In just an instant, Moriarty retracted his hand holding the banknote, folded the 20-pound note and put it into his pocket, as if the pause just now was just Angel's illusion.
"'Fool'? Does it mean the one in Tarot Cards?"
He picked up the cup and took a sip of coffee. The heat in the cup floated upwards, causing a large area of condensation fog to appear on his glasses, blocking his view of Angel.
If Detective hadn't shown a moment of sluggishness just now, Angel would have almost believed his disguise. Unfortunately, even with the "clown's" control over the body and expression, her subconscious reaction to the sudden inquiry could not be hidden from her sharp eyes!
"Stop pretending, the Tarot Cards you let me shower in Capim's residence has already said everything." She showed a confident smile, crossed her arms, straightened up and looked at this Detective, "You can try to quibble, what is the use of those Tarot Cards?"
"Perhaps it is to disturb the official Beyonder's sight, making them think that our purpose is vendetta or Judgment, rather than saving those girls; maybe it is my personal habit, exaggerated and public, just like when I became 'Black Emperor' and appeared on the rooftop..."
Moriarty raised his eyebrows and explained the meaning of the Tarot Cards sprinkled all over Capim's body with words that seemed to have been prepared for him. However, looking at Angel with an "I don't believe it" expression on his face, he finally shook his head and changed his tone.
"Yes, those Tarot Cards do have special meaning. They represent an organization, an organization that believes in the mysterious 'Fool', and I..."
"And you are one of his followers, or a favored one, hiding in Backlund, waiting for his instructions at any time?"
Angel took over and said.
Moriarty opened his mouth, as if he felt at a loss because he was robbed of his words. After a moment, he nodded. "... Yes, that's what you said."
"So, you knew my identity early on?"
She suddenly figured out why the other party kept appearing near her, enthusiastically helping to find the missing Emily O'Neill, and even faced with numerous Capim Mansion from Beyonder, she chose to participate in the action without hesitation.
This may just fit the instructions of Mr. Fool.
Detective put down the coffee cup and frowned, as if this was a difficult question to answer.
"Yes, because you were in Mr. Fool's sight, I recognized you quickly," hesitating, his eyebrows stretched, and he slowly replied, "But I helped you kill Capim not because of other people's instructions, but because of my own choice."
Looking at the sincerity in the brown eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses, Angel was stunned for a few seconds before nodding. "I believe you."
Of course, I will use divination to confirm the authenticity later... But since he said Mr. Fool, he must not dare to lie, which also explains why we have never met, why I brought Madness Ring, and he can still recognize me as a member of Tarot Club, because Mr. Fool will definitely not be confused by Mystical Item of this level...
Angel's thoughts kept surging, and the slightest bit of unhappiness that the other party had concealed that he was a Fool disciple soon disappeared.
At least he helped me break into the Capim Mansion, and the action of rescuing the kidnapped girls was not simply an order from Mr. Fool...
He picked up the coffee cup and took a big sip of the almost cold coffee. The corners of Angel's mouth behind the cup turned up slightly.
After confirming each other's identities, Angel did not inquire in depth about the other party's experience in Tarot Club, and whether there were other the Fool's Believers in Backlund. This would appear to have other thoughts and even attract unnecessary attention from "Fool".
The conversation turned to other topics. Angel asked Moriarty about protecting a reporter from going to East Borough for an interview last week. The latter had a serious look on his face and described what he had seen in those two days.
The quick glance at Angel when passing by East Borough is different from the few words Miss Justice revealed on Tarot Club. That name is Mike Joseph's "Daily Observer" reporter visited East Borough more deeply and investigated many homeless people who fell into poverty for different reasons. The first-hand information they obtained was more detailed and more heart-wrenching.
When talking about an old lady being interviewed who sat quietly on a chair in a cafe and fell asleep after a rare full meal, Moriarty showed an expression that couldn't be said to be angry or helpless.
"I hope that reporter's interview can make some changes to the current situation of East Borough," Angel murmured after a long silence. "Fortunately, the upper echelons of the kingdom and the major churches seem to have noticed the suffering of the people at the bottom. Perhaps relevant laws and policies will be introduced soon to improve their lives."
"I hope so," Detective seemed to be a pessimist. He just curled his lips after hearing Angel's words. "It's probably more difficult than the evil god to become a good person to expect those nobles and factory owners to have conscience... But Orthodox Church should do something. After all, the people who can't survive may really convert to those terrible existences."
Speaking of the evil god, Angel thought of "True Creator" who almost came to Backlund Docklands, and Lanevus who died in the sewer., thinking of the "Empress" signs that he heard from Audrey's friends, scattered all over Lanevus's body, looked suspiciously at Moriarty, who was sighing with emotion.
"I have one last question," she said carefully, "In early October, a certain evil god believer died in the sewer near East Balam Dock, a fraudster named Lanevus. The Tarot Cards in him..."
"I put it there."
To her surprise, Moriarty readily admitted his behavior, which made her feel as if she had been punched in the air, and all subsequent questions came back to her stomach.
"That was Mr. Fool's action to prevent the arrival of 'True Creator'. After I saw you who killed Lanevus, Mr. Fool confirmed your identity."
So it turns out that Mr. Fool is really concerned about matters of this level, and his favored person serves as the specific executor, hiding in Backlund, ready to attack the opponent's fatal parts at any time...
Angel was convinced. Just as the aristocratic disciple MI9 had guessed, there really was a secret organization "codenamed Tarot Cards" operating. As a member of the organization, he often thought he was being framed and took advantage of it...
She was a little embarrassed for a moment.
Fortunately, Moriarty didn't notice her slightly red face, and quickly changed the topic to a lighter topic. The two chatted for a while. After Angel filled his stomach with coffee, he finally realized that it was getting late.
After confirming that Moriarty was also a follower of Fool, Angel had a feeling of "finding the organization", which was similar to the sense of belonging she had felt before in the ranks of Nighthawks but lost after Tingen Tragedy. So she was sitting peacefully on the single sofa next to the bay window, as if she had returned to her own home.
Unfortunately, happy time is always short-lived. Looking at the hazy moonlight outside the window, Angel quickly ended the topic and stood up to say goodbye to Moriarty.
"Goodbye, Mr. Sherlock," she changed to a more intimate title, "We may have many opportunities to cooperate in the future."
Sherlock Moriarty was stunned for a second when he heard the new title and smiled.
"I hope so, Miss Irene."
Looking out the window, Angel stopped a hired carriage, got on the car and left slowly. Klein closed the curtains and sat back on another sofa a little far away from the bay window, opposite the single sofa that had never been moved. He looked at the coffee cup on the table and stood up again after a long time.
He took out a Tarot Cards from his trouser pocket, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, lit a pinch of spiritual fire, and watched the cards burn into ashes in the flames and scatter on the ground.
That's a "World" card.
Angel got on the carriage and reported a street location at the junction of Backlund Bridge Borough and East Borough. He listened to the coachman outside the door shouting and directing the horses and drove slowly.
Although it was getting late, she still followed the method she was accustomed to, first going back to East Borough's safe house, and then back to Bridge District Red Rose Street's home.
Untying the silver chain on her wrist and picking up the citrine pendant, she silently recited the divination words and used Pendulum Divination to confirm whether Sherlock had lied or concealed something in the conversation just now.
Amid the slight sway of the carriage, the pendant swung slowly clockwise, giving an affirmative answer.
"The shaking is not big, but it is indeed clockwise, which means most of what he said... is true?"
Looking at the citrine with a trace of cracks, Angel was stunned.