Chapter 343 — By Oneself
9 min read ·
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
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 honorable 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.