B

Chapter Text

Without fanfare, the timer appeared and began to count down. 

5:00

Unfortunately, the crowd was too distracted to notice it. They were busy scanning the room, eyes darting around as they tried to make sense of what they'd just seen, all while a miasma of unease begun to spread. It had originated from Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man, who felt disturbed for obvious reasons. In the eyes of others, however, their reactions were inexplicable, causing a growth in tension and confusion. What could have caused members of the Tarot Club, who held authority on matters relating to the Fool, to react this way?

Audrey and Alger exchanged a wary look, finding themselves equally lost. That fated summoning by Mr. Fool had been forever engraved into their minds: even four years later, they remembered it as if it had happened yesterday. Surely they couldn't have both missed a detail as big as an additional person being present! But the alternatives to that made even less sense! What's happening...?

I-It must be that our thoughts are simply too limited! We could never hope to understand the methods of gods! It's still not unreasonable for Mr. Fool to show up, even if Zhou Mingrui's presence is unexplained! As the two tried to soothe their worries, they felt a shiver run down their spines. Even so... these gatherings have held mysteries from the very beginning. There was really so much we didn't know... Mr. Fool is an existence with countless secrets!

The Tarot Club easily noticed the abnormality in their fellow members, but were unable to pinpoint a reason, making them anxious. For Miss Justice to call the authenticity of the viewing into question, and for Mr. Hanged Man to let his poker face crack like that - just what could they have noticed? Seeing the awe and fear that the two had regarded Zhou Mingrui with in the viewing, and the unexplained absence of Mr. Fool, they had no clue what to think.

This really is strange... It's almost like... Fors rubbed her temples in an effort to make sense of the situation. All of a sudden, a strange and terrible idea flitted through her mind-

But she quickly shook it off, laughing to herself. Zhou Mingrui - that lunatic, Gehrman Sparrow, the Fool? Now isn't the time for jokes like that! Heh, I've been writing too much lately, to come up with such a silly idea! 

Those outside of the Tarot Club had no way of knowing the true significance of what they'd just seen. Still, something was very obviously unusual! There were too many questions that they had yet to receive answers to, so they could only sit quietly, trying to put the pieces together.

Benson and Melissa were particularly affected. They had no idea what to feel - Klein's death was already shrouded in mystery, but the truth of Zhou Mingrui's circumstances was growing murkier by the minute. How had he summoned people to the gray fog like that, in the same way they themselves had been summoned? Why was the Tarot Club acting so strangely? How did Mr. Fool play into this? And how had Klein and Zhou Mingrui really died? The siblings wanted to bury their heads in their hands, overwhelmed with a helpless confusion. 

Klein... if only we could talk to you one more time. Just once...

The Hall family certainly wasn't immune to the atmosphere, either, all biting their lips in worry. What had happened to Audrey? What had she seen to provoke such a response? Had their dear dazzling gem been taken in and lied to by a cult after all? Hearts swirling with confusion and concern, the Earl, Alfred, Hibbert, and even the usually calm Caitlyn were ready to go on the warpath if need be.

Who knows what those people could have forced her to do...! Alfred grit his teeth in fury. The sight of his sister's blank expression had sent him spiraling back into denial. Even if Susie claims that nobody here holds ill intent, she's still an animal that can be easily tricked! How could I trust a dog over my own sister?! Yes, it must be only now that Audrey is discovering the true nature of this group, and perhaps Mr. Fool 'Himself'. To pull the wool over a Spectator's eyes for so long, that hidden existence must truly be a threat. 'He' will pay for this!

Amanises, Azik, and Will Auceptin - the only ones who knew Mr. Fool's true identity - took in this declining mood with a grim acceptance. Here was where things would start to get difficult. Difficult, but necessary: after all, a wound that hadn't closed properly sometimes had to be ripped open in order to heal. And if Zhou Mingrui's three years in this world could be described as anything, well, "a painful wound" would be as accurate a description as any.

Still, the healing process would not be painless.

To think that it would come to this... For now the trio stayed silent, allowing people time to think.

4:50

Finally, Alfred Hall broke the silence to ask what was on everyone's minds.

"This was supposed to be Mr. Fool's intervention to save Zhou Mingrui, wasn't it? Why has it turned into... into what looks like the first Tarot Club meeting?" Alfred held back his scowl, trying to appear civil. Nothing would come of giving into anger; it would just make getting an answer that much harder. But despite his efforts, after a moment of thought, his collected and analytical demeanor was thrown into disarray. Wait - if this is the first meeting, wouldn't that make Audrey a founding member of that secret organization?! A founding member...?!

"First we should try and make a confirmation." Cattleya turned towards Audrey and Alger. "Is this really the first Tarot Club meeting? Is this what you remember?"

The sequence of events lines up to be the first gathering, but as for what comes after this… even I'm not sure anymore. The Hanged Man opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Holding back a sigh, he shrugged helplessly.

Spoilers... damn! The audience couldn't help but curse in annoyance.

"I don't think it could be anything else. Why else would two Tarot Club members be summoned for the first time?" Mr. Star asked before turning towards the pair. "But judging by your reactions, what we've seen doesn't match up with your memories, does it?" 

This is the message that Miss Justice sent by asking about the viewing's authenticity: there's a discrepancy here! Leonard smiled to himself, proud to have caught on. Once again, Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man were unable to so much as nod, but they met Leonard's gaze intently.

"Well, whether this is an intervention, a Tarot Club meeting, or both, Mr. Fool should be here." Fors began uncertainly. "So... why hasn't 'He' shown up?"

There was a pregnant pause. Miss Magician had gotten straight to the roots of the matter, forcing the biggest question of all to the surface: in this viewing, supposedly centered around Mr. Fool 'Himself'-

Where in the world is Mr. Fool?

"It's true that hidden existences often take indirect approaches in recruitment, but for 'Him' to not show up at such a pivotal time is strange." Judgment Xio crossed her arms. "Perhaps this viewing ended the moment before 'He' appeared, and we're only being misled by the cutoff point?"

…So 'He' waited in order to make a dramatic entrance? Nobody dared to speak this thought aloud.

Nevertheless, Audrey and Alger were inclined to agree with this theory. The "mysterious figure" had only been confirmed to be Zhou Mingrui up to this point. Perhaps some sort of switch happened at this very moment, with Mr. Fool taking the place of Zhou Mingrui, or 'He' used some other obscure method - for an existence as powerful and secretive as the honorable Mr. Fool, the possibilities were endless.

There must be an explanation for everything! Although their hearts were still plagued with fear and uncertainty, the two Tarot Club members felt slightly comforted. We just have to have faith in Mr. Fool!

"This possibility also supports Mysteries' motives." Alger, having regained his footing, spoke up in agreement with Xio. "He's trying to mislead us into doubting Mr. Fool, thus destabilizing 'His' anchors."

Seeing Mr. Hanged Man confidently analyze the situation instilled Derrick with a sense of security. He felt as if things had returned to normal. "But what's the point of misleading us if the misunderstanding is resolved in the next viewing anyway?"

Miss Justice had similarly recovered and responded with a gentle smile. "Once a seed of doubt is planted, it's very difficult to completely eradicate, even once the doubt has been resolved. The possibility has already been planted in your minds, you see. Even if this case was a misunderstanding, what about the next case? And the one after that? Are they all so easily explained away? Just one instance of suspicion can paint a person's future actions in a much more dubious light. This might be what Mysteries is trying to accomplish."

"Question someone once, and you're likely to question them again," Cattleya mused. "To think that phrase could be applied here… what a strange world we live in."

"Of course, we'd never doubt Mr. Fool in the first place," Little Sun said earnestly.

Roselle, who had been cackling under his breath the entire time, muffled a burst of laughter behind his hand.

"…" The conversation trailed off. Nobody knew how to react to their earnest discussion being mocked by the Son of Steam himself.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just-" Roselle grinned, but before he could finish his sentence, he doubled over in another cackling fit. Even Amanises and Bernadette's combined unimpressed stares had no effect on him. The audience could only look on in mortified silence as the emperor slowly collected himself, shoulders still shaking with laughter. 

Zhou Mingrui, this is what you get for scamming my honorary granddaughter, my dear Bernadette's disciple! Damn, it's just too good! Roselle wiped a mirthful tear from his eye. "Okay, I'm fine now. Keep going."

This guy… he doesn't add anything to the discussion, then he makes fun of us? The crowd felt as if they had been Provoked. Who said we needed your permission to keep going?!

Meanwhile, Queen Mystic's doubts only grew deeper. Father must know something, after all. With the way he behaves so closely to Zhou Mingrui, as well as the crimson prayer lights, it's almost as if… She shook her head. No, that's impossible. Mr. Fool is someone who can command the Seven Pure Lights 'Themselves'. That isn't an authority that you can fake or gain easily. But the direction this seems to be going is... something so unthinkable that the Fool's followers wouldn't dare consider it.

"U-Um, as for Mr. Fool's absence, there's another possibility." In a desperate bid to get things back on track, Leonard's thoughts had turned to 0-17, currently kept in the Backlund diocese. His stomach turned as he spoke. "Could it be that Zhou Mingrui is Mr. Fool's descension vessel in some capacity?"

Descension vessel? The crowd was stunned into silence by the boldness, or perhaps the stupidity, of this theory. Descension vessel, my foot! Zhou Mingrui would turn to ash if Mr. Fool so much as looked at him wrong!

"Zhou Mingrui isn't even a Beyonder yet, so he probably couldn't withstand such a method," Mr. Hanged Man pointed out tactfully. "Also, this theory doesn't explain the World's presence."

This was an issue only known to those within the Tarot Club. After all, Zhou Mingrui himself had eventually joined the gathering as Mr. World. How could he act as both a Tarot Club member and a vessel for the convener?

The World? Everyone else perked up at the mention of another tarot card. This would seem to signify another member... but nobody in that organization reacted as if their name had been called. Which one of them is the World? Or is the member bearing that code name not here for some reason? Could it be Zhou Mingrui...?

"Well, not a vessel in the traditional sense. A full descension would kill a human being." Leonard was quick to defend himself. Even a partial descension could do much worse than killing, he thought darkly, recalling Megose's unfortunate fate. "But that much wouldn't be necessary in order for Mr. Fool to communicate. Besides, this would only be a temporary measure until 'He' fully awakened."

Alger considered this information, then nodded. "We do suspect that Mr. Fool was still awakening at this time. That would explain 'His' need for a human mouthpiece. It's unlikely, but possible."

"Anything is possible within a god's domain," Cattleya added seriously.

Emlyn naturally took this opportunity to boast. "High-level Sanguines do possess some obscure methods that allow them to interfere with the world while in slumber. Mr. Fool may possess the same methods, having acknowledged Sanguine wisdom in 'His' infinite grace."

Hearing this, Miss Justice perked up. "It may also be that Mr. Fool has a Spectator Blessed who could mold Zhou Mingrui into a... hm, a false descension vessel of sorts. Not a true descension, but manipulating Zhou Mingrui into acting in accordance with Mr. Fool's will. As a temporary measure, of course."

Actually, I don't think any of this would be necessary... doesn't the Seer pathway possess an ability to make "marionettes"? Cattleya recalled. No, perhaps Mr. Fool wasn't awake enough to do this 'Himself'. Besides, marionettes are made through death, and Mr. Fool isn't the kind of god to use that method on an innocent person, unless 'He' was out of options... still, is this fate that much better than death?

Benson could feel his head starting to spin. Spectator? Descension? God's domain? Human mouthpiece... you can control a person like that? How...? Dear Goddess, I haven't been this overwhelmed by information since I studied for the civil service exam! He looked towards his sister, a lost expression on his face, but Melissa appeared no better. Having only been a Beyonder for a few days and with no plans to advance, she had received nothing but the basics of education. Still, she couldn't help but frown. Audrey, who Melissa had always seen as cheerful and naïve, seemed unsuited for such a manipulative-sounding pathway.

Spectators are capable of such things? This realization caused Earl Hall to bite the inside of his cheek. Although he had at least a basic understanding of the Beyonder world, and had even done some research into the Spectator pathway to support his daughter, hearing words such as "false descension vessel" thrown around so casually forced him to rethink how much he knew. It's true that even the lower sequences have aspects of manipulation, but... was it always so insidious?

However, those more educated in mysticism regarded this theory with doubt. Even Judgment Xio, who preferred to take action over studying concepts and theory, had a frown on her face. Isn't that… a bit too outlandish? The Beyonder world may be a strange place, but this theory has obvious holes. If Mr. Fool had a Spectator Blessed from the beginning, why would 'He' keep Miss Justice around? And if 'He' was awake enough to command a Blessed, shouldn't 'He' be able to hold a simple gathering? Why are the wise Mr. Hanged Man and Ma'am Hermit being so unquestioning? The intuitive Xio, wits having sharpened during her time at MI9, sensed that something was wrong. It was a phenomenon she had seen time and time again: people rationalized anything they refused to accept. 

But what is it that they're refusing to accept? Xio felt an inexplicable nervousness that stopped her from speaking.

A few seats away, the Evernight Goddess put 'Her' hand on 'Her' chin, watching in silence. 

3:00

"Perhaps we aren't thinking on a wide enough scale," Bernadette volunteered, deciding to voice her suspicions. "The problem is bigger than this one incident. Mr. Fool has been strangely absent this whole time, hasn't 'He'? This viewing is supposed to be about Mr. Fool's secrets, so why is it from the perspective of 'His' Blessed and believers? Even if they share a close connection, do you really think Mr. Fool would share his deepest secrets with a mere devotee?"

Upon saying this, her eyes darted subtly to Roselle, trying to gauge his reaction. Unfortunately, her father revealed nothing and only winked back at her. Bernadette held back a sigh of frustration. He wasn't such a good politician for no reason… his poker face is unbreakable when he wants it to be. 

In the midst of this silent exchange, the audience was coming to terms with Queen Mystic's words and kicking themselves. How could they have overlooked the abnormalities within the viewing itself?

"There's a simple explanation for this. It's one thing to pry into our memories, but the memories of a god?" Emlyn shook his head. "Perhaps this was the best Mysteries could manage."

"Besides, Mr. Wo - Zhou Mingrui does hold a very unique position. If anybody knew Mr. Fool's secrets, it would be him," Derrick said thoughtfully.

"Zhou Mingrui was really someone so important?" Benson didn't hide his surprise. He had managed to somewhat infer the meaning of a Blessed, but the way the Tarot Club acted implied that Zhou Mingrui's position was even higher. "A god's most valued believer? Why was he given such significance?"

He still refers to Klein in the past tense… Leonard noted with a guilty wince.

Audrey hummed in thought, creating a theory in her mind. Perhaps Mr. Fool is also a transmigrator, and 'He' feels a sense of kinship with Mr. World, even sharing 'His' own secrets as a result? If they're both from an ancient epoch, it's not impossible that they share a homeworld, too! In fact, it's more likely that Zhou Mingrui caught Mr. Fool's attention this way! Though I doubt Mr. Fool would divulge the confidential matters of godhood for a reason like that…

Well, maybe it's possible; after all, towards the end, Mr. Fool did seem much more human. Perhaps it was in this stage that 'He' revealed everything to Mr. World… Sadness danced in Audrey's eyes. It's unfortunate. Just as Mr. Fool's humanity grew richer, Mr. World's humanity grew more distant as an angel, before he even had to go to sleep alongside Mr. Fool…

Alongside… Mr. Fool… The image of Zhou Mingrui's fog-shrouded figure reappeared in her mind.

Honestly, Audrey! How could you be so blasphemous? You're an experienced Beyonder and founding member of the Tarot Club! Stop thinking such outlandish things! Miss Justice shook her head and forced herself to focus on the ongoing discussion.

"Transmigration is a likely factor," Cattleya told Benson. "There are probably other reasons that we have yet to find out - reasons why Mr. Fool would share 'His' secrets. After all, if we're seeing Zhou Mingrui's memories in the first place, they must contain at least some information that Mysteries wants us to know."

"But Zhou Mingrui has been dead for a long time now." Melissa's voice was completely flat. "I'm sure mysticism has methods of channeling spirits, but surely those have time limits, don't they? His soul shouldn't be accessible anymore."

...Mr. World... Only thanks to their rich experience could the members of the Tarot Club stop themselves from reacting. His family truly thinks he's gone. He must have faked his death very convincingly for this to happen, completely abandoning his own brother and sister. Or perhaps he really did die and was resurrected by Mr. Fool - such things aren't impossible in the Beyonder world. Either way, as an ancient god's Blessed, it was probably too dangerous for him to stay with his family... The more sympathetic members felt their hearts squeeze, suppressing sighs. How unfortunate.

"It's not impossible that Zhou Mingrui's memories were extracted immediately after his death, when his soul was still able to be channeled," offered Mr. Hanged Man, sidestepping the heart of the matter entirely. "This would imply that whatever enemy summoned us here, 'They' have been preparing for this situation for quite a while."

Earl Hall took a page from the Spectator's playbook and observed in silence, narrowing his eyes at Alger. Whatever kind of entity Mysteries is, 'He' obviously has malicious intentions, so all of us here are somewhat being forced to band against 'Him'. This fellow is obviously trying to exacerbate the situation: increasing the threat level of Mysteries in our minds so we unify against that common enemy. By extension, we're more likely to turn our suspicions away from Mr. Fool and even support 'Him', if only to have Mysteries lose. Alger Wilson... he's a crafty one. As expected of an experienced member of a terrorist organization. With someone like him around, it's no wonder Audrey was fooled. Before she took the potion, at least.

Mysteries... how terrifying... Miss Magician, barely hiding the tremor in her voice, spoke up with some hesitation. "Anyway, just the fact that Mysteries was able to call us here implies that 'He' is stronger than Mr. Fool, or at least able to overpower 'Him' temporarily. Why would Mysteries be unable to access Mr. Fool's memories?"

Not to mention that Mysteries was able to summon the Evernight Goddess 'Herself'! A true, orthodox god! Fors sent a nervous look towards Amanises. What kind of enemy are we facing here?!

This question caused everyone to shuffle uncomfortably, searching for an answer.

"Perhaps the Fool is stronger in the domain of memory specifically?" Alfred Hall suggested, leaning forward in his seat. Having concluded that talking to his sister was temporarily impossible, he had thrown himself into analyzing the viewing. The sooner they got through this farce Mysteries was putting on, the sooner he could clear the air with Audrey. 

The Tarot Club fell silent. As far as they knew, Gehrman Sparrow and Mr. Fool were both of the Seer pathway, which had no authority over the mind; nor had Mr. Fool ever done or said anything significant related to memory. Such matters were usually handled by Miss Justice. However, they had no idea what authorities Mr. Fool had outside of 'His' pathway, or even if the Seer pathway was the only one 'He' had control over. In the minds of the Tarot Club, Mr. Fool was like a still lake of deep water: reflecting to them just a bare inkling of itself, only what they were allowed to see, while beneath the surface there lurked a deep and unfathomable abyss. Now their heads were being forced beneath the surface of that lake, glimpsing the murky depths beneath.

It was true that as far as they knew, Mr. Fool had no authority relating to the mind. But that was only as far as they knew. It was completely possible - almost expected - that someone as lofty as Mr. Fool would possess a way to manipulate and safeguard memory!

Or perhaps...

Bernadette straightened in her seat. In the back of her mind, a quiet voice whispered the nonsensical thought she didn't dare to voice:

Perhaps we're viewing Mr. Fool's memories right now.

Oblivious to Queen Mystic's plight, Alger forged ahead with his own theory. "It's also possible that Mr. Fool's point of view has simply yet to come up. The viewing has revealed itself as able to switch perspectives at any time."

"If that's the case, we've been tricked by the cut-off point again." Judgment Xio sighed. "Well, no matter the circumstances, I don't think it would be right to describe Mysteries as weak. 'He' is most likely as strong as Mr. Fool, if not stronger."

Stronger than Mr. Fool... The Tarot Club shifted uncomfortably at this thought.

"Do you think Mysteries…" Fors stopped and looked around, as if afraid someone was watching, and lowered her voice. "Do you think 'He' could be what Mr. Fool warned us about?"

Warned? People began to exchange confused looks. Mr. Fool warned 'His' organization about something or someone? Why are they being so secretive about it? This strange behavior from the Tarot Club only put the Morettis and Halls further on edge.

Of course, the angels present could easily guess what Mr. Fool's warning had been about, as most of them were aware of 'His' conflict with the Celestial Worthy. The newly advanced Bernadette, however, felt her head beginning to pound. Do they suspect Mysteries of being an Outer Deity? Mr. Fool must have discreetly warned them about the apocalypse's true nature. Frowning, she tried to organize her current information. The Lord of the Mysteries, the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth... for some unknown reason, this being caused Zhou Mingrui - and possibly also Father - to transmigrate. But why? Furthermore, 'His' animosity towards Mr. Fool seems to go beyond that of the Outer Deities' innate hostility. 'He' has some issue with Mr. Fool in particular... is it related to transmigration? If only I had more knowledge of Mysteries, this would be easier, but even the Seven Pure Lights didn't seem to know much. At least, they didn't want to tell me much.

(Meanwhile, Danitz suppressed a scowl. The Fool's divine oracle, my ass... I never received any warning before 'He' went to sleep! Shouldn't I be kept in the loop about these things?! Dogshit!)

To those within the Tarot Club, however, Fors' question needed no explanation. That final meeting with Mr. Fool had burned itself into the heart of every member. For the past year, the terrifying words 'He' had left them had lurked in the recesses of their minds:

Above the Sequence.

What could it mean? What could surpass Sequence 0, a true god, the supposed pinnacle of existence? Despite puzzling over this term, nobody had been able to find a concrete answer, and nobody was sure they wanted to. After all, Mr. Fool had warned them not to pry too deeply until they became angels. 

This was the exact same warning that the Evernight Goddess had delivered regarding Mysteries!

...After the last proper Tarot Club meeting, Old Man told me something strange... Leonard frowned, sweat beading at his temple. Mr. Fool had become a "half-Lord of the Mysteries." Is this some sort of title for an Above the Sequence existence? Then Mysteries, the one who called us here, is the other half that Mr. Fool is fighting against? Could 'He' be the reason Mr. Fool had to go to sleep? The reason Klein had to go to sleep...?! 

"Mr. Fool wouldn't issue such a warning for no reason. 'He' must have foreseen that we would have to deal with such matters and wanted to prepare us," Alger said with a grim expression. "I agree that 'His' warning seems to apply here. Either way, we should be prepared for the worst."

"The worst? What does that mean? What's the worst-case scenario?" Melissa's quiet and slightly hoarse voice echoed through the theater. She grit her teeth. I'm so tired of not knowing what's going on...! 

Amanises, Azik, and Will Auceptin exchanged subtle looks before nodding. It was time to break their silence.

1:30

What a trainwreck this is... Will Auceptin sighed to himself before speaking. "The worst-case scenario is that you all drive yourselves crazy before you even learn anything. Calm down a bit, will you?"

Everyone in the crowd tensed, hearts skipping a beat. The strange inactivity of the higher-level existences in this discussion had not gone unnoticed - but now the stalemate had ended! One of Mr. Fool's angels had spoken up! 

Really, how did I not think to calm everyone down before? I'm a Sequence 3 Beyonder, but I'm still so inexperienced. I suppose this is a risk of advancing too quickly. Audrey took this opportunity to Placate everyone, embarrassed at having been so shaken. Then she cleared her throat. "Lord Mercury is right. A reaction like this is exactly what Mysteries wants. It's important to gather information and theorize, but there's no point in scaring ourselves."

Unfortunately, the possibility you're scaring yourself with is probably the correct answer... hm, did I always think in such a teasing manner? Perhaps Zhou Mingrui has influenced me too much. Azik laughed to himself. Though he never did tell me how "Mr. Fool" came to be. Was he too embarrassed to say that he started out as a fraud?

…Well, even if that's the case, it doesn't matter now. The fond amusement in his chest was soon tainted by sadness. Zhou Mingrui has already gained more divinity than he ever wanted.

Feeling a sense of melancholy, the Angel of Death smiled politely. "I'm sure Mr. Fool would want us all to stay calm and approach the situation as best we can. Since this approach isn't working, we can try something else. Ah, that's right - we never did share our findings from the private discussions, did we?"

"…"

Everyone avoided Azik's gaze, shuffling in discomfort. Although the official excuse for the private gatherings had been "to investigate the mechanics of the spoiler policy", well… nobody had actually done that. They'd all been too busy catching up with allies and hadn't spared their so-called goal a second thought.

'His' face is so expectant, like 'He' never doubted our intentions… It feels like forgetting to do homework for a teacher who really believes in you… The crowd felt strangely guilty.

"We weren't able to determine anything," Bernadette said with the slightest hint of awkwardness.

"Nothing on our end, either." Danitz crossed his arms. Or if there was something, I didn't understand a word of it… he complained.

Benson and Melissa simply shook their heads, not willing to divulge the details of their therapy session.

"That's alright. I'm sure you all had a lot to talk about." Seeing this display, Azik only chuckled, having expected as much.

"As for us, we were able to discover something," announced Ma'am Hermit. "Information is not considered a spoiler if everyone within a discussion group knows it. But that same information cannot be shared if someone present doesn't already know it." She pushed up her glasses. "It seems there are things that we will only be able to talk about within private meetings."

Nobody reacted strongly: this was about what they had expected to happen, and they certainly weren't opposed to future private discussions.

"There are also ways to hint towards information," Mr. Hanged Man added. "Even if we can't share certain things outright, we can try to guide each other in the right direction."

Miss Justice smiled. Luckily, this is what a Spectator excels at! Still… She glanced at Roselle. I'm not sure the information I have is mine to share.

The moment Zhou Mingrui had arrived in this world, it was too late for him to ever go back. Audrey knew that much. The same went for Emperor Roselle, and she suspected that like Zhou Mingrui, he'd never stopped wanting to return home. Why else would the charm he'd given Bernadette, according to Mr. Fool, translate to "the homeland for one's soul"?

Despite this, Roselle seemed to have no intention of hinting towards the transmigrators' plight, and Audrey had no wish to disrespect him. The life of a transmigrator was punishment enough. Exposing the truth against the emperor's will just seemed too cruel.

Perhaps I can ask for his blessing to share this information later… no, it depends on… She pursed her lips, then spoke up. "If I may ask, how long do you think this viewing will last? How much are we going to see?"

If the truth of transmigration was never revealed during the viewing, Audrey would have to find a way to reveal it herself. But if the truth would come out eventually on its own, then the end result would be the same without her interference.

"That's a good question." Cattleya frowned. "The answer might connect back to whose memories we're witnessing. We all know how important Zhou Mingrui is, but what knowledge of Mr. Fool he possesses is unclear…"

Actually, none of us know how important he is! You're the only ones who know anything! The rest of the crowd, yet to learn the true identity of Gehrman Sparrow, deadpanned.

Meanwhile, Amanises considered this question. If it were just the Celestial Worthy in play, 'She' could say with some confidence that the viewing would end shortly after Mr. Fool's identity was revealed, leaving Klein no time to display himself in a positive light. Perhaps 'He' might also corrupt them with memories containing knowledge of the Great Old Ones, forcing 'His' opponent to waste energy on shielding those below Sequence 2. If it were just Mr. Fool in play, the viewing never would have happened in the first place. However, their current situation was the result of a careful balance in power.

This was what Amanises normally would have thought. All logic pointed towards that conclusion. But 'Her' spirituality, and perhaps 'Her' long-forgotten human instinct, told 'Her' something else entirely:

If it was too late to stop this, they might as well see everything.

Klein Moretti was, after all, a liar who did not enjoy lying. If the Celestial Worthy insisted on having things 'His' way, forcibly exposing the truth, then Klein would defeat 'Him' by exposing even more of the truth. He would tell everything there was to tell, rolling the dice in one last gamble, one final performance - and if there was one thing Mr. Fool knew how to do, it was put on a performance.

Crazy bastard.

Hm. That was interesting. 'She' couldn't remember the last time 'She' had sworn - not for a few hundred years, at least. Klein just seemed to have that effect on people… well. If 'She' could call 'Herself' a person. Looking into the deep gray fog, 'She' thought that being called human might be a privilege 'She' had lost as soon as 'She' came to this world.

If this is what you want, then…

Amanises' veil lifted ever so slightly. 

…I'm in too deep to back out now.

"Mr. Fool has made his choice," 'She' said in a lilting voice. "I suspect you'll see everything there is to know."

0:30

Choice… everything…? The implications of these simple words were enough to send shivers down everyone's spines.

We'll find out everything? What led 'Her' to that conclusion?! The Tarot Club could barely hold back their curiosity, tempered only by fear. 'She' isn't like Mr. Fool; we can't simply ask! No, more than that-!

"By choice, could you mean that…" Alger's throat was dry. "Mr. Fool has willingly opened up 'His' memories?"

The audience sucked in sharp breaths, eyes widening in surprise. Nobody bothered to hide their shock. A god willingly revealing 'Their' secrets wasn't just practically unheard of - it was unheard of. Whether out of distrust, paranoia, necessity, or the desire for a trump card, it simply wasn't done. Especially not to a god's own believers, 'Their' invaluable anchors!

"I believe so." Amanises nodded curtly, causing everyone to fall into disbelief once again.

"Wha - why would 'He' do that?" Danitz asked, open-mouthed. "No way…"

"To reveal things on his own terms." Will Auceptin popped his thumb in his mouth. "In for a penny, in for a pound, right? Or something like that. What a crazy guy." His laughter came out slightly muffled.

Willingly? Bernadette put a hand over her mouth. Even when forced into a corner, to think 'He' would take such drastic action… just to "reveal things on his own terms"? I don't believe that. There must be a reason, something that Mr. Fool wants us to see in 'His' memories - something that could counteract Mysteries' assault. But what?

…It doesn't makes sense. It doesn't make sense, and yet I keep going back to it. There should be no way for an ordinary person to... to pretend to be a god without some outside help. The mere thought made her blood run cold. But if somehow, Zhou Mingrui really is the Fool, he wouldn't reveal his identity of his own will… unless Mysteries is forcing him to, and he believes that showing more of his memories will win his anchors back-!

"Mr. Fool is trusting us."

Derrick's voice was soft and awed, breaking Queen Mystic out of her thoughts and causing several people to look at him.

"Mr. Fool is placing 'His' trust in us," he repeated, eyes shining, every word like a prayer. "'He' believes in us so much that 'He' can open 'His' mind to us… how incredible."

In that moment, he was overcome with powerful joy, a sense of closeness to his god. He felt that joining the Tarot Club and devoting himself to Mr. Fool had truly been the best decision of his life.

…He's right… The other members of the Tarot Club felt their hearts squeeze as Little Sun's words sank in. Even if Mr. Fool had ulterior motives for revealing 'Himself', and was even being forced to, the immense amount of faith 'He' had placed on their shoulders was nothing short of miraculous. Mr. Fool truly believed that the Tarot Club could weather this storm for 'Him'. 

Finding themselves strangely choked up, they bowed their heads and offered a simple prayer: "Praise the Fool!"

Then they looked up, resolves steeled. No matter what came next, with Mr. Fool's blessing, they felt sure that they could overcome it. If their god was asking for help, putting everything on the line - if this was their god's wish, well, how could they dare to fail 'Him?

In a few short minutes, the atmosphere had swerved from tense and unsure to determined and hopeful. Of course, there were some exceptions to this, such as the Morettis and the Halls. (Is he a fanatic? Benson wondered, sending a wary glance towards Derrick and pulling his sister closer. Extremists all have a screw loose, don't they...) The two families had barely spoken during the discussion and understood little of what was going on; still, even they could tell that the situation had improved from before. For the most part, damage control had been executed successfully. 

For now. Roselle grinned evilly, excited for what was to come.  

"No wonder he was able to fake it for so long," Will muttered under his breath so that only Amanises and Azik could hear. "These dupes practically convince themselves."

"Isn't it easier for you that way?" The Death Consul chuckled, only to receive a kick to the shin - which, since it came from a three year-old child, didn't hurt at all. Azik winced for a few seconds to be polite, then let his expression melt into a fond smile. Yes, Zhou Mingrui had chosen some excellent people to trust.

Now things could only be left in their hands.

0:05

Eyeing the timer, the Moretti siblings shifted nervously. They knew that whatever they saw in the next viewing could change their perception of Zhou Mingrui, and maybe even Klein, forever. All the same, they couldn't back down here; nor was there anywhere to run to. For their brother's sake, they had to uncover everything in his stead!

Audrey sent a fleeting look their way, eyes flashing with something unidentifiable, before straightening and facing the screen. Mr. World's identity was a problem for another time - one she could handle when appropriate. I'm sorry, Zhou Mingrui, but please wait a little longer. I'll reconcile you and your family soon enough. As a Blessed, you of all people must understand prioritizing your god above all else - and right now, Mr. Fool needs us!

Zhou Mingrui... Klein... no matter whose soul it is, he's the same person I've always known. He's my friend, Klein Moretti. That makes him dear to me. Leonard looked down at his hands - at the red gloves he had worked so hard to attain. Although I've been making efforts of my own, I still can't understand a thing. How you became involved in this; how Mr. Fool came to show you such favor; how much you must have struggled. Gloved fingers curled into fists. But even if I can't understand, I want to do my best to help you!

It looks like we'll be getting answers whether we want them or not. Breaking herself out of her thoughts, Bernadette bit the inside of her lip as she tried (and failed) to puzzle out the meaning behind her father's gleeful expression.

"Take heart," Mr. Moon declared confidently. He raised his head with no signs of worry or hesitation. "Everything will make sense soon. The truth will unveil itself before us messiahs."

...The wording is... strange, but the sentiment is there! The members of the Tarot Club clenched their hands into fists, determined. We'll discover what's going on! And then we'll awaken Mr. Fool! Definitely!

0:01

"Unfortunately...." Amanises' voice was so deathly quiet that even without concealment, not a soul would have heard 'Her'. "Not every truth is one you want to hear."

0:00

The screen came to life, filling with gray fog.