Chapter 343: By Oneself

After the private communication between The World and The Sun, the Tarot

Gathering began its free discussion session. Audrey asked with great

interest about the unique scenery of the sea and of any strange

happenings, while Alger gave selective descriptions according to his own

knowledge.

Fors listened quietly and was inspired to write a novel about a Pirate

King, of how he captures a female passenger and has a complex love

affair with her, a fantasy that coexisted with reality.

Derrick could only imagine what the sea looked like based on the

paintings in the City of Silver and the corresponding words.

In the end, Klein, whose spirituality was gradually drained, announced

the end of the Tarot Gathering. After which, he quickly returned to the

real world and made up for it with a nap.

Half past seven at night. In Empress Borough. Inside a particular

noble's house.

Fors put on a hooded robe. After so many days, she was once again

attending the gathering organized by Mr. A.

She sat quietly in a corner, and whilst pretending to casually survey

her surroundings, she noticed that Mr. A, who was sitting alone on the

sofa, seemed a little different from before.

This wasn't a change in appearance or temperament, because the other

party's face was completely hidden in the shadow of his hood, preventing

her from making out anything.

The difference she felt was an almost intuitive feeling.

*Mr. A is no longer as carefree and indifferent as before, with him

always looking at everyone in a supercilious manner. The current him

seems to be very repressed---like he's trying his best to

control something. He feels a lot more dangerous now.*

*In the past, Mr. A was a mountain. Now, he's more like a reared up

snake, sticking out its tongue vociferously...* The best-selling

writer, Fors, suddenly felt grateful that she hadn't gotten Xio to come

with her since she needed to hide matters about the Tarot Club and not

let her know that she was looking for something in the Sun domain.

*This way, even if there are any accidents, my escape would be much

easier...* She rotated the bracelet which only had two stones

left.

She was in no hurry to write down her request to hand over to the

attendant. Instead, she patiently observed for a while.

It wasn't that she was naturally cautious, but the lessons of the past

had left her with deep impressions. The two stones on her bracelet were

evidence of this.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, she finally picked up a piece

of paper and a pen in front of her and wrote in deliberately distorted

handwriting: "Seeking to buy mystical items or powerful Beyonder weapons

in the Sun domain."

After handing the note to the attendant, Fors looked around again, but

she couldn't find the Eternal Blazing Sun believer, who had helped with

the purification and exorcism ritual, among the disguised or masked

figures.

Trades took place as the attendants shuttled about. The entire hall

remained quiet and orderly.

After an exchange in the middle of the gathering, Fors's request was

added to the two chalkboards right in front.

Not long after, she received a reply from the attendant.

A small slip of white paper was filled with dense words:

"Mystical item: Band of Light ring. It can make the wearer an Envoy of

Light, an attendant of the Sun. They will be immune to various diseases

and wield sacred powers. The wearer can summon blinding light and use

several spells in the Sun domain. It can purify all dead spirits in a

fifty-meter radius. It is the nemesis of such creatures.

"If the wearer is acknowledged by the ring, they will be enhanced;

otherwise, they will be weakened.

"The only problem is that if the wearer utilizes it too often, they will

slowly become a believer of the Eternal Blazing Sun and slowly defend

the doctrines and praise the Sun from the bottom of their hearts.

"If you wish to obtain it, then please pay me 9,000 in cash at once. I

can wait for you to raise it."

9,000 pounds? Fors's mouth gaped open, as though the other

party was robbing her.

This was a huge amount of wealth that she wouldn't be able to borrow,

even if she asked someone to lend it to her!

Aside from the deposit for the assassination of the Intis Ambassador,

the amount of money she had seen so far combined had never been this

high!

A person with 9,000 pounds in cash was considered a tycoon, even in

Backlund!

*Although I know that mystical items are expensive, I never expected

them to be this expensive... Does he plan on getting the 9,000 pounds

and not participate in Beyonder gatherings anymore and leave the circle

so as to enjoy life in peace?* For a moment, she didn't dare to

reply to the seller.

She pretended that nothing had happened and listened for nearly ten

minutes, but when she received no additional response or response to

relatively inexpensive Beyonder weapons, she got up and went to the

washroom.

After confirming that no one was around, she closed the toilet door and

sat down on the toilet. She recited Mr. Fool's honorific name, told him

in prayer about what had just happened, and asked him to pass it on to

The World.

Klein, who had heard the layered, illusory sounds, quickly went above

the endless gray fog and gained a basic understanding of the situation.

9,000 pounds? He mouthed the number, his expression twisting

slightly.

After silently calculating the amount of money he could raise in a short

period of time, he let out a breath, conjured the fake person, The

World, and manipulated him to give a response:

"The negative effect of this mystical item is too serious. I do not wish

to be a believer of the Sun.

"You don't have to worry about this anymore. We'll transact using cash

instead.

"Pay 450 pounds and you'll get the formula for Trickmaster."

The moment he finished his sentence, he cut the connection. Watching as

The World disappeared, he raised his hand to rub his forehead and

muttered to himself, "Next, I'll have to see the information on what

kind of items that Barbarian lady can gather...

"Otherwise, I can only purchase that brooch from Eye of Wisdom."

In the washroom, Fors let out a sigh of relief. She indicated that she

would hold the sacrificial ritual as soon as she got back.

*It's a pity that I don't know the formula for now. Otherwise, I could

take the opportunity to see if there are any Beyonder ingredients I

need...* She returned to the hall and focused on the information

on the two blackboards.

She didn't respond to the previous note, much less consider bargaining.

Even if the seller was willing to discount it by a thousand pounds, she

wouldn't have the money or liquidity to buy it, and more importantly,

she felt that Mr. World couldn't afford it either.

She stayed until the end of the gathering, and because of Mr. A's

changes, she didn't linger or talk to anyone. She quickly left the

house.

After more than ten minutes, the gathering came to a complete end,

leaving Mr. A and his attendants alone.

Slowly, Mr. A got up and walked down the stairs to the basement.

Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, rolling down

several steps.

He was sprawled on the ground, and the shadow beneath him quickly turned

scarlet red.

His flesh and blood melted and mixed into the shadow, making it look

like a brand-new, skinless, monster-like person that had been separated

from his body!

Gasp! Gasp... Mr. A's breathing gradually returned to normal

as his taut body gradually relaxed.

The blood and flesh, that had separated, flowed back once again.

Everything returned back to normal.

Mr. A crawled forward and knelt in the basement, once again confessing

his sins while choking with sobs.

He was confessing for his oversight from before, that he wasn't vigilant

enough and caused the Lord's descent to fail.

City of Silver, Derrick Berg's house.

He walked in silence a few times around the table, unable to make up his

mind. His reasoning told him that Mr. Hanged Man's suggestion was the

best one, but the faces of the other members participating in the

mission kept flashing in his mind, and he felt that he had abandoned and

betrayed them by pretending to lose control!

*Is there no way to save them? Should I find a chance to meet with the

Chief and tell him that the half-destroyed temple belongs to the Fallen

Creator, who's an evil god that controls the Shepherd pathway? That he

should be careful of Elder Lovia and change the person responsible for

the mission... But how should I explain where I got this information

from? In their eyes, Mr. Fool would be the same as an evil

god...* Derrick pulled his hair in frustration.

The Axe of Hurricane was placed in a position that was within reach of

his hands. Every time a bolt of lightning streaked past the window, it

emitted a faint light.

Suddenly, Derrick stopped and looked out into the darkness and into the

dark sky.

It was as if he had once again seen the state his parents were in before

their deaths. He found the pain he had experienced when he stabbed his

sword downwards.

*There's no time... I need to make preparations for the future so that I

wouldn't be suspected for my discovery of that god being the Fallen

Creator...* As his expression distorted, he clenched his teeth

and muttered to himself. He then suddenly left the side of the window

and went back to the table. He began practicing the Light Suppliant's

Beyonder powers to drain his spirituality as quickly as possible.

In the Hall family's luxurious villa.

In an art studio, Audrey leisurely smeared oil paint when she heard a

rhythmic knock on the door.

When her maidservant, Annie, opened the door, she saw that it was her

mother, Countess Caitlyn.

Although this lady was close to fifty years old, she looked to be in her

early thirties. She had blonde hair, green eyes, and a beautiful and

graceful appearance, enough to attract the attention of most gentlemen.

"Mother, is something the matter?" Audrey put down the items in her hand

and stood up, puzzled.

The Countess looked at her daughter, who was even more beautiful than

her younger self. She smiled and said, "I just attended a dinner party.

Lady Della said that you're very interested in psychology and that you

wanted to hire a tutor, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I haven't decided yet..." Audrey replied hesitantly on

purpose, just like she usually did.

How could the Countess not see through her daughter's thoughts? She

smiled and said, "She recommended a psychiatrist named Escalante. If you

have no problem with that, I'll send someone to invite her to tutor you

twice a week. How about that?"

"It's your decision." Audrey's smile blossomed, bit by bit. "Mother,

come and sit here. I'm lacking a beautiful model!"

On Tuesday morning, Klein confirmed through the Backlund Morning Post

that Eye of Wisdom's gathering would be held tomorrow night.

He was relieved as he was no longer worried that his acquisition of the

items he needed wouldn't be in time for Miss Sharron's attack on the

enemy.

To celebrate the good news, he decided to take a day off at the Quelaag

Club.