034 The prearranged compensation

In a windowless basement, the rugged yet profound figure of Alger Wilson sat beside a long table strewn with various utensils and scrolls. Before him stood a candle, burning halfway down, its flickering, dim flame casting shifting shadows over the surrounding objects and the surface of the table. Alger's hair, disheveled like seaweed, bore a deep blue hue verging on black, and he wore a robe embroidered with lightning patterns. With hands clasped, thumbs touching, he leaned forward, gazing intently at a bottle of pitch-black liquid to the left of the candle.

Whirr! Whirr! Whirr! 

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! 

From within the sealed bottle, there came alternating sounds of howling winds and surging seas. Where the black liquid had not submerged, a faint mist hovered and writhed, as if sprouting eyes and mouths.

Alger glanced sideways at the clock on the wall, noting the hour hand pointing to three. Pinching his temples, his eyes suddenly darkened, and a subtle sheen appeared on the various utensils on the table. It was at this moment that he noticed a surge of deep red light, swelling like a tide, suddenly engulfing him!

---

Bekrland, Queen's District, within the luxurious Hall family villa. After seeing off her dance instructor, Audrey locked the door behind her and sat upright at the dressing table. Outside, the sunlight was brilliant, flowers bloomed vibrantly, and on the table lay an exquisitely bound blank notebook made of pale brown parchment, alongside a golden-tipped fountain pen inset with a ruby. Audrey tested it, confirming that as soon as she withdrew from the "gathering," she could quickly pick up the pen and record the formula.

"How exciting it is..." She took a breath, suppressing her excitement, and looked at herself in the mirror. However, she could not see her own reflection; only a deep red and illusory light emanated from all around, from within herself, simultaneously erupting!

---

Above the gray mist, within the grand temple resembling the abode of a giant king. Deep red blossoms erupted on either side of the bronze long table, surging upward like fountains and gently falling, "sculpting" two vague figures. Their positions remained unchanged from the previous meeting. With her golden hair flowing and tall stature, Audrey instinctively looked up, seeing the figure in the seat of honor leaning back, one hand flat on the table edge, the other lightly grasping his chin.

"Good afternoon, Fool, sir!" Audrey exclaimed cheerfully. Then, she turned her head and addressed the figure opposite in the same tone: "Good afternoon, Hanged Man, sir!" 

This girl is truly fearless, so sure I'm a good guy, unafraid? Protected as she is, she must be a well-guarded noble girl. Klein smiled faintly, maintaining a mysterious demeanor as he replied, "Good afternoon, Justice, Miss."

As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, raised his left hand in the air, and lightly tapped his temple twice. His gaze shifted, and Klein saw the radiant aura emanating from Justice and Hanged Man. Yet, there was no change in the surrounding mist and deep red stars; no appearance of seemingly non-existent entities or the seemingly vital clear light. Turning his gaze lightly, Klein saw that Justice's aura colors perfectly matched Neil's description: red, purple, blue, white—all vibrant and luminous, clearly the aura of a spirited young woman.

"Her emotional hues range from red to yellow, expressing joy, warmth, and excitement..." Klein made his assessment and shifted his attention to the Hanged Man. Similar to Justice, the Hanged Man's aura colors were unremarkable, predominantly blue with a hint of orange. "Calmness, contemplation, caution, and a hint of satisfaction?" Klein concluded somewhat hesitantly on his first attempt.

Just as he was about to avert his gaze, he suddenly noticed something peculiar. The innermost layer of the Hanged Man's aura seemed completely unified in both color and sensation! Klein focused his mind and, upon closer inspection, discerned a deep blue akin to seawater at the core of the Hanged Man's "ethereal form," evoking a sense of fierce winds and surging waves. "Is this his 'stellar spirit' or perhaps the outer layer of his 'stellar spirit'?" Klein's thoughts swirled with uncertainty. "It seems he truly is an extraordinary individual, perhaps even more formidable than Neil." However, he quickly countered his own speculation, "Then again, perhaps it's simply due to this unique environment, or because this is my domain, that I'm able to perceive these things. It's not necessarily indicative of Neil lacking similar manifestations." He then turned his gaze back to Justice, confirming that these were indeed unique to extraordinary individuals.

At this moment, Alger also completed his salutations. Audrey took a deep breath, her anticipation evident as she inquired, "Mr. Hanged Man, have you received the box of ghost shark blood?" Alger glanced at Klein, who was lightly tapping his temple as if contemplating something else. "Thank you very much. It perfectly meets all my expectations. I never imagined you could deliver it so quickly. Ghost shark blood is no ordinary supernatural substance," Alger replied calmly. Audrey modestly smiled, "I'm pleased to see this outcome." As someone who had always been interested in mysterious matters since childhood, she had also made friends within the aristocratic circle who shared the same interests. They exchanged information, books, and rare items, but until now, none of them had gained supernatural abilities and become true extraordinary individuals. However, a few princes had hinted that if she were willing to become a princess, she would receive the gifts she desired. Nevertheless, this time, the ghost shark blood was directly obtained from the family treasury. Since the inventory listed it as "a large bottle" without specifying the quantity in milliliters or indicating whether it was full or not, she believed that taking a little more than half would certainly go unnoticed. Even if something unexpected happened and the truth came to light, her parents were unlikely to pursue it. 

Alger then glanced deeply at the Fool shrouded in mist, turned back, and smiled, "As per our agreement, I will now share the formula for this potion with you." "I'm ready. Let's begin," Audrey said, drawing in a breath and focusing all her attention. "The preparation of a low-rank potion is quite simple. Simply add the ingredients in the specified order. However, it is crucial to remember that less is more when it comes to quantities. Too much will lead to significant issues. You must have heard of extraordinary individuals losing control; I need not repeat it, do I?" Alger first addressed the precautions. Audrey nodded lightly, "I understand completely." As she spoke, she glanced at Mr. Fool, wanting to know if this mysterious powerhouse had any additional remarks. Unfortunately, in her line of sight, the Fool sat quietly, resembling a statue. 

Alger paused for a moment before adding, "A slightly smaller amount doesn't mean deviating too far... If you don't have assistance, I suggest spending time familiarizing yourself with chemical experiments." "I have a tutor in this regard," Audrey replied nonchalantly.

Alger elaborated on the extent of deviation and then smoothly recited, "For 'The Spectator,' Sequence 9 potion, 80 milliliters of distilled water, add 5 drops of narcissus essence, 13 grams of black hellebore powder, 7 petals of fairy flowers, and a pair of eyes from adult Manhattan fish, along with 35 milliliters of blood from the black-horned sheepfish." "The last two are the main ingredients, both from marine supernatural species, so caution is imperative."

"Mmm," Audrey murmured as she recalled and repeated, "80 milliliters of distilled water, 5 drops of narcissus essence, 13 grams of black hellebore, black hellebore..."

"Powder," Alger reminded her. With his assistance, Audrey gradually memorized the formula in the correct order, but she still felt uneasy, murmuring and repeating it to herself.

"Do you understand meditation?" Alger asked as Justice nodded, continuing, "I'm not sure what your understanding of meditation is, so let me describe it... After ingesting the potion, begin meditation as soon as possible to control your spiritual essence and power... You must practice every day to truly harness the potion's power, uncover its symbolic meaning, and explore more mysteries. Only then can you minimize the risk of losing control. The key to the symbolic significance of the potion lies in its 'name,' such as 'The Spectator'!"

Klein quietly listened to their exchange, originally intending to remain silent, merely memorizing and learning. However, upon hearing this, an idea suddenly struck him.

Audrey, earnestly listening to the Hanged Man's explanation, was about to ask a few detailed questions when she suddenly heard the faint tapping of the table. She and Alger turned to look at Klein, the Fool, seated at the head, his finger lightly tapping as he spoke in a deep voice, "It's not about mastering; it's about assimilating." 

"Not about exploring; it's about embodying." 

"The name of the potion is not just a symbol; it's an image and, more importantly, the 'key' to assimilation."

Audrey listened, bewildered and perplexed, not quite understanding what the Fool intended to convey. She subconsciously glanced at the Hanged Man for his reaction but was astonished to see him stiffen, frozen in place, like an ordinary person hearing a sudden clap of thunder.

"Assimilation, embodiment... assimilation, embodiment... assimilation, embodiment, key..." Alger repeated these words over and over, as if grasping onto some crucial insight or falling under the spell of some strange enchantment. After a while, he lifted his head, his voice hoarse, "Thank you, Mr. Fool. Your guidance is as precious as life itself. It has clarified many things for me, although I believe I still haven't fully understood or grasped everything."

Klein maintained his mysterious demeanor and smiled, saying, "Consider it a down payment."

In truth, he himself didn't quite understand the exact meaning of those few sentences just now, but he was certain that Emperor Roselle was stronger than the average extraordinary individual and stronger than the Hanged Man.

"A down payment..." Audrey saw the Hanged Man's reaction and realized the value of the hint just now. While pondering, she asked, "Mr. Fool, what do you want us to do?" Alger nodded in agreement, "Do you have a task for us?"

Leaning back slightly, Klein glanced at both of them and spoke in a low, soothing voice, "Help me gather Russell Gustav's secret diary, even if it's just one page."