Xio shrugged. "Well, these sudden bursts of diligence usually didn't last even half a day before. Hopefully she'll keep it up a little longer this time."
Edward couldn't help laughing. Fors looked just like him in his previous life whenever he got up for work on a Monday.
"All right, I need to head out and help you collect the ingredients. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything."
Unlike Fors, Xio acted swiftly and decisively. But she had barely taken a step before turning back to ask, "By the way, where do you live? How should we find you?"
Edward gave her his current address, inwardly muttering to himself: Before, I mostly dealt with Audrey, so I could just Apparate over whenever something came up. But as I get to know more people, I can't keep popping over every time. Besides, what if they need to find me?
Should I find myself a messenger?
But who could teach me the summoning ritual?
Of the handful of people I know right now, none of them seem to know how.
Hmm, Miss Wraith, Sharron, should know, right? Should I try my luck again? I need to go to the Bravehearts Bar anyway and find that Kaspars fellow to take me to a Beyonder gathering.
The original novel explicitly mentioned two Beyonder gatherings in Backlund. One was organized by Mr. A, and the other by a detective known as the Eye of Wisdom.
But Mr. A hadn't scheduled another gathering lately, so Edward could only try his luck at the Bravehearts Bar.
Speaking of luck, should I ask Will Auceptin for another blessing?
Forget it.
Both Adam and the Evernight Goddess had hinted at it: every gift fate bestowed upon you already had a hidden price tag. Although the Snake of Mercury couldn't compare to those two, he was still a major figure, and he surely had his own reasons for approaching Edward. Put nicely, it was an "investment." Put bluntly, it was a "transaction"-except the person he was trading with was your future self.
Talk about spending ahead and mortgaging your future!
Chapter 27: At least Klein had his brother and sister with him, unlike me...
Edward made his way to the Bravehearts Bar with practiced ease, still wearing Emlyn's handsome face. Unlike yesterday morning, this was the bar's busiest time, and he could hear the clamor from far away.
As soon as he pushed open the door, the stench of sweat mixed with smoke and alcohol hit him in the face. Edward wished he could cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself. Two platforms stood in the middle of the bar. On one, two boxers were fighting, surrounded by cheering spectators. On the other, dogs were competing to catch rats-and that event actually drew an even larger crowd.
I don't get it.
Edward ordered a beer at the counter, exchanged a meaningful glance with the bartender, and headed straight for Billiards Room Three.
Just as he reached the doorway, the billiards room's door was shoved open, and several men in black coats and half-top hats walked out, muttering curses.
The old man who had sold Edward the gun, Kaspars, grinned. "Off you go. I won't see you out."
Once the men had left, Kaspars took a long swig of beer with a dark expression and cursed, "Those damned Highlanders."
Then he spotted Edward in the doorway, and his eyes lit up. "Oh, my friend! I didn't expect to see you again so soon. Are you here to buy Mummy Powder?"
Buy Mummy Powder, my ass.
"I told you I don't need it."
"Tsk. Neglect the upkeep when you're young, and you'll have nothing but regrets when you're old."
Edward walked in with an impassive expression. "I heard you know a place where some special people hold a special kind of trade. Could you take me there?"
Kaspars tossed his beer mug onto the billiards table, raised an eyebrow, and snorted. "You're well informed. Then do you also know those people have nasty tempers? If you anger them, you might not live to see tomorrow's sun."
"I value my life more than anyone."
At that, Edward added, "Of course, introducing me to the friend who sold me those bullets would work too."
Kaspars grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "So they're who you're after. I can ask for you, but whether they'll see you is another matter."
He held up two fingers, then spread all five. "Two pounds. Including taking you to the gathering in a few days, five pounds altogether."
"..."
Do you really think my money grows on trees?
Edward took out ten pounds and waved it in front of him, smiling faintly. "I can give you ten pounds, but..."
Kaspars immediately pressed him. "But what?"
"Legilimency."
A jumble of memories flooded in: fights, robberies, murders, gang battles. Kaspars's life was practically the tale of a gangster's rise through the ranks... Edward quickly found the information he wanted:
The location of the Beyonder gatherings, and how to tell from the Backlund Morning Post whether one would be held the following evening.
A master of Legilimency like Dumbledore might be able to read someone's memories with a single shared glance. But to use Legilimency successfully, Edward needed sustained eye contact, preferably with a little guidance.
Edward stuffed the ten-pound note back into his trouser pocket and shrugged.
"I've thought it over. I don't need you to take me to that gathering after all. Here are two pounds. Hurry along."
Kaspars snatched the note unhappily and limped out, muttering curses under his breath. "Stingy bastard. People like you never come to a good end."
"One more thing."
Edward added, "If they don't want to see me, give them a name: Reinette Tinekerr."
Frankly, this was something of a gamble. Although the Christmas-tree lady had been relatively kind and righteous toward Klein in the original novel, that was because Klein was the future Lord of the Mysteries. Who the hell was Edward?
But if he wanted to advance through the Sequences quickly, going it alone certainly wasn't wise.
As the crippled Angel among Mr. Fool's entourage of "the old, the young, the sick, the disabled, and the pregnant," Reinette Tinekerr was currently in danger, as were her two disciples. They needed help. Offering it in their hour of need might earn him their friendship in the future.
Of course, this could also backfire and provoke their suspicion and hostility.
But Edward had now taken Polyjuice Potion and assumed Emlyn's appearance. Once I leave through that door, will you even know who I am? At worst, I can change my face and approach them another way.
A few minutes later, the gas lamp in the billiards room suddenly flickered, making the room alternate between light and shadow. Then a face appeared on its glass shade, with pale blond hair, delicate features, and pallid skin.
"Where did you hear the name Reinette Tinekerr?"
Sharron's voice was sweet, but faintly husky, as though she rarely spoke.
"I have my own unique sources of information."
Edward removed his hat and bowed. "Just as I know your Temperance Faction was recently besieged by the Indulgence Faction, that Reinette unfortunately fell, and that her two disciples... namely you and the gentleman next door, are still hiding from your pursuers."
"What do you want with us?"
Looking at the beauty before him, who resembled a lady from an old royal court, Edward smiled faintly. "I come with good intentions, and I've brought some good news especially for you." He paused.
"Your teacher isn't actually dead."
Even Sharron, who normally betrayed no emotion, couldn't keep her expression from changing. But she quickly regained her composure. "Where is she?"
"She was severely injured and could only revive in the Spirit World in a special state, becoming a spirit world creature. Now that you know this, I imagine you should know how to contact her."
"All right. I'll verify it." She nodded slightly and asked softly, "What do you want from me?"
Edward took out the note he had prepared and showed it to Sharron. "I want these ingredients as quickly as possible, a method for summoning my own messenger, and your help on one occasion." The note listed not only the ingredients for Sequence 8 Trickmaster, but also those for Sequence 7 Astrologer.
"As you know, my information is worth far more than that. Consider the difference a gesture of friendship."
"Please wait."
Sharron's face vanished from the glass shade.
Not long afterward, someone knocked on the billiards room door. A man in a white shirt and black vest walked in. His face was pale, his expression puzzled, and he carried a small bundle.
Edward couldn't help feeling disappointed that he hadn't gotten to see the classic scene of Maric playing cards with Zombies.
"Sharron asked me to give you this. She's gone to verify what you told her." Maric placed the bundle on the billiards table and unfolded it, revealing foil boxes of various sizes that isolated the spirituality of the Beyonder ingredients. "We only have some of the ingredients you want right now. We'll keep an eye out for the rest."
Looking at the pile of items, Edward was momentarily dumbfounded. He had no idea which was which.
Fortunately, Maric then took out the ingredients and introduced them one by one.
The good news was that they had Meteorite Crystal, one of the main ingredients for Sequence 7 Astrologer, along with most of the supplementary ingredients. All that remained was the other main ingredient, lava octopus blood crystal, and a few supplementary ingredients.
The bad news was that they had neither of the Trickmaster's main ingredients, though they had almost all the supplementary ones.
"Here's the messenger-summoning method you wanted."
He handed Edward another sheet of paper, densely covered in words:
"Summoning a messenger requires ritual magic. This particular ritual involves praying to yourself and drawing power from your own spirituality, without going through a god."
"First, select herbs and essential oils corresponding to the appropriate domain. But you only need the candle that symbolizes yourself."
"Next, recite the incantation. There are three parts. The first is 'I.' Say 'I' in a low voice using Ancient Hermes, Jotun, Dragonese, or Elvish. The second is 'I summon in my name,' for which you may switch to Hermes. The third is a precise description of the being you wish to summon, such as the one you'll use later: the spirit that wanders through the illusory, the friendly creature that can be commanded, the messenger belonging solely to Sharron. However, when summoning for the first time, you may include your requirements for the messenger in the third part."
"Finally, sign a contract with the messenger you summoned. The contract's format is as follows..."
Edward thought for a moment and asked, "Does this ritual magic have any Sequence requirements?"
"No. But you must remember not to alter the specific description of the summoned being carelessly. That can easily attract terrifying monsters, and you'll certainly die a horrible death."
"Thanks for the warning."
"Sharron asked me to tell you that when you need her help that one time, come here to find us. But the condition is that your opponent must not be stronger than a demigod."
"Do I look like someone who can afford to provoke a demigod?"
Edward casually stuffed the bundle into his Leather Pouch, giving Maric a little surprise courtesy of the wizarding world. "All right, I'll be off. We'll be in touch."
He quickly left the Bravehearts Bar, changed routes several times, and swiped a copy of the Backlund Morning Post as he threaded through the crowds. Turning to page five, he found no advertisement from the Ernst Trading Company seeking to purchase goods.
Hopefully Xio will come through.
By the time he returned to the villa, night had fully fallen. Although he had spent more than a week in this world, he still wasn't quite used to the crimson moonlight. Alone in such an empty house, he found it especially bleak.
"At least Klein has his brother and sister with him, unlike me..."
Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked on the front door again.
"Fuck!"
Judging by that rhythm, it was almost certainly Megose again!
When he reached the bay window and looked outside, sure enough, there she was.
Are the people from the Three Great Churches really this useless? They made such a fuss and branded me a "Blasphemer." Failing to deal with Megose is bad enough, but they're actually letting her wander around right under their noses?
I'll have to consider moving.
But if Megose can come and go freely in Empress Borough, where all Three Great Churches have a presence, where else can I go?
"Tsk. No matter how I look at it, dealing with an evil god is the churches' job. I'll have to report her after all!"
Before you continue