Come on, brain, work!
Fors felt her mind racing faster than ever before. Her gaze darted around, then brightened. "Mr. Fool, am I the only one who's been here?"
The Fool, Klein, nodded and gave Fors a brief introduction to the Tarot Club.
The Tarot Club? Isn't that the group that helped take down Qilangos?
Fors froze, not expecting this revelation. She couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Fool, was Qilangos's demise the work of your followers?"
"One of my favored ones was involved." The Fool, Klein, said, not denying it. He appreciated the advantage of having Lucifer's backing. Fors, who had been gripped by fear and caution moments ago, visibly relaxed upon his confirmation.
And indeed, she did. If the Fool was tied to an evil god before learning of his connection to the Tarot Club, he now seemed closer to a true deity in her eyes.
After all, the Tarot Club was a legitimate organization recognized by the Churches, with good ties to the authorities. The entity they followed was unlikely to be an evil god.
This realization was a huge relief for Fors, as if her soul was safe. Her interest piqued, she asked, "Mr. Fool, may I join this gathering?"
Fors wasn't foolish. She'd shy away from entanglements with an evil god, but if this was a near-divine being… this was an opportunity! Though she had a laid-back streak, Fors wasn't entirely devoid of ambition. More crucially, even if the Fool was a benevolent deity, she didn't dare demand to be sent back.
If that was the case, why not seize some benefits? Maybe one day she could become a Sequence 6 or even Sequence 5 powerhouse!
The thought sent a thrill through Fors.
The Fool, Klein, naturally had no objections. With a smile, he invited Fors to choose a tarot card as her codename. After a moment's thought, she selected the "Magician" Arcana.
Once Fors was sent back, the Fool, Klein, shook his head with a wry smile, muttering, "This proves how important an organization's reputation is…"
If the Tarot Club's name carried even a hint of infamy, Fors might've joined in tears.
Meanwhile, in Fors and Xio's apartment...
"Fors? Fors, are you okay? What's wrong?" Xio waved her hand in front of Fors, her expression tinged with worry.
"I'm fine!" Fors grabbed Xio's flailing hand, still reeling from her experience above the mysterious gray fog. It was too extraordinary, even for a writer like her who hadn't penned anything so fantastical.
But she couldn't tell Xio... she'd promised Mr. Fool to keep it secret.
So, Fors forced a smile. "I'm okay. Just got sleepy and dozed off for a bit."
"Huh?" Xio blinked, visibly confused. She looked Fors up and down, confirming she seemed fine, then teased, "Told you not to wake up so early. Got yourself exhausted, didn't you?"
"Don't rub it in. I'm beat." Fors said, yawning as the comment hit home. Her gaze fell on the shattered crystal ball, leaving her at a loss for words.
This mysterious crystal ball had linked a mere Sequence 8 like her to a powerful entity. Fors couldn't tell if it was a blessing or a curse.
"But at least Mr. Fool doesn't seem like an evil god. The Tarot Club even works with the authorities… Could this world be on the verge of an eighth true deity?" Fors mused to herself. Even a slacker like her couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement at the possibility.
Though she wasn't well-versed in Fourth Epoch history, Fors knew the seven true gods weren't eternal. The God of Steam and Machinery, whom she followed, emerged at the end of the Fourth Epoch, as recorded in the scriptures.
No true god had risen in the Fifth Epoch, but who's to say it couldn't happen?
…
"Here's your sweet iced tea and meat pie." Alaric returned from his shopping trip around noon, handing the Fool's "holy meal" To Klein, who helped carry the rest of the goods.
Together, they hauled everything to the kitchen. Klein inspected Alaric's haul... beyond standard grains, vegetables, and meats, there were exotic ingredients and spices, some unfamiliar to him.
"Where did you get all this? It's so… comprehensive." Klein said, impressed. He wasn't a stranger to markets, but many of Alaric's finds were new to him.
"Oh, there's a story behind each one. Take this fruit, for example... a specialty from the City of Generosity. Supposedly great for hair loss. I had Mr. Door open a portal so I could grab it. Your brother's visiting soon, right? You could give him some to help with his early balding." Alaric said, tossing a peculiar-looking fruit to Klein before rattling off the origins of other items, all regional specialties.
Klein's mouth twitched. "So, you used the Time Gem to summon Mr. Door's travel ability just to buy these?"
"Exactly!" Alaric nodded, as if it were obvious. "How else do you get the freshest, most authentic ingredients? Honestly, I haven't tried a lot of these myself. Perfect chance to experiment with new dishes."
What could Klein say? When it came to food, Alaric's determination was unmatched.
"Alright, let's make lunch. Any dishes you guys want? I'm in the mood to show off." Alaric said, washing his hands and glancing at the others in the kitchen.
Both were intrigued. Medici was eager to try dishes from the Sun God's home, while Klein admitted, "Since coming to this era, I've missed spicy food. Haven't had much of it…"
"Hope someone remembers his promises!" Medici said, arms crossed, tone smug.
"Alright, let's see…" Alaric rubbed his chin, then decided, "Spicy dishes for lunch it is."
Alaric got to work in the kitchen, with Medici and Klein assisting. When the table was set with dishes, they sat down to eat. Halfway through, Medici suddenly turned toward a corner.
"Hm?" Alaric looked up, sensing something too.
Klein, slower to react, also noticed something off. Colors around them warped, and a figure emerged, stumbling before steadying.
"Mr. Azik, what's wrong?"
It was Azik, unseen for some time. Compared to their last meeting, he looked worse for wear, with multiple wounds on his body.
***
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