As he spoke, Klein took out an iron cigarette case and pushed out a lump of deep crimson, jelly-like Beyonder characteristic. It had come from a Hunter who had been sent to assassinate him and had ultimately died at his hands.
Having already rehearsed his words, he needed no time to compose them before introducing it:
"This is something I obtained from a corpse, just like the potion formula earlier, but I don't know what it does.
"I thought it seemed quite mystical. Perhaps someone here recognizes it?"
Klein deliberately avoided mentioning that it was a Beyonder characteristic, nor did he explain that the deep crimson "jelly" in his hand could replace the main ingredients of the Hunter potion.
That involved the Law of Beyonder Characteristic Indestructibility, and he had no intention of giving the members of this Beyonder gathering that knowledge for free.
Besides, the identity he had presented to Kaspars Kalinin was still that of an ordinary person unfamiliar with Beyonder circles. He believed quite a few people here would know Kaspars. To avoid exposing himself, he had also prepared separate explanations for the potion formula and the things he intended to buy next.
Gazes scrutinized the lump of deep crimson substance in his hand, but Klein was not a Spectator and could not discern their precise meaning.
More than ten seconds passed without anyone speaking. The sitting room was as quiet as a cemetery.
Just then, the elderly gentleman known as "Eye of Wisdom," seated in an armchair, coughed and said:
"I have a rough idea of what it is, and I know what it does, but knowledge must be exchanged for compensation.
"I offer 400 pounds. Believe me, that is an absolutely fair price. Of course, you have the right to refuse."
The main ingredients for a Sequence 9 potion cost roughly 150 to 200 pounds each, and two are needed, bringing the total to around 400 pounds... That's a very reasonable offer... This elderly gentleman codenamed "Eye of Wisdom" seems to have recognized that it belongs to the Hunter Sequence... He recognized it directly, without divination... Could he be a Sequence 7 Appraiser of the Savant pathway? After a moment's thought, Klein said:
"Deal."
Klein soon received his payment. After counting it, he spoke again:
"I've gotten myself into some trouble. In the terminology of your circle, he should be a Sequence 5.
"But I was fortunate enough to encounter someone who called herself a Soothsayer. She told me I could find help here tonight.
"It's a Listener's ear."
"A Soothsayer?" The Fat Apothecary reacted rather strongly. "You met a Soothsayer? Did she say where she came from? Did she say what she was here to do?"
"Sorry." Klein shook his head. "I didn't actually meet her. It was through something like a dream."
"Oh..." The Fat Apothecary looked deeply disappointed.
The man who had previously accepted the sewer assignment spoke up at that moment:
"I think I might know what you mean.
"I have a Mystical Item here. I'll sell it to you for 400 pounds.
"It lets you hear the voice of a great existence. What do you think? Doesn't that sound rather like your description?"
The elderly Eye of Wisdom gave the man a grim look, then turned to Klein and warned him:
"That item is extremely dangerous. Rather than receiving useful help, you're more likely to die outright.
"Besides, a Sequence 5 is already an extremely powerful existence in our circle. Even if you obtain some help, it will still be difficult to stand against him. By comparison, spending 400 pounds to buy his forgiveness would be much easier."
He paused, then offered a rather sincere suggestion. "I don't know much about Soothsayers. They're far beyond my reach. But perhaps you could try giving this item to the Sequence 5 you offended. It might be exactly what he urgently needs."
Frankly, I considered that, but I don't think they'd accept it. Besides, Neph advised me to hire another bodyguard, which means this fight is inevitable... Klein gave the elderly Eye of Wisdom a grateful look, then turned to the other man and said:
"I think this is the item I'm looking for."
"You're improving very quickly," the instructor responsible for training newcomers told Neph as she left the combat training grounds once again. "You always seem to master new techniques quickly."
Neph smiled with her lips pressed together and walked away from the training grounds, though a thoughtful look flickered in her eyes.
Does muscle memory count as part of memory too? Hmm, that makes sense. After all, when I ate memories of food, my body was also drawn into those recollections...
Neph returned to her room at an unhurried pace. She closed the door and used a silver dagger to create a Spirituality Barrier, a skill she had recently learned. Although a Sequence 9's Spirituality Barrier was probably easy to breach, its symbolic significance mattered more to Neph-it meant she was doing something she did not want others to see.
She had no spiritual materials, incense, or essential oils, but none of that mattered. Neph did not even know the other party's symbolic emblem, only His honorific name:
"The Lord that Created Everything;
"The Lord who Reigns Behind the Curtain of Shadows;
"The Degenerate Nature of all Living Things;
"I pray for Your gaze;
"I pray for Your attention;
"I have arrived in Moon City. Your former believers welcomed me warmly. During the few days I have stayed here, I discovered that Moon City has a clock from Your child, Amon.
"Nim, Moon City's current High Priest, told me that this clock allows them to keep track of time and has never made an error in the past several thousand years.
"But when I saw this clock, I discovered that it was far more than it appeared. Amon seems to be watching this city through it. He seems to have noticed Your aura on me and tried to steal my memories...
"Of course, thanks to Your protection, Amon's attempt failed. But I worry that He might strike again at any moment..."
Neph opened her eyes and looked toward the distant Black Tower, the corners of her lips lifting.
She truly had no way to deal with Amon, but the True Creator was a different matter. Klein's questions about the Marionettist Rosago had reminded Neph of the Listener's ear, and also of the Lord whose name was so often on her lips.
She could not provoke Amon on her own initiative, but as an Oracle, surely it was only natural to seek help from a true god when she encountered something she could not resolve?
As for whether the True Creator will help, or how He'll do it... I'll ask first and worry about that later!
Still, it's a bit of a shame. A Worm of Time's corpse should count as a corpse too...
An aura of degeneration spread silently. Neph instinctively shifted her attention to the Blank Canvas, but things did not unfold as she had expected. A restless noise rang out in her mind, like intense
heavy metal music, so loud that it made her brain ache.
The murmurs seemed to contain information, but making it out was particularly difficult at that moment. Neph could only struggle to steady herself and wait for the cacophony to pass.
Before you continue