"Although I still have two pages of Roselle's Diary from Mr. Sarr, I won't give them to Klein this time... I don't want him thinking I have diary pages every time...
"Besides, Xio asked Mr. Fool's blessed one for help and owes him ten pages all at once... She seems confident she can collect them, but I'd better keep a few pages in reserve for her... Anyway, they aren't particularly important. It won't matter whether Klein reads them a few weeks sooner or later."
Abner was sitting on his bedroom bed when he reached that decision. Just then, the clock struck three, and he once again saw an illusory Crimson Light surge over him like a tide.
The boundless Gray Fog spread beneath his feet as always. The Bronze Long Table before him was mottled with green rust but showed no sign of decay. As The Tower, Abner looked across at Justice, Magician, and Judgment. Xio seemed rather tired, while Fors kept sneaking glances at her.
Justice had already risen as usual. In her familiar, bright voice, she led the members in greeting the "mysterious" and "majestic" figure at the head of the table:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
"Good afternoon..."
Shrouded in the Gray Fog, Klein nodded lightly and returned Justice's greeting and those of the other members with apparent ease. In truth, he was busy manipulating the World to make him seem like a real person.
After reading Miss Hazel's letter and performing divination yesterday, Klein had found it was already dinnertime. Rather than going out, he had made beef-bone and radish soup, served with fragrant steamed rice. He had bought the rice, an Intis staple, a few days earlier to entertain Emlyn when he came to prepare medicine for Mrs. Doris. But the Vampire had said the peppers