Making Charms

"Were they obtained legitimately?"

"No. I stole them just last night."

Alger opened his mouth, but even someone as deep and calculating as him was at a loss for words.

He hadn't expected such an honest answer to a casual question.

Couldn't you have come up with an excuse? You just said it outright!

Audrey was just as surprised. She asked uncertainly, "Mr. The Lovers, when you say you stole them, do you mean...?"

She still couldn't believe that this knowledgeable new member, who had so much experience in the Beyonder world, would resort to petty theft.

I must have misunderstood. Mr. The Lovers must mean it on another level, in another sense, some concept I can't understand.

Then Wilt shattered her hopes. "I mean the kind of stealing you're thinking of. Last night, I sneaked into some major capitalists' homes and stole some gemstones. Now I want to sell them."

Audrey froze, then suddenly thought of something. "I remember that your Sequence 9 is called Marauder, Mr. The Lovers. Are you acting this way to digest your Potion?"

"No." Wilt shook his head. "I digested my Marauder Potion a long time ago. I don't need to deliberately act as a Marauder anymore."

"Although the Acting Method lets Beyonders digest Potions quickly, it can also cause them to develop certain habits without realizing it," Audrey continued.

"Could it be that you did this because of habits you developed before, Mr. The Lovers, without realizing it?"

"No, that's not it either." Wilt shook his head again. "I can control myself. I'm not affected by the Potion or the Acting Method. I went to those major capitalists' homes yesterday for something else."

"I only stole the jewelry in passing. I've bought too many Beyonder materials recently and I'm short on money, so I followed Emperor Roselle's example and robbed the rich to help the poor."

Even if you're short on money, you can't do something like that!

Audrey wanted to object, but she felt it would be bad to come into conflict with a member of the Tarot Club. Torn between reason and emotion, she found herself in a dilemma.

Klein, seated above them, was also somewhat silent. Miss Justice, you really trust Mr. The Lovers if you're making so many excuses for him.

Also, Wilt's moral standards are a bit low. No, wait, Sequence 9 of the Marauder Pathway is called Marauder, and Sequence 8 is Swindler... Why does it feel like this Pathway has nothing to do with morality?

But the truth behind the cases the Nighthawks took over this morning has finally come to light. It really was you pretending to be a monster, Mr. The Lovers!

And you stole jewelry while you were at it. But those nobles didn't mention it, so it probably wasn't important to them. Their losses were small. Maybe I should steal some another day too?

Klein thought about it for a while, but ultimately abandoned the idea. He couldn't get past that hurdle in his heart.

Alger finally replied, "I have a channel through which I can help you sell the jewelry, but I can only get you seventy percent of the normal price. I'll also take a ten percent commission."

"All right." Wilt nodded.

Klein checked his Spirituality. To avoid running short when Wilt prayed to him later, he brought the Tarot Club meeting to an end. "That will be all for today's gathering."

Everyone hurried to their feet. "Your will is our wish."

Justice Audrey and the Hanged Man Alger were then kicked out, leaving Wilt standing there alone, somewhat bewildered.

He then heard Klein ask, "When are you planning to try making the charms?"

"As soon as I leave the Tarot Club."

Klein nodded. "My Honorific Name is 'The Fool who doesn't belong to this era'..."

He then told Wilt his Honorific Name and the key points of the sacrificial and bestowal rituals, before kicking him out as well.

In the real world, Wilt opened his eyes in bed.

He immediately got out of bed and set up a simple ritual on the floor. Then he opened his suitcase and took out a gemstone and some supplementary materials.

The gemstone was called Illusion Crystal. It was one of the main ingredients for an Apprentice, and he had stolen it just yesterday.

He placed the gemstone and supplementary materials in the center of the ritual and began reciting the Fool's Honorific Name. "The Fool who doesn't belong to this era, the mysterious ruler Above the Gray Fog, the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

"I beseech you to grant me the power to make charms..."

Above the Gray Fog, Klein heard Wilt's prayer. As he watched the star continually contract and expand, he found himself in a quandary.

I promised Wilt, but how do I help him make the charms?

Klein then looked at the Gray Fog around him. Why not try sending him a little of the Gray Fog's power and see what happens?

No sooner had the thought occurred to him than he acted. Klein manipulated some Gray Fog to bring it before him, then sent it into the star representing Wilt.

In the real world, a gleam flashed through Wilt's eyes as he watched the ritual light up. Here it comes!

He saw gray mist spread through the ritual and envelop all the spiritual materials. Then it came to an abrupt stop.

Klein has already sent down the power, so why did it stop here? That shouldn't have happened!

Looking at the ritual, which was only one step away from producing the charms, Wilt took out a monocle and put it over his right eye. He then activated a Dream Stealer's ability.

"Deceit!"

Wilt stole the power of the Gray Fog and Klein's response, combining them with the spiritual materials. The next second, a dazzling light burst from the ritual.

A few seconds later, the light faded, and five charms lay quietly on the floor. Wilt's eyes filled with surprise. That's a high yield. As expected of Sefirah Castle!

Klein, above Sefirah Castle, saw it happen as well. He breathed a sigh of relief. This method really works! Maybe I should try it myself another day?

He then heard Wilt thank him again. Is he finished?

That's for the best. If he kept making them, I wouldn't have enough Spirituality to draw on the Gray Fog's power. As for payment, I'll collect it at the next Tarot Club meeting.

Meanwhile, Wilt put away the charms. He planned to divine their effects together in the Key of Light later.

He then dismantled the simple ritual and set up a more complex one. Taking out three candles, he lit them and placed them at different points around the ritual.

He then set out sunflowers, hydrosol, gold coins, and the Sun Holy Emblem, all things the Eternal Blazing Sun liked.

After carefully checking for flaws and finding none, Wilt took the last portion of Gold-Edged Sunflower, three drops of a Dawn Rooster's blood, and a Radiant Spirit Tree leaf from his suitcase.

Carefully placing them in the center of the ritual, he began reciting the Eternal Blazing Sun's Honorific Name in a devout tone. "Great Eternal Blazing Sun, you are the light that never fades, the embodiment of order, the God of Contracts, and the guardian of commerce!"

"Your loyal believer beseeches you to turn your gaze here and listen to my humble request..."

"May you bestow the great power of the sun and grant me the Spirituality needed to inscribe charms..."

"Your devout believer will use it to cleanse the world of filth and evil, and let your divine miracles illuminate every corner of the world!"

Klein, who was still watching and had yet to leave, was speechless. "..."