Raphael had just finished sealing the letter to Audrey when a subordinate reported that a furniture merchant named Svetlan Wagner wanted to see him.
Assuming it was another petitioner seeking help, he temporarily placed the letter in a drawer and called them in.
Wagner was a man standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a short beard and a stout build. He looked like a brown bear wrapped in a trench coat.
After dismissing his subordinates, Raphael gestured to Wagner and said, "Please, have a seat."
Unlike other petitioners, Wagner showed no sign of nervousness. Instead of sitting down, he took a cigar from his trench coat and grinned, saying, "Listen, pal, you've gotten yourself into big trouble."
Raphael was momentarily taken aback, then asked, "What do you mean?"
"A while back, you broke the leg of a grain merchant named Holmes, didn't you?" Wagner said as he lit his cigar, "Well, you might not know this, but he knows a city councilor with some influence. They're coordinating with each other, planning to have you arrested for assault, obstruction of commercial development, and other charges."
"Why haven't they made a move yet?" Raphael questioned, not looking the least bit concerned.
Wagner took a drag of his cigar and said, "Because you've built quite a reputation lately. They have some reservations."
Raphael considered this for a moment, then said, "You didn't come here today just to tell me this, did you?"
"Of course not." The towering furniture merchant said, "I have a way to help you solve this problem. I think you'll need my help, given your lack of connections in the council."
Raphael grunted noncommittally, "Then let's be more direct. What will it cost me?"
Wagner's gaze suddenly deepened. He studied Raphael for a moment before smiling, "Someone greatly admires your style of doing things. They think you're a good lad who's sufficiently mad, sufficiently cruel, yet still has a certain level of rationality. I'm just here to deliver a message on their behalf. They'll provide you with help, but you must join them, contribute your mad talents, and become one of them."
Raphael found it somewhat strange that organizations kept trying to recruit him lately...
Instead of refusing outright, he asked, "What kind of organization?"
Wagner put down his cigar, his expression turning solemn, "They believe that the Creator is omnipresent and that all things possess divinity. The great cause they pursue is to stop the masses from being deceived by false gods and to make everyone aware of the Creator's existence. If the opportunity arises, they will liberate the divinity inherent in all things."
Raphael thought for a moment, then said, "How is it that I've never heard of this organization before?"
Wagner picked up his cigar again, took a puff, and said, "The former Republic of Intis ambassador to Loen was assassinated by them."
Suddenly, an event surfaced in Raphael's mind. Although the newspapers had blamed the Highlanders, he remembered that the real culprit was Mr. A of the Aurora Order.
"I see," he said.
He wasn't sure why he knew the inside story of this incident. Many of his memories felt fuzzy, and only surfaced when needed, like now.
Raphael didn't give an immediate answer. Instead, he said, "Can you give me a few days to think it over?"
The Aurora Order was a mad organization, but they had brains. They seemed decent enough.
"Fine," Wagner said, "But time isn't on your side, pal. How about three days? I'll come back to see you in three days."
"No problem."
Raphael saw the burly, towering furniture merchant out, thought for a moment, then took out the letter to Audrey again. At the end, he tentatively asked what organization had assassinated the former Intis ambassador, and requested detailed information about that organization.
He already knew it was the Aurora Order, but he didn't have much detailed intelligence on them...
After sealing the envelope, Raphael called Carter in, then said, "Find a reliable person to deliver this letter to the mailbox at Unit 33 Empress Borough. Also, pick a few sharp-witted subordinates to go to Hayes and find out about Councilor Wood; his hobbies, family members, political enemies, and the like. Then make a trip to Beckett's place and inquire about Deputy Chief Isaacs's recent situation."
Thinking for a moment, he added, "Finally, use other channels to investigate Wood, Isaacs, and that grain merchant Holmes... Hmm, today is Monday. I want to know everything by Wednesday morning."
The grain merchant Holmes, whose leg Raphael had broken, was acquainted with Councilor Wood.
The Hayes he just mentioned was a servant trusted by Councilor Wood, who had once received help from 'Mr. Collins'.
Additionally, the current Backlund Police Chief was nearing retirement, and Deputy Chief Isaacs was one of the candidates vying for the position. Beckett, another person who had received Raphael's help, was now Isaacs's personal chef.
The reason for investigating Isaacs was because Raphael realized he hadn't invested enough in intelligence gathering. He had only learned of someone plotting against him from a furniture merchant...
Carter was momentarily stunned, then said, "Understood."
Raphael didn't dwell on the matter further. He continued practicing the Wolf Fang Claw and cultivating the Mystic Source True Scripture as usual.
Ever since advancing to Sequence 7, he wasn't so worried about the schemes of ordinary people anymore. If worst came to worst, he could simply flee. He certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to let himself be arrested.
...
~Empress Borough, Earl Hall's Villa~
After reading Raphael's letter, Audrey immediately realized that the organization trying to recruit him was the Aurora Order, that group of lunatics.
However, she didn't reply immediately, as the Tarot Club gathering would take place that afternoon. She wanted to discuss the matter there.
At precisely 3:00 PM, after telling her servants that she needed to rest for a while, Audrey's vision was suddenly covered by gray fog. In an instant, she found herself seated at one side of the bronze mottled table in the colossal palace...
She stood, curtsied, and smiled at the head of the bronze table, "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
The Fool, Klein, smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
Every time Miss Justice greeted him, it seemed to signal the start of the Tarot Club gathering.
After that, the members first offered Roselle's diary pages to Mr. Fool, then conducted two transactions. As everyone's Sequences had increased, advancement had slowed, and transactions were no longer as frequent.
Finally came the discussion segment, which was now the most important part of the gathering.
After Little Sun recounted the City of Silver's experience establishing a permanent camp at Afternoon Town, Audrey smiled and requested to have a private exchange with The World.
Having established a space for private exchange, Audrey said, "Mr. World, Raphael Collins has just contacted me. He wishes to obtain experience in digesting the Werewolf potion from the Temperance Faction."
Klein, who was also The World, thought for a moment and said, "That can be arranged. I'll contact the Temperance Faction, but Raphael should expect to pay some form of compensation."
"I'll make that clear in my reply," Audrey said, "Additionally, the Aurora Order wants to recruit him. After our private exchange, I'd like to discuss this with all the members."
Klein lampooned inwardly: 'Those lunatics from the Aurora Order... Why am I not the least bit surprised by this news?'