Waiting for cake? That's quite an answer I didn't expect... Wait, if I can guess a mental patient's answer, doesn't that mean I'm almost there too...? A thought flashed through his mind, but Klein maintained his relaxed smile and asked as if chatting with a friend:
Who wants to send you a cake?
Hood Eugen's expression immediately fell, his face appearing even thinner, and he said in a mournful tone:
"No, no cake... no cake!"
You stole my cake!
His voice suddenly rose, and his eyes widened as he glared angrily at Klein.
Before Klein could figure out how to respond, he suddenly barked and opened his mouth, revealing two rows of white teeth.
Immediately afterward, drooling, he jumped off the bed, took a step closer to Klein, reached out with both hands, tried to grab the other's shoulders, then dragged his target in front of him and bit down hard.
Faced with this sudden attack, Klein was slightly flustered, but he reacted in time. He bent his knees and squatted down, while at the same time turning his waist to the side and raising his left arm.
puff!
He elbowed Hood Eugen in the stomach, causing Eugen's eyes to roll back and more saliva to drip from his mouth.
However, Hood Eugen did not stop. He fell forward and opened his arms to hold his target tightly.
Klein shifted his body and rolled to the side, as if he had practiced it hundreds of times.
He braced himself with his right hand, did a backflip to his feet, intending to switch from defense to offense, pounce on his opponent, and subdue him.
Just then, he saw Hood Eugen standing there dumbfounded, his eyes unfocused, empty and blank.
... Klein paused for a moment, then turned his head to look at the corner of the wall, where he saw Dunn Smith, with his hands clenched and his head bowed.
The captain had dragged Hood Eugen into Dream Divination... He suddenly stopped moving, seized the opportunity, drew out a ritual silver dagger that was completely harmless, and used it to create Wall of Spirituality, sealing off the private room.
Then, Klein took out three candles mixed with mint and placed them on the windowsill in an inverted triangle shape: one symbolizing the Evernight Goddess, one symbolizing the Mother of Concealment, and one representing himself.
Before long, he set up a simple altar and lit all the candles using Spirituality friction.
Just as he was about to turn around and remind the captain, Dunn raised his head and chuckled in a low voice:
" Hood Eugen's dream is a complete mess; there's no way to guide him."
Before he finished speaking, Hood Eugen's eyes regained their sparkle and were no longer empty.
Then, the insane " Psychiatrist " leaned back slightly and yawned comfortably.
... Klein was momentarily at a loss for words, so he said nothing and picked up the small metal bottle containing " Amanda " hydrosol.
He dripped the clear liquid, distilled and extracted from the blend of night-blooming jasmine, deep sleep flower, and chamomile, into the flame of the candle that represented him, instantly releasing a serene and tranquil fragrance that permeated every corner of the room.
Hood Eugen's tension, anger, and relief all vanished. He lazily sat back on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the Crimson Moon outside the window, his gaze once again unfocused, filled with tranquility.
Klein also felt the transcendence of the quiet of the night. He put down the " Amanda " hydrosol and plopped down next to Hood Eugen, intending to find something to make the other party lower his guard.
Only in this way could he use the " Eye of Spirit " potion to gradually induce a state of delirium in Hood Eugen's spirit.
After all, I'm just an unprofessional " Spirit Medium "... He had already come up with a plan beforehand, and pulled out a tarot deck from his pocket.
This deck only has twenty-two major cards, chosen for ease of carrying; it's a "weapon" that Klein successfully obtained.
Each piece is inlaid with pure silver and other metal wires that can harm Death creatures. The patterns are intricate and gorgeous, making Klein want to collect them but not use them against enemies.
Klein cut the cards with one hand, smiling as he looked at Hood Eugen and said:
"Let's play cards."
"Playing cards?" Hood Eugen turned his gaze from the window, repeating the word in a daze.
Klein didn't answer, but instead, with an air of unequal goodwill, placed the tarot deck into his hand.
Hood Eugen mimicked what Eugen had just done, awkwardly cutting the cards with one hand and succeeding.
The mentally ill patient among the Beyonder slowly shifted his attention to the playing card in his hand, which possessed both excellent hardness and elasticity and an outstanding texture, and turned over the topmost card:
A man dressed in tattered clothes was tied up and hung upside down, with a faint halo above his head.
The Hanged Man... Klein nodded thoughtfully, then took the opportunity to stand up, grasped the " Eye of Spirit " potion, and dripped the amber liquid onto the candle flame that still represented himself.
The ethereal aroma of the wine wafted out, giving one a feeling of intoxication just from smelling it.
Hood Eugen's expression gradually became unfocused, his gaze lost its concentration, and the tarot cards in his hand slipped one by one onto the bed.
But he remained seated firmly, without collapsing.
Klein relied on " Cogitation " to resist the effects that made his body and soul feel light, floating, and confused. He took out another small metal bottle from his pocket, twisted the stopper, and poured the dark blue liquid inside into his mouth.
" Tranquility Potion!"
The icy liquid flowed through his mouth, down his esophagus, and into his stomach, instantly making Klein exceptionally clear-headed, without the slightest trace of confusion.
He slowly exhaled, skillfully picked up the other essential oils, hydrosols, and herbal powders, and dripped them into the two candle flames symbolizing the Evernight Goddess.
In the thin mist, he took two steps back and solemnly and earnestly recited in Hermes:
I pray for the power of the Evernight;
I pray to the Concealment forces;
"I pray for the goddess's favor."
"I pray that you will grant me Spirituality communication with Hood Eugen, with this Beyonder beside me."
As incantations echoed, Klein saw "blackness" spreading outwards from the candlelight, which had turned a dark color.
He neither dodged nor resisted, letting the deep " Evernight " envelop him.
In his unusually lucid state, he felt his spirit break free from the protection of his physical body and enter a void as deep as the universe. All around him was an endless, soundless darkness, while the sky above was filled with indescribable transparent shadows, each a bright radiance of different colors containing countless knowledge.
The Spirit World... Klein was no stranger to it.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, he saw a hazy world ahead, enveloped in a Storm of shimmering light.
Klein knew that this represented the spirit of Hood Eugen, his " Mental Body," so he moved closer and entered the " Storm " that served as the wall.
In an instant, he saw countless glimmers of light pattering on him, and heard thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people whispering about something at the same time.
This rambling is extremely chaotic and illogical. One moment it's praising a woman's elegance, the next it's describing the relief of using the toilet; one moment it's crying, the next it's celebrating...
A frenzied mental Storm ripped at Klein's mind, trying to assimilate him, but Klein remained absolutely clear-headed and rational, rapidly flying into Hood Eugen's " Mind World."
Compared to the terrifying murmurs and horrible roars I uttered before entering that mysterious space above the Gray Fog, this was practically a beautiful concert... Klein chuckled to himself, piercing through the Storm to see the dazed, transparent, and blurry-looking Hood Eugen.
The Sequence 7 " Psychiatrist " maintained his external appearance, staring blankly at them.
Klein stopped in front of him and asked in a low voice:
Do you know Lanarvus?
Hood Eugen answered blankly:
"Know."
The surrounding light and shadow shifted accordingly, as if reflecting the "sea of the soul" revealed by Hood Eugen.
Soon, the interplay of light and shadow revealed a young man with ordinary features, a full forehead, round glasses, and a mocking smile on his lips—it was Lanarvus, whom Klein had seen on the wanted poster.
Klein nodded in satisfaction, composed himself, and asked in a guiding tone:
Why did Lanarvus come to see you?
"He said..." Hood Eugen's voice trailed off.
Suddenly, he switched to a magnetic voice and laughed somewhat maniacally:
" Hood Eugen, this is the worst of times, and the best of times. If we can seize the opportunity, we too can become the masters of the world, the true immortals!"
"If you provide your help, I will not only tell you how to master the power of the Potion and avoid losing control, but I also promise to grant you a bit of divinity in the future—immortal divinity!"
"You should be able to see who's behind me; my promise is His promise, and in a sense, the Psychology Alchemists also related to Him."
"Don't doubt it, the Psychology Alchemists is not powerful enough to provide you with sufficient assistance unless you are willing to remain at your current level forever."
A way to master the power of Potion and avoid losing control... It feels a bit like I'm using " Acting Method " to seduce people... Lanarvus really has grand ambitions, isn't he? He's only Sequence 8, yet he's already worrying about divinity... Who's the Hidden Existence behind him...? This guy seems to be plotting something, not just swindling money... or perhaps swindling money is just his hobby? Klein listened, his thoughts racing Hood Eugen stop speaking, he quickly pressed for an answer:
What kind of help does Lanarvus want from you?
Hood Eugen did not answer immediately, and the entire " Mind World " fell silent.
He then burst into laughter and answered in a very confused manner:
"Help... help... help!"
"Haha, I helped! I helped!"
I let...
Just then, his words came to an abrupt halt, and the entire blurred spirit body bent over. The light and shadows surrounding it, symbolizing the "sea of the soul," shifted rapidly, coalescing into a sinister, terrifying, and dark altar.
Above the altar stood a cross, with something seemingly hanging upside down on it, and at its base piled up indistinct objects.
The light and shadow shifted, and the upside-down object was about to become clear when the entire " Mind World " suddenly shook as if by a magnitude 10 earthquake.
"Holy crap!" Klein immediately sensed the impending danger and, without thinking, turned and flew into the chaotic Storm of thoughts, trying to escape.