Chapter 23: A Commission Within the Club

As Klein’s understanding of mysticism and the Beyonder field deepened, and as he gradually tested out a portion of the gray fog’s abilities, he was no longer as guilty as he once had been when facing Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Sun. He no longer blindly thought only of maintaining an image of profound mystery, lest the Tarot Club members keenly pierce through his disguise.

He now knew that although the deities of this world were powerful, eerie, and complete with all manner of strange traits, They were absolutely not omniscient and omnipotent. That description belonged only to the legendary Creator who had created all things, and only the City of Silver still recited it.

Deities had limitations. Deities might also fall into predicaments. This was one point Klein could currently confirm. Whether it was the Book of Storms or the Revelation of Evernight, both more or less touched upon corresponding contents.

Therefore, in the recent Tarot Gatherings, Klein had consciously begun adding to his “persona,” little by little shaping himself into a restricted powerhouse close to a deity, but unable to act freely for some particular reason.

That way, even if he occasionally showed insufficient understanding of certain matters, or occasionally requested help, it would not arouse the suspicions of the Tarot Club members.

Of course, the premise of all this was that through his previous attempts, and through the overwhelming strength displayed by his “blessed one,” Azik, he had already planted an image close to a deity firmly and unquestioningly in the hearts of Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Sun.

Hoo. I hope this shaping succeeds. After that, I will not have to worry too much about situations where I cannot answer their questions… Of course, when it comes to things that belong to “common knowledge,” I still need to hold myself together. I cannot reveal weakness…

Klein lightly tapped the edge of the ancient long table with his finger and laughed softly.

“I am issuing a mission.”

A mission?

Justice Audrey’s ears seemed to move. Her eyes widened, filled with surprise, expectation, and unease all at once.

She clearly remembered that this was the first time Mr. Fool had formally issued a mission.

Although He had previously made certain requests, those had all been of the kind where compensation was paid in advance. They seemed more like casual collection tasks He had found in order to comply with the principle of equivalent exchange… But this time, He used the word “issuing”…

As a Telepathist, Audrey was already extremely skilled at reading hidden meaning from brief words and phrases.

At the same time, she keenly discovered that The Hanged Man appeared unchanged on the surface, but in truth was exceptionally tense, while The Sun looked blank and ignorant, treating this as an entirely normal matter.

“You may choose to accept it, or not accept it.”

With the help of the Clown’s abilities, Klein made his tone seem rather relaxed.

“Another blessed one of mine has arrived in Backlund. He wishes to accomplish a certain matter, but it is inconvenient for him to appear personally.”

Another blessed one…

The Hanged Man nodded as though in thought, showing no surprise whatsoever.

In his eyes, for a powerful existence at the level of a deity like Mr. Fool, possessing multiple blessed ones was a default fact.

I wonder what Sequence this blessed one of Mr. Fool’s is… Mm, I actually still owe His previous blessed one bounty money… Although Mr. Fool’s compensation was paid by The Hanged Man, and He Himself does not care for money, I was indeed praying with a mind of seeking help back then. And Vice Admiral Hurricane was killed by that blessed one… His blessed ones still need a certain amount of activity funds…

Justice Audrey sincerely thought over the matter.

Frankly speaking, in her eyes, thirty thousand gold pounds plus a large plantation truly did count as an enormous fortune. Yet it was only that. It would not produce too obvious an effect upon her life.

Having it is very good. Not having it would be fine too. Mm, I would still feel a little heartache, just a little…

Audrey nodded to herself honestly in her heart.

As a young lady who was still not yet truly an adult, leaving aside the large plantation, even the remaining thirty thousand gold pounds was not something she could absolutely control. Under the arrangements of her father, Earl Hall, she could only use it to buy some shares of the Backlund Arms Group and invest in a company attempting to introduce certain ironclad ship technologies into commercial vessels.

In the end, the bounty she actually received and could treat as pocket money amounted only to five thousand pounds. However, her fixed annuity income had increased by at least two thousand pounds from its original level of fifteen to twenty-five thousand pounds.

Seeing that Justice and the others had not spoken, Klein issued the mission.

“The matter he wishes to complete is the assassination of the Intis Republic’s ambassador to the Loen Kingdom: Bakerland Jean Madan.”

“Assassinate the Intis Republic’s ambassador?”

Justice Audrey lost control for a moment and asked in astonishment.

This was an action that could trigger disputes between two nations, or even cause a war to break out. As a qualified noble young lady, international relations were the first thing she thought of.

As for why Mr. Fool did not personally act, she felt that was entirely natural.

What important figure always helped subordinates do things personally?

After the kingdom’s defeat in the war on East Balam’s coast, His Majesty the King had not personally led an expedition either. At most, they had replaced the general and sent the troops again.

Mm, it is said that His Majesty the King did rather want to personally lead an expedition, but was stopped by the nobles and ministers…

The Hanged Man Alger was only slightly surprised by this mission. His attention was focused on another aspect.

Mr. Fool truly still cannot interfere deeply with the real world… My guess was correct… I wonder to what extent He can influence us, those with whom He has established a connection… Can He easily deprive us of life?

A slightly self-satisfied Alger’s thoughts gradually began to scatter.

The Sun Derrick listened with both eyes blank.

What is the Intis Republic? What is an ambassador? This patchwork-like Giant language is very strange!

Klein swept his gaze around the group and maintained that relaxed attitude from earlier.

“Which of you is willing to accept this mission?

“What compensation do you wish to receive?”

Uh… If you want me to kill an innocent person without cause, I cannot convince myself to do it… And this is very likely to lead to a disaster, a disaster born of war…

Justice Audrey, who had wanted to raise her hand, began to hesitate.

At that moment, The Hanged Man chuckled.

“I have heard that Ambassador Bakerland is also the Intis Republic’s intelligence chief within the Kingdom. In the shadows, he supports bloody marches, plans incidents that damage relations between nobles and wealthy merchants, spreads large amounts of rumors, and incites opposition between the public and the government.”

He seemed to have seen through Justice’s hesitation and described Bakerland’s dark side in detail.

Then he added, “I am not certain whether this ambassador is a Beyonder, but many clues indicate that he very likely is.

“There are quite a few Beyonders around him, Beyonders belonging to Intis’s intelligence agency. And that department has long been influenced by the former royal family, the Sauron family. They hold the early Sequences of the Hunter pathway.

“Furthermore, whether the two countries break out in war depends only on whether the upper levels of both sides wish to fight. It has nothing to do with the life or death of a diplomat.”

After Emperor Roselle was assassinated, Intis underwent several major upheavals and in the end maintained a stable republican system. The Sauron family, having suffered cruel blows during Roselle’s era, had seen their strength in every aspect fall drastically. They could only helplessly accept reality, change their goal to competing for seats, and secretly influence the national intelligence department and a small portion of the military.

After listening to the information provided by The Hanged Man, Audrey’s hesitation immediately vanished. She nodded gracefully.

“In recent years, the Feysac Empire has expanded fiercely. It has successively defeated the Kingdom and the Intis Republic on East Balam’s coast and in the Star Highlands. Afterward, as long as the blame is pushed onto them, it will be acceptable—and believable—to the upper levels and people of the Intis Republic.”

Audrey did not understand politics deeply, but with a father who was a hereditary earl and member of the House of Lords, she had still heard and seen quite a bit.

Whether it was shifting responsibility or transferring domestic contradictions elsewhere, the unpopular northern barbarians had always been the favorite and most convenient target for nobles and ministers.

As for whether they had actually done it, that was not important.

Of course, more than a hundred years ago, this role had been occupied by Intis and Roselle.

After pondering for several seconds, Justice Audrey looked somewhat nervously, somewhat guiltily, toward the head of the bronze long table.

“Mr. Fool, I can attempt to complete this mission, but I cannot guarantee success.”

On one hand, she intended to ask her father to confirm whether Ambassador Bakerland truly was Intis’s intelligence chief. On the other, she had never once considered doing it herself. Whether a Spectator or a Telepathist, neither was a type skilled at battle. She could only gather as much information about Ambassador Bakerland as possible in upper-class society, then commission someone else to carry out the task.

Mm. I can have Xio and Fors invite Mr. A to act… Or find the hosts of several other Beyonder circles… I cannot expose myself… The matter must remain secret. Perhaps Intis intelligence personnel are lurking inside those circles… I wonder how much money I will have to spend. Five thousand pounds may not be enough…

Audrey had already begun thinking through her later plans.

Klein had no extravagant hope that Miss Justice, only Sequence 8, would definitely succeed. He nodded slightly.

“What compensation do you wish to obtain?”

“The formula for Psychiatrist,” Audrey blurted out. Then, with some hesitation, she added, “And the corresponding Beyonder materials. Mm… That can be discussed after the mission is complete. If I cannot succeed, the expenses will be borne by me. I—I also owe Your blessed one a bounty.”

Bounty? So the bounty was given to Miss Justice… Ten thousand gold pounds. Split in half, that would be five thousand pounds…

Klein, shrouded in gray fog, thought for several seconds about exactly how much Ambassador Bakerland was worth. In the end, he believed that the man was definitely more expensive than Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos.

“Very well,” Klein answered in a normal tone.

At that moment, The Hanged Man Alger spoke.

“I will also accept this mission. The compensation can be determined after it is complete.”

“Did you not return to sea?” Audrey asked in astonishment.

“Being away from Backlund does not mean I have no way to assassinate Ambassador Bakerland.”

Alger smiled without offering a direct explanation.

Beside them, The Sun Derrick had never been able to join this topic.

Klein nodded in agreement.

“Good.”

Immediately afterward, he lowered his gaze to the Roselle diary in his hand.