Chapter 61

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“The Fool not of this era... Mysterious ruler above the gray fog... The King of Yellow and Black and the Lord of Good Luck...”

Audrey Hall repeated the three lines to herself in silence. Suddenly, a tumultuous wave of emotion overwhelmed her, making it impossible to maintain her Spectator state.

As an enthusiast of mysticism, she would exchange any information she obtained—regardless of its truth—in private gatherings with like-minded peers. She had studied the Hermes used in rituals and often attempted the incantations others mentioned long before she was pulled into the gray fog or made any real contact with extraordinary powers.

None of those rituals had produced any tangible effects, but they had given Audrey a basic understanding of incantations and their usual templates.

Thus, she recognized the significance of these three lines and how they related to other rituals.

Typically, such words described and pointed to one of the seven gods who watched over this world. Therefore, The Fool’s address was claiming a status equal to that of the Master of Crimson, the Mother of Secrets, and the Queen of Calamity and Fear!

Is Mr. Fool the unknown, mysterious, powerful, godlike entity that Glaint had spoken of? Could he be the source of danger we must carefully avoid in rituals?

Audrey quickly recalled the laments of her friends—those who had yearned to try the strange rituals they’d found but were too afraid to act. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Alger Wilson, who understood far more than Audrey, shivered from deep within.

If the ritualistic magic Mr. Fool designed can truly reach him and allow him to receive our requests, then we...would have to address him as Him. We would have to use the pronouns reserved for gods and other beings of equal power.

How fortunate and how wise I was to have always acted in concert with him and never done anything foolish. Even when I was testing him, it remained within the normally accepted boundaries...

Could he perhaps be an ancient, mysterious, horrifying entity that has never revealed his true form or name to the world? Could he be the Primordial Demoness, the Hidden Sage, or the True Creator that several secret cults revere?

Alger understood that although he was looking at The Fool, the figure before him might not be his true form. This entity might not even possess a gender—or resemble a humanoid at all.

Klein propped his forehead up with one hand and tapped on the table with the other, acutely sensing the changes in The Hanged Man and Justice. Yet he acted as though everything was exactly as expected. Disregarding their reactions, he continued the incantation:

“I pray for your help.

“I pray for your favor.

“I pray for you to give me a good dream.

“Oh, slumber flower, herb of the crimson moon, please bestow your powers to my incantation.

Oh, bergamot, herb of the sun, please bestow your powers to my incantation.”

...

He finished describing the incantations taken from another ritual template. When he was done, he smiled.

“Lady and gentleman, have you memorized it?”

“Ah,” Audrey quietly gasped, quickly covering her mouth before earnestly trying to recall the words. With her enhanced memory as a Spectator, she rapidly processed the information and repeated the incantation aloud to confirm it was correct.

Alger acted as if nothing unusual had occurred. Regardless of his inner thoughts, his pen never ceased its steady movement across the page.

After Klein confirmed that Audrey had recited the incantation correctly, he smiled and said, “If this trial is successful, then next time we shall lightly modify the ritual for our own benefit. I hope you will have time to complete the ritual before Wednesday, at the latest.”

He intended to return on Thursday night to determine whether the ritual had worked.

Klein deliberately did not ask The Hanged Man and Justice to directly request a leave of absence as part of the test; he worried he wouldn’t be able to discern whether they were genuinely asking for leave or if it was merely an incidental result of the ritualistic magic. If that happened, should he pull them into the gathering or not?

“At your pleasure,” Audrey and Alger replied respectfully, collecting themselves.

“Following The Hanged Man’s suggestion last week, we shall have time for casual conversation after we discuss serious matters. Who would like to begin?” Klein asked, making an inviting gesture with his hand.

Audrey thought for a moment, then said, “Mr. Fool, the suggestion you made regarding the exam selection and the separation between civil and political affairs has gained the approval of many members of parliament. Perhaps...it could really become a reality. Of course, given the speed at which our kingdom’s government operates, the bill might not appear for at least another half year.”

She was not worried that The Hanged Man would track her down using this piece of information. She had dropped subtle hints, casually and seemingly by chance, to guide those proud wives into believing that their own brilliant minds had conceived the idea. These ladies had rushed to show off to their husbands, their fathers, and their brothers. At that moment, Audrey felt as though she were watching a flock of golden peacocks displaying their tail feathers.

She believed that, through self-reinforcement, these women would soon become convinced that the glory belonged solely to themselves, eventually forgetting Audrey’s role and even fighting among themselves over who had conceived the idea first.

Using this ingenious method to change the political winds of a kingdom gave Audrey a peculiar sense of gratification, as if she had found a way for a Spectator to influence the plot of a play.

“Let’s hope so,” Alger replied sarcastically.

After a pause, he glanced at The Fool and said, “In recent decades, the activities of various secret organizations have trended upward. In fact, new secret organizations have even emerged, some of them now having reached a significant scale with many Beyonders involved.”

Are you trying to find out the reason from me? I haven't even gained access to information about these illegal organizations...

Klein merely smiled without commenting on The Hanged Man’s news. Changing the subject, he said vaguely, “Some ancient powers are awakening from their slumbers.”

For example, the power represented by the Antigonus family's notebook...

“Is that so...?” Alger muttered softly, as though recalling something.

Klein swept his gaze toward The Hanged Man, then to Justice, and said with a smile, “If there is nothing further to share, then let’s end today’s gathering here.”

“As you wish.” Audrey and Alger stood up together.

Klein moved his finger and severed his connection with the crimson stars. He watched as the two figures disappeared from the magnificent palace.

Standing up, he walked around to the back of his own chair at the head of the table. There, he looked at the constellation symbol inscribed on its back.

Radiant stars were connected in the shape of a strange symbol—one that did not match anything in Klein’s current understanding of mysticism.

He observed it closely before identifying the “Pupilless Eye,” a symbol representing concealment. He also saw the “Contorted Lines,” which represented change. A portion was missing from each symbol where they overlapped to form a new one.

An incomplete concealment and an incomplete change... What does it mean when they're put together?

Klein furrowed his brows as he muttered to himself, unable to come up with an answer at the moment. He retracted his gaze and walked all around the ancient, magnificent palace, scanning every corner with his eyes.

Back when I conjured this place up on a whim, I merely thought of a rough concept. I never described the shape of the hall, the table, or the chairs in detail... Where did this design come from? Was it the optimal choice? The first prototype? Or is it a reflection of reality?

As he looked, Klein suddenly remembered a question he had previously neglected.

Sigh. I have to say that, as a keyboard warrior, I really lack experience in many areas. l am also not astute enough—so much so that I only realize this question now...

With that self-reflection, Klein made a serious effort to examine every corner of the palace and the gray fog around it, but he did not find any other living things, nor did he notice anything else strange.

For now, Klein did not dare to venture deeper into what seemed to be an illusory land without boundaries. He was afraid he would end up completely lost there.

Letting out a deep breath, he marveled at the mystery contained in this place.

I wonder if there will be any changes here when I become more powerful...

Klein sighed as he unleashed his spirituality and enveloped himself with it, then invoked the sensation of a quick drop.

Everything flew past quickly—a myriad of illusions shattered around him. He passed through the grayish-white fog and saw reality again. He saw the table, curtains, and clothing rack in his bedroom.

...

In Empress Borough, Backlund, Audrey opened her eyes and saw the oil painting hanging on the wall. She felt the softness of the down pillow under her head. She did not stand up immediately; instead, she gave herself a moment to remain in her thoughts, recalling what had happened during today’s gathering as if watching a play she had already seen.

“When Mr. Fool told us to try the ritual and gave us the address of the mysterious ruler—the King of Yellow and Black—he spoke with a certain confidence... Confidence...” Audrey analyzed these words in silence, then suddenly drew a sharp breath, feeling a slight tremble in her body.

Forget it. Since I cannot fight it, there s no need to dwell on it... Mr. Fool has always been amiable. He must be a law-abiding entity...

Audrey’s mood rapidly improved. Her thoughts shifted to her acting and the weak side effects of her potion.

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Humming a merry tune, she got out of bed and walked toward the door, adjusting her mindset to embrace her role as a Spectator.

As she opened the door, she noticed a maid walking past. Observing the old calluses on the maid’s hands, the marks on her face, and other subtle details, Audrey deduced many things from these observations.

At that moment, she experienced a strange feeling and quickly turned to look at a shaded corner away from the balcony. There, Susie, her large golden retriever, sat silently, watching her much like how she observed the maid.

My GoddessA twitch at the corner of her lips betrayed an urge to cover her face as she let out a long sigh.

...

On the Sonia Sea, in the heavily protected captain’s quarters, Alger awoke and noticed that nothing had changed around him—as if nothing had happened at all. He sighed and thought to himself.

An ancient existence?

...

Klein, having exited the ritual, pulled open the curtains. He then took out his notebook and began writing again, recalling the contents of Emperor Roselle’s diary pages in an effort to reinforce his memory so as not to forget. When he was done, he reread his notes repeatedly. Finally, he tore the pages up and incinerated them.

If 1 do this once a week, I won’t forget the most salient points. But over time, this will become an increasingly arduous task... How unfortunate that I don’t have any better ideas. I don’t know any cryptography either...

Klein collected himself and stretched his neck. He planned on heading over to the Divination Club.

A Seer was defined differently by different people. No one could say that another person’s impression was wrong. So Klein, unsure which type of Seer best fit the requirements of the potion, could only self-correct through practical applications until he ascertained which method was optimal!