Audrey’s Shock
"The World" fell silent, realizing that those titles contained "knowledge" likely involving deities—of immense value. It was only logical that "Mr. Tower" wouldn't disclose them directly. But he still felt some regret; it was frustrating to be so close to the truth, yet unable to grasp it.
Too bad I have nothing to offer in exchange with Mr. Tower. Even the 1,000 pounds I have might not be enough…
He sighed inwardly, about to express his gratitude to Tower when "Justice" suddenly spoke up: "Mr. Tower, I too would like to understand more about titles like the Black Emperor and Blood Emperor. Would you tell me? I'm willing to compensate you. What do you require?"
Klein's interest was piqued, and he immediately halted all of "The World's" movements, focusing his attention on Tower.
Ebner hadn't expected Justice to take the initiative. His initial plan had been to have "The World" promise to retrieve the "breath of Calderon City" in the future in exchange for this knowledge. But with Audrey stepping in, Klein was unlikely to play the role of the "generous one." Ebner had to improvise.
"Miss Justice, have you made contact with the 'Psychology Alchemists' yet?" Ebner asked after a moment's thought.
"Not yet, but I have a preliminary plan in place for making contact," Audrey replied, somewhat surprised but honestly.
"I see… Because I still owe you for confirming the embassy's chief officer's attendance at the earl's ball, I'll give you a discount. If you can promise to find me the remains of a complete demigod-level dragon, I can tell you the information regarding the Black Emperor." Seeing her reaction, Ebner added, "The remains of a demigod dragon are not a main material for potions, so their value doesn't quite match the knowledge I'll provide."
Audrey was indeed taken aback; she hadn't expected Tower to ask for a demigod-level item, which was a bit overwhelming.
However, having reached the Reader level, Audrey quickly adjusted and considered her options.
A demigod dragon is certainly rare, but like Mr. Tower said, its bones aren't primary materials for potions, though they're indeed valuable as Extraordinary materials. Perhaps Alfred could help; if he could find the body of a drake, he might also know of a mature dragon skeleton.
And once I join the Psychology Alchemists, I might even be able to obtain such materials from them… Mr. Tower's question suggests they certainly have one…
After calculating carefully for about ten seconds, Audrey looked up and cautiously replied, "I can agree to this, but I'll need 'Mr. Fool' to appraise the value of your knowledge. Mr. Tower, it's not that I don't trust you, it's simply that I trust Mr. Fool's judgment more."
Saying this, she stood, gracefully curtsied, and addressed "The Fool" with a polite request: "Honorable Mr. Fool, may I ask for your guidance in overseeing this transaction between Mr. Tower and myself?"
Brilliant move, Miss Justice! Klein silently cheered, though he maintained an outwardly calm expression as he lightly replied, "Certainly."
Appraisal by The Fool? Well, that's basically giving him a free peek at the knowledge! Ebner thought with a wry smile. He pretended to contemplate for a few seconds, then nodded, "A reasonable request. I agree."
With The Fool's assistance, he conjured pen and paper, beginning to write down the pertinent information.
While this was happening, Klein, hoping to make efficient use of time, had "The World" discreetly assign Audrey a task to obtain information on all the fallen aristocrats of the Kingdom of Loen.
Why did he give the commission to me? Isn't Judgment more like a noblewoman than I am? Audrey was momentarily puzzled, then realized the clues that led "The World" to choose her.
Mr. Tower's words just now revealed that I am indeed qualified to attend the earl's ball. He also likely noticed my level of wealth based on my actions at this Tarot Meeting. Given that, he could make a reasonable guess about my general status. Since Miss Judgment speaks infrequently, he may have chosen me as the more predictable option for this commission… Mr. World is quite… experienced!
With that thought, Audrey offered a small smile, saying, "I do have some knowledge of the fallen aristocrats, but it's neither detailed nor comprehensive. I'll need about three to four days to gather it all. Will that suffice?"
As a noble, being aware of the status of her peers was essential, and Audrey often picked up interesting anecdotes at various balls, banquets, and salons. However, these stories were often fragmented, so she would need to check books, inquire discreetly, and gather details to compile a complete list of fallen aristocrats.
"That's acceptable," The World chuckled, then requested a private conversation with The Fool. He provided Audrey with knowledge of the "Hybrid" pathway from the previous diary as payment.
When their discussion ended, Ebner had finished writing and transmitted his notes to The Fool.
Feigning an air of nonchalance, Klein picked up the parchment, carefully reading:
"In each pathway, there exists only one Sequence 0, representing the rank of a true god.
"The title of 'Black Emperor' corresponds to Sequence 0 of the Lawyer pathway."
So it's confirmed, Klein thought to himself.
The Black Emperor is indeed a Sequence 0 title! So Tower knows about Sequence 0! His first time here, he recognized me as a 'true god' from the title 'The Fool'… This affirms my theory that 'The Fool' is a Sequence 0 title.
With various thoughts racing through his mind, Klein continued reading:
"I speculate that a Sequence 0 potion requires three Sequence 1 characteristics to sustain it. Thus, as the Black Emperor's return approached, both Tudor and Trunsoest, who held Sequence 1 of the Lawyer pathway, had no choice but to switch pathways. Otherwise, they might have faced annihilation."
"Trunsoest shifted to the neighboring Arbiter pathway, becoming Sequence 0 of that pathway: 'The Justiciar.'"
"Tudor switched to the non-adjacent Hunter pathway, achieving Sequence 0 as 'The Red Priest,' though he lost part of his sanity in the process."
Sequence 0… Counting the nearly confirmed Death God, all Four Emperors were true gods at the Sequence 0 level! The War of the Four Emperors was an actual war of gods. This is what the Epoch of the Gods truly entailed…
Klein struggled to quell the turbulent thoughts roiling inside him, knowing he couldn't let them affect his behavior. He took a deep breath, leaning back into his chair before transmitting the parchment to Justice. "The knowledge here indeed exceeds the worth of a demigod dragon skeleton… However, it may be a bit premature for you."
Justice's curiosity peaked, she eagerly picked up the parchment, only to be left stunned by what she read.
Her mind repeated one word: Blasphemy!
The rank of a true god can be reached through the potion sequence? Is there anything more blasphemous than this?
But… but Mr. Fool has validated its truth…
And the Black Emperor, Blood Emperor, Night Emperor, and Underworld Emperor all held true god statuses… Some books speak of the Fourth Epoch as a time when gods walked the earth… But now, it seems it was a time when gods ruled the earth!
The Hanged Man noted Justice's prolonged silence, unable to gauge her level of shock. Envy flared within him; he longed to understand the Black Emperor and Solomon as well…
After about three minutes, Audrey regained her composure, casting a complex look at Tower. "Thank you for this astounding knowledge… Its value certainly exceeds that of a demigod dragon skeleton. I'll do my utmost to locate it for you."
Ebner, expecting her reaction, simply smiled, "I'm glad it's to your satisfaction."
With the trading and commission phase taking so long, the ensuing free exchange only lasted five minutes before The Fool announced the meeting's conclusion and severed connections with the glowing crimson stars.
After the figures of Justice, Hanged Man, Tower, Judgment, and The Sun dissolved, Klein gazed across at The World's position, laughing softly.
"Having an alternate persona does make things much more convenient."
"And the gains this time are substantial!"
(End of Chapter)