Chapter 113 - 113: A Long-Awaited Tarot Gathering

The Emperor's Exhibition still had some time before it began, and the remaining Cards of Blasphemy were in the hands of some powerful individuals or organisations. "Maybe I can take a different approach to get the Cards of Blasphemy." A sudden thought flashed through Edward's mind—a method that could both acquire the cards and help him embody the role of a lunatic. "But for now, I should go find Edwina and see if that Groselle Travels of hers can give me any powers." He quickly made up his mind. "Danitz, do you know where your captain is at the moment?" "Uh…not really?" Danitz scratched his head, thinking hard. "She left Backlund about five days ago. For the first part of the journey, she was probably on a regular passenger ship. After a day or two, she would've switched to the Golden Dream. Either way, she's still some distance from Bayam." "So, she should be aboard the Golden Dream by now, right?" "Should be." "Good enough." Edward stepped into his bedroom and began setting up the ritual to summon his messenger bird. "Spirit wandering the illusory realm, friendly being who may be commanded, the messenger belonging solely to Edward—" A chill swept through the room, dispelling the stuffy heat. Then, with a tear in the fabric of space, a black bird flew out. Edward handed over a letter. "You should be able to carry a book through the spirit world, right?" "Nope!" The bird answered without hesitation. "I think you can." "…" Its pitch-black eyes blinked in confusion. "Well, it'd slow me down." What a weakling. "Alright then, go." With a flap of its wings, the bird turned into a blur, but just as it was about to re-enter the spirit world, it paused. "If you give me all the feathers at once, maybe I'll even let you travel through the spirit world with me next time." "Maybe?" "Yup! But if you let me eat that stone, then definitely! Plus, I'll gain great power and help you fight!" To prove its point, it spread its wings dramatically. Edward thought for a moment. "I'll think about it." The bird didn't argue. It tore the air open and vanished into the spirit world. There was no way he'd give it the Resurrection Stone. As for the phoenix feathers…it might be worth paying in advance for a helper who could traverse the spirit world. But what if the bird grew stronger and reneged on the deal? Unlikely. I still have the Resurrection Stone. The black bird had said it'd be slow—and it really was. It didn't return even by the next morning. ——— Monday, 3 PM. After sending Danitz off to wander the city and having Lilith keep watch, Edward's vision recovered from the dim crimson state. For the first time in nearly fifty days—two weeks in the world of Mysteries and thirty-three days in the world of Harry Potter—he returned above the grey fog. Before him was still the giant-like palace, the ancient, weathered bronze table. Around it sat The Hanged Man, The Sun, Audrey, and the ever-enigmatic Fool, shrouded in dense mist. Audrey was the first to speak. She lifted her skirt slightly and greeted everyone cheerfully: "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~ Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man! Good afternoon, Mr. Sun! Good afternoon, Mr. Tower!" "Welcome, Miss Telepathist," Klein replied, then turned to Edward with a gentle smile. "Welcome back, Mr. Tower." Edward immediately pressed a hand to his chest and bowed. "It's only thanks to Mr. Fool's blessing that I'm still standing here alive. I thank and praise Mr. Fool." The Hanged Man spoke up curiously, "Mr. Tower, you weren't able to attend last time. I heard you ran into a Saint of the Aurora Order?" "That's right." Edward looked somewhat shaken. "At the time, one of Mr. Fool's Blessed and I had just stopped a disaster that could've destroyed a small town…and then I suddenly encountered a Saint of the Aurora Order—The Saint of Secrets, a demigod from the Apprentice pathway." "He had been searching for me ever since I encountered the True Creator…and that disaster was also related to the True Creator, which caused my location to be exposed." "Fortunately, at the critical moment, another powerhouse from the Aurora Order arrived. The two of them seemed to disagree on something and ended up clashing. That gave me the chance to escape." Edward essentially told the truth, except he left out the real reason why Mr. A and the Saint had conflicted. But the Hanged Man didn't buy that it was so simple. Even if it was an internal conflict, you were just a Sequence 8 at the time—how did you escape? It must've been Mr. Fool! Klein sighed and facepalmed. Here we go again. Mr. Hanged Man, could you stop making such wild assumptions? "Alright, let's continue." Alger spoke first. "Mr. Fool, I have another seven pages of Emperor Roselle's diary this week. Shall I project them now?" "I coincidentally found a page as well," Edward added. Soon, both diaries were in Klein's hands. Alger suddenly recalled something and respectfully said: "Mr. Fool, I've heard a piece of intelligence regarding the Secret Order." "Very good," Klein nodded while holding the pages, signalling for him to go on. "The Secret Order has certain ties to the Republic of Intis." Klein wasn't surprised—he had long known that Zaratul of the Secret Order had dealings with Emperor Roselle. Still, it reminded him of a certain Intis ambassador who had been giving him headaches lately. Klein tapped the table's edge lightly and chuckled. "I'm issuing a mission." Everyone looked shocked. Even Derrick, the usually quiet and distant Sun, widened his eyes. This was the first time Mr. Fool had ever officially issued a mission during the Tarot Club. "You may choose to accept or decline," Klein continued, his tone casual. "One of my other Blessed has arrived in Backlund and wants something done—but it's inconvenient for him to act personally." Seeing the varied expressions around the table, Klein drummed his fingers gently on the table. "The mission is…to assassinate the Intis Republic's ambassador to the Loen Kingdom—Beckland Jean Madan." The 5-pound-gold ambassador arc begins…Edward silently munched on the drama. Audrey and Alger, on the other hand, were analysing the deeper meaning. One thought: This involves international diplomacy—it must hide some major secret. The other: Mr. Fool clearly still can't interfere too directly with the real world. Only Derrick looked totally lost. Audrey glanced at Edward, hoping for his opinion. Having experienced far more than her canon counterpart, she was no longer as reckless. Edward understood her silent plea and gave a small nod. She immediately spoke, "Mr. Fool, I happen to know some Beyonders in Backlund. I'll try to complete this commission." "Very well. Miss Justice, what reward do you seek?" "Hmm…the formula for Sequence 7: Psychiatrist." "Very well." Edward thought for a moment and added, "Mr. Fool, I'll also try to complete the task." "What reward do you seek?" "As before, I'd like to accumulate it for now."—He planned to exchange it later for the Black Emperor card from Klein. "Very well," Klein replied calmly. Alger followed with a solemn tone, "Mr. Fool, I would also be honoured to accept this task. Though I am far out at sea, I can reach out to some friends in Backlund." "Very well." With that, Mr. Fool's first mission came to a temporary close. Klein then looked down at the diary pages in his hands. These entries detailed a visit from Zaratul to Emperor Roselle. They discussed the Miracle Invoker, Sequence 2 of the Seer pathway, the Serpent of Mercury—Sequence 1 of the Monster pathway—and the process of Roselle inventing a practical steam engine, as well as his wife's pregnancy. Soon, he turned to the final page. "!!!" His pupils contracted involuntarily. It appeared again—just like the page Edward had previously presented, written by what seemed to be another transmigrator! —— "Today, I finally learned to walk. But I don't like it. It's uncomfortable. So I OO went back." (The two circles seemed like a child's way of replacing words they couldn't write…) "Slept all day again. I want to go out and play. It's so boring at home O." "I don't like eating O vegetables! They taste awful! Makes me want to puke!" "I couldn't sleep at night. Looked at the moon. It seemed like…someone was on it…" —— Compared to the dense, information-packed diary of Emperor Roselle, this one from the supposed fellow transmigrator was just…mundane. It read more like someone jotting down bits of daily life. Not very useful—except for that last line. Someone…on the moon? Klein quickly flipped back to one of the Emperor's diary pages. He also added meaningfully, 'The Life School of Thought worships the moon.' Why the moon? Why not go one step further and worship the Evernight Goddess?" Could it be...what they worship isn't the moon itself, but someone on the moon?! A chill ran down Klein's spine, but he couldn't figure out exactly why. He rubbed his brow to calm the unease, then looked back at the final entry from last night: "Learn to walk. Used circles in place of characters he couldn't write...Could it be...this guy transmigrated as a child?" The thought left Klein with complicated feelings. Was transmigration so competitive now that people started doing it from childhood? Then wouldn't that mean he couldn't obtain any hidden knowledge from this 'predecessor', like he had from Emperor Roselle's diary? As soon as the thought formed, Klein nearly laughed at himself. The guy might've been a child when he transmigrated, but he'd eventually grow up. And if he maintained the habit of writing a diary, he'd surely leave behind something useful. "Sigh...The question is when I'll get my hands on his grown-up diary." Just as this thought crossed his mind, Klein noticed a new diary page submitted by Edward—another predecessor's diary: "Today, I met a woman. She looked very strange and wouldn't leave me alone. I got fed up and beat her up." Klein quickly read the contents, then froze in confusion. What's with meeting a woman, then beating her up?! And the guy's a cliffhanger freak on top of that?! If he didn't know this predecessor likely transmigrated as a child, Klein would seriously question the guy's mental state. Suppressing a flood of wild guesses, Klein let the diary vanish from his hands and looked toward the others. "You may now trade or converse freely." Derrick the Little Sun, who had been holding back for a while, immediately raised his hand and looked eagerly at Edward. "Mr. Tower, that mystical item you mentioned last time...do you still have it?" Edward nodded. "You mean the Hand of Glory? Yeah, I still have it." "Can I trade for it? I'm willing to offer some City of Silver's knowledge or potion materials in exchange." "Uh...Are you sure it'll be useful to you?" Edward asked. Derrick shook his head, but quickly added, "I consulted the Chief Elder. He said it might be possible to modify it." Before Edward could reply, The Hanged Man suddenly raised his voice. "You consulted your elder? Does that mean...you told someone else about the Tarot Club?" The last sentence was practically an accusation. "I—" Derrick panicked and shook his head frantically. "No, I didn't reveal the existence of the Tarot Club! I just...I just said if such a mystical item existed..." "…" Everyone looked at each other, unsure whether to scold him for being dumb or praise his sincerity. In the end, they turned their gazes to the Fool behind the grey fog. Only now did Derrick realise he might have made a mistake. His voice grew flustered. "I...I messed up, didn't I? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!" Klein said calmly, "Be more careful next time." "Yes! Yes!" Derrick nodded furiously. Edward turned to him and said, "Mr. Sun, I'll offer the Hand of Glory to Mr. Fool after this meeting. As for my request—I'm preparing to advance to Sequence 6, so I'm looking for two kinds of mystical materials: a complete Asmann's Brain, and a cursed object from an ancient wraith. Oh, and I also need a Polymath's characteristic—Polymath is Sequence 6 of the Reader Pathway." Wait a sec. Weren't you Sequence 8 last time?! Did you even perform the acting method? Did you fully digest your potion or not? The Hanged Man couldn't help his deep suspicion, and also felt a growing sense of crisis. "I've seen 'complete Asmann Brain' listed in the warehouse catalogue of City of Silver," Derrick said. "But it'll take time to find it." "Really?!" That was a pleasant surprise. After all, the Asmann species had long gone extinct, and most remaining specimens were said to be held by the Abraham family. Edward had been prepared to revisit Lawrence again. But on second thought, it made sense that the City of Silver would have one. When it came to ancient relics, they had nothing to be ashamed of. "If Mr. Sun truly finds an Asmann Brain, that would help me a lot! Thank you so much." "It's no trouble, really," Derrick replied, a bit overwhelmed by Edward's enthusiasm. After they finished speaking, Audrey curtsied with a lifted hem of her dress. "Mr. Sun, may I exchange information with you regarding dragons?" "Of course." What followed was a one-on-one knowledge-sharing session between Audrey and Derrick. When the two finished their exchange, Klein asked again, "Does anyone else have questions or topics to raise?" "Ah—wait," Edward suddenly said, remembering something. "About the storage-type mystical item I offered to sell last time—has anyone considered it since then?" Klein gave a silent internal scream: I want it!!! Alger thought for a moment and said, "I probably still can't afford it in the short term. However...I've been attending several mystic gatherings at sea lately. Through some subtle probing, I've learned that several wealthy pirates are very interested in such items." He smiled slightly. "Shall we work together, Mr. Tower? I'll help you find a buyer, and in return, I'll take a small commission—say, 20%?" That's highway robbery! "Ten percent at most," Edward replied, "and I have a condition." "What condition?" "I haven't decided yet. But it'll be something within your abilities." Alger paused to consider, then nodded. "Deal." "Oh right, I nearly forgot something again." Edward slapped his forehead and looked around. "I've been looking to purchase a defensive mystical item. Doesn't matter who has one or knows someone who can make one—I'll pay a high price." He added, "The item must at least be able to withstand a fatal attack from a Sequence 5. Of course, the stronger, the better." Withstand a Sequence 5 attack? Mr. Tower, what kind of life are you living?! Alger nodded slightly. "I'll keep an eye out for you." Derrick hesitated. The City of Silver probably had such items, but his current merit points were nowhere near enough. "I…I'll keep an eye out too." "Much appreciated." Edward looked at Derrick again. "Oh, Mr. Sun, I heard your City of Silver can't grow crops due to the lack of daylight, so you mostly live on a kind of black grass?" Derrick nodded solemnly. "That's right." "Then if we had a sufficiently large storage-type mystical item, filled it with food from the outside world, and transferred it to you through Mr. Fool's blessings…wouldn't that greatly improve City of Silver's living conditions?" Derrick froze, staring blankly at Edward, speechless. Alger's eyes sparkled—As expected! Mr. Tower really could make storage mystical items! If their partnership succeeded, he'd never have to worry about money again. Actually, even without an Undetectable Extension Charm, the Fool could still transfer large quantities of supplies to the City of Silver through sacrificial offerings. But he didn't have enough spirituality to transport thousands of pounds of goods bag by bag… And seriously, could they really treat Mr. Fool as a deliveryman? Didn't Mr. Fool have any dignity? But if they used a compact storage mystical item, all those issues would vanish. "I…What would I need to offer in exchange?" Derrick asked, now understanding and clearly moved. "It's too early to talk about that," Edward replied gently. "What you should consider is how to move such a large amount of supplies without alerting your Chief Elder. That's the first problem to solve. So—work hard to improve yourself, not just for you, but so everyone in the City of Silver can live a little better, a little sooner." In truth, if not for Klein's future Miracle Invoker ritual, Edward could've used that traceless extension suitcase—the one that held the Fire Dragon Anna—to transport the people of City of Silver back to 'reality' via sacrificial transfer. But he wasn't sure whether that would count as Klein completing the ritual early. If it did, shouldn't it be Klein himself who proposed and executed it? Even if it were allowed, Klein still needed the City of Silver's deeper exploration of the Court to aid in digesting his Scholar of Yore potion. Then again...couldn't I teach him that ancient knowledge myself? Which left just one question— If Klein personally used the traceless extension space to bring City of Silver into reality—would that count as prematurely completing the Miracle Invoker's ritual? "..." Derrick gave a deep bow. "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Tower." Edward turned toward Klein. "Mr. Fool, I've finished." "Very well. That concludes today's Tarot meeting." With Klein's announcement, each participant returned to reality. ——— [Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.