While the Storm Church's doctrines were less progressive and respectful toward women compared to the Goddess's teachings, it was still unusual for so many Storm Lord believers to encounter family crises in such a short time.
Could someone be deliberately targeting the Storm Church?
Pondering this, Klein pulled out a half-penny copper coin and determined his divination statement:
"Thomas Corson's wife's decision to seek divorce is influenced by supernatural factors."
As he muttered the statement, Klein glanced at Mrs. Corson, who was packing her belongings and preparing to leave the rented house. His eyes darkened as he flicked the coin upward.
The coin's clang echoed as it flipped through the air before landing in his palm.
The result was the King's face up.
This confirmed that supernatural influences were indeed at play.
But why choose Storm Lord believers for this?
Is it due to enmity with the Storm Church?
Or perhaps because Storm believers' inherent attitudes toward women make such meddling less suspicious?
Still, a series of incidents this concentrated would surely attract the attention of the Mandated Punishers sooner or later…
Unless drawing their attention is part of the plan.
Taking a deep breath, Klein once again felt that the title "King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck" might be a jab at him. Why else would such a casual case involve supernatural elements?
Though tempted to back out, Klein reminded himself that he had already accepted the deposit and needed to see things through.
At worst, he could hand over any findings to Miss Judgment for further investigation. For now, it was crucial to gauge the danger.
With this in mind, Klein entered a nearby café, borrowed the restroom, and sealed the space with spirituality before walking backward four steps into the world above the gray fog.
"Continuing the investigation into Thomas Corson's divorce will be dangerous."
After reciting the statement seven times, Klein opened his eyes and saw the spirit pendulum swinging in a small clockwise arc, the same result as before.
"The danger remains minimal… This suggests the Beyonder behind the scenes is of a low Sequence, perhaps even weaker than me…"
With newfound confidence, Klein returned to reality. He planned to wait until Mrs. Corson fell asleep that night before using a Dream Charm to enter her dreams and uncover what had caused such a drastic change in her behavior.
Before that, however, he decided to visit Bravehearts Bar. According to the code in the Backlund Daily, there was a gathering organized by the "Eye of Wisdom" senior this evening.
Having received "Berserk Grass" from the Sun's offering that morning, Klein intended to trade it with the craftsman-backed lady at the gathering for another mystical item.
While he already possessed Confession and the Magician Sequence itself was adept at self-preservation, who could ever have too many mystical items?
As Klein checked the time and confirmed he could still walk to Iron Gate Street in time, his ears were suddenly filled with layers of ethereal prayers.
A male voice… It seems to be Mr. Tower?
Having advanced to Sequence 7, Klein could vaguely discern the identity of the praying individual.
Reluctantly, he returned to the café, once again borrowing the restroom under the puzzled gaze of the waiter.
---
Above the Gray Fog
Sitting at the Fool's seat, Klein extended his spirituality to listen to Tower's request. He pondered for a moment:
He wants to "learn" from me? I don't think I'll have time today… After the gathering, I still need to investigate the case. And if I uncover something, tomorrow's schedule will likely be disrupted as well… I can't agree now only to go back on my word later.
Better to leave Tower waiting for a notification. I'll summon him when I'm available.
With that thought, Klein rephrased his response in the Fool's style, then "tapped" Tower's crimson star.
---
Damir Island, at the town's sole school
Ebner was somewhat surprised upon receiving the Fool's reply.
Copstick was expelled from Backlund long ago. Klein shouldn't have any new commissions from parents of grammar school students. Why is he suddenly too busy?
Could this be another "butterfly effect" caused by my presence?
After pondering briefly without finding any clues, Ebner decided to set it aside for now. He was about to continue studying Roselle's Dream Communication Ritual and Edward's Spiritism when he sensed the spiritual wall around his house being disturbed.
"Who is it?" Ebner removed the seal while equipping several mystical items.
"It's me, Cullen," a familiar voice replied. Moments later, phantom bats phased through the walls, coalescing into a black-haired, red-eyed, and somewhat androgynously handsome man.
"Viscount Cullen!" Ebner exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected Cullen to arrive so quickly—less than three days after receiving his letter.
It seems Cullen genuinely values his sister. Young Terrance might be in for a tough time…
---
Bravehearts Bar, in a standalone house behind the rear entrance
In a dimly lit living room illuminated by a single candle, several people sat around a table.
Klein, wearing an iron mask, quietly observed the gathering's attendees. Although the numbers were half of what they usually were, the faces he was familiar with remained present.
Near the left window sat the lady who had previously purchased the Fire Raven Bow—Hayrol Macht. Klein recognized her as someone who had connections with Mr. Tower, based on journalist Mike's descriptions.
Seated in a corner, wearing a black hood and possessing an excellent figure, was the craftsman-backed lady.
The chubby apothecary, whose face spilled out of his mask, was also present—an individual known for being provocative.
Good. Since both the apothecary and the "craftsman's agent" lady are here, my materials won't go to waste.
Relaxing slightly, Klein watched as the "Eye of Wisdom" elder cleared his throat and began speaking:
"Let's start the gathering. It seems others won't be joining us tonight."
He explained briefly, "The ongoing investigation into the serial murders has the authorities conducting extensive searches.
"Under these circumstances, it's normal and understandable for some to avoid attending gatherings.
"To be honest, the number of attendees tonight exceeds my expectations."
As soon as he finished, the chubby apothecary adjusted his iron mask and called out half-heartedly, "I'm looking to buy marrow crystals of the Fountain of Elves. Price is negotiable."
"I have them," Klein responded without hesitation.
He worried others might also have this particular material, potentially leaving him stuck with excess inventory.
Though rare, repeated occurrences in a single trading circle weren't impossible.
The apothecary appeared momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting a response after such a long drought. Regaining his composure, he eagerly inquired about the price.
After some negotiation, Klein sold the material for a combination of the Apothecary formula and 300 pounds.
Unfolding the note provided by the apothecary, Klein read:
"Southern Bridge Borough, Rose Street, Harvest Church, Bishop Utravsky…"
He quickly refolded it and tucked it away.
As their transaction concluded, a man seated on a high stool spoke in a deep voice:
"A friend of mine was unfortunately discovered during the investigation and imprisoned in the basement of a Storm Church. I'm looking for help to rescue him."
The Eye of Wisdom elder immediately responded:
"Wild Dog, abandon that thought! A Storm Church's Mandated Punishers and its Sealed Artifacts are enough to obliterate everyone here.
"Your friend's fate is sealed. Don't drag yourself into the same predicament."
The man called Wild Dog looked around the room, hoping for assistance, but found no one willing to respond. Frustrated, he pounded his leg and, with a voice quivering with suppressed tears, said:
"But what did he do wrong?
"He's an outstanding physician, saving countless lives. He's never harmed anyone! His father was even a heroic inspector who protected the people!
"But just because he consumed a potion and became a Beyonder, he's condemned to a life without sunlight, or worse, becoming an experimental subject for the Mandated Punishers?
"Why?
"Why…"
Wild Dog's anguished questions lingered in the room, silencing even the usually irreverent apothecary.
Sighing deeply, Klein, a former official Beyonder, thought to himself:
Perhaps the animosity toward the Storm Church is simply the result of years of grievances they've sown with others…
---
Western District, Intis Embassy
Owen, the recently arrived envoy to Backlund, turned to Tande, the Marionettist from the Secret Order who served as his protector.
"You've been up to something behind my back, haven't you?" Owen's voice carried a sharp edge.
The Marionettist Tande smiled nonchalantly and admitted, "One of my subordinates overheard a piece of news from a well-known socialite in Backlund named Irene. According to her, it wasn't the Aurora Order who killed Ambassador Beckron and Rosago, but the Storm Church's 'Mysticism Magister,' Stuart.
"I conducted some investigation myself and found that Stuart's abilities and motives make him the most likely suspect."
"So you decided to retaliate against him without consulting me?" Owen's tone grew stern as his face darkened.
"Do you think I'm that reckless? A 'Mysticism Magister' from a major god's church may not necessarily be weaker than me," Tande replied with a light chuckle. "However, I discovered that Stuart has a terrible reputation within the Storm Church. Many of the church's upper echelons dislike his proposals.
"So, I impersonated him and 'guided' a newly ascended wild Beyonder of the Instigator pathway."
He paused for a moment before continuing with amusement, "The kid is surprisingly naive—he actually tried to uphold justice in the Beyonder world! Before becoming an assassin, he even played the role of a vigilante in Backlund for a while!
"After becoming an Instigator, however, he struggled to find a suitable role-playing method. That's when I offered him an idea: to instigate the oppressed wives of Storm believers to file for divorce.
"Heh, the kid was so stubborn that even with my Puppet abilities for psychological suggestion, it was nearly impossible to get him to agree. If not for his friend being arrested by the Mandated Punishers, he might never have gone along with it."
Owen pondered this revelation for a moment before asking thoughtfully, "Stuart advocates for improving women's status within families?"
"Yes. Once this scandal breaks out and the boy is captured, the Mandated Punishers only need to interrogate him lightly to conclude that Stuart is behind it," Tande explained, shifting his appearance to mimic Stuart perfectly.
"Excellent! But your plan isn't as simple as it seems, is it?" Owen smiled, a gleam in his eyes as though he could already envision the internal strife within the Storm Church.
"Of course not. Forgive me for keeping it a secret for now, but I'll report back once the plan progresses further," Tande said as he reverted to his original form with a sly smile.
---
At the Same Time, in a Basement in the Queen's District
Mr. A, still coughing incessantly, suppressed his injuries with great effort as he addressed Irene in front of him.
"How's the situation?"
"Everything went smoothly. The Secret Order is somewhat suspicious that I deliberately leaked the information, but all I did was give them a lead, a possible idea…" Irene answered respectfully, her demeanor professional despite Mr. A's visibly poor condition.
"Good! Cough, cough, cough! Next, mobilize your 'friends' within the Storm Church and prepare to stir things up," Mr. A instructed between bouts of coughing.
"Yes, sir!" Irene replied before leaving the room.
Watching her go, Mr. A leaned back weakly and muttered to himself:
"Marionettist… Mysticism Magister… Once you've torn each other apart, I'll settle the score for blocking my way! None of you will escape! Cough, cough!
"Although I prefer direct confrontation, that doesn't mean I can't excel at using intrigue."
(End of Chapter)
(End of Chapter)