Chapter 236: A Better Choice

Chapter 236: A Better Choice

Queen Borough, inside the luxurious villa belonging to Earl Hall.

The cold air was blocked outside by windows and walls. Indoors, it was warm as spring, and the fireplace was elegant.

Audrey Hall was being measured by the fashion designer, Madam Genia, so that the latter could design an outfit for the New Year’s ball according to Audrey’s recent physical and temperamental state.

At that moment, her personal maid Annie leaned close to her ear and lowered her voice.

“Madam Islant has come to visit.”

Feedback this quickly? Audrey felt joy in her heart, but nothing showed on the surface. With a shallow smile, she said, “Please have her wait in my art studio. Mm, five minutes.”

“Art studio?” Annie asked back in surprise.

“Yes. I want to invite her to appreciate the oil painting I recently completed. She says that what is depicted in a relaxed state can easily reveal one’s true thoughts and emotions.” Audrey explained in an unhurried voice.

Annie immediately understood.

“Yes, Miss.”

Less than five minutes later, Audrey entered the art studio and saw Islant admiring the painting on the wall.

“That is Mr. Sency’s Inner Night, a masterpiece that gives one a sense of peace,” she introduced with a smile.

“Sency’s Inner Night? One of the top ten in the Tussock Times’ selection of the hundred greatest paintings of the past century?” Islant was clearly the type of person who read newspapers often.

And as a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, her memory was sufficiently outstanding.

“Yes.” Audrey answered simply, as though it were something of no importance.

“To think I have the fortune of seeing the original…” Islant looked up again at the oil painting.

She swallowed back the follow-up words “this is worth at least a manor,” not wanting to appear too vulgar.

Audrey did not introduce the other paintings. She found an excuse to dismiss Annie, then used her gaze to signal the golden retriever Susie to go outside and “stand guard.”

Susie understood her hint without any obstacle. Wagging her tail and swaying her rump, she ran out.

Islant closed the door and returned beside the easel. Before Audrey could ask, she spoke first.

“We have the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic and the Wind-blessed potion formula, but there is no need to sell them unless the other party can offer a reward impossible to refuse.”

Willingness to discuss it means there is hope! Audrey’s green eyes shifted slightly, and she laughed softly.

“What do you hope to receive?”

Islant smoothed her hair and answered, clearly prepared.

“2,500 pounds for the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic, and 3,000 pounds for the Wind-blessed potion formula.”

A large premium… Audrey did not think it expensive. She merely lamented that the Psychology Alchemists’ markup exceeded fifty percent.

According to the Hanged Man’s description, under normal circumstances, a Sequence 6 potion formula cost less than 2,000 pounds. But the closer things got to higher Sequences, the fewer potion formulas circulated, making them very difficult to buy. There simply was no normal situation, and more importantly, even if one happened to encounter one, confirming whether it was genuine was very difficult.

At that moment, Islant added one more sentence:

“If the other party can exchange it with a mystical item, then roughly equivalent value will suffice.”

In other words, you want mystical items more and are willing to accept a price reduction for that… The Psychology Alchemists belong to one of the youngest secret organizations, so their accumulation in this area is clearly inferior to others… Audrey pressed her lips slightly and said, “I will relay this back, but I cannot guarantee they will accept.”

She was not the slightest bit worried that the Psychology Alchemists might discover she had not attended any Beyonder gathering recently. Her schedule was rather packed: afternoon teas, music lessons, dinners, balls, equestrian training, language lessons, dance lessons, and so on came one after another. She had many opportunities to come into contact with different groups of people. In that case, perhaps one dinner was a cover for a Beyonder gathering, or perhaps her music teacher was an experienced Beyonder. For the Psychology Alchemists, hidden in the shadows and unable to openly take action, thoroughly investigating this was almost impossible.

At this point, Audrey asked with slight curiosity, “Teacher Islant, I originally thought you would not sell the Wind-blessed potion formula. It is already at the level of Sequence 6.”

“Heh. If there is an opportunity to spread it, that might be even more useful to us,” Islant answered vaguely.

In her heart, although Miss Audrey was a new member the organization greatly valued, she was still a new member. There were many things she could not know.

Why? Audrey suppressed her confusion, gave a radiant smile, and asked with innocent charm, “Teacher Islant, if this transaction succeeds, can it count as my contribution?”

Islant immediately laughed.

“It can.”

…

Klein “busied” himself for an entire morning. Only after returning to Minsk Street, filling his stomach, and preparing to rest did he have the spare time and opportunity to listen to prayers above the gray fog.

Miss Justice also has a Human-skinned Shadow characteristic on her side? This truly is: either none appear, or two arrive at once… As a secret organization, the Psychology Alchemists’ resources are still fairly qualified… Klein suddenly fell into the happy trouble of deciding what to choose.

Although even including the 500 pounds the Hanged Man had yet to give him, he only had 1,335 pounds in cash, this did not stop him from seriously considering the Psychology Alchemists’ requested exchange.

After thinking for a dozen seconds, he first relayed Justice’s words to the Hanged Man to see what choice the other party would make.

…

3,000 pounds? Alger Wilson, still in the City of Generosity, capital of the Rorsted Archipelago, felt as though someone had struck him hard with a club.

After obtaining the Blue Avenger and becoming its captain, he sometimes acted as a pirate and sometimes appeared as an enforcer, secretly eliminating several pirate groups. But even so, the total value of the spoils he had obtained did not exceed 2,000 pounds. Part of that had to be distributed to the sailors under him. Of course, this did not include the captured ships and cannons, which had to be handed over to the Church of Storms.

This often made Alger sigh that most pirates were actually not wealthy. They were accustomed to lives of spending everything the moment they gained something. Strong liquor, roasted meat, prostitutes, hemp, and gambling drained their purses completely.

Unless one encounters a pirate crew with Beyonders, it is truly difficult to get rich overnight… Alger paced back and forth a few times and swiftly made up his mind.

From an inner pocket of his clothes, he took out a mask that seemed made of gold.

On the mask, roughly outlined facial features had been drawn, combining into an appearance characteristic of primitive people from ancient jungles.

Alger sat down and humbly recited the Fool’s honorific name. At the end, he said, “…I am willing to exchange this mystical item for the Wind-blessed potion formula.

“As long as the user wears this mask, they will become extremely calm, without emotional fluctuations. At the same time, they will gain very strong recovery abilities, exaggerated speed, excellent strength, and mastery over certain black magic and primitive curse techniques.

“Its drawback is that as the number of times it is used increases, the wearer will become less and less like a human, colder and colder, until they eventually regard themselves as a deity.”

…

Klein sat at the seat belonging to the Fool, looking at the 500 pounds in cash, the five thick deep-blue hairs like small snakes, and the ancient golden mask before him. With one finger lightly tapping the edge of the long table, he carefully considered what mystical item he could use for exchange.

The All-Black Eye? Definitely not. That is the main material for Sequence 5 Secret Puppet Master. It is waiting for Little Sun to obtain a method to remove mental corruption…

The Black Emperor card? That cannot see the light of day, and its value is many times higher than the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic…

Mr. Azik’s copper whistle? At present, it can only summon a messenger. It is an important means of contact and cannot be sold…

The copper whistle of the Spirit Order member who left behind white feathers inside the coffin? That also can only summon a messenger, and the recipient on the other side seems rather dangerous…

The Sun Brooch? I use that myself. It effectively compensates for my shortcomings…

The Master Key? It involves Mr. Door and carries far too many hidden matters. Also, purely in terms of use value, it is far inferior to the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic…

The Biological Poison Bottle? That pairs extremely well with my spirit-body state. If used properly, it could even allow me to take on a group of Beyonders alone…

Demon-hunting bullets, purifying bullets, and exorcism bullets? They are not mystical items, but consumable Beyonder weapons. Their value is much lower…

The Book of Secrets? That is not a mystical item either, and the Psychology Alchemists should not lack similar knowledge…

At present, only the Interrogator Beyonder characteristic can be sold. But the other party wants a mystical item, and the transaction is in Backlund, which could easily expose information related to the chivalrous bandit Black Emperor…

Using this opportunity, Klein sorted through the things he possessed and finally formed a complete plan.

He first materialized Mr. World and manipulated the other party into the posture for prayer. In a hoarse voice, the World responded:

“…I accept the price of 2,500 pounds, but give me two days to gather the funds.”

Immediately afterward, Klein tossed the images of the Hanged Man’s and the World’s replies into the crimson star symbolizing Miss Justice.

…

After receiving Miss Justice’s reply that there was no problem, Klein patiently waited the entire afternoon on Minsk Street.

Only when dusk drew near did Carlson, a member of the Machinery Hivemind, ring his doorbell.

Klein asked nothing. He followed the other man all the way to the Leverage Church near the West Balam Dockyard and entered the three-story building next door.

The sign here read:

Backlund Machinery Research Society.

Very academic… Klein suddenly thought of Blackthorn Security Company, and the corners of his mouth pulled slightly.

Led by Carlson, he passed through strange and peculiar devices before arriving in a windowless room.

On the long table inside the room were many items possessing intense spirituality, including the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic and the Ghost Picture Frame covered by black cloth. But the characteristics left behind after those Beyonders’ deaths were not present.

Clearly, the Machinery Hivemind’s higher-ups do not want me to know the law of indestructibility and conservation of Beyonder characteristics… Klein was not surprised.

“You may choose one.” Ikanser, who was not wearing a hat, pointed to the long table.

Klein “carefully” observed everything several times, then sighed.

“There is nothing I want.

“If converted into gold pounds, how much can I receive?”

He had already made up his mind not to obtain the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic from the Machinery Hivemind.

Although that could be explained as material needed to create certain mystical items or attempt unique ritual magic, it still carried a chance of exposing his own Sequence. Since a better option had appeared, Klein did not want to take that risk.

Therefore, he planned to take pure cash!

Not only would this help him gather the 2,500 pounds the Psychology Alchemists requested, it would also effectively dispel the Machinery Hivemind’s wariness.

Ikanser visibly breathed a sigh of relief. He smoothed his hair and answered with a smile.

“1,500 pounds.

“However, we encourage you to choose money, so 2,000 pounds in total.”

Klein immediately showed a sincere smile.

“Good!”