035 Exchange of Messages

Russell Gustav's Secret Journal?

The Emperor Russell?

Indeed, only matters of such caliber are worthy of the attention of a gentleman of Mr. Fool's caliber... Audrey was initially taken aback, then realized she felt not the slightest surprise.

It is said that the Emperor Russell once laid eyes on the "Profane Tablets," it is said that within the secret cards he crafted lies the path of twenty-two gods, a matter of utmost concern to every high-ranking individual!

"A journal? Is that a journal?" Alger furrowed his brow slightly, keenly observing a detail.

Mr. Fool confidently referred to Russell Gustav's legacy as a journal!

How did he know?

How did he confirm?

Could it be that he has mastered the deciphering method of the "Russell cipher"?

In the face of the hanging man's question, Klein, having achieved the desired effect, leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together, and replied in a relaxed tone:

"Let us temporarily regard it as a journal."

He neither denied nor affirmed.

"It is said that the Emperor Russell's, um, journal, was written in his own invented secret script or symbols?" Audrey had heard of this from other noble offspring but had never truly witnessed it, feeling quite curious for the moment, she inquired.

"Yes," Alger replied simply, "Some believe it to be a unique system of occult symbols, some believe it to be a form of hieroglyphics, but to this day, no one has found the correct deciphering method, at least not within my knowledge."

As he spoke, he glanced at Klein, seeming to seek some sort of affirmation, yet also appearing to doubt something.

Those were characters that had evolved over several generations, no longer resembling their original pictograms, how could you possibly decipher them according to your thinking... Klein remained calm, inwardly chuckling.

As for the notion of treating them as occult symbols, it instantly conjured up some absurd and amusing scenes in his mind:

An evil mage in a black hooded robe, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the symbols allegedly inherited from Emperor Russell, symbols of mysterious power, two large, blue, simplistic characters:

"Clown!"

Klein's lips slowly curled upwards, his mood improving even more.

After listening to the description of the hanging man, Audrey hesitated and said:

"If we cannot understand the symbols or text... then how do we relay it to you here, Mr. Fool? Or, send it somewhere?"

That is indeed an important question... I do not yet have a covert channel for receiving things... Klein did not rush to answer, on his clasped hands, his thumbs separated and touched, then separated and touched again.

Soon, he found a solution:

Since I can create temples and chairs here based on my own thoughts, can I not let others directly imprint the contents of their minds?

Let's give it a try...

At this moment, Audrey and Alger saw Mr. Fool, enveloped in dense gray mist, slowly sit upright:

"Miss 'Justice,' let's make an attempt. You imagine a passage of text, imbue it with the emotion of urgency to write it out, um, pick up the nearby pen, and write it on the paper."

Before Klein finished speaking, Audrey saw a brownish-yellow parchment and a dark red pen appear in front of her.

She took the pen with a mixture of perplexity and curiosity, as instructed, she conjured up a line of poetry that Emperor Russell had purportedly written:

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" (Note 1)

After scrutinizing the text, she imbued the idea of presenting it all with the pen.

Klein sensed this "emotion" and thus, through the "pen" as a medium, guided.

Audrey had barely set down the pen when she saw a line of words appear on the parchment:

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

"Goddess, this is truly miraculous!" Audrey exclaimed in astonishment, filled with wonder.

Then, she glanced somewhat fearfully at Klein:

"Mr. Fool, can you read my thoughts?"

"No, I am merely a facilitator, streamlining the process of your writing the words, turning it into a form of imprinting. If you do not wish to 'express' yourself, there will be no trace." Klein reassured her in a deep voice.

"I see... so as long as we remember the appearance of those symbols or ciphers, we can directly present them according to our will?" Audrey breathed a sigh of relief, asking suddenly.

"Yes," Klein replied succinctly.

"This is truly an excellent method, Miss 'Justice,' do not doubt your memory. As a 'spectator,' you will greatly enhance this aspect." Alger, having observed the recent attempt, felt that the "Fool" was even more mysterious and powerful than he had imagined.

As for his own memory, he believed that with the promotions to come, it would receive sufficient growth.

Audrey nodded happily at this:

"This is a delightful hint, Hanging Man, do you have any further guidance for me as a 'spectator'?"

At this point, she turned to Klein:

"Mr. Fool, I will endeavor to fulfill your task, to gather as much of Emperor Russell's secret journal as possible."

"I have mentioned before, I am a man who enjoys equitable exchanges. The reward paid in advance just now amounts to two pages of journal per person. If there are any extras, I will provide additional compensation." Klein calmly stated in a manner that did not take advantage of anyone.

As for the additional compensation, of course, it would come from the new secret journal of Emperor Russell, forming a beneficial cycle.

"You are truly a generous sir." Alger fell silent for a few seconds, then placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly.

After the courtesy, he turned to "Justice":

"I reiterate, a spectator is always just a spectator."

"I understand. Many spectators enjoy imagining themselves as protagonists or other characters, investing a great deal of emotion, so much so that they weep, laugh, become angry, or sad with the drama, but this is not something you, as a 'spectator,' should do."

"In the face of the 'drama' in the mundane world, in the face of the characters who consciously or unconsciously play certain roles, you must maintain an absolute bystander attitude. Only then can you calmly and objectively observe them, detect their habitual actions, perceive their lying phrases, smell their nervousness, and grasp their true thoughts from various subtle clues."

"Believe me, everyone naturally secretes different 'things' due to different emotions, emits different smells, but only a true 'spectator' can sniff them out."

"Once emotions are involved, your observations will be affected, and your sensitivity to others' emotions will deviate."

Audrey listened attentively, her eyes brightening:

"That sounds very, very, very intriguing!"

At the head of the table, Klein's mind stirred:

The essence of the "spectator" potion's requirement seemed to be "to be an absolutely neutral observer."

This was akin to some form of... acting?

Acting?

Could it be that Emperor Russell's mention of "acting" referred to this?

Do I need to play the role of a "diviner" in order to gradually neutralize the potion?

As Klein pondered, Alger finished explaining what he knew about the requirements of being a "spectator" and then mused:

"It seems like there's nothing else to discuss?"

"Perhaps we can casually chat, talk about what's happening around us. Perhaps what seems ordinary to oneself could be very important clues to others."

"Alright." Klein snapped back to attention, nodding slightly.

He had already decided to try playing the role of a "diviner"; after all, it didn't seem to have any adverse effects.

"Shall we start with you, Hanging Man?" Audrey, quite interested, agreed.

Alger considered for a moment and then said:

"The self-proclaimed 'General Ludoville,' the infamous pirate, has resumed his exploration of the eastern edge of the Sunia Sea."

"Ah, the owner of the 'Black Tulip'?" Audrey asked, pondering.

"Yes," Alger nodded in response.

I have no idea who that is... Klein listened silently, considering what news he should convey that wouldn't expose himself yet would provide intelligence feedback.

Soon, he made a decision, maintaining the enigmatic image of the "Fool," he ran his fingers along the edge of the bronze table:

"As far as I know, the Mendicant Order has lost a notebook belonging to the Antigonos family."

This news was not only known to the Night Watchers of Tinggen City, but also to the Mendicant Order and their closely associated extraordinaries.

"The notebook of the Antigonos family?" Alger repeated, shaking his head with a low chuckle, "I wonder what the reaction of the Church of the Night Goddess will be when they learn of this."

Why mention just the Church of the Night Goddess? Klein noticed the discrepancy but refrained from speaking out.

That would disrupt the mystique of the "Fool."

At this moment, Audrey, puzzled, spoke up:

"Why are you curious about this? Will the Church of the Goddess have a special reaction to this news?"

Alger smiled and said:

"The Antigonos family was destroyed by the Church of the Night Goddess."

"Whether it was at the end of the Fourth Age or the beginning of the current era, I'm not quite sure."

This... Klein's eyes narrowed, a sudden chill surging through him:

"In that case, the Night Watchers' regard for that notebook of the Antigonos family far exceeds my imagination!"

"Their proposal for me to become an extraordinary, 'with some merit' and 'to prevent danger,' should only be a small part of the reason; they hope that I will enhance my intuition, which will help in finding the notebook."

"This was mentioned by the captain, but I didn't pay much attention at the time..."

After listening to the Hanging Man's explanation, Audrey, deeply intrigued, spoke up:

"I never imagined there would be such a thing..."

"Well then, it's my turn. Let me think about what to say."

She tilted her head slightly, resting her hand on her forehead, and chuckled softly:

"Yesterday, my etiquette instructor was teaching me how to faint, how to faint gracefully and politely, which is a practical skill for avoiding some embarrassing situations and despicable individuals in social settings... hehe, I was just organizing my thoughts earlier, what I really want to say is, ever since the defeat in the war on the Barong Coast, the king, the prime minister, and all the gentlemen have felt immense pressure and have a desperate desire for change."