Cashing In

Jenna didn't feel anything from the beginning of the Sermon; it wasn't much different from the Holy Scripture of the "Eternal Blazing Sun" Church, quite similar.

When Jenna heard the Orthodox God "The Fool" ask her to be addressed as "he" rather than "them," she was moved and gradually became focused.

Before long, she couldn't help but show a look of astonishment:

Is the Great Adventurer Gehrman Sparrow a member of the Church of the Fool?

He is an incarnation of an Angel, tasked with delivering Divine Revelation "The Fool," in the name of Redemption?

Amidst this shock, Jenna listened to the not-too-long Sermon, while That One half- Giant bishop Tessilian did not mention again whether he wanted to believe in "The Fool," and walked towards one of the few praying people in the Church.

That One person praying appeared to be Sailor from the sea, in his prime, with a bronze complexion, obvious signs of wind and rain on his face, and messy, dark blue hair. His features were not clearly visible because he was bowing his head in prayer.

He was dressed in the same Linen Shirt, Brown Jacket, and wide-legged, loose-fitting Dark Trousers favored by Sailor and pirates. A special leather belt was wrapped around his waist, with Dagger, binoculars, and other items inserted into it.

He must be a captain; he looks quite imposing... Lumian turned her gaze away and looked at Jenna.

Jenna was still processing what she had just heard, her mind a jumbled mess. She stood up somewhat dazedly, walked out of the Church, and wandered aimlessly along the edge of the Port District.

Lumian followed behind her with his hands in his pockets, saying and doing nothing.

After walking for nearly ten minutes, Jenna slowed her pace and muttered to herself, "No wonder you said you were a shallow believer in God."

The god here refers to the "Eternal Blazing Sun".

Lumian smiled and said, "You can also just be a casual follower of Mr. ' The Fool,' he doesn't care about such things."

"I... I'll think about it some more..." Today's Sermon was a bit of a shock to Jenna's understanding. It wasn't that the Holy Scripture was particularly well-written, but rather that Mr. The Fool's self-proclaimed title and the Church of the Fool's attitude towards believers were completely different from what she had been taught. This made her less resistant to believing in another Deity, and she began to waver and struggle more.

Lumian glanced at her and continued his persistent persuasion.

At such times, it's important to understand that you must stop trying once you've reached a certain point. Pushing too hard can easily cause a backlash, leading to unnecessary rejection and aversion.

Almost simultaneously, Lumian felt a surge of emotion within himself:

Indeed, proselytizing still requires professionals...

Given my friendship with Jenna, she didn't hesitate to say she didn't want to Convert after hearing my suggestion, but after listening to That One bishop's Sermon and explanation, she began to waver...

The two walked silently for another ten or twenty meters. Lumian glanced at the bustling Port District in the distance and the nearly deserted streets nearby, then casually asked, "How's your ' Witch ' Potion gathering going?"

Jenna paused for a moment:

"I just finished digesting the ' Instigator ' Potion two days ago, how could I have already collected the Main Ingredient for the ' Witch ' Potion today?"

Perhaps because she had just left the Church, she wasn't so tempted to swear.

"Ha, I finished digesting the ' Pyromaniac ' Potion yesterday, and I got the Main Ingredient and key Auxiliary Ingredient for the ' Conspirer ' Potion yesterday too." Lumian mocked Jenna.

Jenna finally couldn't hold back:

"Damn! Can we be the same? I also want that kind of special hunting ground for digestion and Hunting!"

She already knew from Franca the general outline of Lumian's experience at Red Swan Castle, excluding the part about the "Magician's" reply.

This gave Jenna a feeling of unreality:

Before last night, she and Lumian were Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 respectively, not too far apart. How could their experiences be so different, as if they were in two different worlds?

One of them is still floating on the surface of the Mysticism, occasionally encountering things that are terrifying upon closer examination; the other has already sunk into the Depths of the Mysticism, surrounded by Concealment and danger.

After venting, Jenna muttered, "I just asked the ' Purifier,' and they don't seem too keen on me advancing to become a ' Witch.' Well, they're unwilling to pay me in advance for the Potion Main Ingredient, saying there's nothing particularly important for me to investigate right now. But they promised that if I can raise the funds, they can sell me the Potion Main Ingredient and rarer Auxiliary Ingredient at a discounted price—only 16,000 Felkine for each Main Ingredient."

Discount price... And does this promise mean that the "Purifier" have every Main Ingredient of the "Witch" Potion? I thought they only had Aggregation Beyonder Characteristic, since their Pathway of obtaining "Witch" related items should be through hunting... Does the Church the "Eternal Blazing Sun" have a way to restore Beyonder Characteristic to Main Ingredient? Lumian thought to himself, not quite understanding.

He glanced at the roadside and asked thoughtfully, "You now owe Franca 60,000 Felkine?"

"Yes." Jenna looked distressed when the matter was brought up, "I don't know when I'll be able to pay it off."

Lumian laughed:

"How about we owe you a little more?"

"Huh?" Jenna's thoughts suddenly stopped.

Lumian, hands in his pockets, smiled and said, "You owe me 35,000 Felkine. I'll help you gather all the ingredients for the ' Witch ' Potion."

"You, do you know where to find it?" Jenna's first reaction was to ask if it was true.

Lumian smiled:

"Uncertain, but very hopeful."

He wanted to exchange it from the "Iron and Blood Cross Order".

Gardner Martin said yesterday that he had gained some valuable experience from his adventure in the Underground Labyrinth Red Swan Castle, which was worthy of a reward. This could be directly converted into cash or accumulated to exchange for High-Sequence Potion. Lumian hadn't decided what to do with it yet and decided to wait a while. Now, he plans to use his contribution points to help Jenna exchange for all the materials for the "Witch" Potion.

This might require some additional funding, but given that Calamity could strike at any time and they might not remain in the "Iron and Blood Cross Order" afterward, it's essential to transform the illusory contributions into tangible rewards as quickly as possible.

In comparison, the Mystical Item that can be obtained in exchange for this level of contribution are clearly inferior to those from a living "Witch," provided she is willing to offer her help.

At that time, the combination of "Conspirer" Lumian, "Pleasure Witch" Franca, and "Witch" Jenna would be considered a powerful team even within the official forces and the Tribunal. With the right Mystical Item, they would be able to deal with most Beyonder below the level of Half-God. Moreover, they also have an unofficial member, "Psychiatrist" Anthony Reid.

As for whether Gardner Martin has the materials for the "Witch" Potion, Lumian is inclined to believe so. After all, the main path of the "Iron and Blood Cross Order" is the "Hunter" Pathway, which is adjacent to the "Assassin" Pathway. Over the years, it's impossible that a "Aggregation Effect" hasn't occurred.

If all else fails, he can ask Mr. K and the "Magician" Lady.

Jenna fell silent and did not answer for a moment.

Lumian chuckled again:

"Being in debt to me is not a good thing. Besides paying back the principal, you also have to pay interest, and the interest is what helps me do things. You're lucky; you've got such an opportunity recently."

Jenna pursed her lips, slowly exhaled, and said, "Okay, I'll give you 10,000 Felkine first, then I'll only owe you 25,000."

"No problem," Lumian agreed casually.

Seeing that Jenna wanted to say something more, he chuckled and said, "You're welcome..."

He then pinched his throat and imitated a woman's voice:

"Because we're friends."

"..." Jenna finally managed to utter a single word after a long pause, "Fuck!"

Lumian smiled but did not respond.

Jenna silently walked with him across the street toward several Hired Carriage parked there.

Just before boarding the carriage, Jenna suddenly murmured to herself, "Thank you."

Lumian seemed not to hear, took over a seat, and sat down without any regard for appearances.

In the afternoon, at Number 11 Springwater Street.

Lumian met Gardner Martin, who was wearing a shirt and a sweater.

"Boss, I'd like to exchange my contribution for the ' Witch ' Potion or all the corresponding materials," Lumian stated his purpose directly.

Gardner Martin showed no surprise, looking at Lumian and asking with a smile, "Who are you preparing the ' Witch ' Potion for?"

"Jenna," Lumian answered calmly.

Gardner Martin gestured for Lumian to continue, indicating that he was listening attentively.

Lumian earnestly stated, "I want a Trust, capable assistant."

At this point, he smiled:

"Moreover, I also want to experience what true Pleasure is."

Gardner Martin laughed out loud:

"Indeed, this is a true ' Hunter ' with ambition."

"No problem, come tomorrow morning to pick up the Beyonder Characteristic and Auxiliary Ingredient. Oh, and an additional 10,000 Felkine."

Gardner Martin understood Lumian's words. They clearly indicated that he and Jenna had a close relationship and trusted each other, while also implying that his relationship with Franca was merely one of mutual assistance, without any Pleasure involvement.

Lumian responded with a smile:

"Thank you, Chief."

After leaving Springwater Street and returning to Breeze Ballroom, Lumian, who had been busy all day, finally had some free time.

That evening, as he sipped his "Green Fairy" drink, he leisurely listened to Jenna, dressed in Exaggerated Woman, singing her way to make money, and his thoughts naturally began to wander:

"How much can Underground Singer earn? Only a few thousand Felkine a year..."

"It's still more profitable to fleece the ' Iron and Blood Cross Order ' and Hunting the followers of Evil God... Once Jenna becomes a ' Witch,' she'll have the strength to participate in battles of this level..."

"Come to think of it, I didn't realize it when I watched the ' Great Adventurer ' series before, but now that I think about it, wasn't Gehrman Sparrow mostly Hunting pirates with Beyonder Characteristic? How could one become a famous pirate, Great Pirate, without Beyonder Characteristic?"

"Well, while the corresponding battles are vague and exaggerated, highlighting only the key points, it's clear the author has some understanding of battles between Beyonder. Lady. Fors Wall also an Beyonder?"

"..."

After relaxing until nearly midnight, Lumian returned to the Golden Rooster Inn.

As soon as he pushed open the door to room 207, he saw, by the Crimson Moonlight, a letter folded into a square on the table.

The letter from the "Magician" Lady... Lumian lit the Carbide Lamp and unfolded the letter:

"Mr. ' The Hanged Man ' wants you and the Two of Cups to summon ' Armored Wraith ' again soon, and he will provide the gold."

Let me know the time once you've confirmed it.