As she did at the weekly Tarot Club gathering, Audrey arrived in the magnificent palace surrounded by mysterious gray fog and sat in the high-backed chair belonging to Justice.
She looked around and found that only Miss Magician, on her left, had attended the meeting. Apart from her, Miss Empress, who presided over the gathering, still sat upright in the Fool's seat. Just as at the gathering of all the members a few days earlier, neither her posture nor her expression had changed. She resembled a cold statue.
Audrey suspected that the figure, obscured by gray fog with only a vague outline visible, was actually some kind of Mirror Substitution rather than the deity herself. After all, even the original Mr. Fool had not sat in the same place seven days a week. He had been absent from some impromptu gatherings.
No, Mr. World was usually there at those times, so that effectively meant Mr. Fool was present too... Audrey suddenly realized this. Her gaze unconsciously shifted to the other end of the long table, and she was disappointed to find the solitary high-backed chair empty. Only a small silver mirror rested on the bronze table.
The instant she saw it, Audrey felt her thoughts grow slightly sluggish, as though she had forgotten many things.
Strange, when did this mirror appear at Mr. World's seat? It seems to have been there for a long time, but I forget about it every time I see it. Is this some kind of ability that makes people overlook it...? Audrey withdrew her gaze in bewilderment. The next second, she forgot what she had just been thinking.
Just as her mind went blank, Miss Empress's emotionless, somewhat cold voice rang out:
"This impromptu meeting was called because Miss Magician has just returned from the