"…Sorry, Mr. Azik, I got lost in thought and kept you waiting," Klein said, snapping back to reality and glancing apologetically at Azik, who'd been quietly watching him.
"It's fine," Azik said, shaking his head gently. "I hope these matters haven't troubled you."
"No, not at all. If anything, they helped me figure a few things out," Klein said, quickly shaking his head.
Azik, seeing his reaction, relaxed and smiled warmly. "I don't know the full story between you and this Mr. Lucifer, but he doesn't seem to bear you any real ill will. If there's a misunderstanding, it's best to clear it up sooner rather than later."
Klein's expression froze. He knew exactly where the tension with Lucifer came from. Setting aside their shared transmigrator status, it boiled down to all the times he'd played Jack.
But coming clean to Jack? Klein thought back to how he'd been pretending to be a native ever since meeting Jack, not to mention running the Tarot Club under his Fool persona. His scalp tingled, and his toes curled, already digging an imaginary three-bedroom apartment in embarrassment.
Better wait a bit. Lucifer doesn't seem that hostile for now. No need to confess and die of shame just yet.
Klein consoled himself internally. He really wasn't ready for that kind of social suicide.
Azik, though unaware of the specifics, could see Klein's resistance and didn't press further.
Klein, however, thought of something else and looked at Azik with a touch of concern. "Mr. Azik, are you still going to keep searching for your memories?"
"Yes. Since the outcome is inevitable, I want to at least know who I am before it arrives. I want to remember my past with my children," Azik said, nodding gently. He'd made up his mind—whatever path he'd choose in the future, for now, he wanted to reclaim those lost memories.
"I'll help you, Mr. Azik," Klein said quickly, though he cautiously studied Azik's face. Thinking of Lucifer's refusal to sell Time Gems, he felt a pang of regret for Azik but hesitated to bring it up, not wanting to hit a sore spot.
"Thank you, Klein," Azik said with a smile, likely sensing Klein's thoughts. "While Mr. Lucifer isn't willing to sell me Time Gems, I can tell he's a gentle soul at heart. Maybe, with enough sincerity, I can convince him to give me a chance to reunite with my family."
"Absolutely, you will," Klein said, nodding eagerly to avoid dampening Azik's spirits. His mind drifted to his own family, and for a moment, he zoned out.
Azik might have a shot at a brief reunion with his family, but when could a transmigrator like him ever go home? Or… never? Klein's lips curved into a bitter smile.
He didn't yet know the truth behind transmigration, but Klein wasn't dumb. With examples like Roselle and Lucifer, even without the full picture, he couldn't help but wonder: if high-Sequence transmigrators like Roselle and Lucifer couldn't find a way home, could he?
Klein didn't know, but as long as there was a sliver of hope, he wouldn't give up.
"With Mr. Lucifer's current attitude toward me, he's probably not spilling any transmigration secrets," Klein thought, sighing inwardly. "To learn more, I'll have to climb the Sequence ladder and rely on the diaries of transmigrator seniors…"
...
Meanwhile, in Backlund.
The noble ball had ended early due to Admiral of Hurricanes Qilangos's attack. Audrey, protected as the whistleblower, finally got word of the outcome.
"A high-Sequence powerhouse named Luciferiel? Tarot cards?" Audrey's eyes lit up. She immediately thought of Mr. Fool and his Blessed.
It wasn't a wild leap. From her perspective, the only group aware of Qilangos, capable of dispatching a high-Sequence Beyonder, and tied to Tarot was the Tarot Club.
Could this mysterious Mr. Luciferiel be Mr. Fool's Blessed? Audrey's heart raced with excitement, and she pressed her father for more details.
Earl Hall had no reason to hide anything. "I don't know much about this Mr. Luciferiel, but Archbishop Snake is certain he's not an enemy. It seems tied to an oracle from the Lord of Storms."
An oracle? By the Goddess, could Mr. Fool be allied with the Lord of Storms? And maybe even the Goddess? Audrey's excitement surged, and she couldn't help asking, "What does the Church think of the organization this Mr. Luciferiel belongs to?"
"They can only confirm it's related to Tarot cards, likely a symbol. No known organization uses Tarot cards as their emblem, so it's either extremely secretive or a new group," Earl Hall said, shaking his head.
Audrey's mind buzzed with ideas. Feigning curiosity, she said, "So, how should we refer to this mysterious organization? Tarot cards, Tarot cards… Hmm, could I call it the Tarot Club?"
"Tarot Club… That's a fitting name," Earl Hall said, nodding thoughtfully. "We could indeed use 'Tarot Club' as a temporary label for this mysterious group."
It wasn't unusual for officials to assign a codename based on a group's traits when its true name was unknown.
"Will this make the newspapers, Father?" Audrey asked next. As a not-yet-18-year-old and a founding member of the Tarot Club, she was more eager than anyone to see her organization gain fame.
"To avoid panic, the full truth won't be published, but there'll likely be a mention of the Tarot Club's existence," Earl Hall said with a smile.
Amazing! Now more people will know about our Tarot Club, and they'll see we're a good organization! Audrey was over the moon internally. Then, curiosity struck again. "Father, what's going to happen to Admiral of Hurricanes Qilangos? Was he really turned into a sheep? Can he change back?"
"Qilangos will be handled by the Storm Church. As for whether he can turn back, I don't know," Earl Hall said, shaking his head. To spare his innocent daughter, he wasn't about to say Qilangos would likely end up as a Storm Church lab rat, contributing to their study of the Alien pathway's powers.
That would scare her senseless.
(End of Chapter)
Translator's Note: Not Really~ she has a talking dog a mere sheep would not scare her.