"…I wonder if the Ancient Sun God will properly discipline Amon. Oh well, I can't stay here any longer." Alaric shook his head, gathering the scattered Worm of Times from the ground. Without lingering, he swiftly packed his belongings and prepared to leave.
Though the Ancient Sun God had sealed the space while dealing with Amon, that seal was now gone. Who knew if official Beyonders or Amon's true body would show up? Alaric figured it was best to find a new place to live.
As for being tracked... Alaric wasn't worried about mystical methods. As the vessel for Nyarlathotep's power, it'd be a miracle if any Beyonder in this world could divine his whereabouts.
Physical traces? Alaric, with his wealth of experience dodging pursuit, knew exactly how to erase those.
By the time official Beyonders sensed something amiss and arrived at Alaric's former residence, he had already melted into the bustling chaos of Backlund like a drop of water in the ocean.
That afternoon, a house on a street in Hillston District welcomed its new tenant.
After dismissing the temporary maid hired to clean the place, Alaric locked the doors and windows, set out his freshly cleaned beakers and tools, and opened a small suitcase. From it, he retrieved pure water, golden mint leaves, narcissus essence, and elven flower... auxiliary materials needed for the Joker potion. Finally, he pulled out an iron cigarette case, revealing a single Worm of Time resting quietly inside.
Amon's avatar had left more than one Worm of Time after self-destructing, but Alaric stored the others for future use.
He didn't rush to concoct the Joker potion. Instead, he took one last item from the suitcase... a deliberately aged blank notebook, its title page inscribed with the words Transmigration Diary.
Alaric opened the notebook, a thoughtful look crossing his face as if plotting a story. Seconds later, a pleased smile curved his lips, and he began writing on the first page:
[June 29, Sunny.
It's been three days in this world, and no matter how much I don't want to admit it, I have to face the truth: I've transmigrated to another world, and there's no going back.
Fine, with so many transmigrators out there, it's not that surprising it's my turn. On the bright side, my current status means I won't lack for food or drink. I can live comfortably and skip decades of struggle.]
[June 30, Cloudy.
I take back what I said yesterday. This world has extraordinary powers, and my current identity isn't just some ordinary rich kid... it's a member of a mystical family with a storied history of producing Beyonders.
Good news: I can become a Beyonder and even choose from the Seer, Apprentice, or Marauder pathways.
Bad news: I just learned our family has a terrifying enemy named Amon, who indiscriminately devours every Zoroast family member he encounters.
Hilarious. No lying low for me.]
[July 1, Overcast.
I've decided to go with the Marauder pathway. Our family has the most complete knowledge of it. The Apprentice and Seer pathways only have mid-to-low sequence information, making advancement tougher.
I don't know if I can reach demigod status, but why make things harder when there's an easier path?]
[July 2, Stormy.
I'm doomed! Doomed! DOOMED!
I ran into Amon! I nearly got eaten. Luckily, Amon's a thrill-seeker and decided to let me grow a bit before coming back for me.
I need to figure out how to escape before he returns.
Good thing Amon doesn't know my native language. I can write my thoughts and plans in it, keeping track of everything to avoid slipping up.]
"Done!" Alaric set down his pen, satisfied with his fabricated diary. The purpose wasn't just to write... it was to disguise these pages as Roselle's diary and sell them to Tarot Club members. The goal? To subtly warn a certain future Mr. Fool of potential dangers, offer a bit of help, and, of course, throw some shade at Amon.
Depending on circumstances, he might also use the diary to drag others.
Honestly, Alaric was quite curious about Klein. He'd never considered himself a good person, which was why he admired genuinely good people like Klein.
Their existence made Alaric feel the world wasn't so bad, and living wasn't such a terrible thing.
Plus, Klein, as the future Lord of Mysteries, was a prime investment. Build some favor now, and in three years, Alaric could borrow near-Old One-level power. What's not to love?
In Alaric's plans, contacting Klein was a must. He didn't mind lending a hand where he could, and Klein's circle was bound to be full of excitement and powerful figures... perfect for satisfying Alaric's dual desires for fun and connections.
He even planned to subtly reveal his "fellow transmigrator" Status during their meeting, curious to see Klein's reaction.
Shock, probably, but no immediate acknowledgment... Klein would likely observe cautiously first. After all, Mr. Fool was a prudent man.
With a chuckle, Alaric closed the diary and set it aside. He picked up a nearby beaker, holding his right hand above it. The next moment, with a faint sound of bursting bubbles, a pale blue, translucent object the size of a baby's palm dropped into the beaker... the Joker characteristic carved out by Yog-Sothoth.
Alaric stared at the beautiful Beyonder characteristic for a few seconds before meticulously beginning the potion's preparation. He added pure water, narcissus essence, and other auxiliary materials in sequence. Once the common ingredients were in, he dropped in Amon's Worm of Time.
The moment the Worm of Time entered, the solution took on an odd texture, like liquid gemstone. Alaric's expression didn't change as he added the final Joker characteristic.
Gurgle... gurgle...
As if undergoing a chemical reaction, the potion turned into a chaotic darkness for a fleeting second before shifting to a silvery white. The liquid now resembled blooming flowers or twinkling stars, exuding a chaotic yet dazzling beauty.
"It's pretty, but it doesn't exactly look drinkable." Alaric remarked candidly, eyeing the finished Joker potion. Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and downed it in one go.
***
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