While Leonard was outside feeding mosquitoes, inside the rented apartment, Klein was diligently playing the part of an ordinary person caught in danger.
Klein had been spectacularly unlucky. Previously known as another name, he had closed his eyes one moment at midnight and opened them to find himself transmigrated into a wildly imaginative young man.
After finally processing his predecessor's memory fragments and seeing his sister off to school, Klein, eager to return home, used a black loaf of bread he'd just bought to set up a luck-enhancing ritual... the same one that likely caused his transmigration. Instead of going home, he found himself in a mysterious gray fog.
There, Klein accidentally summoned two others. After some conversation, he successfully established a formidable persona as the Fool, creating the Tarot Club with them.
Exhausted from the meeting and depleted of spirituality, Klein took a nap, only to be woken by a visit from the police.
That's when he learned his predecessor was entangled in a dark divination incident. The other two involved had committed suicide, leaving him as the sole "survivor" under scrutiny.
Trouble was, Klein's inherited memories held no details about the divination. He knew full well his predecessor hadn't survived... his transmigration only made it seem that way.
But he could hardly tell anyone about transmigration or resurrection. So, he relied on careful wording to assert his innocence and, after Dunn and the others left, acted the part of a rattled ordinary person.
Otherwise, showing too much calm or knowledge of Beyonder powers might land him in jail as a suspect. During the recent Tarot Club meeting, Klein had learned from the others about Beyonder forces and official organizations.
He strongly suspected some of those who questioned him were official Beyonders.
"I hope I don't go from transmigrator to prisoner in record time. That'd be too much." Klein muttered to himself, trying to dredge up his predecessor's memories about the incident, but coming up empty.
He had no clue about the suicide or his predecessor's role in the dark divination.
…
Backlund, East District, Darawi Street, inside a lively small bar.
Alaric wrinkled his nose at the stench of cheap alcohol, scanning the crowd before locking onto his target at the bar counter.
Weaving through the throng, Alaric reached the counter and eyed the young man drinking there. In his twenties, with a lean face, messy eyebrows, and soft features, he matched the original story's description.
Williams, a half-baked information broker with ties to a few East District gangs.
Alaric wasn't here for gang business, though... he knew Williams was acquainted with Xio.
"Williams, I need to talk." Alaric said, his voice soft but cutting through the bar's noise like a thunderclap in Williams' ears.
"Who are you?" Williams asked, squinting at Alaric with confusion.
"You can call me Jack Jones." Alaric replied smoothly, using a fake name. "I hear you know Miss Xio, the bounty hunter. I have a job for her... something important. I'd like to meet her in person to discuss it."
Alaric wasn't worried about raising suspicion. Xio was a well-known bounty hunter in the East District, and even "Alaric Zoroast" Had heard of her while living here. Requesting her for a job was perfectly normal.
"You want Xio?" Williams gave Alaric a once-over, unsurprised. He took a swig of his drink, mulling it over for a few seconds. "I'll pass the message to her. Come back here tomorrow at the same time. If she's willing to meet, she'll be here. No guarantees, though."
"And whether you meet her or not, I need a finder's fee." Williams added, making a money gesture.
Alaric wasn't surprised. He pulled a one-pound note from his pocket and handed it over. "If I meet Xio, I'll give you another pound."
"Generous kid." Williams said, taking the note and checking its authenticity right in front of Alaric before pocketing it happily.
One or two pounds wasn't a fortune for Williams, but earning it just for passing a message was as good as free money.
Alaric smiled, said nothing, and turned to leave.
He still had to visit Backlund University to set up his fake identity.
Williams watched Alaric's retreating figure, thoughtful.
"Something to do with those mysterious affairs?"
As an information broker, Williams wasn't clueless about the Beyonder world. He'd crossed paths with low-level Beyonders and suspected Xio was one of them. Over the years, a few had tried to enter the Beyonder circle through her.
Whether they succeeded, Williams didn't know. He had no great desire to join them, content with his current life.
…
The next day, Darawi Street bar.
As promised, Alaric returned and, sure enough, spotted a certain woman at the counter.
"Hello, Miss Xio." Alaric greeted, approaching while sizing her up.
The woman was barely five feet tall, with messy blonde hair and delicate features, dressed in practical clothing. Despite her small stature, she exuded an indefinable air of authority.
Xio Derecha, sequence 9 Arbiter, future Justice of the Tarot Club and Fors's close friend.
Alaric had sought her out for two reasons. First, to use her and Fors to integrate into Backlund's Beyonder circles and join their gatherings. Second, to lay the groundwork for joining the Tarot Club later.
Having arrived in the Lord of Mysteries world, Alaric wasn't about to miss out on the legendary Tarot Club. From a practical standpoint, it was an ideal channel with access to high-end goods and information, perfect for buying or selling. Its members were all high-potential future powerhouses, worth befriending.
From a Joker's perspective, Alaric had already prepared fake diaries. Missing the chance to witness the Fool reading them or to playfully mess with him would be a waste.