Smiling slightly at the noblewoman, Klein discreetly activated his spiritual vision by biting his molar twice.
Bringing everyone together for the weekly meeting, he noticed that Justice's expenditure on spirituality had increased slightly.
Observing the intensity of her aura, Klein nodded internally to himself.
Through the increase in colors, Justice had recently advanced.
'She obtained all the ingredients a long time ago. With the last mission where she digested a large part of her potion, it is no surprise that she is already Sequence 8...' Klein thought with slight interest.
This confirmed what his soul brother had said some time ago. It was not the length of time acting that mattered, but the quality of the acting. Justice had only been a Sequence 9 for over two months and had already completely digested her potion.
Following this discovery, he paid a little more attention to controlling his expressions and body language as he returned her greeting.
"Good afternoon, Miss Justice. Congratulations on your advancement."
The noblewoman's happy smile grew a little wider, and she bowed a little deeper. "Thank you very much, Mr Fool."
'According to what that madman said, Miss Justice was a spectator. So now she must be a Telepathist,' Fors glanced sideways at the other blonde.
'Her speed of digestion is not bad. Although she is a little slower than Little Jerry...'
The greetings went by quite quickly, as did the Fool's reading time, and once again, no new pages were delivered.
This time, the one who broke the silence in the hall was the youngest of the group.
"Mr Chariot, I'm not far from obtaining the contribution points to get what you requested. A week at the most, for the next Tarot Club, I should be able to deliver the Doctor potion formula along with the main ingredients." Derrick said happily.
Finally, he could pay for the powerful artifact the man had gotten for him, and he wouldn't have to feel bad about using it.
Adryan looked at the young boy, and the corners of his lips rose slightly. "I'm glad to hear that, Little Sun. Good job."
Derrick puffed out his chest with pride, his eyes shining brightly.
But the man continued before he could express his gratitude for such kind words.
"Little Sun, I have another order for you. I saw it is a fairly common ingredient on the list you gave us last week, so I was hoping you could get it for me."
Unconsciously, Derrick grew, puffing out his chest and shoulders a little, "Of course, Mr Chariot! What do you need?"
The second most supportive person, Mr. Fool being the first, needs his help, which filled the young man with a great thrill of proving to himself that he could.
'Without a doubt, a sweet summer child,' Laughing slightly, the redhead explained calmly, "I need the remnant shadows of a Shadow Predator."
In the City of Silver, a Forsaken was known by that name. A monster without a common form that usually appears slightly humanoid is capable of using the shadows as a hiding place and turning them into weapons or restraints once it has found its prey.
The remnant shadows of this monster were the main ingredient in the Shadow Ascetic potion. But there was a somewhat annoying condition for it to work as an ingredient...
So quickly, Adryan explained, "I must clarify, they must not be from different predators but all the remnant shadow of a single one."
At the request, Derrick pursed his lips a little.
'What Mr. Chariot needs is a common ingredient, but with the requirement, they become considerably rare...' The young man couldn't help but worry a little.
The Shadow Predator was a common monster in the somewhat deep parts of the darkness. So common that it would be strange not to encounter at least 10 on a regular expedition.
But for that very reason, the materials obtained from this monster were stored in bulk. Therefore, the remnant shadows would never belong to the same monster; they would always be mixed.
'Of course. I can set aside a shadow for myself in the explorations I'm participating in. There would be no problem. I would only have to pay a few contribution points...'
A barter was out of the question; he didn't have many valuable things left...
With that in mind, Derrick nodded, "It won't be a problem, Mr Chariot. But what would you be paying for this ingredient?"
Adryan did not reply directly but asked, "How close are you to digesting your potion, Little Sun?"
"I'm about to digest it completely, Mr. Chariot." The young boy answered honestly, but his eyes lit up the next second.
Feeling the evident emotion in the young man. Adryan laughed amusedly and nodded, confirming his thoughts, "I offer the potion formula next to Bard, Light Supplicant..."
Pausing briefly, he added with a small smile and narrowed eyes, "Are you interested in this deal?"
Derrick nodded with emotion, his response not taking a second.
"Yes!"
The redhead lifted his head from his palm and adjusted a little, "Then I will give you the payment now."
His words stunned the young boy a little.
"But why, Mr Chariot? Your request is not a complicated one. I can deliver it at the next Tarot Club; there's no need to pay me now."
Although he was happy to receive the formula now, his happiness was outweighed by his feeling that he was taking advantage of the man.
"Because I don't think I'll be able to attend the next meeting, Little Sun."
This piqued the curiosity of almost everyone who looked curiously at the man.
'In the end, he's going to bring that up here...' Fors pressed her lips together to contain a big sigh.
As innocent as ever, Derrick asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Why is that, Mr. Chariot? If I may ask."
Raising a hand, the redhead waved it dismissively.
"Oh, nothing special. I'm preparing some things, and I can't afford any mistakes because that could end in my death."
Derrick felt his heart sink.
"Your death, Mr Chariot?!" The boy asked, visibly alarmed.
All eyes were quickly drawn to him, some concerned while others were stunned.
Audrey unconsciously brought a hand to her chest, where her heart was beating with fear.
'Death? We're not going to lose a member, are we? Especially one of the founding members!'
'What the hell has this idiot gotten himself into now?!' Cursing to himself, Klein quickly checked his smurf account.
World joined in with a deep voice, "Do you need assistance, Mr Chariot? What is the situation?"
He had finally met someone from his world after believing he was alone!
Fire was going to fall from the sky before he lost him!!
"I can bring my ship ashore for a few days. Tell me where you are, Mr. Chariot; I can help you get off the land if necessary." Alger also entered the conversation seriously.
'Perhaps the churches found him and are preparing to capture him and Chariot realized their plan and is preparing an escape?' He thought, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Although his carefree attitude didn't show it, Chariot was one of the most wanted men in the world with a massive bounty on his head. It wouldn't be unusual if they finally found him.
Fors wanted to give herself a big slap in the face out of embarrassment, 'You could have said it better! Although you're right, it wasn't necessary to be so honest!'
Such a reaction stunned Adryan, who only blinked a little lost.
But, recovering a little, he said humorously, "Heh heh. It's not what you think. I plan to hunt a rather dangerous prey, so a little caution is necessary."
Under the gray fog, Klein's face went flat. He silently controlled the world so that he would look straight ahead without saying anything.
Alger and Audrey also went flat and looked away.
"Oh, so that's all it was!" Derrick breathed a visible sigh of relief, and the tension that had gripped him left him.
"Hehe, sorry for the scare." Scratching his cheek innocently, the redhead winked, "I should have explained myself better."
The young man shook his head and looked at him curiously, "Could you tell us what you plan to hunt, Mr. Chariot? There might be something in the City of Silver library that could help you."
"I'd be surprised if there was, Little Sun." Adryan laughed a little more, "And in answer to your question..."
"I'm only going to hunt a demigod. Nothing out of the ordinary." He added with extreme casualness.
"..."
'Yup, that's how I felt!' Feeling extremely validated, Fors could hardly contain the great sigh of relief that wanted to leave her body and greet the others.
"Mr. Chariot..." Audrey entered the conversation, somewhat dazed, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I was asked the same question. And as long as I keep things in order, this is possible for the current me," Adryan replied calmly before turning to the Hanged Man.
"I really appreciate the offer, but at the moment, there is no need to escape. But I will remember your words."
Alger said nothing. He nodded tensely and looked away from the man, his eyes trembling a little.
'But what Sequence is Mr Chariot? To say that he's going to hunt a Demigod so casually, he at least has to be one, too... But I don't think that's the case. Maybe he has the support of one?'
Knowing that Mr Overthinker's mind was now racing, the redhead turned his attention back to the gloomy man next to him and smiled sweetly.
"Mr. World, would you be interested in participating?"
'I don't want to die again, thank you very much. Besides, I have to do the Tarot Club next week, I don't have the luxury of taking a week off like some crazy people,' Controlling his expression and body language, Klein controlled the World.
"I have to refuse your request, Mr. Chariot. I'm sorry," the smurf account replied.
"What a shame. I really would have liked to see your moves," the redhead shook his head, a little disappointed.
'Since Mr. World refused to participate in the hunt, then this is something that Mr. Fool has no desire to participate in. So maybe this is more of a personal project for Mr. Chariot? Of course, I can't rule out the possibility that it's also a mission commissioned by the Scarlet Monarch...' Alger thought momentarily, trying to understand the man's plan.
At that moment, the man turned and looked at everyone with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Just because I'm not attending the next meeting doesn't mean I won't know what happened. So think twice before you gossip about me."
Then, he winked.
"I have eyes everywhere~"
'What's that supposed to mean?' Audrey frowned imperceptibly, unsure whether the man was joking or not.
'Could it be because as the Scarlet Monarch's Blessed One, the blessed one of Mr. Fool will fill him in on what happened so he doesn't get left behind in case something interesting happens?' Alger thought.
'You mean me, don't you?' Fors could hardly control the trembling of her lips.
Would she now have to act as a spy?
'Mr. Chariot, you're really fearless…' Derrick thought with great admiration, and after a few moments, he gave the man a deep nod.
"I wish you luck on your hunt, Mr. Chariot. I hope everything goes well."
"I appreciate that, Little Sun, but you have nothing to worry about." Adryan smiled slightly, " try to be careful now, okay?"
"I will."
Nodding to the little boy, the redhead turned his attention to the Fool, and after asking for something to write with, he handed the Light Supplicant formula to the young man.
Derrick held the formula in his hands with somewhat heavy eyes.
Light Supplicant Potion Formula.
Main Ingredients:
*A piece of Brilliance Rock
Or the Powder of Dazzling Soul
*Blood of a Mirror Hedgehog
Or the Heart of a Magma Titan.
Supplementary Ingredients:
*A Golden-Rimmed Sunflower
*3 drops of Aconite Juice.
Once again, his debt to the red-haired man had increased. And while this bothered him a little, it motivated him to try even harder.
"I will have all your orders as soon as possible, Mr. Chariot," Derrick said determinedly.
Adryan smiled at the boy, "I'll be waiting."
...
With all the club members leaving, the Great Hall of Giants changed into a warm room.
Sitting on the sofa, Klein looked with visible annoyance at his fellow.
"Hunting a demigod. What are you thinking? Are you crazy?!"
"I'll have the support of another demigod; you don't have to worry so much," Adryan said calmly before his eyes took on a certain sparkle.
"Although, please, continue. Knowing that you care so much for me fills my heart with joy~"
The words he was about to say died with the first thing he said, but his expression died with the second.
Klein buried his face in his hands, releasing a great, long, exasperated sigh.
"You have a problem, you know that, don't you?" He grunted between his palms.
"I accepted it a long time ago." Adryan nodded in agreement with the man.
Raising his face slightly, Klein looked at him, "Can I at least ask why you're going to do this? Is it a mission from the Scarlet Monarch? Or is it something else?"
If being blessed by a God meant that you had to hunt down a Sequence 4 Beyonder when you were only Sequence 6 yourself, Klein no longer envied his partner.
"Hmm, yes, and yes." Adryan was honest, "This is both a mission from my Lord and something I want to achieve for myself."
"For yourself?" Klein raised an eyebrow.
He understood the first part; it was his God's assignment. But what did he want to achieve?
Raising a finger and placing it on his lips, the redhead closed one eye, and the one that remained open gleamed with enormous satisfaction.
"To complete my Sequence 5 ritual, of course. It consists of planning and capturing a Beyonder of a higher Sequence than mine, and this little one falls right into that range~"
Klein immediately looked at him as if he had grown three different heads. Every one of them sings opera, rock, and rap simultaneously in a melody without harmony or rhythm.
"That's even worse..." he muttered dazedly.
Klein couldn't help but remember Crestet Cesimir and the pressure from his body.
That guy was an actual demigod. And standing near him made it uncomfortable for Klein to move, not to mention his poor poet who looked like a wet puppy.
This guy next to him was planning to capture one of those monsters for his Sequence 5 ritual...
At the ridiculous expression on the man's face, Adryan couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Have a little faith in me, will you?"
"Is there anything I can say that will change your mind?" Klein asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Nope~" Adryan popped his cheeks to emphasize his point more.
"… I'll be sure to leave flowers on your grave." Klein joked a little before sinking onto the sofa and staring at the ceiling.
Pap pap
Looking to his side, at the hand that had patted his shoulder, Klein saw the small, somewhat resigned smile on his fellow's face.
"In this world, we will have to take risks we don't want to take to advance. I want to tell you that you won't have to do that very often, but I don't like lying to you; you'll lose count of the times you'll have to take them.
"Most of the time, those risks won't fully compensate for what we had to risk, but we have no choice."
"Roselle learned that the hard way. I learned it the hard way, too. And unfortunately, so have you."
For a moment, Klein saw that day again. The monstrous Megose, the hand coming out of his captain's chest, and that boot that ended his life.
Blinking again and with that memory leaving him. He could only nod with another sigh, a sadder one.
"You're right about that..."
Pap pap.
Putting his hand away after more pats, silence returned to the room...
...
Opening his eyes back to his body, Adryan breathed in fresh air and got up from his grass seat.
Walking over to where Flora and Dabrio were, he looked curiously at how they hadn't changed places.
"How are you doing?
Dabrio didn't reply. He just gave a thumbs-up.
Flora, for her part, looked at him with a satisfied smile.
"I've already stolen his voice. Now I'm trying to see if I can steal his aura."
"Nice." Praising his worm a little, he gave the demigod two thumbs up.
"Keep it up, Mr. Dabrio. You can do it."
The man just gave the other thumb a thumbs up, his expression indecipherable, and the corners of his lips trembled.