While his mind drifted wildly, Leonard continued kneeling for a full quarter hour. At last, he couldn't help whispering, "Old man…why is there still no response?"
"Are you sure those three sentences you taught me are correct? Are you sure that 'Fool' actually exists?"
Pallez replied coolly, "Boy, what gave you the illusion that whenever anyone prays to a deity, that deity must respond immediately?"
"That is an ancient god."
"Moreover, once you speak His honorific name, even if He doesn't respond, every move you make is very likely already under His gaze. You'd best pray you don't accidentally offend Him and get punished—don't get me covered in blood."
Leonard looked utterly aggrieved.
"…Old man, that's not what you said when you told me to recite it!"
"Heh. Did you forget which pathway I'm from? Since when does a Swindler speak the truth? Maybe I just wanted to trick you into praying to an evil god to get you killed."
"You…really are boring."
Leonard curled his lip and pushed himself off the floor with his hands, slowly standing up. "I'm going to the washroom."
Rubbing his sore thighs, he stepped into the washroom, lifted the toilet lid, loosened his belt, and just as he was about to urinate—
—deep crimson light suddenly surged out before his eyes, engulfing him entirely before he even had time to react.
By the time Leonard came back to his senses, towering stone pillars surrounded him. They rose from endless grayish-white fog, supporting a colossal hall fit for giants.
Only then did he realise he was somehow seated along the side of a mottled, ancient bronze long table. Beside him and across from him stood rows of high-backed chairs that exuded solemn majesty.
And at the head of the mottled table sat a figure shrouded in dense grey fog, leaning back leisurely against the chair as though He overlooked all creation.
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Leonard's mind—but his body reacted even faster. He stood up abruptly and bowed deeply to the exalted being, "Good afternoon, great being."
In that moment, all vows of loyalty to the Goddess, all talk of being a "nail" infiltrating a cult—completely forgotten. The only thing he felt was:
The pressure of divinity was heavier than the weight of mountains and seas.
But just as Leonard bent down, an invisible force pressed him back into the bronze chair. A calm, steady voice reverberated beside his ear, "There is no need for such formality. Just call me Mr. Fool."
Klein looked at his former colleague—who had completely discarded his previous nonchalant demeanour and now sat stiff and cautious like a low-ranking supplicant—and couldn't help finding it amusing.
So the Leonard who had an old grandfather in his body, the Leonard who fancied himself a protagonist, also becomes meek in front of a 'god'…interesting.
He asked lightly, "Where did you hear my honorific name? And why did you pray to me?"
Leonard trembled. "It…it was an old man who told me Your honorific name. And I prayed to You because…I heard that two of my colleagues believed in You and joined the organisation You founded."
"Oh? An old man? Pallez Zoroast?"
Klein smiled casually.
So the old grandfather had told Leonard everything. But how did that elderly angel know they had joined the Tarot Club?
Did Edward tell him?
"…!!!"
Leonard's heart thrashed wildly. His pupils contracted—
Mr Fool…knew of the old man's existence? And even spoke his name directly?!
"M–may I ask, great…Mr. Fool, do You know the old man…Pallez Zoroast?"
"We are not acquainted," Klein replied slowly. "I merely heard of him—a fallen angel who was active in the Fourth Epoch."
This sentence was completely true—everything he knew about the old grandfather had been told to him by Edward.
The old man is really an angel?!
He had expected it somewhat, but still couldn't help being shaken. Although Leonard trusted the old man greatly by now, he still harboured one doubt—
Why would an angel choose him as a host?
Back in Tingen, he had naïvely believed he was the protagonist—that fate had chosen him.
But after everything that had happened, he was no longer that foolish.
Leonard slowly exhaled. He glanced around hesitantly before asking, "Did they—Klein Moretti and Edward—also come here like I did?"
Klein thought for a moment before answering, "Yes. Though the methods by which you arrived differ."
Leonard was not surprised. He immediately asked, "Then…when will I be able to see those two? I…I have some very important things I need to discuss with them, especially Klein."
Edward had only joined the Tingen Nighthawks for a short while, so Leonard could barely consider him a colleague. His concern for Edward was only because he once thought Edward's "betrayal" caused the deaths of both their captain and Klein.
But Klein was different.
Months of working together, carrying out dangerous missions side by side, entrusting their backs to each other—Klein was a friend he truly trusted.
Klein said, "Don't be anxious."
"Besides you, many other beings have been brought here for various reasons. They asked me to hold regular gatherings to exchange information, trade materials, exchange formulas, and assist one another. This helps them advance quickly—toward higher Sequences."
"Are Klein and Edward also part of that regular gathering? Do they also have seats here?" Leonard asked eagerly.
Klein replied casually, "Yes."
Leonard fell silent for a second, then couldn't conceal the agitation in his voice. "Respected Mr. Fool, if I join that regular gathering…does that mean I'll get to see them?"
"Of course."
With a wave of his hand, Klein manifested a deck of Tarot cards upon the bronze long table. He pointed casually. "They each chose a card as their codename. You may also draw one. The cards corresponding to existing members have been removed."
So they really did use Tarot cards as codenames…
Leonard let out a slow breath. He couldn't help asking another question, "May I ask which cards Klein and Edward drew?"
"You'll know then."
Leonard extended his right hand, drew a card from the deck, and flipped it over. What he saw was a sky full of stars and a goddess pouring holy water.
The Star.
Though honestly, he felt the Moon would've suited him better.
After all, the one he truly believed in was the Evernight Goddess, symbolised by the crimson moon. And the Moon card would also constantly remind him: Standing on Cao's land, but thinking of Han in your heart—a phrase invented by Emperor Roselle.
Of course, he only dared think this inwardly. Outwardly, he held the Star card as if it were a priceless treasure.
"Return for now. The Backlund time for the gathering is every Monday at three in the afternoon. The next one is tomorrow."
Klein raised his hand gently, and Leonard—who hurriedly bowed again—vanished from the ancient hall.
"All right, next is Miss Xio."
He exhaled softly and infused spirituality into the other crimson star. Soon, a short girl not even one meter fifty, wearing an extremely nervous expression, appeared above the grey fog.
Her first reaction was to reach instinctively for the back of her waist—if he remembered correctly, the last time he saw Miss Xio, she had kept her triangular stiletto there.
Excellent.
Upon seeing an unknown "deity," her first instinct was to reach for a weapon.
Miss Xio…you are quite brave.
Yes.
Very much in line with the Tarot Club's usual selection criteria.
What's that?
You're saying the Tarot Club—starting from Mr. Fool—has always followed a policy of cowardice first?
Hey—
I'm about to help Queen Mystic stop George III from becoming a god. How could that be called cowardly?
Meanwhile, dragged into reciting the three-step honorific by Fors' relentless insistence, Xio suddenly found herself transported into an ancient palace shrouded in grey fog—and instinctively almost drew her triangular spike.
Then reality finally caught up with her.
"Ah!! What am I doing?! I actually tried to attack an 'evil god'!"
I'm done for, I'm done for!
Fors, oh Fors—you're really going to get me killed this time!!
———
Back in Backlund, at the Aurora Order's hideout.
Seeing Audrey walk out from the washroom, Lilith asked curiously, "What did Mr. Fool say?"
Audrey's face showed some confusion. "Mr. Fool said that Lady Power's upcoming actions represent His stance on the matter, and that there's no need to worry about the Psychology Alchemists."
It was normal for Mr. Fool to disregard the Psychology Alchemists. No matter how powerful they seemed, in the eyes of a deity they were no different from ants.
But what exactly were Lady Power—Queen Mystic—Bernadette's "upcoming actions"?
Audrey immediately voiced her question.
Lilith suddenly looked enlightened. "Lilith knows this one."
"Edward discovered earlier that Emperor Roselle, in his later years, successfully completed the ritual and switched to the Black Emperor Pathway, but was then assassinated in White Maple Palace."
"And based on the traits of a Black Emperor, as long as even one of the nine mausoleum constructed for ascension remains intact, resurrection is possible. So Edward speculated that Emperor Roselle never truly died—he has simply been waiting for the right time to return as a king."
"But if someone else ascends to Black Emperor first, then Emperor Roselle will meet true and final death."
Audrey exclaimed softly, "So the Queen Mystic will definitely find a way to stop George III! Then what Mr. Fool meant—that her actions represent His stance—means…"
Lilith narrowed her eyes and smiled mischievously. "Exactly. Even if George III's ascension as the Black Emperor has been tacitly approved by the Seven Gods…our great Mr. Fool does not agree."
Priscilla & Audrey: "!!!"
The Seven Gods approve—
But Mr. Fool does not agree!
This…this was too domineering!
It perfectly aligned with their image of what a true deity should be—what a true protagonist should be!
And they themselves were members of this deity's gathering…It felt like standing on the frontlines of history, witnessing another world-shaking event with their own eyes!
——
Klein: Miss Justice, I feel like you may have misunderstood something about me.
———
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