Chapter 42: Meeting

Chapter 42: Meeting

At five in the afternoon, on Olive Tree Avenue, Pamela’s Divination Hut.

Alger Wilson pushed open the tea-colored wooden door with small glass panes set into its upper half and entered the mysticism-themed café.

He ordered a cup of Femmer coffee from the Pas Valley of the Star Plateau in the Southern Continent, took out the deck of tarot cards he had purchased earlier, and placed it beside him. The top card was none other than The Hanged Man, depicting an angel hung upside down with his hands bound behind him.

Unlike the morning, he had already changed attire. He wore a classical dark robe and a soft hat resembling that of a clergyman, as though he were a wizard or magician who had stepped out of a folk legend.

Drawing in a soundless breath, Alger slowly savored the coffee, showing no anxiety about waiting for someone.

After roughly five or six minutes, the tea-colored wooden door inlaid with thick glass opened again. A young man in a black woolen coat and half top hat of silk entered.

The gentleman appeared younger than thirty. His face was thin and sharply defined, carrying both maturity and gloom. It was precisely Klein, who had slightly adjusted his appearance and modified his persona.

He was not wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, but his vision was unaffected. With a casual sweep of his gaze, his eyes landed on Alger’s deep-blue sideburns.

Klein’s gaze moved down and saw the Hanged Man card placed on top.

No words were needed. He walked over directly, removed his hat, sat opposite Alger, and smiled darkly.

“I wish to have my fortune told.”

As he spoke, he had already taken in the appearance of this senior member of the Tarot Club.

His features were deep, his contours rugged, his face obviously weathered by wind and rain. At a glance, he looked like the kind of person who could fight well and often traveled outside.

His skin leaned bronze, but differed somewhat from the local race. He looked like a pure Loenese who had long been exposed to sun and rain, yet his deep-blue hair was rather special, not belonging to Loen, and closer to colonial ethnic groups near the Berserk Sea region of the Desi Bay.

Mixed blood… Klein made his judgment inwardly.

Alger looked at the man opposite him and slowly overlapped him with the image of The World. Then he pushed out the deck of tarot cards and said in a deep voice, “You must shuffle and cut the cards yourself.”

Klein reached out, picked them up, spread them all out, glanced at them, then closed them into one stack and shuffled with a rustling sound.

He cut the deck several times, drew three cards, and arranged them into a past, present, and future spread.

Klein slowly leaned back, but his right hand turned over the card in the center. On it was a naked woman wrapped only in a purple scarf, surrounded by a green wreath like a gate.

This was the card numbered twenty-one: The World. Twenty-two returned to zero, symbolizing The Fool.

“How should it be interpreted?” Klein deliberately asked.

Although The Hanged Man had never explicitly mentioned that The World was The Fool’s Blessed, Klein believed there was no need to cling to luck in this matter. Openly revealing it would help establish an image. If the other party had not yet guessed, then this would appear like a sincere and confident gesture. If Alger already knew, it would make The World seem composed, as though everything remained within his grasp.

He knows that I know? Before raising that topic above the gray fog, he already believed I could guess it? Impressive… Alger’s heart tightened, but his tone remained unhurried as he replied, “Reversed. It means the matter will fail because of insufficient preparations.”

“Then what preparations should be made?” Klein nodded thoughtfully and asked in return.

Alger gathered all the tarot cards except The World, skillfully reshuffled and cut the deck.

Then he flipped over the top card.

It was The Hierophant!

Alger’s voice remained deep.

“You need counsel. You need the help of faith and religion to avoid taking the wrong path.”

Without waiting for Klein to speak, he turned over the second card. On it was The Moon looking down upon the earth.

“You will be confused. You will be trapped. You will wander in dreams, but this is only temporary.”

Immediately after, Alger revealed the third tarot card: The Sun.

“Everything will pass. Light will ultimately shine upon the earth.” He spoke like a charlatan.

Klein was silent for a few seconds, then asked as though confirming, “Church, dreams, Sun?”

A faint smile appeared on Alger’s face. He nodded lightly.

“Exactly.”

Within the tarot divination just now, he had hidden implications for the subsequent plan.

In truth, considering that he had not yet entered the board and was not being watched, there was no need for him to be so indirect. He could have directly described the specific details. However, Alger felt that he should still test The World, Mr. Fool’s Blessed, to see whether he possessed enough intelligence and was not relying more heavily on force.

If both sides were on the same intellectual level, Alger believed they could cooperate more in the future. Clever people did not need to say too much to one another. Otherwise, he would try his best not to let The World become deeply involved in his own affairs and would ask for his help only when he needed muscle—unless Mr. Fool gave other orders.

Now, The World’s answer and previous performance confirmed to Alger that the other party was seasoned, powerful, and experienced.

Heh, I am a tarot expert… In this regard, Mr. Hanged Man, you are only a beginner… Klein secretly laughed and belittled the other man inwardly.

The meaning hidden in The Hanged Man’s interpretation was very simple. The Hierophant card meant that he intended to report the matter of Blazing Danitz and Steel Maviti to the Church of Storms, using the Mandated Punishers’ strength to split the enemy and reap the benefits.

This was a method Klein often used, so understanding it was no difficulty at all.

The later Moon and Sun cards were reminders from The Hanged Man.

Since they were bringing in the Mandated Punishers, they had to prepare certain precautions against them. Based on Alger’s experience, when handling similar problems, his colleagues in Bayam would definitely employ a Sealed Artifact that could forcibly drag multiple people within an area into dreams. Meanwhile, Steel Maviti’s characteristics meant that there would inevitably be targeted items in the Sun domain.

I counter dreams, and I am not afraid of the Sun… Klein reached out and turned the reversed World card before him halfway around, making it upright. This meant that the plan was feasible and that he would make the necessary preparations.

Alger raised his head and inhaled.

“The owner of this place is skilled in aromatherapy. She can use different essential oils, hydrosols, incense, and flower essences to treat corresponding emotional problems and soothe troubled hearts. Would you like to try?”

Use the contact point on Fragrant Tree Avenue? Klein responded with a smile.

“Alright.”

The two looked at each other, and neither moved. Neither mentioned aromatherapy again. Everything was understood without being spoken.

Klein did not linger. He took out his pocket watch, clicked it open for a glance, then slowly stood.

Alger suppressed his smile, placed his hand against his chest, and bowed slightly.

“Let us praise the gods. All divination results come from the revelations They provide.”

Oh, you even know how to show loyalty… Klein restrained the urge to laugh and imitated The Hanged Man Alger’s gesture, responding solemnly:

“Let us praise the gods.”

He walked two steps toward the exit, then suddenly stopped. Turning back toward Alger while putting on his hat, he chuckled softly.

“Frankly speaking, this outfit does not suit you.”

Huh? Alger failed to keep up with Mr. World’s line of thought.

Only after Klein pulled open the door and left the themed café did Alger withdraw his gaze and look toward the mirror in the corner, seriously examining his current attire.

At first, he had not felt there was any problem. But after The World made that remark, the more he looked, the more discordant he found it. At last, he understood why the other man had said that.

A fellow who looked rugged and weather-beaten, someone who seemed ready at any moment to call a hundred sailors over to beat someone up, or pull out an axe and cut down a whole crowd, truly should not be wearing such a mystical classical wizard robe. His temperament clashed with it completely.

…

Church of Waves.

Having changed back into his original clothing, Alger followed the praying believers and entered the hall in a low-profile manner. Using the opportunity of confession, he met Diocesan Bishop Chogo through the priest in charge.

After saluting, he spoke directly.

“I encountered Blazing Danitz. He claims that Vice Admiral Iceberg’s key has nothing to do with Death’s treasure, and that they would even be willing to sell it.

“He also asked me to keep watch over Steel Maviti’s movements. He seems to have been wounded previously at the hands of this second mate of Admiral of Blood, and he is eager to free himself from the other party’s pursuit.

“Your Excellency Chogo, I wish to leak this information, allowing Steel Maviti and his subordinates to successfully block Blazing Danitz, while we seize the opportunity to capture or kill all of them on the spot.

“This will effectively strike at the pirates’ arrogance.”

Chogo revealed an approving expression.

“Very good. Your ability to handle affairs is better than I expected.”

Alger replied with a devout expression, “All of it comes from the Lord’s guidance and from Your Excellency’s teachings.

“This evening, I will find a suitable target to leak the news. If I come again to pray, it means Steel Maviti has made no move for the time being. If I do not appear again, it means I have been controlled by him or his subordinates to prevent the news from spreading. That will mean they have entered the net.”

After explaining the specific location and other matters, Alger returned to the confessional and left normally.

…

At 7:15 in the evening, the Fragrant Tree Leaf Bar.

Wearing wide-legged trousers and wrapping his deep-blue hair with a headscarf, Alger held a glass of Lelangqi as he stood beside the boxing ring, looking with concealed mockery at two competitors whose faces were bruised and swollen.

Before long, he saw the target enter and head straight for the bar.

After waiting briefly, Alger sat beside the thin, dark-skinned man and chuckled.

“I heard Steel has come to Bayam?”

The man turned his head warily and responded with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

“Why don’t I know about it?”

“Really? Seems Blazing tricked me!” Alger slapped the bar and took a sip of liquor.

“Blazing… Danitz?” The man’s eyes brightened as he asked hesitantly.

“Yes, him!” Alger looked as though he were gnashing his teeth. “I ran into him at the Gold Coin Casino this morning. That damned fellow claimed Steel was in Bayam. Ptui! He actually dared to deceive me!”

The thin, dark-skinned man’s eyes moved slightly, but he did not interrupt.

He listened quietly until the end, then stood and chuckled.

“I just remembered. I still have something to do. We can play cards together next time.”

He patted Alger’s shoulder, then left the bar seemingly calmly but actually in a rush.

Holding his glass, Alger half turned and watched the man’s back. His eyes were deep, and there was no smile on his lips.