Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
If I had probed deeper, then there might be a high probability that I would’ve attracted the Rose Redemption or even a hidden Red Angel… There were several times where I danced at the edge of a cliff… Luckily, I managed to restrain my impulse and curiosity about the weird situation at Green Lemon Restaurant and the telegraph office… Klein retracted his gaze, finding the Sun Brooch inadequate in keeping his back from oozing with a layer of cold sweat.
Compared to the arrival of the True Creator, this unknown and undetonated situation was much more horrifying. At least, Klein couldn’t help but imagine what would’ve happened if he kicked the telegraph office’s door open, or if he went around to the back, flipped the window, and entered the room.
He constantly imagined all sorts of strange and terrifying scenes, which frightened himself quite a bit.
At the same time, he decided to produce Sun Holy Water for the passengers who had eaten at Bansy Harbor last night, in order to avoid any remaining dormant dangers.
“What’s wrong?” Elland sensed Gehrman Sparrow’s abnormality.
“I just remembered something.” Klein used his Clown’s powers to keep his facial expression normal, but inside he was glad that he didn’t take the risk last night and had now successfully left Bansy Harbor.
As for the secrets of Rose Redemption and the King of Angels, he only had one thought in mind: Quickly report it!
If he didn’t report it, was he allowing them to usher in 1351’s new year?
If he chose to hide the truth and wait until he had a sufficiently high Sequence or enough strength to explore and reap the corresponding benefits, then Klein felt that he would feel very guilty and end up carrying a heavy burden if something happened during that time, causing the danger to be triggered prematurely, or if the remnant heretics would cause the death of one innocent passenger after another. That would only push him closer to losing control.
Of course, reporting the matter needed to be done in a correct and astute manner. Klein wasn’t foolish enough to tell Elland directly or write an anonymous letter to the Church of Storms, which would then lead to a lot of trouble. First, the authorities would definitely investigate Gehrman Sparrow’s background, and things could be easily exposed if thorough investigations were made. Secondly, this identity might be exposed to the Rose Redemption, which might attract a King of Angels’s pursuit.
What Klein intended to do was to use The World to mention the anomaly in Bansy Harbor when the Tarot Gathering was held in two days. He would then have The Fool to lightly allude to Rose Redemption and a King of Angels. As a member of the Church of Storms, The Hanged Man would naturally know what to do next.
This would be a chance for him to perform a deed of merit!
As for the blood of the direct descendants of the Medici family, Klein didn’t even consider it, because neither he nor Miss Sharron had the intention of rescuing the evil spirit in the underground relic.
Noticing that Gehrman Sparrow obviously didn’t want to mention his past, Elland chuckled, took out a small black wooden box, and tossed it over.
Klein reached out and caught it, using his eyes to express his puzzlement.
“The bladder of the murloc. It can be used to make items. It’s very useful at sea.”
The Beyonder ingredient of a murloc… Worth more than 150 pounds… The captain sure is generous… Klein had almost forgotten how Gehrman Sparrow should react.
Fortunately, he had a lot of experience in acting. He immediately sank his face and said, “I didn’t save you for a reward.”
Elland laughed and said, “I’m not giving you this in return for saving me.
“Aren’t we friends now? Isn’t it normal to help a friend make up for his shortcomings when he doesn’t have such items?”
What he said makes sense. There’s no way to refute him at all… Klein held onto the small black box and remained silent for a few seconds. Finally, he nodded.
Elland covered his mouth as he yawned before taking off his boat-shaped hat.
“I need to return to my room to catch up on my sleep. See you at noon.”
Klein waved politely and led Danitz towards Room 312.
He saw that Donna and Denton were up early and waiting at the door.
“Uncle Sparrow, what’s that in your hand?” Donna asked curiously.
Klein didn’t say anything and directly opened the lid of the small black box.
The interior was lined with a layer of black velvet, and sitting in the middle was a round, gem-like, transparent object. It had a blue, aqueous luster that swirled outwards.
“That day, the murloc’s….” Denton thought for a moment. “Bladder!”
At this moment, at Klein’s signal, Danitz opened the door.
Donna walked in briskly while stretching out her hand from behind her.
She held a thick wad of cash that were a mix of ten-pound and five-pound notes.
“My father, my mother, Uncle Cleves, and Uncle Timothy’s family asked me to pass this to you. A total of 150 pounds!” Donna smiled sweetly. “They said that this isn’t enough to express their gratitude; it’s just to replenish the supplies you used, uh… Those things are expensive, right?”
“Still alright.” Klein thought for a moment, then he accepted the 150-pound gratuity so that Urdi and other ordinary people wouldn’t feel uneasy.
Seeing Uncle Gehrman Sparrow put the cash and the small black wooden box into his pocket, Donna was relieved that she had finally completed the task her parents had handed her.
She quickly got into character and found her true intention for visiting. She asked curiously and fearfully, “Uncle Sparrow, what kind of monsters were those last night? Are ghost stories true? Were you born with the ability to jump out of the flames and let light descend? Is this magic, or witchcraft?”
Stop, stop, stop, you have too many questions… Klein, who couldn’t stand the heat any longer, took off the Sun Brooch and threw it on the desk in the living room. He casually replied at the same time.
“They’re called Beyonder powers; those that are obtained through certain rituals and potions.
“A lot of ghost stories have archetypes, and last night’s monsters were created by an evil ritual.
“Ask him about the rest.”
Klein glanced sideways at Danitz.
“How magical…” Denton and Donna sighed.
Then Donna said, her eyes shining, “Uncle Sparrow, you’re just like the ‘Superman’ described by Emperor Roselle!
“Can we… can we also become people like you through rituals and potions?”
Denton nodded heavily, echoing his sister’s words, and both of them felt a surge of strong anticipation.
At that moment, Donna noticed Gehrman Sparrow’s eyes turn melancholic.
Soon after, she saw the mouth of this magical uncle open up, revealing a somewhat strange smile.
Klein said in a low voice, “This isn’t something to be envied or anticipated.
“As long as you choose this path, you’ll constantly be accompanied by threats and madness.
“You can beat them a hundred times, a thousand times, but as long as you lose once, you’ll end up like that fallen bishop.”
As he spoke, he leaned on his cane, took off his suit, and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.
One of his arms was shriveled and wrinkled, as though he were a centenarian. The other was translucent and colorless, with a direct view of the blood vessels, muscles, and aponeurosis beneath the skin.
At the same time, his face grew dense pale flesh granules that made Donna and Denton fall backward in terror and slam into the door.
With thin flesh granules growing on his face, Klein maintained his smile.
“See this?
“This is madness.”
No… Donna and Denton almost lost their minds, stumbled through the door, and ran out.
After a few steps, they fell to the ground, unable to keep their balance.
“How terrifying…” Denton kept crying in a low voice.
At that moment, they heard the door to Room 312 clang shut.
Donna gradually calmed down, not daring to think of Gehrman Sparrow’s appearance again. The way Uncle Sparrow looked—the flesh granules had occupied every inch of his face. The way his arms were shriveled and translucent wasn’t much better than the monsters of the night before.
For some reason, she recalled his eyes and the words, “this is madness.”
Her vision suddenly blurred, and she couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.
“Donna, Donna, what’s the matter with you?” Denton was so frightened by her reaction that he forgot his fear.
Donna sobbed and said, “I don’t know…
“I j-just feel very, very sad all of a sudden.”
Inside Room 312.
Seeing that Klein had returned to normal, Danitz couldn’t help but click his tongue.
“Actually, there’s no need to scare the children like this. They’ll have nightmares. Just tell them that taking potions is dangerous.”
Just as he finished his sentence, he saw a hard wooden cane covered in blood and dirt flying over, accompanied by a sentence that wasn’t in the least bit emotional.
“Wash it clean.”
Danitz reached out to grab the cane as the smile on his face froze.
…
Backlund, Empress Borough, Inside the Hall family’s luxurious mansion.
Audrey stood behind the white and gold railings on the second floor, watching the servants on the first floor come and go, bustling with activity.
According to the customs of the Loen Kingdom, the nobles with fiefs would leave Backlund one week after the New Year Ball, and they would return to their own fiefs, where they would enjoy a pleasant life in the countryside or in a castle. In June, they would return to the capital, where they would socialize day after day. Of course, a banker with actual power and wealth like Earl Hall definitely needed to make trips between the two places to handle many matters.
However, “moving” wasn’t an easy task. Many things had to be tidied up beforehand, and some of the servants would bring them back to the manor or castle. Only after everything was ready would the masters begin their journey.
After this Tarot Gathering ends, I should be sitting in a steam train back to East Chester County. I hope that vampire gentleman really can get the fruit of the Tree of Elders and the blood of the Mirror Dragon so that I can become a Psychiatrist before I leave Backlund… Audrey allowed her thoughts to wander.
Just then, Lady Caitlyn came over and asked with a smile, “Penny for your thoughts? Well… You’re already an adult. When you get back to Backlund in June, you’ll be able to find something to do. Do you have any plans?”
Audrey didn’t think further and directly replied, “Mother, I want to like to join the Church’s charity organizations.”
I want to get to know this world… she added silently in her heart.
“Good idea,” the countess agreed.
After giving her some advice, she walked down to the second floor and began to inspect the affairs of the family.
Audrey withdrew her emotions and turned her head to the side. With a faint smile, she said to the large golden retriever that was sitting to her side, “Susie, are you looking forward to it? You can run as much as you want in the green pastures and in the lush woods.”
She was making fun of Susie because she had only become a gift because she wasn’t a qualified foxhound.
Susie instinctively wanted to stick her tongue out, but she stopped herself like a cultured lady.
She answered without hiding her emotions, “Of course, I like to run, but I hate those barbaric fellows.”
Are you referring to the foxhounds that Father and the others rear? Audrey pursed her lips to stop herself from smiling.
She looked up at the wall clock and saw that it was almost time for the Tarot Gathering.
