In the magnificent palace, housing a long mottled bronze table. Seated on its occupancy.
The Fool gave a faint smile at Audrey, saying in a welcoming voice. "Congratulations, Miss Justice, you are now a Beyonder."
He can tell... Selina controlled her thoughts.
Realizing that she had been pulled into the gray fog again. She silently reviewed. There's a gathering today... Tarot Gatherings happen in Mondays at three in the afternoon... At that time it was Saturday...
Wait, had I been confined in the hospital for a day straight!? She exclaimed, haunted by the time wasted during her recovery.
Audrey, nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Fool. Thank you, Mr. Hanged Man."
"That was faster than I had expected." Alger said honestly.
The Fool didn't pressed on with the topic as he assumed a habitual position, close to his glabella and smiled faintly. "Ladies, Sir, have any of you found a note of Roselle's diary?"
Selina could only hold her palm tightly as she hadn't been able to search due to her days of paranoia. She could only sigh and promised herself. This week, I will get at least two notes, if this is what Mr. Fool needs...
Across the mottled bronze table.
Alger, who had been anticipating this time's gathering, had glued his narrowed eyes over the silver-haired lady. His mind unknown.
Although she had already expecting this. Audrey didn't initiated like in the past. Instead, she widened her crystalline eyes and glanced at either Miss Lovers or Mr. Hanged Man with scrutinous attitude.
After a few moment of silence. Seeing that neither of the two had anything to disclose. Selina sighed and said honestly. "I didn't managed to get any of the late Emperor's diaries, my apologies Mr. Fool."
Alger, noticing the tidbit, asked Selina with wariness. "Strange considering your capabilities, Miss Lovers."
Mr. Hanged Man... You're tensed! What seems to be bothering you? Audrey immediately caught on to Alger's actions using her abilities as a Spectator.
Selina held herself from blurting.
She contemplated for a moment, before deciding to disclose her next course of action. "This is because I'm moving to Backlund soon. I failed to find any of Roselle's notes and maybe once I'm in the capital city of hope will I be able to effectively search for them."
The Fool remained silent, listening with utmost attentiveness.
"I see..." Alger, seeing that Selina truly doesn't have anything to share, turned to The Fool and said. "I found two pages of the Emperor Roselle's diary and have memorized their contents."
Because of the sudden shift, Audrey was slightly delayed in saying. "I have one page."
"Very well..." The Fool maintained an enigmatic air at the trio.
"Should we 'express' them now?" Audrey inquired with a calm tone.
"Yes."
As he finished his word, pieces of yellowish-brown goatskin parchment and dark red fountain pens appeared in front of Audrey and Alger.
The two of them picked up their pens and started to recall the symbols they had seen. They also infused the emotions of expressing them out.
Silently, lines of text appeared on the goatskin. Some of them appeared proper, some delicate, others slanted.
In a mere minute, the contents that Alger and Audrey had forcibly memorized were all written.
Seeing this, Selina couldn't help but feel a high dose of curiosity at what contents do the diaries holds.
Will it be from my native language? Or will it be from something else? Uhh... Hopefully it's not, as that would only isolate myself from my transmigrator senior.
The Fool willed the three pieces of parchments into his hands.
At this point, the two members along with Selina showed indifference by the revelation. Agreeing that it is actually fitting and just for an enigmatic person to be the only being to decipher Emperor Roselle's diary.
Selina watched silently, hands compressed together beneath the table and on to her lap.
After a few seconds. A sense of time hit her, passing in idle watch would waste it.
Realizing this, she began thinking to herself. Once I actually arrived in Backlund, what should I do next?
Selina retracted her gaze from Mr. Fool and onto the edge of the bronze table, falling distantly. Well... I can use the pounds in account to purchase a property, effectively masking taxes that accompanies my spending.
Properties, funds and charities are required to build a foundation for joining the high circles. I should also make liquid money, not necessarily an income but value in the form of appreciated properties such as stocks.
Let's focus on building relationships once we have liquidity, but before that, after arriving in Backlund, my first task is to find a place to stay then form connections along the way...
Connections... Yes, it will naturally form once I've integrated in Backlund.
Hehe... I always wanted to build charities before. I even pressed my boss to raise funds for these programs as it would help lessen poverty and inclination.
Just as Selina's train of thoughts continues. The Fool suddenly withdraw the notes down, revealed a faint smile at the trio before saying. "My apologies."
Audrey calmed the envy in her heart and smiled faintly.
"I can understand. I hope to one day be able to exchange information about the diary's contents."
"That will require a price." The Fool smiled and glanced at Justice, then swept his gaze towards the silent Lovers and Hanged Man.
Audrey put her palms together and placed them in front of her.
"Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Lovers, I have three questions to ask. If you think that the answers warrant a high price, tell me what you want, I will try my best to seek it."
"No problem," Alger answered succinctly.
Audrey thought for a few seconds and said, "The first question is, what does 'acting' really mean? I realize that the remnant psyche in the potion has minute effects on me; is that because I've been acting as a Spectator all this while?"
Selina and Alger didn't respond.
Although she had experienced a bizarre sensation of a liquid within her after her confrontation with Deimsfel. Selina was still eluded by its mystery.
Acting... Before, when I realized that a skilled Apothecary need to care for themselves before others, it seemed to have significantly soothed my spirit, like aligning with the profession's essence... She muttered to herself inwardly.
The Fool rapped the edge of his armrest and said in a relaxed tone. "Let me explain this with an analogy. Imagine the core powers of your potion as a tightly guarded castle. The remnants of the psyche that can cause a lash back resides within that castle. Our goal is to get rid of it and become the true master of the castle.
Get rid of of the remnant psyche...? Selina echoed the tidbit deeply. Does that mean there are past users of those powers?
The Fool continued. "There are two ways we can do that. The first is to forcefully invade the castle. There is no guarantee that this will work, and you will most definitely injure yourself unless you can suppress it with absolute power. But of course, we are not equipped to do that.
"The second way is to get the owner of the castle to extend an invitation. This invitation can allow us to slide through the scrutiny of the guards and infiltrate the castle. We can then easily finish off the enemies. But the problem lies in the fact that this invitation specifies the facial features and characteristics of the guest. Thus, we have to disguise ourselves and act as the guest, do you understand?"
Alger immediately asked, as if he had anticipated this reply, "Then the aforementioned invitation is the name of the potion's Sequence?"
"Correct." The Fool affirmed Alger's brief addition.
Audrey froze for a moment, having the sudden feeling that she completely understood what 'acting' meant.
She immediately exited her Spectator state due to her excitement. She praised in joy, "What an exceptional method, I think—I think it fits your title. Its style is very compatible with The Fool... I would never have believed that acting would have such an effect. Luckily, I have been acting as a Spectator the past few days."
So that's what it truly meant by acting... Remnants... Selina felt her curiosity bloom at the word. Well, as for me, I'm not neglecting my acts these past days, It even accelerated a bit when I executed Deimsfel...
Then, a thought suddenly surfaced within her. During her breaks, she would watch shows in the comfort of her phone. One interview of behind the scenes covers a celebrity's acting style.
The celebrity disclosed her way of delivery, vocal adjustments, facial expressions and the feeling she exudes during the act, including her principles.
Principles... Every excellent actors have principles they have to adhere to create an outstanding performance... Selina pondered.
If that's the case then establishing principles is my key to quickly digest my potion and advance to the next sequence...
As Selina immersed herself in silence, she didn't noticed that Audrey had already began talking, "I think that this is a very valuable answer; my heart is not at ease accepting it for nothing. Mr. Fool, what do you need in exchange? Of course, I still remember that I owe you a page of Emperor Roselle's diary."
The Fool paused for a moment before saying, "More pages of Roselle's diary, or..."
After a second, he added, "Anything regarding the Antigonus family, even if I'm already aware of them myself."
Alger remained silent for a few seconds. He looked at the top of the long bronze table for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
"Mr. Fool... I believe I can pay you back immediately with the information you requested just now."
The Fool nodded briefly and said. "No problem."
Alger deliberated over his words and said, "The Antigonus is an ancient family. Their history can be traced back to the Cataclysm Epoch before the Fourth Epoch and is related to the second Blasphemy Slate."
Blasphemy Slate? Could he be referring to those stones Moses had in the bible? Selina tried to reference. However, she ended up shaking her head afterwards. No no, what am I saying?
She sighed and added. I guess this it that homesick people refer to...
Then, moments later, Selina recalled the first mention of the Blasphemy slate by Audrey and Alger during their discussion of tarot cards.
According to what The Hanged Man and Justice have said previously, the Blasphemy Slate contained the profound mysteries of the twenty-two paths of the divine!
There are two more of such items?
Although illiterate in the field of in-depth history. Selina was still well-informed of the necessary knowledge pertaining the cause and the rise of this world's society.
However, in all books she had been taught. None had any reference for such mystical objects. They are called Blasphemous, but why?
Is it because it holds the twenty-two paths of the divine?
Divine... Selina paused for a moment, before adding. A path that leads to divinity, becoming a god... Is that why it's blasphemous?
Then, immediately afterwards, she shook her head vigorously in an attempt to drive the thoughts away. That's too disrespectful! A normal being becoming a god? Then wouldn't that make this world much more chaotic?
At that moment, she recalled the Milo incident, the cult, Deimsfel, and the beyonders.
She couldn't help but tighten her grip of her dress before turning toward The Fool, seated at the head of the bronze table with vacant eyes.
"A second Blasphemy Slate?" Audrey plainly revealed her ignorance on the matter.
Before she calmed her emotions, she returned to her Spectator state.
Alger stole a glance at The Fool and noticed that his posture remained the same, nor did he make a sound. Hence, he thought and answered, "The first Blasphemy Slate appeared in the Dark Epoch, which is the second epoch where we humans struggled to survive under the protection of gods. The second Blasphemy Slate appeared at the end of the third epoch. It could even be said that its appearance symbolized the end of the Cataclysm Epoch.
"Was the Blasphemy Slate that Emperor Roselle saw the first or the second?" Audrey asked curiously.
Selina snapped from her stupor as after hearing Audrey's inquiry had she recalled Alger's description about potion names during the first Gathering.
He once disclosed that Sequence names were derived from the Blasphemy Slate!
Then Alger simply replied, "The second one."
The glint in Audrey's eyes diminished and she returned to her Spectator state. She did not continue asking questions; instead, all she did was focus her gaze on The Hanged Man.
It was obvious that her scrutiny made Alger uncomfortable, but he suppressed the emotions within him. He lowered his voice and continued, "During the Solomon Dynasty in the Fourth Epoch, although the Antigonus family was considered an illustrious part of the aristocracy, they didn't do anything very memorable until they supported the establishment of the Tudor Empire. They then stood right in the middle of the stage of Northern Continent.
"In that period, Antigonus, Amon, Abraham, Jacob, and others were illustrious names of the human kingdom. However, after the War of the Four Sovereigns, the Blood Emperor from the Tudor Empire perished. They fell from the top of their pedestal and are now hunted by the seven gods.
"I am not sure about the actual process, but I do know that the Antigonus family was destroyed at the hands of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. Mr. Fool, if you'd like to know more, I am afraid that you can only obtain the information from the Church of the Evernight Goddess or from the few ancient secret organizations. You know which few I am referring to."
The Fool simply replied. "Alright."
Afterwards, Alger added with the last bit of information.
"I similarly have no idea which Sequence pathways the Antigonus family held. There are only two adjectives that appear repetitively in the descriptions of the Antigonus family, and those are "strange" and "terrifying."
Selina clearly knew the War of the Four Emperors, mentioned by her educators when she was an adolescence.
It was a confrontation between the Night Emperor, Blood Emperor, Black Emperor and finally an Unknown Emperor of the Southern continent.
The family names also rang a bell in her passage of memories.
The Amon family were rather conservative as their members rarely got documented, though prominent ones exhibit traits of bizarre personalities and a love for crystalline monocles that sets them apart from the rest.
While the Abraham who were once complete, fell into divergence in matters unknown.
Regarding the Antigonus family, there were no records all, or rather the name clicked into Selina like a foreign well.
Antigonus... strange and terrifying...