<h4>Chapter 405: “Cult”</h4>
<strong>Trantor: </strong>As Studios <strong>Editor: </strong>As Studios
“The Fool?” The Beyonders who attended Mr. A’s gathering either ruminated over the phrase or conversed with theirpanions to discuss whether they had ever met anyone who had a simr faith.
“When did such a cult appear?” someone asked in a low voice.
At this point, Mr. A made the attendant beside him hold up a ckboard with a few lines of words written in the Loennguage.
“The Fool that doesn’t belong to this era.
“The mysterious ruler above the gray fog.
“The King of Yellow and ck who wields good luck.”
As the attendees examined the ckboard, Mr. A said in a hoarse and jarring voice, “Do not use Hermes to read what’s written here. Even more so for Jotun, Elvish, Dragonese, and ancient Hermes. You shouldn’t even write the corresponding descriptions; otherwise, there is a high probability that something terrible will happen.
“Help me find believers in The Fool. Of course, they might also be followers of the mysterious ruler above the gray fog or the King of Yellow and ck who wields good luck. As long as there’s a clue, inform me immediately. The reward I’ll provide will be so handsome that it will far exceed your imagination!”
“This description... It sounds like an incredible existence. I’ve only seen simr descriptions in the ancient texts of the seven gods!” a gathering member eximed.
Hispanion shook his head and said, “The beings which many cults believe in have simr descriptions.”
“Is it really a cult?” The other gathering members were stunned when they heard their discussion.
“Likely. Typically, when we summon a creature from the spirit world, we might have three lines describing it, but one of the lines would be about ‘the blessed one of someone’ or ‘that who belongs to.’ It wouldn’t be in this format!” A gathering member who was well-versed in mysticism gave an exnation.
As they vehemently conversed, Fors was nearly dumbfounded.
<i>Isn’t that the honorific name of Mr. Fool? Even though it’s described in the Loennguage, I’m sure of it! Why would Mr. A want to find the believers of Mr. Fool? Is the Aurora Order behind this? </i>Fors’s mind was in a mess.
She knew that Mr. A was a member of the Aurora Order because of a particr “terrorist organization” had announced its responsibility in the assassination of Intis Ambassador Bakend.
After a brief moment of astonishment, Fors subconsciously began to examine herself, afraid that someone would discover that she was already a member of the Tarot Club and that, in some sense, she was an adorer of The Fool.
<i>I just recited the honorific name of The Fool ording to the ancient Hermes on that piece of paper and was pulled above the gray fog. No one knows about this, and I don’t have to be afraid of being investigated... But there’s a link to that piece of paper with Mr. Fool’s honorific name written on it. It was hidden in a book we borrowed from the Viscount int... </i>Thoughts rapidly shed through Fors’s mind.
<i>The Fool that doesn’t belong to this era... Isn’t that the description I saw on that piece of paper? I even dreamed of an evil spirit! </i>At the same time, Xio remembered the incident that had frightened her, but her long experience as a bounty hunter had kept her from revealing anything unusual.
And then, as she recalled, she thought about the origin of the piece of paper.
<i>It was hidden in the bookcase of “History of the Loen Kingdom’s Aristocracy”... That book was borrowed from Viscount int’s study...</i>
Suddenly, a name shed in both Fors’s and Xio’s minds at the same time:<i>Viscount int!</i>
At that moment, Viscount int was looking at the ckboard and said to himself with interest, “This honorific name is very rare.
“But it sounds very impressive!”
Just as he finished his sentence, he looked to his side in puzzlement, asking Fors and Xio, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing.” Xio and Fors rapidly shook their heads at the same time.
...
After dinner, in an elegantly decorated house.
Audrey brought the huge golden retriever, Susie, into the living room under the guidance of her psychology teacher, Ete. She was attending the “academic” meeting that had been agreed uponst week.
Her maid and bodyguard stayed behind while she walked with Susie into a spacious activity room.
In the activity room, be it for the atmosphere or some other reason, the gasmps were not lit. The room was lit by gold-ted candlemps on the coffee table and cupboard.
Before Audrey could take a good look at her surroundings, she saw a gentleman in his thirties walking towards her. He wore a gray tailcoat.
“This is the owner of this ce, Mr. Stephen Hampres, a furniture merchant.” the long-haired Ete introduced him.
She was just about to tell him Audrey’s identity when Hampres chuckled and said, “Ete, don’t say anything. Let me have a chance at guessing.”
He had a neatly trimmed mustache and charming dark brown eyes. He appeared very gentle and elegant, nothing like a furniture merchant but more like a university lecturer.
After seriously sizing up Audrey a few times, he smiled and said, “Ete only mentioned that you were her student. Heh heh, I believe you’re a cultured nobledy, and you aren’t someone who only looks good. There’s no need for you to worry about a decline in the quality of your life...
“You’re a little excited, very curious, and a rtively simple but also full of love...
“Of course, the most obvious point is that you’re very beautiful, just like an angel!”
He made a final joke, pressed his hand to his chest, bowed, and said, “Wee, the beautiful Miss Angel.”
<i>You’re right, as expected of a member of the Psychology Alchemists. However, what you managed to observe was the me from a few months ago. It’s all a facade I’ve put on for myself... </i>Audrey opened her mouth in surprise and astonishment.
“Did you know me before, Mr. Hampres?”
She didn’t let her shocked expression linger too long on her face, because such emotions were meant to be instantaneous and wouldn’tst too long.
If anyone were to be surprised for several seconds, then it meant that their performance was most likely an act.
Audrey didn’t notice this at first, but after watching others “act” all this time, she naturally came up with a lot of rules.
“No, I still don’t know you. This is just the basics of being a psychology enthusiast.” Hampres chuckled.
Before he could finish his sentence, Audrey had alreadypleted her observations and made a corresponding judgment based on her surroundings.
<i>His attire and the furnishings of his house all indicate that he’s a person who cares deeply about how people view him...</i>
<i>The sapphire on the ring of his left hand doesn’t look small, but its actual quality is very ordinary. There are no symbols or magicbels on it... His finances aren’t as good as he presents them to be... He’s vain...</i>
<i>Even though he was very enthusiastic just now, the way he stands there, the direction in which his feet point, and the changes in his emotional colors all indicate that he still has many concerns and is on his guard...</i>
<i>He sincerelymended me on my looks, but it wasn’t in the way a man would look at a woman. There are signs of him using facial products, and his eyebrows are definitely drawn. His skills are inferior to my make-up maidservant, Solia, but they’re better than mine... The cologne he uses is “Confusion,” something that I’ve only seen women use before... Yes, he probably likes men, and the role he ys is the weaker one in the rtionship...</i>
At the same time, Audrey expressed her longing skillfully.
“I’d love to have your observational powers, Mr. Hampres.”
As she spoke, she maintained a faint smile while being introduced to the other seven or eight people in the activity room under Hampres’s and Ete’s lead.
The lovers of both mysticism and psychology were either descendants of fallen aristocrats, associate professors at universities, or the children of the rich. For example, the father of a young man was the owner of Philip’s Department Store, the most famous department store in Backlund.
In the exchange that followed, Audrey basically only listened. The only time she spoke was by asking questions, fully expressing her curiosity and yearning.
In this “academic” discussion, Ete and Hampres deliberately mentioned the Body of Heart and Mind, as well as the spirit world and the collective subconscious. They also shared some rtively unique points of view, allowing Audrey to gradually understand some of the questions she had umted all this time.
When the discussion ended and they were out of the house, Audrey nced at Ete beside her and asked, with a little naivety, “Ms. Ete, when will I-I be as good in psychology as Mr. Hampres?”
Ete curled the corners of her lips and slightly tilted her head as she looked at her.
“Very soon...”
...
At night, Klein, who was about to get into bed, once again appeared above the gray fog.
Despite being a little sleepy, he was jolted awake by the news Miss Magician had reported.
<i>The Aurora Order knows of The Fool? They know of my honorific name? The True Creator has locked onto me? </i>Klein abruptly sat up straight, as though he was about to face an attack.
He quickly rejected the final theory. If the True Creator had indeed locked onto him, Mr. A would have long visited him on the pretext of collecting a copper penny for the gas meter. Perhaps, even a Saint might appear.
<i>That is to say, only The Fool and his corresponding honorific name are known, and the clues point to Backlund... Who leaked the news? </i>Klein frowned as he carefully thought about it.
Soon, he discovered a possibility.
<i>Little Sun has recently chanted my honorific name, and it happened when he was interacting with a member of the exploratory team who was corrupted by the True Creator... He held a sacrificial ritual, and there were likely symbols corresponding to The Fool at the scene. The ancient pce above the gray fog appeared.... So, the True Creator sensed the existence of The Fool and confirmed that I was the one who had been sacrilegious, no—harassing, no that’s not right either—spying on him...</i>
<i>Also, Little Sun used the All-ck Eye at that time, which contains the mental corruption of the True Creator... Through that, “He” has confirmed that my adorers and believers are in Backlund?</i>
<i>I can’t take the All-ck Eye out in the future!</i>
Having roughly understood the problem, Klein was left with another problem.
<i>Mr. A announced the bounty for Mr. Fool’s believers at a not-so-private, rtively open Beyonder gathering. Is he just dumb, or is he deliberately “fishing?”</i>
<i>Sigh, the Aurora Order members are all bigoted lunatics. Their brains are mostly damaged, so it’s impossible to deduce their real intentions!</i>
<i>This is as the saying goes, as long as I’m crazy, you won’t be able to guess what I’m thinking?</i>