"I did find a seller for the potion formula of sequence 9 Savant" replied Alger after deliberate consideration. He chose to just be honest about it and relay all the information truthfully. If 'The High Priestess' still wanted to buy it, it was up for him to decide.
As soon as he said that he heard 'The High Priestess' sigh audibly in relief. He then continued and added.
"I wasn't going to tell you about this unless you asked me about this since there is a problem"
He saw 'The High Priestess's" reaction as her shoulders tensed with worry.
"What is it?" Alger heard 'him' ask in an androgynous voice that he still mistook for a woman.
"The man is charging a price of 1000 Gold pounds wishing is ridiculous for a sequence 9 potion, hence my reluctance in sharing this with you. For that price you can buy a sequence 7 potion formula or even buy a sequence 9 and 8 potion formula together. I don't know if you know this but usually a normal sequence 7 potion formula is sold for around 200 pounds, sequence 8 for around 400 pounds and a sequence 7 for around 800 pounds. The price is simply too extreme. I usually charge a commission for this type of thing but this time I won't ask any if you decide to make this purchase" stated Alger while also explaining the market price for the potion formulas.
Alger saw that 'The High Priestess' sank back into his seat, perhaps giving up his thoughts on buying the potion formula but what he said next surprised even him.
"Mr Hanged Man, did you not remember me saying not to worry about the money issue? I don't mind paying any amount for it even if the price was 10 thousand pounds. You need not worry about your commission either, just name your price as I said earlier and will say again. Money is not an issue for me. Don't be shy, I'm feeling very happy and generous" declared 'The High Priestess' this… Alger remembered how 'The High Priestess' had insisted on either the Savant or the 'Secret Pryer' potion formula which he had never heard of and was unfamiliar with.
He also remembered his discussion with Harland regarding the limit of advancement through the Savant pathway and decided to inform 'The High Priestess' as he didn't know if he was aware of it.
"Mis— Mr. Priestess, I will be honest with you. I think you will be better off with some other pathway rather than Savant. At most you will be able to advance to sequence 7 and be stuck there for your whole life just like the person selling this potion formula. Higher sequence potion formulas are guarded zealously by the Church of Steam and Machinery and it will be impossible for you to advance without joining them and losing your freedom" Alger finished speaking and waited for 'The High Priestess' to make her decision. After all this, Alger couldn't be blamed for 'The High Priestess's' decision if she still insisted on going with the trade. He had fulfilled his duty by informing her.
"Mr. Hanged Man, I thank you for your consideration but your worries are unfounded. I have considered this matter thoroughly and at one point even considered asking for the Reader potion formula but I stand with my initial choice. I know the complete sequence names and abilities, just short of the potion formulas for almost all of the 22 Divine pathways due to having read an incomplete version of the Blasphemy Slate" that incomplete version of the Blasphemy Slate was the Wiki of course. Arthus decided to reveal this because he was under the impression that he wasn't providing much to the Tarot Club and was in risk of getting kicked out from the group by The Fool.
This revelation shocked all the present members other than Arthus himself. No one spoke for a while as he waited for them to overcome their shock.
Alger finally calmed down and understanding the value of this information replied quickly "I apologise for underestimating your understanding and knowledge Mr. Priestess and hope you will forgive me. I will contact that seller again and get the potion formula for you. How should we proceed with the trade? Will you be providing me with an address or do you wish for it to happen here?" asked Alger with a tone of reverence and respect, instantly regretting laughing at him in the last Tarot Club meeting and trying to build a rapport.
Similarly, 'Mr Fool' was also regretting not letting 'The High Priestess' draw another time to change his name leading to the awkward exchange. Who could blame him? How was he supposed to know that the reserved and shy Mr Priestess was a sheep wearing a Golden Fleece!
"We will proceed with the trade here. While we are at it, could I also trouble you with acquiring the sequence 8 Archaeologist and sequence 7 Appraiser while you're at it?" asked Arthus deliberately mentioning the potion names to further prove his claim.
"Of course! That's no problem at all Mr. Priestess!" responded Alger, emphasising on the 'Mr', trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Hmm, since the seller is asking for a price five times higher than usual for a sequence 9 potion formula then it's only reasonable to assume he will do the same if not more with the other two potion formulas. With this logic he should charge about roughly 7000 pounds more or less. I will send you 20,000 pounds just as a precaution for the trade. You can take your choice of commission from this amount as well or if you wish you can just keep the leftover money for yourself. Should I send the money to the same address you told Miss Justice? If so, should I send it as cash or in the form of gold bars?" said 'The High Priestess' after calculating the price, as if it just amounted to him as small pocket change.
Alger was lost after he heard him say the word 20,000 pounds. 'The High Priestess' was sending him 20,000 pounds! He had never seen such a large amount of money in his life! 'The High Priestess' was filthy rich!
Mr Fool seemed to have lost all the colour on his face which was left unnoticed by others.
Alger collected himself and replied "I couldn't justify taking that much money for a commission just for a single trade. I will send the money back to you after the trade is done. Yes, same address as the one I told Miss Justice and remember to tell the owner Williams, that it's what the 'Captain' wants" reminded Alger kindly and continued.
"As for whether to send the money in cash or in the form of gold bars, I think it would be much more effective to send the money as gold. Your idea is truly genius!" praised Alger genuinely after weighing the prospect silently in his mind. After all, gold was less traceable and much easier to move and count after all, even with his beyonder powers, it would be difficult to keep track of 20,000 gold pounds. Though it would be a little heavy to transport but that was nothing to Alger as he was a sequence 8 beyonder from the Sailor pathway, enhancing his strength.
Of course Arthus had mentioned it for this reason. He owned a smuggling business and knew the best ways to smuggle money. This was one of them.
After Alger finished speaking the great hall shrouded in the mysterious grey fog returned back to silence. He sighed before saying tired from the ordeal, "It seems there's nothing else?"
Hearing Alger say this, Arthus saw an opportunity and shot for it.
"Actually, I am troubled by a situation and need everyone's help if possible, I'll try to make it as short and to the point as possible.
Everyone suddenly jolted back into their positions after hearing 'The High Priestess' say that in such a serious tone, waiting for him to continue, curious.
Arthus, taking the silence as a sign for him to continue, said "The situation is like this. Last week I found out that my secretary was a member of a secret organisation called the Demoness sect. She then wanted me to take the assassin pathway potion and invited me to join her organisation. I knew beforehand that the sequence 7 Witch potion would forcibly change my gender to female and obviously refused. Angered by me refusing her 'gift' according to her, attacked me with beyonder powers. She didn't know that I had a beyonder item to defend myself.
Well at that point I myself wasn't aware of this fact until later when I was summoned by Mr. Fool to this place. Anyway, she burned me alive with her cursed black flames and left me for dead. I thought I was going to die but I suddenly woke up soon after, with no apparent damage. I quickly made my way to the police and gave an official statement.
I omitted facts like the fact that my secretary was a sequence 7 Witch from the assassin pathway and told them I fabricated a plausible story about my secretary colluding with some thugs to rob me and beat me up. However, since I was afraid of retaliation from the Demoness sect I mentioned a strange fact about my secretary saying that she had a strange habit of talking into mirrors to involve the Nighthawks. This was true but I didn't think much of it when I saw it back then.
After that I demanded a full guard detail to act as a deterrent before the Nighthawks took action and soon was escorted by three policemen back to my house. They have been on guard duty ever since.
Now I'm not sure whether or not the Nighthawks are involved in my situation or not but since I know that the Sleepless pathway controlled by Church of the Evernight Goddess, has abilities to let someone enter others dreams to interrogate their target's subconscious mind by guiding their dreams.
Due to this, every single night I've made a habit to think of a certain object before going to bed to try and influence my subconscious mind to show me a dream about that object. It seems to be working since every time I wake up remembering the last fragments of my dreams have been of the object that I imagined thoroughly before sleeping.
Now I'm not sure whether or not they have already interrogated my subconscious mind or not but since I know their standard protocol I have assumed that they haven't since I still retain my memory of the incident.
I think they might have delayed it because when Mr. Fool summoned me, the beyonder item I had on me was my late mothers ring. Got destroyed. I think they might be under the impression that this was an attack from the Demoness sect and that the beyonder item in my possession saved me from death, again getting destroyed as a result.
I don't know when the Nighthawks will proceed to act on their protocol to wipe my memory but I think it will be soon. Therefore I plan on making all my arrangements today including sending the funds for the trade to the address mentioned by Mr. Hanged Man.
Before joining the Tarot Club I had hoped to somehow realise the fact that my memory was wiped but now I have a much better way.
My request for you is that by the next Tarot Club meeting, in case my memory is wiped, I want you to tell me what I told you today to my future self" Arthus made his request after finally talking for so long anticipating the response of the other members, hopefully.
Silence. The great hall was once again enveloped by a deafening silence.