A guest in the wind

"Don't collect the 'Mother' card or the 'Moon' card," Neph warned him in closing. "Don't ask me why. I can't tell you right now."

Although Klein had never seen either the Mother card or the Moon card even by the end of the original story, Neph chose not to take any chances, considering how much the plot had changed already.

The White Agate had already set sail. Neph quietly glanced out the window, then closed her eyes in thought.

Last week's canceled Tarot Club gathering had had only a small impact, but there had been an impact nonetheless. As things stood, several members who should have advanced this week would probably have to wait until the next.

The White Agate's next stop was Bayam. As the heart of the Gargas Islands, it should offer a better chance of getting in contact with Tracy. But before that-

Neph opened her eyes, checked the door to her room, then set up a Spirituality Barrier and began a ritual.

A little while later, she exhaled and looked at the name "Katarina Pelle" on the paper, breaking into a radiant smile.

Katarina Pelle, the Demoness Sect's White Saintess, Tracy's mother, and the greatest threat to Neph's attempt to sneak aboard the Black Death, was now possessed by Medici!

"Praise Fate-" she murmured. After hesitating for a few seconds, she raised her hand and traced an inverted cross over her chest. "And praise you too, though you don't seem to have any authority over fate..."

She lowered her hand and left her cabin. Captain Elland was not on deck at this hour. The sky was rather gloomy. Neph glanced at the rolling clouds, and her heart gave an uneasy thump.

Her gaze swept the area. Sure enough, the adventurer with the gold-rimmed glasses was on