Chapter 483: New Identity

The sky was dark outside the window, but it wasn't the dark fog which

Klein was used to. The sea waves rolled in, blowing away all the smog

and making the clouds line up in various shapes, reflecting the

reddish-gold sunlight.

This was Pritz Harbor, the largest and busiest port in the Loen Kingdom.

Wearing a light vest and white shirt, Klein stood by the window and

watched the outside world for a while until his pocket watch urged him

to return to the mahogany table.

In the warmth of the fireplace, he picked up a black, round fountain

pen, unfolded a letter, and slowly wrote:

Dear Mr. Azik,

*Forgive me for not writing to you until today, but for the past few

days, I've been wandering in Backlund, immersed in the devastation that

has been inflicted on this great city by the events of the past few

days. If we were ordinary people, perhaps we would've been covered with

white cloth and carried to the crematorium, eventually settling in a

tiny niche...*

*I've waited for quite a while and finally found an opportunity to

retrieve what belongs to me. This includes the Card of Blasphemy I

promised you. In addition, there's another item which I will get the

messenger to bring to you as well; it's a copper whistle that can summon

a messenger. It comes from a chance encounter of mine, regarding an

elder who crawled out of his coffin. I'm sure you're puzzled having read

this, as the description I used similarly points to you. This is what

puzzles me.*

*...This is exactly what happened. I suspect that the original owner of

the copper whistle is a member of the Numinous Episcopate that tries to

revive Death. Furthermore, his level isn't low. Perhaps you'll be able

to tell something from this copper whistle...*

*Before leaving Backlund, I will write to the Machinery Hivemind to

describe the massive underground ruin where you fought Ince Zangwill. I

hope that they will be able to figure out the truth with the help of

this information.*

*After going through a roundabout and indirect test, I've confirmed that

they do not have any enmity towards you and me for the time being. If

you're in trouble, perhaps you can try seeking their help.*

*Finally, I have one more question. Is there any way to remove the

residual mental corruption of a Beyonder characteristic that has already

solidified?*

*...I am about to set sail. I wish you a smooth journey in finding your

memories and a safe journey for myself as well.*

Your student and friend,

Klein Moretti.

Putting down the pen and reading it once more, Klein folded the letter

and stuffed it into the envelope along with the Black Emperor card and

the copper whistle left behind by the suspected Numinous Episcopate

member.

When he was done, he picked up the copper whistle Mr. Azik had given him

and summoned the messenger by blowing into it.

The messenger was still nearly four meters tall, made purely of white

bones, its eye sockets burning with black fire. However, Klein's

spiritual intuition told him that this was another messenger.

Sighing secretly, Klein raised his arm and placed the letter into the

messenger's lowered palm.

The messenger lowered his head to take a look, before quickly

disintegrating into bones and drilled into the ground like a torrential

downpour.

Seeing this, Klein lightly tapped his right molar and deactivated his

Spirit Vision.

He returned his gaze to the table, where there was a pale yellow

identification card. This was a necessary item required for official

purchases of any voyage tickets.

For this, he had specially gone to Sharron and obtained a new identity

through her circle.

This identity was that of a bounty hunter, a lunatic who was eager to go

on an adventure at sea to get rich. In accordance with Klein's wishes,

his name was Gehrman Sparrow.

"A hunter of evil..." Klein whispered, putting away a series of

documents for his new identity.

Shortly after, he drew the curtains, took four steps counterclockwise,

and went above the fog.

There was still some time before the Tarot Gathering, so Klein quickly

retrieved Creeping Hunger and wore it on his hand.

Closing his eyes, he tried to sense each and every twisted, illusory

soul. He attempted to release the Faceless.

In the real world, Creeping Hunger would happily consume this gift and

spit out the corresponding Beyonder characteristic, but above the fog,

it didn't dare to act rashly. It allowed the soul of the Faceless to

leave the glove and appear to the side of the long bronze table.

It was a middle-aged man with a blurry face. His twisted and painful

feelings seemed to dissipate quite a bit.

With difficulty, he bowed at Klein, who was leaning back in his chair.

His figure gradually turned dim, almost plummeting beneath the gray fog

at any moment.

In the majestic palace, Klein could directly "communicate" without any

additional rituals prepared; thus, he extended his spirituality and

stabilized the man before saying in a low voice, "Do you know where

there are live mermaids?"

The man answered in an adrift manner, "Apart from those kept by the

Church of Evernight, they can only be found by sailing from the Gargas

Archipelago towards the Sonia Sea for at least a week. That was my

destination."

*So he's also a Faceless seeking to advance... In order to seek out

mermaids, he had taken the risk to go out to sea. However, he somehow

died at the hands of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos in the end... The

Church of the Goddess rears quite a number of mermaids?* Klein

suddenly asked in realization, "Which organization did you belong to? Or

should I say, where did your potion formula come from?"

The blurry-faced middle-aged man's body suddenly trembled. It was only

two seconds later that he spoke up.

"The Secret Order. I belong to the Secret Order."

*Secret Order? Doesn't the Secret Order rear their own

mermaids?* Klein hesitated for a moment before asking, "Have you

ever seen your leader, Zaratul?"

The illusory and transparent Faceless was silent at first, but then he

shouted with a sharp voice, "I have!

"H-he's abnormal! He's an undying monster!"

As he spoke, his figure became increasingly thin, almost on the verge of

dissipating.

*As expected, Zaratul is still alive! Just what had happened for a

Secret Order member to be so afraid of him? More accurately, I should

use "Him"...* Klein quickly asked about another key issue,

"Apart from the treasures left behind by the Antigonus family and what

your Secret Order has, is there anywhere I can get the High-Sequence

Beyonder formulas for the Seer pathway?"

The Faceless turned increasingly transparent and more illusory. He

finally left the words: "The Church of Evernight... Cathedral of

Serenity..."

The Holy Cathedral... Klein silently watched as the Faceless's

Spirit Body achieved complete liberation as he repeated the words. The

Cathedral of Serenity was the headquarters of the Church of Evernight,

also known as the Holy Cathedral according to the Nighthawks.

*There really are high Sequence potion formulas of the Seer pathway

hidden there... I wonder how many secrets the various Churches have kept

buried and hidden...* Sighing, Klein let the dark green

glue-like substance, that had formed on the surface of his glove, slide

onto the surface of the long bronze table.

The Faceless Beyonder characteristic eventually formed a jelly-like

translucent object. In the dark green background, from time to time,

there were different faces emerging, like shadows hidden behind dark

curtains.

Klein took a few looks before nodding indiscernibly. He muttered to

himself, "I'll use The World later to get Mr. Hanged Man to sell this

Beyonder characteristic either to Artisans or Beyonders who need it."

Although he had found a flaw in the official Beyonders' surveillance of

15 Minsk Street by means of divination above the gray fog, he didn't

return there so as to not provoke them or expose the secrets of his

Spirit Body. Instead, he spent extra money to buy a change of clothing

and other daily necessities. All of that amounted to twelve pounds.

Together with the eight pounds paid for the documents of his new

identity, his wallet was so empty that there was almost no need for it

to exist.

As for the 10 percent stake in the bike company, Klein found an

opportunity to meet with Isengard Stanton and signed a legal agreement

to entrust the matter to him. After all, their relationship wasn't a

secret in the eyes of the Nighthawks or the Machinery Hivemind.

*I still have five pounds in cash and five gold coins... It will cost

four pounds to head for the Rorsted Archipelago, and that's for a

third-class ticket at the lower deck... It would take at least four

pounds to go from the Rorsted Archipelago to the Gargas Archipelago... I

have to quickly sell off the Faceless Beyonder characteristic... This

way, I would be able to afford a second-class cabin and eat decent

food... Thanks to Emlyn's suitcase being placed above the gray fog all

this time, I've had to buy another one...* Klein silently went

through his financial situation, feeling as if he had returned to the

time when he had just transmigrated, relying on the salary of the

Nighthawks before he could even buy a suit.

*A Sequence 6 Beyonder characteristic varies between 3,000 to 4,000

pounds. If I encounter someone in desperate need for it, then it can be

sold at a premium... But apart from maintaining my living expenses, I

have to consider the cost of the Marionettist's supplementary

ingredients. I also have to consider the cost of the ritual needed to

eliminate the mental corruption.* Klein sighed and took out his

pocket watch to take a look at it.

Seeing that it was about time, he sent a message to Little Sun to

prepare for the gathering.

Fors's vision turned clear as she saw three figures sitting across the

long, mottled table.

A new member? With a thought, she quickly settled down.

At this moment, she didn't care if the Tarot Club had any new members.

Her mind was filled with the incident of the smog and plague from last

week.

She vividly remembered that The World had warned herself and Miss

Justice at the last gathering that something huge was brewing in

Backlund, which could likely bring about a tragedy. Mr. Fool had

confirmed that conjecture, and he had further pointed out that the

person at the heart of the problem was Prince Edessak.

She didn't doubt Mr. Fool's abilities and felt that the tragedy needed

time to brew, giving her plenty of time to investigate. Who knew that it

would come so quickly and so suddenly!

*Prince Edessak was also reported to have been infected in the haze and

unfortunately died... It really happened. It really happened...*

Thinking back to the contents of the newspapers from a few days ago, she

seemed to understand something, but she wasn't sure of it. For a moment,

she felt terrified and uneasy.

*As a Sequence 9, I seemed to have become involved with terrifying

matters that involved a huge city, a prince, and tens of thousands of

lives just because I'm a member of the Tarot Club!* It was only

at this moment that The Magician, Fors, realized the importance of being

a member of the Tarot Club.

Then, she heard Miss Justice's usual greeting that lacked her

exuberance.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool.

"You saved Backlund again!"

Ah? What? When was I saved again? The Moon Emlyn listened

blankly.