"Painter Lorry"
After a moment of quiet contemplation, Klein slowly exhaled and used the "All-Black Eye" to create a "world" dummy that prayed to him:
"I have something that can satisfy your request, but it is very precious, and you must offer collateral of similar value to prevent loss or other unforeseen circumstances."
"I don't think this request is unreasonable, and I believe you can understand."
Having accomplished all this, he tossed the image towards the Crimson Star belonging to the "Magician," revealing an expression that was both worried and relieved.
Luckily, I had the foresight to create an Pseudonym early on to coordinate things... Otherwise, constantly talking about collateral would have been too beneath my dignity as a "Fool"...
Klein let his imagination run wild, patiently waiting for the "Magician's" response.
A few minutes later, he heard the woman praying again:
"Great Mr. Fool, please help pass on a message to Mr. World:"
His demands are understandable.
"I can offer two types of collateral or compensation for lost items."
"First, a Card of Blasphemy made by Emperor Roselle; second, a book imbued with the remnants of the spirit and will of an ancient god."
"He can choose either one, but the former will take some time to obtain and cannot be used as collateral; it can only be considered compensation." As he finished speaking, Klein couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
"The Card of Blasphemy... a book imbued with the remnants of the ancient gods' spirit and will... it seems my ' Blessed ' is quite wealthy..."
"It's in no way inferior to me, this resurrected 'ancient god,' haha."
"Miss Magician's taste is truly..."
"A definite blue-chip stock."
He hadn't considered the possibility that either of these items came from a "Magician," and with a self-deprecating remark, he began to consider his choice.
From a conservative perspective, that book is definitely the better choice, since it's readily available... There's an old saying on Earth: "A cash cow is a cash cow"...
Is it a bit reckless to put something like this on Above the Gray Fog?
Moreover, from a value perspective, choosing this book is more like a high-stakes gamble; it could yield substantial rewards, or it could end up with nothing...
Choosing the Card of Blasphemy is different. Even if I accidentally lose the "Black Emperor" card, I won't lose out; in fact, I might even gain something in a sense... because I can get a Paths of the Divine Potion Formula for free... but the problem is that it's just compensation, and I have to bear the risk of the other party breaking their promise...
Amidst a jumble of thoughts, a look of hesitation crossed Klein's face.
But that hesitation quickly vanished. With a thought, Klein conjured paper and pen and swiftly wrote down the divination statement, "I should choose the Card of Blasphemy as compensation."
Then, he took out the Yellow Crystal pendant, held the silver chain in his hand, and brought it almost to the touch of the paper with the divination words written on it, and began to recite them in a low voice.
Repeat seven times consecutively.
The Yellow Crystal pendant swayed dramatically clockwise.
This represents a positive result!
Sure enough, should I choose the Card of Blasphemy? Klein snapped his fingers, causing the materialized paper and pen to disappear, and the Yellow Crystal pendant flew towards the pile of clutter.
He controlled the "world" dummy to pray again:
"Great Mr. Fool, I trust in the credibility that Ms. Magician has always demonstrated, and I choose the Card of Blasphemy."
"Please help me tell her that the bestowal ceremony can proceed."
Then, he tossed the prayer video to the "Magician," while simultaneously retracting the "All-Black Eye," causing the "World" dummy to disappear on the other side.
The Gray Fog World fell silent once more, as if it had never changed since time immemorial.
... Norgar Island, an unnamed Inn.
Sitting by the window, Lorry suddenly turned his head to look at the "Messenger" lady who stepped out of the void, and caught the letter and the "Black Emperor" card that she threw to him.
After quickly skimming through the contents, Lorry swiftly picked up the pen and paper beside him, wrote a reply, and flicked his wrist, sending it slowly flying towards the recipient.
The "Messenger" lady nodded slightly and said the same old thing:
Remember to pray.
After saying that, she turned around without looking back, took a step, and disappeared from the room in an instant.
Unable to comment on the "Messenger" lady's obsessive-compulsive quirks, Lorry watched her leave, then looked down at the "Black Emperor" card.
It's called Card of Blasphemy, but it's actually more like a miniature book.
It seems that Fors and I have a pretty good reputation... We managed to borrow it so easily... Thinking this, he used his Spirituality to turn to the first page.
"Sequence 9, Lawyer... Sequence 8, Barbarian... Sequence 0, Black Emperor..." Lorry quickly scanned the list, his gaze sweeping over the different outfits of Emperor Roselle, deeply imprinting the Formula into his mind.
He dared not waste any time, quickly tossing it into another Dimension, his gaze returning to the wooden table without the slightest lingering attachment.
Then, he picked up a pen and sketched words on the "Book of Dimensions," letting them gradually evolve into his own image, carrying an easel and holding a paintbrush. Before long, a lifelike "Painter Lorry" appeared on the paper.
But this time, instead of infusing Spirituality, Lorry turned to a blank page and continued writing on the Dark Gold page in the same posture.
Until another "Painter Lorry" appeared.
Only then did he put down his pen, reach out and cover the Dark Gold pages, beginning to imbue the characters with Spirituality, so that they were no longer empty portraits.
Two Dark Gold pages floated lightly towards the center of the room, rapidly expanding as they flew, and the characters from the book appeared in reality.
Lorry immediately stood up, making way for his Illusions, and then, with a thought, retrieved a large amount of drawing paper, brushes, and paint from another Dimension.
"Thank you both for your hard work." He smiled and nodded, then turned and went back to bed.
The two "Painter Lorry" returned the greeting in unison, as if they were twins with a telepathic connection. They walked to the table at a leisurely pace and each occupied half of the wooden table.
They mix dyes, hold brushes, and paint with fluid, seamless movements, as if it were an instinct etched into their very bones.
Time slips away unnoticed.
The paintings on the table were stacked higher and higher.
Suddenly, they exploded with a bang, turning into a sky full of light and shadow that quickly dissipated into the air—a sign that the Illusions's Spirituality had been exhausted. Lorry got out of bed and walked to the table, his gaze sweeping over the paintings.
Most of them are self-portraits of him, primarily endowing him with the abilities of a "Solar High Priest" and an incomplete "Fire Thief," with only one exception.
This is a landscape painting:
A winding country path leads into the depths of a dense Woods.
After taking a couple more glances, Lorry felt dizzy and lightheaded. He then suppressed his discomfort and quickly set up Wall of Spirituality to seal it away.
He summoned the "Messenger" lady again and handed her the landscape painting. "Please deliver this to the clone on Tarakha Island."
The "Messenger" lady glanced at the painting and nodded slightly:
"Good."
She then added, "Remember to pray."
Before she finished speaking, she turned and left, disappearing from Lorry's sight once again.