章節 398: Chapter 59: Rules for Tricking
Artelia District. Ermou Street.
In one of the most famous streets in the entire Artelia district. A large silver and white striped tent stood proudly, its exaggerated peak drawing attention as soon as one entered the street, which would inevitably make people look down at the colorful poster on the side.
'The Fabulous Gotys Circus of the Masked Ones!'
Like any good circus, a large podium surrounded a large arena inside the striped tent. The podium was full of spectators, some with bags of popcorn and drinks and others with drinks only, but everyone was excitedly watching the performance to come.
In the middle of the big arena, there was a person dressed in an exaggerated, colorful costume with extremely large shoulder pads and a relatively thin torso. The pants were highly baggy, and he wore a ridiculous hat with little bells on their head.
A mask covered their face, and it had a painted smile. Stars of different sizes surrounded the eyeholes.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" A woman's voice came from the figure, full of enthusiasm and childish mischief, infecting the crowd who shouted along with her.
"Wooooo!"
"Hahaha! That's the emotion we like!" Laughing amusedly, the masked woman paused for a moment before bending over herself in clear sadness and depression.
"Sadly, it's almost time to close the show..."
"BOOOOO!"
The crowd's reproach was swift, clearly showing their discontent.
Jumping on herself, the bells on her hat tinkled. "But that's why I've prepared one last act for you! Courtesy of your good friend, Miss All-Trick!"
Miss All-Trick also raised a gloved hand and snapped her fingers loudly.
Snap!
A great white light came out of her, and the circus lights went out instantly.
The sudden darkness sparked cries of alarm from the adults and screams of fear from the children. For a few seconds, that was the world as they knew it.
Snap!
With another snap of fingers, the light came on. The crowd exclaimed in fear, and the children applauded, amused, at what they saw.
A large box in which a person could easily fit was now in front of the masked woman. It was covered with curious holes, barely allowing the inside to be seen.
Several masked figures, dressed in the same way as the first, surrounded the box, but their costumes were completely white. A few of them had instruments, but what frightened the adult audience and excited the children was that most of them had sabers.
"Behold! Jack in the Box!" Miss All-Trick shouted, pointing to the box.
"I will be locked in that box if I don't get out before my faithful assistants finish the song!" The masked woman signaled, and those with swords stuck their weapons into the holes.
"I will become a ball of threads!"
"Don't do it, Miss All-Trick! You could get hurt!" A little girl in the crowd screamed, drawing the woman's attention, who pointed a white finger at her.
"Don't worry, sweetheart! There's nothing I can't escape from!" Finishing saying that, she laughed a little more and added, "That's why we're going to make things more interesting!"
Extending her arms, two of the assistants quickly approached, carrying a straitjacket and several chains.
Miss All-Trick did not struggle and allowed the straitjacket to be placed on her, along with the chain that would bind her tightly.
"Hey, is this safe?" a father asked worriedly. A trick like this was already entering territory he was not comfortable with.
He wouldn't be so worried if it hadn't been proven that the sabers were real. He didn't want his son to see an accident.
"Don't worry. Nothing will happen. I'm sure she will come out at the last minute; they always do that, " another responded, playing it down as he watched the woman being put in the box.
"Don't worry, Daddy. Everything will be fine." A small blond boy said to his father, who only pursed his lips uncertainly.
If Will ever saw an accident, his wife would undoubtedly kill him...
Not wanting to suffer his mother's wrath, the man pulled his son closer, so that if the worst happened, he could always cover his eyes in time.
"Just stay close, son."
"Mmm," Will murmured, uninterested but still obeying his father.
After locking the padlock and wrapping several chains around the box, the assistants began to play their instruments. Fun yet anxious music filled the arena.
As the music played, the assistants with the sabers surrounded the box. The cold metal reflected the light of the lamps that illuminated the arena.
The music picked up faster and faster, a sign that time was running out.
As the speed accelerated, so did the hearts of those present.
Thump! Thump!
The sound of the drums marked the end, and at the same time, the sabers pierced the box.
Screams of horror filled the stands, and parents quickly covered their children's eyes.
However, there was only confusion as the assistants did not move from their places or try to help. Instead, they continued to stab the box with their sabers, making sure that no place was left free.
"Well, that's grim." A familiar female voice sounded from the side, and the audience turned to look in amazement as Miss All-Trick suddenly sat next to the girl from before, holding a deck of cards and showing her some tricks.
"Luckily, I'm not there anymore." Amused, the woman snapped her fingers, and another flash of light blinded those present as the light went out.
It only lasted 5 seconds, but she had disappeared when the lights came back on.
"I missed the trick!" Will cried, looking at his father, who could only try to calm the child whose eyes were piercing his soul and heart.
"Sorry, sorry!"
...
Large lights pointed to the center, where a small podium was painted in bright colors with ridiculous animals and figures. A man stood on it.
This man was wearing a bright red waistcoat with black buttons, a tall black hat, and white gloves—a simple mask with a smile painted on his face.
This man extended his hand to the audience and laughed joyfully amid the applause.
"Thank you very much for your attention! We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for a new show!"
"And also! Don't forget the special collaboration we'll have next Tuesday! An event that rarely happens!
"A special performance! The Delo Circus and the Gortys Circus will collaborate! You can't miss it!"
"See you soon, and have a good night!" The man took off his big hat, placed it on his chest, and bowed elegantly.
Boom!
A large cloud of purple smoke surrounded him, hiding his figure from the surprised audience. After a moment, the cloud dispersed, and the man and the small podium disappeared.
This trick only made the audience scream with excitement.
"He. That trick always works." Laughing softly backstage after using the hidden trapdoor, the announcer could only give thanks for such a fun job.
Miss All-Trick's carriage. A little later...
"Ahrggg!" Lying back in her seat. The woman removed her mask and pulled down her hood.
Her blonde hair fell free, and she used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The face of her new identity, Livia Storm, was revealed.
After finishing another series of circus performances, the woman continued her half-hour relaxation before returning home to Xio, who was probably preparing dinner as usual.
She was a little embarrassed to notice that this had been the case since they had met.
'I need to learn to cook other things than scrambled eggs and tea...' Noting that she should get a cookbook, the woman grabbed her tunic and pulled it away from her body, letting a little cool air in.
'Even with the autumn on us, the heat in the tent is extremely uncomfortable. I feel like I'm cooking!' Grabbing a simple glass and filling it with water from the simple tank in her room, she emptied the contents in one big gulp.
She repeated this three times until she felt her throat was no longer a desert of salt and bitterness.
Returning to her seat, Fors closed her eyes and felt the progress of her potion.
Opening her blue wells, which now shone more ethereally, she nodded gently.
'At its core. A Trickmaster will never be anything more than a trickster. Someone willing to use all kinds of tricks to achieve their goals. Whether they are fair or unfair, it doesn't matter.
'As long as they achieve their goal, the means don't matter. That's the core of a Trickmaster.'
Fors was sure she had finally found it. Not only was the sense of digestion she felt at the moment of performing the trick greater than her usual tricks of cheating at cards, but also because her spirituality and intuition whispered to her.
Sinking into her seat, almost merging with it. The woman just laughed pathetically.
She should have realized it the day she helped that lunatic kill Pirate Admiral Qilangos. When she intervened to paralyze the pirate, her potion overreacted momentarily.
She didn't realize it because of the emotion of the moment and everything that happened afterward: helping the fight, running away from the churches, and hiding. There was no time to think about it.
'At that moment, I acted like a true trickster. Waiting for the right moment to pull off my trick and rob the winner of his victory...
'The potion was not digested because I was not acting correctly. Not counting how I never revealed myself, and according to Mr. Kenway, an audience's reaction is important for digestion...'
Fors nodded weakly, her head bouncing senselessly.
Missing an 'opportunity' like that didn't bother her. If she had revealed herself, the Nighthawks and the Machinery Hivemind would have known that there were more Beyonders besides those two, and escape would have been impossible, forcing her to use one of the stones.
'Even a cheater must know when it is appropriate to use their hand. If a cheater can't even ensure they survive the 'game,' are they really a cheater?'
Fors felt that this could even apply to the Apprentice. The abilities she had gained by advancing to Trickmaster, while they might sound strong, were actually relatively weak.
The writer felt that the true function of the skills she had obtained was not to help her in combat but to help her escape!
'If it's really like that and the Apprentice's pathway is focused on escape, I can say I got the best possible path!' Fors could say she had no regrets about her path for the first time.
What was the point of having strong and extravagant powers if you couldn't save yourself with them?
'Escaping with your life could even be considered another form of strength... Mmm, that sounds good!'
Taking a simple notebook out of her waistcoat, Fors wrote down her recent thoughts. Underlining them several times.
She could use this idea for a book...
Finishing jotting down an initial idea. The book was closed and placed on its side.
Even though she had found the Trickmaster's core, that didn't mean she had already won. She had only seen the right path, and she still had to travel it.
She had to change many of her performances, as they were more like those of a Magician than a Trickmaster. Even her trick today was more like that of a Magician. She needed to make adjustments.
'But that's during working hours; now I'm free!' Not wanting to work unpaid overtime, Fors quickly got ready to leave.
She changed into her most comfortable clothes: a soft yellow tunic dress bordering on vanilla, her wide-brimmed hat, and a white umbrella. Adjusting her laurel and better arranging her bracelets on her arms, Fors left her 'room' and calmly made her way home.
Passing through the quiet streets of the art district, Fors' mind returned to the announcement made by her 'boss'.
'Mr. Kenway said that one of the missing members worked in that circus. Maybe I can finally meet him... His name was Nathan, and if I remember correctly, Miss Sasha's partner. What kind of man is capable of dealing with that woman? He must be a real giant, a warrior worthy of the most brutal coliseums...'
Fors felt nothing but respect for that huge woman along with perhaps a little fear - it would be stupid not to be nervous of someone whose arm is almost as big as your head - but she couldn't help thinking that the partner of that great woman must be the epitome of a mountain.
She was sure that Nathan would be that circus's 'Strong Man'. Lifting tables full of people on his back and doing push-ups with them, throwing massive rocks over great distances, and with his prodigious size several heads taller than the people around him, he would be easy to see...
The writer couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous about meeting such a man.
As she considered how to handle her encounter with such a sinister man, a soft melody reached her ears.
'What a beautiful song...' Fors stopped her walk for a moment to listen and look across the street where the music was coming from.
Strumming his guitar strings delicately but with emotion, a man was sitting on a folding chair. His eyes were closed, and he had a simple gray hat at his feet that already had some coins.
She could feel how the anxiety that had been whipping her up these last few days was cleansed by the dancing of the strings. Closing her eyes for a moment, Fors let the melody wash over her and bathe her.
Releasing a silent sigh, the author took a purse from her tunic and, after thinking for a moment, took out eight cupprum. Waiting for the passing carriages to provide a window, she crossed the street.
"It was a beautiful melody." Flattering with a small smile, Fors dropped the coins into the hat.
Being closer to the man, she could see his features better. He was an older man, perhaps in his thirties or mid-forties. His hair was a dark gray and wrinkles adorned his face, although he showed his age, the man was still good-looking.
Contrary to her expectations, his clothes were not old or damaged. They looked quite well cared for and of good quality, and their vivid green and blue colors were still evident.
'Not a vegar. A hobby, then?' Fors noticed as she straightened up, seeing how she had gained the musician's attention.
Looking up and without stopping playing his guitar, the man opened his eyes revealing a soft crimson red. "Thank you, Miss."
Fors paused for a moment, surprised by the sight. Recovering immediately, the woman gave an elegant curtsy, grasping the edges of her tunic, and said goodbye to the man.
"I thought they would be black..." The writer looked over her shoulder curiously at the man, who lowered his head again and continued to strum the guitar, filling the street with melody.
After a few seconds, she continued on her way at a more leisurely pace. Planning to tell her best friend about this curious encounter over dinner.
章節 399: Chapter 60: The Fool doesn't want to get jumped
Friday, September 7th. Artiros Street, Warehouse 7, 11:30 am.
Klein wore darker robes than usual and had added a bit of makeup to change his appearance. He looked at the man in front of him with an emotionless face.
Harvey Wayne smiled at the look he was receiving, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he led the detective through the empty warehouse.
"Why the long face? I told you we're simply going to a place where we can talk more comfortably."
"I thought we were going straight to the party."
"The party is at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. It's still a long way off." The man replied with a chuckle.
"May I know why you made me come then?" Klein let out a little annoyance, asking a little harder than he meant to.
Realizing his mistake, he tried to rectify himself, but the man's amused response stopped him.
"Because it's an Aurora Order party, I thought you might like a little time to prepare~"
'What?!' Barely swallowing that shout, the clown looked dazedly at the man who had stopped walking.
"..."
"..."
After a few seconds in silence, he was the first to break it, "Is that a good idea?"
"Of course! Why?" Harvey answered quickly, not even passing a second. His eyes shone a bit more.
"..."
Klein had many, many reasons to not participate in a gathering organized by the Aurora Order.
That organization follows an Evil God. He already had a confrontation against it. He didn't want to associate with a group of lunatics...
But the most important reason why he didn't want to participate is because he technically killed the son of their God!
Klein was sure that Chariot knew his true identity. If not for his recognition of him as the Blessed of the Fool in their first encounter, it would be because the Scarlet Monarch revealed it to him. It was also very likely that he knew the details of what had happened in Tingen.
For all that, he was surprised that the man was willing to enter the lion's den.
'Wouldn't going in there serve me on a silver platter?' While he didn't say it, how he looked at him couldn't have been more obvious.
Chariot smiled mysteriously and winked mischievously. "It may not look like it, but this gathering is one of the safest we can participate in."
That said, the man turned and continued to a door at the back of the warehouse, leaving behind a perturbed Klein.
Recovering, the man quickly sped toward the door where the man disappeared.
'What the fuck does that mean?! Explain yourself, Chariot!
'Don't think you can just escape after saying that!'
Opening it, the man was about to step inside when he froze.
'I'm going to be jumped?'
His muscles tensed, and the desire to use the slumber charm in his pocket to escape was immense, but he suppressed it.
'This is what I get for not asking if it would be just the two of us...'
Chariot, in his true appearance, was a few meters from the detective. His fiery red hair was tied in a high ponytail, leaving two loose parts to frame his face.
The handsome man sat in a simple wooden chair, his legs crossed, his cheek resting on his palm.
At his right side stood the same white-haired woman he had seen a few days ago in his office. Her gaze was still disinterested, but Klein could sense that there was a little more attention on them.
Finally, a few steps to the side of them were a man and a woman, the latter seated. The woman was blonde and wore dark robes and a curtained hat, barely revealing her face, but he could still sense she was looking at him.
Klein would have thought she was a doll if he had not seen the rise and fall of her chest.
The man appeared older, with pale skin and eyes that barely contained malicious intent. The clown would have already thought he wanted to attack him if it weren't for his bored expression.
"Let me introduce you." Smiling, Adryan pointed to the white-haired woman. "The beautiful woman next to me is Flora. You've already met her. Outside, use the name Abigail when addressing her."
"The one who looks like a doll is Madam Sharon, while the one who looks like a rabid dog is Maric. Don't let those scary eyes deceive you; he is actually a puppy."
After introducing the gothic duo - and ignoring the look Maric was giving him - the redhead laughed and winked at the detective.
"They're all part of my team. Treat them well, yes?"
Klein looked at the group in front of him, keeping his eyes on each member for no more than six seconds.
'Team of a Demigod... None should be below Sequence 6... Powerhouses surround me...' The man had to fight to not try to swallow.
This was the second time such a strong team had surrounded him, the first being when he met the Crestet Cesimir team.
'If they wanted to, they could kill me without me being able to do anything...'
Knowing that he could not show weakness in front of such a group, Klein controlled his body and showed no reaction other than a subtle nod.
"..."
"..."
"..."
'Why isn't he saying anything?' Pursing his lips a little, the clown discreetly glanced at the rest, and to his surprise, the duo on the left was looking at Chariot.
For her part, Flora had only one hand clenching her brow in exasperation.
"Well?"
Chariot's sudden words snapped him out of his trance, and Klein returned his attention to the smiling man.
"Excuse me?"
"You have yet to introduce yourself to my group. It is bad manners not to do so when we gladly prepare to receive you."
'This guy loves to get on my nerves.' Feeling like a vein wanted to burst in his brain and give him an aneurysm, Klein could only sigh internally to calm himself.
After a few seconds of consideration, he decided to return the coin.
"I'm Detective Sherlock Moriarty; it's a pleasure."
If Chariot was willing to show the trust he had in showing him his true appearance, then Klein knew he couldn't stand by and let him show off alone.
Clapping his hands, Adryan jumped up from his seat and walked to his side. With more familiarity than Klein was comfortable with, the redhead draped his arm over his shoulder and pulled him to him.
'Are you forgetting how big you are?!' The detective thought, somewhat embarrassed. The difference in height and size between them causing his cheek to collide directly with the man's prominent chest.
Klein also noted, somewhat surprised, how soft they were and how nice his body smelled.
'It's like two pillows...' Upon realizing what his mind had said, the clown wanted to put another bullet in there.
"He's a good friend, so take good care of him." With that said, Adryan released the detective from his grip, but not before patting him on the back.
'Chariot is a lot more playful than I thought...' Somewhat out of sorts, Klein adjusted his laurel and looked flatly at the rest, noting how the white-haired woman was looking directly at him.
"Well! With introductions made. Why don't we discuss how we'll attend the gathering?" Laughing a little, the red-haired man raised his voice a little.
"While it will be safe enough. The last thing we want is to draw attention to ourselves. That will only cause problems.
"So our priority will be to be as common as possible."
"It would be best if we went in separate groups instead of together. That way, we can gather ingredients and materials without attracting too much attention." Adryan laughed softly as he looked at Klein. "Sure, you'll give us the money for the ingredients you want.
"Since we are in the same place, we won't charge any fees. Aren't I very good?
"Is there a specific material you're looking for?"
Klein nodded internally in agreement with the man's words.
Earlier, he was worried that gathering the Magician's ingredients might attract the attention of the Secret Order and even the Aurora Order. To avoid that, he had planned to gather materials at various Beyonder gatherings, but his worries seemed misplaced.
He was about to mention the same idea as Chariot but didn't know how to do so comfortably.
'Having smart partners is the best thing. You don't have to worry about always being the brains when the guy next to you can think.' Klein sighed internally in relief but couldn't help but look at the redhead with suspicion.
While he said he wouldn't charge a fee, he didn't say he wouldn't ask for anything in return.
'With this guy, you must always read between the lines...' With that in mind, the clown wasted no time making his request.
"I'm searching for the true root of a Mist Treant and all the spinal fluid of a Dark Patterned Black Panther. Pick one; I'll take the other."
Adryan nodded and, after a moment's thought, said, "I'll take the root." He then turned to his group.
"You guys aren't looking for anything for us to keep an eye open for?"
"Just some ingredients for talismans and rituals. We can get those ourselves." Sharon replied in a serene voice.
They did not need materials at the moment; they were only attending this gathering to fulfill their leader's mission and obtain a possible network of resources.
One could say it's more of an exploration on their part.
Adryan heard that and quickly responded, noting the opportunity he had there: "If you're going for ingredients, then pick this up for me. At least 50 milliliters of the blood of the Blind Goat; try to get more of it along with your materials. Also, 20 grams of White Stag hair. And at least four claws of the white raven.
"Considering the party it is, they should be easy to obtain."
"Understood." Saron nodded slightly, almost ignoringly.
Seeing that the last ingredients he needed for Serena were dealt with. Adryan made another request.
"I want Charlotte to read that book you obtained. Can I borrow it for him to use?"
When they completed the First Floor of the Tower and the woman obtained the talisman-making book, Adryan immediately thought of Charlotte.
Of course, he couldn't just take something from Sharon without more. While they were on the same team, who would like it if they just grabbed your stuff and gave it to someone else without your permission?
The most logical way to deal with this was, clearly, to ask for it like any good child.
He also waited at least a week before asking for it, this would increase the odds of him borrowing it since by that point, it was very certain that the doll had already read it in its entirety.
Sharron didn't rush her response; she just closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep.
"We will lend the book. But in return, the first 10 talismans he makes will be ours."
"Reasonable." The price was much cheaper than he thought, but the red-haired man didn't think anything of it.
'Is she really not a doll?' Klein didn't know whether to believe Chariot that the one standing in front of him was a human being and not a doll.
Nodding softly, Adryan turned his attention to his companion, who shook her head - something that didn't surprise him.
Next Sunday was the Hermits of Fate meeting, where there were sure to be things she was more interested in obtaining.
'Of course, where she would also have more authority. After all, she is one of the only 3 demigods in the Jacob family.' Praising his companion's thriftiness, Adryan couldn't help but frown a little at that.
Flora had been missing for several years without showing any signs of life. What would her family's aptitude towards her be like?
'Flora may be suppressed, but in theory, she's still a Demigod. No self-respecting ancient family - let alone one in as bad a state as Jacob's - would close the door on her.'
Adryan was sure they would have their suspicions and conduct their tests, but he wasn't worried about that. He would deal with it...
Seeing that no one else was saying anything, the distribution of the groups was quickly made.
According to Maric and Sharron, going alone would draw some attention, so a partner was necessary. For obvious reasons, Adryan and Klein would be in different groups - there would be no point in different people buying the ingredients when they were in the same group.
Adryan and Flora will be the first group to enter the gathering, followed by Maric, Sharon, and Klein 10 minutes later.
With the order ready and after changing his appearance again with Creeping Hunger, the group of 5 left warehouse 7 in the direction of the gathering.
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