In a windowless basement, Alger Wilson, whose features were rugged and deeply chiseled, sat beside a long table covered with various vessels and parchment scrolls.
Before him stood a half-burned candle. Its dim, yellowish flame cast shifting light and wavering shadows over the surrounding objects and the tabletop.
Alger's hair was as disheveled as seaweed, its deep blue color almost black. Wearing a robe embroidered with lightning patterns, he clasped his hands with his thumbs touching and leaned forward, staring at a bottle of pitch-black liquid to the left of the candle.
Whooo! Whooo! Whooo!
Splash! Splash! Splash!
From within the sealed bottle came the occasional howl of fierce winds, alternating with the roar of a surging sea. In the space the black liquid did not fill, a faint mist swirled and writhed, as though it had sprouted eyes and a mouth.
Alger turned to glance at the clock on the wall and saw that the hour hand pointed to three.
He pressed his temples, and his eyes suddenly turned inky black. A subtle sheen also emerged on the various vessels on the table.
Just then, he saw crimson light surge into existence like a tide, appearing out of thin air and engulfing him in an instant!
In the Hall family's luxurious villa in Queens Borough, Backlund.
After dismissing her dance instructor, Audrey locked her bedroom door and sat upright before her dressing table.
Outside the window, sunlight shone brilliantly and flowers bloomed in vivid colors. A blank notebook bound in exquisite light-brown parchment lay open on the table. To its right was a fountain pen with a golden tip and a barrel inlaid with red gemstones.
Audrey gave it a try, making sure she could pick up the pen and record the formula as quickly as possible once she left the "gathering."
"I'm really looking forward to this..." She drew a breath, suppressed her excitement, and pursed her lips as she looked into the mirror.
But she did not see her reflection. All she saw was illusory crimson light erupting simultaneously from her surroundings and from within her!
Above the gray fog, inside the magnificent temple that resembled the residence of the Giant King.
Crimson light blossomed on either side of the long bronze table, surging upward like fountains before drifting down and "sculpting" two indistinct figures. Their positions were unchanged from last time.
Tall and slender, with smooth blond hair, Audrey instinctively looked toward the seat of honor. She saw the figure shrouded in thick gray fog leaning back, one hand resting flat against the edge of the table, the other loosely curled as he gently rubbed his chin.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool!" Audrey called cheerfully.
Then she turned her head, looked across the table, and spoke in the same tone:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man!"
This girl really is carefree. Has she decided I'm a good person just like that, without the slightest fear anymore? A well-protected young noblewoman? Klein smiled and maintained his unfathomable air as he said:
"Good afternoon, Miss Justice."
As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, raised his loosely curled left hand, and tapped twice between his eyebrows.
His vision changed instantly. He saw the colors of the auras emanating from Justice and The Hanged Man!
The surrounding gray fog and crimson stars, however, remained unchanged. Nothing that seemed nonexistent appeared, nor was there any clear radiance that seemed to possess a measure of life.
Shifting his gaze slightly, Klein saw that the colors of Justice's aura matched Old Neil's descriptions perfectly. What should have been red was red, what should have been purple was purple, what should have been blue was blue, and what should have been white was white. Moreover, its luster was bright and its thickness appropriate. At a glance, she was clearly a young woman brimming with vitality.
Her emotional colors include red and yellow. Happiness, enthusiasm, excitement... Klein made his assessment and turned his attention to The Hanged Man.
Like Justice's, the colors of The Hanged Man's aura were nothing unusual, except that his emotions were blue with a little orange mixed in.
Calmness, thoughtfulness, caution, and a little satisfaction? Since this was his first attempt, Klein reached his conclusion without much confidence.
Just as he was about to look away, he suddenly noticed something strange.
The colors and impressions in the innermost layer of The Hanged Man's aura seemed completely unified!
Klein concentrated and looked more closely. He vaguely saw that the depths of The Hanged Man's "ether body" were a deep blue like seawater, giving the impression of fierce winds and surging waves.
His "astral body"? Or the surface of his "astral body"? From the looks of it, he really is a Beyonder, and he seems even stronger than Old Neil. Thoughts crowded Klein's mind, filling him with questions. Not necessarily. Perhaps I can only see these things because of this special environment, because this is my home ground. It doesn't mean Old Neil has no similar manifestations.
He turned to look at Justice again, confirming that this was a distinguishing feature possessed only by Beyonders.
By then, Alger had finished his greetings as well.
Audrey drew a soft breath and asked with barely concealed anticipation:
"Mr. Hanged Man, did you receive that box of Ghost Shark blood?"
Alger glanced at Klein and saw him tapping between his eyebrows, seemingly thinking about something else.
"Thank you very much. It met all my expectations perfectly. I truly didn't expect you to send it over so quickly. Ghost Shark blood isn't an ordinary supernatural substance," Alger answered frankly.
Audrey gave a modest smile.
"I'm very happy to hear that."
Since she had liked all things mystical from childhood, she had made friends among the nobility who shared her interests. They exchanged information, books, and rare items, but before this, none of them had gained supernatural powers and become a true Beyonder. A few princes, however, had hinted that if she were willing to become a princess consort, she would receive the gift she wanted.
This time, however, she had taken the Ghost Shark blood straight from her family's treasury. After all, the inventory listed it as "one large bottle," without recording how many milliliters it contained or whether it was full. She believed that pouring away a little less than half of a little less than half would certainly go unnoticed. Even if something unexpected happened and she was exposed, her parents probably would not pursue the matter.
Alger took another long look at The Fool, shrouded in gray fog, before turning back and saying with a smile:
"As agreed, I'll now tell you the formula for the Spectator potion."
"Let me prepare. All right, you can begin." Audrey drew a breath and focused all her attention.
"Low-Sequence potions are very simple to prepare. Just add the ingredients in the order given. But you must remember that it's better to use too little of an ingredient than too much. Too much will cause serious problems. You should have heard about Beyonders losing control, so I don't need to repeat that, do I?" Alger began with the precautions.
Audrey nodded gently.
"I understand completely."
As she spoke, she turned her head to glance at Mr. Fool, wanting to know whether this mysterious powerhouse had anything to add. Unfortunately, as far as she could see, The Fool sat there quietly, like a statue.
Alger thought for a moment and said:
"Using a little less doesn't mean straying too far from the amount... If you don't have anyone to help you, I suggest spending some time familiarizing yourself with chemistry experiments first."
"I have a tutor for that," Audrey answered without any concern.
Alger went on to explain the maximum permissible deviations and other matters before fluently reciting:
"Spectator, a Sequence 9 potion. Eighty milliliters of pure water, add five drops of colchicum essence, add thirteen grams of Ox Teeth Peony powder, add seven petals of Elven Flower, add a pair of adult Manhar Fish eyes, and add thirty-five milliliters of Horned Blackfish blood."
"The last two are the main ingredients. Both come from supernatural marine species. You must be careful."
"Mm." Audrey repeated it as she recalled the details. "Eighty milliliters of pure water, five drops of colchicum essence, thirteen grams of Ox Teeth, Ox Teeth..."
"Peony powder," Alger prompted.
With his help, Audrey gradually memorized the formula in the correct order. Still uneasy, however, she muttered it under her breath, repeating it over and over.
"Do you know meditation?" Seeing Justice nod, Alger continued, "I don't know what sort of meditation you're familiar with, so I'll describe it first... After drinking the potion, begin meditating as soon as possible to control your spirituality and power... You must practice every day to truly master the potion's power and uncover its symbolic meaning and further mysteries. Only then can you minimize the danger of losing control. The key to a potion's symbolic meaning lies in its 'name,' such as 'Spectator'!"
Klein quietly listened to their exchange. Originally, he had not intended to interrupt, only to memorize and learn in silence. But upon hearing this, something stirred within him, and he had an idea.
Audrey listened attentively to The Hanged Man's explanation and was just about to ask about a few details when she suddenly heard a light tapping on the table.
She and Alger turned simultaneously toward The Fool, Klein, who sat at the head of the table. They saw this mysterious powerhouse tapping his fingers lightly as he spoke in a low voice:
"It isn't mastering. It's digesting."
"It isn't uncovering. It's acting."
"A potion's name is not just symbolic. It is also imagery, and, more importantly, the 'key' to digestion."
Audrey listened in a daze, bewildered. She did not quite understand what Mr. Fool was trying to express.
Instinctively, she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see The Hanged Man's reaction, only to discover in astonishment that his body had shuddered and gone rigid, like an ordinary person hearing a sudden, tremendous clap of thunder.
"Digesting, acting... Digesting, acting... Digesting, acting, key..." Alger whispered over and over, as though he had grasped something crucial or fallen under a strange spell.
Only after a while did he raise his head and speak in a hoarse voice:
"Thank you, Mr. Fool. Your guidance is as precious as my life. It has helped me make sense of many things. Of course, I believe I have yet to fully comprehend and understand it."
Maintaining his mysterious, unfathomable air, Klein smiled and said:
"This is payment in advance."
In truth, he himself did not quite understand the precise meaning of those statements. He was merely certain that Emperor Roselle had been stronger than ordinary Beyonders, stronger than The Hanged Man.
Payment in advance... Seeing The Hanged Man's reaction, Audrey understood how precious that guidance had been. As she mulled it over, she asked:
"Mr. Fool, what would you like us to do?"
Across from her, Alger nodded as well.
"What task do you have for us?"
Klein leaned back slightly, glanced at each of them, and spoke in a low, unhurried voice:
"Help me collect Roselle Gustav's secret diary, even if it's only a single page."
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