Chapter 53: The World’s Commission

Chapter Fifty-Three
The World’s Commission

Sequence 0?

Above Sequence 1, there is still a Sequence 0?

Sequence 0 equals a true god?

Each pathway can have only one Sequence 0? Is that the true meaning of the “paths of the divine”?

As long as one consumes the corresponding potion, performs the ritual properly, and grasps the acting method to digest the Beyonder characteristic, even an ordinary person can become a god step by step?

That truly is blasphemy…

Could it be that, at the very end, the main ingredients for the potion are the divinity, divine blood, and body of the Eternal Blazing Sun?

…

The information contained in the final diary page was far too vast. It shocked Klein so deeply that he nearly could not think, and almost made additional bodily movements.

The twenty-two paths of the divine correspond to twenty-two Sequence 0s… Sequence 0, “Sun,” sounds extremely powerful… Perhaps there is also a Sequence 0, “Death”? I wonder what Sequence 0 names correspond to the Goddess and the Lord of Storms… According to Emperor Roselle’s description, some of them overlap with the major arcana of the tarot deck, but some are different. The Cards of Blasphemy he made take the potion names as their standard… At that point, can they still even be called potions?

Did the Emperor regret not choosing the Seer, Apprentice, or Marauder pathways because their corresponding Sequence 0s had not yet appeared?

And what was the reason behind the symbolic deity known as the Hidden Sage suddenly becoming personified?

What great matter was Roselle plotting in the end? It gives the sense that the whole world had become his enemy, and that he could rely only on that mysterious and ancient organization…

Is Primordial Demoness the Sequence 0 title of the Demoness pathway?

Klein gradually recovered his train of thought and restrained the stormy waves within his heart.

He knew he could not remain immersed in this matter. He had to return to normal as quickly as possible, or members such as Justice and The Hanged Man would notice something wrong and sense the strangeness.

Mr. Fool has been looking at that diary page for too long!

I really want to obtain one of the Cards of Blasphemy made by Emperor Roselle and see what else is inside, apart from the potion formulas that lead to godhood and the corresponding rituals…

Klein suppressed emotions such as shock and confusion, letting Roselle’s diary vanish from his hand.

He tapped the edge of the bronze long table and looked toward the side.

“Miss Justice, you did very well. In less than a week, you resolved Bakerland.”

“According to our agreement, what sort of compensation do you wish to receive?”

Bakerland is dead? So quickly?

The Hanged Man Alger had been away from the islands over the past few days and had not yet received the corresponding intelligence. For a moment, he was quite astonished, which made Justice Audrey, secretly observing him, feel rather pleased.

Even if Alger had been in the Rorsted Archipelago’s capital, Bayam, the City of Generosity, he might not necessarily have learned of it in time. Information transmitted by telegram was limited. Unless the content was especially urgent or important, it would often be delayed for several days before being sent. At certain times, the colonists of the Rorsted Archipelago might take one or two months to learn of the “latest” situation on the Northern Continent.

Restraining his various thoughts, The Hanged Man looked toward Mr. Fool, who was within the dense gray fog, and said in a tone that carried both respect and humility, “I am sorry. I had only just contacted the people I needed. I was unable to be of any help.”

“It was a commission, not a request for help. There is no need to mind,” Klein said with a soft laugh. Then he looked again toward Miss Justice, waiting for her to state the compensation she wanted.

May the Goddess bless me. May Miss Justice’s request not be too troublesome. Ideally, I can repay her with knowledge… I have learned quite a few extraordinary things from Roselle’s diary…

Klein silently prayed to the Goddess.

Of course, he knew very well that with the gray fog isolating everything, the Evernight Goddess certainly could not hear his prayer.

Audrey’s eyes turned slightly. She considered for several seconds.

One must be honest and not greedy. Audrey, you must hold to your principles!

She formed a shallow smile.

“No. I should be the one who still owes You—no, Your blessed one—compensation.”

“The total bounty on Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos was thirty thousand gold pounds. I should have given Your blessed one fifteen thousand pounds. Of that, ten thousand was spent to assassinate Bakerland. I still need to pay an additional five thousand pounds. However, because of Bakerland’s matter, my financial situation has not been very good lately. That compensation may need to wait a few months. Mr. Fool, is that acceptable?”

After speaking, Audrey quietly exhaled, feeling as though a small stone pressing upon her heart had finally vanished.

Although discussing money and calculating compensation before Mr. Fool is not very appropriate, I cannot conceal His blessed one’s gains…

Audrey sighed soundlessly.

As for the large plantation worth more than eight thousand pounds, since that had come from Duke Negan’s gratitude for her reminder, it belonged to a private gift of thanks and did not count as part of the bounty.

Five thousand pounds? I can still obtain five thousand pounds? Qilangos’s total bounty was actually thirty thousand pounds!

Klein was stunned by what he heard.

Immediately afterward, he fell into fierce inner conflict.

According to common sense, I should give this compensation to Mr. Azik. But for a very long time, I cannot contact him… To simply leave the money sitting there would be wasteful… It would be better to use this money to improve myself as much as possible, and later offset it by providing help…

After three seconds, Klein made his decision and lightly nodded to Miss Justice.

“Acceptable.”

Hearing Mr. Fool’s reply, Audrey’s elegant sitting posture did not change, but inwardly, she relaxed completely.

At this moment, Klein, leaning against the back of his chair, said no more. With the posture of one looking down from above, he secretly began controlling his alternate account.

The World gave a light cough and said, “May I speak now?”

Justice Audrey glanced at Mr. Fool. Seeing that He made no indication otherwise, she nodded slightly.

“Yes.”

At the same time, she once again read information from the new member, Mr. World, making her own judgment.

When Bakerland’s assassination was mentioned just now, and when it was said to have originated from my commission, he did not show any surprise or astonishment… Either he does not understand the importance of this matter, nor the weight of an ambassador, or he is extremely composed and skilled at hiding his emotions and bodily movements… His mouth shape does not match the words he speaks. It has probably been translated by Mr. Fool as well. This means I cannot obtain information about his original verbal habits, nor easily know what language he uses in daily life…

Thought after thought flashed through Audrey’s mind, accompanied by Mr. World’s hoarse voice.

“I wish to obtain a true root from a Mist Treant, at least sixty milliliters of corresponding juice, pith crystals from the Elven Spring, and all spinal fluid from an Evil-patterned Black Panther.

“Who among you can provide them, or has corresponding clues?

“What do you hope for in exchange?”

Klein had added the Beyonder material needed by the Apothecary to his own commission, preventing the Tarot Club members from guessing the main subject of the formula.

Before Justice or The Hanged Man could react, The Sun, who had remained silent, spoke.

“I know where Mist Treants can be found, and I can help you obtain the materials. However, I must wait until I complete advancement, gain sufficient strength, and join the corresponding patrol squad.”

Recently, he had been saving merit and compensation, working hard to exchange with both the City of Silver’s official channels and its private trading market for the main ingredients of the Light Suppliant potion. At present, his shortfall remained fairly large.

As expected of the City of Silver, full of monsters and harsh surroundings…

Klein secretly praised him, then had The World ask, “Then what do you hope to receive?”

The Sun Derrick answered without hesitation, “A weapon suitable for me, one that can improve my combat ability.”

He did not request the materials corresponding to Light Suppliant because the City of Silver had them. Through his own efforts, they could be obtained.

Hearing that request, Klein instantly thought of the rune steel sword that had appeared at the Beyonder gathering organized by the old gentleman Eye of Wisdom.

It was sharp enough, carried the effects of exorcism and purification, and could still be used for another three years. It was worth five hundred pounds and perfectly matched The Sun’s description.

Why did you not say this earlier… It has already been bought by someone else…

Klein silently looked at the members. The World, meanwhile, nodded.

“I will find a weapon matching your requirements as quickly as possible. Shall this trade be witnessed by Mr. Fool?”

Klein nodded slightly, indicating agreement.

At that moment, Justice Audrey glanced at The Sun and reminded him, “Aside from the Mist Treant’s juice, the materials Mr. World asked for all correspond to Sequence 7 Beyonders. Their approximate value is between five hundred and seven hundred pounds.”

She felt that The Sun was simple and worried that he might be tricked by the deep and gloomy Mr. World with a weapon of insufficient value.

Although Mr. Fool is fair and advocates equivalent exchange, if both parties agree, He cannot very well stop them. After all, some items are not high in value but are urgently needed by someone, so a premium is normal…

Audrey thought to herself.

“A Sequence 7 formula is about eight hundred pounds,” The Hanged Man Alger added.

He had an instinctive rejection toward the newly admitted member.

Klein translated this with great difficulty, because he did not know what the currency unit “pounds” corresponded to in the City of Silver. He could only draw an analogy using the value of a Sequence 9 potion formula.

“I understand,” Derrick Berg said with a slight nod. Then, in a small voice, he added, “…Thank you.”

The World maintained his gloomy style and made no comment about what had just happened. Instead, he turned toward Justice and The Hanged Man, waiting for their answers.

Audrey thought for several seconds.

“The potion formula for Psychiatrist, along with the corresponding Beyonder materials. Mm… It is Sequence 7 of the Spectator pathway.

“You may first collect information, and there is no need to purchase anything in a hurry. Once I have clues for the Evil-patterned Black Panther and the Elven Spring pith crystals, you can take action then. Uh… if you are willing to exchange them for gold pounds, I can buy them at any time.”

Although I have no money lately, if I truly need it urgently, I can still raise quite a bit…

Audrey comforted herself inwardly.

The Hanged Man Alger pondered and said, “The Sequence 6 Wind-blessed potion formula of the Sailor pathway. That is more expensive than all the Beyonder materials you need combined.

“If you can find it, you may think in advance about what additional compensation you want.

“I do not guarantee that I can help you collect those materials, not even one of them. You do not need to spend anything ahead of time for this.”

Eh, Mr. Hanged Man should have a very close connection to the Church of the Lord of Storms… Under normal circumstances, he should be able to obtain the Wind-blessed formula, should he not? Is he trying to conceal the fact that he is close to digesting the Seafarer potion?

Klein was taken aback as he listened.

“All right,” The World answered in a low voice. Then he said, “I have another commission.”