What do I need? Cattleya silently chuckled, having sensed that The Hanged Man was probing her with a very ordinary question.
Any needs meant clues!
Ignoring the fact that I've already obtained the potion formula for Sequence 4 Mysticologist of the Mystery Pryer pathway, and accumulating points for one of the main ingredients, even without anything, I have no lack of corresponding resource channels, and far more than one... Cattleya had another thought as she recalled the Sea God Scepter which Mr. Fool wielded. She then smiled and said, "I need a mystical item at the demigod level. The kind with acceptable side effects."
At that instant, Alger nearly retorted, asking her not to crack a joke.
Even in the Church of Storms, one wasn't necessarily capable of obtaining a similar item for years, much less a Beyonder who was obviously only a Mid-Sequence Beyonder!
If I had an item at the demigod level without any real negative side effects, why wouldn't I keep it for my own use? Alger knew that The Hermit was using mockery to respond to his attempt at sounding her out, but he wasn't as irascible as his peers. He slowly took a deep breath and said, "I'll keep an eye out.
"But Ma'am, you should know very well that just an effective clue towards such an item might be enough to cover the cost of an Ocean Songster's potion formula."
... Very staid. Not easily angered. This is very different from the usual style of the Church of Storms... Was the conclusion of my first observation wrong? He's only disguising himself as a priest of the Storm? No, I can't think of it that way. This might also be because he doesn't dare to flare up under Mr. Fool's watch. Or perhaps, he's just an odd one out in the Church of Storms. There might not be many, but it's not extremely rare...
Cattleya wasn't greedy. She didn't sound him out a second time as she nodded.
"I know."
As the conversation between the two came to an end, no one made any requests during the transaction segment. A number of members already had the means to obtain whatever they needed, so there was no need to make any requests for purchases. It was mainly Audrey and Fors who were waiting for the subsequent potion formulas. Another reason stemmed from their financial situation or circumstances, and they weren't able to make any early expenditures. This included Emlyn, who was filled with desire for the Sanguine's Viscount inheritance, as well as Miss Magician who wanted a mystical item.
Indeed, as everyone slowly cast off their statuses as Low-Sequence Beyonders, advancements are no longer that fast. The rate of transactions will also rapidly drop. In the past, there was basically one or two deals every week, but now, it might be two to three weeks. In the future, it might even be three to four months... Without knowing whether it was for the better or worse, Klein nodded gently to indicate that it was time to engage in the free exchange.
Audrey looked at Derrick and waited for him to describe the unexpected situation at the City of Silver.
Derrick didn't let her "expectations" down. Before anyone could speak, he earnestly said, "Elder Lovia has been released. I encountered her at the library."
Shepherd Lovia has been released? Using flesh and blood, the entire team that she led was corrupted by the True Creator, so how can she be without any problems? What is the six-member council thinking? Klein originally wanted to say something along the lines of—"if there's nothing wrong with Lovia, I'll chop off my head and gift it to the True Creator to be kicked like a ball." However, considering how swears and curses involved deities in them and might lead to terrible consequences, he rationally changed his thoughts.
Of course, I don't have to be that careful with me above the gray fog... He sighed inwardly.
"Elder Lovia has been released? That Shepherd?" Audrey quickly recalled what the name meant.
Back then, Little Sun had used Blasphemer Amon's possession and Mr. Fool's help to expose the fact that the entire exploration team had been corrupted by the True Creator. As for the team, it was led by Lovia. Her job as a Shepherd happened to correspond to the Secrets Suppliant pathway of the True Creator!
"Yes." Derrick nodded earnestly as he looked towards The Hanged Man.
Alger thought for a moment before asking, "Has your Chief returned to the City of Silver?"
Why would Mr. Hanged Man suddenly ask about this... Ah, right. To release such an important figure, it's impossible that the other elders of the six-member council wouldn't wait for the Chief's return...
If the Chief has yet to return, and that they had decided this without his consent, it goes to show that the situation is even more terrible than one can imagine. It was so terrible that they couldn't even await his return... If the Chief has already returned, then the reason for releasing Lovia has a high chance to do with the outcome of the exploration. This is because, according to Little Sun, this is the only exploration in recent times for the City of Silver.
Sigh, why didn't I think of this? Audrey, you're still lacking in experience... Audrey reflected and consoled herself in thought.
"Yes, not long ago." Derrick was surprised by Mr. Hanged Man's accurate guesses.
At this moment, Fors, who had been listening quietly, combined what she knew from before and suddenly had an idea.
"Mr. Sun, could this be the situation?
"Your Chief led the exploration team and that little boy, Jack, to seek out a path that leads to the outside world, but they realized that the power of the True Creator is required. Heh heh, this isn't a lie I'm fabricating, but an inference of the facts. The father of that boy, Jack, belonged to the Aurora Order, and they were seeking the holy residence of the True Creator before arriving where you are.
"Therefore, for the entire City of Silver, your Chief decided to release Shepherd Lovia after returning."
"If that's really the case, Mr. Sun would be in grave danger," Audrey said with worry. Fors's words sank Derrick's heart.
At this moment, Alger shook his head.
"No, I have the exact opposite belief.
"Miss Magician's inference is identical to my theory, but I believe this will make it safer for The Sun!"
"Why?" Derrick's heart calmed down as he asked.
Isn't that simple? Balance! Klein scoffed inwardly.
"The danger of the True Creator is noticeable by any sentient creature with eyes and a brain. Your Chief will definitely not put all his chips on "Him." He definitely needs a force that can counterbalance the True Creator.
"As for you, the one who exposed their ploy, you were possessed by Blasphemer Amon, so you might represent another possibility.
"The more Lovia and company wish harm upon you, the more the Chief and the other elders will protect you. This way, they would turn a blind eye to whatever suspicious aspects you didn't manage to erase," Alger explained simply.
This ends up being a silver lining? Fors was stunned.
Mr. Hanged Man makes a lot of sense... When it comes to analyzing matters and the situation, I'm still far from matching him... Audrey felt somewhat depressed. She even thought of puffing her cheeks, but she immediately realized that it wasn't an elegant act. All she could do was keep those thoughts to herself.
For the rest of the members, Emlyn, who didn't know much about Lovia, had a hard time keeping up. However, he knew about Jack and the repeated cycles, so he was barely able to understand the discussion.
In order to break out of the City of Silver's conundrum, they released a "danger" that has the True Creator involved? Emlyn inwardly made a guess.
Compared to him, Cattleya couldn't understand a word. She felt as though she was from a completely different world compared to the other members.
I actually have a feeling of admiration despite my incomprehension of what they said... The last time I had this feeling was several years ago. Back then, I was still very weak... There were some inklings in the previous Tarot Gatherings, especially so when it involves the City of Silver, but never has it been as serious as this time...
Also, why are they discussing the True Creator and Blasphemer Amon so naturally? Eh... It should be the Blasphemer Amon I know of... They're only Mid-Sequence Beyonders... What have they actually done in the past? Cattleya's confidence as a powerhouse suffered a setback at that very moment.
After hearing Mr. Hanged Man's analysis, Derrick first heaved a sigh of relief before asking with tense nerves, "Could this result in our City of Silver being destroyed by the Fallen Creator?"
He originally wished that Mr. Hanged Man could provide him with an answer that could relieve him, but he ended up hearing the man say in a deep voice, "That possibility can't be ruled out."
"Then what should I do?" Derrick earnestly sought advice.
"Under the situation of us not understanding what your Chief and the other elders of the six-member council are up to, I cannot provide you with any suggestions, but I don't think you need to be in such a panic." Alger raised his head to glance at Mr. Fool, who was silently looking at the members from the end of the long bronze table.
Tracing his gaze, Derrick subconsciously looked over and saw Mr. Fool whose extremely blurry figure was covered in the gray fog.
He instantly felt a sense of serenity, and he couldn't help but recall that holy and powerful angel.
... Although I've foiled several of the True Creator's ploys, I'll definitely not last a second if I were to really clash with "Him"... The situation will devolve into The Fool coming to his doorstep, but the True Creator finding The Fool completely lacking... Klein maintained his casual listening state, without saying a word or showing any expression.
Derrick retracted his gaze and said to Alger, "Mr. Hanged Man, thank you for your help. I will try to figure out what Chief and the others are planning."
With the matter coming to an end, Cattleya deliberated before saying, "Was the Blasphemer Amon you were talking about before referring to the ancestor of the Amon family in the Fourth Epoch's Tudor Empire, the son of the Creator?"
Son of the Creator? Audrey was stunned by what Ma'am Hermit said. She instinctively turned her head to the end of the long bronze table and discovered Mr. Fool sitting there calmly, as though he was tacitly confirming Amon's other identity.
