"Hey, Mr. Panredax, whoever you are, your morals aren't much better than Emperor Roselle's, are they?" Mr. Fool grumbled inwardly but kept reading patiently. After all, bedding a Secret Order higher-up might reveal Seer pathway potions.
Then—
"I got some intel from Ain, cross-checked with Roselle's diary, and it's mostly credible. Still, I'll divine the potion formula to be safe. Better safe than sorry."
"Didn't expect the divine pathway to literally be the divine pathway. And Seer, of all things, lacks a Sequence 0. Though Antigonus's half-Sequence 0 isn't exactly a pushover. Still, a mere Faceless dreaming of 'The Fool'? Too ambitious. Better focus on finding a live mermaid…"
…
The diary ended abruptly, seeming incomplete, but Klein gleaned plenty—
"Didn't expect to see 'The Fool' here. Per 'the divine pathway is the divine pathway,' does Sequence 0 mean true god? Is 'The Fool' the Seer pathway's Sequence 0? No wonder Mr. Devil got more deferential after I called myself The Fool—he thinks I'm a true god?"
Klein's heart skipped when he saw "The Fool," already weary of "coincidences" and their risks. But Antigonus's "half-Sequence 0" mention eased him. Recalling the Fool card after dreaming of that notebook, maybe it was just the notebook's influence.
More than another coincidence piling on his already coincidence-laden life, other details intrigued him.
Like mermaids.
"Faceless must be a high-Sequence Seer potion, maybe Sequence 7 or 6. Seeking mermaids… for potion materials? But why stress 'live' mermaids?"
Klein frowned, wondering if he should hunt mermaid clues himself, then chuckled self-deprecatingly. He was making the same mistake as the diary's author, dreaming of mid-Sequences without even securing Sequence 8.
Forcing his emotions in check, he dismissed stray thoughts, waved away the parchment, and addressed the table.
"You don't have to wait for me."
"It's our honor," Mr. Hanged Man replied, reining in his edge after sensing his status might be threatened again, his tone humble.
Audrey, after a moment's thought, maintained her Spectator state and smiled.
"Mr. Fool, the public exam system for selecting officials you described has been approved by the King and Prime Minister. It's set to pass the House of Lords and Commoners, with implementation slated for early next year."
At Justice's words, Alger habitually snarked about Loen's bureaucrats, while Mr. Fool pondered his brother's future.
Nodding in approval, Audrey straightened slightly and turned to Snow with a smile.
"Mr. Devil, did you receive the materials?"
"Of course. I'm quite satisfied with the trade," Snow said, Audrey's sweet voice lifting his mood. He pushed forward a copied formula.
"Here are the low-Sequence potion formulas I have: Seer pathway Sequences 9-7, Assassin pathway Sequences 9-7, Apothecary pathway Sequence 9, Lawyer pathway Sequences 8 and 7. I also have partial formulas, mostly main ingredients. Mid-Sequence formulas are sensitive, but if you have distribution channels, I'm open. Whatever you sell, I'll take 70% of market value…"
"No Sailor, Spectator, or Bard pathways? Are they truly absent, or deliberately omitted?" Hanged Man, ever cynical, suspected the worst. Devil's resources far exceeded what a typical "family" could hold—
At least, from his knowledge, even orthodox churches, beyond their main pathway's full formulas, usually had only two to three low-Sequence pathway formulas. Yet Devil casually offered four, likely withholding his own pathway. It was hard not to question his true identity.
Unlike Hanged Man's overanalyzing, Miss Justice was simply… well, shocked.
Struggling to find words for her awe, Audrey gave up overthinking and asked directly.
"Mr. Devil, can you source Spectator pathway formulas above Sequence 7? Main ingredient clues would do too."
"Hm…" Snow was surprised this question, meant for Hanged Man, landed on him. Then it clicked—his interruption cost Hanged Man a chance to answer, missing a trade to offset costs.
After a moment's thought, Snow nodded gently.
"Regrettably, for Spectator Sequence 7, I only know some main ingredients. Rather than getting it from me, your idea of joining the Psychology Alchemists is better."
"But I lack those connections," Audrey said, frowning slightly. Noticing Devil's confident air, she brightened, asking eagerly, "Does Mr. Devil have a way into the Psychology Alchemists?"
"Not exactly a connection," Snow said, shaking his head, then hinted, "Many Loen nobles are Psychology Alchemists members. You could spread word that you're seeking Spectator potion formulas to catch their attention. They're keen on recruiting noble heirs to influence the kingdom's decisions. If you need a specific member's identity, I can provide it… for a fee."
"No problem! I'll pay 500… no, 1,000 pounds!" Audrey decided instantly, offering a price akin to a Sequence 7 potion's main ingredient.
Snow nodded lightly, took a paper, and wrote the name of a "regular" from his predecessor's contacts…
(End of Chapter)
Author's Notes:
1: On Klein's spirituality—before taking potions, he could handle two people's worth. As a Seer, he should manage at least one more, right? Now, with his Seer potion fully digested, another should be fine, no?
2: On over-interfering with Klein—I don't think it's excessive. The protagonist hasn't shielded Klein from real risks.
For example, he didn't seek Riel Bieber early but let the Witch pick up the pieces post-battle.
With Lanevus in Tingen, he didn't have the Witch act but waited for Ince's script to unfold before leaking info.
Leaking the formula isn't purely benevolent. Klein's lost his Blackthorn channel to advance to Clown, so he must gather Sequence 8 materials himself.
As for Dunn and Old Neil surviving reducing Klein's drive—that's baseless. This world brims with tragedy. A couple of lives spared won't blind him to others' suffering. If Klein ignored commoners' plights just because those close to him survived, he wouldn't be Klein.
The protagonist's stance is clear: "Not a feather plucked, not a coin taken, preserving integrity, unburdened by material ties."
He'll profit without harming others (except anti-human scum) and help within his means, following his heart, not rigid notions of good or evil.