So it was just a leave of absence. I thought something had happened to Mr. Tower… What a false alarm.
"Transferred" the identity of Doctor Strange… Could Mr. Tower's leave be related to this? And who did he transfer it to? Another follower of Mr. Fool?
As these thoughts crossed Audrey's mind, she glanced at Miss Judgment sitting further down the table. Seeing that she showed no surprise or concern, Audrey felt reassured that nothing serious had happened to Mr. Tower.
That's a relief! She sighed inwardly, finally feeling at ease.
Since Mr. Tower often shared knowledge at extremely low prices or even for free, Audrey had gained a lot from him. She genuinely hoped he was safe and well.
On the other side of the table, The Hanged Man, Alger, had similar thoughts. However, having just received some information from the sea, he had an additional suspicion:
"Could Tower's leave of absence and even his decision to transfer his identity be related to the Church of Combat issuing a bounty on Doctor Strange?"
As for The Magician, Fors, her main concern was something entirely different: Wait… we can take leaves of absence from the Tarot Club?
Once the group had digested the news of Tower's absence, Judgment, Xio, was the first to speak. She looked respectfully at The Fool and said, "Mr. Fool, I only have one page of Roselle's diary this time… I still owe you one more page. I'll try to bring it next meeting."
This page had come from the underground trading market in Tingen. During the chaos, one of the fleeing vendors had left behind some of their wares, and Xio had managed to pick it up for a bargain.
"Very well." Klein transmitted the diary page to his side, then swept his gaze around the table with a hint of expectation. However, seeing that no one else responded, he felt a twinge of disappointment—it seemed that Xio was the only one who had managed to obtain a diary page this week.
I was being too greedy… He chuckled at himself inwardly. After all, Roselle's diary pages are limited in number. Even Tower, with his numerous connections, couldn't get them every week—let alone the others.
Suppressing his amusement, Klein picked up the page and began reading carefully:
April 12th:
"I've finally figured out how to break down Isabella's psychological defenses. For a woman who seeks knowledge and truth, the key is to present her with a problem—one that captivates her but remains unsolved. Then, by working together to unravel the mystery, I can foster a sense of camaraderie and admiration in her. Bit by bit, she will come to respect my knowledge and problem-solving skills…
"This method takes time, but the thrill of the chase is exhilarating. And once I succeed, the sense of accomplishment will be unmatched…
"Humans truly are despicable creatures—we always crave what is hardest to obtain."
Klein nearly burst into laughter.So that famous quote from the Emperor… came from this kind of experience?
Amused, he continued reading:
April 13th:
"I failed. Isabella saw through my scheme. She took the 'bait' I offered but left me with nothing in return…
"It seems that if I don't offer up a bit of my genuine self, I'll never be able to win her over.
"But I suppose I did gain something. During our conversation, she casually mentioned a certain Daniel—a master pharmacist from centuries ago. And to my shock, I discovered that Daniel was far more than just the inventor of a single essential oil. He was also the one who laid the foundation for Lenburg University's modern academic system and even pioneered the concept of journal impact factors…
"This sounds exactly like something a transmigrator would do! I've decided to investigate this Daniel further."
April 15th:
"Karen brought me detailed records on this so-called Master Pharmacist Daniel… That's when I found out that Karen used to be a lecturer at Lenburg University's Faculty of Pharmacy?! The students he taught wouldn't have turned into depressed hermits before even graduating… right?
"Anyway, according to the information Karen dug up, Daniel apparently crossed the Southern Continent and sailed across the dangerous waters of the Berserk Sea centuries ago. The reason he was able to make such a treacherous journey was that he had discovered a ghost ship capable of navigating the deep sea…
"And after Daniel's death, this ghost ship was quickly seized by the Church of Storms and renamed the Trident."
The story of Daniel—who was suspected to be one of Liu Bo's incarnations—was clearly incomplete. However, the page ended abruptly here.
This doesn't seem like Roselle intentionally leaving a cliffhanger… It's more likely that the next page of his diary was lost somewhere.
Klein set down the diary with a sigh, lowering his head in contemplation:
"1-025 must be the sealed artifact formed from Daniel's Beyonder characteristic. Both Daniel's ship and his characteristic ultimately fell into the hands of the Church of Storms..."
Was he finally killed by the Church of Storms? How does this connect with the recent opening of Daniel's maze?
There seems to be much more to this story than meets the eye!
Sigh... Sharon doesn't know what happened there either... Perhaps "The Tower" knows, but I don't have a good excuse to ask.
More importantly, I get the sense "The Tower" doesn't want to discuss this matter, just like his attitude toward that organization whose name cannot be known...
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Klein made the diary vanish from his hand, leaned back in his chair, and nodded: "You may begin."
Almost immediately, Xio—"Judgment"—raised her hand slightly before addressing the gathering: "I have several items for sale."
The items included both her own possessions and those Ebner had entrusted to her for sale through "The Fool." Additionally, Xio had learned that Jane possessed the "Disciplinary Paladin" Beyonder characteristic.
"Miss Judgment, what exactly are you offering?" Audrey—"Justice"—asked with sparkling eyes, her shopping enthusiasm barely restrained beneath a ladylike demeanor.
"The Magician" Fors, "The Hanged Man" Alger, and "The Sun" Derrick all turned their attention to Xio. Only "The World" and "Temperance" remained statue-still—though "The World" eventually moved, half a beat too late.
"First is a 'Zombie' Beyonder characteristic. Considering the 'Prisoner' pathway's curses, it's priced at just 3,500 pounds." Xio manifested an image of the characteristic as she spoke.
Audrey and Alger showed little interest, while Fors curiously inquired: "What sequence is 'Zombie'?"
"Sequence 6 of the 'Prisoner'—or 'Mutant'—pathway." Xio, dressed in aristocratic fashion, gave her friend a brief glance.
She recalled how Ebner had explained "Mutant" knowledge to her long ago, when mid-sequence "Zombies" and "Wraiths" could have easily killed them both. Now, just half a year later, she no longer feared such beings.
Seeing no buyers emerge, Xio turned to "Temperance"—her actual target customer.
"Can you hold it for a few weeks?" Sharon asked without changing her posture. She needed to reserve funds for a potential "Human Skin Shadow" characteristic purchase on Sherlock's behalf, though he would eventually reimburse her.
"Agreed." Xio nodded. Having recently advanced to "Judge," she wasn't in urgent need of the "Disciplinary Paladin" characteristic.
"No need to return the diary." Sharon added in her ethereal voice.
Xio blinked in confusion until "The World" explained: "She's waiving the Roselle diary page you owe her"—a debt incurred when Sharon guided Xio through the "Mirror Maze."
"Understood!" Xio nodded with feigned aloofness before moving on. She then manifested an image of silver earrings with gemstone centers:
"These 'Dragon's Eye' earrings can emit 'Draconic Majesty' when activated with spirituality, inducing panic in individuals or groups."
"They have no severe side effects, though prolonged wear may amplify greedy impulses—easily overcome by removal."
"Eight months of validity remain. Price: 400 pounds."
Audrey studied the earrings with growing interest—and then dawning recognition.
These look exactly like one pair from that jewelry bundle I gave Mr. Tower!
The size, design, and patterns matched perfectly—only the gemstone differed slightly. The original crystal-clear stone now contained faint blood streaks, giving the earrings an inexplicable mystique that made them even more captivating.
At least "Justice" found herself thoroughly enchanted.
(End of Chapter)