under initial control and separated from his body to a certain degree. For a very long time, it will no longer seep into his flesh and blood.

“There are two ways to completely resolve this hidden danger. The first is to ask a Sequence 4 Unshadowed of the Sun pathway for help, but this carries a significant chance that a large amount of his own Beyonder characteristic will also be purified. The probability is not small. The second is to find the potion formula for Sequence 4 of the Hunter pathway, Iron-blooded Knight, and directly absorb that foreign object through the assistance of the ritual and materials.

“Anderson leans toward the latter plan. He is willing to take the risk.”

It is very obvious that Danitz is imitating the way Vice Admiral Iceberg answered, rather than speaking in his usual style… However, some of his wording is not particularly accurate. Could Danitz have secretly revised it, changing terms into synonyms he understands better? Is—is he worried that Gehrman Sparrow will not understand? Klein raised his brows and returned his attention to the content itself.

Vice Admiral Ailment is following the Demoness Sect’s instructions and hiding during this rather critical period? If that is truly the case, then finding her in a short time is basically impossible. And in another month or two, things might have erupted completely, making it unnecessary to look for her at all…

I will first send Danitz to try searching and leave a little hope alive… As for myself, I will shift my focus to finding Trissy the Demoness. I have a method to contact her. I can consider using cooperation against White Saintess Katerina as an excuse to have her meet Gehrman Sparrow and see whether I can control her, then use her to draw out Katerina…

As for Anderson’s two methods of resolving the hidden danger, I can help with both. Since he leans toward taking a risk and using advancement to absorb the foreign object, I do not need to have Danitz promote a short-term rental of the Unshadowed Cross to him… That is rather good. At least I do not need to worry that the cross Adam gave might produce some unpleasant chemical reaction if it encounters the foreign object Adam left behind…

As for the Iron-blooded Knight potion formula, given Anderson’s important role in luring Ince Zangwill, it is not impossible to give it to him. Heh. The foreign object in his stomach is the reward Adam gave him… Mm, it cannot be bestowed directly. He is not a believer of The Fool… And Gehrman Sparrow has no reason to give him such a high-level item…

As his thoughts flashed rapidly, Klein quickly came to a decision. He conjured The World, Gehrman Sparrow, having him assume a praying posture.

…

In the Fog Sea, aboard the Golden Dream.

Bang!

The wooden door was suddenly pushed open, slamming heavily against the wall.

Amid that loud movement, Anderson paused in the act of turning a page. His expression unchanged, he looked toward Danitz, who stood at the entrance with his hands in his pockets.

“There is an excellent mission for you.” Draped in a cloak and not wearing his gloves, Danitz raised his chin and chuckled.

Anderson looked the pirate up and down and clicked his tongue.

“You seem very pleased with yourself…

“What mission?”

Danitz glanced at Anderson.

“Come with me to Celos Island and help me search for Vice Admiral Ailment’s trail.

“Also, help me gather the Beyonder materials required by Conspiracist. Heh. You will pay for that yourself.”

Anderson nodded thoughtfully.

“Then what is the reward?”

The corners of Danitz’s mouth slowly spread outward. With a posture that seemed to look down from above, he said,

“The supplementary material list and advancement ritual for Iron-blooded Knight.”

Anderson did not respond. He did not speak. His gaze remained focused on Danitz for nearly ten seconds.

Then, as though he had long since been impatient to wait, he tossed aside the book in his hands with a swish and sprang to his feet. With a bright smile, he said,

“When do we leave?”

…

Backlund, East Borough, inside a two-bedroom rental apartment whose curtains had been drawn shut.

Trissy, wearing a black dress, had finished packing her luggage and was preparing to move to the next hiding place.

Her slightly round face had become a little thinner than before. Beyond her sweetness, it now carried an indescribable clarity. Even within the filthy, chaotic East Borough, she seemed as though not a speck of dust would cling to her.

Trissy did not immediately pick up the black suitcase. After looking around once, she walked to the desk, spread out a sheet of letter paper, picked up a fountain pen, and wrote:

“Mr. Gehrman Sparrow,

“I have already obtained the intelligence I needed from that royal guards captain: the one he truly served was King George III.

“You should understand what that sentence means.

“Next, my goal is to figure out exactly what this king intends to do. To that end, I plan to become enemies with White Saintess Katerina of the Demoness Sect. She certainly understands the corresponding secret.

“She is a Sequence 3 Unaging Demoness, exceptionally difficult to kill and equally difficult to capture.

“I must admit that my own strength is still insufficient to deal with her. If you are interested and have confidence, we can attempt cooperation.

“You know how to contact me.

“Trissy.”

Putting down the fountain pen, Trissy folded the letter paper and began preparing the ritual to summon Gehrman Sparrow’s messenger.

She had only written to this mad adventurer now because she was worried that, through his messenger, he might lock onto her hiding place and then directly “teleport” over with helpers, launching an attack. Therefore, she chose to make the attempt only when she was about to relocate.

Although Trissy could not determine what intentions Gehrman Sparrow held, and could not judge whether he would suddenly attack her, she habitually remained cautious and chose the process that best ensured her own safety.

After handing the letter to the messenger, I will leave this place and wait for Gehrman Sparrow to contact me. Unless the final operation is about to begin, I should avoid meeting him as much as possible… I do not know what force is hidden behind him. I must mainly mobilize and use him, not trust him too much… This will indeed be troublesome, but it is safe enough… Thinking this, Trissy finished the tasks at hand, took two steps back, looked at the candle flame, and recited in ancient Hermes:

“I!

“I summon in my name:

“The spirit wandering in the void; the friendly creature that can be commanded; the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow alone.”

No sooner had her voice faded than the candle flame swelled and became abnormally pale.

Immediately afterward, a figure stepped out of the candle flame, dressed in a gloomy and complicated black dress, holding four bright, beautiful blond-haired, red-eyed heads in her hands.

The eight scarlet eyes on those four heads turned at the same time, all casting their gazes onto Trissy, who stood directly opposite.

Trissy’s pupils dilated all at once, as though she had seen something extremely terrifying and extraordinarily significant.