Upon hearing 'The Hermitʼs' speculation, Klein nearly laughed aloud, 'Of course The Sun is in the sky!'
Meanwhile, Audrey found herself torn between amusement and exasperation, "My apologies, my description wasn't precise enough."
Derrick had no choice but to clarify, "Mr. Hermit, I'm in what you call the Forsaken Land of the Gods!"
Previous exchanges had given him the impression that the new member was amiable and approachable, which was why he disclosed his location so candidly.
Moreover, as far as he was concerned, this wasn't something that needed to be concealed during Tarot Club meetings.
Odis was so 'shocked', he nearly leapt to his feet, "The Forsaken Land of the Gods?! The mythical Forsaken Land of the Gods!"
He felt less like a participant in this gathering and more like an actor in a play.
After displaying sufficient astonishment, Odis continued, "I understand now..."
'Let's wrap this topic up quickly, my facial expressions are about to crumble...' Odis thought.
As the new member adopted a "I need a moment to process this" look, the discussion naturally concluded.
Next, 'The World' engaged in a private exchange with 'The Sun' while the others began free conversation.
Audrey helpfully explained to the newcomer, "After the trading segment, we usually share interesting happenings or rumors we've encountered... What might seem mundane to you could be crucial information to others."
Odis nodded, "Thank you for the clarification."
The free exchange commenced, 'The Hanged Man' shared maritime anecdotes, 'Miss Justice' discussed aristocratic affairs, and 'The Sun' offered glimpses into daily life in the City of Silver.
'The Magician' recounted some Backlund Beyonder circle gossip, while even 'The World' chimed in with thoughts on the serial killings...
Given the new member's presence, topics that might reveal their general locations should theoretically have been avoided.
But Odis's reactions during the gathering hadn't raised any red flags, so everyone spoke freely without reservations.
When his turn came, to demonstrate his willingness to integrate, Odis shared three methods for processing daisies... a perfectly normal piece of herbology knowledge that could be heard at any Mysticism gathering.
However, Odis's seasoned delivery and engaging storytelling transformed this ordinary botanical process into something fascinating.
Even Klein, shrouded in the gray fog, marveled, 'This feels like watching 'A Bite of Chinaʼ...'
The ever-curious Audrey asked, "Mr. Hermit, do common herbs like these also contain Spirituality?"
"Of course," Odis replied, "In my view, all things possess Spirituality, it's merely a matter of degree."
Audrey nodded slowly... this aligned perfectly with her prior Mysticism studies. She pressed further, "I've heard ordinary people also have Spirituality?"
Odis hummed in agreement, "That's why many cultists resort to sacrificing ordinary people when better offerings are unavailable."
Fors suddenly connected this to The Hanged Man's earlier mission, "Could the disappearances we discussed earlier be the work of an evil secret organization conducting mass sacrifices?"
Odis shook his head gently, "If cultists were responsible, the Orthodox Churches would have detected it."
Alger added, "That's what's puzzling. With so many disappearances, any dangerous, fanatical secret organization could have orchestrated multiple large-scale bloody rituals by now. The churches couldn't possibly miss that."
'The World' joined in, "It simply means these cases aren't entirely the work of malevolent secret groups."
Fors frowned, "Then who? Or what organization is behind this?" Her question hung unanswered as she debated whether to incorporate this into her novels.
But the thought of mysterious figures coming for her gas meter pennies in the night quickly dissuaded her.
After a few more exchanges, Klein declared the Tarot Club adjourned...
...
~Unit 15 Minsk Street, Cherwood Borough~
Klein opened his eyes on his bed, massaging his temples, 'If The Hermit had a mystical item for sale, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!'
'Too bad the Extraordinary weapons require maintenance...'
Sitting up, another thought struck him, 'As the Tarot Club's convener, I don't even know if The Hermit is an 'Artisanʼ!'
'Whether he is or not, he's clearly achieved advanced Mysticism research results!'
'No wonder powerful figures in the Beyonder world have taken notice...'
Klein saw both risks and advantages.
The risk? A tall tree catches the wind. Helping 'The Hermit' evade these watchers would be challenging for a Sequence 7 'Magician'...
The benefit? The Tarot Club now had a potential channel for mystical/Extraordinary weapons, and the new member seemed exceptionally well-informed.
Taking a deep breath, Klein pondered why the space above the gray fog had invited "The Hermit."
...
~Unit 29 Sivellaus Street, Earl Hall Villa, Empress Borough~
Audrey awoke on her engraved anemone-patterned bed with a smile, 'To think we'd have a new member today...'
"You're finally awake." Susie, her golden fur gleaming, trotted over, "Annie came by earlier but didn't disturb your 'nap'..."
Annie was Audrey's personal maid.
"Thank you for guarding me, Susie." Audrey beamed, "Your reward is—"
She froze mid-sentence.
Susie tilted her head, "What's wrong, Audrey? Are we out of biscuits? I think there are two packs left."
Usually, Audrey would reward her with a dog treat.
"No, I just remembered something." Audrey's expression turned grave.
She'd suddenly realized the new member's movements had been unnatural... particularly when discussing 'The Sun'sʼ origin. Though 'The Hermit' had feigned surprise, his body language had reacted faster than his blurred facial expressions.
At the time, she hadn't paid much attention. But now, reviewing the meeting, she noticed multiple instances of odd behavior... proof that many of his reactions weren't genuine.
But...
Audrey grew increasingly baffled, 'This is the Forsaken Land of the Gods! Any Beyonder with basic Mysticism knowledge would be genuinely stunned, marveling at the Tarot Club's sophistication and praising The Fool's power!'
'If he wasn't truly surprised... does that mean he has encountered the Forsaken Land of the Gods before joining?'
The more she pondered, the more enigmatic 'The Hermit' seemed...