Backlund.
After quite a long time, Will once again entered Hastur's dream through the paper crane.
"You started sleeping in the daytime. Did you encounter some urgent matter?"
Will was wearing a set of Intis-style casual clothes. Compared to when Hastur had left Backlund, he seemed to have grown a little taller.
"You're the one who's about to have trouble."
"Heh, as long as none of you come bother me, I won't have any trouble."
Hastur slightly raised his brow. "That's true. Then I won't disturb you. I wish you continued good luck."
"Wait."
Will hurriedly blocked Hastur's path, a flattering smile appearing on his face. "It's been so long since we contacted each other. Stay and chat for a few more words."
"Then let's talk about what new kinds of ice cream have appeared in Backlund recently."
"..." Will sighed and said, "I'm still a child. Do you really have to argue with me like this?"
"Tsk, you're an old thing who has lived for who knows how many years."
Hastur teased him, then told Will that Ouroboros was currently on his way to Backlund. He also specially reminded him that Ouroboros was already quite certain that he was hiding in Backlund.
Will frowned and complained, "Don't tell me you sold me out to that stupid snake?"
"Apart from me, haven't you also been in contact with other people?"
Hastur did not make his words too clear.
"Sigh, he's the one with a rough fate, so how did it end up involving me too?" Will's youthful face let out the sigh of an eighty-year-old man. "I have to play hide-and-seek with that stupid snake again. How annoying."
Seeing that Will did not seem to care too much, Hastur ended the dream.
In the Hall of Stars, Hastur began thinking about how to handle Klein's matter.
Right now, Ouroboros was heading to Backlund, making it a good opportunity to let Klein go.
However, before letting him leave, he could chat with him a bit more and give him a warning in passing, telling him to be more careful in the future.
This time, if Klein had not happened to encounter him, he would have either died at Ouroboros's hands or at Mr. A's hands.
If that really happened, who knew whether the Lord of Mysteries would directly awaken inside Klein's body, or whether he would throw a new test subject down from Sefirah Castle.
...
At night, the stars in the sky shone brilliantly.
The waves that had surged during the day had also gradually calmed down, becoming quiet and gentle.
Klein sat at the stern of the ship, enduring his hunger, holding a fishing rod as he stared at the float on the sea's surface.
He did not know if there was a problem with the bait, but the fish just refused to bite no matter what.
If no fish took the bait soon, he would have to continue going hungry for another day.
Ever since he had boarded this ship, Mr. A had stood guard at the cabin door every day, preventing him from sneaking inside and not allowing him to leave the stern or move out of sight.
At first, he had even thought this was a good thing. At the very least, his life had some guarantee.
But Mr. A ignored him completely, let alone helped prepare food for him.
He also did not dare enter above the gray fog in front of Mr. A and ask Miss Justice to send him delicious food.
He could only carefully pick up the fishing rod beside him, hoping to maintain his basic food needs through fishing.
But the fish just refused to bite no matter what.
In his previous life, he had often seen comments on social media about anglers getting completely skunked for an entire day. He had never expected that one day, he would also become a qualified member of that group.
Mr. A, who was standing guard at the cabin door, opened and closed his eyes, lightly glanced at Klein, and a mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
A person who had no ability to survive deserved to go hungry.
During his time on the ship, he basically only ate once every few days. He only needed some fish blood, and that was enough to maintain his daily consumption.
Fishing was very simple for him. He used his own flesh as bait, and it was easy for him to catch big fish weighing over ten pounds.
They ate his flesh, and he drank their blood. That was very fair.
Splash!
The sound of something falling into the water suddenly rang out. Mr. A glanced toward the stern again. Klein, who had originally been fishing there, had already vanished.
He did not get up to look for him, nor did he care whether Klein was trying to escape at this time.
A foolish and incompetent person had no value in surviving.
This sea region was listed as a restricted area that could not be approached, and basically no ships would pass through it.
Trying to leave by swimming was undoubtedly courting death.
After several minutes, the sound of something landing on the deck came from the stern.
It was Klein, soaked from head to toe, throwing a fish weighing seven or eight pounds onto the deck.
He panted lightly, used the paper left on the deck to form a blade, cut open the fish's belly, emptied out the organs and other things, then washed it clean with seawater from the wooden bucket. After that, he sliced the fish meat into thin pieces of sashimi, one cut at a time.
Unfortunately, there was no wasabi and no soy sauce. He could only make do.
Klein sighed inwardly and glanced at Mr. A, who was still staring over at him. He could not help but turn his back and slowly enjoy his late dinner.
Late at night, the cold sea wind carried moisture with it. Klein's clothes had yet to dry completely, and as he curled up behind the mast, he sneezed several times in succession.
During his battle with Mr. A, he had been affected by the other party's disease ability, so his body had already been weak. Now, with the sea wind blowing against him, his body found it even harder to hold on.
His head felt dizzy, his nose was blocked, and his entire body was cold and wet. He could only rely on the trembling of his muscles to generate a little warmth.
His gaze unconsciously turned toward the cabin, which could shelter one from the wind and rain. But even Mr. A could only guard outside the door, so he was even less qualified to enter and rest inside, even though there were plenty of rooms on the ship.
After looking for a while, he shifted his gaze to the starry sky above his head.
Tonight, it was rare that there were no dark clouds covering the sky. The light of the stars was especially bright. Even without the crimson moon, they could still illuminate the entire starry sky.
Amid the brilliant starlight, the mysterious person he had seen during the day appeared once again.
Klein's whole body trembled, and his mind immediately became much clearer.
But he did not make a sound to disturb him.
The starlight was dazzling but not blinding. As it fell on that person, it made him appear holy and majestic.
Evil god? True Creator? Could that really match?
Klein sighed inwardly, then immediately suppressed that thought. As everyone knew, these kinds of evil gods were best at hiding their true appearances, always appearing in a comparatively convincing and approachable image.
That figure seemed to sense his gaze and slowly descended onto the deck.
Mr. A, who had been standing guard outside the door, immediately perked up and came to the side, looking as if he was ready to obey orders at any time.
"I have a deck of Tarot cards here. Do you want to test your fate?"
As Hastur spoke, twenty-two Tarot cards covered their front faces and floated in midair, forming a circle.
No, I don't want to at all.
Klein subconsciously wanted to refuse. He still remembered that when he had first arrived in this world, he had once performed a Tarot divination, and the card he had drawn was the Fool card. Later on, he had indeed remained entangled with the Fool card all this time.
If he drew that Fool card in front of this mysterious person, would He see that he was that mysterious Fool?
But when he met the mysterious person's gaze, Klein knew that he absolutely could not escape this calamity tonight. He could only grit his teeth, get up, walk a few steps closer, and force himself to draw one Tarot card along with Mr. A.
Without any surprise, the card he drew was the Fool card!
Klein's mind buzzed. He unconsciously licked his dry and bitter lips, and his face instantly turned much paler.
This formed a sharp contrast with Mr. A beside him, who had drawn the Hanged Man card and was overjoyed.
"The Hanged Man. Sacrifice and burden. You are a devout believer."
Hastur once again affirmed Mr. A's faith, causing Mr. A to become so excited that his entire body trembled.
Then, Hastur's gaze turned toward Klein, whose expression had become somewhat dazed. He glanced at the Fool card in Klein's hand and said with a slight smile, "The Fool. A new beginning, a new journey."
Klein's entire body stiffened. Every pore on his body seemed to radiate a bone-piercing chill.
He did not know if it had been his illusion just now, but when the other party said the word "Fool," He seemed to have deliberately paused for a moment before continuing.
Could He have already seen through the true identity he was hiding?
He wanted to run!
This was the only thought in Klein's mind at this moment. But he also clearly understood that unless the other party allowed him to leave, he absolutely could not get off this ship.
He could only barely force out a smile and say, "It's a very nice card. I like it a lot."
Hastur did not say anything else. He put away the twenty-two Tarot cards and disappeared.
The matter of stripping away his disguise would stop here for now. If they continued talking about it, Klein would probably even feel like killing himself.
It was better to leave Mr. Fool his final fig leaf.
Mr. A also left and continued guarding the cabin door.
Klein moved his almost numb legs and returned to his original position, letting out a heavy sigh.
This was really too thrilling. His poor little heart could barely take it anymore.
If this happened one or two more times, he felt that his heart would split open from being unable to withstand the pressure.
...
On the fourth day of Klein's life aboard the ship, his body grew weaker and weaker. The lack of rest and food continued to torment his body.
That afternoon, a ship happened to pass through the nearby waters. Klein's eyes suddenly lit up, and he subconsciously glanced at Mr. A.
The other party had not killed him, and had even brought him away from the deserted island. He should have intended to help him.
"You must forever remember that this is the Lord's grace to you."
After saying that, Mr. A drove Klein off the ship, allowing him to board that passing ship and leave.