บท 18: Chapter 17: Acting as a Seer
Chapter 17: Acting as a Seer
(Klein)
Klein, as he dressed up like Mardock Sainz and sat in the background of the lecture couldn't help but sigh as a mundane human was speaking utter nonsense.
From his understanding, the Prophets of this world used their unique Aspects given to the by the Spell and Soul Essence instead of Mysticism based rituals to view the world.
So he was curious as to what a mundane human would preach.
Yet all he got was a conman.
Well…it seems like plenty of people believed this Awakened Bailey though, so it wouldn't be hard to get some 'customers,' as he acted like a Seer.
"Now. How about each of you turn to the person beside you and practise the 'Coin Tossing,' method I just taught you." The Mundane human instructed.
Klein now lampooned at the fact that he had yet to become a Sequence 8 Clown.
It was becoming hard to control his facial features.
The room was filled with a quiet buzz of murmurs, coins flipping in the air with varying degrees of success.
Some were hopeful, others anxious, but all of them oblivious.
It was laughable, really. Klein had encountered plenty of charlatans in his life—those who played with the occult or tried to manipulate fate for profit.
This Mundane disciple of Awakened Bailey was no different. Klein inwardly wondered if Awakened Bailey himself was like this.
Klein briefly considered leaving the lecture altogether. He wasn't learning anything of value.
But then again, maintaining his cover as Mardock Sainz required blending in, and if this ridiculous lecture was part of the path, then so be it.
He let out another quiet sigh, his fingers gently tracing the edge of the coin he held, a slight frown tugging at his lips.
If anything, the act of pretending to listen would give him more insight into the mentality of this world.
Understanding the locals' faith in these pseudo-prophetic techniques would help him exploit their beliefs when necessary.
A soft chuckle escaped his throat as he toyed with the idea of teaching them real divination. If he gave them even a glimpse of the genuine power behind his Seer abilities, they wouldn't know what to do with it.
But no—he'd keep that card close to his chest for now.
Mardock Sainz wasn't meant to be too conspicuous, after all. Still, it was tempting.
He flicked the coin in his hand absentmindedly, the metal glinting briefly as it spun.
The urge to mock this entire situation with a grand revelation was almost overwhelming, but he tamped it down. Timing was everything.
Mardock Sainz wasn't the Fool, not here.
'Klein— I mean, Mardock', he mentally corrected himself.
This identity wasn't just a mask, but a tool, a new role to play in this unfamiliar world. Patience would serve him better than wit in this situation.
Around him, the others were still caught up in their attempts at divination, tossing coins like their lives depended on it.
One young man near him fumbled, his coin skittering across the floor and into the leg of Klein's chair. The man blushed furiously as he retrieved it, clearly embarrassed.
"Don't worry," Klein offered with a practised smile, his voice smooth and reassuring, perfectly measured to disarm.
"It's not as easy as they make it sound, is it?" The young man stammered something in return, clearly flustered, and Klein merely nodded, pretending to return his attention to his own coin.
He wasn't sure how long he could keep up this charade without laughing out loud.
"I haven't had the chance to practise yet, might I try it on you?" Klein questioned, his voice calm and inviting, as if the suggestion was nothing more than a casual curiosity. The young man hesitated, his eyes flickering between Klein's face and the coin in his hand, but after a moment, he nodded, clearly uncertain but too polite to refuse.
Klein offered a disarming smile and readied the coin between his fingers. As he did, he discreetly activated his spirit vision, a subtle ripple passing through his perception as the world around him shifted into a deeper, more profound clarity.
The young man's aura flickered into view, a faint shimmer of colours and energies that Klein had grown used to seeing. But as he observed the man more closely, something unusual caught his attention. A thin, almost imperceptible string began to form around the boy, weaving itself into existence as though it were being pulled from another realm.
It was faint, fragile-looking, and yet unmistakably out of place.
'Well, this is odd,' Klein thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he scrutinised the string. He cast a brief glance around the room, his spirit vision scanning the other participants. They all appeared normal, no strange threads or peculiar signs among them. Only this young man seemed to carry this anomaly.
Curiosity stirred within Klein, but he forced himself to remain composed. Whatever the string was—whether a sign of impending danger or some latent connection to the Nightmare Spell—it wasn't urgent enough to act upon just yet. But it certainly warranted further observation.
Other than the string, the young man's spirit was relatively unremarkable. No hidden malice, no signs of being a Beyonder or anything out of the ordinary. Just an average, if somewhat nervous, participant.
"Well," Klein began, settling back into his role, his voice smooth and professional. "According to the instructions, you should ask me a true or false question. What is it that you're curious about?"
The young man fidgeted, his brow furrowing as he considered the question. It was clear from his demeanour that this wasn't something trivial for him, that whatever he asked held some real weight in his mind. After a few moments of internal debate, he finally spoke.
"Will I be selected by the Nightmare Spell anytime soon?" His voice was low, hesitant, as though speaking the possibility aloud made it all the more real.
Klein nodded thoughtfully, giving the appearance of taking the question seriously. Inwardly, he was mildly amused—of course, the coin had no real power over fate, at least not in this trivial exercise. But he played along, flipping the coin in his hand with a practised, fluid motion, letting it spin in the air before it landed neatly in his palm.
Heads.
Klein glanced at the result, keeping his expression neutral as he showed the young man the coin. "It says yes," he replied calmly, offering the answer with just the right amount of gravity.
The young man's face paled slightly, his eyes widening with a mix of fear and resignation.
Before the boy could spiral too deeply into his worry, Klein offered a reassuring smile. "But remember," he added, his tone light but steady, "these methods are just a way of practising. They aren't set in stone. And even if it were true, there are ways to prepare for the Nightmare Spell, aren't there?"
The young man nodded absently, though the worry remained etched in his expression.
Klein leaned back in his seat, watching as the young man mulled over the result.
In truth, Klein wasn't concerned with the Nightmare Spell. What intrigued him more was the string he had observed earlier.
Maybe the two things were indeed one and the same.
He would keep an eye on this young man, for now. If that string grew stronger, or more threads like it appeared, it might lead Klein to some new discovery about this strange world.
...
Alright a question for the fanbase, who do you think is the next new character I will introduce in a couple of chapters.
Your clue: He is an anime character
You can read up to 15 chapters ahead if you want to on my p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator
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