"You may call me 'The Fool.'"
The short answer quickly faded into the grand temple and the swirling mist, yet the sound lingered in the hearts of Audrey and Alger, rippling like waves within them.
It was a name they hadn't expected but felt perfectly fitting—a title that encapsulated the mysterious, powerful, and strange nature of the one before them!
After a few moments of silence, Audrey stood up, gently lifting the hem of her dress, bending her knees in a curtsy.
"Respected Mr. Fool, please allow me to humbly request—would you be willing to witness our transaction?"
"A trivial matter," Zhou Mingrui responded in a tone befitting his identity after a quick mental calculation.
"This is our honor, Mr. Fool," Alger also stood, placing a hand over his chest and bowing slightly.
Zhou Mingrui raised his right hand slightly in a gesture of dismissal and said with a faint smile, "Proceed."
Alger nodded, sat back down, and turned to Audrey.
"If you can obtain the ghost shark blood, have someone deliver it to the 'Warrior and Sea' tavern on Pelican Street in the White Rose District of Pritz Harbor. Tell the owner, Williams, that it's something the 'Captain' requested."
"Once I confirm it, do you prefer that I send you the formula by mail, or should I tell you here directly?"
Audrey thought for a moment before smiling brightly. "I prefer the more discreet option—right here. Though it'll test my memory."
Given that Mr. Fool had agreed to witness their deal, it meant there would likely be similar "gatherings" in the future.
With this in mind, she suddenly turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhou Mingrui, proposing with interest:
"Mr. Fool, would you mind conducting more gatherings like this in the future?"
Alger listened intently, feeling tempted. He quickly echoed her sentiments:
"Mr. Fool, don't you find such gatherings intriguing? While your powers far exceed our comprehension, there must be areas of the world you're unfamiliar with or less skilled in. This young lady clearly comes from noble origins, and I have my own unique experiences, knowledge, channels, and resources. Perhaps in the future, we could assist you with minor matters you'd rather not handle yourself."
To Alger, the fact that he was summoned here without resistance or forewarning indicated that Mr. Fool held all the initiative. Simply rejecting or trying to avoid future "gatherings" might not even be an option. Thus, it was better to maximize the benefits of this situation—to gain something in return for his passive involvement.
The three individuals at this long table had different backgrounds, resources, and knowledge of the mystical. Interacting and cooperating would create a synergy of immeasurable value!
For example, exchanging resources like they had just done, or hiring "members" of the gathering to handle certain tasks, such as eliminating someone, thereby perfectly misdirecting any suspicion.
A noblewoman… Audrey was momentarily taken aback, surprised by how obvious her accent and mannerisms seemed to others. But she quickly recovered and nodded without hesitation:
"Mr. Fool, I think this is an excellent suggestion. If the gatherings become regular, there may be situations where you prefer not to act personally. You could delegate tasks to us—within our capabilities, of course."
From the beginning, Zhou Mingrui had been weighing the pros and cons. More frequent gatherings would indeed allow him to gain further mystical knowledge and supernatural secrets, aiding his eventual return to his original world. For instance, the "Spectator" potion formula, which should appear in the next "gathering." At the same time, it could help him obtain useful information for his current life.
However, the more gatherings there were, the greater the risk of exposing his vulnerabilities!
As expected, no matter the world, nothing came with only benefits... Zhou Mingrui tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the bronze long table, lost in thought.
Considering that the summoning and dismissal of the gatherings were entirely within his control, any potential problems would remain manageable. The benefits clearly outweighed the risks, and Zhou Mingrui made his decision quickly.
He stopped tapping and, under four pairs of expectant yet anxious eyes, smiled and said:
"I'm someone who values equivalent exchange."
"I won't ask for your unconditional help."
"Every Monday at 3 p.m., try to be alone. After I've experimented a few more times and worked out the details, you may even be able to request leave in advance, ensuring you're not in an unsuitable situation."
With that, he essentially agreed to Alger and Audrey's proposal.
Audrey, just seventeen and somewhat naïve due to her sheltered upbringing, couldn't help but clench her fists in delight and lightly wave them in front of her chest upon hearing Mr. Fool's response.
"In that case, shouldn't we give ourselves codenames as well? After all, we can't use our real names to communicate," she said enthusiastically, not waiting for Alger to speak.
Although she doubted she could keep her true identity hidden from Mr. Fool, the other participant—that dangerous man—must not know who she really was!
"Good idea," Zhou Mingrui replied simply and lightly.
Audrey immediately began brainstorming, speaking as she thought:
"You are Mr. Fool, from the Tarot deck. Since this is a regular, long-term, and secretive 'gathering,' the titles should match. Hmm… I'll choose one from the Tarot deck as well."
Her tone gradually grew more cheerful.
"Decided! My title will be 'Justice!'"
This was one of the 22 Major Arcana cards in the Tarot deck.
"And what about you, sir?" Audrey asked, smiling as she looked at her "companion" across the table.
Alger frowned slightly but then relaxed.
"The Hanged Man," he said calmly.
Another Major Arcana card.
"Alright! Then we're the founding members of the Tarot Club!" Audrey blurted out excitedly, then nervously glanced at Zhou Mingrui, her confidence wavering. "That's fine, isn't it, Mr. Fool?"
Zhou Mingrui chuckled and shook his head.
"Such minor matters are yours to decide."
"Thank you!" Audrey said, her excitement evident.
Then she turned to Alger.
"Mr. Hanged Man, could you repeat the address from earlier? I'm afraid I didn't commit it fully to memory."
"Of course," Alger replied, satisfied with Audrey's seriousness, and repeated the address once more.
After mentally reciting it three times, Audrey, still brimming with excitement, asked:
"I've heard that Tarot cards were merely a game invented by Emperor Roselle and didn't actually have divinatory functions?"
"No," Alger denied her claim, glancing at Zhou Mingrui, who showed no reaction. "Many times, divination stems from oneself. Everyone possesses spirituality and can connect with the spiritual realm, even higher planes that hold information relevant to them. Ordinary people, however, are unaware of this and unable to interpret the 'hints.' Divination tools serve as mediums to present this information. A simple example would be dreams and dream interpretation."
"Tarot cards are such tools. They incorporate more symbols and elements to help us interpret 'hints' more conveniently and accurately."
Zhou Mingrui appeared casual, but he was listening intently, even as a wave of mental fatigue began to settle over him. His head throbbed, and his thoughts became faintly scattered.
"I see," Audrey nodded in understanding before clarifying, "But that's not exactly what I meant. I wasn't questioning Tarot cards. What I heard is that Emperor Roselle actually created a different set of cards—hidden ones, representing certain unknown forces. There were 22 in total, and only after completing them did he use them as inspiration to invent the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot deck for entertainment purposes. Is that true?"
She turned her gaze toward Zhou Mingrui, as if expecting the mysterious Mr. Fool to provide an answer.
Zhou Mingrui merely smiled without speaking, shifting his gaze to "The Hanged Man" with an expression that seemed to say, Let's see what you've got.
Alger unconsciously straightened his posture and said in a deep voice:"Yes, it's said that Roselle the Great once viewed the Blasphemy Slate. That deck of cards is said to conceal the secrets of the twenty-two pathways to godhood."
"The twenty-two pathways to godhood..." Audrey repeated the words in a tone full of longing and fascination.
At that moment, Zhou Mingrui's headache intensified. He felt the invisible connection between himself and the crimson stars, as well as the gray fog, beginning to waver.
"Alright, that's enough for today's gathering," he decided swiftly, his voice low and authoritative.
"As you wish," Alger bowed his head in deference.
"As you wish," Audrey imitated "The Hanged Man." She still had countless questions and ideas, and parting now felt unbearable.
As Zhou Mingrui severed the connection, he smiled and said, "Let's look forward to the next gathering."
The "stars" glimmered once more, and the crimson light receded like water. Just as Audrey and Alger heard "The Fool's" final words, their figures grew faint and illusory.
In less than a second, their "projections" shattered, and silence returned to the gray fog above.
Zhou Mingrui felt his body growing heavier as the surroundings blurred. Darkness enveloped his vision, followed immediately by the dazzling brilliance of sunlight.
He found himself back in his apartment, still standing at its center.
"Like a dream... What on earth is that gray fog world? And who—or what kind of force—created such phenomena?" Zhou Mingrui muttered in awe and confusion as he dragged his leaden legs toward the desk.
Picking up the pocket watch he had left out earlier, he checked how much time had passed.
"The time flow is one-to-one," Zhou Mingrui estimated roughly.
Setting the pocket watch back down, he finally gave in to the throbbing pain in his head. Sinking into a chair, he bowed his head and began massaging his temples with his left thumb and middle finger.
After a long while, he sighed and murmured in Mandarin:"Looks like I won't be able to go back anytime soon..."
Only the ignorant are fearless. Now that Zhou Mingrui had witnessed such extraordinary events and glimpsed the supernatural and the mysterious, he no longer dared to recklessly attempt the "ritual of transfer" in Old Feysac or Loenese!
Who knows what might happen? There could be even stranger and more terrifying consequences, perhaps even a fate worse than death!
"I'll have to wait until I gain a deep understanding of mysticism before trying again," Zhou Mingrui thought helplessly.
Fortunately, the so-called "gathering" might prove to be of some assistance.
After a moment of silence, he sighed with a mixture of dejection, frustration, pain, and longing, murmuring to himself:"From now on, I am Klein."
…
Klein forced himself to focus on strategies and plans to distract himself from the negative emotions swirling within.
Perhaps next week, I'll get to overhear the formula for the "Audience" potion...
That "gathering" just now was truly incredible—bringing together people from vastly distant places, shrinking thousands of miles into mere inches, allowing face-to-face conversations and the exchange of information. Hmm... that feels oddly familiar somehow...
Klein froze for a few seconds before suddenly chuckling. While massaging his temples, he muttered in self-mockery:"Is this... a mystical version of an online social platform?"