Alger frowned slightly, somewhat displeased that the Fool had suddenly brought in two new members. Then he mocked himself: Why would someone as important as Mr. Fool care about our feelings?
He composed himself and greeted the others. "Good afternoon, Miss Justice, Mr. The Tower, Mr. Sun."
Edward rose and removed his hat in greeting. "Good afternoon, everyone."
Derrick, the Sun, seemed much more uneasy.
Audrey looked toward the Fool at the head of the Bronze Long Table. "Mr. Fool, I've collected another three pages of Emperor Roselle's Diary."
She had originally only been able to memorize two pages, but after understanding their contents, and with Edward's help, she had finally managed to memorize all three.
Klein asked calmly:
"Miss Justice, what would you like in return?"
Audrey answered with affected restraint:
"As you know, I'm about to finish digesting the Spectator potion. I hope to obtain the Telepathist potion formula a little earlier so I can prepare the ingredients in advance. Hmm, the Sequence 8 formula of the Apprentice Pathway would also do. A friend of mine happens to need it. If these three diary pages aren't worth enough, I... hmm, I can pay you some additional money..."
At this point, she hurriedly added, "I'm sorry, Mr. Fool. What I mean is, you can specify the compensation you'd like. Yes, that's it!"
I think the great Mr. Fool might prefer you to give him money outright.
Edward made the silent quip.
Honestly, he hadn't expected Audrey to remember to ask for a potion formula for him as well. He couldn't help feeling touched. He owed her more and more.
Edward glanced discreetly at Audrey, meeting her gaze. Her eyes shone slightly, as though saying, "This is your senior looking after you."
Klein, who had been observing quietly, thought, They really do know each other!!!
Just then, Derrick suddenly spoke. "The Telepathist potion formula? The Telepathist that comes before Psychoanalyst?"
Audrey looked at him in puzzlement. "You know it?"
Huh? Isn't the 'Psychoanalyst' he just mentioned the ancient name for Psychiatrist? But why would someone today use the ancient name? This fellow is strange...
Derrick had no idea what he had revealed. He answered earnestly, "I can help you get that formula!"
After saying that, he hurriedly explained:
"This Sequence originated with the Dragon Race, and our City of Silver was once ruled by the Giant King's Court. As you know, giants and dragons are mortal enemies, so the City of Silver has Sequences 9, 8, and 7 of this pathway. I have a way to obtain it."
Edward couldn't help marveling. He really is one of the Tarot Club's three fools, blurting out everything he should and shouldn't say without the slightest caution. Klein had initially wanted to stop him, but then decided to let it go. I'm the mysterious, unfathomable Fool, after all. This will only help reinforce my image.
As for Audrey and Alger, one was bewildered, while the other was shocked.
Audrey asked curiously, "The City of Silver? I've never heard of that place... where is it?"
Derrick asked in return:
"If you aren't citizens of the City of Silver, which city-state are you from?"
Seeing them talk past each other, Klein couldn't help wanting to sigh. Just then, Edward raised his hand and said, "I once read an account of the Kingdom of Silver in an ancient book. I don't know whether it has anything to do with the City of Silver you mentioned."
"Huh?"
No one present was more surprised than Audrey. She stared at Edward, almost asking outright, Why didn't you share information like this with me earlier?
And here I was helping you buy a potion formula!
But then she grew puzzled again. Wait, he isn't from this world. Where would he have read an ancient book?
Edward noticed her displeasure. Joining this conversation had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but he could only explain to her after the gathering. After all, it involved the original novel.
"The Kingdom of Silver can be traced back as far as the Second Epoch. It began as the Kingdom of Silver under the rule of the Giant King's Court. After the Giant King's Court fell in the Third Epoch, the Kingdom of Silver converted to worshipping the 'creator of all, the Almighty.' Later, the Great Cataclysm erupted, and the Kingdom of Silver disappeared."
Edward looked around at everyone. "That's all I know." As soon as he finished, he realized something was wrong. Shouldn't this sort of secret knowledge come with a fee? I need to adjust my thinking as soon as possible and adapt to the rules of the Lord of Mysteries World.
Klein looked at Edward, the fog over his face concealing the surprise in his eyes. Mr. Edward hasn't provided much information, but it generally matches Little Sun's description. What sort of background does his family have, to possess ancient books documenting the Second and Third Epochs?
Audrey was extremely surprised. Neither Mr. Fool nor Mr. Sun has objected, so everything he said is true? But how could he possibly know about events that ancient?
This fellow... he really is still hiding plenty from me!
Derrick said hesitantly, "I'm not very clear on the Second Epoch you mentioned, but the events of the Third Epoch are indeed things our City of Silver experienced. Back then, we were indeed called the Kingdom of Silver. But what do you mean by saying the Kingdom of Silver disappeared after the Great Cataclysm? Although we were indeed abandoned by the Lord, we've still existed for thousands of years."
Edward shrugged. "I was only repeating what that ancient book recorded. I don't know much beyond that."
Audrey pressed her lips together. This fellow doesn't even blink when he lies!
Alger, who had remained silent all this time, seized on a crucial word. "Abandoned?"
Shock surged through him. Abandoned by their Lord, their god-isn't that the legendary Forsaken Land of the Gods? Mr. Fool actually knows where the Forsaken Land of the Gods is, and can even bring people from there into the Tarot Club!
Tap, tap.
Klein tapped lightly on the table and said casually, "That concludes the discussion of the City of Silver. Continue your transaction."
"Yes, Mr. Fool."
Audrey nodded slightly and looked at Derrick again. "So, can you obtain the Telepathist potion formula?"
"Yes, but... but I'll need a little time." Derrick was somewhat embarrassed, then added, "But I can definitely get it."
"Then what would you like, Mr. Sun?"
Derrick said firmly, "I'd like to exchange it for the initial Sequence of the Sun Pathway."
"The Sun Pathway? The Sequence 9 Bard?" Alger asked.
Naturally, Audrey couldn't produce the Bard potion formula, so she could only try asking, "I can keep an eye out and buy it for you, or pay you an equivalent sum in pounds."
Before Derrick could figure out what pounds were, Klein spoke:
"I can give Sun a Bard formula, while Sun gives Miss Justice the Telepathist potion formula as soon as possible, preferably within two gatherings. Miss Justice will give me the newly obtained pages of Roselle's Diary, and that will complete the transaction."
"Hmm, under the principle of equivalent exchange, Sun would be losing out. But he's only making a promise for now. Once he actually produces the Telepathist formula, Miss Justice can consider how to compensate him. Alternatively, I can compensate him, while Miss Justice provides money to a Chosen of mine. He needs to do a few things recently. Heh, this is because Sun might not be able to receive compensation in cash or ingredients from Miss Justice."
Naturally, no one objected to Mr. Fool's proposal. Alger, however, was somewhat disappointed. He had originally hoped to use the Bard formula to obtain more information about the City of Silver from Sun.
Next, Klein gave Derrick the Bard potion formula and successfully obtained the three pages of Emperor Roselle's Diary himself, which he began reading on the spot.
So the cards Roselle later made based on the Blasphemy Slate were the Cards of Blasphemy Edward mentioned? Tsk, an organization that possesses an entire Blasphemy Slate... in other words, every formula for all twenty-two pathways. Compared to that, the Tarot Club, which can't even produce a single Sequence 8 formula, is really... pitiful.
Klein looked away from the diary and smiled slightly at the four people waiting quietly.
"You don't actually have to wait for me."
"It is our honor," Alger immediately replied humbly.
Audrey suppressed her little surge of delight and couldn't resist glancing at Edward. This time, I knew what was in the diary before Mr. Fool read it. In a sense, I was ahead of Mr. Fool!
At that thought, she immediately felt a little guilty. How could I think that?
"My esteemed seniors in the mystical world."
Edward spoke again. "Actually, I've only been a Beyonder for a day, so I still have plenty of questions about Beyonders. There's something I'd like to ask you all."
He looked around and continued, "What exactly is spirituality? Why do Beyonders consume spirituality when using their abilities?" At this point, he remembered the rule of equivalent exchange and hurriedly added, "I'm willing to pay for the answer."
Alger spoke:
"According to the knowledge I've acquired, everyone has spirituality, but a Beyonder's spirituality comes largely from the remnants of the Beyonder Materials in their potion. The Beyonder abilities they gain also come from those Beyonder creatures. This is one of the keys to successfully concocting potions, as well as one of the reasons Beyonders lose control."
He added, "By drinking potions, humans seize the spirituality and abilities of Beyonder creatures. Why does using Beyonder abilities consume spirituality? Because that has always been true of Beyonder creatures, and the same applies to humans who seize abilities from them."
"Then can I think of Beyonder creatures as guns, and spirituality as the bullets they fire, with humans merely using the guns?"
Alger considered it, then nodded. "More or less."
"Then can I fire the bullets in some other way? Or, to put it another way, can we load revolver bullets into a rifle and fire them?"
For a moment, Alger was baffled. What kind of question is that? Bullets have to be loaded into guns to be used. What else would you do, throw them at someone? Revolver bullets and rifle bullets aren't even the same size.
Still, he thought carefully for a while before nodding slightly. "If we're really talking about bullets and firearms, then most likely not. But if it's spirituality, I think it's possible. Just as different pathways use the 'same' spirituality to unleash Beyonder abilities, different pathways are probably equivalent to the distinction you described between revolvers and rifles."
Something stirred in Edward's mind, leaving him thoughtful.
"I understand! Thank you, Mr. Hanged Man. Your answer cleared up my confusion. How many pounds should I pay you?"
Alger hesitated for a while before saying, "Actually, this is all very basic knowledge in the Beyonder world. If I had to name a price, a hundred pounds? Mr. Fool, what do you think?"
In fact, the great Mr. Fool was also relying on the fog to hide his bewildered expression. Suddenly put on the spot, he could only pretend to be calm. "That is very reasonable."
"Thank you, Mr. Fool."
Audrey had roughly figured out what Edward had really been getting at.
Edward had previously complained to her that magic was greatly weakened in this world. They had guessed that this was caused by the difference in the worlds' levels of existence.
What would happen if he used "higher-Level of Existence" spirituality in place of "lower-Level of Existence" magical power to cast spells?
Chapter 22: Spirituality + Magic-Could This Work?
Alger's questions were destined to go unanswered.
Audrey soon changed the subject with news that "the proposal to select civil servants through open examinations had gained approval." They then discussed Mr. A and learned that he was very likely a member of the Aurora Order.
Soon, this Tarot Club gathering reached its most crucial point.
Alger's gaze swept over Audrey and Edward. "I'd like to offer payment in exchange for your help with something. Mr. The Tower, the hundred pounds you owe me can be counted toward it. Of course, if your help ultimately proves worth more than a hundred pounds, I'll pay you the difference."
"What is it?" Audrey asked in puzzlement.
Alger thought for a few seconds and said:
"I've received intelligence that the notorious pirate Qilingus, known as Vice Admiral Hurricane, has secretly come ashore and infiltrated Backlund. His intentions are unknown. I'd like you to help me locate him. You won't need to risk yourselves with anything that follows."
"Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilingus? One of the Seven Pirate Admirals?"
"Yes. He's also a Sequence 6 Beyonder of the Sailor Pathway, a Wind-blessed, and possesses a Mystical Item, which could also be called a Sealed Artifact. Those who know something about it call it Creeping Hunger," Alger explained solemnly.
Edward's eyes lit up. Little Hunger, too scared to creep, has finally made its appearance. This would be one of Mr. Fool's exceptionally powerful Sealed Artifacts for a long time to come. The very reason Edward liked the Secrets Suppliant Pathway was that its Shepherd could graze a variety of abilities.
Alger described in detail the various Beyonder abilities Qilingus had displayed after obtaining Creeping Hunger. This successfully drew Derrick's attention, and he explained to everyone how terrifying the Sequence 5 Shepherd of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway was.
Nevertheless, Audrey boldly declared, "Mr. Hanged Man, I'm willing to accept this commission."
Edward also agreed. "No problem on my end, either."
"...If you succeed, perhaps I can provide you with the main ingredients for Telepathist directly," Alger promised with rare generosity.
"Deal."
Before you continue