The streets outside were slightly busier now some workers had come out for lunch as they left the cafe the sound of the clock tower rung out
Inside the small apartment with the curtains drawn and the lock turned the noise faded into a distant hum. The three of them stood in a space that was cramped yet strangely comforting
Abel flopped onto the couch as though claiming territory. Louis spun a chair around and sat on it backward balancing easily on its two back legs. Erwin remained standing for a moment steadying himself before taking a seat at the small round table. A weight settled on all of them at once not fear exactly but recognition
This wasn't a dream anymore
Erwin cleared his throat "We should talk about what we learned from our bodies, the original memories, the circumstances of their deaths and anything that might be important"
Louis raised his hand lazily "Leader goes first"
Abel nodded without opening his eyes. "Yeah you start"
Erwin let out a breath he didn't feel like a leader yet but they were always looking to him it had been similar back home too waiting, trusting It was grounding in a strange way
"My predecessor" Erwin began "was a Mid-level clerk at the East Balam Trading Company. He worked in a department involved in auditing the imports and exports reports nothing illegal on the surface"
Louis frowned "On the surface?"
Erwin nodded "Behind the scenes they bribed officials and manipulated market prices He wasn't deeply involved in that part but he knew about it" His tone hardened slightly. "He skimmed profits quietly and carefully but he did it too long"
Abel cracked an eye open "And someone noticed"
"Yeah" Erwin's jaw tightened "The wrong person One of the major partners is a Demoness from my deduction"
Louis sat up fully "As in Sequence 6, 5 or 4? Of the Assassin pathway?"
"Yeah" Erwin said "She confronted him when she figured out the missing funds he panicked tried to run and she killed him brutally"
Abel winced "He died doing corporate embezzlement. that's rough"
Louis nodded sympathetically "Imagine surviving Backlund just to get clapped by your evil boss because you were dipping into the piggy bank"
Erwin shook his head though a reluctant smile tugged at the edge of his mouth
"Anyway, before he died, he hid the money somewhere and he wore this "Erwin reached into his shirt and pulled out the Fool pendant a simple bronze necklace its shape asymmetrical pupiless eye with contorted lines
Louis's breath caught "That thing… it feels weird even from here"
Abel leaned forward lazily "I think we all know what's it connected to?"
Erwin hesitated then said "The grey fog"
Both of them froze.
Abel blinked "Like the Castle, Gray fog, Above the spirit world"
Erwin nodded "The resonance is extremely faint because I'm only Sequence 9 right now, but it's real. When Klein arrives I think I'll be able to join the gatherings"
Louis let out a long whistle "Wow you basically got a free ticket to guaranteed to angelhood"
Abel snorted "Imagine if he attends all the meetings and only becomes a demigod"
Erwin groaned quietly "Moving on…"
Abel stretched again and said "My turn then"
Louis gestured "Go on your laziness"
Abel sat up slightly, pushing hair from his eyes "So… I woke up already at Sequence 8"
Erwin's eyebrows rose. "Sequence 8 Trickmaster"
"Yeah Trickmaster" Abel said casually "I think the body had tried to consume the potion before digesting the Apprentice potion and just died.. he didnt lose control strangely enough"
Louis stared at him "You're already ahead of us by a sequence"
"Yep" Abel looked faintly proud "Golden finger I guess"
Erwin asked "Though it was strange he didnt lose control and instead just died"
Abel hummed "Sort of.. memories are blurry but he was involved in a small secret gathering. But on the surface he was an ordinary secretary to a factory owner though when comes to his death he might have been poisoned, or nearly lost control and self poisoned its unclear"
Abel raised a finger "Oh, and another thing my body's lineage isn't ordinary"
Louis leaned in "What now?"
"He's a descendant of the Tamara family"
Erwin blinked slowly "The historical Tamara family? The ones tied to the Abrahams"
Abel nodded "Yep the bloodline is extremely diluted but it's still there"
Louis looked both impressed and deeply concerned "So you're already Sequence 8 and come from the ancient angel Tamara family"
Erwin's mind raced "That gives you potential access to obscure knowledge, artifacts, maybe even family secrets.. this matters a lot"
Abel smirked "I know"
Louis clapped his hands together "Alright, my turn"
He lifted his right hand and slid his glove down revealing a thin metallic ring. It wasn't gold or silver the metal shimmered subtly like a shifting oil-slick surface that absorbed light rather than reflected it
"This" Louis said "is what killed my predecessor"
Abel raised an eyebrow "A ring?"
"Not just a ring" Louis said "It's a sealed artifact ptobably equivalent to grade 2 since It holds the abilities of a Sequence 6 Prometheus"
Erwin stiffened "Sequence 6? You're sure?"
Louis nodded. "Not fully unlocked, but fragments, strength boosts, heightened perception, and basic theft. When the previous guy found it he thought it was just fancy jewelry. He stole it… and triggered it by accident. The backlash killed him instantly"
Abel winced "Oof"
Louis shrugged "At least I understand what it is now"
Erwin nodded slowly "Your pathway is strong but immensely dangerous with a certain bird around"
Louis gave a lopsided grin "Wouldn't have it any other way"
Erwin sat back linking the information in his mind "So… we have me as a Seer with a Sefirah-linked item, Abel as a Trickmaster with a Tamara bloodline, and you with partial access to a Sequence 6 Marauder power. This is… a lot"
Abel rubbed the back of his neck "Yeah but it doesn't mean we're safe"
Louis nodded "We need a plan a long-term one"
Erwin asked softly "What are you thinking?"
Abel was the one who answered "Sequence 6"
Erwin blinked "Why that sequence specifically?"
Abel leaned forward chair creaking "Because Klein barely survives everything before Sequence 6, at Sequence 7 he nearly dies multiple times, at Sequence 8 he's just a target, sequence 6 is where he becomes… stable and capable."
Louis pointed out "We need that all of us before Klein arrives before the real plot kicks in"
Erwin considered the idea its ambition, its difficulty "Sequence 6 in a year and a half is… incredibly fast"
Louis smiled "You know what's faster?"
Erwin raised a brow "What?"
Abel answered "If one of us reaches Sequence 5 first"
Erwin blinked slowly "Me?"
Abel nodded "Yep"
Louis crossed his arms "Think about it your pathway is the one we know the best we know the acting methods, rituals, all the pitfalls. And a Seer at Sequence 5 gets crazy abilities ones that can help us boost our chances of finding ingredients, promotion and survival"
Abel gestured casually "And between the three of us you're the most level headed. The least likely to do something stupid"
Louis added "And the most responsible like usual"
Erwin shifted uncomfortably "You're suggesting funneling all our resources into my pathway?"
Abel shrugged "Yes"
Louis nodded "It's logical strategically sound you climb first, gain the power to then help us climb rapidly afterward"
Erwin hesitated "I don't want either of you left behind"
Abel rolled his eyes "We won't be we're not relying on you we're just using the optimal route"
Louis grinned "Besides if you get strong early it keeps all of us alive until we catch up"
Erwin watched them Abel leaning back confident in his lazy certainty Louis smirking with clever amusement and something inside him settled
Resolve. Purpose. A direction
He exhaled "Alright if you're sure… I'll accept it I'll climb first reach Sequence 5 as fast as possible. And once I do all my focus will go into supporting your guys promotions. We rise together"
Abel nodded "Good"
Louis snapped his fingers "Then it's decided our shared minimum goal all of us at Sequence 6 before Klein transmigrates. And priority goes to pushing Erwin up the ladder"
Erwin smiled slightly "Then let's start planning the world won't wait for us"
Abel stretched out on the couch "Finally now it feels real"
Louis leaned back hands behind his head "Welcome to LoTM Time to survive"