Hearing Lanevus's demand, Wilt found it somewhat amusing. "That doesn't conform to the principle of equivalent exchange."
"In the plan, you're only acting as my representative, helping me contact the nobles of Tingen City. Even if you were discovered afterward, you'd only be wanted by the authorities."
"And now you actually have the ridiculous idea of asking us to help you deal with an Angel, or even the True Creator. Do you think that's possible?"
Just as Lanevus was about to say something, Wilt hurriedly continued before he could speak:
"You need to understand that our plan doesn't absolutely require you."
"We only picked you because you have a little talent for fraud and happened to be in Tingen City."
"Even without you, we could still choose someone else to carry out the plan. It would just take a little more time."
"So understand your position."
After Wilt finished, the whole room fell silent. A long time passed before Lanevus said in a low voice, "But you still told me all this."
"The fact that you're telling me this means I'm not as unimportant as you make me out to be."
"There must be something you need me for. That's my value and my bargaining chip."
Lanevus then stared intently at Wilt. "Go on, tell me your real purpose!"
Clap, clap, clap!!! Wilt's applause rang out in the room.
"An outstanding Swindler indeed. In that case, let's have an honest talk."
Wilt then adjusted the monocle over his right eye and glanced toward a corner of the room before continuing:
"This fraud scenario is a test for you. As long as you can complete it, we can help you escape all your current difficulties. In return, you must secretly infiltrate an organization as an undercover agent."
"What organization?"
"The Hermits of Fate."
"The Hermits of Fate?" Lanevus was somewhat confused.
"What kind of organization is that? How come I've never heard of it?"
Wilt stretched out his right hand and made a grasping motion in Lanevus's direction.
Whoosh! A black badge appeared in Wilt's right hand.
Under Lanevus's astonished gaze, he continued:
"This is your ticket into the Hermits of Fate. As long as you have it, you're a member of the organization."
"I'm curious. Since you don't know about the Hermits of Fate, how did you get this badge, and how did you become a Marauder?"
"I picked it up," Lanevus replied.
"The Potion formula too. I picked them both up from a corpse."
Wilt: "..."
Sure enough, truly lucky people never take the Wheel of Fortune Pathway!
Or was it because Lanevus was naturally suited to the Marauder Pathway that he came across that corpse under the influence of convergence?
Wilt tossed the badge back to Lanevus. "If you don't know, then never mind."
"Once you pass this test, I'll tell you more about the Hermits of Fate and what you need to do once you're undercover there."
With that, Wilt stood up.
"Start carrying out the fraud plan now!"
"I'm staying at that hotel. Come find me when those nobles need to meet me. Of course, if you run into any other problems, you can come find me too."
Wilt then left the Lanevus Steel Company.
Tap, tap, tap!!!
After turning into an empty alley, Wilt suddenly stopped.
He touched the ring on his hand and spoke to an invisible spot on the ground.
"Your Excellency, you've followed me all this way. Won't you come out and meet me?"
Buzz!!! The shadow on the ground suddenly came alive, and a tall figure emerged from it.
Looking at the figure concealed in a black cloak, Wilt asked in confusion, "Who are you?"
The figure removed her hood, revealing a stunning face.
Looking at the beautiful woman with black hair and brown eyes and thinking of the ability she had just used, Wilt asked hesitantly, "Are you the Aurora Order's Oracle, Madam D?"
"That's right. I'm Madam D," she said calmly.
"What do you want with me?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Wilt was somewhat surprised.
"If you don't know, why were you following me?"
"If it's because of Lanevus, there's no need. I have no intention of making an enemy of the Aurora Order. What I said just now was also a lie to Lanevus, meant to make him cooperate better with the fraud plan."
Madam D's answer surprised Wilt even more. "An oracle!"
"An oracle from the True Creator?"
"I prayed to the Lord for further instructions, but the Lord replied only with an image of you. That's why I followed you, hoping to find some clues to understand the Lord's intentions."
Wilt: "..."
Did Adam sell me out?
No, it could also have been Amon's doing!
That's not right either. Neither of Them had a motive.
Wilt then thought of a more plausible possibility:
The True Creator is using Lanevus as a Divine Descent Vessel, so He must be paying some attention to him. Did the True Creator notice something unusual about me because I came into contact with Lanevus?
But why would He show an image of me to His Oracle in the form of an oracle?
"Wait!" Wilt suddenly realized there was another question.
If the True Creator could notice something unusual about me, does the Evernight Goddess know too? After all, I've been to the Nighthawks' headquarters.
How much can They see? Did They discover that I've been corrupted by the starry sky, or did They see that I'm connected to a Sefirah?
Or... did They notice that I'm a transmigrator?
No, here They would probably mistake me for a survivor of the Great Old Ones.
Wilt's thoughts strayed further and further off course. Just then, Madam D suddenly said, "You seem to have some ideas. Can you tell me?"
Buzz!!! The shadow on the ground turned into a straight, dark greatsword that appeared in Madam D's hand.
She pointed the tip of the sword at Wilt, as though she would attack if he didn't answer.
"Placate!" Wilt spoke while using a Spectator Pathway Beyonder Ability, as well as a Swindler's eloquence and misleading reasoning.
"I do have some ideas. Would you like to hear them?"
"Speak!"
"I came to Tingen City to do something for two Sequence 3s." Wilt first brought up his backers to keep her from attacking, then continued.
"It's the fraud scenario Lanevus is carrying out right now."
"As long as the fraud succeeds, Tingen City is bound to fall into chaos. That's definitely something your Lord would be happy to see."
"Besides, although I don't know why your Lord chose Lanevus as a Divine Descent Vessel, the higher his Sequence, the more advantageous it will obviously be for your Lord."
"So, from those two perspectives, we're natural allies in Tingen City."
"Your Lord may have sent the oracle so that you would help me."
"That way, once the plan succeeds, the situation is thrown into chaos, and Lanevus has finished digesting his Potion and successfully advanced, you can take him away and conduct the True Creator's descent ritual."
Finally, Wilt extended an invitation to Madam D:
"So, will you come help me?"