If "The Fool" signified the beginning of the tarot club, then "The World" signified the end, a perfect ending of a cycle and sublimation. Klein had named his smurf "The World" because he hoped that it would lead to a beautiful beginning and end.
In the future, I'll be able to make The World make requests or do things that wouldn't be convenient for me. This will greatly reduce the possibility that my image as Mr. Fool will collapse. With an alt, no—a smurf truly is what makes life complete! Klein sighed in relief and waved The World away.
Following that, he spread out his spirituality, wrapped himself, and stimulated a descent into the gray fog and returned to the real world.
He had left Rosago's All-Black Eye above the gray fog. After all, he couldn't usually use the "item" anyway, and he had to constantly worry about having it discovered by others or losing it.
After putting away the summoning ritual materials, Klein looked up towards the crimson moonlight that passed through the curtains, filled with anticipation for tomorrow's gathering.
When it came to understanding the aristocracy, he believed that Miss Justice would definitely surpass 99% of the people of Leon.
And with his smurf, The World, he could directly ask her about the Pound family without worrying about affecting his image as a The Fool!
Of course, this had to be done in a more tactful manner. After all, Detective Sherlock Moriarty was also looking for information on the Pound family, and only with enough information would he be able to perform a divination above the gray fog.
Phew... Klein thought hard for a while before he relaxed and fell asleep.
After entering the gray fog, it was as though the remnants of the evil spirit's aura had completely disappeared. Klein slept until dawn, but he didn't see the sun because of the thin fog outside.
He continued as planned, heading to the rest of the public libraries in Backlund, but he no longer queried the librarians nor did he mention the Pound family. He only leafed through the materials concerning the nobility by himself.
At twenty minutes to three in the afternoon, Klein entered the mysterious space above the gray fog ahead of time.
Inside the vast and ancient palace, he sat down at the seat belonging to The Fool. He conjured the fake World on the opposite side of the mottled bronze table as he familiarized himself with operating The World.
After a few minutes, Klein took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, sending a message to the crimson star that symbolized The Sun to prepare for the gathering.
While he waited, he played with the All-Black Eye and "fitted" it with a silver chain. Then, he wound it around his right wrist and covered it with his sleeve.
At three in the afternoon, rays of light shot out from the palace that resembled a giant's residence. Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Sun, each projected a blurry silhouette dyed in crimson.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~ Good afternoon..." Audrey was about to greet every member of the Tarot Club when her gaze suddenly fell upon the figure seated at the very end.
It was a stranger wearing a hooded black robe. He was also illusory and hazy.
"This is?" Audrey looked at Mr. Fool with both puzzlement and delight.
Has the Tarot Club grown bigger again?
Is it Fors or Xio? No, the height doesn't match. Is it someone else?
While Audrey was deep in thought, Klein leisurely leaned back and said, "This is a new member, Mr. World."
At the same time, through his gray fog-augmented Spirit Vision, he discovered that the surface color of The Sun's Astral Projection had become a little purer, but it had yet to reach the standards of Sequence 8. His initial judgment was that The Sun had completely digested the Bard potion.
"Hello," Audrey greeted politely, curiously scrutinizing the new member.
She quickly "read" some of the corresponding details through the hazy fog.
Mr. World is a person who is reserved. He seldom moves and always wears a straight face. I wonder where he's from. Loen? Intis? Or a place as mysterious as the City of Silver? Audrey nodded thoughtfully.
After so many gatherings, she had deduced one thing from the fact that The Sun couldn't engage in their conversations; that was, that he was most likely not speaking the Loen language and that the information that he heard was most likely translated by Mr. Fool.
After The Hanged Man, Alger, and The Sun, Derrick, greeted The World respectively, to which the newcomer gave a rather cold response, Klein looked at Justice and said, "The two candidates you have nominated are still under examination.
"I'll give you a simple task. You can entrust it to them in your name. This is part of the examination."
It should be this strict... Not only was Audrey not disappointed, she even felt that it was only necessary.
The members of the Tarot Club must be strictly selected; not just anyone can become one! She thought proudly before adding in a somewhat guilty tone, And for me to be pulled in by Mr. Fool at the very beginning shows that I was lucky, and luck is a unique quality as well!
"Alright, please issue the mission," Audrey gave an affirmative answer.
Klein stretched out his right hand and placed it on the table, showing a picture of Lanevus and his dressing.
"Investigate the man in the painting. He's in Backlund." Klein had the portrait appear in front of Miss Justice.
Audrey looked over and saw a young man with neatly combed black hair and round glasses. He had a full forehead.
It was a colored oil painting, with taunting brown eyes that seemed abnormally protruded, and at the bottom were the words "formerly known alias: Lanevus" and other information.
It's a simple mission, which means that the target isn't strong... However, there must be something special about him that makes Mr. Fool aware of his existence... Although it's a simple mission, there might be a deeper purpose behind it... For someone as powerful as him, it shouldn't just be a test... Audrey momentarily allowed her to throng her mind. Only after a few seconds did she say, "I'll entrust it to them."
Hmm... The two ladies seem to have many connections in Backlund which would serve to help in finding Lanevus. After confirming the matters pertaining to his revenge, Klein fell silent, and he deliberately allowed his smurf to take center stage.
The World surveyed the area and spoke with a hoarse voice, "Mr. Fool told me that I can issue missions and gather ingredients here, is that so?"
"Yes," Audrey elegantly nodded and said. "However, you need to wait patiently. What's going to happen next is Mr. Fool's reading time."
I completed my mission to "assassinate Intis Ambassador Bakerland," but I didn't even mention it to occupy this period of time... she thought, raising her chin slightly.
Miss Justice, you really have a great sense of mastership... I'll have to pay the price of knowledge later so that the assassination of Bakerland can truly come to an end...
Klein looked away, amused, and looked over at The Hanged Man.
Alger Wilson didn't speak blindly because of the appearance of a new member. He remained silent and observed in secret.
At this moment, when he saw Mr. Fool looking at him, he quickly and humbly bowed and said, "This time, there are still six pages. The final page will be given to you next time."
"Sure." Klein nodded.
The Hanged Man quickly focused his mind, recalled the contents, and expressed them with his mind.
He quickly finished "writing" six pages of the diary and saw them suddenly vanish and appear in Klein's hands.
Klein looked down and swept through the contents of the first page.
"9th February. I have a third child. I named him Bornova.
"My eldest daughter, Bernadette, was lucky. Her mother and I were just Low-Sequence Beyonders back then. She is free to choose the path she wants to take.
"My eldest son, Ciel, is the most unfortunate. He inherited a minute amount of Beyonder characteristics, but he has to follow my path. Perhaps, he could make changes at Sequence 4, but attaining High Sequences are never easy.
"My second son, Bornova, was born between Bernadette and Ciel. I have his characteristics equivalent to a Sequence 5 Beyonder. This has reduced the burden on me, allowing me to digest my potion even faster, accelerating my advancement. And when he was just born, he was already showing various traits of an Astromancer.
"Zaratul came to congratulate me in secret and praised Bornova as a lovely angel. I asked this master of divination what he would accomplish in the future. He only smiled and didn't answer me.
"When I asked him about Ciel's future, he finally said that death is an inevitable ending, but that might be a good thing.
"Seriously, a Seer's words are always so vague that it makes one want to pry their mouths open.
"When I finally asked about Bernadette's future, he suddenly became very serious. He said she would hate me, detest me, turn her back on me, and she would become an important figure in the mysterious world.
"Sometimes, you really shouldn't ask about the result of a divination. I find it hard to believe that my adorable and kind Bernadette who cares for her brother, adores her father, and pampers her mother would hate me and betray me. Why would that happen? What excessive act did I do? Maybe she'll have someone she loves but I'm not satisfied with. Some punk that I'll end up killing?
"No, Zaratul isn't a Soothsayer, and the divination he receives might be wrong! Forget it, Roselle!"
I think I smell the scent of some contrived family melodrama... After reading the first page of the diary, Klein couldn't help but lampoon silently.
At the same time, he naturally recalled what Zaratul had told him about the future of Bernadette: an important figure in the mysterious world.
Was this referring to the world of the Beyonders? What level would someone be deemed an important figure... Klein turned the pages thoughtfully.
"22nd May. Floren of the Sauron family actually wants me to be his subordinate!
"Do I look like someone who would be a lackey? His attitude is simply unacceptable.
"I swear that I'll one day make him pay the price for his arrogance today.
"However, some of the things he mentioned are very interesting and worth pondering over."
