Chapter 1003: Ritornello

After throwing everything other than his clothes, Ernes Boyar was

stunned for a moment before he snapped to his senses.

\_What am I doing? What did I do?\_This Sanguine Viscount finally

recalled the matters he had deliberately forgotten---those pair of

emerald-green, limpid eyes.

A psychological cue, no---hypnosis... Ernes Boyar looked

around in anger and irresistible horror, instinctively taking in the

situation he was in.

His gaze then landed on the mountain-like figure. He saw Father Utravsky

with his thin and sparse brows.

Instantly, Ernes Boyar had all sorts of thoughts run through his mind

and collide with one another. He quickly came up with one intense

thought.

He didn't put up any resistance, and he immediately said, "I'll come

here to do a month of volunteer work!"

Emlyn's predicament had long been spread amongst the Sanguine in

Backlund. Ernes Boyar was well aware of Father Utravsky and knew that,

even if he were to put up a fight, it was difficult for him to escape

the fate of doing volunteer work. He might as well surrender and choose

conditions that were more beneficial to him.

*At the very least, I shouldn't have any cues planted in my mind and end

up converting my faith to Earth Mother...* This thought flashed

through Ernes's mind. He discovered a lantern in Utravsky's hand, and

inside it was a strange candle that seemed to be covered in human skin

with protruding lumps.

Under the candlelight's faint illumination, Ernes's pupils widened

again. He only had one thought on his mind remaining as it kept

resonating:

Another psychological cue...

At that moment, he felt the gloominess thicken in his heart.

"Alright," Utravsky nodded and agreed to Ernes Boyar's request.

Emlyn held back his smugness and pleased smile. He then looked at the

items he had caught, looking like a farmer who had just reaped a

bountiful harvest.

In a private room on the third story of a restaurant northwest of the

square, the lights darkened as a huge shadow appeared.

Tiny bats flew out of the darkness and quickly clumped together.

Smoke rose up as the silver-haired, scarlet-eyed Earl Mistral appeared

at the spot where the bats had appeared. Everything around him had been

restored to normal.

His servant, a middle-aged man in a dark formal suit immediately stepped

forward and asked with a bow, "My lord, are you having your meal now?"

He couldn't tell if things had happened smoothly, or if something had

gone wrong, much less about the success of the outcome from the earl's

face. However, he didn't dare inquire.

Mistral nodded and said, "Yes."

He walked to the table with a composed look, took off the ring with the

ghostly-blue gem, and sat down without showing a chink in his

disposition. It was as though he had headed out to feed the pigeons.

This rich smell is rather unique, but it's not bad... In the

private room neighboring Earl Mistral, Klein was wearing a very ordinary

face as he commented on the Sivellaus cuisine delicacy---lamb tripe.

This punishment operation was an attempt by the few members of the Tarot

Club---one that didn't need The World or Mr. Fool's interference---but

considering how Miss Justice and The Moon Emlyn had zero experience in

such matters and lacked experience in other matters, he had come to the

area incognito as a final safeguard.

He had previously used his marionette to pray to The Fool while he

entered the attached bathroom of his private room to head above the gray

fog. Using the corresponding point of light, he had taken in the entire

square and its surroundings.

He kept holding the Sea God Scepter the entire time, prepared to deliver

a lightning strike to prevent any problems once he discovered anything

amiss.

However, he ultimately didn't do a thing. Everything happened more

smoothly than he imagined.

There was no need for him to consider the experienced The Star Leonard,

but Miss Justice, who was participating in such matters for the first

time, had exceeded his expectations. She wasn't nervous at all, not

showing any signs of panic!

*Indeed. A Sequence 6 of the Spectator pathway is far greater than Low-

and Mid-Sequence Beyonders of the other pathways when it comes to

controlling emotions. Even if she felt uneasy, she would've resolved it

with her Beyonder powers before the operation...* Klein nodded

indiscernibly as he continued sampling the other delicacies.

Outside the window, on Saint Hierländ Square, it became filled with

lively music, an eclectic mix of the flute, violin, accordion, and

seven-string guitar.

A rental carriage was slowly circling around the perimeter of Saint

Hierländ Square.

Leonard Mitchell, who was prepared to return to the north bank of the

Backlund Bridge, took one look at the pigeons in the middle of the

square before asking with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, what's your take

regarding the outcome of this operation?"

After he pulled Ernes Boyar into a dream, he flipped Leymano's Travels

and activated Angel's Embrace. He then left the scene on carriage,

unsure of the subsequent developments.

In his mind, Pallez Zoroast snapped back, *"In the Fourth Epoch, there's

such a saying---believe in the might of deities."*

*This means that this matter has received the tacit approval of Mr.

Fool, so it's bound to succeed? However, Old Man doesn't know much about

the Tarot Club. Mr. Fool is a witness most of the time, so there's no

so-called tacit approval...* Leonard mumbled inwardly before

diverting the topic:

"Why doesn't this saying feel complete?"

He had never informed Pallez Zoroast of the exact situation of the Tarot

Club. All he did was give mention of the general situation of the Tarot

Club and inform "Him" of the matters that had been approved by Mr. Fool.

Pallez chuckled and said, *"Indeed. There's also a second half of the

saying: Do not trust 'Their' benevolence."*

*Believe in the might of deities, but do not trust "Their"

benevolence...* Leonard repeated in silence as he looked down at

the notebook with a bronze hardcover.

He then muttered wistfully, "This is really akin to a Grade 1 Sealed

Artifact. Furthermore, resolving its negative effects is relatively

simple."

Before this operation, consideration was given to the fact that

Beyonders of the pathway involving the Moon domain, as well as the

darkness, had relatively stronger resistance against Nightmare-related

effects. Leonard had originally planned on borrowing Creeping Hunger

from The World Klein Moretti. However, after some subsequent discussion,

Miss Magician mentioned the traits of Leymano's Travels, giving him a

better option.

Hence, Klein, who was originally responsible for Angel's Embrace, lent

him Creeping Hunger for three hours. Various useful Beyonder powers were

recorded, such as Bribe---Weaken.

"This is something from the Abraham family," Pallez Zoroast

said with a sigh.

Leonard had long known of this as he nodded indiscernibly. He then

asked, "Old Man, do you have the means of weakening or controlling the

negative effects of the mystical item I previously mentioned?"

*"You call that a mystical item? That's something that requires

sealing!"* Pallez first reprimanded Leonard. Then, he said,

"*Didn't you say that it has a living characteristic? That makes it much

easier to resolve."*

Leonard felt relieved as he cast his gaze out the window again, taking

in the sight of Saint Hierländ Cathedral, which had parts resembling

factories.

In Phelps Street, North Borough, in the vicinity of Saint Samuel

Cathedral, at the entrance of the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.

After changing her clothes, Audrey got off a carriage like an ordinary

girl.

She had already gotten rid of her paperboy attire at a hotel room that

had been prepared ahead of time. And that room was reserved by someone

under Emlyn's instructions. It had nothing to do with her.

At this moment, there were people coming and going at the Loen Charity

Bursary Foundation's entrance, but Audrey walked over without any

hesitation.

No one looked at her, as though she lived in another world.

Audrey briskly walked into the foyer, went up to the second story, and

headed for the director's office. And everyone who she walked past

seemed to join her in playing a game, pretending as though they hadn't

seen her. They weren't puzzled about why this unfamiliar girl was

inside.

Audrey was just about to enter the office when she suddenly heard a

familiar voice inside:

"Miss Audrey, this is the amount of donations we have gathered this

week..."

Audrey couldn't help but curl the ends of her lips as she gently nudged

the ajar door and walked in.

Inside the office, a staff member was holding a stack of documents,

showing it to the person behind the desk.

Sitting behind the desk was a golden retriever with a pair of

gold-rimmed glasses hanging by her neck.

It sat at the director's seat, casually flipping through the documents,

and said, "That wouldn't be an issue."

The staff member then took back the document and smiled at the golden

retriever.

"Then, I'll take my leave, Miss Audrey."

Behind her, Audrey held back her laughter as she walked to the sofa. She

silently watched the staff member leave without interrupting the golden

retriever from reading the other documents.

Susie seriously read the different documents, afraid that something

wrong would happen to her acting; thus, affecting Audrey's matters.

After a while, she suddenly looked around in puzzlement.

"Audrey, are you back?"

"How did you notice?" Audrey stood up from the sofa and appeared within

Susie's sights.

For this operation, she had specially spoken to Susie. She got the

latter to replace her at work in the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.

Then, with the golden retriever in tow, she hypnotized all the staff

members who would interact with her that day, making them treat Susie as

Audrey.

As for any possible visitors, she told her staff that there would only

be guests in the afternoon.

And the signal to snap out of the hypnosis was the cathedral bells at

two in the afternoon.

Susie jumped off the chair after seeing Audrey, saying in exasperation,

"It's almost two."

That's right... Audrey inwardly made a silly face as she

rushed into the small lounge and changed into her clothes. She then used

Lie's Flame Controlling powers to burn her previous disguise.

After returning to her office and sitting at her seat, she felt

completely relaxed. She clasped her hands together and lightly pursed

her lips.

To be frank, she had always been nervous. However, she had successfully

cast Placate on herself before the operation, preventing any slip-ups.

\_It's quite interesting now that I reminisce over it. We even discussed

how we would compensate those who were affected... Audrey, well done!\_A

smile beamed on the blonde, green-eyed beauty as it grew brighter.

After this operation, she realized that her Hypnotist potion had

digested by a significant amount. Furthermore, she had also confirmed

one thing: The mystical item, Hand of Horror, which came with

Bribe---Charm worked perfectly with Hypnosis!

*Yes, I also learned that Mr. Moon's name is Emlyn White... He didn't

bother hiding the matter, because he had to tell me. Otherwise, we

wouldn't have achieved our goals... Yes, yes. Perhaps just giving the

name of the cathedral was enough, but that will still expose his

identity... I'm still feeling some anxiety. I was too stiff when

hypnotizing. I actually used words that were too direct during the first

level of hypnosis...* Audrey cast Placate on her slightly

agitated feelings as she reviewed the entire operation, hoping that she

could draw from the experience and lessons of today.

Gong! Gong!

Saint Samuel Cathedral's bells chimed, indicating that it was two in the

afternoon.

Many staff who were inside 22 Phelps Street at the Loen Charity Bursary

Foundation had their bodies tremble after hearing it. Following that,

they continued with their work as though nothing had happened.

Gong! Gong!

Amidst the cathedral's bells, Klein, who had transformed back into

Dwayne Dantès, once again walked to 160 Böklund Street's balcony and

took in the situation of Macht's house.

At this moment, a carriage passed by his residence's entrance and drove

to the end of the street.

Suddenly, Klein felt his perception trigger as a scene surfaced in his

mind.

A gray rat was leaning against the carriage's window, leisurely watching

the street scenery.