The arcane nebula is revealing its status.]
[The nebulous 'Tarot Club' is watching you with joy.]
Time stood still. His breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened.
It wasn't just any constellation. It was them.
The secret companions he created by accident. The group he created and protected whenever they needed it.
An involuntary smile curved her lips.
'…Tarot Club.'
The words echoed in his mind.
They were really here. That was very good. That was very bad.
"Gerhman... Did you just smile?" Leonard said, noticing Klein's smile.
"…That's just your impression." When he noticed he was smiling, Klein turned his face away so no one would see him and returned to his cold expression again. He couldn't believe he had stopped wearing the 'mask' for a moment.
'The tarot club is made up of constellations. The constellations can be deities or immortal heroes… Currently, the tarot club is at least at the level of a Saint in sequence 3 or an Angel in sequence 2. Apparently, we have a nebulous scenario.'
He shouldn't feel happy about the tarot club being in the scenarios. But he couldn't help it; they had been his companions since he transmigrated into Klein's body. He didn't want to, but he had grown attached to them. An attachment like a god to his faithful. An attachment like a father and son. He felt like a fool for thinking that way.
Now, he would have allies he could trust and who would help him if needed. But the joy he felt vanished for a moment when he saw the next message.
[The constellation 'The Magician' was frightened by the incarnation 'Klein Moretti' and said it would pay if it removed its smile.]
[The constellation 'Judgment' reprimands the constellation 'Magic' and apologizes to the incarnation 'Klein Moretti'.]
[You have been rewarded with 600 coins.]
'Do you guys shit money? How can you give out 600 coins and walk away quietly? And why are you so afraid of me, Madam Magic? I'm so calm, I wouldn't hurt a fly.'
He was indignant at how afraid the others were of Klein, even though he seemed to know him so well after the truth he had gradually revealed to them. ' After all, they would likely lose control if I just threw the truth in their faces all at once. As their god, I couldn't allow that to happen.'
While he was secretly satirizing, a silver screen was appearing in his vision, providing information to Klein.
[Because it is at the beginning of the scenarios, its constellation status will be omitted from all
[As the leader of the 'Tarot Club' nebula, you can assume the constellation statuses of 'The Fool' or 'The World' whenever you want.]
[Your strength level as the constellation 'The Fool' exceeds the level already recorded in the
[The
[The 'Castle of Sephirah' will be considered as your authority.]
Many messages appeared in Klein's vision, leaving him confused and at the same time even more cautious. But for the moment, he would put those thoughts aside; now he had to focus on what was to come.
He turned his attention to Leonard and Audrey, who were discussing the sudden appearance of the other members of the tarot club.
[The constellation 'The Magic' is concerned with the incarnation 'Audrey Hall'.]
"Oh, Madam Magic... Aren't you worried about your poet student?" Leonard had also received the notification, causing him to whisper to himself how indignant he was.
__________________________________________________________________
After Klein fell asleep, in order to fulfill his mission of creating poems from the stories of Klein and the Madman, Leonard had asked Fors to give him some poetry lessons. After all, Fors was one of the best writers of the time.
"Do you want me to teach you how to write poems?"
"Exactly. I know it's a sudden request, that you have a lot to do, but I needed someone to teach me. And who would be perfect for that if not the greatest romance writer, Fors Wall?"
Fors wasn't a bystander, but she could tell Leonard was only inflating her ego to get her to accept his request. She sighed before sitting down at her desk, staring at the blank sheet of paper in front of her.
"I could certainly help you, Mr. Mitchell, but as you said, I'm very busy. I don't have time to give you lessons."
"Oh, come on Fors… I only want to write poems because of Mr. Madman. I owe him. And the least I can do to help him is by writing these poems and spreading them."
…
…
"Come here every Monday and Thursday. Your classes will be at 3 PM."
She didn't see it, but she could feel Leonard smiling as he sighed with relief at having convinced her.
"Understood. Thank you very much, Madame Wall. You won't regret it."
'Phew... I really hope I don't regret it.'
Ah, Gerhman. Leonard and I were talking about the sudden appearance of the constellations." Audrey had snapped out of Leonard's stupor as he recalled the scene from before all this and turned his attention back to Audrey and then to Klein, who was approaching them with his usual cold expression.
"Everyone seems happy to see a familiar face again, haha."
[The constellation 'The Sun' shines as it revisits the constellation 'Klein Moretti' again.]
[The constellation 'The Moon' shakes its head, recognizing an old friend.]
[The constellation 'The Magic' admits that it missed the 'Klein Moretti' incarnation, but is still very afraid.]
Klein pretends to ignore the messages arriving before him and goes straight to the subject he wanted to resume.
"Be careful with unfamiliar constellations."
The two beyonders nodded after hearing Klein's command to stay alert, before hearing another command from him.
"And try to get closer to others."
He didn't specify Kim Dokja because he didn't want to draw attention to himself, while also trying to gather information from him as they got closer to the others.
"That's fine. Now that everything is calm, it's very likely that we'll communicate with each other as soon as possible."
Just as he was about to go and find the people to start a conversation, the Dokkaebi unexpectedly appeared in the air with a huge look of surprise etched on his face.
Wow, amazing!
What the hell happened here? I was just following the other train cars…
There was a mixture of joy and surprise on Dokkaebi's face. Twinkling stars floated above Dokkaebi's head. There weren't many stars; about 27 in total. Even so, he was happy.
[{For 27 Constellations to be connected to my channel… Haha, isn't that great? Thank you for the sponsorship, Constellations. Haha! Now, have you correctly demonstrated your value?}]
"Value?"
Everyone turned toward the murmuring voice questioning the Dokkaebi. It was just a simple word, but with that cold, hoarse voice that pierced their souls, it seemed like something more… terrifying.
[{What did you say?! Who dares to bother me?}]
"Eu."
Dokkaebi had turned toward the voice. When he noticed, it was a man with a serious expression, a cold look that Dokkaebi disliked seeing, so contemptuous was it. Everyone was shocked by the actions of the mad adventurer.
[{Ah… Annoying human. I must congratulate you on surviving the first scenario, but be aware of your place.}]
Klein slowly raised his face, his eyes fixed on the Dokkaebi. That gaze was no longer human. It was the gaze of a predator that had already devoured monsters far larger than that little Dokkaebi could comprehend.
The tension in the air shifted. Audrey felt her breath catch in her throat. Leonard instinctively swallowed hard. Dokja felt short of breath. The others didn't even move.
Klein took a single step forward. There was no sound of impact, but everyone felt as if the space had contracted, as if an invisible wall had fallen upon their shoulders.
His voice came out low, unhurried, dragging out each syllable as if it were a sentence:
"My place?..."
Dokkaebi tried to maintain his composure, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
[{Exactly. Don't forget this is my channel. You're just a lucky human, while I—}]
Klein raised his hand, as if asking for silence. The gesture was simple, but the pressure intensified. The atmosphere trembled, and even the system messages hesitated to appear for a moment.
"You talk too much."
That dry, almost bored tone pierced Dokkaebi like a cold blade.
[{Q-Who do you think you are?!}]
He exploded, but his voice came out higher-pitched than he intended, almost a nervous scream.
Klein tilted his head slightly, his eyes half-closed, as if watching an insect trying to inflate its chest.
"If I wanted to, I could rip off your antennae that you call horns and your glittering eyes that you think emanate sovereignty from your head... one by one... and crush them between my fingers."
Silence fell immediately. Leonard turned pale. Audrey instinctively looked away. Even the constellations watching, accustomed to cruel games and bloody spectacles, remained motionless, observing in shock the man who spoke as if it were inevitable.
[{…}]
Dokkaebi took a half-step back in mid-air without realizing it. His artificial smile trembled at the edges.
Klein then moved closer, slowly, as if there were no hurry in the world. Each of his words seemed to flow like ice:
"Be grateful, Dokkaebi. The only reason you can still chatter is because I allow it."
Dokkaebi clenched his fists, but dared not reply. His wounded pride burned, but the pressure emanating from Klein crushed any attempt at a response.
And then, as if nothing had happened, Klein turned his face away and continued walking, his black overcoat billowing.
Leonard's hands were clenched, almost trembling. He wasn't afraid of Dokkaebi. He was afraid of Klein himself—of how, in a single instant, he had turned the tables with just the pressure. He looked at his friend with extreme courage.
Audrey, on the other hand, had wide eyes and a racing heart. It was a mixture of fascination and apprehension. She knew this man, she had spent time with him at the Tarot Club, but… now? Now it seemed she was facing something beyond all imagination.
'What Fors said about 'Him' wasn't a joke.' But she used 'calm' on herself, which she realized made Klein angry with the Dokkaebi and decided to break the mask to get rid of the weight of the emotion.
' Perhaps he was very angry. And consequently, Dokkaebi was the victim.'
Dokkaebi was still suspended in mid-air, trying to recompose his artificial smile. His eyes darted nervously, avoiding direct contact with Klein.
[{Q-Quanta… presumption…}]
His voice came out low, almost inaudible. But Dokkaebi himself knew: arrogance was the wrong word. What he had sensed was authority. How could a mere human convey such immense pressure at the start of the scenarios? ' It must be because he's such a lucky man. That must be it.'
It could simply be an excuse for his sudden surprise. Yes, what he felt was surprise, not fear.
Klein didn't answer. He merely adjusted his overcoat, ignoring its existence, as if he had already decided it was no longer worth his time. This disdain was even more painful for the creature than the previous threats.
'I really couldn't hold back and just said what I felt. I was very emotional. Ugh… At least now I can test something.'
While Klein was thinking, a large number of messages from the Constellations appeared before him.
[The Constellations found his attitude very terrifying.]
[A handful of constellations very much wish that you would become their incarnation.]
[The Constellations sponsored you with 300 coins.]
[You've acquired a new story.]
[You have acquired the unusual story 'He Who Brought Terror'.]
'So Arrodes was actually right… Any action can perhaps generate a story. So the outburst was worthwhile .' Despite the satire, Klein celebrated his achievement with his test.
When he calmed down, Dokkaebi coughed as if to get everyone's attention in the carriage to continue speaking with a huge smile plastered on his face.
[Cough cough… My apologies for this, Constellations. There was a small setback, but we can put that aside.]
[{From what I see, it seems the number of survivors is very high? The colleague next to me was crazy too… Hehe, it seems things are quite interesting today.}]
Dokkaebi manipulated something in the air. While he did so, everyone in the carriage (except Audrey and Leonard) stared at Gerhman, struggling to close their mouths. Only a madman would talk to Dokkaebi like that, as if it were nothing.
"Um... He's not always this cold." Audrey tried to reassure the people who were in shock with a calm and sweet phrase.
"How could he not be? This guy is crazy!!"
"That uncle in the top hat is crazy... More so than me."
"He's really scary."
"He's not going to hurt me either, is he?"
People were so engrossed in their words that they didn't notice the list of survivors.
[Survivors of Metro 3434 to Bulgwang, car 3807: Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, Han Myungoh, Kim Nanwoon, Yoo Sangah, Lee Gilyoung, Seo Mirae, Hyun Yunho, Audrey Hall, Leonard Mitchell and Klein Moretti.]
Well, not all of them.
'Klein Moretti? Who is Klein Moretti?' Kim Dokja noticed a strange name in front of him on the screen, and another name was missing. 'Gehrman… He's not here… Could it be…?'
The reader couldn't help but look at that strange and frightening man again. He didn't seem normal. Now Dokja was sure of it.
' Who are you, Klein Moretti, really?'
Kim Dokja thought his gaze had lingered on Gehrman for too long, as the madman stared at him with a cold expression. He abruptly turned his face away in any direction, pretending not to be looking at him.
Klein glanced at Dokja for a moment before turning to Kim Nanwoon, who was also shocked by his actions. When he saw Gerhman looking in his direction, the boy jumped back before averting his gaze.
Ufa…
Gerhman's footsteps began to sound in his direction, which made him want to hide somewhere before that madman did something to him.
Until the sound of footsteps stopped. Nanwoon didn't realize that at some point he had closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw the same man who had saved his life in the scene, but it was also he who had made a Dokkaebi afraid.
' What does he want? Why is he looking at me like that?! Say something, damn it…'
He pondered what he would say to Kim Nanwoon, but decided to say anything.
"I don't regret saving you."
"Huh?" That was unexpected.
"You're going to make a choice. Don't let me down." After saying this, Klein walked toward Audrey and Leonard and started talking to them about something.
'What does he mean by that?!'
In Kim Nanwoon's view, a notification appears.
[The constellation 'The Magic' sends its condolences.]
[The constellation 'The Magic' said that you have lived a very long time.]
"W-what?!"
In Gerhman's view, the notifications also appeared in front of him.
[A handful of Constellations found his actions admirable.]
[The Constellations sponsored 250 coins.]
' My actions were insignificant, and yet they sponsored me with a few coins. You're lucky I don't refuse money. You can send more, haha.'
While Gerhman was reflecting on how he was getting coins for free, deep down Han Myungoh mustered the courage to talk to the Dokkaebi and ask him to release them.
[{Hm, release? Didn't you see the outside? Do you really want to go there?}]
"Anywhere would be better than standing next to that crazy guy!"
'I agree with you, human. But...'
O Dokkaebi riu.
[{It's quite admirable. I wasn't really expecting much from this train car, but you managed to get past the first scenario. This shows that insects deserve to survive.}]
"I really don't like him..."
Dokkaebi's words made everyone realize his position. Everyone, except the trio of beyonders who showed anger in their expressions. He didn't care about the two pairs of green eyes, but the one with dark eyes wearing gold-rimmed glasses was the one that made Dokkaebi uncomfortable.
[I mean… You're not exactly a bunch of insects. Anyway!! Shouldn't there be a reward for overcoming the difficulties? As a reward for the first scenario, you're entitled to sponsorship from the Constellations. Waaaaaah! How about that? Aren't you all excited? Hmm, you're all unenthusiastic. That's a big problem.]
Lee Hyunsung tried to ask for more explanations, but Dokkaebi ignored him.
Blue screens appeared in front of everyone, displaying some strange text.
POV Kim Dokja
I was nervous. From now on, a good choice here would make my future survival easier.
"Dokja? Two strange choices suddenly appeared in my mind…"
"I don't even know if you ask me."
It was, of course, a lie to avoid suspicion. Incidentally, she had two choices. Yoo Sangah was very lucky.
"Leonard, Gerhman... I was given three choices."
"Really? I managed to have four for some reason..."
Well… Not as lucky as those two. In Ways to Survive, the protagonist was given five choices at the start of each scenario.
"How many choices did you get, Gerhman?"
It was Audrey who looked at Gerhman with eyes shining with curiosity. It seemed that this girl had some admiration for the crazy man. The man with the handsome green eyes, Leonard, was no different.
Well, I'm curious to know how many choices he received.
"... Ten."
Ten choices?! That's double what the protagonist initially received. How did he manage to have 10 choices?
Could it have been because of the way he faced Dokkaebi?
Any Constellation would like to sponsor someone who has strength. The stronger the incarnation, the more likely they are to have memorable stories.
My thoughts were interrupted by Audrey's question.
"And you, Dokja? How many choices do you have?"
"I... have 4 choices."
"Impressive! Identical to me." Leonard came towards me and put his arm around my neck, then looked at me strangely.
"So... Which one will you choose?"
His voice was soft. That's what bothered me even more. I had a feeling he sounded like a very sugary person.
I removed his arm from around me and answered him casually. don't know. I'm still trying to decide."
[Sponsorship Selection]
Please choose your sponsor.
Your chosen sponsor will be a strong supporter.
1- Abyssal Dragon of Black Flames
2- Demonic Judge of Fire
3- Covert Conspirator
4- Prisoner of the Golden Bandana.
I carefully examined the options before me. I considered the benefits and drawbacks that each constellation could offer.
My best option was the 'Prisoner of the Golden Bandana'. With him, I could easily destroy all the Constellations. But… Could I defeat him if I chose him?
[One minute left to complete the Sponsorship Selection.]
I took a deep breath. I didn't have much time left and I still had to choose one of my options. Luckily, my worries didn't last long.
[The constellation 'The Hermit' is observing your choice coldly.]
The Hermit. I couldn't recall any constellation with that name in 'Ways to Survive'. Could it be some kind of anomaly? I didn't want to think about it right now.
For now, I was an incarnation without a constellation.
POV Klein
Klein had received 10 very interesting choices, but only 5 caught his attention.
[Sponsorship Selection]
Please choose your sponsor.
Your chosen sponsor will be a strong supporter.
2- ???
3- The One Who Changes His Appearance
5- The Charmer of the Hidden Tongue
6- Abyssal Dragon of Black Flames
8- The Lady of the Three Crossroads
10- The Star That Falls and Returns
' I don't know what constellations those are... They seem quite interesting just from their constellation names.'
Klein coldly analyzed the constellations they wanted to sponsor, trying to figure out who each one was. For him, number 3 was a certainty.
'It's most likely Loki. But what did that trickster see in me? I'm not a traitor or anything like that. If you expect me to have an affair with a horse, forget it. ' He mocked that god who had one of the funniest feats for Klein. But deep down he was grateful that the god of mischief couldn't read minds. For that blasphemy he could receive a lightning bolt to the head from his brother.
' I have no idea about numbers 2 and 6. And the others… They are familiar to me, but it could be any number.' Deities from different myths surfaced in the Fool's mind, always having similar stories with some different moments.
'Regardless of whether you know or not, unfortunately for you I won't choose any of them for two reasons: the first is that I don't trust you to help me, and the second…'
Next to the blue information window about the Sponsorship Selection, there was a gray box that glowed softly, with a warning for Klein written in gold text.
[If you choose a sponsor, you will lose all the benefits of Constellation.]
'That's it. The window is telling me that I'll lose my chances of returning home and that I'll no longer be the owner of Sephirah's Castle. And, as a consequence, the Worthy Celestial will manage to win in the end.' Klein wanted to sigh, but couldn't because of his cold and unalterable Gerhman Sparrow persona. 'I hope they don't take it to heart.'
[The Patrocínio Selection has ended.]
[Some constellations were greatly affected by his choice.]
[You did not choose a Constellation as a sponsor.]
Even though he had hurt some constellations, it seemed they understood Klein's choice. But that didn't mean they would give up on the mysterious madman. He had made a formidable impression on them, and he wouldn't lose that prize for anything.
[You are being considered for some constellations as a prize.]
[You have been sponsored with 450 coins.]
'They want to buy me with coins? Clever... Very clever.'
Haha, that's true… Looks like some people had an interesting choice? Well, anyway, they'll have another chance in the future.
[{For now, everyone has finished the selection process. Rest here for a moment. I have to prepare the next scenario. I'll see you in ten minutes.}]
After the sponsorship selection process ended, Dokkaebi disappeared. Not a second passed before Dokja called everyone to gather.
"Hello, I'm Lee Hyunsung."
"Kim's Doc."
"I have to thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have lost the moral authority I hold so dear."
"You shouldn't thank me, I didn't do anything. Unlike those three."
Dokja turned his attention to the beyonders who had just arrived to gather. Leonard was the first to speak, with his sensual calm.
"Hello, I'm Leonard Mitchell. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Ah, it was you who tried to help me calm the other people down. Thank you."
"There's no need to thank us. It's the least we can do when an officer is in trouble."
"An officer?" Dok Ja was looking at Leonard curiously. "Are you by any chance a police officer?"
"Yes, I am. Actually... I used to be a police officer. Since, well... we're at this party together."
' My dear poet, celebration wouldn't be the best word for this moment.' Klein listened to their conversation the whole time without interrupting. Perhaps he was just analyzing Dokja.
Dokja didn't look at Leonard for long, as he glanced at Gerhman Sparrow with a suspicious expression. That is, until Audrey called his attention.
"Nice to meet you, ladies and gentlemen. I am Audrey Hall."
"Backlund's most dazzling jewel."
Leonard took the opportunity to spread Audrey's nickname around, which surprised and embarrassed Audrey.
"Backlund?"
"Ah- uh… It's from a play we're doing! She plays a young lady who has that nickname." Leonard was sweating bullets trying to think of the best possible excuse to avoid raising suspicion.
' Leonard… Your ability to give everything away right away is impressive. Even though you manage to invent a good excuse for your mistakes, you haven't changed a bit.' Klein was scolding Leonard in his head. How could someone say something like that to strangers right off the bat?
' Mr. Star talked too much! He should have introduced me as a psychiatrist, not this! How embarrassing, Mr. Star! If I hadn't controlled my emotions, I could have lost control from so much embarrassment! ' Audrey was using her calming instincts to forget her embarrassment and readjust her posture.
"Mr. Hyunsung, what Mr. Leonard said is true. I act as a hobby, but I work in psychiatry. If you need to say anything, or vent, I'm all ears."
' The years have made her a good liar. I wonder who she learned from?' For some reason, the Madman felt he had a hand in Justice's new, lying personality.
"And this is Gerhman Sparrow. He's also our friend."
'Friend…' He should have felt happy to hear those words from Audrey, but why wasn't that the case? his expression.
"Ah, yes! You're the cold, crazy man who saved the white-haired boy and faced the Dokkaebi head-on."
"That's right! You were very impressive, Mr. Gerhman. Ah! How rude. I am Yoo Sangah."
"Your actions were… quite interesting, Mr. Gerhman Sparrow." The timid stranger was now speaking normally to Klein, as if they were friends. This made Klein uncomfortable. And this only intensified with the stranger's smile, which to anyone else is normal, but to 'Him', it was as if he had seen someone very familiar. "My name is Hyun Yunho."
"Why are they praising him? He's nothing impressive about him..."
Kim Nanwoon, who had been staring at the name of his incarnation before the screen disappeared, stood with his arms crossed and his body leaning against the wall, keeping his distance from everyone.
"You may be right, but he saved you in the end, didn't he?"
Leonard was looking at Nanwoon, who just snorted in response to his words. He really does seem like a proud boy.
When the lady was closer to Gerhman, she gently tugged at 'His' clothing and spoke sweetly.
"Young man, you are a very kind person. Thank you for saving me from that naughty child."
"...It was nothing."
"My name is Seo Mirae. Thanks to the Lord, I can live another day."
"Good."
Indeed, Gerhman was a man of few words, which, depending on the interpretation, could carry a weight of coldness, but in other cases, kindness.
But while Klein only observed the actions of the others, he was able to secretly listen to Kim Dokja's discussion with Han Myungoh. It seemed that Dokja wanted to leave the train car.
"We have to go."
"I-IR?! HAVE YOU GONE MAD?"
"Dokja, I don't think that..."
Yoo Sangah, who had been chatting sweetly with Audrey, had joined Han Myungoh. She was also frightened.
"Would you rather go out and face Dokkaebi's wrath, or would you rather wait another 6 minutes with Gerhman?"
Everyone fell silent for a brief moment. Even though they were grateful for the crazy adventurer's kindness, they weren't at all keen on staying another second in that place with him.
'Using me shamelessly right in front of me, Dokja? You're even more of a scoundrel than I am! ' He was laughing inwardly at Dokja's actions, treating him like a lion trapped in a cage, waiting for the right moment to pounce on its prey.
They were about to comment on what Dokja had said when they heard a loud bang coming from the thick iron sheet. When everyone was surprised and looked in the direction of the noise, they noticed that the iron door of carriage 3707 was slightly dented.
The spiritual intuition of the beyonders had been activated. Not as a way to warn of the danger, but as a way to pay close attention to what was on the other side of the iron door.
"We have to go."
Dokja was already looking for a way to escape from that train car, but Han Myungoh and Lee Hyunsung wanted to forcefully hold the gate, but Dokja only stopped Lee Hyunsung.
"If we don't go now, we'll die before we get to the next scenario."
Notes: