Chapter 143: The Fool Card’s Simultaneous Translator

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three
The Fool Card’s Simultaneous Translator

Klein paced back and forth inside the small shooting range, thinking over the Church of the Evernight Goddess’s intention regarding the Seer Sequence.

“They do not want Nighthawks to choose this pathway, or rather, they do not want those on this pathway to grow powerful. Therefore, they only distributed Sequence 9, Seer, which has an obvious supportive role? The Captain also said that the Sanctuary might have the later formulas…

“No. In the confidential materials I can currently see, they did not even provide the potion names for the corresponding Sequence 8 and Sequence 7. They only described the related combat traits… In other words, they do not want those below to know that the higher-ups possess the relevant information…

“Could it be that every Nighthawk who chooses this pathway might become an Antigonus family ‘vengeful spirit’? Is that why the Church’s upper ranks made such a decision? Or is there another reason?”

For a moment, Klein’s heart filled with doubt toward the upper echelons of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, along with strong wariness and caution. He reconsidered whether he should submit a special application and openly become a Clown.

“If there is some terrifying secret hidden here, would I not be jumping into the mouth of a volcano myself? I am not someone who can calmly accept strict investigation…

“However, the Tingen branch has submitted the Clown formula. As a member who is a Seer, knowing this and hoping to advance is very normal. Besides, Sequence 8 is still low-Sequence. It should not draw exaggerated attention…

“The only problem is that I completely ‘mastered’ the potion in one month and then submitted a special application. If the higher-ups know and understand the acting method, they will see the key at a glance… Of course, my reasoning is sufficiently convincing. After all, I know Spirit Medium Daly, and I am friends with Old Neil, a Mystery Pryer who strictly follows his maxim. Being inspired by them and taking another step to complete the acting method is not too difficult to understand.

“Mm. Even Daly stayed at Sequence 7, Spirit Medium, for three years before signs of digestion appeared. Only then did she truly enter the upper ranks’ sight and become cultivated as a future archbishop and high-ranking deacon… At the Clown stage, I definitely will not attract too much attention—unless I digest the potion again within a few months, making them certain that I truly grasp the acting method…

“In other words, applying for the Clown potion is not too risky. I can continue, but I must be careful afterward. Sigh. I can only take things one step at a time, and perform another divination after returning home.”

Klein collected his thoughts, took out the revolver from the holster beneath his arm, and carried out his daily shooting practice and maintenance.

The quality of this handgun from his classmate Welch was better than he had imagined. Barring accidents, it could last a long time. Of course, that also owed much to the firearm maintenance methods he had learned from Dunn and Leonard.

“Actually, even if it breaks, it does not matter. This is all material that can be applied for.”

Klein glanced at the target, put away the revolver, and left the shooting club.

He took a trackless public carriage back to Number 2, Daffodil Street. Before he even drew close, he saw a young girl pacing before the door.

The young girl wore a blue dress trimmed with pretty lace and a hat from which fine checked gauze hung down. She was Melissa’s classmate, Elizabeth, with her cute baby-fat cheeks.

Discovering Klein approaching, she hurriedly came forward, removed her hat, and revealed an expression full of delight.

She paused for two seconds, then suddenly smiled and said, “Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti.”

“I believe you must have just returned from Lamud Town, yes?”

My apologies, but I returned this morning…

Klein smiled.

“No. I came back from Zouteland Street.”

Mm. That is an extremely truthful answer…

He thought with inward amusement.

Elizabeth froze. Immediately afterward, slightly excited and stirred up, she said, “All right. My guess was wrong. I came here today to find you—and waited here—to tell you that I did not have nightmares last night. I did not dream again of that knight in black full-body armor! This is exactly the same as your divination result!”

Of course. That wraith was thoroughly purified by Sealed Artifact 3-0782. I could not even perform spirit channeling on the spot, let alone have it enter your dream…

Klein gave a soft laugh and answered gently, “I am very glad you have escaped your trouble, and also quite satisfied with my divination yesterday.”

“Thank you. Thank you again! All right, I must say farewell. I still have classes this afternoon. Bye-bye, Mr. Moretti. I will find time to visit Melissa.”

Elizabeth left with light steps and boarded a rental carriage nearby.

Watching the scenery outside the carriage window slowly retreat, the corners of her mouth curled up bit by bit as she thought smugly, Melissa definitely does not know she has such an amazing brother…

…

I feel like my explanation just now had no effect at all… Young girls are always willing to trust their intuition and whatever facts they imagine into being…

Klein watched Elizabeth board the carriage. Shaking his head, he took out his key, unlocked the front door, and returned all the way to his bedroom.

He rested briefly, then began combing through and summarizing the matters of the past week, including those portions that remained unresolved.

After finishing that daily task, he burned the paper, took out his silver pocket watch, and pressed it open with a snap.

“Two-thirty? Another fifteen minutes…”

Seeing that he still had time, Klein simply put on his oldest formal coat and went to Slin Bakery on Iron Cross Street, where he bought a cup of sweet iced tea from Mrs. Wendy.

Drinking the beverage, he leisurely returned. At two forty-five, he sealed his bedroom with spirituality, walked four steps counterclockwise, and entered the space above the gray fog.

Inside the silent, ancient, enormous palace, Klein wrote a new divination statement on the parchment he had manifested:

“I should obtain the Clown potion through the Nighthawk organization.”

After setting down the pen, he removed the spirit pendulum wrapped around his wrist, held it steadily with his left hand, and let the citrine pendant hang just above the parchment.

After silently reciting the statement seven times, his eyes deepened, and the pendulum in his hand began rotating in a small circle.

Clockwise.

The answer was affirmative. He should.

But after Clown, the later Sequence will be hard to say. I still need to seriously develop my Tarot Club…

Klein carefully reviewed the matter once again.

Then he pressed his hand through the air toward the crimson star representing the Sun.

He intended to summon the young boy from the City of Silver in advance and confirm whether he had leaked the matters above the gray fog to the six-member council. If not, Klein would give him a better way to grasp the gathering time.

…

The City of Silver, inside the Berg family’s room.

Derrick sat quietly at the side of his bed, silent, waiting for the Fool’s summons.

To fulfill the instruction to avoid being in the same place as others as much as possible, after “returning,” he simply had not gone out. The food in the room had long since been eaten.

Enduring hunger, listening to his stomach growl, Derrick felt like a living corpse wandering the dark wilderness. Even so, he did not speak and did not rise.

Just then, he saw crimson spread through empty space, swallowing him instantly.

The gray-white, boundless, quiet, lonely world appeared before his eyes once more. The Fool, seated at the head of the table and shrouded in dense fog, appeared before his eyes once more.

Klein was very satisfied that the “summoning” had not been interrupted, and also confirmed that he had received no premonition of danger.

“Sun, we meet again,” he said with a smile in Giant language.

Derrick was once again shocked by everything happening before him. He lowered his head and said, “You are a Fool who keeps His promises.”

“The other members will still need to wait for a while. I will first confirm one matter with you.”

This time, Klein switched to Loenese as he spoke, but gave the mysterious space the intention of translating it into Giant language.

Thus, in Derrick’s ears, what the other party said remained Giant language. Puzzled, he asked, “What matter?”

Mm. After I preliminarily mastered Giant language, the mysterious space above the gray fog can perform simultaneous translation for this language. That way I no longer need to worry that Justice and the Hanged Man will not understand what the Sun says… Sigh. Why must I, the big boss, live so tiredly…

Klein reached up, pinched the corner of his brow, shook his head, and smiled.

“I permit you to recite my name. Remember the following titles:

“The Fool that does not belong to this era;

“The mysterious ruler above the gray fog;

“The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck.”

Derrick’s pupils contracted as he listened. Yet he dared not lose focus. He repeatedly recited them in his heart, then sought confirmation from the Fool.

“Every time you return from here to the City of Silver, you need to recite my name with a brief ritual… For future gatherings, I will notify you in advance. Ordinarily, you do not need to care about it or avoid other people. Once you receive my notice, simply complete solitude within one thousand heartbeats,” Klein said, speaking the method he had considered for a long time.

At its essence, this was responding to a prayer.

Because he considered the situation in the City of Silver and wished to save time, Klein directly skipped the other steps of the ritual. After all, this prayer was directed to him.

“One thousand heartbeats?” Derrick muttered to himself, not quite asking back.

Klein then introduced to him the Tarot Club’s general circumstances. Afterward, he took out his silver pocket watch and pressed it open with a snap.

Derrick froze for a moment, instinctively staring at that strange object.

Seeing that three o’clock had arrived, Klein pressed his hand through the air toward the crimson stars symbolizing Justice and the Hanged Man.

Derrick watched this scene without moving his eyes in the slightest. He saw light erupt across from him and to his side, stretching into two blurry human figures.

Audrey Hall swept her gaze halfway around, then abruptly froze. Immediately afterward, she heard Mr. Fool’s eternally steady voice.

“This is the new member, code name: The Sun.

“This is Miss Justice. This is Mr. Hanged Man.”

A new member?

Audrey was first startled, then immediately filled with delight.

She was very happy to see the Tarot Club grow and develop. It gave her a strong sense of being one of its owners.

The Hanged Man, Alger, frowned slightly. He felt a little displeased that the Fool had suddenly pulled in a new member.

At least He should have told us in advance… But a great figure like Mr. Fool indeed would not consider our feelings…

He thought helplessly, exchanging brief greetings with Justice and the Sun.

During that brief process, Audrey entered the Spectator state and carefully examined the new member, the Sun.

“He is not very old… Those body movements show he is somewhat nervous and ill at ease… But his whole person remains silent enough the entire time, giving the impression of, mm, a lone wolf. Yes, a lone wolf…”

While thinking this, Audrey shifted her gaze toward the Fool seated at the head of the bronze long table.

She spoke with delight:

“Mr. Fool, I have collected two more pages of Emperor Roselle’s diary.”