It was another Full Moon night.
"Then after going to Sonia Island, I visited…"
With nothing else to do, Fors brought up the places she visited, their cultures, and what she saw there.
Although she mainly traveled to digest her potion, she had also participated in spreading the Fool's faith, helping people on her way while promoting her god's name.
"Most of the village's inhabitants were converted…"
Of course, considering the situation in the real world, she mainly targeted remote villages or slums.
Thanks to Miss Justice and Miss Magician's help, the Fool had enough anchors to not be in danger of suddenly losing control. His state was beginning to actually get better.
There was hope.
"I went back to living in Backlund to help Miss Justice develop your religion there, so I will stop traveling for the time being."
Anyway, her potion was almost completely digested.
She had also been exchanging letters with Xio, although the two did not go back to being roommates as before. They still lived separately.
Fors did not mention this point.
Speaking of letters, as she had left her residence while traveling, they had notified the Death Consul that the return address was changed from Fors's house to contacting the Fool's messenger, thus the Fool was still occasionally corresponding with Azik Eggers.
Lastly, Fors then explained the external situation—there were casualties in the Abraham family due to the previous ravings from the Fool.
Apart from that, it was fine.
Fors had faith that everything would go back to normal.
Audrey did too.
***
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool."
Putting aside their efforts to develop anchors for the Fool, another thing that darkened the usually bright Miss Justice's expression was the ongoing war.
However, it was also thanks to that chaos that Audrey was able to take advantage of people's despair to spread the Fool's faith and advance to Sequence 4.
"Congratulations on advancing to Sequence 4, Miss Justice."
Indeed, Audrey Hall was now a demigod.
Another noteworthy point was that the Fool wasn't an Orthodox God.
Thus, His followers were identified as evil god believers when discovered and arrested.
With the recent sacrificing rituals bearing the aura of the Fool and the increasing number of believers, the Fool's existence was inevitably discovered by the official Beyonders.
The Fool had been branded as an evil god by the Orthodox Churches—except the Evernight Goddess's Church, as they had not stated their position—and His followers were actively hunted down.
Thankfully, the Tarot Club officially had nothing to do with the evil god and wouldn't be found out, and Audrey and Fors only had to tread carefully while developing believers.
With the Fool's blessing and Audrey's Spectator Pathway abilities, hiding their actions and erasing traces weren't that difficult.
Audrey thanked the Fool and observed the other Tarot Club members.
Mr. Fool was calmer today.
He wasn't laughing like a madman.
To Anderson, with his years of experience at sea, the evil god appearing normal was even more of an abnormality.
As for Audrey, the noble was relieved to see Mr. Tower sit down more properly.
The Fool's gaze swept over the Tarot Club members.
Miss Magician, Miss Justice, Miss Temperance, Mr. Star, Mr. Sun, Mrs Hermit, Mr. Hanged Man, Mr. Tower, and Mr. Moon.
These were His anchors.
***
The Fool opened a letter.
It was from Azik Eggers.
The Death Consul had proposed that they met face to face and discussed history over tea.
Creating a pen and paper with the help of a miracle, the Fool paused.
The pen hovered over the paper as He organized His words. However, Miss Magician had told Him that simply saying 'okay' was too short and impolite, even if He added a greeting right before.
Then, should He ask Miss Magician for advice next time?
At that moment, He felt the Evernight Goddess's presence and allowed Her to enter Sefirah Castle.
It was time for the divine war… More precisely, to start the final phase of their plan to hunt the Ancient Sun God.
"Amanises."
He put down the pen.
"My head hurts."
He had a throbbing headache since a while now.
He didn't know if it was due to the madness, or caused by the increasing number of prayers in His ears.
A small number of anchors couldn't be enough for someone at His level.
"People are calling me crazy."
His lips weren't curled up high like a clown anymore, but He had noticed the abnormality.
Maybe He was indeed crazy.
"I'm not crazy."
The Evernight Goddess didn't answer. She was more of a quiet person.
The Fool knew, He had enough rationality left. He could still think normally.
"The Orthodox Churches have branded me as an evil god. Now, my believers are being hunted down and arrested."
When did you start thinking you weren't an evil god?
"Everyone thinks I'm an evil god—a crazy evil god."
How ironic was it to be treated the same as the True Creator?
He couldn't be seen as a normal person anymore, couldn't be sympathized with… He was only feared.
Apart from the Tarot Club, who did He have left? The Fool knew, He had no allies among the other True Gods.
The Fool had a dream.
He was smiling.
Looking at the empty air, the Fool asked a question.
It wasn't a memory of the past either. Was it a premonition of the future?
"But at least, you are on my side, right?"
With Amanises's help, the Evernight Church could defend Him and take His side-
Then, an answer came.
"I'm sorry."
Pain, shock, despair, realization.
The Fool looked back.
Stabbing a cross in His chest was Amanises. The item seemed to seal His Beyonder abilities.
With the shock, the blank paper in front of Him fell off the table and landed on the floor.
Despite His Fool Pathway abilities, the Fool did not see Her betrayal coming due to the concealment powers of the Evernight Goddess.
"…Why?"
Her face hidden by a veil, the Evernight Goddess's soothing voice resounded, "Our friendship had ended when you killed Roselle."