Chapter 405: "Cult"

"The Fool?" The Beyonders who attended Mr. A's gathering either

ruminated over the phrase or conversed with their companions to discuss

whether they had ever met anyone who had a similar faith.

"When did such a cult appear?" someone asked in a low voice.

At this point, Mr. A made the attendant beside him hold up a blackboard

with a few lines of words written in the Loen language.

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era.

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog.

"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

As the attendees examined the blackboard, Mr. A said in a hoarse and

jarring voice, "Do not use Hermes to read what's written here. Even more

so for Jotun, Elvish, Dragonese, and ancient Hermes. You shouldn't even

write the corresponding descriptions; otherwise, there is a high

probability that something terrible will happen.

"Help me find believers in The Fool. Of course, they might also be

followers of the mysterious ruler above the gray fog or the King of

Yellow and Black who wields good luck. As long as there's a clue, inform

me immediately. The reward I'll provide will be so handsome that it will

far exceed your imagination!"

"This description... It sounds like an incredible existence. I've only

seen similar descriptions in the ancient texts of the seven gods!" a

gathering member exclaimed.

His companion shook his head and said, "The beings which many cults

believe in have similar descriptions."

"Is it really a cult?" The other gathering members were stunned when

they heard their discussion.

"Likely. Typically, when we summon a creature from the spirit world, we

might have three lines describing it, but one of the lines would be

about 'the blessed one of someone' or 'that who belongs to.' It wouldn't

be in this format!" A gathering member who was well-versed in mysticism

gave an explanation.

As they vehemently conversed, Fors was nearly dumbfounded.

*Isn't that the honorific name of Mr. Fool? Even though it's described

in the Loen language, I'm sure of it! Why would Mr. A want to find the

believers of Mr. Fool? Is the Aurora Order behind this?* Fors's

mind was in a mess.

She knew that Mr. A was a member of the Aurora Order because of a

particular "terrorist organization" had announced its responsibility in

the assassination of Intis Ambassador Bakerland.

After a brief moment of astonishment, Fors subconsciously began to

examine herself, afraid that someone would discover that she was already

a member of the Tarot Club and that, in some sense, she was a Blessed of

The Fool.

*I just recited the honorific name of The Fool according to the ancient

Hermes on that piece of paper and was pulled above the gray fog. No one

knows about this, and I don't have to be afraid of being investigated...

But there's a link to that piece of paper with Mr. Fool's honorific name

written on it. It was hidden in a book we borrowed from the Viscount

Glaint...* Thoughts rapidly flashed through Fors's mind.

*The Fool that doesn't belong to this era... Isn't that the description

I saw on that piece of paper? I even dreamed of an evil spirit!*

At the same time, Xio remembered the incident that had frightened her,

but her long experience as a bounty hunter had kept her from revealing

anything unusual.

And then, as she recalled, she thought about the origin of the piece of

paper.

*It was hidden in the bookcase of "History of the Loen Kingdom's

Aristocracy"... That book was borrowed from Viscount Glaint's

study...*

Suddenly, a name flashed in both Fors's and Xio's minds at the same

time: Viscount Glaint!

At that moment, Viscount Glaint was looking at the blackboard and said

to himself with interest, "This honorific name is very rare.

"But it sounds very impressive!"

Just as he finished his sentence, he looked to his side in puzzlement,

asking Fors and Xio, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing." Xio and Fors rapidly shook their heads at the same time.

After dinner, in an elegantly decorated house.

Audrey brought the huge golden retriever, Susie, into the living room

under the guidance of her psychology teacher, Escalante. She was

attending the "academic" meeting that had been agreed upon last week.

Her maid and bodyguard stayed behind while she walked with Susie into a

spacious activity room.

In the activity room, be it for the atmosphere or some other reason, the

gas lamps were not lit. The room was lit by gold-plated candle lamps on

the coffee table and cupboard.

Before Audrey could take a good look at her surroundings, she saw a

gentleman in his thirties walking towards her. He wore a gray tailcoat.

"This is the owner of this place, Mr. Stephen Hampres, a furniture

merchant." the long-haired Escalante introduced him.

She was just about to tell him Audrey's identity when Hampres chuckled

and said, "Escalante, don't say anything. Let me have a chance at

guessing."

He had a neatly trimmed mustache and charming dark brown eyes. He

appeared very gentle and elegant, nothing like a furniture merchant but

more like a university lecturer.

After seriously sizing up Audrey a few times, he smiled and said,

"Escalante only mentioned that you were her student. Heh heh, I believe

you're a cultured noble lady, and you aren't someone who only looks

good. There's no need for you to worry about a decline in the quality of

your life...

"You're a little excited, very curious, and a relatively simple but also

full of love...

"Of course, the most obvious point is that you're very beautiful, just

like an angel!"

He made a final joke, pressed his hand to his chest, bowed, and said,

"Welcome, the beautiful Miss Angel."

*You're right, as expected of a member of the Psychology Alchemists.

However, what you managed to observe was the me from a few months ago.

It's all a facade I've put on for myself...* Audrey opened her

mouth in surprise and astonishment.

"Did you know me before, Mr. Hampres?"

She didn't let her shocked expression linger too long on her face,

because such emotions were meant to be instantaneous and wouldn't last

too long.

If anyone were to be surprised for several seconds, then it meant that

their performance was most likely an act.

Audrey didn't notice this at first, but after watching others "act" all

this time, she naturally came up with a lot of rules.

"No, I still don't know you. This is just the basics of being a

psychology enthusiast." Hampres chuckled.

Before he could finish his sentence, Audrey had already completed her

observations and made a corresponding judgment based on her

surroundings.

*His attire and the furnishings of his house all indicate that he's a

person who cares deeply about how people view him...*

*The sapphire on the ring of his left hand doesn't look small, but its

actual quality is very ordinary. There are no symbols or magic labels on

it... His finances aren't as good as he presents them to be... He's

vain...*

*Even though he was very enthusiastic just now, the way he stands there,

the direction in which his feet point, and the changes in his emotional

colors all indicate that he still has many concerns and is on his

guard...*

*He sincerely commended me on my looks, but it wasn't in the way a man

would look at a woman. There are signs of him using facial products, and

his eyebrows are definitely drawn. His skills are inferior to my make-up

maidservant, Solia, but they're better than mine... The cologne he uses

is "Confusion," something that I've only seen women use before... Yes,

he probably likes men, and the role he plays is the weaker one in the

relationship...*

At the same time, Audrey expressed her longing skillfully.

"I'd love to have your observational powers, Mr. Hampres."

As she spoke, she maintained a faint smile while being introduced to the

other seven or eight people in the activity room under Hampres's and

Escalante's lead.

The lovers of both mysticism and psychology were either descendants of

fallen aristocrats, associate professors at universities, or the

children of the rich. For example, the father of a young man was the

owner of Philip's Department Store, the most famous department store in

Backlund.

In the exchange that followed, Audrey basically only listened. The only

time she spoke was by asking questions, fully expressing her curiosity

and yearning.

In this "academic" discussion, Escalante and Hampres deliberately

mentioned the Body of Heart and Mind, as well as the spirit world and

the collective subconscious. They also shared some relatively unique

points of view, allowing Audrey to gradually understand some of the

questions she had accumulated all this time.

When the discussion ended and they were out of the house, Audrey glanced

at Escalante beside her and asked, with a little naivety, "Ms.

Escalante, when will I-I be as good in psychology as Mr. Hampres?"

Escalante curled the corners of her lips and slightly tilted her head as

she looked at her.

"Very soon..."

At night, Klein, who was about to get into bed, once again appeared

above the gray fog.

Despite being a little sleepy, he was jolted awake by the news Miss

Magician had reported.

*The Aurora Order knows of The Fool? They know of my honorific name? The

True Creator has locked onto me?* Klein abruptly sat up

straight, as though he was about to face an attack.

He quickly rejected the final theory. If the True Creator had indeed

locked onto him, Mr. A would have long visited him on the pretext of

collecting a copper penny for the gas meter. Perhaps, even a Saint might

appear.

*That is to say, only The Fool and his corresponding honorific name are

known, and the clues point to Backlund... Who leaked the news?*

Klein frowned as he carefully thought about it.

Soon, he discovered a possibility.

*Little Sun has recently chanted my honorific name, and it happened when

he was interacting with a member of the exploratory team who was

corrupted by the True Creator... He held a sacrificial ritual, and there

were likely symbols corresponding to The Fool at the scene. The ancient

palace above the gray fog appeared.... So, the True Creator sensed the

existence of The Fool and confirmed that I was the one who had been

sacrilegious, no---harassing, no that's not right either---spying on

him...*

*Also, Little Sun used the All-Black Eye at that time, which contains

the mental corruption of the True Creator... Through that, "He" has

confirmed that my Blessed and believers are in Backlund?*

I can't take the All-Black Eye out in the future!

Having roughly understood the problem, Klein was left with another

problem.

*Mr. A announced the bounty for Mr. Fool's believers at a

not-so-private, relatively open Beyonder gathering. Is he just dumb, or

is he deliberately "fishing?"*

*Sigh, the Aurora Order members are all bigoted lunatics. Their brains

are mostly damaged, so it's impossible to deduce their real

intentions!*

*This is as the saying goes, as long as I'm crazy, you won't be able to

guess what I'm thinking?*