Constant lightning could be seen illuminating the dark and cloudless sky. Thunder followed every streak of lightning, and it deafened the world.
This was the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Klein had managed to escape the terrifying grasp of Amon and was now wandering this desolate land.
I've been walking in the darkness for a few weeks now, and it's starting to get boring... Oh, I think this might work... Klein paused and extended his arm. He opened his hand and closed it. He pulled out a small rectangular device from the Historical Void!
Klein pressed and held down a button on the top right of the small device and then waited. A few seconds went by... and then a few more...
Sigh... Why won't a handheld console work here... Disappointed, he let go of the Historical Projection of the console and resumed his journey inland, deeper into the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
I wish there were something fun to do. This is more boring than listening to rich people from the Backlund Quelaag Club... At least a Tarot Club meeting should be happening soon...
He continued walking forward with a steady pace. An army of hundreds of grotesque marionettes followed his footsteps, silently guarding their master.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
Miss Justice's kind greetings started off the Tarot Club Meeting as usual.
None of the members had any new diary entries, so the meeting moved on.
"You may talk," said Mr. Fool.
Everyone cast their gaze onto Mr. World with anticipation in their eyes. In the past few tarot gatherings, they've been keeping close track of the events that happened in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. The story that everyone knows is that Mr. World was cornered by Amon and taken to the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Mr. Fool had to descend to the real world inside the body of Mr. World to fight off Amon. The last they heard was that Mr. World had successfully escaped from the terrifying grasp of Amon.
As expected of a blessed of Mr. Fool. Would I also be protected like that if I were to become a blessed? Alger's thoughts seemed to be quite visible to Miss Justice.
I also want to be a blessed of Mr. Fool! At least the thing that matters the most is that Mr. World is safe now, thanks to "Him." Audrey quickly thanked The Fool in her heart and kept her gaze on The World.
"I'll be brief," Mr. World began, "These past few weeks have been quite uneventful, nothing much to see other than the few small ruins that are spread out throughout the Forsaken Land of the Gods."
Uneventful?! How?! He's in uncharted territory! Derrick then interrupted Mr. World and spoke his mind.
"Mr. World, what do you mean it's been uneventful?! Have you not encountered terrifying creatures in the dark? Have you not been in constant battles of life or death?"
The World scoffed. "Battles of life or death? My life isn't exactly in danger when I can turn those abominations into marionettes who follow my every command."
The thought of the terrifying pirate hunter Gehrman Sparrow controlling an army of disgusting, powerful creatures of the dark quickly made every member of the Tarot Club shrink back in fear.
Gulp. I should stop writing about Gerhman in my novels for my own safety. I don't want to end up like a lifeless marionette, too! Fors was visibly shaking, sweat rolling down her forehead.
"As I was saying, thanks to Mr. Fool's blessing, I've been able to remain safe, but it's starting to take a toll on my mental health."
Hm? Does Mr. World feel lonely? I guess anyone would if they were left alone in an unknown place. Poor Mr. World... Justice's thoughts also resonated with all the other members.
They could only imagine how much loneliness The World felt. Even Alger, who was constantly isolated at sea, had companions to talk with during those long and torturous sails, but The World had nobody.
"Mr. Fool, I would like a private meeting with Miss Justice."
The Fool nodded and then blinded the senses of all other members.
"Miss Justice, I want to ask for your help. Ever since the fight with Amon, my mental health has been deteriorating. I believe that my current isolated state is the reason why it's been getting worse instead of slowly healing."
"What can I do to help you, Mr. World?" Justice's question had a hint of worry, but also carried a hint of hope. Hope that Mr. World would open up to her. It wasn't every day that the crazy adventurer Gehrman Sparrow talked about their problems, much less their mental problems.
"I'd like to have a one-on-one conversation with you every day for at least 30 minutes. You were once a psychiatrist, after all."
Huh? Is that all I am to Mr. World? A psychiatrist to cure him? Hmph! She pouted in anger. Thankfully, The World couldn't see past the thick gray fog, or else she would've been extremely embarrassed for making such a childish expression.
"Well, I suppose I can spare half an hour of my time every day. At what time would we hold these private conversations? How will that happen?"
"I'll pray to Mr. Fool to allow us to meet each other in here. I'll also send a prayer to notify you about the meeting an hour before it happens. I'll do it whenever I feel like talking."
What ? Justice was left stunned. There's no specific hour for the meetings? How selfish!
The World sensed something was off and asked Justice. "Is something wrong, Miss Justice?"
Justice met The World's gaze. They couldn't directly see each other, but The World's presence radiated a chilling aura. Flustered, she cleared her throat and quickly replied.
"Th-there is nothing wrong. We can proceed with such an arrangement".
Justice would never admit she felt too scared to talk back to the crazy adventurer. He had killed many dangerous pirates and even survived a fight with the blasphemer Amon! Who would be crazy enough to talk back to him?!
The World concluded the private meeting, and Mr. Fool returned the other Tarot Club members their senses.
Mr. World looks the same as ever, but... Why is Miss Justice looking down? Is she afraid? What could they have possibly have talked about? The Magician looked around, puzzled.
The Tarot Club gathering swiftly ended right after that, and Klein returned to the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Sigh...
There were no cities, no people, and no creatures nearby—Klein had turned them all into marionettes, after all. Just Klein and a desolate, endless pasture for tens and tens of kilometers.
"..."
The Tarot Club gathering just ended, but I'll talk to Miss Justice now. I want to fix my mental health as soon as possible before it gets any worse
Klein went above the gray fog and sent a prayer of Mr. World to the red crimson star representing Justice.
"...in 30 minutes." The trailing last sentence of The World kept on playing over and over in Audrey Hall's mind.
She stood in her room in silence.
30 minutes?! The Tarot Club gathering just ended. Is he insane?! Uhm, actually, he is insane... never mind
Audrey then prepared herself to be summoned back to the world above the gray.
A while later, she was engulfed by a crimson light.Audrey opened her eyes to see herself in the world above the gray fog. In front of her was not the familiar long bronze table; instead, there was a small confession box. This box was similar to the ones used by the Church of the Evernight Goddess.
She looked around, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes.
Is this...
As she slowly opened the door to the confession box, she heard a familiar voice.
"Come inside and sit down."
Audrey was startled for a second, but then followed the instructions of the familiar voice. She was sitting in a small chair, four walls surrounded her—it felt slightly claustrophobic. On the left wall, there was a small window covered by a metal lattice.
So this is what Mr. World had in mind, huh...
"Miss Justice, can we get started?"
As much as Klein wanted to enjoy the company of someone else after being alone for so long, he still had to maintain the image of Gehrman Sparrow.
"Ah, yes, Mr. World. You said you had mental health problems. What's the matter?"
"Well, you see..."
So his mental health was weakened by Amon's words, huh... Is that just how powerful the words of a King of Angels are? Mr. World also suffers from identity disorder. He didn't mention exactly how many identities he thinks he is, but I know for sure that he uses the identities of Dwayne Dantes and Gehrman Sparrow.
When Mr. Star, Mr. World, and I went to the Hall of Truth, I was able to listen to Mr. Star's thoughts. He called Mr. World "Klein" in his mind... Is this another identity of Mr. World?
Mr. World, just how many identities do you use? Which one is the real you? Audrey furrowed her eyebrows.
The more she dug into Mr. World, the more she began to be concerned for him. Handling this many identities was not something that someone should even attempt to do, especially Beyonders. Unlike mundane people, Beyonders can lose control!
He also mentioned the extreme loneliness he feels in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Mr. World is still able to "teleport" outside via having Miss Magician summon him through the Historical Void, but that only lasts about fifteen minutes. It must be very lonely to only see people for such a short amount of time every day!
" Time is up, Miss Justice. We've used up all of the allocated time."
"R-Right, uh, let me just use Placate before we leave. I want to make this a routine to slowly mend your mental health."
The World looked to his right, where he could see a faint outline of Miss Justice through the small window.
"Very well."
Sigh, I wish this could've lasted longer. It felt good to talk to someone for a long time, even if Miss Justice only listened the entire time. Too bad I have an image to maintain. I have to end it now Klein thought.
He received Placate from Miss Justice and then dismissed her. He was once again alone in Sefirah Castle.
Backlund, Empress Borough, inside the Hall family's luxurious mansion. Audrey Hall's room.
Audrey came to her senses after being dismissed from Sefirah Castle and immediately called out for a maid.
It wasn't even five seconds before a maid rushed into the room.
"I need a collection of newspapers with dates spanning from last year to the current day. Also, bring me a report of the latest trends in Backlund."
"Yes, my Lady," said the maid as she slightly bowed before quickly leaving the room.
Backlund, West Borough, Williams Street.
"Sir, one newspaper please. Also, do you happen to have any copies left from previous months?"
A petite maid stood in front of a small store. This store sold many goods, ranging from high-end coffee to exotic fruits that couldn't be easily found anywhere else. This store also happened to sell newspapers, the kind that was geared towards the nobles of Backlund.
"From past months? Of course! I keep a few copies in the back."
The young man gave her a bright smile and turned around to check the storage room. He began to whistle a silly tune as he made his way to the back.
A few minutes later, he came back with a stack of newspapers.
"Thank you very much, sir. This should be enough, keep the change, my Lady was quite generous."
The maid placed three gold coins on the counter. Audrey collected a large amount of gold coins for a deal with Mr. World and now needed a way to get rid of the excess coins. Giving out a few extra coins to a local shop owner is a good way to give back to the community!
The maid bowed and left the store.
"Thank you!" The man thanked her and waved with his left hand. His words trailed off, but he hoped the maid still heard him as she was leaving the store..
He picked up the three gold pounds, and a smile crept up his face. He could already see himself spending all this money. The reflections of the gold coins shone brightly on the monocle on his right eye.
A few days later.
Sefirah Castle, inside the confession box.
Justice sat just on the other side of the iron lattice, fingers laced in her lap.
Klein hadn't spoken in a minute… or five. The silence pressed on like a storm waiting to break.
"You're quieter than usual," she finally said.
"I've run out of clever lies," Klein replied, a dry edge covering something softer.
So everything he's been telling me was lies? Why? To protect himself? Audrey blinked. "You're now going to tell me the truth, then?"
Klein let out a low breath, a half-laugh without humour. "Unfortunately."
To Klein, opening up was something he wished he could do, but found it incredibly difficult. This would be the first time he tried opening up to someone after his transmigration.
"Unfortunately? That sounds ominous," she pointed out.
"It is," Klein admitted. Then, after a pause that lingered far too long: "But less so when it's you."
Hmm? Audrey's heartbeat betrayed her Spectator's usual calmness. "That sounds dangerously like a compliment, Mr. World."
Klein let out a light chuckle.
Forsaken Land of the Gods.
It's been a few more days have passed since Miss Justice and I started our one-on-one meetings. I already feel better mentally. It's not close to being back to a healthy state, but at least it's progress…
I'm starting to open up to her, something I haven't been able to do since I came to this world… it feels... liberating, as if something was lifted off my chest. I should be better in a month or two. As for the Tarot Club meetings... There isn't much interesting being discussed
Klein stood up and raised his head to admire the lightning storm in the sky.
I've been stuck here for quite a while, but looking at the beautiful streaks of lightning never seems to get old
That's when something on the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was light!
Light? A fire? An expedition team of the City of Silver? Amon?
The light source appeared to be over a dozen kilometers away.
At least something interesting will happen. Deciding to investigate, Klein's attitude brightened.
He jumped off the roof that he was standing on, or at least the ruins of one.
His army of marionettes followed his footsteps as they began their journey to this mysterious light source.feel like we're being watched by something..."
A young woman, clad in iron armor with a broadsword at her waist, felt the presence of something. Something within the darkness.
"You're just imagining things. The first patrol team cleared out all the creatures just a few minutes ago."
Her teammate lifted the lantern he was carrying and made a shooing motion to show her it was all fine.
"By the time other creatures come out of the darkness, we will already be back—"
Rustle Rustle
The duo froze on the spot and quickly drew their weapons, or at least tried to. They seemed to be weakened and lacked the necessary force.
They looked towards the source of the rustling sound and saw light emanating from the nearby tall grass.
"Wh-what is that?!"
"Is that... a person?
Who could possibly be out this far from the city? All other patrol teams should already be back The young woman thought.
The sounds of footsteps got louder and louder.
A man wearing strange clothes and carrying an interesting-looking lantern appeared out of the bushes.
"Wh-who are y-you?!" The young man asked, fear clearly building up inside him as time slowly passed by.
The stranger looked around, cleared his throat, and spoke.
"The name's Gehrman Sparrow. Have you heard of the saviour of this land, Mr. Fool?"
Days passed by, and Klein and Justice continued with their usual daily conversations.
"This isn't helping my mental health," Klein muttered.
Audrey tilted her head. "Talking?"
"No," Klein said, eyes fixed on the fog between them. "Wanting to keep talking."
Audrey's lips parted, but no words came out.
"That," Klein said, softer now, "is the most dangerous thing for me."
Klein felt conflicted. He was starting to get closer to someone else, but he feared he would put them in danger. After the revelation of Chornobyl, Klein made up his mind—this is his home and he will protect it, which means ascending the sequences at all costs. With more power came greater threats and he couldn't afford to get attached to someone or else they would be put in the line of fire. Klein would be devastated if anything were to happen to them, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.
A few more days went by.
"Say, Miss Justice... do you mind if we meet outside the confession box? I think we're past due for a face-to-face conversation, even if we can't see each other past the thick fog."
"I agree," Miss Justice said. She then looked up and asked, "Mr. Fool, could you please help us?"
Without a reply, the confession box disappeared, and a small tea table appeared in front of them.
"Thank you, Mr. Fool~"
There was no reply.
Truth be told, Miss Justice also looked forward to these meetings with Mr. World. She learned so much from his stories and came to enjoy his company. The fear that once existed was now gone, and a bit of affection bloomed.
They both sat at the table.
"Continuing our previous conversation... I've actually been collecting a lot of information about Backlund in the past few weeks. I will pray to Mr. Fool and send over the items. I believe you will enjoy them~" Justice said with a bright smile forming on her face.
"Information? Items? What do you mean?"
Mr. World's voice sounded much softer than the voice he normally uses when he speaks in the Tarot Club gatherings. This was a direct result of spending time and familiarizing himself with Miss Justice. It was a detail that Miss Justice clearly picked up on, but he was totally unaware of it. Miss Justice found this behavior cute.
"You'll understand once we get back. For now, let's talk about fashion! Yes, yes fashion. I recently bought a new dress for a ball that's happening in..."
Klein could "travel" to the outside world via Miss Magician's mystical item, Leymano's Travels, by using the recorded Historical Void Summoning. Since the Historical Projection of Gehrman Sparrow only lasted fifteen minutes, Klein had to spend this time wisely to finish all of his important tasks.
Listening to Justice talk about the most mundane things was a soothing experience for Klein. He felt like there was nothing to worry about whenever they talked.
They spent two hours talking.
After dismissing Justice, Klein remained in Sefirah Castle to receive the items that Justice said she'd sacrifice.
Just a few minutes later, a door opened in Sefirah Castle, and a notebook alongside a small pamphlet came through.
Klein sat in the tall, high hair belonging to The Fool and began to sort through the items that Justice sacrificed.
" Report of trends among Backlund residents:
"January: Residents have been obsessing over bicycles, and social circles, especially in the middle class, have formed. Those who have the most expensive bicycles are at the very top of these circles.
"...
"May: Magic shows have popped up at night recently, and many people seem to enjoy them, especially the rich nobles. It's become somewhat of a tradition to go to the plaza and watch these magicians perform incredible feats. Some nobles swear that their coins and wallets disappeared without a trace, but this just seems to fuel the craze for these magic shows!
"...
"July: A new fashion trend in West Borough swept the population. Lady hats with a red flower are in style. This is usually matched with a thin red dress, usually worn by the teenage noble girls.
"...
"September: Monocles are the new trend! Everywhere you look, you will see at least one person wearing a monocle. I even saw a dog wearing a monocle, how cute!"
What? Monocles? This has to be the work of Amon, but if it is, then why is he being so obvious? This doesn't fit the style of the God of Deceit. Could this be a message? To who? To me? But he should know that I'm in the Forsaken Land of the Gods...
Miss Justice is always screened whenever she enters Sefirah Castle, so there is no danger there... I'll send a warning as The Fool to make sure she's aware that Amon is making moves in Backlund
Klein quickly sent a warning to Miss Justice and then continued reading the notebook report. There was a lot of information regarding the trends of Backlund, the new restaurants that popped up, and the new magic shows that randomly showed up every night.
Klein chuckled. This feels like I'm reading a teenage girl's social media page Believe it or not, Klein was enjoying this just as much as he enjoyed the company of Miss Justice. It was as though he had Miss Justice next to him, telling him about everything she saw and heard throughout the year. Unbeknownst to Klein, a small smile found its way up his face.
Klein finished reading the notebook and put it aside. He then reached for the second item. It was a small pamphlet decorated with real gold. This... looks really expensive...
He opened the pamphlet and read the inside.
"Wilfred's Engagement Celebration Party
"You are hereby invited to attend the ball hosted by Duke Milton in honor of his son's engagement
"Time: Monday 5:00 pm to 1:00 am
"Location: ..."
Klein stared at the pamphlet for a little while.
An invitation? Why would Miss Justice send this to Mr. World? And the event starts right after next week's Tarot Club meeting? Is she telling me she's going to attend this? Why didn't she say that during our talk just a few minutes ago?
Well, knowing Miss Justice, she probably forgot about it, and she remembered last second as she was about to sacrifice the notebook! Klein lampooned.Monday, 3 pm Backlund time.
The Tarot Club inside Sefirah Castle began smoothly.
"Mr. Fool, I have one page of Roselle's Diary," said The Hanged Man.
After The Hanged Man finished conjuring the text, Mr. Fool began to read it in silence.
"I've been exchanging letters with a supposed ambassador of West Balam. At first, it was formal letters, but then they started getting more casual.
"Today I met up with them, and it turns out it was an old fart all along! This old man was writing like an elegant lady. I feel scammed!"
Emperor... why would you get your hopes up? This is the third diary entry of this happening Klein silently lampooned, holding back the chuckle that almost came out of his mouth.
This reminded him of his daily secret conversations with Miss Justice inside Sefirah Castle. He had seen her face for the first time when she used Dream Divination and sought the help of Mr. Fool.
Unlike you, Emperor, I'm not getting catfished!
Klein dismissed the diary entry and said, "You may begin."
None of the Tarot Club members required any ingredients this time, so the meeting quickly moved on.
Audrey took a glance at Mr. World, but quickly retracted her gaze. She then turned toward The Fool and asked him a question.
"Mr. World, may I have a private conversation with you?"
"Yes, you may."
Mr. World looked at Mr. Fool and received a nod of approval.
Another private conversation? All of the Tarot Club members asked themselves this question.
I've seen her take small glances at Mr. World in a lot of the previous gatherings. Was she building up the courage to ask Mr. World something? Could this be related to the private meeting Miss Justice had with Mr. World over a month ago? Could she... Alger quietly analyzed the scene.
Justice is on the Spectator pathway and has the incredible ability to analyze the small mannerisms of people and can discern a great deal of information just from that, but that doesn't mean that other members can't do the same. In the eyes of an experienced man like The Hanged Man, she was easily read like a book.
Before The Hanged Man could continue his train of thought, the gray fog deafened the senses of the Tarot Club members.
"Mr. World, did you get the items I sent your way? Did you enjoy them?" She looked at him with sparkles on her eyes. She had spent a great amount of time gathering information and filling out the notebook, after all.
Klein called back the content of the notebook filled with reports on the new trends of Backlund.
"Yes, thank you, Miss Justice. I haven't had the luxury of knowing about the state of Backlund's trends. Your conversations did convey a lot, but this notebook was a perfect summary, thank you. It felt like I was using social me— cough, like I was attending a social meeting."
Audrey's lips unconsciously curved up into a pleasant and content smile. It seemed like her hard work paid off. She also noticed the very noticeable change in his voice. His rough and intimidating voice was nowhere to be found. This voice was the voice he used with her during private conversations. It was much sweeter and calmer—it reminded her of Dwayne Dantes.
Klein was oblivious to this change. He was doing this subconsciously, after all—a direct result of the time he had spent with Miss Justice inside Sefirah Castle.
"Yes, th-that's great! I'm very glad you liked it... Also, uhm... I..." Her words trailed off, her gaze turning lower and lower.
Justice's hands grabbed the hem of her dress tightly, slowly lifted her gaze, and with trembling lips asked Mr. World a question:
"I-I also sent an invitation. You received it too... right?"
The party invitation?
"Yes, I also received it. Did you mean to send this alongside the notebook?" Klein asked, but internally he thought, Obviously it's not for me. She probably wanted me to know about her acti vi ties, just like how she tells me all the stuff she does throughout the day
"Uhm, y-yes, I meant to send it too. I wanted to ask if you'd...", her eyes darted around Mr. World, not focusing on him, "...If you'd like to attend with me?"
"..."
"..."
Why is Mr. World not saying anything?! Should I not have said that? Oh no… what have I done!
Justice suddenly felt embarrassed beyond belief. Why would she ask that of the feared pirate hunter Gehrman Sparrow?!
"...Miss Justice, did you forget something? I'm stuck inside the Forsaken Land of the Gods, and the party starts in two hours ."
"Ah, don't worry about that!" Her expression instantly lit up. "I plan to borrow Leymano's Travels from Miss Magician to summon you in Backlund~"
"But that will only last thirty minutes at most with your Sequence 4 demigod spirituality."
"That's plenty of time! I will summon your Historical Projection when the party is at its highest point in order not to waste precious time."
Justice was set on having Mr. World accompany her. The time they've spent talking with each other was great enough for her to want Mr. World to attend the ball with her. She also secretly wanted to see how he would perform on the dance floor. Hehehe, how will a Gehrman Sparrow dance? I can't wait!
"In that case, then I accept the invitation." The World bowed slightly.
The private conversation ended, and The Fool returned their senses to the rest of the Tarot Club.
Alger quietly analyzed the situation.
Mr. World looks as calm as ever, but Miss Justice… Is she smiling? I can't really tell…
Without any hesitation, Justice asked, "Miss Magician, can I rent Leymano's Travels for a day?"
Backlund, Empress Borough, 7 pm, inside Duke Milton's mansion
The ballroom shimmered under the glow of expensive chandeliers, their light embracing the dancers below. Long rectangular tables stood neatly along the edges, each adorned with white and lavender flowers and a mouthwatering variety of dishes.
At the center rose a wide staircase that led to the gallery that circled the hall. From there, guests could look down on the dance floor below, as well as take in a quieter atmosphere.
Near the edge of the dance floor, a small group of middle-aged nobleswomen approached a young woman whose looks shone with youthful radiance, her green dress adding a striking contrast to her beauty. Her golden hair framed a fair, delicate white face, and her emerald eyes carried a brilliance that made her stand out even amid all the nobles at the party.
"Long time no see, Audrey. Have you been doing well?"
Audrey took a slight bow, never breaking her elegant image.
"Hello, Aunt Cas—Countess Cassandra. Yes, I've been doing well. How is the Count doing?
"He's doing his best supporting the war efforts, but never mind him, what about you? Have you found a man yet? I talked to your mother the other day, and I wanted to introduce you to a potential husband for you!—he's the son of a friend of mine. Wait, don't tell me you already found someone?! Did you come alone to this party?"
Countess Cassandra bombarded Audrey Hall with countless questions. Audrey may have been accustomed to her Aunt's antics, but the mention of a husband caught her slightly off guard. Nevertheless, as a Spectator, she quickly regained her composure.
"Actually...I have someone coming. They'll be here soon."