AN: Longest chapter I've ever written lol.
In the projection of Utopia, the three of them were sitting in a café. In front of them were cups of tea.
They looked completely mismatched, and the other customers couldn't help but stare. One of them was dressed like someone straight out of a Roman play, the lady wore a beautiful sparkling gown, and the last was just an ordinary man who looked like he'd come straight from his 9-to-5 job.
He was talking animatedly, his tone shifting between happiness and sadness as he spoke.
"So... That's about it... What do you think?"
"We're supposed to fight against "Them", huh…" Roselle said as he stroked his mustache.
Klein then shook his head... "I'm not sure how accurate "He" was with the creation of the dream world... So we can't take anything I know as correct Information."
"Right..."
A chuckle left Klein's mouth. "I consider God Almighty to be a shitty author."
"Who writes a novel where everything the characters went through was just a dream... I always hated these kinds of plots in novels, whenever I read them. I'm not usually an angry person, but I once wrote a very long rant review about the redundancy of these kinds of plots..."
Then, everyone fell quiet again as a waitress came out and brought them the pastry and desserts they had ordered.
"Why did you even bother doing a ritual when you were already Sequence 1?" Roselle asked, taking a sip of his tea as he watched people walking by on the street. He sighed in satisfaction. Amanises lifted her cup too, calm and composed.
"That?" Klein paused for a moment. "I couldn't form the primitive form of my divine kingdom unless I performed the required rituals," he said simply.
...
"Why didn't you ever meet me? I'm guessing you knew I was a transmigrator?" Roselle broke the silence and looked at Amanises. He sighed. "I don't blame you for what happened. You don't owe me anything. It was my fault for being stupid and overconfident."
Both Klein and Amanises nodded without hesitation.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to say something like, 'No, it was our fault too, don't blame yourself'?" Roselle asked.
Both gave him a flat look. Amanises's calm, blank expression made it even worse.
"Do you still think life works like a game? And how exactly is your situation my fault?" Klein said as he bit into a pastry.
Amanises sighed. "I didn't have good experiences with people from the past… and your personality didn't sit well with me. So I kept my distance."
"Gah…" Roselle clutched his chest and slumped in his seat. "No… my legendary charisma has failed me!"
"I wouldn't say it failed you," Klein said after a short pause. Then a wide mischievous grin formed on his face. "The Mother Goddess of Depravity was so charmed by it she let you deep throat her shaft."
"What! I told you never to mention that again!" Roselle shouted. The two started bickering like cats while Amanises sat quietly, sipping her tea in peace.
...
"Now, I didn't bring you here just to share our misery. I found where the Death Uniqueness is, and I've figured out how to get it."
"I also know where the Black Emperor Uniqueness is," Klein added. "So I'll help you both get them. In exchange, I want your help in becoming the Lord of Mysteries. Do you agree?"
"Wait!" Roselle stopped Klein. "I learned from Zaratul that Uniqueness and high-level concealed entities can't be found through the Historical Void."
"Oh, that's easy," Klein said, waving his hand. "Since I have full control over the Historical Void, I can find gaps in history and use the context around them to figure out the location and identity of the target.".
"Then did your ownership of Sefirah Castle transfer from the dream to reality? Thats..."
"Uh… no. In reality, I had the same connection as you both did when you descended from the cocoon. But since I became the Lord of Mysteries in the Dream World, I know all its tricks. I awakened the Will of Mysteries inside me, suppressed its mind with the shroud, and grafted its ownership of Sefirah Castle onto myself."
"That's risky," Amanises said quietly.
"I know," Klein said with a distant look before shrugging. "I learned it the hard way. I didn't mention it before, but I almost lost Sefirah Castle when I tried to accommodate the Error Uniqueness after getting it from the Sun God. It came alive and used its authority over loopholes to almost steal Sefirah Castle from me. That's how I learned the ownership of Sefirot can be changed if the ability allows it. There was a big fight between me and the Sun God until Dream Amanises stepped in and cleared things up."
"So...?" Klein tilted his head as he asked the question.
After a moment of silence, Roselle nodded eagerly while Amanises gave a slow nod.
"Right... What should we do now?"
"Now, we need to get a non aggression pact with Adam."
***
A man wearing a black and yellow checkered coat and a classic hat was sitting on a bench. Next to him stood another man dressed in priest's robes with a white cloak. He had golden hair, a beard, and wore a silver cross around his neck. His pure and innocent eyes looked at Klein with a hint of caution.
Both Klein and Adam stared at each other in silence. Adam's expression darkened slightly as he said, "…Mysteries."
Klein let out a chuckle and shook his head. "I'm not him," he said, pausing for a moment before continuing in a firm voice, "and I will never be him."
Adam stayed silent for a while, the two of them locked in a quiet stare. Eventually, Klein looked away, glancing at the people walking by in the area.
He let out a small chuckle and said, "My name's Zhou Mingrui, but I go by Klein Moretti now. It's nice to finally meet you."
Klein turned back to him and continued, "Did you ever wonder what God Almighty did with the Error Uniqueness after ripping it off from the Lord of Mysteries?"
…
Elsewhere, Amanises, in the body of 0-17, gently picked up Saint Selina's ashes from the floor and placed them back onto the pedestal beyond the Chanis Gate. She then turned her gaze to the right, her vision piercing through the city until it reached Daffodil Street, where Klein was sitting and speaking with Adam.
She vanished as if erased with an eraser. A moment later, she appeared in the shadow cast by the houses on Daffodil Street. She stepped out and walked toward Klein and Adam.
When she reached near, she noticed Klein had stopped talking and both Adam and Klein were looking at her. A small, unnoticeable frown appeared on 0-17's face as she reached them.
"Evernight," Adam greeted her first and said grimly.
"Adam," Amanises replied with a calm nod.
Adam gave her a stare and said, "It seems you're openly supporting him." His tone carried no accusation, just a simple statement of fact.
Amanises huffed, crossed her arms, and said nothing.
That was what their entire conversation came down to.
Then Adam looked back toward Klein. "I do believe you," he said in his usual monotone voice.
Klein chuckled again and shook his head. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, actions speak louder than words," he said calmly.
He leaned back slightly, and gazed at the sky. "Let's take our conversation somewhere else, where there won't be any unnecessary distractions."
All three of them vanished into a swell of gray fog, entering Klein's Divine Kingdom.
From the other side, a figure emerged... Roselle Gustav. It wasn't his real body, just a historical projection clone Klein had created for him to experience life.
Roselle was dressed in a bright pink Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sunglasses. A straw hat with a red ribbon rested on his head, and he was casually sipping a smoothie as he strolled over.
Adam's brows furrowed, his expression unreadable but tinged with genuine confusion. "Roselle Gustav…" he muttered.
"Yo." Roselle raised his smoothie in greeting, utterly unbothered.
Klein blinked and asked dryly, "What are you even wearing?"
"I was at the beach," Roselle replied, as though that explained everything.
Klein tilted his head with amusement. "Hoh. Color me surprised. I thought you'd be playing more games instead."
"Huh, did you think I'm some kind of shut-in? I built an empire, you know," Roselle said with a small huff, puffing out his chest proudly before taking another sip.
The atmosphere shifted back to seriousness when Amanises cleared her throat softly, drawing both men's attention.
Adam ignored Roselle completely and focused on Klein. His voice was calm, but his eyes carried real curiosity. "How did you cure the Depravity's corruption?"
Klein smiled faintly and extended his arm. A black liquid oozed out of his palm. "With this. I call it the Shroud."
Adam's eyes narrowed. He reached out and touched it, his expression tightened. The next instant, his eyes widened, the first involuntary reaction he'd shown since arriving.
"This…!" Adam said, his voice low with shock. "It's practically immune to every kind of probing I'm doing on it."
"That's because I'm actively removing your probing from it," Klein replied almost unbothered.
He let his control lapse for a moment, and the probing immediately succeeded.
Adam looked at Klein sharply. "It's a manifestation of your will."
"Exactly. I can use it as a filter to wash away anything undesirable from myself." Klein glanced at Roselle and added, "And more importantly…"
Roselle raised his hand, showing the same black liquid swirling across his palm.
"It can be shared," Klein said. "That's how I cleansed him of the corruption of Depravity. It can also suppress the will of Beyonder characteristics to some extent."
His expression hardened. "It's our trump card to fight against the apocalypse."
"I plan to create as many Above the Sequence beings as possible, as fast as possible," Klein said seriously. "The Mother Goddess of Depravity has already sensed that we can cure corruption. That means 'She' will likely share this with others, and they'll start moving to invade Earth even faster."
Adam studied him for a few seconds before asking, "Why did you call me here, then?" He glanced at the shroud and said, "With this, you could succeed in saving Earth."
Klein looked up at the sky of his Divine Kingdom, the warm daylight scattering across his coat.
"I wanted you to know about me on my own terms," Klein said as he looked at Adam.
"Other than preparing for the apocalypse, I also want to make a deal with you," he said, extending his hand and offering Adam the Quill of Alzuhod.
Adam's gaze flicked toward the quill, eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"
"If you agree," Klein said evenly, "I want a non-interference pact between us for the battle between me and Amon for the throne of the Lord of Mysteries."
***
July 2, 1349, Morning, Backlund.
In the two-bedroom apartment in St. George Borough, a young woman with curly brown hair and pale blue eyes, wearing a common Loen-styled dress sat cross-legged on her bed. She chewed on a piece of garlic bread, grumbling all the while. "Where did the stupid girl disappear to? It has been two days and there are no news of her."
Her room was modest and slightly cluttered. A small desk was pushed against the wall, which was stacked with manuscripts, ink bottles, and crumpled notes. Beside it stood a narrow bookshelf filled with cheap paperbacks and a few borrowed reference books. A layered texture shawl hung crookedly on a stand near the window that covers the view of the Tussock River.
Cough!
A cough escaped her as a small piece of bread got stuck in her throat. Smacking her chest lightly, she stood up from the bed and walked into the living room, then headed into the kitchen and took a sip from the jug of water there. Her eyes suddenly fell on a newspaper lying on the table, the one the newsboy had left at her apartment door that morning. It was the Backlund Bulletin, one of the cheapest papers circulated in Backlund.
It had been almost two days since Xio, her best friend, had last contacted her. As far as she known her, Xio had never gone this long without reaching out, so she was starting to worry.
She took another sip from the jug of water and began reading the newspaper. Her eyes stopped on an advertisement for a detective.
"Sherlock Moriarty. Good at various types of private investigations. Reasonable prices and strictly adheres to the principles of confidentiality. Resides at Cherwood Borough's 15 Minsk Street."
Reading this, her eyes brightened. 'This is exactly what I need. If he's advertising in the Backlund Bulletin, he probably isn't that famous. As for contacting the police… I'd have to deal with the East Borough department, and according to Xio they're a bunch of corrupt pieces of shit. Unless I have a few hundred pounds lying around, they won't lift a finger.'
'A private detective is cheaper. I can just pay a couple of pounds and have someone find where Xio went. And as a dainty, sensitive author, letting other people handle the hard work like consolidation, analysis, and deduction is the smartest way to go.'
Thinking that, she left the living room, went back to her room, grabbed her shawl from the stand by the window, put on her boater hat, took her bag, and stepped outside.
She took a public carriage toward the end of St. George Borough, then transferred to another that carried her into East Borough. From there, she continued on to Cherwood Borough, heading for Minsk Street.
When she reached 15 Minsk Street, she paid the driver 1 penny. Altogether, the trip had cost her 6 penny.
She walked through the relatively busy street, and it took her a few minutes to find the house mentioned in the newspaper. From the outside it looked like a cozy terraced house, joined to its neighbours on both sides, with clean brick walls and a small step leading to the front door.
Fors walked up to the door and smoothed down her clothes, adjusting her shawl as she steadied herself. She reached up and tugged the little doorbell hanging above the door, and it chimed with a soft, pleasant ring.
A couple of seconds later, the door opened, and the living room came into view. What caught her off guard was the boy standing in front of her with a tray, looking startled. He stepped back, and she gave him a light smile before greeting him.
"Hello."
"Um… hello…" The boy bowed his head, then hurriedly left the house.
Her brows furrowed. 'Hmm… I thought he was an errand boy, but apparently not. He must work at the tea stand I noticed nearby then.'
She entered the living room and took in the space. It was small but tidy, with a worn sofa pushed against the wall and a narrow table set beside it. Papers and case notes were stacked neatly on a low tea table, and a coat rack stood near the door with a few hats hanging from it.
On the far side of the room, a desk sat under the window, stacked with files. Her eyes moved past it and settled on the detective she had come to meet. He was looking over a bundle of papers, reading with a focused look that showed he was busy.
The detective glanced up at her and gave a small smile before standing to greet her.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, miss."
She blinked when she heard his voice. It was deep and a little rough, the kind of voice she usually gave her male leads in her romance novels. Then she remembered he had actually spoken.
"It's no worries," she said, coughing lightly into her hand.
He had brown eyes, slightly long black hair, an average face with a bit of stubble, and a thin but toned build. His check-patterned coat and vest matched, and his dark trousers, gloves, and deerstalker-style hat made him look surprisingly professional.
As someone who made a living writing romance, her first thought was simple. He was pretty handsome.
While she looked him over, the detective seemed to be doing the same. He smiled a little and said, "What can I do for you, Miss writer?"
She froze for a second, the words catching her off guard. Then curiosity kicked in. "Wait, how do you know I'm a writer?"
He let out a small chuckle that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. "It's elementary, my dear."
"You have ink stains under your nails. You also have some on your clothes near your stomach."
She looked down and saw he was right. There were faint smudges on her fingers and on her dress.
He went on while walking over to a bookshelf. "You could have been a reporter from newspapers looking for a story, but that's unlikely. I'm not that well known." He reached up and pulled down an old newspaper. He brushed off the dust and chuckled again. "And I also recognized you from the description in the article."
He opened the paper and pointed at the feature about her.
Then he stepped closer and held out his hand. She reached out to shake it, but he lifted her hand instead and kissed it gently. Her cheeks warmed right away.
"Sherlock Moriarty at your service. What can I do for you, Miss Fors?"
It took her a few moments to compose herself as she coughed lightly into her hand again. "Cough… yes. I'm sorry. Your… ahem… I'm here to commission you for an investigation about my friend."
"Oh. Please, have a seat and explain the situation." He stepped back and returned to his chair. Fors followed suit, settling into the seat opposite him.
"My friend, Xio Derecha, works as… uh… a mediator in East Borough. She hasn't come home or contacted me for the past two days, so I'm a little worried. I want you to find out where she might be."
He handed her the teacup while she spoke. She took a sip and felt herself relax a little.
"Hmm… did she mention anything about what kind of work she was going for?"
Fors shook her head. "She looked angry about something, but when I asked why, she told me it was nothing. So I did not pry."
Sherlock tapped the table in front of him rhythmically as he sank into deep thought.
He looked at her as if he was deliberating something and then spoke. "Do you have something that belongs to your friend?"
Her brows furrowed at the question. She did not see any dogs or anything that suggested a dog lived here. Suddenly, a spark ran through her mind and she reached a conclusion. The detective in front of her was a Beyonder.
She tried not to react too noticeably to her thoughts, but her lips went a little dry as she clutched the bracelet Miss Aulisa had given her.
"Let me check." She rummaged through her handbag for a moment and then brought out a comb.
"This belongs to her." She did not say the part about how her friend rarely used it.
A small smile appeared on Sherlock's face. He took the comb, pulled out a strand of hair, and lifted his cane.
"What are you trying to do with this?" she asked. As a writer her curiosity knew no bounds, and she could not help asking the detective.
"I'm going to perform Dowsing Rod Seeking to find wherever Miss Xio is." He closed his eyes and focused while whispering "Miss Xio Derecha's location" again and again.
Fors raised her brows when she saw this. The air grew heavy, and before she could ask what was happening, Sherlock let go of his cane. Instead of falling, it moved on its own, twisting and jerking as if it were alive. Her question froze in her throat. The pointed end of the cane slowly steadied and ended up pointing to her right.
She stared at the cane with wide eyes. She knew Xio was a Beyonder who could break a person's hand like a twig, and she herself could travel through walls and doors, but seeing a floating cane was something else. Her slight shock faded when the detective spoke.
"Hmm… at least your friend is alive, Miss Fors. And I can locate her." Sherlock said with a crooked smile. "Now to figure out if something has happened to her or not."
He took out a pen and paper and wrote the following divination statement: "Xio Derecha's current situation."
Putting the fountain pen away, Sherlock took her hair and the piece of paper with the divination statement on it and held them in his left hand.
Then, leaning back in his chair, he smiled toward Fors, who was looking at him curiously with a hint of caution, and entered a state of cogitation, reciting "Xio Derecha's current situation" over and over again. After seven times, Sherlock turned quiet as if he was falling asleep. Out of curiosity, Fors leaned forward and looked at the half-closed eyes of the detective. She could see his pupils had turned black with a slight hint of red.
She jumped, startled, when he suddenly gripped the papers tightly as his face turned into a scary grimace.
He stood up suddenly and looked her directly in the eyes with a small frown on his face. His expression softened, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Sorry Miss Fors. It was not my intention to startle you."
He moved from behind the table and gestured for her to follow. "We need to go right now. Your friend is in great danger."
Hearing this, her stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"
He opened the door, and they both stepped outside. He stood at the side-street and called for a carriage. Then he looked her in the eyes and said in a serious voice, "The divination I just performed is called dream divination. It allowed me to gain revelations about something I wished to know."
A single-horse carriage stopped in front of them. Sherlock helped her into the carriage and instructed the driver, "Take us to Iris Street, Cherwood Borough."
Hearing this, her brows furrowed. Before she could ask, he spoke again. "Miss Xio got into a fight with a couple of Beyonders in a remote alley by men wearing heavy jackets and grayish-black caps."
An audible gasp left her mouth as her stomach dropped. Seemingly not noticing her reaction, he continued, "She was captured and taken to a luxurious villa. And at the moment, she is stuck in a small and dark room. There were also sounds of women's cries and screams in the background."
***
1st July, Sunday at High Noon. Backlund, Empress Borough.
Audrey, who woke up earlier, paced around her room, seemingly worried. She was too uncertain if the ritualistic magic that Mr. Fool mentioned about using his divine kingdom as a trade hub would result in anything odd.
"Let's do this…" Saying this, she pumped her fist gently.
She entered the bathroom. The square bathtub was three to four meters on each side. There was clear water rippling gently in it with steam emitting from it. It was quite a dreamy sight.
Audrey tidied up a rectangular table with many bottles placed on it. Then, she went back out and moved candles, sacrificial items, the bottle of the Ghost Shark Blood, and a white robe over.
Immediately after that, she closed the bathroom door.
With everything done, Audrey heaved a sigh of relief and picked up a translucent light-red bottle in the middle of the four candles. She also put the essence oils required for the ritual right beside them.
She looked at the dreamy but ice-cold blood in the bottle. "What an odd item," Audrey murmured softly. "Oh, one has to cleanse one's body and calm their mind before engaging in ritualistic magic. This is a form of reverence to the divine… uh, to the target."
As she went through the entire process in her head, she placed the ritual's essential oil beside her bathtub. She reached out and began disrobing what she wore at home.
Pieces of her silk clothing fell into the laundry basket one after another. Audrey coiled up her hair into a bun and tested the water's temperature with her hand. Then, she carefully stepped into the bathtub, allowing her body to slowly sink into the water's warm embrace.
"Phew…" She exhaled comfortably, finding herself warm all over. She felt abnormally relaxed.
'I don't even want to move a single finger.' Audrey forcefully pumped herself up as she grabbed the essential oil bottle beside her and dripped a few drops into the water.
A waft of fragrance dispersed, filling the silence with a refreshing smell. Audrey breathed in a few times and nodded in satisfaction. She stood up, picked up four candles, and placed them on the four corners of the table.
'A loaf of white bread at the top left corner, a bowl of Feynapotter noodles at the top right corner. Smells great, but it's a little cold… No! It's not time to think of this! Paella at the bottom left corner and Desi pie at the bottom right…' Audrey set up the altar according to The Fool's transferred knowledge to her mind seriously. It was an odd experience getting knowledge of how to create the altar when she heard the honorific name of Mr. Fool.
After she was done with the preparation, she left her four candles lit. She picked up a silver knife and stabbed it into a pile of coarse salt.
After narrating the sacred incantation in Hermes, Audrey raised the knife with beautiful patterns and placed it into a cup filled with clear water.
After focusing her mind, she pulled out the silver "sacred blade," cogitating her spirituality to spew out and spread from her blade.
Invisible energy spewed out as Audrey held the knife and circled the altar once. When she felt that a spirituality wall was fully erected around her, she expelled all the uncleanliness and distractions outside.
Maintaining her calm state, she prevented her excitement and joy from affecting the ritual.
She put down the silver knife and picked up the tiny light-blue crystalline bottle and dripped a drop on each candle.
A faint fragrance emanated as Audrey's body, heart, and soul seemed to attain tranquility.
She drew a breath as she lowered her head in reverence and began chanting the incantation in Hermes:
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era,
"You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog,
"You are the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck,
"I pray for your help.
"I pray for your loving grace.
"I pray for you to give me a good dream.
"Moon flower, a herb that belongs to the red moon, please bestow your powers to my incantation!
"Fingered citron, a herb that belongs to the sun, please bestow your powers to my incantation!"
…
Right after Audrey chanted the incantation and began to cogitate on the contents of her plea, she felt a stir within the spirituality wall. She saw a dark red star swirling on the back of her hand.
Right at that moment, Audrey felt a pair of eyes falling on her naked body. She hurriedly took the towel and wrapped it around herself. A shiver ran down her spine as her whole face turned red with embarrassment. After a second the gaze vanished, but her face stayed red as she tried to rationalize the situation. "Wait! I didn't think he could directly look here. Doesn't that mean he saw me naked? Bu-but he is a God, he wouldn't care if he sees me naked r-right."
In her embarrassment she missed the moment when the ghost shark bottle was exchanged for a goatskin parchment.
…
2nd of July, Monday.
In a private chemistry laboratory equipped with apparatus and items.
A tall, blond Audrey was looking at the cup in her hand. There were countless bubbles and it made the atmosphere serene.
Finally, the liquid in the cup precipitated into a sticky silver substance.
"Haha, I'm indeed talented in mysticism. I succeeded in one try! I was worried of failure and prepared two sets of materials!" the girl muttered to herself in delight.
She put away the items she took from her family's vault or exchanged them with others. She took a deep breath and prepared to close her eyes to drink down the Spectator potion.
'But before that, according to the method written in the ghost skin parchment given to me by Mr. Hanged Man, I need to calm myself and cogitate before drinking the potion. Should I take a bath…'
Suddenly, her face turned red in embarrassment as she remembered the situation that happened yesterday... 'No, no, don't think about it... It was just an accident. I didn't know Mr. Fool could just look at me when I did the ritual.'
She coughed into her hand and then took a deep breath... and she proceeded to follow the instructions on the parchment and entered Cogitation.
After a while, she opened her eyes and drank the Spectator potion in one gulp. In a matter of moments, her mind unraveled.
…
Alger Wilson was situated in the Rorsted Archipelago's City of Generosity.
He had not gone with the sailors to the famous Red Cabaret. He arrived here as fast as possible to find the information about the Queen Mystic Bernadette Gustav Mr. Fool had asked about…
He opened the pocket watch before him and laid it next to the glass on the table in front of him. The clock was ticking without joy as it exuded nervousness.
When the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand aligned, there was an explosion of crimson before Alger.
…
At noon, Monday.
Audrey Hall lay against a down-feather pillow and glanced at the yellow paper in her hand. Her gemlike eyes looked like they had two souls spiraling slowly in them. Sussie, her dog, was sleeping right beside her at the top of her pillow.
Her gaze was calm and cool, as if she were waiting for a play to begin.
As the crimson red erupted, she looked at herself being swallowed with complete detachment.
…
After the crimson from her vision ended, the first thing she heard was the voice of Mr. Fool.
"Congratulations, Miss Justice, you are a Beyonder now."
'He can tell straight away?' Audrey was stunned and smiled faintly. "Thank you, Mr. Fool, and thank you, Mr. Hanged Man." Audrey did a light courtesy.
"That was much faster than I thought," Mr. Hanged Man said honestly.
Audrey drew a light gasp as she asked in anticipation, "Mr. Hanged Man, are you satisfied with the box of Ghost Shark blood?"
"Thank you very much. It perfectly met my expectations," Mr. Hanged Man said frankly, standing up and bowing toward Mr. Fool. "Thank you, Mr. Fool, for your tremendous help."
"Mr. Fool, I have gathered the information you needed," Mr. Hanged Man said and continued, "The Dawn has been docked at Sonia Island for the last few weeks. It is rumored that Queen Mystic is searching for the rumored elves on the island."
Hearing this, Mr. Fool gave a thankful nod toward Mr. Hanged Man.
Audrey tilted her head, but then she also added, "Mr. Fool, I have a page of Emperor Roselle's diary with me."
"Um, how should I offer the diary pages to you?" she asked.
"Say my honorific name in your mind and think of the diary with the intention of offering it to me…" Mr. Fool explained.
Audrey promptly did so, and the gray fog started to gather in front of her, solidifying into the page of the diary.
Audrey looked at the display with awe.
She stood up, took the paper, and offered them to Mr. Fool, who took the diary page and started to read. Both Audrey and Mr. Hanged Man sat there silently with bated breath.
After a minute, Mr. Fool finished reading and looked in their direction and smiled.
"My apologies, I was too absorbed in reading them."
Audrey calmed the envy in her heart and smiled faintly.
"I can understand. I hope to one day be able to exchange information about the diary's contents."
Mr. Fool chuckled and shook his head. "These things do not contain information that would be useful to you."
Alger's mind spun. 'Is my theory correct then? These diaries hold messages or secret information that Roselle wrote for Mr. Fool?'
Audrey, on the other hand, tilted her head to the side when she saw the emotions of Mr. Hanged Man in front of her. A mix of suppressed excitement, tension, and suspicion.
…
"Miss Justice, did you follow the instructions I put in it correctly?" Mr. Hanged Man said as he looked towards her direction.
"Of course! I have a family tutor for such chemistry experiments." Audrey replied.
"That's good."
"And thank you for teaching me about cogitation… It's such a fascinating matter. Also, the fact that Beyonder's powers come from the meaning it symbolizes. And how the meaning of a potion mainly lies in its name, such as Spectator…!"
A light tap on the bronze table sounded.
"It's not about grasping them, but rather digesting them.
"It's not about discovery, but rather acting.
"The name of a potion is not only symbolic, it's also imagery. It is the key to digesting."
Audrey was dazed and confused from hearing that. She was not very clear on what Mr. Fool was trying to express.
She subconsciously eyed Mr. Hanged Man for a reaction from the corner of her eyes. She was surprised to see him jolt and freeze. It was as though an ordinary person had heard a loud and sudden clap of thunder.
"Digesting, acting… Digesting, acting… Digesting, acting, key…" Mr. Hanged Man repeated it again and again softly as though he had grasped a key concept or had succumbed to a strange curse.
After a while, he raised his head and said with a hoarse voice, "Thank you, Mr. Fool. Your hint is as valuable as my life. You have enlightened me greatly. Of course, I believe I have yet to fully understand or comprehend it."
When Mr. Fool noticed Audrey's glazed eyes and Mr. Hanged Man admitting his ignorance, he chuckled and explained it further. "Let me explain this with an analogy. For the acting method to work, imagine the core powers of your potion as a tightly guarded castle. The remnants of the psyche that can cause a backlash reside within that castle. Your goal is to get rid of it and become the true master of the castle.
"There are two ways you can do that. The first is to forcefully invade the castle. There is no guarantee that this will work, and you will most definitely injure yourself unless you can suppress it with absolute power. But of course, you are not equipped to do that.
"The second way is to get the owner of the castle to extend an invitation. This invitation can allow you to slide through the scrutiny of the guards and infiltrate the castle. You can then easily finish off the enemies. But the problem lies in the fact that this invitation specifies the facial features and characteristics of the guest. Thus, you have to disguise yourself and act as a guest."
Klein went silent and let them digest the information, and then he continued, "And all acting has one premise, which is that one possesses all the powers needed to digest the potion."
"Then the aforementioned invitation is the name of the potion's Sequence?"
"That's right," Klein answered with great affirmation.
Audrey froze for a moment, having the sudden feeling that she completely understood what "acting" meant.
Noticing the wide shock and awe radiating from Mr. Hanged Man, Audrey could understand this was very important information that normal Beyonders didn't know. 'How cool is this… We get to know secret information about the Beyonder world.'
"A word of warning you should follow no matter what…"
Both of them looked back at Mr. Fool, giving him all of their attention, while he tapped the table rhythmically.
"Remember that you're only acting. Do not get consumed by it, losing your original self in the process."
After a long moment of quiet, as both of them digested the information that had been given to them, Mr. Hanged Man suddenly sighed before saying, "It seems like there is nothing else.
"Perhaps we can have a casual chat. We can talk about things happening around us. Perhaps it is something very normal to you, but in the ears of others it might be a very important clue."
"Sure," Mr. Fool said as he nodded slightly.
"Then, shall we begin with you, Mr. Hanged Man?" Audrey agreed in excitement.
Mr. Hanged Man thought for a moment before saying, "The infamous pirate who calls himself Admiral Ludwell has begun his voyage to explore the eastern end of the Sonia Sea again."
"Oh? The owner of the Black Tulip?" Audrey asked after a moment of thought.
"Yes," Mr. Hanged Man replied with a nod.
"Alright, my turn. Let me think of what I have to share." Audrey cocked her head and rested it on her hand before chuckling.
"Yesterday, my etiquette teacher taught me how to faint, how to faint elegantly without any faux pas. It is a practical skill used at social events to avoid awkward situations or nasty guys. Heh heh. I was just organizing my thoughts. What I really wanted to say is that ever since the failure of the battle on Balam's eastern shore, the king, the premier, and the gentlemen are under immense stress. They eagerly wish to change."
Audrey continued speaking about how messy the government was and how every time an election happened and the ruling party changed, everything became far too chaotic.
Then Mr. Fool proceeded to give her the idea of a Civil Examination.
After he finished, Audrey could not help but look at Mr. Fool and sincerely marvel. "Mr. Fool, you must be an elderly person with outstanding intelligence who is very experienced in life!"
Mr. Fool only cocked his head to the side as he looked at Mr. Hanged Man and Audrey for a few silent seconds.
"Let us end today's gathering here."
"By your will." Audrey and Mr. Hanged Man stood up together.
...
Above the gray fog.
When both of them left, Klein suddenly remembered something and blinked like a fool. "Audrey did not ask about what happens when an animal drinks a potion. That means Susie did not drink one. Does that mean this world does not have best girl Susie in it as a Beyonder?"
Klein slumped on his chair. "I think I messed up big time."
***
July 2nd 1349, Midnight, Tingen.
In the two-story house on Osna Street in the East Borough. The room was large and the cloakroom door was half open. There was a thick carpet, a goose-feather blanket, a makeup table cluttered with creams and cosmetics, jewelry everywhere, and light clothes and socks tossed over a rocking chair. Gold-trimmed decorations filled the space.
What drew the eye the most was an unfinished oil painting. It showed a lady completely naked. Her brown hair fell like a waterfall and her eyes were clear and wide like a deer's, making her look innocent. But her arched brows, sharp nose, and soft lips also showed the charm of a grown woman. These two sides mixed together even though they shouldn't, making the painting strangely and dangerously tempting.
In the center stood a large bed made for someone rich in the Intesian style. It was wide and tall, with dark wooden posts and thick curtains that could be drawn closed for privacy.
At one side of the bed, a man sat on the ground. In the crimson moonlight coming through the window, one could see his round and amiable face. He was Instigator Tris, who had single-handedly caused the tragedy of the Alfalfa.
A hand came between the curtains and ruffled his hair. "Where have you been for the past two days, my little disciple, that you didn't even contact your Mistress?"
Tris smiled softly, clearly content from the experience. "I was hiding after I was found out by the Mandated Punisher."
The thick curtains parted, and the lady from the painting was lying on her stomach on the soft mattress. Her legs were bent upward at the knees, with her feet crossed and lifted, showing her bare feet. Her upper body was slightly propped up on one arm, while the other hand rested at the top of Tris' head. The pose was relaxed yet sensual, highlighting her curves and the lingerie she was wearing.
"I did hear the commotion. John was grumbling about it… I think?" She stopped patting Tris' head and put a finger on her lip as she tried to remember.
Tris suddenly blinked as he remembered something. "Mistress Sharon, may I ask you something?"
"Hm… what is it?" Madam Sharon tilted her head to the side as she began to pat Tris again.
"Is it true that I will become a woman if I advance further in this pathway?" Her hands stopped as he looked at her face.
"Hoh… and where did you learn that, my dear disciple?" she said as she made him turn towards her and looked into his eyes. They had a slight magenta glow deep inside his pupils, a side effect of being under the charm effect of a demoness.
"A person calling himself the Wandering Magician warned me that I would lose my manhood if I continued to advance through this pathway," Tris answered, looking at her face dreamily.
"Fufufu… my, my, what an enigmatic character. I would like to meet him someday." Her voice contained a dangerous edge. She looked at the crimson moon outside, then turned back to Tris and asked, "Hm… what else did he tell you?"
"He also deduced that I was a member of the Theosophy Order, and that I wanted to join the Demoness Sect."
Hearing this, her curiosity peaked as she licked her lips in a slow, sensual way. "Let me see what he looks like. Maybe I will recognize him."
Her hair moved like silk as a single stand of hair pierced into Tris's head and pulled out the reflection of the unknown Beyonder from his mind. It was a technique she learned from a book she brought back from the Demoness Sect in exchange for her contribution. The technique worked by turning the opponent's mind into a mirror and showing fragments of their memories in the air. It was mainly used for investigation.
Back when she was an Instigator, she could only extract a still image through a complicated ritual, but now that she had advanced to Sequence 6 Demoness of Pleasure, she could use her hair as a thread to connect directly to the target's mind and pull out a clear memory instead.
The air in front of Tris shimmered and a three-dimensional image of a man appeared in the room.
The man in the memory was tall and slim. His face looked like it belonged to an ordinary person. His hair was dark and straight, a little messy at the ends, falling to his shoulders.
A long cloak hung from his shoulders, patterned with geometric designs near the hem. Under it he wore an embroidered coat with gold trims. His shirt and vest were richly textured, the kind of thing a relaxed traveler with money might choose. His trousers were neat and checked, and his boots were polished.
Even though everything about him looked plain at first glance, the eyes of the man in the reflection told her another story.
He was definitely someone noteworthy.
Her eyes turned towards Tris, "Hmm, you can leave…"
"Yes, Mistress…" The reflection of the man still remained as Tris left…
She turned onto her side, then rolled onto her back, arching as her legs stretched and her arms relaxed at her sides. One hand moved down from her stomach, over her hips, and she slipped off the lingerie she had been wearing. The fabric fell away and exposed her already wet pussy. Her fingers slid between her thighs.
Her other hand lifted to her mouth, and she closed her eyes and bit her finger as a soft moan escaped. The hand between her thighs continued its slow, wet movements as she kept fingering her cunt.
She opened her eyes and they glowed magenta, and her gaze shifted until it locked onto the unmoving illusion of the Wandering Magician standing in the center of the room.
Her gaze stayed on the glowing figure, her heart fluttered as the crimson moonlight from outside took on a soft pink hue. The illusion seemed almost alive, sending a shiver down her spine.
She stood and walked toward it, swaying her hips. No one was here to see, but it was good practice.
She seemingly touched his illusory chest and leaned close to his face, murmuring out loud. "A rogue Beyonder, and a powerful one at that. He didn't attack Little Triss after realizing he's tied to the Demoness Sect, and he didn't kill him. Instead, he warned him about his manhood." She looked thoughtful. "That means he holds no grudge against the Demoness Sect… I can use this."
The illusion of the man suddenly moved, his hand lightly clasping her throat.
Her breath hitched as she was about to strike the illusion. Then her eyes drifted to her surroundings. Everything looked dreamlike, wrapped in illusory gray fog tinted with a soft pink hue.
Her beautiful eyes brightened with understanding. As a recently advanced sequence 6 Pleasure, her powers might have gone out of control for a moment, enough to pull her into her own dream without her even realizing it.
The hand on her throat tightened. "Hello there…" A deep voice came from the dream magician, sending a shiver down her spine, and her legs went weak. He looked around, and his voice rang out again. "Wasn't expecting this…"
Realizing it was a dream, she didn't resist. She wondered if this was what the magician would do if he found himself in the same situation in reality. Despite the hand clasping her throat, her eyes half-lidded, she gave him a heated gaze.
"H-hi…" She responded... His roaming eyes, the deep voice, and the hand on her throat hit all her weak spots, making her act foolishly.
"C-can you let go of my throat?" She let out enough air to form the words, but he didn't reply. He just cocked an eyebrow, and she understood.
"What's your name?" the man asked with his voice being low and steady.
"I-it's Sh-Sharon…" she whispered as her cheeks warmed up even more.
"Wh-what's yours…" she asked with her voice trembling slightly as she glanced up at him.
The magician tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing her skin. As he closed the distance, he whispered near her ear, "I will tell you if I find you worthy."
He pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes sharp.
For a moment, she forgot it was only a dream as a small flash of indignation bloomed in her chest. Did he really think so highly of himself to say he would judge her worthiness?
Before she could respond, his voice came again. This time it was low and deliberate. "Since I have the opportunity, I want to try something…"
He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. Caught up in the moment, Her eyes closed involuntarily, and her arms and legs wrapped around him. She let out a soft moan as she began to grind herself against him.
In the next moment, he pushed her onto the bed, and the mattress dipped beneath her as his body covered hers. The fog swirled, and his clothes dissolved into nothing, revealing his impressive manhood. Before she could catch her breath or say anything, his hands pushed her thighs apart and his mouth was on her crotch. The first stroke of his tongue ripped a gasp out of her. Her back arched, her fingers clawed at the sheets, and her thoughts scattered.
A couple of moments later, the dream magician lifted his head from between her legs. He licked the juices from his lips and made a sharp clicking sound with his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"The taste of a Demoness isn't bad… indeed."
Her whole body was trembling and her breath was desperate, and her core was soaked. What he said did not register in her mind even a little. Her hips were lifting almost on their own. Her body was ready before her mind could catch up. Then his hands gripped her thighs tighter, and she could feel the heat of his cock at the top of her abdomen. He was looking at her with one eyebrow lifted as if asking for her permission to enter.
Looking at his face, a cocky smirk formed on her mouth, and she was about to open her mouth to taunt him before, without saying anything, he slid inside. Her world exploded into sensation. Her chest heaved and her breath was uneven as a moan tore from her throat before she could stop it. Every movement was fire. Every part of her body he touched, from her breasts to her belly, left her weak and dizzy. She felt suspended between fear, want, and pure sensation of pleasure.
It didn't take much for her to cum, squirting hard as her whole body shook from the pleasure. Her moans echoed through the dreamlike room while he kept driving into her without slowing down. Her mind went blank. She didn't even notice when her body shifted on its own, leaving her on her hands and knees, biting into the pillow just to keep her voice from breaking loose.
"Get ready… I'm cumming," the magician warned just before he pushed all the way in and came.
Her vision flashed white as the heat filled her womb. Her body buckled and trembled as another orgasm slammed into her. Her hair suddenly began to whip around in every direction, and her face felt like thousands of needles were pricking her. In that moment, right on the edge of orgasm, she realized she was on the verge of losing control. The pleasure was too much. Before she could react, her vision was swallowed by a kind of black liquid.
When she opened her eyes again, she was back in reality. She sat up slowly, breathing hard, and saw the bed completely soaked with her fluids. A weak laugh slipped out of her as an intense, overwhelming feeling of 'love' blossomed in her chest. "Merlin Hermes, huh…"