All Parties Except Ebner

Friday Morning:

Klein awoke naturally, got dressed, and went downstairs to pick up the morning papers from the mailbox. Unfolding the Tarsok Times, he was immediately struck by the bold headline:

"Intis Ambassador Bakerland Jean-Mardin Assassinated! The Aurora Order Claims Responsibility!"

At the end of the article, the journalist briefly introduced the Aurora Order, listing some of its criminal deeds, boosting the group's notoriety to new heights.

The Aurora Order claimed responsibility? Wasn't this Tower's work? Tower's remarks about Mr. A during our last Tarot Club were fairly objective but still tinged with caution… not to mention his friendly connection with Miss Daly. He couldn't be with the Aurora Order.

Did they just voluntarily take the blame? Are they like some Earth-based organizations, using announcements to win notoriety and funding?

Then again, it could be a more complex scheme... or perhaps it serves some ritual purpose?

With a sigh, still somewhat puzzled, Klein dismissed the thoughts. One way or another, it's finally over…

He glanced out the window, noting the faint mist and sparse raindrops.

"In stories, this is where the bright sun and clear skies come out to match the mood, no?" he murmured with a self-deprecating chuckle. But for now, he had some spying to do.

…

Queen's District, Hall Manor

As Audrey was enjoying breakfast under her maid's attentive service, she overheard her father, the kingdom's upper house member and Hall Manor's owner, grumble over his newspaper:

"That Aurora Order is mad."

"The Aurora Order?" Audrey blinked with curiosity and asked, "What did they do?"

"Oh, darling, you wouldn't want to know. They killed Intis's Ambassador Bakerland, which does them no good at all," the earl shook his head as he flipped the paper.

Audrey's older brother, the earl's eldest son, Hibbert Hall, swallowed a bite of roasted mushrooms and offered his view:

"Perhaps they want to damage relations between the Kingdom and Intis, spreading the war from the colonies to the northern continent."

"No, if that were the case, they wouldn't claim responsibility and focus all the hatred on themselves. Besides, the kingdom has a slate of new policies about to be implemented, so we need a stable environment right now. We won't rashly start a war. The fact that last night's events were reported this morning, along with detailed accounts and an explicit culprit, is enough to show where the King and ministers stand." Earl Hall instructed his children.

Audrey sat there, stunned, as her father and brother debated the matter, taking a moment to catch up. Bakerland was assassinated? Tower succeeded?

But why the Aurora Order? I was planning to meet with Xio and Fors later today to commission them to approach Mr. A about the job…

Could it be that every member of that organization is mentally deranged? Or, as Father suggested, do the King, ministers, and Intis parliamentarians all wish for the Aurora Order to be the perpetrators…

Like the others, Audrey couldn't imagine that the scholarly, rational Mr. Tower would belong to the Aurora Order. With a soft sigh, she set aside the matter, mentally remarking:

This all happened so quickly and efficiently. I only helped Mr. Tower confirm the chief officer's location Tuesday night, and he was still preparing then… yet by this morning, I'm already hearing the results…

When breakfast was nearly over, and the maid brought her a dessert of cakes with cream, cherries, and strawberries, Audrey calmed herself and suddenly remembered something else:

Since Bakerland is dead, there's no longer any need for an assassination commission… but what excuse should I give Xio and Fors when we meet this afternoon? I did say I had something important to discuss…

If I suddenly cancel, will they connect it with the assassination of the Intis ambassador?

Hmm… perhaps… I should just send Susie in my place and skip it?

…

Cherwood, Xio and Fors's rented house

Yawning after her early-morning visit to Ebner, Xio pushed open the door to the lounge, not at all surprised to see her friend Fors lounging on the sofa in her dressing gown, a copy of the Daily Observer in hand.

Seeing Xio, Fors raised the paper with a half-joking, half-inquisitive look. "Don't tell me you two have been busy with this."

Xio glanced at the headline, smoothed out her messy hair, and replied, "If the wrong person overheard that question, it could cause a war between two countries."

"Surely not," Fors blinked, uncertain.

"With a bit of embellishment, you just implied that MI9 schemed to assassinate the Intis ambassador… isn't that serious enough?" Xio remarked with a deadpan expression.

Fors gaped at her friend, astonished at her newfound sharpness. She's definitely learning this from Ebner, she thought, quickly changing the subject.

"The time we set to meet with Miss Audrey is coming up. Should we get ready?"

She probably has no idea what she's meeting us for now, Xio silently mused, then looked Fors up and down and said, "You're the only one who needs to get ready."

Fors chuckled as she attempted to sit up, failing and rolling onto the floor instead.

After some quick tidying up, Fors and Xio made their way to Viscount Glylington's home.

Good manners ultimately kept Audrey from sending Susie to meet her friends in her place. She was also curious if Xio and Fors had recited the Fool's honorific name yet.

So after simply commissioning them to investigate a lead in the "Backlund Serial Murders," Audrey began probing carefully.

In the end, before Xio's hat could hide her increasingly peculiar expression, Audrey wrapped up the "date," regretting that she'd learned nothing of interest.

…

Western District, Intis Embassy

Sneaking towards the core ritual altar in the archives under the cover of night, Charles Sauron found himself ambushed by six embassy guards, including the Arsonist Joe Philip, the Witch Bianca, the Wind-blessed Mara Goldo, and four other lower-ranking officers.

Seeing so many people here all at once, Charles 's emotions surged, and he impulsively summoned a "Fire Crow"—causing everyone else's expressions to darken, clearly connecting the dots.

"Charles ... When Fanny came to me earlier, I didn't believe you could be a mole... but I see I was wrong. And the price for betraying the ambassador was Arsonist materials, wasn't it?" Mara, the Wind-blessed, asked with evident regret.

Though from different factions, Mara and the Sauron family weren't without personal ties.

The Witch Bianca simply cast Child a cold look and demanded, "Did you bring the Aurora Order here as well?"

Charles initially resisted, but as a new Sequence 7, he was no match for so many Extraordinary opponents and was soon subdued by Mara.

Forced to concede, Charles admitted, "I only leaked information about one of the ambassador's private dealings to MI9—I didn't conspire with outsiders to harm him."

"So you slandered Mr. Sarré just to cover your tracks?" A junior officer who had benefited from Mr. Sarré's support asked angrily.

"Correct…" At this point, Charles saw no reason to deny it and nodded.

"Hmph, whether or not you were involved in the ambassador's assassination isn't up to you to decide… Wait for our professionals to interrogate you back home! And they won't be from your Sauron family," said Joe Philip, the Arsonist, with a cold snort.

The Wind-blessed Mara waved to halt the others from taunting Charles further. Using a magical item, he sealed Charles 's abilities and personally escorted him to a room encased in a "Barrier."

Returning, he asked Bianca, who was examining the Guardian Ritual, "Did the fight affect the ritual's core?"

Lowering her head to examine the altar, Bianca dropped her eyes and sighed, "Not too much, though Charles may have planned it... His Fire Crow burned parts of the ritual's records… a lot of traces and auras can't be restored… It might require Mr. Sarré's personal skills. I'm not capable."

"I see…" Mara, suspecting nothing, nodded and then said, "I'll wire home with the latest updates…"

…

On the third floor of the embassy

Listening to a junior officer's report, Mr. Sarré, still under house arrest, turned to his granddaughter, Fanny, and said with a smile, "With this development, your father's situation will immediately turn around… I expect I'll be released by noon tomorrow."

Seeing her smiling eyes, he continued, "We owe this insight to that 'Hero Detective'; I wouldn't have realized the issue's root otherwise… Haha. Since you're acquainted, why don't you invite him over? I plan to host a dinner on Sunday to thank him properly."

Startled, Fanny quickly beamed and nodded, "Alright."

…

Time flew, and it was soon Sunday.

In the spacious underground chamber that resembled a temple, Erin reported her findings to Mr. A and concluded, "According to a 'friend' within the embassy, Bakerland died after the embassy's 'Ritual' was altered and he was attacked by at least four different abilities… The killer might even have a 'Spatial Leap' ability, which they used to escape."

"That does sound like our methods... If I didn't know it wasn't one of ours, I'd assume X was behind it—it's just his style."

Mr. A nodded, then shifted his tone, chuckling. "Heh, but anyone with multiple pathway skills and an understanding of ritual magic could also be a 'Mysticism Magister.'"

"A Mysticism Magister?" Erin, new to the Order, was unfamiliar with the term.

Without explanation, Mr. A continued speaking to himself. "And I happen to know the Church of the Storms has a Mysticism Magister in Backlund! Bakerland's Marionettist even turned a Wind-blessed member of the Church of the Storms into a puppet! Hmm… and that Marionettist hasn't been seen for two days... I wonder if they've been killed by that Mysticism Magister or if they're in hiding…"

"You mean... the Church of the Storms might have assassinated the Intis ambassador? Ah, this reminds me… a 'friend' in the military mentioned they recently gave the Church a peace offering... he seemed to mean a 'puppet'..." Erin's voice was filled with surprise. This was big news.

"Regardless, Intis needs to know… that's part of the cost of us covering for the Church of the Storms…"

Straightening up, Mr. A gazed down at Erin, issuing his command, "You'll handle this."

"Yes, my Lord."

…

Meanwhile, Klein's contract with his bodyguard finally expired. After their adventures—spying, social gatherings, and exploration in Baron Pompey's cellar—they had forged a slight bond and exchanged contact details before parting ways.

Confirming his bodyguard's departure through various means, Klein ascended the gray fog, intent on testing one of his theories.

Moments later, under his control, a cloaked dummy—infused with Rosago's remnant Black Eye abilities—slowly gained lifelike motion.

With a satisfied smile, Klein looked at the dummy across from him.

"Welcome, new member. Which Tarot card would you like to pick?"

As soon as he spoke, he closed his mouth, and the dummy lifted its hand to its chin, chuckling hoarsely:

"World."

"I'll take 'World'."

(End of Chapter)