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After sending off Xio and Fors, Hobert sat in his office reading through documents. He was preparing for tomorrow's task, which was the second assignment from Mr. Barton. The client this time was also in the outskirts, but this time in the western suburbs.
After lunch, Hobert went out again to "visit a client." He arrived at his rented apartment and spent some time in the "Nation of Disorder," researching the Spirit Necklace. Around 2:50 PM, he was ready to attend the Tarot Club meeting.
At precisely 3 PM, boundless gray fog engulfed his vision, and in the blink of an eye, he found himself in the majestic hall.
As usual, "Justice" Audrey greeted everyone warmly.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~!"
She then presented three pages of the diary she had purchased at Mr. A's gathering to "The Fool" Klein, to repay her previous debt.
After Klein finished reading the three pages, Hobert said, "Mr. Fool, I've also collected two pages of Emperor Roselle's diary. I hope this will repay your warning regarding the curse on my family."
During his first meeting, Hobert received a critical clue from Klein's warning, and it soon proved to be correct.
Klein felt a sense of satisfaction. With the growing number of members, it was easier to obtain more diary pages, each a treasure trove of knowledge and wealth! Additionally, the emperor seemed to understand gratitude, as he was thankful for the prior warning. Klein responded with a solemn "Mm."
Hobert picked up the pen that had suddenly appeared before him and "presented" two pages of Emperor Roselle's diary. These pages were based on diary entries he had seen previously, but Hobert had added his own fabricated entry in Roselle's style:
"June 12: I discovered a great secret, and only I know it! I found an effective way to 'treat' losing control! Though it doesn't sound like mysticism, the essence of mysticism is that anything is possible! The method is to recite the name of the 'Creator.' He will use his powerful forces of order to restore someone in the early stages of losing control to normalcy. I've discreetly inquired, and no one knows who the 'Creator' is—he must be a truly hidden entity. I've already tested this on a 'guinea pig,' and there were no negative effects. The 'Creator' seems eager to help those on the verge of losing control. Could this also be a form of acting?
"His honorific name is:
'The Creator in the Shadow of Order;
'You are the beginning and end of all order;
'You are the great ruler of the clock of order.'
"Hahaha, now I won't have to worry about losing control again."
Hobert did this to subtly tell Klein his honorific name through Roselle's diary. With the endorsement of the emperor, it would seem more credible.
Later, Hobert planned to remind Klein that Old Neil was in the early stages of losing control. After Klein confirmed Neil's condition and recited the name of the "Creator," Hobert would gladly assist.
As for 0-08, its influence was limited to events within a single city. Since it was in Tingen, it couldn't affect Hobert, who was in Backlund.
Even if Klein recited the "Creator's" name and caught the attention of "0-08," it could at most trace the connection to the Nation of Disorder. It wouldn't be able to find Hobert, who was hiding behind the Nation of Disorder.
After all, that was a Sefirah! What Sealed Artifact could have a higher rank than a Sefirah?
To make the diary appear more authentic, Hobert carefully placed the fabricated entry among Roselle's early writings, which further boosted the credibility of the "Creator."
Since Roselle had recited the "Creator's" name in his early years and lived without any adverse effects, this suggested that the "Creator" was trustworthy, at least not an evil god.
As for who Roselle used for the experiment, it was something that happened over a hundred years ago in the Intis Republic. With Klein's current resources, it would be impossible to verify. Even if an investigation revealed "no such incident," the diary repeatedly emphasized the secrecy of the matter.
Moreover, Hobert was taking advantage of Klein's current lack of knowledge about the existence of Outer Gods, which further increased the possibility that Klein might recite the "Creator's" name.
Hobert guessed that with Klein's caution, he wouldn't recite the "Creator's" name unless absolutely necessary. But given Hobert's current capabilities, this was the best he could do. At least, he could say he did his best for Old Neil.
When Klein saw the entry, he pondered for two or three seconds. He hadn't expected such a powerful entity to be interested in helping Beyonders "treat" their loss of control. Was the entity acting?
Although Roselle had tested it, it was best not to take the risk. After all, no one could guarantee that the "Creator" would always be so willing to help.
Nevertheless, Klein committed the honorific name to memory. If a companion showed signs of imminent loss of control and all other options were exhausted, he might give it a try.
After reading the diary, he said, "You may proceed."
Hobert then asked Alger, "Mr. Hanged Man, have you made any progress on my reward?"
"You have three options," Alger smiled, pleased to showcase his connections. "The first is a somewhat gaudy pocket watch.
"When worn, it grants you excellent balance, makes your movements highly agile, and allows you to turn paper into razor-sharp blades. There's also a chance that you can sense danger a second or two before it happens, thanks to its spiritual properties.
"The downside is, if worn for more than two hours at a time, you'll start laughing uncontrollably. The laughter will only stop once at least five people have seen you laughing. If you can't gather five 'audience members,' you'll laugh to death."
Hobert struggled not to glance at Mr. Fool. At this moment, the mysterious "Mr. Fool" likely didn't know that these were clearly the abilities of a Clown!
He frowned slightly, finding the negative effects daunting. The consequences were almost on par with those of a Sealed Artifact. If you went alone into a jungle, desert, or the open sea, you'd be laughing your way to death.
Even in Backlund, these negative effects would be a major headache. Would he have to wake Christian and the others in the middle of the night just to watch him laugh? That would be incredibly irritating!
Before the gathering, Hobert had already decided what type of Beyonder item he wanted. During his investigation of Heyman and Zachary, his lack of combat power and agility had been painfully obvious.
So, he needed an Beyonder item that could enhance his combat prowess. While the pocket watch's abilities were appealing, its side effects made Hobert hesitate.
Seeing Hobert's disinterest in the pocket watch, Alger continued, "The second option is a white cane. Using it grants you strength and speed beyond your natural abilities, and each attack with it builds up power. Once enough power is accumulated, you can unleash a strike with three times your normal strength. Moreover, it allows those who can't swim to become proficient in swimming and diving."