Upright and reversed

"Actually, I also have the potion formula for Unshadowed... part of it, of course," Klein said, choosing to change the subject. "But Mr. A seems to be an Oracle of the Aurora Order..."

As he spoke, Klein glanced at Neph. Only after she nodded did he continue:

"As far as I know, the Aurora Order worships the True Creator. I'm worried that the expansion of their influence might have harmful consequences..."

He gave Neph another discreet, searching look. She nodded in agreement.

"Your concerns are certainly justified. My Lord's followers can indeed be excessively fanatical at times. However... given what you know, there probably wouldn't be much point in telling him."

"Why?" Klein blurted out. "Because I only have the main ingredients? Those can be replaced with Beyonder characteristics, but having other options is still better, isn't it?"

"No." Neph shook her head. "Do you remember what your Sequence 5 potion formula had that the earlier ones didn't?"

"Drink the potion amid the singing of mermaids..." Klein repeated. "Do potions from Sequence 5 onward all require similar rituals?"

"Yes." Neph nodded. "Starting from Sequence 5, advancing becomes extremely dangerous. During the advancement, Beyonders need to rely on rituals to stabilize their condition. For Mr. A, the most crucial part of the entire potion formula is actually the advancement ritual."

Understanding dawned on Klein. Neph tapped the table again and said, "Still, I really would like to see Mr. A switch to Unshadowed and follow the Sun pathway."

"Why?" Klein asked in puzzlement. "Do you want to see an evil god's follower turn over a new leaf?"

"Pretty much." Neph laughed. "Under the influence of the being at the top of their pathway, Beyonders of the Sun pathway devoutly worship that Sun. And the amusing thing is, Beyonders of the Secrets Suppliant pathway also devoutly worship their Hanged Sun..."

Neph let out a soft sigh, then spoke with amusement in her voice:

"Tell me, if Mr. A became an Unshadowed, would he keep worshipping the Hanged Sun, or convert to worshipping the current Sun?"

The Hanged Sun... does that mean the True Creator? Come to think of it, I remember that both the Sun God worshipped by the City of Silver and the True Creator worshipped by the Aurora Order were called the Lord that Created Everything. I thought they seemed very similar back then... could there be some connection between them?

Right, I also remember that poem of hers: "The holy cross hangs inverted above a sea of blood, heaven and hell reversed"... Little Sun seemed to react oddly to the cross back then, didn't he? Hiss...

Klein's heart tightened. He looked up and asked, "Is there some connection between the True Creator and the Creator worshipped by the City of Silver-that Sun God?"

Neph blinked and asked softly, "What do you think?"

Klein fell silent for a few seconds. Then, to Neph's surprise, he asked:

"Is He the god in your poem who was divided up and eaten as Holy Communion?"

He paused, thinking of the Sequence 9 called Ghoul, of her particular fondness for the White Angel, and of the information he had obtained after divining the Eternal Blazing Sun. He blurted out:

"Is that how the Eternal Blazing Sun became a god?"

Neph gave him a thumbs-up, then answered, "So, have you made up your mind? Do you want the Unshadowed potion formula?"

"No." Klein shook his head, ultimately choosing to refuse. "I think repaying Miss Justice those ten thousand pounds might be a little easier."

After all, I can pay her back with information and knowledge. But you... I really can't think of any information or knowledge you might lack. You probably only want money...

Neph read his thoughts in his eyes. She did not insist, merely letting go of the possibility with some regret. She shrugged and said:

"You probably won't have to repay that money."

Something stirred in Klein's mind. He looked at Neph expectantly, but she had no intention of elaborating. Instead, she took her leave:

"If you don't have anything else, send me back."

Klein could only agree. He nodded, then asked as though he had suddenly remembered something:

"Oh, right. I told someone earlier that I'd received guidance from a Soothsayer... ahem."

"Suit yourself." Neph shrugged. "You can also tell them I'm a follower of the True Creator, but my pathway prevents me from listening directly to my Lord's teachings, so I entrusted you with finding that holy relic."

"...?" Klein gave her a startled look. "That's actually what I was planning."

Neph froze for a moment. As she looked at Klein, her gaze grew puzzled. Klein gave a light cough and said:

"It's actually quite difficult to explain detailed information about the Seer pathway through revelations alone. I was planning to tell the bodyguard I hire later that the Soothsayer bought that Beyonder characteristic in exchange for information I urgently needed, and left me a potion as well..."

"...She should at least have left you a Secrets Suppliant potion, or, failing that, a Monster one." Neph rolled her eyes. "Of course, the funniest part is..."

She paused and glanced at Klein before saying, with an expression as though she had a toothache, "The Aurora Order really does have a Soothsayer."

"Huh?" Klein looked at Neph in astonishment.

Neph had no intention of saying more. She bade him farewell, and Klein could only let her leave. Watching her figure vanish from the spot, he sat quietly for a moment. Bewilderment gradually crept into his expression as he suddenly thought of a question he had overlooked earlier.

...What exactly is the difference between a sun hanging upside down and one the right way up?

With tarot cards, though, there really is a difference between upright and reversed...

Unsure whether to laugh or cry, Klein conjured a pen and paper and wrote down his divination statement: "Hiring that friend of Maric's as a bodyguard for three days poses a risk."

Back in the real world, Neph rubbed her chin.

She had already received the thousand pounds paid by Miss Justice, and Klein's five hundred pounds would soon be in her hands. She was not far from being able to afford a Sequence 7 Mystical Item. Even though Klein had just turned down a ten-thousand-pound deal, she really had no need to be impatient.

But frankly, Neph felt she might currently have a better, safer idea.

What if... I tried Ouroboros?

I do count as an Oracle, after all... He probably wouldn't refuse, would He? No, I remember that in the original novel, He

was even willing to tell a high school girl's romantic fortune... though my request seems a little more troublesome.

Tempted, Neph added this plan to her list of alternatives.