Good Night

"Mr. Fool, I've drawn it."

Luther showed the tarot card to the Fool.

"I understand. From today onwards, your code name here will be Mr. [Temperance]."

Behind the Gray Fog, Klein tried to maintain the demeanor of a superior and spoke calmly.

Theoretically speaking, the most suitable codename for Luther would be "The Hanged Man." Unfortunately, Alger had already obtained that codename, so Klein had to settle for a codename with a deeper meaning.

Temperance.

Patience, control, harmony, Purification of the mind, and maintaining the balance between the material and Mental World —these are the meanings of this Tarot card.

In a sense, this perfectly describes Luther's current situation.

Klein wanted to use this to remind him not to let anger cloud his judgment, and not to let his pain Destruction his mind.

Sorry, Luther, I found out too late.

He thought to himself.

By the time he realized something was wrong with Luther Above the Gray Fog, it was too late. Before he could take any action, Luther's prayers had already pierced through reality and reached Above the Gray Fog. Through the connection established by Luther's prayers, he saw the situation on the ground and learned of Luther's ordeal.

Unexpectedly, the "Cecilia" I met was a fake. I can only say that I didn't have much contact with her in Tingen and didn't know her well enough. My own Sequence is not high either. Perhaps I can only discover her peculiarity through the Gray Fog.

Klein felt nothing but sympathy for this.

He couldn't imagine how he would feel if Benson or Melissa had experienced something like that. No, Benson and Melissa were already feeling that way.

So when Klein saw Luther's rage and madness, he immediately brought him Above the Gray Fog, offering him a glimmer of hope. However, becoming a god is easier said than done, and this hope was extremely slim.

"From now on, every Three o'clock in the afternoon, try to be alone. I will bring you here for a party."

He said that.

"Besides,"

Seeing Luther nod in understanding, he quickly added, "The Phantom Tide within you will resist my summons. You'd better stop it before I call upon you."

He noticed a slight look of surprise on Luther's face.

"Mr. Fool, do you know that there is a Tide within me?!" he said. "May I ask, what is the true nature of this Tide?"

How would I know?

Klein muttered to himself, but outwardly maintained his aloof and profound demeanor, merely chuckling as he said:

You'll find out for yourself later.

". OK."

Luther Zedao.

Is it because of some reason that Fool are unwilling to speak?

He thought to himself.

"Well then, let's leave it at that for now."

Seeing Luther fall silent, Klein waved his hand, ending the summoning.

The deep red receded like a tide, and Luther opened his eyes to find himself in darkness and cold, with the rough feel of bricks against his back.

He had returned to that dark alley in the East Borough.

I have indeed established contact with Mr. Fool.

Luther thought to himself.

Furthermore, he even gained the qualification to attend the Council of the Gods. What exactly was the Fool thinking? Incidentally, the Fool is also the Oldest One card of the Tarot deck, representing the beginning of everything. There are twenty-two Major Arcana cards in the Tarot, and the Beyonder Pathway also happens to have twenty-two paths. Is there some strange connection between them?

Furthermore, Mr. Fool didn't tell me the true nature of that illusory tide. I don't know how to stop it. Perhaps I can ask my other personality, the one who looks like Ms. M.

"Mi"

Just as Luther was lost in thought, something suddenly wriggled and made a sound in his arms.

Looking down, he saw it was the black kitten he had brought back from the street corner. The little creature was moving slightly, struggling to lift its head, looking at him with its blue eyes. Its body was cold, and there was a wound on its hind leg, the blood frozen into ice crystals, tangled in a clump with its black fur.

You need to get treatment quickly.

Luther stroked the cat's small head; the touch was prickly, and its fur wasn't smooth at all. His other hand moved to its injured leg, and Flesh and Blood Magic was activated. Soon, the hideous wound healed rapidly, leaving only bare pink skin that would need to grow fur on its own.

The kitten flicked its hind legs, seemingly still unaccustomed to its suddenly healed limbs.

His palm pressed against the little black cat's body, its large, warm touch quickly restoring its body temperature. The little black cat struggled to its feet, but it still seemed to have little strength.

Are you hungry? Wait a moment.

Luther told it, and the shadow beneath him quietly wriggled away from his body. After a while, when it returned, it was carrying a glass jar of milk. It had been taken from a nearby resident's house, with a soli of cash left behind.

He took the milk jug, poured a little into his palm, and offered it to the kitten.

"Mi"

The little creature wasn't afraid of him at all. It leaned over and stuck out its barbed tongue to lick the milk, making a ticklish sensation in his palm.

After pouring milk a few times, the kitten was satisfied. It stretched lazily in his arms, then curled up and went to sleep.

"That's really bold."

Luther looked at the creature in his arms and thought to himself.

Cecilia loves cats so much, she'd be overjoyed to see such a friendly little guy, wouldn't she?

A smile had just appeared on his face when it froze.

No, she'll never see her again.

Cecilia is dead.

No one will ever take care of him when he's having a fit again, and no one will ever wait for him to come home again. In this bustling world, there is now another lonely person like him.

Luther remained silent for a long time, only lowering his head to stroke the little black cat's head.

"Meow?"

The little black cat opened its eyes in confusion.

It didn't understand why the enormous creature had suddenly started trembling and dripping hot water.

The kitten didn't understand the complexities of human emotions. As a cat, it disliked water, something that would get its body wet. However, since this huge creature had given it food and was warm, the kitten generously forgave it. It simply adjusted its position in the man's arms, finding a warm and soft spot where it wouldn't get wet, and then curled up again.

"Ha"

It yawned sleepily, closed its azure eyes, draped its tail over its nose, and quickly drifted into a sweet Dream.

In its dreams, it experiences no pain, running freely in a vibrant world, chasing after its frantic prey. And when it wakes up, it believes that the big guy will provide it with even better food.

Sleep soundly; a bright future awaits you.

Good night.

[End of this volume]

Thank you to reader Liang Qichao Ya for the 100 reading coins!