章節 362: Chapter 23: Not a Lie, Not a Truth

The following day, Victoria Street.

'I need a cigarette... And a drink.' Vivian let out a long, low growl, pure exasperation and pure annoyance on her face.

In front of her was Apex Financial Solution, the firm she had helped a potential Wise Owl obtain.

'This guy doesn't waste any time...' the woman raised an eyebrow, watching multiple blue-collar workers move around the building, taking notes and discussing repairs.

Several passersby on the street watched this as well, some with curiosity and some interest, coming over to see what was going on.

It had barely been a day since he had bought it, and he had already begun to repair the firm. Harvey Wayne was either very sure he could get this dead business back on its feet, or he was very stupid.

Or he had a lot of money and no idea what to spend it on.

Any one of those three options was possible.

Shaking her head, Vivian adjusted the bracelets on her arms a little. That done, she entered through the huge double doors of the firm. Strolling through the reception area, she could see more blue-collar workers checking everything and being escorted by a well-groomed young man.

Ignoring them, she walked to the stairs. Her heels clicked on the tiles with a resounding Tap Tap Tap Tap.

"Excuse me, Miss!"

"Uh?" Snorting somewhat annoyed, Vivian turned to whoever had called her, and the well-groomed young man from before looked her way with a severe expression.

"What do you want? I have a meeting with your boss, and I can't waste time."

The expression on his face softened, and his eyes widened slightly: "Oh! Then you must be Mrs. Vivian! Yes, Mr. Wayne informed us that you would be stopping by. He's waiting for you in the office. I'd accompany you if I could, but I have-"

"Yes, I know. You have to accompany the revisions," the Barbarian rolled her eyes disinterestedly.

"If that was all, I have a meeting to attend."

"Ah, yes, go ahead... I'm Assistant Eleanor, by the way..."

"Don't care."

Having already turned off her hearing, Vivian ignored the man completely, turned around, and walked up the stairs.

Pursing his lips and frowning slightly, Eleanor could only return to his work. Criticizing the woman for being so rude.

...

Arriving on the fourth floor, Vivian lightened her walk and the force with which she was stepping. Her heels now barely clicked.

Her almost silent footsteps guided her to the last door on the floor, and, unlike yesterday, the plaque was no longer on it.

Stopping in front of the nameless door, Vivian clenched and unclenched her fists a few times. Her heart was pounding so hard that she felt her brain beating in rhythm with it.

Letting out a soundless sigh and closing her eyes, she went into semi-cogitation to calm down a bit. Once calmer, the woman opened her eyes and raised her right hand in a fist.

"You may come in, Miss Vivian!"

'Not only did you hear me coming, but you know who I am? What do you have? Super hearing?' Pursing her lips, Vivian considered whether this was a good idea.

'It's okay... I still have the gift...' The normally cold metal on her neck now felt like a silent guardian protecting her with its shield and sword. Ready to slay her enemies

With more courage, Vivian grabbed the knob and opened the door, stepping into the room.

"You're later than I thought. It's almost 11." Harvey Wayne pointed, not looking up from the documents he was reading. Besides the papers, she could notice a beautiful black pocket watch.

'Well, at least it's safe to say he has money if he can buy that kind of watch.' Vivian noticed the fine details that pointed out how high quality it was.

"You're weird. Has anyone ever told you that? How did you do that?" She grunted as she looked around the office.

Almost nothing had changed; the only difference she found was that the symbol of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom now hung on the mural behind Wayne's seat, above the paintings of the previous owners.

Hearing the lawyer's question, Adryan could only laugh in amusement:

"By your steps, Miss Vivian, you should lay off the booze and start exercising. Your belly is starting to show."

The woman's face froze, and an expression of disbelief was plastered on it.

Unconsciously, her eyes lowered to her stomach.

Not being able to hold it, Adryan began to chuckle.

"Hahaha! I'm just joking, Mrs. Vivian. You look very good for your age."

"Please stop playing games, Mr. Wayne." Recovering, Vivian gritted her teeth, her cheeks a little red.

She hadn't expected that teasing as soon as she arrived.

"Huhu~ Excuse me, excuse me. You looked too tense; I thought innocent playfulness would do you good."

'"Joking with a lady's weight is not gentlemanly."

"I didn't know you were a "Lady," I thought you were a Barbarian."

"With all the finesse this lady can summon... Fuck you, Mr. Wayne."

Chuckling in amusement, Adryan finally looked up from the documents he was reading. His coal-black eyes sparkled mischievously.

"I'm glad you've come, and well? What's your decision?"

"I'll stop you there," Raising a hand, Vivian silenced the man, who closed his mouth but kept a slight smile on his face.

Sighing a little, she straightened her back a little to make herself taller and stared into the man's black eyes.

"Before jumping into anything, are you a Wise Owl?"

Raising one hand into the air and placing another over his heart, Adryan closed his eyes and said solemnly.

"I swear by knowledge and wisdom. That I am a member of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, and if not, may lightning strike down and judge me as the sinner that I am."

''You crazy fuck!" Incredulous, Vivian jumped backward, trying to get as far away from this lunatic as possible.

She only wanted to know if he was a Wise Owl, not for him to swear an oath of that sort!

Before she could continue her escape, her back slammed hard against the door. A loud thud reverberated through the office, and Vivian could only stare frozen at the man who had finally opened his eyes.

Smiling gently at her, Adryan nodded graciously. "Now, do you believe me, Miss Vivian?"

"Princess, remember I'm still here," Flora said flatly, if a little nervously.

Swallowing her breath, Vivian returned the nod. "I-I think so, Mr. Wayne..."

Turning away from the closed door, the Barbarian felt cold sweat trickle down her neck.

She hadn't closed the door.

"Please take a seat. I think our conversation will take a while, so why not do it while we're comfortable?" Adryan gestured calmly to one of the seats in front of him.

Vivian nodded tensely and took one of them, moving it a little further away from the man's desk, who said nothing about it.

Once seated, the lawyer just grunted and stared into his eyes:

"Why don't you arrest me? I'm a wild Beyonder, isn't that your job?"

"You haven't caused any trouble so far; of course, apart from being a pleasure to be around, you're alright. I don't have to waste my time with you; other feral Beyonders require more attention." Adryan explained.

"Why do you want me to join your team? Is the contract method so simple?"

Adryan, who had been taken as a member of the Church at the whim of one of its members, smiled, amused.

"You can put it that way. But you're getting confused; I don't want you on my team. Well, not yet. For now, I want you to work for me at the firm. Helping me with whatever legal problems are coming our way."

"If that's all it is. Why did you offer to help me with my ingredients and formulas? Was it all a lie of yours?" Vivian narrowed her eyes. Suspicion was clear on her face.

Adryan waved his hand in disinterest.

"I do not lie, Miss Vivian. Everything I have told you has been the unvarnished truth. If you join my firm, your problems with ingredients and formulas will be over; I will take care of everything."

"Prove it," Vivian said with a serious expression, her gaze cutting.

"Oh?" Adryan raised an interested eyebrow.

"Prove what you say is true, and I join," the Barbarian explained, and her gaze sharpened further.

"It is very difficult to obtain the potion formulas from the Lawyer pathway. The only ways I know of are to either join the crew of a Sea King or become part of Intis royalty. Those are the guaranteed ones; otherwise, you have to try your luck outside.

"It's obvious that you are neither. So if you have a way to get it, then prove it!" Vivian finished tightly, squinting even more.

Adryan smiled some more.

"Princess, why don't you tell her the name of a Sequence from her path? I'm sure that will win her over." Flora recommended observing the conversation.

"That Harlot is a Barbarian. The following sequence to that one is Briber; I'm sure that'll be more than enough-

"The name of Sequence 2 of the Lawyer Pathway is <Duke of Entropy>," Adryan said as if he was talking about the weather, with extreme casualness and unimportance.

The aggression with which Vivian was watching him disappeared in an instant. That distrust that burned like a flame was extinguished by a tsunami.

The woman's mouth and eyes widened like saucers and visibly trembled. Disbelief and pure bewilderment were etched in her expression.

"What did you say..." the barbarian whispered, trembling. Her pupils shrinking.

"Princess... You're joking, right?" The Jacob stuttered. But the black-haired man's smile grew, shocking the noblewoman even more.

This bastard had said the name of a Sequence Angel to a Beyonder who was barely a Sequence 8!!!

Laughing softly at both women's reactions, Adryan rested his cheek on his hand. His glittering eyes narrowed.

"Is that enough for you? I can tell you the name of Sequence 1 if you like-"

"No need!!!" Holding up both hands, Vivian stopped Harvey from continuing. Her face paled, and a small layer of sweat formed.

This was not what she had planned! It was only supposed to be a simple test to determine whether he was serious!

She would have been satisfied if it had been the name of Sequence 6, even if it had been the name of Sequence 5.

She didn't expect the man to tell her the name of a Sequence as high as 2; he even seemed to know the name of Sequence 1!!!

Huff Huff Huff Huff!

Her hands were shaking, and she found herself swallowing saliva.

'I underestimated him too much... This guy is not a mere Church member. His rank has to be much higher than team leader!' A trembling smile formed on her face.

She may have bitten off more than she could chew...

'This is good... this is good. If he has information as important as the name of Sequence 2 and 1 of a Path, he might know something about it...'

'But I can't ask now. Something like that is not something I can just say. He'll look at me like I'm crazy!

'I need to gain his trust, prove myself to him. Once I do that, I can ask him...'

Even if he knew nothing, it was obvious that she could get closer to fulfilling her dream if she joined him.

Giving a weak nod, Vivian slowly lowered her arms.

While it was dangerous, she could see the opportunity in this danger.

"Give me a few days to give my resignation to Briarwood Chambers. By Saturday, I'll be working for you..."

"Wonderful!" Clapping his hands satisfactorily, Adryan rose from his seat and walked around his desk.

Vivian also rose from her seat and stood before the man. Still a little nervous.

Extending his right hand, the smile on the black-haired man's face grew.

"You may not have officially joined yet, but let me welcome you."

Coughing slightly, Vivian grabbed the hand and shook it. "I'll do my best."

...

A few hours later.

Now, Adryan was alone in the office. The light coming in through the window was now orange. Dusk was coming to an end, and night was approaching.

He had spent the whole day reviewing all the firm's debts and problems, along with the problems in the building the contractor had found and the price he was asking for the repairs.

'Dieter, I was wrong about you. Not only are you useless, you're a waste of oxygen.' Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Adryan signed and pushed the paper aside.

Adding up the debts and the repairs the building needed, the money it would cost totaled 45,000 sassem!

'No wonder he was so hurried to sell everything and leave. Not only was the mafia after him, but the IRS would be after him soon...' Shaking his head, Adryan could only sigh.

He could only be thankful that the bastard only had the firm for four years.

Luckily, he still had plenty of money saved up, so he could afford to pay it all off.

He had 42,192 pounds when he arrived in Lenburg, which he quickly converted more than half of into the country's currency.

With one pound worth three sassem, he was left with 90,000 sassem. That left him with 12,192 pounds in his savings.

"Princess... Do you really know the name of Sequence 1 of the Lawyer Pathway?" Flora suddenly asked.

"Yes I do. Do you want to know?" Adryan asked calmly as he set a document aside, placing it on top of a rather large pile.

Flora thought about it for a few moments. The cryptologist in her whispering in her ear to say yes but reason telling her it was a bad idea.

After an intense psychological debate, the Jacob replied:

"I'm fine."

"Your loss." Adryan said visibly disappointed.

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章節 363: Chapter 24: Familiar Face

Making sure that the candles were in place and that the symbol drawn on the paper was identical to the one behind his seat of honor atop the Gray Fog. Klein could only draw a tense sigh.

This was the sixth time he had checked that everything was for his experiment. This time, the experiment would be much more dangerous so everything had to be perfect, there could be no mistakes.

In front of Klein was a simple altar. On it were two candles, one large and one smaller. The larger candle was above the pupil-less eye and contorted lines, and the smaller one was placed in the middle of the symbol.

In front of all these things... was a single gold coin, one pound.

Having finished checking, Klein could only nod with narrowed eyes. 'Okay, everything seems to be ready...'

This time, he would try to sacrifice the coin to himself. Using Chariot's messenger summoning method only modified it so that, instead of targeting a messenger, it would target his identity as The Fool.

Rising, Klein grabbed the silver dagger he had prepared earlier and raised a wall of spirituality around the altar. He then took four steps...

Taking his place in the Seat of Honor in the Space above the Grey Mist. Klein remained calm, extended his arm from which his topaz pendulum was already hanging, and closed his eyes.

Going into semicogitation, he repeated in his mind 7 times....

'It's safe to pray to me... It's safe to pray to me... It's safe to pray to me...'

Opening his eyes after the seventh repetition, Klein nodded as he saw how the pendulum was swinging with a decent clockwise speed.

Having confirmed that it was safe, Klein wasted no time and quickly simulated the sensation of falling.

Returning to his body, the clown did not hurry but sat back and waited for the spirituality he had expended to recover.

After 20 minutes and feeling his tank full, everything was ready for his experiment. Lighting the candles, Klein closed his eyes, pressed his palms together, and prayed in Ancient Hermes...

'The Fool that doesn't belong to this era;

You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog;

You are the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck...

Your fervent servant prays for your attention,

I pray that you take these offerings,

I pray that you will open the gates to your kingdom.'

The ancient language reverberated in the wall of spirituality, and a wind formed in it. All this condensed into the larger candle that represented the Fool, concentrating and breaking through an illusory door!

Distant whispers reached his ears. He retraced the four steps along with the chants, returning to his seat of honor.

His attention was immediately caught by the spirituality that seemed to move through the air and stimulate this mysterious space. Without wasting time and following his instinct, the clown extended his spirituality towards it.

The illusory door that had appeared in the real world also formed in the Space Above the Grey Mist, and with a thought, it opened.

Klein could see himself kneeling in front of the altar and the gold coin in front of it. Without wasting a second, stretching out his will, he watched as the coin trembled for an instant before shooting back out of the doorway and through it, flying to stand in front of him.

Feeling his spirituality draining ridiculously fast, Klein cut off the supply to the door, and it closed.

Huff!

With a mighty exhale of air escaping him, Klein sank back in his seat and stared agitatedly at the crimson star-filled dome.

Calming down a little more, the clown grabbed the gold coin and began to play with it. His face filled with excitement.

'Now the Tarot Club will be more magnificent than before... And just in time to celebrate the arrival of a new member... Sigh' Sulking, Klein placed the coin on the table and began to roll it around.

With his experiment paying off, the clown did not stay in the mysterious space any longer and returned to his body. Shortly after, he ate the food he had prepared before coming and took a one-hour nap to regain his lost spirituality.

Once that was done, Klein put on the costume he had bought. He left his rented room and returned to his flat by carriage. But he didn't go anywhere near his house.

He got off several blocks earlier and changed into his normal appearance in an alley. He made several detours, and only once did he return home. It was early morning when he arrived, so he had to avoid making too much noise to wake the neighbors.

'I know how annoying it is to wake up because the guy upstairs just decided to remodel the living room at 5 a.m....'

Remembering old times, Klein used his clown powers to move silently through the corridors to his flat.

His movements were similar to those of a house cat who went out at night to see his stray companion and was only just returning home after a night of adventures.

Tired after such a night, Klein just made himself a quick and simple breakfast and lay down to sleep, waking up about 4 hours later.

When he recovered, the clown tidied himself up and took the 'Do Not Disturb' sign off his door. He waited to see if anyone would come in need of his skills. To his luck, only two hours after he removed the sign, a loud Ding! Dong! Sounded.

Someone had pulled the rope on the door!

Rising from the sofa, Klein calmly walked to the door. The image of the person behind it already forming in his mind, an image that made him pause for a moment, was that of two men.

Both wore similar clothes: simple shirts with brown cloth belts and black baggy trousers. They looked pretty large, with the physique of someone who goes to the gym frequently but doesn't watch their diet.

Their features were not typical of a Lenburg; they looked more like those of the Loen Kingdom.

None of them were saying anything, just glancing occasionally at the ends of the hallway as if waiting for someone to come along.

Klein processed this mental image and seriously considered whether or not he should open the door or jump out the window and escape.

Those guys looked very suspicious!

'I didn't just choose the neighborhood where I have to pay extra 'rent,' did I? That would be terrible luck...' Klein regretted not having a gun with him.

If things escalated, he could only defend himself with the cards in his pockets and his combat skills. Even if he was Sequence 8 and the people outside were ordinary people, he didn't know if they were armed.

If he had the time, he would climb into the space above the grey mist to divine over these guys. Unfortunately, he didn't have that luxury now.

'Why must it be so hard to find a dealer when you need one?' Klein complained as, with a flick of his wrist, his topaz pendulum hung.

Closing his eyes, he went into semi-cogitation and repeated seven times in his mind.

'It is safe to open the door... It is safe to open the door...'

He could only rely on his Danger Sense as a Clown and a simple divination, which was better than nothing.

Opening his eyes and watching the pendulum swing clockwise, Klein made another two divinations.

Having gone through Seer, he knew that divination was powerful but not omnipotent. It could be manipulated and tricked.

After 2 more positive results, Klein took this as a thumbs up and opened the door to his house with a casual smile: "Good morning, gentlemen. Sorry, I'm late-"

"You are Sherlock Moriarty, the Detective?" one of the men asked, holding a newspaper advertising his services.

He just sighed internally at their distinct lack of manners and the fact that they had never mentioned any book they were reading, the usual polite way to start a conversation in Lenburg when visiting someone.

'I'm an idiot.' Klein thought in disgust with himself, suddenly realizing what a horrible idea it had been to put his home address; he could only lament inwardly, outwardly he gave a small smile and nodded:

"That's me. Would you like to come in so we can talk more comfortably?"

The big men gave each other a momentary glance before nodding.

Klein moved to the side and opened the door further, giving them enough room to pass through. Without turning his back on them, he closed the door but did not lock it; he just motioned with the key.

This was so that if he had to escape, he would have another escape route other than jumping out the window.

"Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"We don't have time for that." The brown man cut in, "We're looking for one of our own who went missing two weeks ago. We need you to help us find him."

Klein watched this with a flat expression, "Am I going to help find a debtor for the mob? Should I do it?"

What if it was just a person who had made a wrong decision and escaped? Or what if they were just a snitch or a traitor to them?

The mere thought that his decision might kill someone 'innocent' caused a lurch in his stomach that he didn't show. But it gave him an idea!

"Could you tell me more about this person you seek? Their appearance, what did they wear before they dissapeared?"

One of the men pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his waistcoat and handed it to him. "These are all the details about the person we're looking for."

Grabbing the outstretched paper, Klein unfolded it, and the first thing he noticed was the half-decent handwriting.

'15 years old, damaged and oily black hair, light green eyes. 5'6' tall...'

'He keeps muttering things to the air, usually about things he sees but they're not there. The last time he was seen he was wearing a tattered brown shirt and black sailor's trousers, with plain shoes and no socks.'

'What is this? A guy with mental problems who escaped from the asylum? These guys aren't mobsters but somewhat aggressive psychiatrists?' The clown found himself a little surprised.

A sense of familiarity scratched his cheek, and Klein immediately noticed it.

This was a reminder of his spirituality!

Lowering the paper and smiling at the duo, Klein said, "Excuse me, but I have to go to the bathroom; I'll be back in a moment."

Somewhat shocked, the men only nodded in confusion.

Ignoring his embarrassment for using such a preschool excuse, Klein held back his desire to walk quickly as he moved to his bathroom.

Click.

Now alone and with the door locked, the smile on his face was broken and bitter; it was such that he might as well have been crying.

'What a shame!!!'

Shaking his head in resignation, Klein grabbed the silver dagger in his bathroom for each Tarot Club and raised a wall of spirituality. His pride smaller than before.

...

In the Great Palace above the Gray Fog.

Taking his place in the seat of honor, Klein grabbed the red fountain pen that manifested itself next to a parchment and wrote a sentence on it.

Repeating those lines 7 times, Klein placed the paper on his chest, hugged it and closed his eyes, falling asleep in a moment with the help of cogitation.

In the dream, countless lights of infinite colors danced and intermingled, quickly creating a scene.

It is a beautiful city, with morning sunbathing. One of the two rivers, the Khoy River, comes from the northern York Mountains and passes through the university district in the East Borough. The Tussock River merges with the city.

Tingen!

Klein couldn't look at his home for long because the next second, the scenery changed.

Now, he saw two people walking down a rather ugly street: a young man wearing cheap formal clothes and an older man wearing a black tunic and a felt black hat with a rounded Edge.

Both were talking about the area when suddenly, the young man turned to the side. To where he turned was a young man standing with his hands on his head.

The young man was quite dirty. His black hair looked greasy, oily, and badly groomed, and his skin was also quite pale.

The young boy looked up as if feeling he was being watched. His dark green, almost black eyes, lacking luster, looked demoralized and had a hint of madness.

As soon as his eyes met the young boy's, he began to weep blood. A dead laugh escaped his lips.

"Ah... You have the stench of death..."

The stage shattered like a mirror being struck by a hammer but Klein did not wake up.

The fragments condensed into one, revealing an older man with a deep gaze. In his calloused hands, he was holding a coat guard that was open in two.

In one of the pictures was a visibly pregnant woman with shining black eyes and silver blonde hair. Hugging her from behind was a man slightly younger than her, with short black hair and small eyes.

On the other, there was a much older photo. This one was of a man much like the one holding the necklace, holding in his hands a chubby baby with a bit of platinum blond hair on its little head.

Then the dream broke, and Klein awoke with a deep breath of air.

'That's why he looked so familiar! It's that Half-Monster boy at the Evil Dragon Bar!

Ademisaul!'

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