Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
What do I need? Cattleya silently chuckled, having sensed that The Hanged Man was probing her with a very ordinary question.
Any needs meant clues!
Ignoring the fact that Iâve already obtained the potion formula for Sequence 4 Mysticologist of the Mystery Pryer pathway, and accumulating points for one of the main ingredients, even without anything, I have no lack of corresponding resource channels, and far more than one... Cattleya had another thought as she recalled the Sea God Scepter which Mr. Fool wielded. She then smiled and said, âI need a mystical item at the demigod level. The kind with acceptable side effects.â
At that instant, Alger nearly retorted, asking her not to crack a joke.
Even in the Church of Storms, one wasnât necessarily capable of obtaining a similar item for years, much less a Beyonder who was obviously only a Mid-Sequence Beyonder!
If I had an item at the demigod level without any real negative side effects, why wouldnât I keep it for my own use? Alger knew that The Hermit was using mockery to respond to his attempt at sounding her out, but he wasnât as irascible as his peers. He slowly took a deep breath and said, âIâll keep an eye out.
âBut Maâam, you should know very well that just an effective clue towards such an item might be enough to cover the cost of an Ocean Songsterâs potion formula.â
... Very staid. Not easily angered. This is very different from the usual style of the Church of Storms... Was the conclusion of my first observation wrong? Heâs only disguising himself as a priest of the Storm? No, I canât think of it that way. This might also be because he doesnât dare to flare up under Mr. Foolâs watch. Or perhaps, heâs just an odd one out in the Church of Storms. There might not be many, but itâs not extremely rare...
Cattleya wasnât greedy. She didnât sound him out a second time as she nodded.
âI know.â
As the conversation between the two came to an end, no one made any requests during the transaction segment. A number of members already had the means to obtain whatever they needed, so there was no need to make any requests for purchases. It was mainly Audrey and Fors who were waiting for the subsequent potion formulas. Another reason stemmed from their financial situation or circumstances, and they werenât able to make any early expenditures. This included Emlyn, who was filled with desire for the Sanguineâs Viscount inheritance, as well as Miss Magician who wanted a mystical item.
Indeed, as everyone slowly cast off their statuses as Low-Sequence Beyonders, advancements are no longer that fast. The rate of transactions will also rapidly drop. In the past, there was basically one or two deals every week, but now, it might be two to three weeks. In the future, it might even be three to four months... Without knowing whether it was for the better or worse, Klein nodded gently to indicate that it was time to engage in the free exchange.
Audrey looked at Derrick and waited for him to describe the unexpected situation at the City of Silver.
Derrick didnât let her âexpectationsâ down. Before anyone could speak, he earnestly said, âElder Lovia has been released. I encountered her at the library.â
Shepherd Lovia has been released? Using flesh and blood, the entire team that she led was corrupted by the True Creator, so how can she be without any problems? What is the six-member council thinking? Klein originally wanted to say something along the lines ofââif thereâs nothing wrong with Lovia, Iâll chop off my head and gift it to the True Creator to be kicked like a ball.â However, considering how swears and curses involved deities in them and might lead to terrible consequences, he rationally changed his thoughts.
Of course, I donât have to be that careful with me above the gray fog... He sighed inwardly.
âElder Lovia has been released? That Shepherd?â Audrey quickly recalled what the name meant.
Back then, Little Sun had used Blasphemer Amonâs possession and Mr. Foolâs help to expose the fact that the entire exploration team had been corrupted by the True Creator. As for the team, it was led by Lovia. Her job as a Shepherd happened to correspond to the Secrets Suppliant pathway of the True Creator!
âYes.â Derrick nodded earnestly as he looked towards The Hanged Man.
Alger thought for a moment before asking, âHas your Chief returned to the City of Silver?â
Why would Mr. Hanged Man suddenly ask about this... Ah, right. To release such an important figure, itâs impossible that the other elders of the six-member council wouldnât wait for the Chiefâs return...
If the Chief has yet to return, and that they had decided this without his consent, it goes to show that the situation is even more terrible than one can imagine. It was so terrible that they couldnât even await his return... If the Chief has already returned, then the reason for releasing Lovia has a high chance to do with the outcome of the exploration. This is because, according to Little Sun, this is the only exploration in recent times for the City of Silver.
Sigh, why didnât I think of this? Audrey, youâre still lacking in experience... Audrey reflected and consoled herself in thought.
âYes, not long ago.â Derrick was surprised by Mr. Hanged Manâs accurate guesses.
At this moment, Fors, who had been listening quietly, combined what she knew from before and suddenly had an idea.
âMr. Sun, could this be the situation?
âYour Chief led the exploration team and that little boy, Jack, to seek out a path that leads to the outside world, but they realized that the power of the True Creator is required. Heh heh, this isnât a lie Iâm fabricating, but an inference of the facts. The father of that boy, Jack, belonged to the Aurora Order, and they were seeking the holy residence of the True Creator before arriving where you are.
âTherefore, for the entire City of Silver, your Chief decided to release Shepherd Lovia after returning.â
âIf thatâs really the case, Mr. Sun would be in grave danger,â Audrey said with worry. Forsâs words sank Derrickâs heart.
At this moment, Alger shook his head.
âNo, I have the exact opposite belief.
âMiss Magicianâs inference is identical to my theory, but I believe this will make it safer for The Sun!â
âWhy?â Derrickâs heart calmed down as he asked.
Isnât that simple? Balance! Klein scoffed inwardly.
âThe danger of the True Creator is noticeable by any sentient creature with eyes and a brain. Your Chief will definitely not put all his chips on âHim.â He definitely needs a force that can counterbalance the True Creator.
âAs for you, the one who exposed their ploy, you were possessed by Blasphemer Amon, so you might represent another possibility.
âThe more Lovia and company wish harm upon you, the more the Chief and the other elders will protect you. This way, they would turn a blind eye to whatever suspicious aspects you didnât manage to erase,â Alger explained simply.
This ends up being a silver lining? Fors was stunned.
Mr. Hanged Man makes a lot of sense... When it comes to analyzing matters and the situation, Iâm still far from matching him... Audrey felt somewhat depressed. She even thought of puffing her cheeks, but she immediately realized that it wasnât an elegant act. All she could do was keep those thoughts to herself.
For the rest of the members, Emlyn, who didnât know much about Lovia, had a hard time keeping up. However, he knew about Jack and the repeated cycles, so he was barely able to understand the discussion.
In order to break out of the City of Silverâs conundrum, they released a âdangerâ that has the True Creator involved? Emlyn inwardly made a guess.
Compared to him, Cattleya couldnât understand a word. She felt as though she was from a completely different world compared to the other members.
I actually have a feeling of admiration despite my incomprehension of what they said... The last time I had this feeling was several years ago. Back then, I was still very weak... There were some inklings in the previous Tarot Gatherings, especially so when it involves the City of Silver, but never has it been as serious as this time...
Also, why are they discussing the True Creator and Blasphemer Amon so naturally? Eh... It should be the Blasphemer Amon I know of... Theyâre only Mid-Sequence Beyonders... What have they actually done in the past? Cattleyaâs confidence as a powerhouse suffered a setback at that very moment.
After hearing Mr. Hanged Manâs analysis, Derrick first heaved a sigh of relief before asking with tense nerves, âCould this result in our City of Silver being destroyed by the Fallen Creator?â
He originally wished that Mr. Hanged Man could provide him with an answer that could relieve him, but he ended up hearing the man say in a deep voice, âThat possibility canât be ruled out.â
âThen what should I do?â Derrick earnestly sought advice.
âUnder the situation of us not understanding what your Chief and the other elders of the six-member council are up to, I cannot provide you with any suggestions, but I donât think you need to be in such a panic.â Alger raised his head to glance at Mr. Fool, who was silently looking at the members from the end of the long bronze table.
Tracing his gaze, Derrick subconsciously looked over and saw Mr. Fool whose extremely blurry figure was covered in the gray fog.
He instantly felt a sense of serenity, and he couldnât help but recall that holy and powerful angel.
... Although Iâve foiled several of the True Creatorâs ploys, Iâll definitely not last a second if I were to really clash with âHimâ... The situation will devolve into The Fool coming to his doorstep, but the True Creator finding The Fool completely lacking... Klein maintained his casual listening state, without saying a word or showing any expression.
Derrick retracted his gaze and said to Alger, âMr. Hanged Man, thank you for your help. I will try to figure out what Chief and the others are planning.â
With the matter coming to an end, Cattleya deliberated before saying, âWas the Blasphemer Amon you were talking about before referring to the ancestor of the Amon family in the Fourth Epochâs Tudor Empire, the son of the Creator?â
Son of the Creator? Audrey was stunned by what Maâam Hermit said. She instinctively turned her head to the end of the long bronze table and discovered Mr. Fool sitting there calmly, as though he was tacitly confirming Amonâs other identity.