Audrey calmed the envy in her heart and smiled faintly.
"I can understand. I hope to one day be able to exchange information about the diary's contents"
"That will require a price" Klein smiled and glanced at Justice, then swept his gaze towards the silent Hanged Man.
Audrey put her palms together and placed them in front of her.
"Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, I have three questions to ask. If you think that the answers warrant a high price, tell me what you want, I will try my best to seek it"
"No problem," Alger answered succinctly.
Klein nodded and leaned back further, making himself comfortable.
Audrey thought for a few seconds and said, "The first question is, what does 'acting' really mean? | realize that the remnant psyche in the potion has minute effects on me; is that because l've been acting as a Spectator all this while?"
Alger did not speak; instead, he looked at The Fool, as though waiting for him to give an answer.
Klein rubbed his finger on the edge of the table and said in a relaxed tone, "Let me explain this with an analogy.
Imagine the core powers of your potion as a tightly guarded castle. The remnants of the psyche that can cause a lash back resides within that castle. Our goal is to get rid of it and become the true master of the castle.
There are two ways we can do that. The first is to forcefully invade the castle. There is no guarantee that this will work, and you will most definitely injure yourself unless you can suppress it with absolute power. But of course, we are not equipped to do that.
The second way is to get the owner of the castle to extend an invitation. This invitation can allow us to slide through the scrutiny of the guards and infiltrate the castle. We can then easily finish off the enemies. But the problem lies in the fact that this invitation specifies the facial features and characteristics of the guest. Thus, we have to disguise ourselves and act as the guest, do you understand?"
Alger immediately asked, as if he had anticipated this reply, "Then the aforementioned invitation is the name of the potion's Sequence?"
"That's right," Klein answered with great affirmation. While Klein was explaining, he was also secretly looking at Mr Priestess, for his reaction to this information. Nothing. He didn't react! It was clear that he already knew the acting method! This made him more sure of his conclusion earlier.
Audrey froze for a moment, having the sudden feeling that she completely understood what 'acting' meant.
She immediately exited her Spectator state due to her excitement. She praised in joy, "What an exceptional method, I think— I think it fits your title. Its style is very compatible with The Fool... I would never have believed that acting would have such an effect. Luckily, I have been acting as a Spectator the past few days"
She paused for a moment before saying, "I think that this is a very valuable answer; my heart is not at ease accepting it for nothing. Mr. Fool, what do you need in exchange? Of course, I still remember that I owe you a page of Emperor Roselle's diary"
"More pages of Roselle's diary, or..." Klein paused for a moment.
He had wanted to get information about the Sequence regarding the Seer but felt that such a low-level request would ruin the mystical image of The Fool. Thus, he chose to give up on it and planned to ask them discreetly some other day.
I just advanced recently and have yet to completely digest the Seer potion... He consoled himself and added on without expression, "Anything regarding the Antigonus family, even if l'm already aware of them myself"
…
Arthus couldn't really join in on the conversation, after all he has nothing to contribute to at the moment. He just listened patiently. Until Miss Justice asked a silly question.
She asked bashfully, "The third question. If-and I'm saying if—a normal animal were to drink a Sequence 9 potion, what would happen?"
There was a brief silence… then a laugh, soft and strange, like wind chimes stirred beneath the sea. It was a sound that didn't seem to belong entirely in the present moment, high and low all at once, slipping through the fog like a forgotten melody. Audrey blinked, caught off guard. It wasn't mocking, it was beautiful. Unsettlingly so.
The figure raised a slender hand to their lips in a delicate motion that felt too smooth, too graceful to be natural. Long, pale hair cascaded over their shoulders like poured silver, shifting subtly in the still air. Their voice followed, low and laced with distant music, neither man's nor woman's, but something that felt… other.
"Forgive me," they said gently. "I didn't mean to laugh at you, Miss Justice. I'll answer your question as an apology. It depends on the animal and the potion. But usually? It ends… badly"
Audrey blushed profusely from embarrassment and shame. They definitely knew!
Fortunately she was saved by Mr Hanged Man who she thanked greatly in her heart. He also provided more context and replied,
"Normal animals do not have the brains of humans.
They wouldn't be able to learn Cogitation in a timely manner. Therefore, it would most likely lead to immediate death or a breakdown into a monster.
However, if they survived the initial ingestion of the potion, they should become an extraordinary creature. If the potion has the ability to enhance their intelligence, they can even become smarter"
Audrey used the time Mr Hanged Man was speaking and recovered her mental state.
"Alright" Audrey breathed out a silent sigh and nodded while saying with a relaxed tone. "I have no other questions"
"Nor do I" Mr Hanged Man similarly replied.
In the corner of their eyes, they saw Mr Priestess, fidgeting nervously, as if contemplating something.
Audrey then turned towards him and asked gently "Is everything alright Mr Priestess?"
Mr Priestess after thinking for a while, then replied.
"It's like this, you mentioned that I had made a trade in our last meeting. I was hoping to ask for an update regarding that but couldn't find the right moment to ask. I'll admit I'm a socially awkward fellow" he said in an embarrassing but hopeful tone.
Hearing this Mr Hanged Man chose to speak as if to answer Mr Priestess's queries.
"I have purchased the potion formulas for the sequence 9, 8 and 7 of the Savant formula with the funds you had sent. Should I share it here or send it back with the leftover money that wasn't used in the trade?" asked Mr Hanged Man.
"Actually I will need to trouble you a bit if you are willing. I am currently paralysed and was told by my doctor that I will be bedridden for life. I'll need you to send me the potion formulas alongside the potion materials to the address of the offices for the Nachthelm & Co Logistics with my name 'Arthus von Nachthelm'.
I would like you to also write a letter addressing 'Arthus von Nachthelm' as well. These will be collected for me by my servant named Sebastian and I'll need you to explain to him in the letter that I had predicted somehow beforehand that I would become paralysed and that he needs to put the package in my secret vault. If any ingredients need special care please write detailed instructions for him to follow.
You will also need to ask him to go visit the Church of the Earth Mother to make large donations consistently and to get the attention of a priest or the bishop to help cure my condition. As for the leftover money, please take it as compensation for this inconvenience. Oh and please don't mention anything supernatural related in the letter. Though I'm sure it will not be intercepted or opened with it being addressed to my name, I'd rather be cautious. That is all from me" said Mr Priestess, shocking everyone present by name dropping his own name.
Alger was shocked, has 'The High Priestess' gone mad? Doesn't he risk angering The Fool by revealing his real name? Since they had all agreed to use code names after all. He looked towards the main seat and saw Mr Fool sitting as usual with his carefree attitude before responding.
"I will follow your instructions and do as you said. As for acquiring the potion materials, it may take some time. I hope you don't mind" as for the money, he didn't mention it as he intended on keeping it now since 'The High Priestess' insisted. He had refused multiple times but doing it again would just seem rude.
Across from him, the androgynous figure tilted their head ever so slightly, silver hair cascading like mist over their shoulder. Then came a soft chuckle, unexpectedly delicate, and strangely comforting, like the sound of wind through old lace.
Alger found himself unsettled in a way he couldn't quite name. The High Priestess always spoke with a calm that was too serene, too still. Like something that had forgotten how to be moved.
"Of course I don't mind," came the reply, smooth and musical. "Patience is a virtue, one I have been forced to master for the last few days" Just that faint, lingering smile, and a gaze that made Alger feel as though his thoughts were being gently peeled open, one layer at a time.
Alger nodded once and said nothing more. And silence soon enveloped the hall.
Soon after, the silence was broken by Mr Fool who said with a smile,
"I have something.
It will require your cooperation"
With just two sentences, he seemed to have everyone's attention, leaving them waiting in anticipation for his next words.