'A mission from Mr. Chariot... What kind of event is it this time? Something to do with the Rose School of Thought? No, it wouldn't be that. Miss Justice is too weak to take them on or even spy on them. It has to be something he reckons she can deal with... A job where a Spectator works...' Alger's mind raced, multiple possibilities being born in rapid succession.
Whatever Chariot had planned, it had to be something considerable. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that he wasn't chosen for it.
After the excitement of a possible way to negotiate with Sun, the young noblewoman's defenses were down, so she couldn't help but cringe a little at the sudden voice addressing her.
As a Spectator, Audrey immediately recovered and took a calming breath. With crystalline eyes, she looked at the robed man.
"What is this mission about, Mr. Chariot?" She didn't know how to take this, so the best move was to enter calmly.
Smiling at the young woman, Adryan gave a gentle nod. "It's a mission that requires your skills, and if you know how to take advantage of it, I'm sure your digestion will speed up."
Emerald gems sparkled even brighter; Audrey quickly understood what the man was trying to say.
A chance to act!
Controlling her excitement, the noblewoman took a breath. While the opportunity was there, she knew she couldn't just dive in head first. Not only did she need more information about what she could gain, but she also needed to know what dangers there may be.
"What's in it for me, Mister Chariot?"
Adryan grinned with all his teeth. "The Psychiatrist's potion formula."
'How many formulas does this guy have? Are you that spoiled? Being the blessed of a God is so good?' With a bit of a headache from his rapidly depleting spirituality, Klein couldn't help but groan at the silver spoons others were holding.
'The formula of sequence 7! Mr. Chariot had it all along? Is he also part of the Psychological Alchemists? If not, I don't understand how he has so many formulas!' The image of Chariot became more and more turbulent in the eyes of Alger, who gritted his teeth.
The man was a complete mystery; every time he seemed to know more about him and could paint a better picture, Chariot would come up with something completely new and brazen than before that would demolish every image he had.
'I may know his real name and appearance, but who's to say that's not a trick too? The Blessed of the Gods certainly are terrifying...'
'Psychiatrist! It's the one following Telepathist, Sequence 7!' Audrey felt her heart racing and a little cold sweat trickling down her back.
If the payoff was a Sequence 7 potion formula, then the mission had quite a considerable range of danger.
'It's alright. We have Mr Fool with us, a true God! There is also the Scarlet Monarch. The danger level is still acceptable.'
With two Gods behind them, though they had yet to meet one of 'Them', there wasn't much Audrey felt she had to worry about. If anything, the only concern would be paying for help if she needed it, but even that was something she could tolerate.
She was a Hall, after all.
Justice's answer came quicker than she wanted it to and with a little more emotion: "What Is the mission about?"
"I need you to assist one of my men in revealing Ambassor Bakerland as a spy for Intis." Adryan said, his eyes glinting with mischief.
Fors looked at her boss, somewhat confused and stunned. When she was still in Backlund, thanks to her status as a famous writer, she attended several nobles' parties, so she sometimes met the man and had an image of him.
The most she had noticed was that he was rather bold and flirtatious.
'...Bakerland?' Audrey froze a little, at a loss for words.
Bakerland? Bakerland Jean Madan? That womaniser was a spy?!
At her confused look, the redhead nodded, "And he's not just a spy. You could also consider him a terrorist. Several of the incidents that destroyed the relationship between the nobility and the rich were his doing. The rumors inciting the public to rise against the government were also his fault.
"Hehe. I must say he has guts; making so many attacks against the government being in the heart of the kingdom takes someone with several screws loose." With a chuckle. Adryan ended up rolling his shoulders in disinterest.
Although, now that he thought about it... Bakerland and him were, in some ways, complete opposites. 'Mmm. Curious.'
At his words, he earned stares from almost every club member. Who just looked at him as if he had sprouted other heads and arms. Though none as hard as Magician, who stared at him open-mouthed.
'Is this a case of two sides of the same coin?' Remembering one of the lines she wrote in her book, Fors closed her mouth, but her gaze was stunned.
'Look who's talking.' Klein barely held back the urge to roll his eyes but managed to stay strong. While the ending had thrown him for a loop, what the man had said was somewhat disturbing.
'So all these recent problems are because of you. What a despicable man!' Audrey squeaked in disgust. She never really liked Backerland and even disliked him a little.
Her father had warned her to be wary of the Ambassador. While he looked like a dashing, good-looking man, he was, in reality, a lecherous man who liked the company of ladies. Married or not, he didn't care.
Her disgust turned to contempt. The thought that such a man would cause a rift between the nobility, the rich, and the citizens and attempt to attack her home made her heart burn with hatred.
In her eyes, Bakerland Jean Madan had just received the death penalty. And she had no problem acting as a witness.
Audrey returned to the subject with a severe look: "What do you need me to do?"
'People with a heart of gold are, without a doubt, the easiest to do what you want.' Smiling, Adryan nodded.
"It's easy enough; for the next few days, one of my men will be gathering information at the Ambassador's residence. Of course, doing this on a typical day would be impossible.
"Not only because his residence is crawling with Beyonders ranging from 2 Sequence 5, 1 Sequence 6, 3 Sequence 7, and a combination of 10 Sequence 9 and 8 - it may be a little more but not much - but because Bakerland itself is Sequence 6.
"That's where you come in, Miss Justice."
'His information channel is terrifying. To know all that about the residency of an Ambassador...' Alger was a bit shocked at how much the man knew.
Maybe Chariot had a spy inside?
'How do you know all that?!' Klein found himself stunned.
How long had he been planning this to have so much information about Bakerland's security? One couldn't just know that much!
Fors was unusually still. If the Spectator had been looking at her, she would have clearly noticed how she had turned extremely pale.
'If he wants to break into a residence and steal information... The best way would be me... I'm so dead... No! Wait! Bakerlan is in Backlud!' Feeling her joy return along with her will to live, the writer laughed internally.
That guy might be a madman, but he wasn't an idiot! He wouldn't make her accompany him to Lenburg just to send her back to complete a mission; that would be stupid!
'It must be one of the members I haven't met yet. The Swindler perhaps? She would be the most suitable for this...'
'What do I go in for?! To die?!' Audrey shivered a little, but letting out a sigh, she decided to dig a little deeper.
'I haven't agreed yet; if you want me to do something too dangerous, I can always refuse...' Consoling herself a little, she spoke.
"What exactly would I be doing? From what you're saying, it would be extremely dangerous for me to participate."
"Oh, there is danger, but not as much as you think." Winking, he continued, "As I said, it's suicide to go in on any given day. The best time to get the information would be at one of his parties!"
"Parties? Wouldn't that be counterproductive since the security would be stronger?" Audrey questioned, narrowing her eyes.
"Yes and no. Security will no doubt be more vigilant at the party so it would be harder to move but that's exactly what we need." Adryan smiled mysteriously.
"With so much attention on the parties, they won't put as much power inside the house. So my man will be able to move around more freely than he normally would.
"Your job will simply be to observe, to be the spectator at the parties, one more damsel who will act as the secret poison that will be their undoing.
"Watch each guard and analyze their movements and patterns. The same is true with Bakerland. You're a Spectator, so I'm sure you can do it discreetly. You will notify my man when you see any change or if the Ambassador leaves with any lady.
Finishing saying the role the Tarot Club Bank would perform, Adryan couldn't help but laugh heavily as he remembered something.
"We have to thank in this what happened at Dutch Wilson's party in July. In a way, what the witches did that day will make this possible."
Audrey looked somewhat astonished at the redhead, but while there was a considerable danger, she wouldn't be the one dealing with it!
She would only be an informant, though informants usually have it the worst when they get caught. But she was confident in her ability to act.
The plan, to her eyes, she found no flaws, instead only a problem.
"Mr. Chariot, how would I go about informing your man of a change of guard or that the Ambassador is on the move? With so many eyes on the party, communication would be nearly impossible. The opportunities to pray would be few and far between, and if I did so too often, I would inevitably attract too much attention and be discovered," Audrey questioned worriedly.
Instead of answering directly, Chariot asked her a question that froze her in her tracks.
"You have a pet, don't you? She'll be our ace."
'Susie? She's just a dog! She'd be found out right away!' Audrey was barely able to keep from shouting a vast 'I refuse!'
How could she put her best friend/pet in such danger?!
Noticing how pale she had turned, Adryan jokingly added: "Don't worry. I'm an animal rights activist; I just need her identity."
'What are you going to do? Take it's social number and wear a furry costume, like that weird guy from Japan who thinks he's a dog?' Klein inwardly questioned the weirdness of Chariot's plan. Raising an eyebrow at how strange it sounded.
After discussing the plan and the moves for a while, the mission between Chariot and Justice started.
After a bit more, Klein gave the notice to change the meeting time to 3 p.m. Azshara time and agreed that Justice would do the test in half an hour, so he adjourned the meeting for the day. The clown, just like the members' figures, disappeared back into his body.
Opening his eyes, sitting on the toilet, Klein clutched his head and could only grunt at the pangs that assaulted his brain with discomfort.
'It was a good idea not to use the smurf account. Creating an avatar takes a lot out of me. I have no choice but to advance to Magician rather than do it. By advancing, the control I have over that space will be greater and won't impose as much pain on me. But I still need the money for the ingredients... Maybe if I pray to the Scarlet Monarch 'He' will be willing to give me the ingredients? No, I can't depend on the Gods in these things. I'm not out of options yet. I must also show my investment value; asking him to give me everything would only generate a bad image...' Licking his lips a little, the detective left the bathroom and went to the kitchen to eat what he had prepared earlier.
'I will wait a few more days to pray to the Scarlet Monarch. I need his permission before I tell the Tarot Club that it's okay to pray to him for help... It shouldn't be a problem; when we made the deal, 'He' agreed to be 'Co-Founder', which means 'He' should have no problem taking on some responsibilities... Yeah... Shouldn't be a problem...' Lamponing a bit, Klein brought his cup of tea to his lips.
Even though it was cold, the sweet taste of the brew brought a smile to his face.
...
Blinking away the flashes of crimson that still haunted her vision and after seeing that she was back in the room of her apartment, Fors could only let out a massive sigh of relief.
"I thought my heart was going to explode from fear..." The writer mumbled, sinking into the sofa she was sitting on. Her dress crumpled a little.
"Don't be so dramatic; it wasn't that bad." A sudden voice beside her made her freeze slightly, her eyes widening.
'How could I forget that guy was here?!' The writer slowly turned around, her lips quivering slightly until her nervous sapphire eyes collided with amused scarlet eyes.
Sitting on the other couch in her living room, wearing a simple white T-shirt and black trousers, with his long red hair tied in a high ponytail that left a few stray pieces framing his face, was her boss, Adryan Kenway.
"Well? Did you enjoy your first time? I told you it wouldn't be so bad~" The redhead whispered seductively, tilting his head slightly and half-closing his eyes.
Her eyes drifted down from the man's disgustingly handsome face, down his neck, and to his prominent chest. The shirt was cut in a triangle so she could see the line separating those mountains.
To top it off, the shirt was somewhat see-through and tight, so she could see everything—and by everything, she meant everything.
For a second, the writer's heart stopped.
Fors could only swallow her saliva in embarrassment at such an undeniable sight. Her eyes went up from the V to the chest again, a comparison born in her mind.
'Those must be bigger than mine...' If he leaned in a little, she was sure she could see a n-
"See something you like~" Adryan winked mischievously. As if he could read the best time to humiliate her, his boss chose just that moment to speak.
Her head snapped up so fast you'd never think she was down, her eyes shaking. She raised her hands in defense and shook her head vigorously.
"I wasn't looking!"
A heavy blush rose from her neck to her face, which quickly turned red. Fors could only cover her face with her hands.
'What was that?! I lost it for a second and-! Arghhh! This is the worst!'
Criccck!
The sound of the open flat door reached her ears, shortly followed by footsteps. Crossing the short hallway to the living room, Xio Derecha raised an eyebrow.
"What's going on here?"
"Ah! Miss, what was going on is that-"
"Nothing happened!" Not wanting to suffer the look on her friend's face or listen to her boss find a new way to humiliate her, Fors raised her hand in alarm and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
A short flash of light accompanied by a sudden cloud of fog covered her entire body. After a few seconds, it dissipated, and the writer was nowhere to be seen; she had disappeared.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!" Clapping and whistling, Adryan rose to his feet in obeisance to the great escape the writer had made. A big smile on his face.
The only thing the Writer's escape had lacked to be equal to that of A Certain Mysterious Uncle was fireworks and a little pink smoke. Other than that, it was a well-deserved 8.7 out of 10, with the expression on her face giving her extra points.
Xio looked at him with a life-weary face, an expression already surrendered to his misdeeds.
'Maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask him to accompany Fors on her first day...'
Sighing, the policewoman took off her hat and hung it on the coat rack. "Thank you for looking after her," she said.
The smile on his lips shrunk a little until only the corners of his lips were turned up.
"Don't mention it, Miss. Besides, teasing her is too much fun to pass up~"