The Extravagant Mr. Stars

"Any question?"

"Any question I can answer, or some other reward."

Klein nodded, in no hurry to make a request for the moment.

He didn't think Mr. Stars, who had arrived in this world even more recently than he had, could offer much of a reward.

Collecting so much information in such a short time was already extremely efficient.

Besides, his probing had yielded enough information. The best choice was to save this opportunity until he had made more preparations.

"I understand," Klein said. "Thank you, Mr. Stars."

Leon nodded slightly and turned his gaze from Klein to Audrey.

"Miss Spectator, have you decided what reward you want?"

"I have, Mr. Stars." Audrey curtsied slightly. "If possible, I'd like a Sequence 8 Potion formula for the Spectator Pathway, or a lead on one. I know this information isn't enough to exchange for such a reward."

"I can offer more."

"Sequence 8 of the Spectator Pathway?"

Leon thought for a moment and shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't have a formula on hand, but I'll keep an eye out. If I find one, I'll let you know immediately."

"Thank you." Audrey gave a gracious smile.

Just as he had thought, Mr. Stars couldn't produce much of a reward, Klein thought.

"Oh, right." Leon suddenly remembered that he seemed to have forgotten the main business.

He looked at the disappointed Miss Spectator. "Although I don't have a formula for the Spectator Pathway, I have something else that might interest you."

With that, Leon stood, walked to the edge of the round table, and reached out to touch the golden Grace.

Two rings shimmering with a peculiar rhythm slowly floated out.

"What is this?" Audrey looked curiously at the jewel-like object before her.

"Try touching it." Leon extended both hands, controlling the two objects until they came to a stop in midair before Klein and Audrey.

Hearing this, she lowered her gaze to the golden ring her fingertip touched. The words that appeared in her mind were as clear as a brand.

[Spirit Guide's Rune sculpted by the Lord of the Stars: Made from the Beyonder Characteristic of a Sequence 6 Spirit Guide of the Corpse Collector Pathway.]

[Can be used directly as a main ingredient for a Potion.]

Sequence 6.

She blinked, took the Rune in her hand, and read the words in her mind again.

She confirmed that she hadn't misread them.

"Mr. Stars," Audrey blurted out in astonishment, raising her eyes, her voice betraying a tremor she could barely conceal.

"This is... a main ingredient for a Sequence 6 Potion?"

Sequence 6? Klein hadn't yet touched the object in front of him, but he was no less shocked than Audrey.

He hurriedly touched the ring in front of him, and a line of text likewise appeared in his mind.

[Magician's Rune sculpted by the Lord of the Stars: Made from the Beyonder Characteristic of a Sequence 7 Magician of the Seer Pathway.]

[Can be used directly as a main ingredient for a Potion.]

The Seer Pathway! The Sequence 7 Potion really is called Magician!

He remembered how Leon had once joked that the Clown was like a magician, and asked whether all Seers were members of a circus.

He hadn't expected it to be confirmed here!

Klein controlled his breathing, which he had only just managed to steady, and looked at the figure wreathed in starlight.

"This is... a main ingredient for Sequence 7?"

"To be precise," Leon said, leaning back in his chair as starlight slowly flowed around him, "it's something that can be used as a main ingredient for a Sequence 6 Potion."

He paused, then added, "In terms of value, I think they should be worth far more than what you wanted."

"Of course, what you've provided so far isn't enough to exchange for such rewards, so I also had someone open several anonymous accounts at Backlund Bank, with amounts ranging from dozens to hundreds of pounds."

Klein froze.

His mind fell into utter chaos at that moment.

Anonymous accounts.

Dozens to hundreds of pounds.

One week.

In that one week, Mr. Stars had not only gathered enough information, but could also extravagantly produce a main ingredient for a Sequence 7 Potion and one for a Sequence 6 Potion. He had even established his own funding channels.

What did that mean?

It meant Mr. Stars wasn't alone.

He had his own forces, people who could carry out his orders, and a network capable of handling funds and information.

And those forces had been established in just one week.

Klein's Adam's apple bobbed.

He thought of his own Tarot Club.

Three members: the Fool, Justice, and the Hanged Man.

Their total assets consisted only of the half-month's wages he had recently saved, plus his Nighthawks allowance and the few pence he occasionally earned from divinations.

Altogether, they didn't exceed ten pounds.

Klein suddenly felt like laughing.

What am I even holding out for as the leader of this cult?

"Mr. Sailor?"

Leon's voice pulled him back to reality.

"Ah, yes." Klein came back to his senses. "Sorry, I'm just... a little surprised."

"Surprised by what?"

"Surprised that you could... do so much in such a short time."

Leon smiled without explaining.

"In any case," he said.

"What I mean is, although this meeting was organized on the spur of the moment, that doesn't mean it's a makeshift operation. We don't believe in asking our members to contribute too much."

Leon watched the two before him with satisfaction, marveling that the ancients had truly been right: spread wealth and people would gather was indeed a wise saying!

He paused and looked at Audrey, who was still in a daze.

"I don't know how much you spent gathering information, so I'll use my own standard. After the meeting, I'll give you an account with fifty pounds in it. Consider the excess operating funds. If it's not enough, I can provide more."

He then looked at Klein. "The same goes for you, Mr. Sailor. This time aside, I'll pay one pound for each of Roselle's diary entries from now on."

"If either of you needs funds in the future, you can pray to me, and I'll give you the keys to the accounts."

"Praise the Stars! Thank you for your generosity, but I don't need money. Could I exchange it for knowledge of equal value?"

Audrey pursed her lips and spoke after some thought.

"Of course. I'll keep an eye out for the information you need." Leon nodded and stood, seemingly preparing to end the gathering.

Finally, is it finally ending?

Behind Klein's taut expression was nothing but utter mental exhaustion.

The meeting had lasted less than twenty minutes, but the information it had revealed was so complicated that he didn't want to think. He only wanted to fall onto his bed and get a good night's sleep.

"Lastly, I think you both remember what I said: entering this place means you have a new identity-Tarnished," Leon said in a clear voice.

"That isn't merely a title-or rather, I don't intend it to be." Leon looked at the two of them. "Besides gathering information, I'd like you to find time to try killing some supernatural creatures and report back to me on what happens."

After both agreed, Leon stood and said, "Then that's settled."

He then walked to the edge of the round table and reached out to touch the golden Grace.

"As you will." Audrey lowered her head in a practiced bow.

"As you will." Klein took a deep breath, stood, and did the same.

"Same time next week. I hope you can bring more valuable information."

Light burst forth, swallowing everything.