Chapter 2: The Emperor Card
Chapter 2: The Emperor Card
In the "Source Castle," Hobert regained his memories related to the "Nation of Disorder ." He was now certain that his amnesia was a form of self-protection.
Only within the essence could he block the pollution from the top of the sequence or the outer gods and thus recover those memories.
Hobert then realized that his connection to the "Nation of Disorder " was similar to Klein's connection to the "Source Castle."
But comparisons can be hurtful. Look at Klein's "Source Castle," which allowed him to immediately start the Tarot Club right after his transmigration... Ahem, I mean, the Tarot Club.
In contrast, the "Nation of Disorder " he was bound to was a pit!
Hobert smiled bitterly to himself before standing up and saying, "Great and mysterious Fool, thank you for your help."
If it weren't for "Mr. Klein" intervening in time, Hobert felt he would have gone mad. Even if he was lucky, he would have been insane for several hours.
Thinking about his foster mother, sister, and brother who were all asleep, and his foster father who had been away on a business trip for half a month, there was almost no one to stop him if he went mad. The consequences were unimaginable.
Klein ignored Hobert's gratitude, as if to say, "This is a trivial matter." He asked in a mysterious and deep voice, "How did you know my name?"
At this moment, Klein was also a bit confused. He had only designed his three-part honorific name a week ago. After he told "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" above the gray fog, this young man had been bothering him every day.
The key issue was that this young man always recited the Fool's honorific name in the middle of the night, waking Klein up each time.
Of course, what puzzled Klein the most was how the other party knew the Fool's honorific name, which made him feel a chill down his spine and a sense of crisis.
If Klein hadn't seen signs of this young man losing control today, he wouldn't have brought such an uncertain factor into the gray fog.
Hobert had already thought of an answer to this question: "Honorable Fool, I started showing signs of madness a month ago.
"I prayed for divine help but received no response. At my most helpless moment, a gray fog appeared in my mind, and I heard your honorific name."
This answer was unscientific, but this was the mysterious world, where unscientific things were the norm.
Klein's confusion deepened. He even suspected that the gray fog had autonomously leaked his honorific name.
Hobert changed the subject: "I don't know how to thank you for your help."
"No need to thank me," Klein said. He had encountered enough mysticism knowledge to neither fully believe nor disbelieve Hobert's explanation.
Hobert asked again, "Honorable Fool, how can I escape the fate of madness?"
He regretted asking this question immediately. The current "Mr. Fool" didn't have as much mysticism knowledge as he did, so asking this might embarrass the Fool.
So Hobert quickly added, "What kind of sacrifice must I make to escape the fate of madness?"
"I am a Fool who likes equivalent exchange; I don't need your sacrifice," Klein replied, finding it easier to continue the conversation. "You don't seem to have consumed any potions. Did you gradually go mad after coming into contact with some extraordinary item?"
In this gray fog, Klein could use spiritual vision to determine if someone had consumed potions. The young man's aura was darker than that of a normal person, but it was clear he was not an extraordinary.
The reasons for an ordinary person losing control were twofold: either they were born as half a Sequence 9, or they accidentally came into contact with an extraordinary event or item and were polluted by a sealed artifact.
If someone was born as half a Sequence 9, they would either have gone mad long ago or wouldn't be affected much by extraordinary traits. Like the "monster" Ademisol he encountered at the Black Dragon Bar while following Old Neil to the black market, who had high spirituality but couldn't control the half Sequence 9 extraordinary traits within him.
So the only answer was that the young man had come into contact with a sealed artifact or extraordinary item, leading to these symptoms.
"That's exactly what puzzles me," Hobert replied. "I haven't consumed any potions, nor have I... at least I don't think I've come into contact with any extraordinary items."
As for the madness that began after his transmigration, he couldn't reveal that to Klein yet.
The Fool was silent for a few seconds: "There are two others like you, whom I brought here for other reasons.
"They hope I can hold regular meetings for formula trading, material sales, information exchange, and task commissions. I agreed.
"You are knowledgeable in mysticism. You can use your knowledge to trade with me or others on an equivalent basis. Your questions will be answered here, and your problems will be solved."
Hobert said, "It is my honor."
The Fool said, "Every Monday, at three in the afternoon, free from interference."
He added, "They decided to use Tarot card names as their codenames. You can also choose a codename for yourself."
A set of Tarot cards appeared before Hobert, and he felt a mix of emotions. He hadn't expected to join the Tarot Club and enter the extraordinary world in this way.
But it was inevitable because he was bound to the "Nation of Disorder " from the moment he arrived in this world. Why did the "Nation of Disorder " appear in the Northern Continent? Was the seal of the The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth so weak?
Or was this part of a god's plan?
To find out, he had to enter the extraordinary world, so joining it was inevitable.
"Let fate decide my codename," Hobert said, shuffling the cards and drawing one: "The Emperor!"
What a high-profile codename.
The symbol on the chair behind Hobert was activated, depicting an abstract throne with a symbol of chaos and distortion.
The Fool announced, "Your codename is 'The Emperor.' Remember the meeting time. You may go back."
After sending Hobert back to the red star, Klein didn't leave immediately. He performed a divination to ensure that "The Emperor" was not dangerous.
However, it was unusual for "The Emperor" to know so much about the extraordinary world without being an extraordinary himself.
Let's observe for a while, Klein thought. After all, no one could harm him above the gray fog.
Then he left the gray fog as well. "Mr. Fool" had to go to work tomorrow, so he needed to catch up on sleep.
...
On the other side, after returning to his body, Hobert found himself lying on the ground in a twisted position.
His pajamas were soaked with sweat, and his hair was wet as if he had bathed in sweat.
Hobert was once again grateful that he knew of the Fool's existence.
The sky outside was already lightening, and Hobert had lost all desire to sleep. Today was Monday, and he would attend the Tarot Club for the first time in the afternoon.
(End of this chapter)