Shooting club

Perhaps it was because of the friendliness and active involvement he had shown at the last gathering.

Of course, the more likely explanation was that he had met privately with the Eye of Wisdom, and the old gentleman had used some mystical means to investigate him in secret and confirm that this new member harbored no ill intentions.

In any case, Lorry had fortunately earned the right to continue attending the gatherings.

"It starts tomorrow evening at eight."

"Only three days since the last gathering? Do they meet this often?"

The thought sprang unbidden into his mind.

Still, frequent gatherings are good for me. They mean more opportunities to buy what I want and meet more Beyonders... Well, that probably goes for everyone else too... Lorry did not dwell on it. He picked up his clothes and prepared to go out again.

It was only afternoon.

He intended to join the shooting club today and start practicing as soon as possible.

Three in the afternoon.

Sugar Shooting Club, shooting range.

Bang!

Lorry pulled the trigger, and the target ten meters away shattered.

"My Goddess!

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never believe that half an hour ago, you were a beginner who didn't even know how to hold a gun properly, Mr. Raven.

"I feel like I'll be out of a job soon."

Standing about half a meter behind Lorry, the blonde woman in a close-fitting assistant instructor's uniform widened her emerald eyes, then gave a small, pursed-lip smile.

Lorry rather wanted to point the muzzle upward and blow across it.

But he noticed that, besides the assistant instructor, quite a few other people were looking his way. Unwilling to die of embarrassment, he reluctantly abandoned the idea.

Lorry placed the revolver in the tray, turned, and smiled.

"Perhaps it's simply because you're such an excellent instructor, Ms. Wendy."

Wendy smiled elegantly without responding to the flattery.

She pursed her lips and said softly, "Would you like to take a break, Mr. Raven, or keep practicing and try a more distant target?"

"It's just about time for afternoon tea.

"If you choose to take a break, you can enjoy complimentary desserts and drinks."

After paying the club's annual fee of twenty pounds in one lump sum, Lorry's savings had shrunk by another fifth. He had less than eighty pounds left in his wallet.

He realized he was showing signs of being corrupted by the Fool: the word "complimentary" alone had him itching to act. After a moment's consideration, he said:

"Then I'll take a break first.

"But I don't think I'm ready for a more distant target. Of the ten rounds I fired just now, only the last one hit the bull's-eye."

Wendy wanted to say, That's because you weren't even holding the gun correctly for the first few shots. Only the last three counted as proper shooting.

One had scored three, one seven, and one had hit the bull's-eye.

With shooting talent like that, there was no need to keep wasting time and money on a ten-meter target.

But then she realized she could earn more commission this way, so she said nothing. With a pursed-lip smile, she led him toward the dining room.

After finding a waiter to attend to Lorry, Wendy left.

Before leaving, she quietly told Lorry that this was his time to enjoy afternoon tea in peace. If he wanted to continue practicing, he could find her at the shooting range.

Soon, the complimentary cake, biscuits, pie, and sweet iced tea arrived.

"It's Monday today, so the desserts and drinks are all Desi-style."

The waiter offered this brief explanation, then left.

"Monday."

Lorry murmured the word again, looking at the wall clock diagonally behind him. Its hands showed ten past three.

"The time when Klein holds the Tarot Club meeting.

"I wonder what Sequence the future Lord of the Mysteries is at now."

As he spoke inwardly, a mischievous idea suddenly occurred to him: if he prayed to the Fool right now, would it give Klein a fright in the middle of his meeting?

Heh, he's still in Tingen right now. He can't strike me dead with a bolt of lightning... Lorry thought cheerfully as he began tackling the food before him.

Meanwhile, in the Gray Fog Space.

Seated at the head of the Bronze Long Table, shrouded in grayish-white fog and reading Roselle's Diary, Klein suddenly felt a strong urge to cover his mouth and sneeze.

His spirituality surged silently, instantly suppressing the urge.

Who's talking about me behind my back?

Heh, it must be Melissa. She's wondering what we'll have for dinner again. Hmm, braised lamb and honey-roasted meat... I think she and Benson will like those.

Having decided on that evening's menu without letting anything show, Klein gathered his thoughts and returned his attention to Roselle's Diary in his hands, reading intently once more.

Half past three.

Sugar Shooting Club, dining room.

Slurp-

Lorry took a long sip of sweet iced tea, feeling the day's muggy heat and his physical fatigue rapidly fade in its cool sweetness.

He leaned back against the soft sofa and reviewed his shooting.

Although that Marauder Potion was incomplete, it still greatly improved my physical abilities, especially my eyesight and the steadiness and flexibility of my wrists.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have improved at shooting so quickly.

In a sense, Cyril brought this on himself. The Potion he forced this body's original owner to drink has now become the scythe that will reap his own life.

Lorry chuckled softly, a flicker of coldness flashing through his eyes.

He rose and headed toward the shooting range.

Six in the evening.

After politely declining the blonde, green-eyed Ms. Wendy's invitation to dinner, Lorry changed back into his formal clothes in the changing room and left the shooting club.

The club was not far from Iris Street, so he planned to walk back.

He would find dinner along the way.

"Woof! Woof, woof, woof!"

While concentrating on reviewing Hermes word roots, Lorry suddenly heard a burst of frantic barking, followed by a shout from nearby.

"Stop and show your hands!

"We suspect you're carrying an illegal firearm. Stay where you are and submit to inspection!"

Lorry looked toward the voice and saw two police officers standing several meters away.

One held the leash of a police dog that was barking incessantly and trying to charge at him. The other kept his right hand at his waist, ready to draw his weapon at any moment.

What's going on? I'm not wearing that wanted criminal's face right now! Oh, I get it. The dog must have smelled the gunpowder on me... But I already took a bath, and it can still smell

it. That's a dog's nose for you... I hate dogs... After a brief moment of confusion, Lorry quickly worked out the reason.

He raised both hands and obediently stood still.

"There's been a misunderstanding, officer.

"I'm a member of the Sugar Shooting Club. My badge is in the right pocket of my jacket. I'm not carrying an illegal firearm, and I won't run or resist.

"You can take your hand off your gun."

"All you need to do right now is stand quietly where you are. We have eyes," the officer gripping his gun said coldly, without lowering his guard in the slightest.

The other officer approached Lorry with the excited police dog on its leash.