Bolard retrieved a small brass key from his pocket, using it to unlock the sturdy, well-worn filing cabinet that sat in the corner of the room. The soft clink of metal as the lock disengaged echoed briefly in the quiet atmosphere.
After rummaging through several stacks of neatly organized documents, he finally settled on a single sheet, pulling it out with deliberate care. With a glance at Asher, he handed the page over before turning his attention back to the glass of whiskey in his hand.
"You are not to leave this room with that document," Bolard said sternly, his voice firm but not aggressive.
"The security clearance required for this information far surpasses your current level. Under no circumstances are you to share its contents with anyone—neither within the firm nor with anyone associated with the church. Is that understood?"
Asher nodded as he took the page, his fingers brushing against the edges of the worn paper. He sat back in his chair, eyes skimming over the document's contents as he began to silently read through it.
The weight of the words on the page pressed into his mind as he reached for the glass of whiskey that Bolard had placed in front of him. He brought it to his lips, barely registering the burn of the alcohol as he continued to digest the information laid out before him.
The document opened with an introduction that immediately caught his attention.
"Jesters are notoriously unreliable charlatans, often dismissed for their erratic behavior and inconsistent predictions. Despite this, there are rare occasions when they manage to foresee events with a startling degree of accuracy.
Unfortunately, more often than not, their predictions are gravely mistaken. According to comprehensive tests conducted by the Church of the Mother, jesters fail in their attempts to 'prophesy' approximately 30% of the time.
One might naturally assume that this means they succeed in 70% of their predictions, but this assumption would be incorrect. While they may not always be entirely wrong, their so-called 'correct' answers are often highly deceptive or technically true in ways that defy conventional understanding.
For example, a jester might ask a seemingly innocuous question such as, 'When is the best time to have lunch today?' After shuffling a deck of cards, if they were to draw the Three of Hearts, they might believe this indicates that three o'clock is the optimal time for lunch.
However, the meaning of the 'three' could be far more ambiguous. It might represent the necessity of bringing three companions to lunch, making the exact timing irrelevant.
Alternatively, the 'three' could reflect the best time for lunch according to the perspectives of the jester's adversaries—perhaps his estranged ex-wife would be dining at the same restaurant at 3 PM, or maybe a loan shark he's been avoiding would be there instead.
The layers of interpretation are where the true problem lies. While it's possible for jesters to produce prophecies that contain elements of truth, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. Based on our thorough research, we estimate the odds of a jester producing a prophecy close enough to the truth to be considered 'correct' are roughly 35%.
In other words, around one-third of their predictions fall into one of three categories: outright falsehoods, genuinely truthful or technically correct but misleading statements, disingenuous interpretations, or prophecies that are otherwise compromised by chance or circumstance."
Asher continued reading, intrigued by the analysis laid out before him. The section went on to describe how jesters harness their predictions through pure chance rather than any tangible or reliable ability, documenting this talent under the title:
Cut Through Fate – A unique ability that grants the jester an unreliable and often fleeting understanding of their immediate surroundings, heavily reliant on chance.
The mediums used to facilitate this ability vary greatly, ranging from decks of cards and dice to seemingly random objects like stones or coins. The jester's affinity for unpredictability extends beyond mere fortune-telling, however. They also possess an uncanny ability to maintain perfect balance, regardless of the situation. A jester walking a tightrope, for example, can do so with the casual ease of someone strolling leisurely through a park. It is an instinctual ability that belies the precariousness of their circumstances.
Of the ten recognized spiritual paths, jesters are ranked second in terms of their Spirit Sight potency, a measure of their capacity to perceive spiritual or supernatural entities. However, despite this advantage in perception, their standing in terms of raw spiritual essence—essentially their innate power—is quite low, placing them near the bottom of the rankings.
Another concerning aspect of the jester path is the deterioration of their mental state. The signs of this decline can vary, but early symptoms often include involuntary outbursts of laughter, smiling at inappropriate times, and episodes of uncontrollable crying. If a jester is observed displaying more than one of these symptoms at once, it is generally an indicator that they are on a fast track toward irreversible madness. At that point, termination of the descender is highly recommended. Fortunately, jesters are not considered particularly dangerous during their loss of control, as they lack any significant combat abilities, making their threat level minimal.
The document concluded with a grim observation: for reasons not fully understood, jesters have the highest statistical likelihood of succumbing to madness out of all known paths. Further research is required to uncover the cause of this anomaly."
Asher set the dossier down on the table, his mind buzzing with the implications of what he had just read. He took another sip from his glass, the weight of his decision beginning to settle over him.
Torrel had reached Step 8, but he didn't seem weak at all. He could teleport short distances and manipulate illusions. At one point, he even distorted my perception of time, making it appear as if Mr. Bolard had fatally wounded him. But it was all a trick—an illusion among several others. So, while the jester path may not focus on combat at the lower steps, by the time I reach Step 8 and become a Clown, I should be able to hold my own in a fight. From what I can gather, my abilities will expand.
It's unfortunate that this dossier doesn't list the higher steps of the jester path. Knowing more about the final stages would definitely help in making my decision.