The Possibility of Resurrection

Alger asked with growing wariness, "What do I need to do, esteemed Mr. Fool?"

Alice quietly pricked up her ears. After all, she couldn't possibly wait until she needed to make an offering... no, until she needed it, and only then learn it, could she?

Klein lightly pressed down with his right hand.

"I said this is only an attempt and may not succeed, so I need your cooperation.

"First, prepare an altar. It Doesn't Need To Be Too Complex; it can be very simple. The only requirement is that you engrave or draw this symbol."

Alice Raised Her Head. A screen of light materialized before Klein, displaying the pattern on the back of Klein's chair.

Looking At that pattern, Alice suddenly recalled her and Klein's resurrection, as well as Mr. Azik and the Goddess's unremarkable attitudes toward it... Perhaps, to high-level existences, resurrection was not such a big deal.

This realization flashed through Alice's heart. She thought of the state she had been in when she had first Awakened within an unfamiliar body, and a horrifying thought suddenly came to her: Who said resurrection had to take place in one's own body?

Alice shuddered and forced herself to focus on Klein's next words. "If you forget, you can pray to me. That way, you'll be able to 'remember.'"

So what if I've Guessed it? Could I avoid the consequences I suspected by remaining at my current Sequence and refusing to advance? No, the potion for the next Sequence would fall from the sky and be poured straight into my mouth...

Alice listened expressionlessly as Audrey and Alger agreed to Klein's words. Then Klein continued:

"Second, follow the normal procedure, but there is no need to burn additional herbs or apply holy oil. There is no need to select a specific time either. Simply chant my name.

"Remember, chant it in Ancient Hermes Language or Giant Language, along with the following prayer:

"Your faithful servant beseeches Your gaze;

"Beseeches You to accept his offering;

"Beseeches You to open the gates to Your kingdom.

"After chanting, combine materials containing spirituality with the natural force vibrations caused by the incantation, then wait for my response.

"If this step fails, replace the materials containing spirituality with Beyonder materials and try again from the beginning."

Alice's Train of Thought gradually calmed as Klein described the process, before she began to drift off again: Wouldn't this expose the fact that Mr. Fool had no Blessed... Hmm, what had The Hanged Man imagined this time? He Looks like he had completely convinced himself. I really want to know...

After Klein arranged the ritual's timing with Alger, he said to Audrey, "Once Mr. Hanged Man's attempt succeeds, I will tell you the Ritual of Bestowal."

If monetary transactions used this method too, could I have Other People sacrifice the money, then not request a bestowal, and treat this place like a bank...

The thought flashed through Alice's mind as she Looked Towards Audrey and Alger. "I want to exchange the information from before for money. Also, you no longer need to seek information on Beyonders of the School of Life and Monster Pathways."

"You've met that Beyonder from the Monster Pathway?" Alger asked.

"That's Right." Alice nodded slightly and said to Alger, "Three hundred pounds for the information on Shepherd."

Alger Frowned, but still nodded. "How should I give you the money?"

"No rush." Alice tapped the table with her fingertips. "If the Sacrifice Ritual succeeds, you can sacrifice the money to Mr. Fool. If it doesn't, I'll give you an account next gathering."

Immediately afterward, Alice turned to Audrey. "One thousand three hundred pounds. One thousand of that is for the information about the secret organization from before—you wouldn't play favorites, would you, Miss Justice?"

This was not much of a burden for Audrey, and she readily agreed. "If Mr. Hanged Man's attempt succeeds, I'll give you the money."

Alice then turned to Alger again. "Mr. Hanged Man, would you be willing to satisfy my curiosity about something? Hmm, I can exchange it for information about something else."

"What?" Alger asked.

"How did Qilingus die?" Alice asked.

Hearing this, Audrey curiously raised her hand as well. "I want to know too! Uh..."

With no information to exchange, Audrey began considering whether satisfying her curiosity with money was worth it. Alger answered as if casually, "It was dealt with by Mr. Fool's Blessed. I believe Mr. Fool's Blessed should know the situation better."

Alice recalled Mr. Azik, whom Klein called his teacher—the gentleman seemed very experienced with matters like resurrection. Could that mysterious Blessed be him? Still, dealing with The Hanged Man first was more important...

"I forgot to ask. You should know too, right?" Alice blinked twice.

Forgot to ask? Was she referring to Mr. Fool or Mr. Fool's Blessed? Alger was Suddenly Startled. He Looked Towards Klein, seated at the head of the long table, but Mr. Fool, Hidden In the dense gray fog, did not offer an opinion.

"So that's how it is." Alger gathered his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "This isn't secret information. I can tell you now."

Alice and Audrey assumed attentive postures.

"During our pursuit, Mr. Fool's Blessed, a High-Sequence powerhouse of the God of Death Pathway, took action. Qilingus decayed during his escape, utterly unable to resist," Alger described dryly.

God of Death Pathway... decayed without any ability to resist... Alice, who had just fought a Middle Sequence Beyonder of the God of Death Pathway, fell silent. She couldn't help wondering whether she could still possibly resurrect if she decayed... Uh, probably? It wasn't like she was in Klein's situation, after all.

"This Is Truly..." Audrey searched for words, seemingly trying to find an appropriate adjective.

"Miss Justice, want to hear something more interesting?" Alice raised an eyebrow. "And Mr. Hanged Man and Mr. Sun as well... Hmm, I think my information is much more interesting than Mr. Hanged Man's."

Interesting... Alice's choice of words gave Alger and Audrey a Bad Premonition, but Alger still spoke in a deep voice. "What information?"

"The Fallen Creator's offspring is dead," Alice answered lightly.

"Th-this... What's interesting about that?" Audrey, who had prepared herself to hear another horror story, was somewhat bewildered.

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