Backlund, North District.
"Captain, I'd like to request some time off."
Leonard Mitchell said to his superior, handing over the corresponding paperwork at the same time.
As an official Beyonder, one needed to apply in advance for permission to travel alone. However, the work of their "Red Glove" team was somewhat special, since they spent all year traveling around the country on assignments, so their application process was simpler than that of ordinary Nighthawks.
"What is it, something come up?"
Soest, who had just been promoted to "Spirit Warlock" and now served as captain of Red Glove, took the paperwork without looking at it, and asked him directly instead.
"There's a case. There might be a new lead." Leonard answered vaguely. "But I can't be sure yet. I need some time to verify it."
In truth, he was planning to make a trip back to Tinger, to confirm whether his two former colleagues were alive or dead. If he took the fastest steam train, he should be able to reach Rafael Cemetery in Tinger by daybreak. And with plenty of daylight, digging up a grave would be a good deal easier too.
"Unfortunately, Leonard, you can't leave Backlund for the time being. It needs you." However, Soest turned down his request. "I just received word from above. There have been several bloody sacrificial rituals reported in the East District recently, and the Police Department has passed the case on to us..."
Leonard's heart sank when he heard this.
Cases involving bloody sacrifice were, as a rule, major cases. They almost always involved either a sect worshipping some evil god, or something to do with devils, and were rarely resolved in a week or two. Once their team took on a case like this, forget about requesting leave, they probably wouldn't even be able to keep to anything resembling regular hours.
Still, there was one piece of good news: they could work through the night, which meant they could investigate faster than Beyonders from other churches.
After all, they didn't need to sleep.
Above the gray fog, the trading continued.
[The Moon] Emlyn had been torn for a while, wanting badly to advance to Sequence 6, yet unwilling to part with the money. In the end he told [The Hanged Man] Alger to help him inquire about the price first, while he thought it over a bit more.
"This is indeed a difficult decision. I understand completely."
[The Hanged Man] Alger said calmly.
He hadn't yet finished digesting the "Wind-Blessed's" potion, and was in no hurry to raise funds. Once he'd finished his exchange with [The Moon], he turned his gaze toward the far end of the bronze long table.
"Mr. Fool, I'd like to speak with [The World] alone."
Alger said.
"Very well."
Klein nodded, and manipulated the gray fog to spread out, cutting off the senses of everyone else present.
"When are you leaving Bayam?"
The moment his eyes met [The World's], Alger couldn't help but ask right away.
What had happened in Bayam had been shocking enough to trigger a brawl among four Sequence 4s, and to send one Sequence 3 into a rage. For a while, the entire Rorsted Archipelago region had been shrouded in the fury of the "Sea King."
Although [The Hanged Man] had gained quite a bit of benefit in the course of it all, he still felt the pressure was immense.
Now, [Temperance] had long since led his group away to safety, yet [The World] remained holed up in an inn in Bayam and showed no sign of leaving. This made Alger uneasy. It felt as though the other man was still plotting something.
"...Maybe in a few more days."
Klein said hoarsely.
His business here wasn't finished yet.
According to updated intelligence, the real "Elaine" was currently hiding inside the Intis embassy. Klein felt that it was because of him that Silas had gone after the wrong person, so he decided to take responsibility himself, and stay on in Bayam until he'd captured "Elaine" and confirmed the location of "Disease Lieutenant General" Trissy, before contacting Silas to act.
"What are you up to now?"
[The Hanged Man] Alger instinctively sensed trouble, and asked with a frown.
"Don't worry, this time it won't cause a big commotion."
Klein could guess at his concerns, and so he explained himself. As for whether [The Hanged Man] believed him or not, that was another matter.
"...Let's hope so."
Alger could only say helplessly.
The two of them finished their exchange, and asked Mr. Fool to lift the barrier.
"Everyone."
At this point, seeing that no one else had any need to trade, [The Magician] Fors spoke up on her own initiative. "I have here an item of considerable effect..."
What she went on to show everyone was the reward her teacher had just given her, a magical item called "the Lenormand's Grimoire." It allowed its holder to record an extraordinary ability displayed in front of them, and fix it permanently onto a page of the notebook for long-term storage, ready to be used whenever needed. However, once used, it would be consumed, and the corresponding page would go blank again.
Its negative effect, meanwhile, was fairly easy to avoid: all one had to do was smear one's own blood evenly across the notebook's cover. Otherwise, the item would cause its holder to lose their way, and run into all manner of danger as a result.
"...A Recorder?"
Hearing this, Silas raised an eyebrow slightly, having already guessed the name of the characteristic this item belonged to. Since there happened to be just such a soul among Mr. A's flock of lambs, he was fairly familiar with it.
"Ah, yes."
Fors was startled for a moment, not having expected to be seen through so quickly. "My teacher told me this is Sequence 6 of the Pathway I belong to. The main pages of this item can record abilities of Sequence 6 and below. Once it reaches Sequence 5, the success rate drops to half, and for Sequence 4, it's even lower, perhaps down to one in ten."
With Mr. Fool's help, she displayed the appearance of the notebook. "And there are only these three scorched, yellowed pages that are capable of recording abilities at the demigod level."
Even so, this was already an extraordinarily precious item!
[Justice] Audrey's eyes lit up, and she spoke up at once. "Well then, Miss [Magician], what price were you thinking of asking?"
She had long envied how [Temperance]'s "Shepherd" could make use of multiple extraordinary abilities, and now that she finally had a chance to obtain something similar, she certainly wasn't going to hesitate. So long as the price was reasonable... no, even if it wasn't reasonable, she was willing to pay a bit extra to get her hands on this precious item!
Seeing [Justice]'s look of absolute determination, the other members who had also been interested withdrew with some regret.
"Oh? I don't intend to sell it."
Seeing this, Fors had no choice but to explain. As it turned out, she had come up with a new sharing model: a temporary rental, fifty pounds a day, and the pages had to be filled back up before the item was returned.
Only fifty pounds a day? I could easily rent it for the whole year... [Justice] Audrey thought to herself.
"That's truly a good idea. It makes full use of both the Tarot Club's secrecy and its ability to circulate items."
[The Hanged Man] Alger felt a rush of excitement too. This way, even items he'd otherwise never have had a chance to get his hands on could be briefly his to hold. Renting it out before certain operations would let him raise his success rate considerably.
"There's one more thing I've been considering, as well."
Fors worked up her courage and said to Silas, "Mr. [Temperance], perhaps we could also pay a certain sum, and ask you to record a demigod-level ability onto those three pages?"