Chapter 51: A Gathering of Five

Chapter Fifty-One
A Gathering of Five

If The Fool was the beginning of the tarot deck, then The World was its end, signifying completion and sublimation. By naming his alternate account The World, Klein was hoping for an auspicious meaning, one that had both beginning and end.

In the future, many things inconvenient for me to say, and many requests inconvenient for me to make, can all be handled by The World. This will greatly reduce the possibility of The Fool’s image collapsing. A life with an alternate identity—no, with an alternate account—is the complete life!

In a good mood, Klein inwardly praised himself and waved his hand, making The World disappear.

Then he extended his spirituality, wrapped it around himself, and fell through the gray fog, returning to the real world.

He left Rosago’s entirely black eye above the gray fog. After all, he normally had no way to use that “item,” and keeping it on him would mean constantly worrying that someone might discover it—or that he might lose it.

After tidying up the materials for the summoning ritual, Klein lifted his head and looked toward the curtains through which crimson moonlight seeped. He was filled with anticipation for tomorrow’s gathering.

When it came to understanding nobles, he believed Miss Justice could definitely surpass ninety-nine percent of all Loenese.

And now that he possessed the alternate account, The World, he could directly ask her about matters related to the Pound family without worrying that it would affect The Fool’s image.

Of course, he still had to be indirect. After all, Detective Sherlock Moriarty was likewise searching for information on the Pound family, and only once he had sufficient information could he conduct divination above the gray fog.

Hoo…

Klein thought seriously for a while, then relaxed and fell asleep.

After visiting the space above the gray fog, the lingering influence of that evil spirit’s aura seemed to have vanished completely. Klein slept all the way until morning, though he saw no sun, because thin fog filled the world outside.

Following his predetermined plan, he continued visiting the remaining public libraries of Backlund. This time, however, he no longer asked the librarians, nor did he mention “the Pound family.” He merely browsed through materials concerning nobles by himself.

At two-forty in the afternoon, Klein entered the mysterious space above the gray fog ahead of time.

Inside the grand, ancient palace, he sat in The Fool’s seat. Across the long table mottled with bronze-green stains, he manifested the fake person, The World, and grew familiar with the feel of operating him.

After several minutes, Klein took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, then transmitted the thought of preparing for the gathering to the crimson star symbolizing The Sun.

While waiting, he toyed with the entirely black eye. He attached a silver chain to it, then wrapped it around his right wrist and concealed it beneath the cuff of his sleeve.

At three in the afternoon, beams of light rose inside the palace like a giant’s residence. Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Sun each projected vague, crimson-tinted figures.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~ Good after—”

Audrey was just about to greet every member of the Tarot Club when her gaze suddenly swept over the figure seated at the far end.

It was a stranger wearing a hooded black robe, equally illusory and indistinct.

“Who is this?”

Audrey looked toward Mr. Fool with both confusion and delight.

Has the Tarot Club grown stronger again?

Is it Fors? Or Xio? No, the height is wrong. Or is it someone else entirely?

While Audrey’s thoughts danced, Klein leaned back leisurely and said, “This is a new member, Mr. World.”

At the same time, through spirit vision enhanced by the gray fog, he noticed that the surface colors of Student Sun’s Astral Body had become even purer, though they had not yet reached the level of Sequence 8. He preliminarily judged that The Sun had likely finished digesting the Bard potion.

“Hello.”

Justice Audrey greeted him politely, then examined the new member with curiosity.

Very quickly, from the few details revealed through the vague gray fog, she “read” the corresponding information.

Mr. World is someone who keeps his emotions hidden. He makes very few bodily movements and always keeps a stiff face… I wonder where he is from. Loen? Intis? Or some place as mysterious as the City of Silver?

Audrey nodded thoughtfully.

After one gathering after another, she had already judged something from the mismatch between The Sun’s lip movements and the words she heard: what he spoke was very likely not Loenese. The content entering their ears was probably translated by Mr. Fool.

After The Hanged Man Alger and The Sun Derrick greeted The World respectively, and that newly admitted member responded with great coldness, Klein looked toward Justice and said, “The two candidates you proposed are still under examination.

“I will give you a simple mission. Entrust it to them in your own name. This is part of the examination.”

It should be this strict…

Audrey not only did not feel disappointed, but instead found it entirely proper.

Members of the Tarot Club must be carefully selected. Not just anyone can join!

She thought this with pride, then somewhat guiltily added inwardly: And the fact that I was brought in by Mr. Fool from the very beginning means I was lucky enough. Luck is also a kind of quality!

“All right. Please issue the mission,” Audrey answered affirmatively.

Klein extended his right hand and pressed it upon the tabletop, manifesting a picture that depicted Lanevus’s appearance and clothing.

“Investigate any news regarding the person in the drawing. He is in Backlund.”

Klein made that portrait flash before Miss Justice.

Audrey focused and saw a young man with black hair neatly combed back, revealing a full forehead, and round-framed glasses on his face.

It was a colored oil painting. His brown eyes, filled with a mocking glint, were especially prominent. Beneath the portrait were notes such as “former alias: Lanevus.”

A simple mission. That means the target is not strong… However, if Mr. Fool knows of his existence, he must possess something special as well… Although it is a simple mission, perhaps there is some deeper purpose hidden behind it… A major figure of His status should not merely be conducting an examination…

Audrey’s imagination ran wild for several seconds before she finally said, “I will entrust it to them.”

Mm… Those two ladies seem to have many connections in Backlund. That will be extremely helpful in searching for Lanevus…

Having confirmed the matter of revenge, Klein returned to silence and deliberately made his alternate account perform.

The World looked around once, then spoke in a hoarse voice. “Mr. Fool told me that missions may be issued here, and materials may be collected here. Is that so?”

“Yes,” Justice Audrey answered with an elegant nod. “But you must wait patiently. What follows belongs to Mr. Fool’s reading time.”

Even I, who completed the assassination mission against Ambassador Bakerland, did not rush to speak and take this period…

She lifted her chin slightly as she thought this.

Miss Justice, you really do have a strong sense of ownership…

Klein amusingly withdrew his gaze and looked toward The Hanged Man.

Because a new member had arrived, Alger Wilson had not blindly spoken up. He had maintained silence, secretly observing.

Now, seeing Mr. Fool look toward him, he hurriedly gave a humble salute and said, “This time it is still six pages. I will give You the last page next time.”

“Very well.”

Klein nodded lightly.

The Hanged Man quickly gathered his mind, recalled the content, and expressed it through strong intent.

He swiftly “wrote” out six pages of diary and saw them vanish abruptly, appearing in Klein’s hand.

Klein lowered his head and looked over the first page.

“February 9th. I have had my third child. I named him Bonova.

“My eldest daughter Bernadette is fortunate. At the time, both her mother and I were only low-Sequence Beyonders. She can freely choose the path she wants to walk.

“My eldest son Charles is the most unfortunate. He inherited only a small amount of Beyonder characteristics, yet has no choice but to repeat my path. Perhaps he can make a change at Sequence 4, but the high Sequences are never easy to achieve.

“My second son Bonova lies between Bernadette and Charles. I gave him characteristics equivalent to a Sequence 5 Beyonder. This reduced my burden, allowing me to digest my potion faster and accelerate my advancement. And he, just born, is already an Astrologer capable of displaying all kinds of extraordinary traits.

“Zaratul secretly came to congratulate me, praising Bonova as a lovely angel. I asked this master of divination what accomplishments Bonova would have in the future. He only smiled and did not answer.

“I then asked about Charles’s future. At last, he spoke, telling me that death is an unavoidable end, but that perhaps this is a good thing.

“Truly, the words of a Diviner are always so vague, making one want to pry open his mouth.

“Finally, I asked about Bernadette’s future. He suddenly became very serious. He said that she would hate me, detest me, betray me, and that she would become a major figure in the mysticism world.

“Sometimes, one truly should not ask for divination results. I find it hard to believe that my cute, kind Bernadette, who loves her younger brothers, worships her father, and cares about her mother, would hate me, detest me, and betray me. What in the world could cause that? Did I do something excessive? Perhaps she will have a suitor I do not approve of, and I will kill that brat?

“No. Zaratul is not a Prophet. The divination result he obtained could very well be wrong! Forget this, Roselle!”

I seem to smell a family melodrama…

After reading the first page, Klein could not help lampooning inwardly.

At the same time, Zaratul’s description of Bernadette’s future naturally surfaced in his mind:

A major figure in the mysticism world.

Does that mean the world of Beyonders? Exactly what level counts as a major figure…

Thoughtful, Klein turned the diary page.

“May 22nd. Florent of the Sauron family actually wanted me to become his subordinate!

“Do I look like someone who would be a lapdog? His attitude was simply unbearable.

“I swear that one day, I will make him pay for today’s arrogance.

“However, some things he mentioned were rather interesting and worth pondering.”