With the help of a bestowment ritual, Klein handed 2,500 pounds in cash and the gold mask provided by The Hanged Man to Miss Justice, and he used the image of The World to urge her to close the deal as soon as possible.
I've spent almost 5,000 pounds in the past two weeks. If I didn't leave Tingen, this amount of money is enough for me to maintain a lifestyle just like my landlady's family... A doll ruins one's life, consuming potions bankrupts you for threegenerations 1 ... Klein looked at the vast fog and the ancient palace, which had returned to silence. He was a little upset, as though he had lost something important.
He was quiet for a few seconds before returning to the real world. He picked up the remaining 830 pounds on his desk, and he counted out six five-pound notes.
Then, Klein put the thirty pounds of cash in his now deflated wallet and stuffed it solemnly into the inside pocket of his clothes.
He divided the other eight hundred pounds into two stacks, placing one stack in each of his side pockets.
After that, Klein opened the drawer and took out two of the five Deep-sea Naga hair strands that he had brought back to the real world. He wrapped them in layers after layers of paper and carefully put them into his pocket.
When he was done, he took his hat and cane, and he headed for the street corner under the glow of the street lamps at night. He got on a carriage and headed for the Bravehearts Bar in the Backlund Bridge area.
In the heated and noisy environment, Klein insisted on finishing his glass of Southville beer before he slowly made his way out of the bar and into a rental carriage through the thundering cheers for the boxers.
Taking in the rumbling of the wheels, he intentionally closed his eyes. Suddenly, he heard the sound of the window being lightly tapped.
Klein's facial muscles twitched slightly as he opened his eyes and looked in front of him. He saw the pale and exquisite Miss Sharron sitting quietly across him.
Without waiting for her to question him, Klein smiled and said, "I sold the information you gave me last time for a good price, the one about the Amon family tomb."
Sharron looked at him silently.
Leaning his cane to the side, Klein took out two stacks of cash and a small clump of paper from his pocket.
"Eight hundred pounds plus two strands of Deep-sea Naga hair, for a total of about a thousand pounds; that's what you deserve." Klein took a silent breath and smiled as he handed over the cash and paper clump.
Sharron glanced at him and reached out her hand to take both items.
She lowered her head, looked at the items in her hand, and asked in an ethereal voice, "How much did you sell it for?"
"Two thousand pounds, so we split it equally." Klein chuckled.
If the Machinery Hivemind had only paid me 1,500 pounds according to the original plan, then I'll have to first owe you a portion of it... he thought gladly.
With a flip of Sharron's bloodless hand, the cash and the paper clump disappeared without a trace.
She raised her head and tersely acknowledged before asking succinctly, "What's in the tomb?"
"I don't know, I didn't go." Klein didn't disclose the help he had received from the magic mirror, Arrodes.
For an instant, he felt that if he described the experience in detail, Miss Sharron would've listened attentively with one hand on her cheek, as she had done before.
This Wraith lady seems to have a hobby of watching situational scenes and dramas or listening to all kinds of rumors... Klein summed up.
Sharron's expression didn't change. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "Someone is digging a tunnel to the underground ruin."
"Huh?" Klein wasn't able to react for a moment to what Sharron was talking about.
However, he soon understood which underground ruin Sharron was referring to.
There was only one underground ruin the two of them knew of, and that was the Fourth Epoch Tudor Dynasty ruin.
Someone is digging their way into the underground structure? Klein pondered for a few seconds, then he suddenly came to a realization.
"Is it that baronet?"
He had already forgotten the name of the hidden Tudor Dynasty descendant, other than knowing that he had an aristocratic title of a baronet and that he lived on Sivellaus Street where the Backlund police station was located.
"Yes." Sharron gave him a positive answer.
"What is he looking for? Doesn't he know that there's an evil spirit inside? Doesn't he know that all the Beyonders from his family died in there?" Klein asked himself a few questions.
Sharron sat up straight and replied seriously, "I don't know if he knows or not."
"... How much longer will he take to dig through?" Klein asked in deliberation.
"Another two to three months, for the time being, he's doing it on his own." Sharron provided her own judgment.
Phew. Klein let out a small sigh.
"There's no need to rush. When I'm ready, then we can go ‘visit' him together."
At this point, he explained with a smile, "As you know, I like to make sufficient preparations in advance."
I won't get involved in anything until I advance to Faceless!
He warned himself inwardly.
"Alright." Sharron didn't ask him what he was going to do, but her figure faded quickly, and she disappeared from the carriage.
Klein leaned back against the wall, feeling relaxed.
The ingredients for the Faceless potion has been reserved, and I'm just waiting for the "delivery"... My debts have all been paid off, so there's nothing to worry about...His mood was like a fizzy wine that had settled. Occasionally, there would be a little bit of joy that would silently surge upwards.
The only problem is... Klein touched his left breast, where there was a shriveled wallet.
He sighed and said to himself silently, "Only thirty pounds in cash, five gold coins, and some change..."
...
Thursday afternoon.
Audrey Hall was waiting in the study for the arrival of Miss Escalante.
After receiving The Hanged Man's and The World's replies, she had immediately sent a servant to send a letter to Escalante.
The content of the letter was very ordinary. Audrey hoped that the second psychology class this week would be brought forward to Thursday. In reality, Audrey had already made an agreement with Escalante. Once she expressed such an intention, it would mean that the other party had agreed to the conditions.
Tick. Tock. The wall clock on the wall moved briskly, and Escalante with her waist-reaching long hair entered the room with several teaching materials in hand.
Audrey immediately gave Susie a look. The big golden retriever somewhat reluctantly leaped out, lay down in the nearby shadows, and observed the people coming and going.
Escalante closed the study door, looked around slowly, then sat down across the small white round table and put down the teaching materials.
"Are they paying for it in cash, or with some kind of mystical item?" this member of the Psychology Alchemists asked in a low voice.
"One directly gave 2,500 pounds, and one provided a mystical item." Audrey flippantly took out a white cardboard box from her medium-sized orange handbag. The outside of the box was covered with a wall of spirituality.
After removing the wall of spirituality, she opened the lid of the box, revealing the simple golden mask.
Then, she recounted the flaws and effects of the mask.
To be honest, she was very curious when she received the mystical item. She had wished to test its effects since it was her first time coming into contact with a mystical item. However, she finally resisted her urges, as she didn't wish to turn cold.
"It's basically the same value." Escalante tried it and breathed a sigh of relief.
After two seconds, she pulled out the thickest textbook and flipped to page 48.
The middle part of the textbook had been hollowed out. There was an iron box about the size of a palm and a rolled up piece of parchment.
"Human-skinned Shadow characteristic... Wind-blessed potion formula..." Escalante showed and introduced them to her.
Audrey's gaze cast towards the characteristic which resembled a diamond. The face inside left her head spinning.This... This has the ability to restrain a Spectator's powers... Is this the Sequence pathway of Mr. World? No wonder... Audrey looked away and studied the formula.
This... This has the ability to restrain a Spectator's powers... Is this the Sequence pathway of Mr. World? No wonder... Audrey looked away and studied the formula.
"Sequence 6: Wind-blessed. Main ingredients: Six crystalline feathers of a Blue Shadow Falcon, a pair of Dragon-Eyed Sea Condor eyes..."
Before Audrey could examine the supplementary ingredients, Escalante rolled up the parchment in time.
After that, she set up the wall of spirituality around the metal box again, closed the textbook, and pushed the thick book towards Audrey.
Audrey held the book, but she didn't hand over the gold mask and 2,500 pounds to Escalante in a timely manner.
Seeing the look of puzzlement in Escalante's eyes, the prepared Audrey smiled and said, "The other party is worried that the characteristic doesn't match and that the formula is fake. They hope to verify it first.
"And before the verification, the money and items will all be held under my custody. All of them believe in my trustworthiness, and I do not wish to lose this reputation."
"I understand their concerns." Escalante paused for a moment before saying, "We trust you, too."
Since the money and items were in the hands of one of her own members, she wasn't worried about being cheated despite feeling upheavals.
Besides Miss Audrey is rich and powerful. She can be trusted to be a guarantor...Escalante thought with relief.
...
In the ancient palace above the fog.
Klein held a spirit pendulum in hand, divining the authenticity of the Wind-blessed potion formula.
He didn't wish to inadvertently lose the most experienced and powerful member of the Tarot Club, Mr. Hanged Man.
When he opened his eyes and saw the topaz pendant turning clockwise, Klein heaved a sigh of relief and sent his thoughts to the crimson star that symbolized The Hanged Man.
...
City of Generosity.
Alger first saw the endless gray fog before hearing Mr. Fool's low but distant voice.
"Miss Justice has completed the deal."
An illusory piece of parchment appeared in front of Alger. On it was the Wind-blessed potion formula.
With the potion going through Mr. Fool's hands, he had no qualms about the authenticity of the formula. He bowed his head respectfully and thanked him.
When the "illusion" dissipated, he immediately found a pen and paper to jot down the potion formula.
Then, he paced back and forth in excitement, muttering to himself, "Blue Shadow Falcon... That primitive island has it..."
...
After finishing the matter regarding The Hanged Man, Klein finally had the time to check his Human-skinned Shadow characteristic.
After confirming its authenticity, he relaxed and leaned back in his chair, exhaling happily.
Finally...
After three seconds, Klein suddenly sat up, and he decided that there was no time to lose. Tonight, he would concoct the Faceless potion!
