Chapter 848: Getting Caught in the Crossfire

Backlund, Empress Borough, Inside the Hall family's luxurious mansion.

Audrey had just tried on three selections of evening gowns today, and

she was sitting on a cushioned chair, wondering how they could be

matched with her accessories and which one she was more inclined

towards. She also pondered over her mother's opinion.

At this moment, she suddenly saw an endless grayish-white and a blurry

figure watching down at everything from high above appear before her

eyes.

Immediately after that, she saw another figure. It was a praying figure

that had been shrouded by the gray fog. Her ears resounded with the

corresponding words.

Instead of being alarmed, Audrey was delighted. Her unease and worry

that there wasn't a Tarot Gathering today was instantly quelled.

*As expected, it was nothing! Oh, Mr. World really has a psychological

problem. He must've been under immense stress recently. It's no wonder

he booked an appointment in advance...* Audrey sighed as she

began to consider when she was free.

As she pondered, she scanned the maids who were busy in her room and the

golden retriever, Susie, who was sitting by the door.

Audrey's lips curled up slightly in an irresistible manner as she bowed

her head and secretly prayed in response:

"...Please tell Mr. World that I'm currently free. He can determine the

time and location. Uh, as long as it's not night time and doesn't exceed

the boroughs west of Backlund..."

In regards to this, the golden retriever who was observing the maids'

work seemed to sense someone looking at her. She suspiciously turned her

head and looked in Audrey's direction. However, it failed to discover

any problems.

Above the gray fog, inside the palace that looked like a giant's

residence.

*She's free at any time... Periods when it's convenient to head out...

Won't leave places she's familiar with...* Klein rubbed his

temples as he interpreted Miss Justice's reply.

His first reaction was that it was best done today or tomorrow, and to

have her determine the location. Then, he could use Creeping Hunger to

Teleport there, but he soon thought of a problem.

Dwayne Dantès was part of the Nighthawks' investigations. It was very

possible that he was being monitored; therefore, rashly Traveling could

easily expose him.

Wait a few days, or... Klein seriously thought about it as he

conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow and prayed once again:

"...Please inform Miss Justice that let's do it today. Above the gray

fog."

Ah? Audrey's eyes widened. She found that the answer provided

by Mr. World exceeded her expectations.

How was she supposed to get Susie to be her stand-in!?

*Besides, there are many details that I'm unable to see or clearly sense

while inside Mr. Fool's palace. It will seriously hamper any

psychotherapy...* Audrey calmed her sense of alarm as she posed

her doubts from a position of viability and requested Mr. Fool to pass

it on to Mr. World.

Before long, she received a reply again.

"...I will request Mr. Fool to remove those restrictions. We'll use

other means to conceal our true appearances..."

*That can be done? This is the special treatment one gets from being Mr.

Fool's Blessed? Hmm, our continuous communication is almost like a

conversation. I've really troubled Mr. Fool. And "He" seems to almost

allow us to indulge in it...* Audrey's thoughts raced as she

stopped finding excuses.

"...Alright. Let's do it between 11:30 to 12:30 tonight..."

She didn't believe that she would have anywhere to be alone before the

end of her birthday ball.

At the same time, in a building at 39 Böklund Street.

Hazel was looking at the selected evening gown in boredom as she

listened to her mother's repeated exhortations.

She was to accompany her parents to attend Miss Audrey Hall's birthday

ball.

Just as Hazel's thoughts were wandering and her mind gradually turning

blank, she saw a grayish-white rat appear by the door. It was

frantically waving its paws.

This... Hazel patiently listened to her mother repeat herself

one more time before finding an excuse to return to her bedroom.

After she closed and locked her door, the grayish-white rat appeared

from somewhere and arrived by her feet. It sat there in a rather comical

manner.

"I've discovered something wrong with the surroundings!"

The rat had sent vibrations in the air to speak with human words!

Hazel wasn't surprised at that as she asked in puzzlement, "What's

wrong?"

The grayish-white rat raised its right forepaw and pointed out the

window.

"There are Beyonders from the Church of Evernight investigating this

street. It's at a rather large scale."

"What are they looking for?" Hazel asked with a slight frown.

The grayish-white rat slowly inhaled and said, "How would I know? But

it's definitely something very serious.

"This way, they might very well discover something wrong with you."

Hazel asked, feeling somewhat worried and confused, "How did they make

the discovery? Weren't the clues in the sewers blasted away? Weren't the

corresponding problems dealt with?"

The grayish-white was momentarily unsure about what to say. A few

seconds later, it vaguely replied, "Official Beyonders have plenty of

strange but effective investigation methods... In short, I'll have to

deal with your dream. This is where it's easiest to divulge things."

Hazel looked down at the rat as her knitted brows relaxed.

"Alright then..."

*Don't look so unwilling! It wasn't easy for me to accumulate this bit

of strength, and now it's going to waste once again! Is this street

cursed? First it was that Demoness with a strange condition. Following

that Hero Bandit Black Emperor appeared. Now, there's some baffling and

unknown situation that made the Nighthawks pay serious attention to this

street!* the grayish-white rat squeaked in frustration.

At half-past seven in the evening, Hazel accompanied her parents, Member

of Parliament Macht and Lady Riana, to Empress Borough and entered the

Hall family's residence.

As it was a birthday ball today, she didn't manage to directly meet Miss

Audrey Hall. All she did was quietly stay by her parents side as they

exchanged pleasantries with Earl Hall, Lady Caitlyn, and Lord Hibbert

Hall.

To her, these respected aristocrats were, in essence, the same as

commoners. Therefore, she didn't appear notably reserved. Her actions

and tone were rather liberal.

If it wasn't because of her mother's repeated exhortations, Hazel even

believed that the beautiful dance floor, the murals with high artistic

value, and the elegant and outstanding statues were more worthy of

respect.

As she smiled at the people she knew and didn't know, Hazel finally

waited until the ball began. She saw the star of tonight's show. Miss

Audrey Hall held the arms of the earl and earl's wife as she walked out

of the room on the second floor before arriving at the railings that

faced the dance floor.

Hazel scanned her and habitually ignored her appearance as she observed

the matching of her gown and accessories.

However, her gaze wasn't able to move away. On the chandelier hanging

high above, whale oil candles produced light that came with dreamy

colors. When shining on the eighteen-year-old Audrey, it made her

emerald-like eyes, pure and indescribable face, and lustrous gold hair

seem to glow. It made her gown and accessories lose their luster.

Hazel was momentarily caught in a daze. She failed to hear what Earl

Hall had said until the melody filled the floor as she snapped out of

her daze when Audrey Hall began the opening dance with the earl.

The always proud her had suddenly felt a little inferior. She felt that

even if this striking lady didn't possess any Beyonder powers, there was

no way Audrey was inferior to her.

Hazel pursed her lips and looked around. She realized that everyone's

gaze had been grabbed. The only difference was that they all had

different feelings about the situation.

Phew... Hazel heaved a sigh of relief.

That night, she didn't act that arrogantly again. However, she yearned

to leave at every minute of the night. She wanted to head home to busy

herself with her matters to obtain more magical and powerful abilities.

Finally, the ball came to an end as Hazel's family bade farewell to the

family and walked to the door.

On the way out, Hazel couldn't help but look back. She saw Miss Audrey

standing along the sides of the dance floor with a faint and beautiful

smile as she expressed her gratitude to each and every guest that was

about to leave.

She seemed to remain under the spotlight.

After the end of the birthday ball, Audrey took off her accessories and

changed into her sleeping gown before entering her bathroom.

As she looked at the white steam emanate with her bathrobe beside her,

Audrey wasn't in a rush to soak herself inside. She first sat in the

corner and prayed to Mr. Fool to indicate that she was ready.

In about ten seconds, she saw crimson light surge at her like a tidal

wave, drowning her.

Above the gray fog, Audrey appeared by the side of the long bronze

table.

This time, she didn't see Mr. Fool who was enshrouded in gray fog. She

discovered an ancient confessional---it was a brown crate that was one

and a half times the height of a person. There were doors on both sides,

and a wooden plank separated the area in between them.

*I thought Mr. World would request Mr. Fool to conjure a wall which we

will use to communicate across... Although it's essentially the same, a

confessional is cramped and dark. He really doesn't know how to consider

a lady's feelings! Yes, I would find it odd if Mr. World did

that...* As Audrey suffused a smile, she walked to the ajar door

of the confessional. She bent her back and entered before sitting down

with her legs bent sideways.

After closing the wooden door, Audrey, who was treating a patient in the

true sense of the word for the first time, suddenly felt a little

excited.

Immersed in darkness, the environment and her mood made her loosen up

from the many rules she had to abide by. She curled her lips and reached

out her fingers and gently tapped on the wooden partition.

"Hello\~ Mr. World, are you there?"

Sitting cross-legged opposite her, Klein was infected by Miss Justice's

cheerful tone. His emotions relaxed as he said, "You may begin."

This time, he didn't use the gray fog to enshroud himself but had turned

himself into Gehrman Sparrow.

*Indeed, Mr. World's mental state isn't too good. He's too tense and

worried...* Audrey sensed him first and then used a

Psychiatrist's Placate.

A gentle, invisible wave emanated over as Klein instantly felt a cool,

refreshing morning breeze blow at him during a hot summer day. The

frustrations and feverish feelings within him suddenly vanished.

Seeing Mr. World having made an obvious recovery, she secretly heaved a

sigh of relief and asked softly, "Have you had any nightmares lately?"