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Chapter Text

Deep within the gray fog, a certain "ancient god" was on the verge of losing control due to sheer embarrassment.

Shit! Klein Moretti refused to bury his head in his hands, if only to avoid giving the Celestial Worthy any satisfaction. His struggle with the previous Lord of the Mysteries had left him at a temporary disadvantage, and now things had spiraled out of control. But to think things would get this bad… The usually calm and collected Klein, who had only become more composed after reaching godhood, thought he was allowed to complain a little. Shit! This really sucks! I'm too weak to stop the viewing, but if I try and intervene now, it'll just look like I'm trying to save face…! Why is my life like this! I hate it here!

"If I had known this would work so well, I would have done it earlier."

An odd, layered voice echoed through the mist, breaking Klein out of his misery. He sobered with a sigh.

Hey, can't a guy sulk in peace? Are all Outer Deities this rude? he lampooned before replying seriously, "Apparently you don't understand me as well as you think you do."

He could hear the smirk in the Celestial Worthy's voice. "Don't I?"

"Isn't it a little pathetic for a Great Old One to be struggling so much with a normal human like me?" Klein returned with a brilliant smile of his own.

"Even after seeing all of your memories, the source of your arrogance remains a mystery."

"A man must have his secrets."

"You're afraid, aren't you?"

Klein fell silent.

"You humans are all so simple," the previous Lord of the Mysteries continued. "It's unbearably boring. You act above your place, clinging to your lies even when confronted with an enemy you cannot win against - don't you ever get tired of it? Smile all you like, but I can sense the fear in your heart."

These words reverberated through the mists and settled into them, the fog seeming to solidify with their coldness. For a moment, the Fool said nothing. His shoulders trembled slightly.

Then he tipped his head back and laughed.

It was a ridiculous kind of laughter: joyful but not happy, self-assured but not confident. It was laughter at a cosmic joke that you were the punchline of.

"Afraid?" Merlin Hermes said through his chuckles. "Of course I'm afraid. I'm the most terrified I've ever been in my life! Is it such a big achievement to notice what I've made no effort to hide? Should I congratulate you? Would you like a round of applause?"

The Celestial Worthy remained unimpressed. "Your jokes are ineffective. They will not change anything to come."

"Of course I know that." Sherlock Moriarty laughed again. "Lies always catch up with you in the end."

And Klein Moretti was, make no mistake, a liar. He had lied, cheated, and stolen to get to where he was today - a place he'd never even wanted to be in - and now he would have to face the consequences. After finding out who I am, Melissa and Benson must be feeling like they've lost their brother all over again… Klein felt the familiar sting he always did thinking of his siblings, but it was duller than he was used to, reduced to a mere prickle in his chest. His emotions seemed to be as implacable and murky as the gray fog filling this castle.

That scared him. 

He smiled brighter.

"You're a true pest." The Celestial Worthy sighed. "I will enjoy crushing your anchors."

Gehrman Sparrow glared with a crazy expression. Dwayne Dantès' eyes twinkled, lending him a mysterious air. Zhou Mingrui stared into the fog, where something unimaginable lurked.

"Try it." He smiled, brighter, brighter, brighter. "If you think you can."

And so, in a different part of Sefirah Castle, the wheels continued to be set into motion.

Before the discussion of Zhou Mingrui's unusual encounter even had a chance to begin, Danitz was cracking his knuckles ominously, glaring at Roselle. "Now, should we continue our talk?"

The emperor immediately balked. As if to mock him, the timer appeared in midair:

5:00

At this rate, I might not even survive that long! Roselle smiled nervously. "C-Come on now, I thought we'd all moved on from this! Water under the bridge, am I right? Anyway, that divination offer sure is suspicious, haha..."

He trailed off under the weight of the combined malice in everyone's stares. 

"..." Queen Mystic didn't know how to feel. Lips twitching, she said, "There's no use fighting anymore. As shocking as it is that Emperor Roselle is a transmigrator, getting angry won't give us any new information."

My little princess! Roselle almost burst into tears at his daughter's display of filial piety. 

Of course, Cattleya was just as quick to back up her mentor. "Now, if we're all ready to move on, we should discuss Zhou Mingrui's anomaly."

"Before that."

The crowd tensed at the sound of a childlike voice reverberating through the theater. The Snake of Mercury, Will Auceptin, had appeared by Roselle's slide and was tugging on his sleeve gently.

"Mr. Emperor. Can I talk to you?"

A private gathering?! Everyone perked up.

The Tarot Club exchanged glances and immediately began to theorize. Mr. Fool's angel has asked for a private gathering with Emperor Roselle? What high-level matters could they be discussing? Transmigration, perhaps...?

Even more importantly, Alger reasoned to himself, this sets a precedent of being able to ask for private conversations! It would be blasphemous for a mere saint such as myself to make requests of a true god, but an angel can ask for things on slightly more equal terms. If the Evernight Goddess allows this, communication may become much easier in the future!

Little Will noticed something after all? Azik put his hand on his chin thoughtfully. He did seem quiet earlier... I want to be hopeful, but I doubt his discovery is anything positive. Could transmigration hold some insidious secret behind it?

Who is this small child again? Ironically, Emperor Roselle was more confused than anyone.

The others in the crowd looked on with suspicion, but said nothing. Although Will Auceptin looked like an infant, he had been referred to as the Angel of Mercury; even those who didn't know the meaning of that title could sense danger from the word "angel"! Who would dare to stand up to a 'Him'?! All the audience could do was stay silent, collectively gritting their teeth against the strained atmosphere.

Will Auceptin turned from the emperor towards Amanises. He widened his eyes and stuck out his quivering lower lip.

"Let me talk to him? Pwetty pwetty pwease?"

"..." No, 'He' is an angel, even though 'He' acts like that... several people had to remind themselves.

T-To treat a true god in such a manner! The pious Derrick respected this gutsiness from the bottom of his heart. This must be even more impressive than the time Mr. World used a nickname for the True Creator in front of Elder Lovia, 'His' believer - at least it wasn't straight to the god's face! Mr. Fool's followers are all incredibly bold!

The Evernight Goddess tilted 'Her' head as if studying the angel in front of her. The brief levity that Will had brought was quickly dampened as 'He' met the goddess' gaze unflinchingly. A few tense seconds passed.

He truly does fit the description of a snake, that one... Amanises sighed to 'Herself'. Nevertheless, he isn't untrustworthy. The more supporters who can help the Fool's anchors through this crisis, the better.

Of course, it won't be pleasant for Roselle. 'She' consciously and honestly reminded 'Herself' of this fact, attempting to preserve the emotions eroded by godhood. Amanises had done things, performed miracles and committed atrocities, on a scale unimaginable to anyone else; on 'Her' hands was the blood of hundreds of thousands. Even so, 'She' refused to let 'Her' connection with her homeland fade, and 'She' had no doubt that Roselle felt the same. Why else would he have written those diaries?

He was a comrade. An insufferable lech and braggart, but nonetheless, a comrade in a suffering belonging to them only. Thinking of the genuine pain this confrontation would put Roselle through, Amanises searched 'Her' heart for even the tiniest sliver of guilt - but the feeling was a mere dwindling spark, a smoking coal about to go out.

Of course. It was difficult to maintain any fire for so long, for thousands of years, especially when all that fire did was burn you. Easier to just let it go out. A world like this would not tolerate too much warmth.

And yet…

Amanises closed 'Her' eyes and thought of home.

"You may discuss," 'She' said after a long pause. "I will lend you my concealment."

'She' agreed! The tension leaked from everyone's shoulders; they had already accepted "Arianna" as their de facto leader. Does that mean that we can also ask for private conversations in the future?

This revelation made the Hall family particularly antsy. They had been itching to have a proper conversation with Audrey ever since they'd arrived here, but now the urge was stronger than ever. Their minds were in extreme disarray, unable to reconcile the playful yet innocent noble daughter who had grown up so well under their protection with the sharpness they'd glimpsed in Audrey's face.

But asking now would be inappropriate, making too many demands... Are we even at a level that would allow us to request such things? Alfred's fingers dug into his palms, stomach tightening unpleasantly. Damn it. To think that I'd be so helpless at a time like this! What's the point of having this power if I can't use it to protect my family and their happiness...?

"Thanks, Miss Arianna!" Will cheered, face bright like a child who'd just been handed an ice cream cone. He tugged on the emperor's sleeve again. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

...What about me?! Emperor Roselle, whose opinion had never once been asked for during this process, fumed in silence. But one glance towards the scowl on Danitz's face, as well as the surprisingly vitriolic glare from Fors ("That bastard's never written an original word in his life," the mild-mannered author was muttering continuously), made him much more amenable to the idea of being away from everyone else. 

At this thought, the emperor grinned smugly. "Yeah, super fun!" It's gonna be super fun not getting lynched!

4:00

"You have three minutes," the Evernight Goddess informed them in a cool tone. After that, the fog shifted, and Roselle and Will Auceptin both disappeared - but not before Roselle blew a raspberry at Danitz, the shit-eating grin on his face remaining until the moment he vanished. 

H-He's even more childish than the literal toddler! The shattered remains of the Son of Steam's powerful and lofty image were now being crushed into dust.

"THAT SON OF A-" Danitz's voice was soon muffled by an unimpressed Amanises' concealment, but he was so consumed by rage that he barely noticed, continuing to move his lips soundlessly. That damn guy! I hope you offend Gehrman Sparrow someday! He spat at the ground, not noticing that within his own mind, wishing Gehrman Sparrow upon a person had already become a fate worse than death.

...Father really would have been better off as a Provoker... Bernadette stared ahead blankly.

Cattleya, remembering the odd behavior the emperor had shown towards her earlier, suppressed another shiver and cleared her throat. "Now, should we begin the discussion?"

As soon as they were alone, Roselle heaved a deep sigh of relief. Last time I had that much bloodlust directed at me, I was assassinated in my own palace!

"Phew! I really owe you one, kid." The emperor laughed with a carefree expression, wiping sweat off his brow, and looked down at the child in front of him. "So, what did you want to talk about? Unless you helped out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Goodness of my heart. That's something people say when they're trying to take advantage of you! Guess who I learned that from!" Will Auceptin crossed his arms - a strange pose for a baby - and began talking without so much as an explanation. "I've had to run so many errands for that guy all the time, I haven't even gotten the chance to learn how to read! Would you believe, one time he had me-"

U-Uh, I activated his trap card... As the baby continued to talk, Roselle suddenly felt nostalgic for his days listening to his friends complain at the bar. Even for angels, this one is pretty strange. Everyone has their own ways of anchoring humanity, I guess.

"...the nerve of some people!" Will finished his tirade with a huff. "Anyway, thanks for listening. I'll cash in my favor now."

Roselle raised an eyebrow. "Listening to you complain wasn't the favor?"

The Snake of Mercury looked at him with that particular expression of a child who thought an adult was being exceptionally stupid. "No. It's an honor to hear the wisdom of an angel."

…Hey, I'm an angel, too, you know…? Almost a true god…

"Sure," Roselle said flatly, too tired to fight. "Fire away."

"Okay, then! What was your original world like?"

At these words, the emperor stiffened like he'd been slapped in the face. He looked back at Will Auceptin, who was blinking up at him innocently, as if he'd never said a word.

...This brat... Roselle grimaced. I figured it had something to do with transmigration, but catching me offguard with a question like that is just cruel! However, the experienced emperor was able to keep his anger in check. That Melissa girl had once called this kid "the Fool's most cherished angel"; there was probably a reason behind this question. He decided to trust Zhou Mingrui's judgment this time.

Still. Angel or not, Will Auceptin was currently three years old, and Roselle was not taking that kind of disrespect from somebody who still wore diapers! "You needed the authority of concealment just to ask me that?" he asked condescendingly.

The boy stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "I was too embarrassed to ask in front of the others."

"But you weren't embarrassed enough to ask for a private meeting?" Roselle countered, scowling. Then he sighed. The brat was irritating, but... Zhou Mingrui, you better know what you're doing! "Fine. I'll answer your question if you never make that face at me again."

"This face?" Will stuck his lip out further.

"Stop it already!"

The Sequence 1 angel giggled. Then he looked up expectantly, face attentive.

Fuck, I have a soft spot for kids... Who knows what he'll extort me into doing if I'm not careful... Roselle looked away and cleared his throat. "We were a lot more technologically advanced. Medicine, communications, infrastructure - everything. We also had a lot more options for entertainment," he grumbled before his voice lowered to something gentler, reminiscent. "Some of the biggest cities had tens of millions of people. I lived in a place like that. I couldn't tell you how incredible it was. You felt like you were never alone, never lonely, and there was something new everywhere you looked..."

"Sounds like a nice place."

"It was," Roselle said softly.

"You've wanted to talk about it for a very long time, haven't you?"

The emperor laughed. "That obvious? I always thought my daughter would be the first person I told. Not some weird brat like you."

"Brat... I'm a brat...?" Will's eyes welled up menacingly.

Shit! I forgot he could cry on command! After raising three kids, Roselle was used to dealing with tantrums, but a century or two of sleep had left him rusty. "L-Look, I'll talk about whatever you want, so just stop, okay?!"

"Then, what about the buildings?"

"Huh?"

"What did the buildings look like?" Will prompted as he wiped away his tears.

Roselle narrowed his eyes at the strange question but answered anyway. "They'd look pretty weird to you. Some were made of brick, but a lot of them were made of glass and metal. And some of them were so tall we called them 'skyscrapers'."

"Hm. Say, have you ever been to the easternmost front of the Sonia Sea?"

"...No." A seed of unease took root in the emperor's chest.

"That area is filled with ruins, you know. From a battle between gods," Will began casually. "And near the entrance of the ruins, there are some strange buildings. They appear to be incredibly old, and their architecture does not belong to any known epoch."

Roselle's heart sank into his stomach.

"What are you trying to do," he asked, voice flat.

The Angel of Mercury shrugged. "I'm just testing a silly thought I had. I'd believed I had no way to act on it, but with you here, everything is much easier. I guess I should thank you for that, huh?" He looked up at the emperor with steely eyes. "Why don't you draw me a map? Of your own world."

Huang Tao stared ahead in silence.

"The silent treatment? Only kids like me are supposed to do that, you know." Despite saying this, Will's demeanor no longer held any trace of youth.

"I don't see why I should listen to you," the emperor said stiffly.

Will continued to meet his gaze. "You don't have to. But I won't have you take me for a fool, either. Zhou Mingrui, in modern day, happened across a ritual belonging to the Celestial Worthy - do you think that's reasonable? Ah, you don't even know what that name means, is that it? Do you expect me to believe that an existence powerful enough to steal souls would only bother targeting a single planet? Or should I believe that of the infinite worlds out there, you and Zhou Mingrui just happened to come from the same one?" The angel's voice became sharper and sharper. "Isn't that too coincidental? Isn't that too strange?"

"How am I supposed to know?!" Huang Tao spat. "I still have no idea why I was forced into this body!"

"I don't expect you to know," Will said levelly. "I expect you to draw the map."

For a moment, the only sound was Roselle's labored breathing. Finally, he let out a shaking exhale.

"I don't have anything to draw with," he said, voice hoarse.

The Angel of Mercury laughed and looked up. "Well, Mysteries?"

Another moment of quiet. Then-

A deep, gravelly chuckle. At the emperor's feet, a paper and pencil materialized.

Will shrugged. "Looks like 'He' has given 'His' verdict."

"You're some piece of work, you know that?" Roselle muttered in a shaky voice. He couldn't even bother to be surprised that Mysteries was watching. That's the power of a suspected Great Old One for you, he thought blankly, staring at the ground for a moment before shaking himself and beginning to draw. Thirty seconds later, he pushed the paper forward and looked away from Will.

The Snake of Mercury was unbothered by this, picking the paper up to study it.

"..."

Will's face darkened. The longer he looked, the more grim his expression became until finally, he dropped the paper. It glided down to the floor and settled, still.

"When did you find out?" he said, terribly quiet.

"After I went to the moon and saw this world from space. Only took me a few decades to figure it out." Roselle laughed bleakly. "Happy now?"

The Angel of Mercury let out a sigh.

Roselle was used to small children throwing tantrums. He was used to sobbing, and flailing, and lots of loud noise. He was not used to the three year-old child standing in front of him, quiet and solemn, tears falling down his face with an almost unbearable gentleness.

"No," Will Auceptin said softly. "I'm not happy at all."

Meanwhile, the main group had finally begun their discussion in earnest (much to Danitz's frustration).

"Ah, excuse me..." Benson hesitantly spoke up. Having helped to raise his two siblings from a young age, he considered himself independent and street-smart; being used to explaining things to others, it was strange to be the one asking for an explanation. "I understand that the situation is a little strange, but it could still be a coincidence, right? Why is everyone acting like something has definitely happened?"

Coincidence... This familiar word brought up an old pain for Leonard, and his thoughts began to turn. C-Could this encounter somehow have been part of 0-08's plan? Zhou Mingrui - well, Klein - would have already been on its radar after coming into contact with the notebook… it's possible, but it's just as possible that this is Mr. Fool's intervention. Leonard swallowed and sincerely prayed for the latter to be true.

Azik reacted similarly, a dark look crossing the face at the thought of Ince Zangwill. When I first met Zhou Mingrui - probably only a few days after this tarot divination - his fate hadn't been tampered with. This incident probably isn't due to 0-08, then. But that doesn't mean that Zhou Mingrui hadn't already caught 0-08's notice in some other way… 

"Mr. Moretti, there's no such thing as a coincidence in the Beyonder world," Audrey said seriously. "At the very least, they're exceedingly rare, and it's best to operate with caution. We have to assume that this divination is targeted towards Zhou Mingrui."

Benson gave a mute nod, already growing lost in thought. No such thing as a coincidence? It's really that extreme… What kind of terrifying world has Melissa just stepped into? He felt his stomach swirl with a long-forgotten helplessness. And just what did Klein encounter there?

"Well, it's a tarot divination. Isn't your group the most likely cause behind this?" Hibbert asked the Tarot Club, unable to keep bitterness from leaking into his voice. Earl Hall put a hand on his son's shoulder, half reassuring and half warning.

Audrey suppressed a sigh. While she sympathized with her brother - a lot of this situation was her own fault, after all - she couldn't help but feel slightly exasperated. I understand how you must be feeling, but now is not the time to be making enemies…

Luckily, Mr. Hanged Man responded with a level head, used to such behavior from his irascible superiors in the Church of Storms. "The presence of tarot doesn't necessarily confirm that we're involved. Besides, we aren't so blasphemous as to meddle in every one of our god's matters. If Mr. Fool was truly behind this, then we were never made aware of it."

This served not only as a reminder of the Fool's greatness, but a gentle warning: do not pry into the secrets of God!

…Well, not that we have much choice now, the Tarot Club appended, feeling slightly awkward. Then they were overcome by a sense of alarm.

Wasn't this viewing an act of blasphemy?!

Their patron god was a particularly mysterious one, hailing from unknown origins and forming a church in the short time of only three years. 'His' every goal and motive seemed to be shrouded in the same fog that flowed through their monthly meeting place. Clearly 'He' valued his privacy dearly - and now 'His' very own secret organization was breaching this trust!

P-Please forgive us, honorable Mr. Fool! We didn't want to look! We had no choice! The club resisted the urge to bow down for forgiveness, desperate to maintain their lofty image. It wasn't our fault, really! I don't want to get smited…!

Seeing the group go unusually stiff, Azik had an idea of what had just occurred to them. Lips twitching, he said, "Well, if the Tarot Club doesn't know, then there's probably no way to be sure. They have the authority on matters relating to Mr. Fool, after all."

"R-Right. Thank you, Mr. Azik." Alger cleared his throat. Mr. Fool would consider our circumstances before passing divine judgment, wouldn't 'He'? Perhaps I could beg for my life? At least until I become an angel! Mr. Hanged Man began to seriously write out a plea speech in his mind.

"It is highly likely that Mr. Fool is responsible for this," Xio pointed out. "The use of tarot, the convenient timing, the target being Zhou Mingrui - it all adds up."

"I'm not sure we should be discussing this at all." The Hermit Cattleya raised her chin. She still vividly recalled the punishment she'd once suffered at the hands of the Fool for her insolence; she had no desire for a repeat incident. "If this truly was Mr. Fool's doing, 'He' purposefully hid this act from us and kept Zhou Mingrui a secret. We may have no choice but to sit through this viewing, but should we really unnecessarily meddle?" Her eyes narrowed. "In the secrets of an ancient god?"

Ancient god... The crowd shifted uncomfortably. The Fool... just what kind of existence is 'He'?

The Hall family set their jaws, a chill filling their bodies. From the ongoing discussion, they had begun to understand that even among secret organizations, the Tarot Club was not ordinary. They did not worship some distant figure, content to admire from afar; the Fool was an active figure in their lives and their gatherings. Even to Alfred Hall, an experienced Beyonder who had handled many different cults, such a concept was unheard of. Gods simply functioned on a different plane of existence than humanity; 'They' hadn't walked the land of man since the Fourth Epoch!

So why? Alfred felt cold sweat bead on his forehead. Why is a deity interacting so directly with 'His' followers? With Audrey? What does he want? The secrets that must lie in the answers to those questions... is it safe for me to know them?

Benson and Melissa felt faint, reality once again setting in. Just hours ago, life had been made up of such simple things: work, school, money, the next bill to pay, the next errand to run. But these shallow waters in which they had lived their entire lives, barely managing to keep their heads above water, were a mere drop in the expanse of a deep and unfathomable sea. They had always been vaguely aware of this, content to ignore it; turning a blind eye to the shadows was easy when it was all you could do just to stay afloat. Now the currents were rising, and Benson and Melissa could feel that they were caught in the tides, being pulled into a world far surpassing their imagination.

Ancient god? The Beyonder world is really a place where such words can be said so easily? Melissa looked down at her hands: the hands of a Sequence 9 who had consumed the potion mere days ago. Barely fit to stand in a workshop, let alone a battlefield. Her mouth felt dry. Did I make the right choice...?

A deep unease had settled over the audience. The less experienced Beyonders had been plunged into the fear of the unknown, while the high-level Beyonders knew full well what the consequences could be for such a transgression against a hidden existence. The discussion had temporarily ground to a halt.

Seeing this, Amanises decided to step in. "This is an incredibly unique situation. There's no point trying to play by normal rules."

Everyone whipped around to look at the Evernight Goddess, trying to decode 'Her' true meaning. I-Isn't she basically saying that all bets are off, and we might as well do whatever we want...?

"Even so... Mr. Fool..." Derrick frowned. While he was naturally curious about the Fool, he had no desire to disrespect the wishes of his patron and savior. Is it really okay to ignore privacy like this? For Mr. World, too!

"Ma'am Arianna is right." Azik picked up on Amanises' goal and stepped in to help. "Your god is not an unkind one; doesn't he encourage you to discuss everything thoroughly? You're only trying to get to the bottom of this situation, aren't you? Mr. Fool will understand that."

"But are these secrets even safe for us to learn? Certain knowledge can lead to corruption," Bernadette pointed out. Her eyes narrowed at the thought of the cosmos. To think that if Mr. Fool hadn't made sure I was informed, I might have never found out... Would I have discovered the truth before the apocalypse? Or would I have just died without ever knowing why?

"We discussed this issue before. If Mysteries' goal was to corrupt us with knowledge, 'He' could have done so easily. Why take such an indirect method?" Alger countered, crossing his arms. Forcing us to pry into the mysteries of our own god? Is this 'His' way of turning us against each other?

"Maybe it's not 'His' motive to corrupt us, but 'He' wouldn't mind it as a convenient side effect," Fors said cynically, trying to hide her grimace. She wanted to write horror plots, not live in one!

Things were veering off the rails once again. Why do I feel like a babysitter... Suppressing a sigh, Amanises regained control of the situation. "Don't you think existences like Mr. Fool and his allies would have the means to shield you from corruption?"

Only a Great Old One can face a Great Old One. Even with the authority of concealment as a true god, Amanises could only do so much against the cosmos - but a Half-Lord of the Mysteries, one of the four pillars of the universe, could easily manage some shielding. Of course, considering Klein's state, it would take a considerable amount of effort. This meant that the stability of Klein's anchors was more important than ever.   

The Evernight Goddess' words caused most people to perk up, some of the tension dissipating. Of course a lofty figure like Mr. Fool would have ways around these problems!

But if we really do learn about the cosmos - to be able to resist that… Bernadette's brow furrowed, and her blood ran cold. Is 'She' implying that Mr. Fool is also Above the Sequence?

"And if Mr. Fool decides not to shield us? Do we have no choice but to blindly follow this hidden existence without knowing what 'His' motives are?" Hibbert Hall grit his teeth, struggling to keep his voice polite. As a rising politician, he could see the obvious fallacy in "Arianna's" statement; this protection depended solely on whether the Fool was willing to provide it! "Burdened with knowledge that we don't want, then forced into obedience just to mitigate the consequences of that knowledge? Forgive me, but that doesn't seem fair."

"I'm afraid it isn't very fair for any of us." Azik smiled reassuringly. "Mr. Fool will also be having his secrets revealed against his will. You could argue that this is equivalent. We're all victims of circumstance here."

So what you're saying is we're all miserable? The crowd deadpanned.

"The situation is unfortunate, but we have to do our best to adapt," Audrey said with a smile to match Azik's. The Evernight Goddess and the Angel of Death are trying to move things in a specific direction? Well, it's not surprising that 'They' know something we don't. I can only do my best to help things along!

Despite his frustration, Hibbert was unable to speak out against his own sister. He fell silent, slumping in his seat.

"Sorry," he muttered to Earl Hall, who was giving him a stern look. When will my son learn to hold his tongue, especially in a place like this...

The prospect of learning Mr. Fool's secrets still made the Tarot Club - especially Alger and Cattleya - nervous, but the endorsements of a goddess and one of Mr. Fool's own angels were enough to placate them. They studied the gray fog pooling around their feet, feeling a guilty pang in their chests. Mr. Fool had been asleep for a year now. If there was some hidden piece of knowledge here that could help their god awaken faster...

...For 'His' sake. The Tarot Club raised their heads. For the honorable Mr. Fool's sake, we have to face this head-on!

With new determination, Cattleya lowered her chin respectfully. "I apologize for causing a fuss. Let's proceed with an open discussion."

"Speaking of which..." Amanises turned towards the timer.

1:00

The private meeting is over. Some of Bernadette's unease melted away, and she suppressed her relieved smile, still in disbelief at being able to talk to her father for the first time in centuries. Roselle seemed to know something about Mr. Fool; if they could find another opportunity to talk alone, surely they could sort this all out…

But when the emperor reappeared by her side, Will Auceptin now some distance away, her heart immediately sank. Roselle's expression had gone hollow in a way she was becoming frighteningly used to seeing. 

Again? What happened? Father…

Roselle looked up to meet Bernadette's gaze, offered a tired smile, and turned away. He didn't trust himself to look his daughter in the face right now.

"Thanks for the meeting." Will's voice was casual, if slightly more muted than normal. "I found out what I needed to know."

He got the information he wanted? Then why is the atmosphere so terrible? Everyone in the crowd could sense the odd tension that had formed between the Angel of Mercury and Roselle. What in the world did they talk about?

The Tarot Club racked their brains, trying to remember if Will Auceptin had behaved suspiciously during their gathering. The only thing that's changed between this viewing and the last is the knowledge of the emperor's transmigration. Surely that must be what they were talking about... but why would things turn out so terribly? Does transmigration hide some awful secret?

Even Danitz, who had planned on having a "chat" with Roselle upon his return, didn't have the heart to bully the emperor after seeing his haggard expression. "So we're all together. What now?" The pirate scowled and crossed his arms.

Not like it matters to me, anyway. I barely understand a fucking word they're saying! Danitz felt a strong sense of regret for not paying more attention during the captain's mysticism lessons.

"Well…" Fors began uncertainly. "We were saying that Mr. Fool is likely the one behind this tarot divination."

"The question is, what about transmigration is important enough to catch Mr. Fool's attention so quickly? Or even instantly grant Zhou Mingrui the status of a Blessed?" Alger leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression. He looked towards Roselle to gauge the man's reaction.

"You're not subtle, you know." Roselle's voice was unusually hoarse. He stared, unblinking, into the mist surrounding them. "Look. I don't feel like being interrogated right now. And even if I did, there's nothing I could tell you."

"Nothing?" several people echoed in surprise.

"You mean you still don't know why you transmigrated?" Miss Judgment asked, eyebrows raised.

Roselle wordlessly shook his head. Though… His vision was filled with a familiar gray fog - a fog he himself had seen, just once. If this scheme goes as far up as I think it does, I'm sure I won't like the answer.

This response caused the audience to fall into shock - especially the Tarot Club, who had absorbed the endless wisdom of Roselle's diaries for years. The Son of Steam was a well-respected figure in the mysticism world; he was someone on the cusp of godhood. What could there be that he didn't know? Transmigration holds mysteries that deep? 

Benson and Melissa felt their hearts stir slightly. What does that mean for Zhou Mingrui, then…? No, he probably died before he could discover anything. He was only here for two months, after all.

"Whatever is going on here, transmigration must be the key," Cattleya said firmly, then softened her tone. "Emperor, are you sure there's nothing that you know?"

"Spoilers," Roselle said with a shrug, still looking off into the distance.

"Who cares?!" Danitz scowled. "Just find a loophole or something! You're our biggest lead!"

"There is no loophole!" Roselle snapped back, voice sharp. "I couldn't say anything even if I wanted to! And I don't!"

"This isn't going anywhere," Bernadette intervened, brow furrowing. "We can't let the discussion devolve into meaningless arguments."

"Queen Mystic is right. I apologize for bringing up the subject, Emperor Roselle." Cattleya quickly latched onto this opportunity to deescalate the situation. If Roselle heard her, he gave no acknowledgment.

Trying to move the conversation further, Little Sun spoke up. "I have a question. If there's now a precedent of two transmigrators, is it possible that there are other transmigrators that we don't know about?"

Perhaps some other important figure isn't who we think they are! Derrick was recalling Earth Mother, who he had once believed to be the giant queen Omebella - only for it to be revealed that Omebella's corpse had actually been sustaining the City of Silver for thousands of years as a Sealed Artifact. The truth of the city's bloodline curse had shaken Derrick to his core, making him more cautious with such things.

Little Sun's words sent a tremor through the crowd as their eyes widened. Other transmigrators? Is that possible? Who else could be hiding in plain sight?

"..." Amanises, the third transmigrator, looked ahead in silence.

"That's certainly something worth considering," said Alger, stroking his chin. "It's true that we have no way of knowing how many other transmigrators there are, or if there are any."

I've been downgraded from a suspicious person to not existing at all? The goddess' face remained blank.

Roselle's lips twitched. This conversation was improving his mood a little. He glanced towards Amanises out of the corner of his eye, but 'She' was as implacable as ever. Tch. C'mon, give me something to work with here… I don't want to think about anything right now.

"Well, if there were other transmigrators, they were certainly more subtle about it," Emlyn said acidly, jutting out his chin. Hmph! To think a human paragon of wisdom and invention would stoop to plagiarism... a Sanguine would never dishonor themselves in such a manner!

"Not necessarily," Miss Judgment countered. "Without knowing their identities, we have no idea how they'd act. They could live quietly, or they could become incredibly important figures while simply keeping their otherworldly knowledge a secret. And of course, their existence is still hypothetical."

"Most of these questions could probably be answered by the reason behind transmigration." Miss Magician's voice grew wistful. "And that answer seems to lie with Mr. Fool."

"If 'He' really is the one behind this situation, then hopefully we'll get some clues in this next viewing," Alger said, looking at the timer. 

0:10

The show was about to resume; with that, the group discussion had come to a close. People got comfortable in their seats, sending the occasional glance towards Roselle, who was still sitting quietly.

Bernadette pursed her lips. After a second of hesitation, she opened her mouth to speak:

"故乡."

She formed the Mandarin syllables with a slight waver. She felt like a young girl again, nervously presenting a gift to her father. Yes, she'd always been so anxious in the moments before, as if he wouldn't love anything that came from her; she'd often been tempted to leave the trinket or drawing on his desk and slink away. But once she worked up the courage to hand over her gift in person, she never regretted it - because when she did, his eyes would always soften, and he would ruffle her hair, and all would be right with the world.

Roselle flinched.

Bernadette's heart dropped into her stomach, all the fear of a disappointed parent rushing back centuries out of childhood as she watched her father's face crumple. But then his eyes softened the way they always had - even if there was pain there, too, a great pain that Bernadette could understand - and he reached over and ruffled her hair.

"Thank you. I'll be fine, baobei." Roselle smiled at her, his expression lightening.

0:01

The words died in Bernadette's mouth before she could say them: But why do you look like you're even lonelier than before? 

0:00

Free? Free things cost the most!

"Ain't that the truth." Roselle sighed over-dramatically, hoping to soothe his daughter with his usual antics.

Zhou Mingrui silently mumbled and decided that he would not purchase any additional services whatever they were. He would firmly refuse them all.

"…" The emperor's amusement was more genuine now. Are you okay, man? Should I lend you some money?

If you are really that capable, try divining that I transmigrated here!

S-So petty! The audience felt their faces twitch.

With this in mind, Zhou Mingrui followed behind the woman whose face was painted red and yellow, stooping low to enter the low tent...

The dim yellow light flickered, causing the inside of the tent to appear bright and dark at the same time. It instantly added a much more mysterious feel to the atmosphere.

"How exciting!" Audrey whispered. She purposefully indulged herself in this ambience, taking the chance to adjust her humanity. Yes, this is certainly the kind of scene I wanted to see when I entered the world of mysticism!

Zhou Mingrui sat down quietly, his gaze sweeping over the tarot cards on the table where he discovered familiar cards like "The Magician," "The Emperor," "The Hanged Man," and "Temperance," etc.

Hanged Man? Derrick's eyes lit up, but he managed to keep his expression flat as he avoided looking at his mentor. 

Alger himself had no reaction whatsoever. Well, at least Little Sun has gotten better at hiding himself. He was still calling me Mr. Hanged Man in the real world before I left for the Western continent... Despite his exasperated thoughts, he found that he wasn't really all that annoyed. Huh. I suppose I've gotten used to it.

Benson frowned. "Excuse me, but does tarot divination really work? I'd always dismissed things like that as a charlatan's cheap tricks, but if Beyonders really exist..."

"No, they're all charlatans," Roselle replied in dead seriousness. "Cheats, every single one of them. Don't let them fool you."

"..." The Hermit coughed into her hand awkwardly. "Such divination methods work by receiving information from the spirit world. Sometimes even non-Beyonders can get accurate results with the right techniques."

"I see. Thank you." Benson bowed his head politely, not acknowledging the fact that Roselle had spoken at all.

I was ignored?! The emperor's jaw dropped.

Could Roselle have been a 'senior'… I wonder if he was also a fellow countryman of mine… Zhou Mingrui mumbled to himself subconsciously.

The Tarot Club considered this seriously. If Zhou Mingrui really was translating Roselle's journals for Mr. Fool, then it's possible that they're from the same country, right? Or they at least understand the same language.

Roselle was still annoyed at being rebuffed, but the reminder of his and Zhou Mingrui's shared nationality only deepened his scowl. "They're called private journals for a reason," he grumbled in Mandarin. "Nobody else is supposed to read them, damnit!"

Before he could finish looking at the opened cards on the table, the woman who claimed to have accurate divinations had already reached out her hands to gather all of the cards together. She stacked them into a deck and pushed it in front of him.

"Shuffle the cards first and cut the deck," the circus fortune-teller said in a muted voice.

"Me? Shuffle?" Zhou Mingrui asked reflexively.

The Tarot Club blinked, holding back grimaces. Someone so timid and unsure of himself was really that crazy but dependable Mr. World? He must have changed a lot after becoming a Blessed…

Fors, however, shook her head. I can't accept it, I just can't! This kind of thing should only happen in novels!

The yellow and red paint on the fortune-teller's face squirmed together as she revealed a slight smile, saying, "Of course, everyone's destiny can only be unraveled by themselves. I only serve as a reader of it."

"Damn Seers," Roselle muttered.

Melissa squinted at the screen. Shuffling the cards doesn't cost extra, does it?

Zhou Mingrui immediately questioned her warily, "This reading does not require additional fees, right?"

So cheap! The congregation's faces went blank, but Xio only sighed. "Well, I can't blame him. In that kind of financial situation, I'd probably be even cheaper."

Huh? Melissa's eyes widened, and she looked away. She felt an inexplicable embarrassment at sharing Zhou Mingrui's thoughts.

Noticing this, Benson smiled fondly at his sister - but grief still prickled at his chest, hearing his brother's voice speak a stranger's words. He's a little more outspoken than the Klein I knew... I thought university had finally helped him out of his shell. If I'd just looked a little harder, if I'd spent more time at home instead of working... He took a deep breath. It's all in the past now.

As a keyboard folklorist, I've already seen too many of such tricks!

"A keyboard what?" Danitz scowled. "He keeps saying keyboard this, keyboard that. What the hell is he talking about?"

Seeing a chance to slander Zhou Mingrui, Roselle's eyes lit up. "A keyboard is like a typewriter, except for..." The emperor paused. "Well, it's complicated. Anyway, all it means is that Zhou Mingrui is a loser who spends all his time getting into arguments with strangers."

...I-Is that how it is... The Tarot Club could see Mr. World's cold and disaffected image crumbling before their very eyes.

Aren't you supposed to be helping stabilize the Fool's anchors? Not destabilize them further? Amanises felt a sudden urge to give Roselle a nice, long vacation in a certain foggy town.

The fortune-teller was visibly taken aback before finally saying muffledly, "It's free."

Zhou Mingrui, relieved, stuffed the revolver further back into his pocket. Thereafter, he calmly reached out his two hands to shuffle and cut the deck skillfully.

"R-Revolver?!" The crowd's mouths fell open. What was he planning to do with that?!

Fors stiffened, holding back a squeak of fear. No! This is Mr. World, this is definitely Mr. World!

Um... maybe the persona of Gehrman Sparrow is less fake than I thought... Leonard's eyebrow twitched.

Meanwhile, Danitz shivered in fear without knowing why.

"It's done." He placed the already shuffled tarot cards in the middle of the table.

The fortune-teller clasped the cards with both her hands and carefully looked at cards for a while. Then, she suddenly opened her mouth and said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask, but what would you like to ask about?"

Back when he was wooing his first love, Zhou Mingrui had also done research on tarot cards. He asked unhesitatingly, "Past, present, and future."

"First love?" A slow smile was spreading across Audrey's lips, and her eyes were alight with the flames of juicy gossip. "How interesting." 

As Mr. World's psychiatrist, I have a duty to be aware of these things! It's not just because I'm curious! she told herself.

Beside her, Fors stiffened even further, gaping in wordless shock. I knew it, this can't be Gehrman Sparrow after all! That guy, trying to woo somebody?! What kind of extreme personality change is this?! Feeling faint once again, she pressed a hand to her head. After learning the true identities of Mr. World and Emperor Roselle, nothing can surprise me anymore! Nothing! Really!

Leonard, surprisingly, was also in disbelief. Klein had never expressed any interest in romance before! Maybe because he didn't want to leave relationships behind when he returned home? But he befriended the Nighthawks so easily! Actually... A new question occurred to him. Until now, he really hasn't found a way to return? Or did he decide not to? But he'd never leave his original friends and family behind like that - not without some sort of message, at least.

This line of thought made Leonard surprisingly uneasy. Even if they both managed to survive the apocalypse, would Zhou Mingrui still return to his own world and leave Leonard behind?

Even though you've already left me twice now… that would just be too cruel.

This was a type of divination as part of tarot card interpretation—three cards when opened sequentially symbolized one's past, present, and future.

The fortune-teller nodded first, then curled her lips to reveal a smile and said, "Then please reshuffle the deck. You can only truly get the cards you want if you know what you would like to ask about."

"Is that... does it work like that?" Benson asked slowly.

Cattleya let out an awkward cough. "No."

"..." Nobody in the audience knew what to say to this. So they're both equally petty?

Were you fooling me just now? Do you have to be this petty? Didn't I only ask a few times if this would be a free service? Zhou Mingrui's cheeks twitched a little. He took a deep breath and took the tarot deck back to reshuffle and cut it.

"There won't be any problems this time, right?" He placed the already cut deck back onto the table.

"No problem." The fortune-teller reached out her fingers and picked a card from the top of the deck. Then she placed it on the left side of Zhou Mingrui. Her voice was going lower and lower as she spoke, "This card symbolizes your past."

Finally! This is how it's supposed to go! People settled back in their seats, reimmersing themselves in the mysterious atmosphere. 

"This card symbolizes your present." The fortune-teller placed the second card right in front of Zhou Mingrui.

Then, she picked the third card and put it on the right side of Zhou Mingrui.

The theater was now completely still, filled with a breathless hush. A strange sense of anticipation simmered in the air.

"This card symbolizes the future."

"Alright, which card would you like to see first?" The fortune-teller raised her head up after completing her placement of the cards and gazed deeply at Zhou Mingrui with her grayish-blue eyes.

Something is about to happen. Whether through spiritual intuition or simple human instinct, everyone realized this in the span of a single heartbeat, the realization thudding through their veins like electricity.

"Which one do you think he'll pick, Mr. Hanged Man?" Derrick asked in a whisper, as if afraid to break the sacred silence.

Alger chuckled. "Why don't you try and figure it out?"

Little Sun straightened and nodded as if he'd been entrusted with an important task. "Let's see… the past isn't as important, unless he's trying to figure out the circumstances behind his transmigration. The future might be tempting, but… I think he's most concerned with his current predicament. He'll choose the present card," Derrick declared.

"Well, let's see," replied Alger.

"I'll have a look at the 'present' first," Zhou Mingrui said after giving it some thought.

The Hanged Man nodded approvingly, causing Derrick's face to brighten.

The present, huh… Will Auceptin's mouth pressed into a flat line. Why do I get the feeling that no matter what card he picks, it's going to be the same?

The fortune-teller nodded slowly and flipped over the tarot card that was directly in front of Zhou Mingrui.

Everyone leaned forward in anticipation, especially the Tarot Club. The World! It must be the World card! they declared in their hearts, pulses racing.

Amanises and Will closed 'Their' eyes, resigned.

A colorfully dressed character was depicted on this card, wearing ragged headgear with a stick over his shoulder. There was a bundle hanging on the end of the stick and a puppy was following behind him. It was numbered "0."

"The Fool," the fortune-teller lightly read out the name of the card with her grayish-blue eyes affixed on Zhou Mingrui.

H-Huh…? 

The Tarot Club stared at the screen, stunned. Everyone else sucked in a collective breath, feeling a strange rush of adrenaline.

N-No, of course it would be like this! the club reasoned to themselves. This symbolizes the fact that Mr. Fool has taken notice of Klein Moretti. As expected of an ancient god, being able to influence a tarot reading while still in the process of awakening! Then his future card must be the World card, symbolizing his future status as a Blessed…

To those outside of the Tarot Club who didn't know of Mr. World's true identity, this revelation made more sense. This was a sure sign of the Fool's intervention!

Melissa and Benson sat frozen, taking in the sight before them. Zhou Mingrui really has caught the eye of an ancient god? Does Klein's unusual death have something to do with it?

No surprises there, right, "Mr. Fool"? Roselle chuckled. Hell, maybe he even choose the Seer pathway because of me... Honestly! Having all of the endgame knowledge in my diary and a sefirah from the start?! Isn't that a little too broken?!

Will Auceptin, however, sat unnervingly still in his seat. The manipulation of his fate has already begun, huh? Caught in the spider's web with no chance of escape, and he doesn't even realize he's been trapped... the Celestial Worthy's methods are just too distasteful.

Able to predict the Snake of Mercury's thoughts, Amanises closed 'Her' eyes.

Ever since being reborn into this world, 'She' and 'Her' fellow transmigrators had indeed suffered many distortions of their fates. Amanises 'Herself' had been a subsidiary god of Flegrea, who possessed authority over the Fool pathway; Roselle had transmigrated into the country of Intis, where the Secret Order operated, and quickly crossed paths with Zaratul; the original Klein had been killed by the Antigonius family notebook, and Zhou Mingrui had continued to encounter cases related to Seers at a rate exceeding even the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence.

Over time, Amanises had become better at sensing these distortions in destiny. 'She' had spent long years poring over every detail, every occurrence that could have led 'Her' or the others astray. But for all the changes and contrivances, this chance encounter had simply been that - a chance encounter. Zhou Mingrui had been set on this path by one single true coincidence.

Fate truly is inescapable. 'She' smiled bitterly.

The Fool? The "0" card of tarot? A start? A fresh beginning with all kinds of possibilities? Zhou Mingrui was not even considered an amateur enthusiast of tarot, so he could only make a rough interpretation based on his own impressions of tarot.

Finally, the audience began to overcome their awe.  "That's basically confirmation, isn't it?" said Alfred Hall tersely. "That your Mr. Fool did this?"

"It's incredibly strong evidence, yes." Audrey maintained a cool demeanor, but her eyes were brighter than before, and the whole Tarot Club felt their chests swell with pride. What a stylish way to recruit someone! Getting the VIP treatment like that, Zhou Mingrui sure is lucky! And of course, it's perfectly reasonable that he would become Mr. World, represented by the last of the Major Arcana cards, in service of the first card!

"If I may, what does the Fool represent in tarot?" Caitlyn Hall asked hesitantly. Although she considered herself an intelligent and adaptable noblewoman, she was struggling to keep up with the constant stream of information.

The knowledgeable Ma'am Hermit responded, "Beginnings, innocence, risk, spontaneity - a new story and a new cycle. Some readings of tarot interpret the Fool as the protagonist of a story, and the Major Arcana his path through the great mysteries of life. In cartomancy, this is known as the 'Fool's Journey'."

The Fool's Journey... we really are watching 'His' journey! Everyone straightened as if they had been struck by lightning. Just what kind of things are we going to see?

(Amanises studied the tarot card in silence. Just like the design 'She' had known from Earth, the Fool's arms were open wide, face turned up to meet the sun. He knew nothing, yet desired everything. He set out on the path he had yet to learn would never end. He walked into the unknown with bravery and ignorance, so much ignorance, oblivious to the cliff's edge awaiting him.

"Unlimited potential," Amanises added quietly, too soft for anyone to hear. "The Fool also represents unlimited potential.")

Just as the fortune-teller was about to say something, the cloth curtains of the tent was suddenly lifted open. The ray of sunlight that shone in was so blinding that it caused the back-facing Zhou Mingrui to instinctively narrow his eyes.

"Why are you impersonating me again! It's my job to handle the divination for people!" a woman's voice growled angrily. "Return to your post quickly! You must remember that you're just an animal trainer!"

"…"

A completely different kind of silence had fallen on the theater: one of extreme embarrassment, only broken by Danitz's raucous laughter. Everyone else felt a little ashamed of themselves for having gotten so excited.

"W-Well, just because the source is… unorthodox… doesn't mean the results are wrong," Cattleya said. "As Emperor Roselle said, 'out of the mouths of babes'-" 

She paused, her face going incredibly flat. When she resumed, her voice was uncertain.

"Um… Emperor Roselle. You - you did say that, didn't you?"

"…Ahaha." Roselle rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously.

"…" The audience's faces darkened.

"Don't ahaha me! Who'd you steal that quote from, huh?!" Fors spat. 

"W-Well, you know, it's all blurred together over the years!"

"You don't even have the decency to remember who you're plagiarizing from?" Emlyn fixed him with a gaze of disgust. "Truly disgraceful."

Roselle crossed his arms. "Your mom is disgraceful." 

"My mother is a perfectly respectable-"

"Don't encourage him," Bernadette said with a sigh.

…The woman who was seating in front of him immediately stood up and said disgruntledly, "Don't mind this, it's just that I like doing this. But I have to say, my divination and interpretation can be really accurate sometimes. I'm serious…"

"Ma'am, you're not helping your case," Mr. Star said dryly.

She spoke and lifted up her dress to go around from the side of the table before quickly trotting away from the tent.

"Sir, would you like me to interpret your cards for you?" the real fortune-teller looked at Zhou Mingrui and asked with a smile.

Zhou Mingrui's lips twitched and asked her sincerely, "Is it free? "

...Why is this not surprising... the crowd deadpanned.

"…No," the real fortune-teller answered.

"Then forget it." Zhou Mingrui pulled his hands back and put them into his pockets. He clutched his revolver and money before stooping again to exit the tent.

"So he never saw his past and future cards?" Xio frowned. "What a convenient interruption."

"Perhaps the present card was the only one he needed to see. They might have all been the same card, even," Leonard suggested. Now that Zhou Mingrui's card had been revealed, he was more certain that this was Mr. Fool's intervention, not 0-08's "convenience". Something similar happened when I first joined the Tarot Club, after all. I pulled the Star card twice in a row... Does Mr. Fool perhaps enjoy card tricks?

Damn! He actually got an animal trainer to be his fortune-teller?

"Heh. Free things really do cost the most," Danitz said, letting out a low chuckle.

Another one trying to act cool? The Tarot Club's eyes traveled to Mr. Moon (who bristled with offense), then to where Danitz stood, smirking to himself. Actually, who even is this person...?

"Well, at this point, it's safe to say that Mr. Fool is the one behind this." Cattleya moved the conversation onward, ignoring her fellow pirate. "We can assume that for now."

Melissa frowned. "But what was the point of this? Just to send a message?"

"Gods do enjoy their drama," Azik said with a smile, but his eyes were thoughtful. Though... Zhou Mingrui had yet to become the Fool at this time. Was this truly a message sent to him by someone, then? Or fate...?

… "There is really not enough to go around for spending. Poor Benson…" Not only had Zhou Mingrui spent the two notes that he had brought with him, but it was also necessary for him top it up with the one penny he had in his pocket.

Benson grimaced. We really were poor in those days, until Zhou Mingrui got that job... official Beyonder organizations must pay well, he thought with some bitterness.

He just sighed and did not think further about it as he hurried back home.

With the staple food, he could now carry out the luck enhancement ritual!

Of course! The crowd leaned forward. The luck enhancement ritual was what Zhou Mingrui had left the house for, after all. Clearly something important would happen when he carried it out!

"It won't work, will it?" Melissa stared at her lap. "He obviously didn't return to his own world."

"I'd be very surprised if it did work," Cattleya said, her brows knitting together in realization. "If I remember the ritual he described correctly, then from a mysticism point of view, it makes no sense. Nothing in that ritual pointed to his goal of improving his luck; the answering deity would have no idea what was being asked for. Anyone with even basic knowledge of ritualistic magic could recognize this."

"But if the ritual is ineffective, then why did it cause Zhou Mingrui to transmigrate the first time?" Mr. Moon pointed out.

"It's not totally ineffective," Ma'am Hermit clarified. "It would succeed in establishing a connection with whatever existence answers the prayer, but that's it. At that point, the answering deity could basically do whatever it wants."

Whatever it wants! Everyone felt their hair stand on end. Is he walking right into a trap?

"So if this Zhou guy couldn't figure that out, then that means he has no knowledge of ritualistic magic at all?" Danitz asked, as if he had any knowledge to speak of himself. D-Dogshit, why didn't I notice that! Captain, I'm sorry for slacking off in lessons!

"Probably, yes. That would also mean he doesn't know the dangers of conducting random rituals," Xio concluded grimly. 

Zhou Mingrui really did such a dangerous thing? Melissa broke into a cold sweat, and she searched her memories for signs of anything suspicious she'd noticed about "Klein" after getting home that day. Besides his personality change, he seemed normal. Like nothing had happened... maybe the ritual didn't go wrong, after all? N-No, why does it even matter... this person is basically a stranger to me.

"Perhaps this is where Mr. Fool intervenes to save him?" Derrick suggested. Was Mr. World also saved by 'Him'? I suppose even a man as impressive as the World needs help to get to that level of strength.

"But if that's true... what is Mr. Fool saving Zhou Mingrui from?" Fors asked with a tight voice.

Nobody answered, but their minds all turned to the same place:

Who is the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth...?

...After readying everything, he finally took out the four loaves of rye bread. He placed one in the corner where the coal stove was originally, one at the bottom inner side of the dress mirror, one at the top of the cupboard where two walls met, and one at the right side of the study table where miscellaneous items were kept.

"I don't think this is going to end well," Benson said with a grimace.

Watching Zhou Mingrui prepare the ritual, Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man suddenly had another revelation. Four staple foods... isn't this similar to the first ritual Mr. Fool had us perform? Indeed, all that ritual seemed to do was establish a connection with 'Him'. Is this how Zhou Mingrui makes contact with Mr. Fool after all? Their hearts sped up. C-Could it be... could the Celestial Worthy be the Fool's honorific name from before 'He' went to sleep?

Lost in thought, Miss Justice let her mind wander to a particular therapy session. Mr. Fool's sleep… I once theorized that Mr. World was from the same ancient epoch as Mr. Fool, which led to him becoming a Blessed. However, Mr. World - Zhou Mingrui - is now confirmed to be a transmigrator. Him being from an ancient epoch should translate to him being from a different world… perhaps having slept for a long time as well? After all, he did compare himself to "Sleeping Beauty". This could also justify his connection to Mr. Fool in terms of time. But what caused Zhou Mingrui to sleep? The Celestial Worthy? Transmigration?

She sighed. The circumstances are different from what I imagined, but the end result is the same. Even if Zhou Mingrui could find a way back, everyone he knows is already gone…

With a deep breath, Zhou Mingrui came to the center of the room and spent a few minutes to calm himself. Then, he took a solemn step forward and went in a counter-clockwise direction in the shape of a square.

Counterclockwise! Leonard perked up. Didn't he do something similar when fighting the Secret Order's clown? Does this mean that he sought Mr. Fool's help through this ritual? Although he obviously couldn't have chanted or prepared any staple foods... but again, this doesn't match what Dwayne Dantès told me: that Klein joined the Tarot Club for revenge. Even if it was to protect the secret of transmigration, couldn't he have picked a lie that was harder to disprove? Or perhaps he was telling the truth, and Zhou Mingrui became a Blessed before he even joined the gathering formally, seeking vengeance? Maybe the "revenge" Dwayne Dantès referred to wasn't Klein Moretti avenging Captain, but Zhou Mingrui seeking out the entity that caused him to transmigrate...?

Whatever the answer is, I think I'm about to find out. Leonard dug his nails into his palms.

When he took the first step, he chanted in a low whisper, "Blessings Stem From The Immortal Lord of Heaven and Earth."

"He's starting," Fors muttered. Yes, this would make an excellent introduction for a novel: a clueless amateur just trying to get home, conducting a mysterious ritual, only for something unimaginable to happen! T-The question is, what's going to happen?!

Several people in the audience gulped, feeling their throats go dry. Benson and Melissa looked at the screen with anxiety.

The second step, he sincerely chanted, "Blessings Stem From The Sky Lord of Heaven and Earth."

Amanises perched 'Her' chin on 'Her' hand, savoring the last moments of peace.

The third step, Zhou Mingrui breathed out a whisper. "Blessings Stem From The Exalted Thearch of Heaven and Earth."

Azik leaned forward in his seat, face creased with a mix of curiosity and concern. Will Auceptin grit his teeth.

At the fourth step, he spat out a breath and meditated in concentration. "Blessings Stem From The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth."

Silence. Everyone let out a shaky sigh, as if some tension had been released.

"He really did it," Danitz said, almost in awe. "He really finished the ritual. Is he crazy or just stupid?"

Cattleya's voice was grim. "That remains to be seen." 

Well, my friend, if you didn't have the attention of a Great Old One before, you certainly do now. Roselle sighed. The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth... huh.

When he returned back to the original spot, Zhou Mingrui closed his eyes and waited in his place for an outcome. He had some anticipation in him, some unease, some hope, and some fear.

Could he make it back?

Audrey pursed her lips, keeping her face smooth.

Was there going to be any effect?

Could there be some unexpected situation?

"Is there any expected situation in this scenario?" Emlyn muttered, jaw tight with nervousness.

The unknown in front of him was tainted with the crimson light of hope. Zhou Mingrui's thoughts were swirling in his head and was finding it difficult to quell it.

Crimson light of hope, eh? Roselle smiled bleakly. We really didn't know anything in the beginning.

It was at this time that he suddenly felt the surrounding air seem to stop, becoming thick and mysterious.

Immediately after, a low whisper could be heard beside his ears that sounded at times real, at times sharp, at times imaginary, at times alluring, at times maniacal, and at times crazy.

It's starting! The crowd tensed. 

"W-Why is he hearing ravings?!" Leonard cried. "He's not even a Beyonder yet!" 

Alger shook his head with a solemn expression. "Nothing like this has ever happened while attempting Mr. Fool's rituals."

So something did go wrong?! Melissa's heart raced. Even though I didn't notice anything amiss! Could Zhou Mingrui have been replaced by yet another person - some evil entity?!

He clearly did not understand the murmuring that went on, but Zhou Mingrui still couldn't help himself from wanting to listen to it and distinguish what it was saying...

He knew that something was wrong and tried to open his eyes. However, he wasn't even able to complete such a simple action.

"Klein..." Leonard was unable to suppress his voice, seeing his best friend in agony. "What's happening?"

His entire body was getting tighter and tighter and it felt like he could just break apart at any time. At this time, a self-mocking thought came up in Zhou Mingrui's mind:

"If you didn't court death, you wouldn't die…"

Courting death... Azik's smile was wry, but tight with worry. Yes, that's something you'll get very good at in the future. And who knows how much trouble you've gotten into that I don't even know about?

He could no longer bear with it. Just as his mind was going to break, the murmuring of voices faded away and his surroundings became very quiet. The mood was an erratic one.

It was not only the mood; Zhou Mingrui felt his own body going through the same sensations as well.

He tried once more to open his eyes, an extremely easy task this time.

The audience slumped in relief, and Leonard felt the tension drain out of his body. Thank the Goddess...

A gray fog appeared over his eyes—haziness, vague, and endless.

"Praise the Foo!" Several voices rang out in unison as the Tarot Club couldn't help but smile in relief. It was 'His' work after all!

Alger worked to dissect this piece of information. So did Mr. Fool hijack this ritual, or did it always point to 'Him', and 'He' has simply changed 'His' honorific name since? If so, then why? Hopefully the first meeting between Mr. Fool and Mr. World will provide some answers.

"What is this?" Caitlyn Hall asked in a daze. Never in her life had she seen something so mysterious. "The same fog we're in right now? The Fool's divine kingdom?"

"The very same." Danitz grinned. Heh, but don't get too cocky, Zhou Mingrui! You may be getting special treatment, but I'm still the Fool's one and only Oracle!

Meanwhile, a word popped into Azik's mind: sefirah.

...Why can't I remember what that means? Azik frowned.

"What's with this situation?" Zhou Mingrui suddenly looked around him and then lowered his head down to discover that he was floating at the edge of an endless fog.

The fog was flowing like water and was dotted with a lot of crimson 'stars.' Some of them were enormous while others were tiny. There was a sense of them being hidden in the deep depths, while others floated over the surface of this water-like fog.

"...Hm?" The Tarot Club's elation began to fade. Crimson stars? None of them had ever seen such a scene upon being summoned to the gray fog. Why was it different for Zhou Mingrui? Perhaps because he was already marked out as a Blessed, he was allowed to see more deeply into Mr. Fool's domain...? What we have seen only scratches the surface of this mysterious place... what could those stars represent?

"Where is Mr. Fool?" Derrick asked, confused. Even for a Blessed's special treatment - to just let an ordinary person wander around a divine kingdom without intervention? Why would 'He' do such a thing?

"'He' should be here any second now," Fors said confidently, wearing a relieved smile. "Maybe 'He' just wanted to scare Zhou Mingrui a bit by showing him something strange, and then extend a helping hand."

...Are you implying that Mr. Fool is the type to play pranks? The rest of the Tarot Club felt that their comrade was a little silly.

Despite this jovial mood, Bernadette narrowed her eyes. Are those prayer lights?

Looking at the seemingly holographic sight, Zhou Mingrui reached out his right hand in a half-confused, half-exploring manner to try to touch the crimson 'star' that was seemingly floating on the surface. He was trying to find a way to leave this place.

"..." The experienced Beyonders of the group stared ahead in disappointed silence. In the realm of mysticism, such reckless action could lead to death - or worse!

"He touched it?" Xio said in disbelief. "An unidentified object in an unknown place? Without even knowing what it would do?"

Cattleya pushed her glasses up her nose, sighing. "It's stupid enough to do in the real world, but in a god's divine kingdom, it could warrant... well... divine punishment."

Everyone shuddered slightly at these words.

"Perhaps he was supposed to touch it," suggested Alger. "Mr. Fool wouldn't let something like this happen unless 'He' wanted it to happen."

"Mr. Fool is far too cautious to let Zhou Mingrui roam unattended." Derrick nodded, backing up his mentor. After all, 'He' was always giving us warnings when 'He' was awake, steering us out of danger... His chest tightened with a sudden pang of grief, but he kept his head held high. No - there's no time to be sad when we could be attempting to awaken 'Him'! If we could just find out the truth of this viewing...!

Still, this clueless guy... he really goes on to become Mr. World? The Tarot Club suppressed sighs. The difference is just too great!

When his hand touched the surface of that star, a water mark suddenly appeared from within his body and agitated the stars into a "crimson" burst. It looked like a dreamlike burning of flames.

What in the...? The crowd watched in confusion.

"At least it didn't kill him immediately," Danitz muttered.

Zhou Mingrui got a fright from it. He retracted his right hand in a panic, but accidentally touched yet another crimson star.

As a result, this star burst with splendid light as well.

In turn, Zhou Mingrui felt his mind empty and his spirit dissipated.

He touched two stars... two people summoned to the first gathering... Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man, the founding members of the Tarot Club, thought in unison. That can't be a coincidence. But why would Zhou Mingrui be the one who triggered this? Obviously Mr. Fool was the one who summoned us!

…

In the Loen Kingdom's capital, Backlund. Inside a luxurious looking villa at the royal district.

Audrey Hall sat in front of a dresser. The markings on it were antiquated and there was a cracked bronze mirror on the surface.

"What?!" The Hall family's mouths fell open.

"We're seeing other memories aside from Zhou Mingrui's?" Xio said in disbelief.

"Is this my perspective?" Even the senior Spectator Audrey was surprised. This is going to be even worse than the Hall of Truth!

"T-This is an invasion of privacy!" Hibbert protested. "You can't just intrude in someone's life like this!"

Emlyn scoffed. "But it's fine when it's just Zhou Mingrui whose privacy is being breached? Please keep your hypocrisy to yourself."

"But... how did Mysteries gain access to my memories?" Audrey pressed a hand to her forehead, as if feeling for a place where her consciousness could have leaked out onto the screen. "Could 'He' see them from the moment we entered this space? Or even before?"

This thought caused a shiver to run down Audrey's spine. As a Dream Weaver, it had been a long time since she'd encountered someone superior to her in the mind domain - and yet now, her consciousness had been infiltrated without her so much as noticing. T-This is the power of an angel or a god! Advancing to Sequence 3 really did make me too cocky... Once again, fear and respect of the mysticism world was deeply engraved into her heart.

More than that... Even as her family gaped at the screen in worry, something else occurred to Audrey. The way I acted back then was so embarrassing…!

No! Don't think about it or you'll lose control! Trying to distract herself, she stood from her seat and faced the crowd with an elegant curtsy.

"Well, now a formal introduction shouldn't hurt. My name is Audrey Hall. Good afternoon~"

Curtsying once again to the Tarot Club, she sat down with a smile. 

Audrey Hall? That noble family in Backlund? Those who hadn't already realized this made the connection.

Meanwhile, the other members of the noble Hall family felt bile rise in their throats. That mirror? Didn't it shatter...? T-This must be the moment where Audrey was pulled into that secret organization!

"Mirror, mirror, awaken…

"In the name of the Hall family, I command you to awaken!"

"…"

No, no, no! I wanted to forget that I was like this! Audrey's face froze. Her Spectator powers were the only thing preventing her face from burning in humiliation. Begone, my shameful past…! 

The serious mood was instantly dispelled as people cracked smiles. The Tarot Club cleared their throats, trying to not embarrass their fellow member, but were unable to hide the amusement in their eyes. Audrey determinedly refused to meet their gazes.

Of course, Mr. Star made no effort to conceal himself and laughed without reservation. "Which mysticism circle did you learn that incantation from? Or perhaps you took it from a fairytale?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Miss Justice replied brightly. Ugh... now I know how Mr. World felt in the Hall of Truth... this is awful!

Even the usually stoic Queen Mystic wasn't immune to this display, her eyes softening just a fraction as she thought of Cattleya's younger days. Roselle nudged his daughter and grinned. "You know, you were like that too once."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Queen Mystic had gone stone-faced once again.

The Hall family muffled laughter behind their hands. This was the Audrey they'd always known - clever, yes, but innocent and gentle, too. This was the way things should be. 

So what changed? 

Their mirth quickly faded; they knew the answer to that question.

The Tarot Club...

She switched between many different sayings, but there was no reaction from the mirror at all.

After more than 10 minutes, she finally chose to give up and pouted her lips in grievance. She said in a soft murmur, "Father was indeed lying to me. He always tells me that this mirror was the treasure of the Solomon Empire's Dark Emperor, and that it is an extraordinary item…"

"Extraordinary item?" Alger muttered. I had a similar item that shattered after this first meeting... are these artifacts how Mr. Fool establishes connections to us? Derrick and Cattleya, whose connections had also been established through artifacts, had similar thoughts.

Her voice trailed off. The bronze mirror which rested on the dresser suddenly glowed with a crimson light that shrouded her completely.

"W-What just happened?" Melissa asked urgently. "Why did it start glowing?"

"The mirror was the thing that established the connection, it seems," Azik said, stroking his chin.

"Wait - you were just pulled in like that without warning?" Hibbert asked. "Your recruitment was just a coincidence because of the mirror?"

"Yes," Audrey admitted. "I didn't know what was happening at first. But I wasn't forced into anything."

"So it was an extraordinary item after all," Earl Hall said with a bitter laugh. If only I hadn't given my daughter that silly thing, then this never would have happened. I thought I was harmlessly indulging her interest in mysticism. For things to turn out like this... is it my fault?

"You couldn't have known," Caitlyn told him quietly. "We have to accept things as they are now."

Hearing this conversation, Audrey continued to look ahead, saying nothing.

It's not their fault. I really have changed. Such a shocking thing is difficult to accept all at once. That's why I hid it from them: so they could continue protecting their daughter like they always wanted to... no. Whether I made the wrong choice or not, the past is in the past. Like Mother said, we have to accept things as they are now. Miss Justice steeled herself.

…

In the Sonia Sea, a three-masted sailboat that looked like an obvious relic was navigating through a storm.

"Another perspective change?" Leonard asked, intrigued. "Who's the unlucky winner this time, I wonder."

Meanwhile, Mr. Hanged Man felt a terrible sense of foreboding.

Alger Wilson stood on deck, his body undulating with the currents at sea, maintaining his balance easily.

"Alger Wilson," several people muttered, repeating this unfamiliar name. Unlike Audrey Hall, a famous noble, hardly anybody here know who Alger Wilson was.

Of course, the Tarot Club could easily identify him as the Hanged Man - but out of respect for their fellow member's privacy, they kept their gazes firmly ahead. Derrick resisted the urge to look at Alger, not wanting to give his mentor away - but secretly, he felt a little proud. He had already learned Mr. Hanged Man's name in the real world!

Alger Wilson… He smiled. As I thought, Mr. Hanged Man suits him better.

Ugh, I knew it! The man himself resisted the urge to sink into his seat. Years of experience as a Beyonder were currently ringing every possible alarm in his mind, but no matter how hard he scrambled to find some way to maintain his anonymity, he always came up short. The Tarot Club was one thing, but is there no way out of exposing my identity to everyone here? The naturally cautious and distrustful Mr. Hanged Man felt this to be the worst case scenario.

It'll have to happen eventually, most likely very soon. If there's no other choice, I'd rather be introduced on my own terms! Swallowing his reservations, Alger stood out of his seat. "That's my name, I'm afraid," he said with a sigh that made it clear how he felt about the whole situation.

The crowd looked to him in surprise. Audrey Hall had been one thing, but nobody had expected members of a secret organization to be so open about their identities, even under duress.

He decided to take action himself before things spiraled out of control for him? Well, how could I let my comrade face this alone? Audrey smiled and extended her hand like a proper noble girl. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wilson."

Miss Justice is truly able to put one's mind at ease. With a chuckle, Alger took her hand and, rather than obeying noble etiquette, settled for a firm handshake. This was a gesture not of subservience, but of respect for an equal. "Likewise, Miss Hall."

Audrey indulged herself in the thrill of pride bursting in her chest. I was acknowledged by Mr. Hanged Man!

After letting go of the girl's hand, Mr. Hanged Man turned and bowed to the Tarot Club. "A pleasure to meet you."

Even though he obviously didn't want to be introduced, he changed his tune so easily! The club members felt their lips curling up as they nodded back at Mr. Hanged Man. Really, what a wily old fox...

Alfred Hall watched this interaction carefully. They don't know each other's identities, but they do seem close. That, and their god being so present within their gatherings - isn't it all too strange? What's going on here? He grit his teeth. Audrey, do you really think you can trust these people?

He wore a robe embroidered with lightning patterns, and in his hand was a quirky-shaped glass bottle. Bubbles billowed inside the bottle at times, frost turned into snow at times, and signs of gusting wind could be seen at times.

"Still short on the Ghost Shark's blood…" Alger murmured.

As expected, he's of the Sailor pathway, many Beyonders thought, looking at Alger critically.

Emlyn laughed. "Collecting potion ingredients, Mr. Wilson?"

"..." Alger grit his teeth and didn't respond. Mr. Moon, are you sure you're not a Provoker?

Then at this moment, a crimson burst appeared in the space between the glass bottle and the surface of his palm. In an instant, it enveloped the surroundings as well.

"So you also had your connection established by an artifact." Cattleya stroked her chin, thinking of her own celestial globe that had shattered upon her first being pulled into the gray fog. "Could those crimson stars represent connections to these artifacts?"

"I think so too," Derrick agreed. The crystal ball my parents left me also seemed to glow crimson at that time.

"How exactly are these connections formed? A link straight to a god's domain - even in the mysticism world, this kind of thing is unusual," Miss Magician said thoughtfully.

"Isn't there a bigger problem here? Why does it seem like Zhou Mingrui is the one who summoned you?" Mr. Moon pointed out.

Nobody could answer him.

"This is Mr. Fool's domain. Perhaps 'He' was able to exert some influence over Zhou Mingrui and make him act in a certain way?" Mr. Star suggested.

"Is 'He' able to do that?" Xio asked, but once again, nobody could answer. The Tarot Club felt a strange sense of shame. In the end, we really don't know much about Mr. Fool...

"I-I'm sure everything will make sense if we keep watching," said Cattleya.

…

In the fog of gray mist, Audrey Hall regained her sight. She started reckoning the situation in a state of horror and confusion when she noticed the blurry image of a man on the opposite side of her doing the same as well.

"Two stars touched and two people summoned," Bernadette said softly. Don't tell me, those really were prayer lights? But that would mean...

Immediately after, the both of them discovered another mystery person standing not far from them who was shrouded in a gray mist.

The 'mysterious person' was none other than Zhou Mingrui. He was similarly dumbfounded.

W-What...?

Melissa and Benson's eyes widened. He really was summoned to a secret organization! Or, no, was he the one who did the summoning? What does this mean?

"Is this the first Tarot Club meeting?" Alfred Hall asked quietly. 

"Huh? But..." Derrick scrunched up his nose in thought. But when I joined the Tarot Club, there were only two other members: Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man. Mr. World didn't join until after! Confused, he looked towards his mentor for guidance, only to find Mr. Hanged Man - always strong, wise, and dependable - looking more confused than Derrick had ever seen him before. The sight caused him a jolt of panic.

This... Audrey and Alger were suddenly overcome with dread. They were unable to accept the sight in front of them. This isn't right. In our first gathering, the only one there besides us was Mr. Fool 'Himself'... no, there must be some sort of explanation...!

Watching the beginning of the descent into madness, Roselle had to suppress his cackles. Finally! Revenge will be mine, Zhou Mingrui!

"Sir, where is this?"

Audrey braced against her apprehension. "Ma'am Arianna, I apologize for my disrespect, but are the contents of this viewing accurate?"

Even I can't know what goes on inside Sefirah Castle. Of course, I'm sure I know what she's doubting. "It's real," Amanises said in a gentle tone.

"...I see. Thank you." Audrey bowed her head, swallowing around the lump in her throat. She exchanged a nervous look with Mr. Hanged Man. There's a reason for this! There must be! Mr. Fool will show up any second now-!

Audrey and Alger were startled at first, falling silent in the process. Then, they immediately started speaking in unison.

Amanises let 'Her' eyes flutter closed. There's no going back now, is there, Mr. Fool?

The next question asked was something everyone had in mind:

"What are you planning on doing?"