Monday afternoon, three o'clock, above the eternal gray fog.
The Tarot Club welcomed a new member today — Derrick Berg, codenamed Sun, addressed by the others as Mr. Sun. Judging by his age, calling him "Mr." seemed a little premature, but his tall and sturdy figure somewhat made up for it.
Through their exchanges during the transaction, Justice Audrey and Hanged Man Alger quickly realized that this newcomer's origins were deeply mysterious. His worldview, speech, and even his understanding of common sense all seemed… abnormal, as if he came from an entirely different world.
Where exactly did Mr. Fool bring him from?
An involuntary sense of awe for Mr. Fool rose within their hearts.
But shock aside, the gathering had to proceed as usual. After Mr. Fool finished reading Roselle's diary, they moved on to their standard exchange session. Audrey first shared several important national matters — among them, her successful covert promotion of open examinations for selecting civil servants, and the recent decision by Loen's high-ranking officials not to retaliate against the Feysac Empire over the East Balam incident.
Afterward, Alger made a new request to Audrey: to help him locate clues about a great pirate known as Admiral Hurricane Qilangos. The man had secretly infiltrated Loen's capital, Backlund, and his true purpose remained unclear.
When Alger elaborated on the Mystical Item Qilangos possessed — Creeping Hunger — its abilities and side effects drew an astonished exclamation from the previously silent Sun Derrick:
"Shepherd!"
Shepherd?
Everyone's attention immediately shifted to him.
Klein quickly recalled the information he had once read. Shepherd was Sequence 5 of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway — a Beyonder stage with extremely powerful abilities.
Through Sun Derrick's subsequent explanation, they learned more. A Shepherd could devour the souls of other Beyonders and wield the abilities those souls once possessed — as if herding lambs for a deity.
If that guy Caesar could ever reach Sequence 5, he'd be that powerful too, wouldn't he?
Listening to Sun's description, Klein couldn't help but think so. Wait a second — the case in Enmat Harbor involved the Aurora Order itself. It was entirely possible Caesar might actually encounter a Shepherd.
——
At this moment, Caesar, by the sea, had no idea that his colleague was thinking about him above the gray fog. His full attention was on the bar in front of him.
Stepping into The Untamed — a bar that opened in the afternoon — Caesar handed the bartender a few pence as a tip and slipped through the rear door into the backyard.
A scene of lively chaos instantly met his eyes.
"Fresh mummy powder! Ten pounds for five grams!"
"Vengeful spirit residue! One hundred and fifty pounds!"
"Live Lavachin octopus! Just caught from the sea — price negotiable!"
The beach was lined with stalls, looking much like the fish markets Caesar had seen in his previous life. Vendors shouted loudly over one another, hawking their wares, while some sold directly from small boats near the shore, their decks piled high with strange and terrifying sea creatures.
So it's this blatant, huh?
Daly had mentioned that Enmat Harbor's constant population flow and lack of sufficient official Beyonders made such markets difficult to suppress. So long as they didn't openly engage in forbidden rituals, the authorities simply turned a blind eye.
Caesar clutched his wallet and let his eyes sweep over the various stalls.
The Secrets Suppliant's ritual required only flesh and blood, but other rituals consumed materials as well. He purchased some herbs and essential oils from several vendors, spending around two solidus. Continuing deeper into the market, he soon noticed a particularly conspicuous stall.
Unlike the others, this one displayed no goods at all — only two signs hung from its frame.
One read:
"Crafting/Appraising Mystical Items – Prices starting from 100 pound"
That's expensive… but Mystical Items aren't something ordinary people can make. I remember they require a Beyonder known as a 'Craftsman.'
Caesar's gaze moved to the second sign, and his brows lifted slightly.
"Seeking individuals skilled in ritual magic – Compensation negotiable."
The stall's owner was a young girl. She sat quietly behind her table, reading several manuscripts and occasionally tinkering with a mechanical clock in her hand. Her stall occupied an excellent location at the market's center, taking up a large space — yet no other vendors seemed to mind.
She's probably an official Beyonder.
Caesar made his judgment quickly. From this central position, she could observe the entire market — likely its hidden overseer. Combined with her ability to craft Mystical Items, it was almost certain she belonged to the Steam Church.
Someone from the Steam Church looking for a ritualist? Interesting…
Caesar's curiosity stirred.
He walked up, pointed to the second sign, and smiled. "I'm curious — what kind of person are you looking for who's skilled in ritual magic?"
The bored-looking girl set down her manuscript and glanced up. "Can you do it? If not, don't ask."
Caesar's naturally likable face seemed to have no effect; she appeared far more interested in machines than in people.
"I see."
He replied noncommittally, just about to continue, when he noticed the manuscript in her hand. It wasn't filled with mechanical diagrams or equations, but with densely packed square characters.
It was Roselle's diary.
The girl was studying Emperor Roselle's notes. Given that the "Son of Steam" was revered by the Steam Church, it wasn't surprising she had access to such manuscripts.
However, she happened to be holding it upside down — which allowed Caesar to catch a glimpse of the text.
"Perhaps I should consider changing Pathways. If the Savant Pathway doesn't work out, I can always pursue another."
A Sequence Pathway can be replaced?!
Caesar's eyes narrowed slightly.
If that's true… could I switch to another Pathway? A safer one?
He was about to continue reading, but the page was swiftly pulled back. Looking up, he met the girl's wary gaze.
"What are you trying to do?" she asked sharply, clutching the metal pocket watch. "If you've got nothing to say, move along — don't block my stall."
"Ah, sorry." Caesar smiled faintly, recovering his composure. "I saw Emperor Roselle's notes and lost focus for a moment."
Then, as if casually, he added, "Actually, I happen to be quite adept at ritual magic. Perhaps I can help you. I just don't know — what kind of compensation are you offering?"
"Really?"
The girl scrutinized him, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
"This," Caesar said, taking a Hypnosis Charm from his pocket, "is something I made through a ritual. You should be able to tell it's genuine."
He had already made up his mind. No matter what it took, he had to get his hands on that diary page — to read it thoroughly and uncover how to replace Pathways.
Perhaps this was his long-awaited chance to escape the influence of the True Creator.
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