Monday, 3:00 pm Backlund time.
Swirls of crimson color spiraled above Sefirah Castle. Each one landed on a seat, and a human silhouette formed, their true appearance covered by the dense gray fog.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~" Audrey, as usual, greeted Mr. Fool. The rest of the Tarot Club soon greeted "Him" as well.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, I have diary entries," Alger said with a slight bow towards Mr. Fool.
After Alger conjured the contents of Roselle's Diary onto the piece of paper, it disappeared and reappeared in Mr. Fool's hand.
"January 17th,
I've done it! I've finally mastered enough of the tailoring craft to introduce some real style into this dull, conservative world. Seriously, I miss those fits from my old life. All these women walking around in long dresses... It's an absolute waste of fabric and a tragedy for the male eye!
I drew inspiration from a traditional dress from a certain fashion on Earth. I am not sure if I should use the same name from Earth or change it to adjust to the language here. I'll figure it out later.
I also slipped a few bolder designs, like the early drafts for a real, proper two-piece swimsuit, into the royal tailor's queue. The old fogeys here will scream about indecency, but the youth will eat it up! It's modern, it's refreshing, and frankly, it looks fantastic.
The official reason, of course, is that these designs are "ancient Intis ceremonial garments, newly interpreted." The real reason? I just wanted to see some curves around here, and I'm the Emperor—who's going to stop me?
The tailor looked at me like I was mad when I explained the need for a "cleavage line" and a "high thigh split"—he actually blushed! I had to threaten him to do it. I can already see the young noble ladies causing a stir at the beaches next summer. It's going to be glorious!"
Of course the Emperor had an ulterior motive... Klein thought. In the end, I did end up seeing Audrey in those sexy outfits, so... Thank you, Emperor Roselle! I'm glad we share the same taste Klein nodded in satisfaction.
Audrey noticed the small nods and thought, Hm? Mr. Fool is nodding? That's unusual. I wonder what the diary pages say...
The diary pages disappeared, and Mr. Fool announced, "You may begin."
The World looked around. None of the members looked like they had anything to say yet, so he took the initiative. He looked at Miss Magician and said in a rough, raspy voice, "Miss Magician."
Eek! The Magician Fors involuntarily squealed when she heard The World call out her name. Does he know I told Xio?! I'm so sorry, Mr. World!!!
Klein continued, "I heard from a source that you and Miss Judgment were tailing a Beyonder with a bounty on their head in East Tucker County. I encountered a human trafficking Beyonder team in the docks area. Be cautious and make sure to pray to Mr. Fool if anything goes wrong."
The World is being quite… helpful and protective, Alger thought after seeing their exchange.
"Th-thank you for the warning, Mr. World," Miss Magician stammered. "We... will be very careful," she said, her gaze focused on the table, refusing to look at The World. However, she realized that not looking at him was bad manners, something she shouldn't do in the presence of Mr. Fool.
She slowly raised her head and looked in the direction of The World. When she met his foggy silhouette, she recalled the events of last night: Klein showing up naked, his huge erect dick hanging, and her dumb slip-up calling him Gehrman Sparrow in front of Xio. Her heart pounded in fear. "Th-thank you, Mr. World," she mumbled again, forcing her eyes up. Don't piss him off, Fors. He'll turn you into a puppet!
Xio sat frozen next to her, hands clenched. She hadn't said a word. Knowing Klein was The World, the man who could kill demigods like it was nothing, scared her shitless. She stared at the table, praying he wouldn't notice her.
Did Miss Judgment and Miss Magician get into trouble with Mr. World? Why are they so frightened? The innocent Little Sun tilted his head, trying to figure out the situation happening before his eyes. He, however, quickly lost interest in the topic and decided to speak.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, the City of Silver is settling very well in the outside world. Thank you for everything, Mr. Fool." Little Sun bowed politely.
Mr. Fool simply nodded.
The Hanged Man cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention, and said, "The Church of the Lord of Storms and the Church of the Evernight Goddess have come across an organization in charge of human trafficking between the Northern Continent and the Southern Continent. Mr. World, I believe this may be related to the Beyonders you encountered in East Tucker County."
Is that so? I thought most human trafficking rings ended with the death of King George III...
Alger turned to The Star Leonard and continued, "Mr. Star, I would like to request your help. Your connections with the Church of the Evernight Goddess will prove valuable. You'll be paid handsomely."
Hm? Leonard raised his eyebrow. "What's the mission?"
"The Mandated Punishers are working together with the Nighthawks in Backlund. They've managed to track down the leader of this trafficking ring to somewhere in the capital. I want to hire you for your information network as well as your help in killing this leader before any of the churches get to him. The spoils of war will be yours, except for the Beyonder characteristic. On top of that, you'll be paid 5,000 pounds."
As The Star Leonard thought of his decision, Alger turned to The World.
"Mr. World, I would also like to ask for your help—"
"I have important matters to attend to with Mr. Fool. I won't be able to help," The World calmly explained. More like these 'important matters' are my dates with Audrey... He chuckled inwardly.
Matters with Mr. Fool? That makes sense... a Blessed of Mr. Fool is bound to be very busy Alger reasoned. "I understand." Alger then turned to look at the rest of the Tarot Club members in hopes of people being willing to aid him. Unfortunately for him, nobody else was willing to.
"Mr. Hanged Man, I'll accept the mission," The Star Leonard said.
"All right, I'll be arriving in Backlund soon. I'll send you the details of our rendezvous point in a few days."
With no further topics to discuss, the Tarot Club meeting came to an end, and all the members dispersed. Moments later, Klein also returned to the real world.
He was still in the Hall family's summer house in East Tucker County. He was inside his own private room, just across Audrey's room.
Audrey and I will be returning to Backlund tomorrow... I also have to consider where I can set up my ritual for advancing to Sequence 1.
"Build a town consisting only of marionettes, and design a trajectory of fate for every marionette. By letting them interact with each other, they would act as a sufficiently real-life painting and create a corresponding area in the spirit world."
Merlin Sparrow is currently searching for areas suitable for this ritual. Having a town pop up out of nowhere will arouse suspicion. Hmm... I can use Grafting from the Sequence 1 Attendant of Mysteries characteristic that I obtained from the God of Wishes, Kotar...
Knock Knock.
Audrey knocked on the door and said from the other side, "Klein, I just saw Fors and Xio left to go into town to continue chasing their bounty. I was wondering if you were in the mood for some desserts."
Klein got up, opened the door, and met Audrey standing outside his door.
"Desserts?"
"Yes, one of the maids told me about a cake shop in town, it's not far."
"Sounds like a plan," he smiled.
Klein and Audrey got out of their carriage. They were both wearing casual wear. Klein wore a simple white linen shirt with khaki trousers, and Audrey wore a cream-colored blouse with delicate lace trim, tucked into a high-waisted, ankle-length light blue skirt.
They walked into a cute little cake shop called "Seaside Sweets" in the busy part of East Tucker County's coastal town.
The shop was warm, with glass cases showing off colorful cakes, creamy éclairs, and pretty macarons. It wasn't crowded, so it felt cozy and private.
Audrey's eyes sparkled. "This place looks amazing," she said, smiling at Klein.
Klein smiled back, though his mind was still half-stuck on the Tarot Club meeting and his plans for the Sequence 1 ritual. Still, being with Audrey made him feel calm, like he could forget his worries for a while.
They went to the counter, where a friendly older lady in a pink apron greeted them.
Audrey got a slice of lemon cake and some green tea. Klein picked a chocolate cake and coffee. They took their treats to a small table by the window, where they could see people walking around outside.
Audrey took a bite of her cake. "Mmm~, this is so good! You gotta try it." She held out her fork with a playful grin.
Klein leaned in and took the bite, laughing a little. "That's really delicious, but it still doesn't beat this chocolate cake~" he said as he raised his own fork with a piece of cake on it.
They shared bites of each other's cakes, talking about simple stuff—the sunny weather, the town, and funny stories from Audrey's fancy parties in Backlund. For a moment, Klein felt normal. He loved this feeling. A feeling he only felt whenever he was Audrey.
"What are you grinning at, dummy?" Audrey pointed out with a teasing smile.
"I was thinking about how lucky I am to have you."
"Cough, Klein, how can you say that in public?" she said, her voice a mix of embarrassment and delight. She glanced around the cake shop, but the few people inside were too busy with their own chats to notice.
Klein chuckled. "What? It's true. I'm allowed to say nice things about my girlfriend, aren't I?" he teased.
Audrey's embarrassed smile grew wider. "Dummy."
"Dummy?"
"Y-yes, you're a dummy. Can't believe you're saying all this with a straight face when last night you were screaming my name~"
Klein cleared his throat, his ears burning up. "D-don't bring that up..."
"Aww, but you were so cute yesterday~~" she teased.
Klein shrank back in embarrassment as he recalled the events of last night. "Dummy."
Klein and Audrey walked out of Seaside Sweets. As they wandered through East Tucker County's busy streets hand in hand, Audrey spotted a beat-up sign pointing to an old lighthouse at the edge of town. It said there'd be stunning views of the ocean from the lighthouse.
Her green eyes lit up, and she grabbed Klein's arm. "Klein, it's a lighthouse! That sounds so cool! Can we go?" she asked, practically bouncing.
Klein looked at the sign, then at her happy face. "Yeah, let's do it," he said, smiling back. Has she never seen a lighthouse? Well, I guess a noble wouldn't...
They headed out of town, passing fish stalls and little shops selling shiny trinkets. The path went through a grassy field with tons of daisies, and they could hear the ocean getting louder.
The lighthouse was tall with old red-and-white stripes that went in a spiral from top to bottom. They climbed its creaky metal stairs. At the top, there was a balcony with an amazing view—huge waves smashing into rocks below, the sea going on forever.
Audrey leaned on the railing, her hair blowing in the wind. "Ah, I love the view!"
Klein stood next to her. "Yeah, it's amazing," he said. They both admired the view as the sky began to turn into a soft orange color.
As they started heading down, Klein saw someone who wasn't supposed to be here.
Klein had made a habit of taking control of the small city life wherever he went. Rats, squirrels, birds, and bugs were his eyes every time he went for a walk. Today was no exception. One of the birds in a tree had become Klein's eyes.
He saw a Tingen Nighthawk.
And he was heading his way.
What the hell is Frye doing here?! Klein's heart raced at the sight of an old Nighthawk teammate.
Klein gently intertwined his fingers around Audrey's hand. "Hey, let's check out this stall," he said, nodding toward a path leading away from Frye's direction.
"Sure, maybe they've got cute souvenirs," she said, flashing a smile.
They walked toward a market stall and looked at the small souvenirs it offered. But Klein's mind was still on his old Nighthawk teammate.
"Audrey, I remember seeing a sign for something you'll love."
"Really? And what would that be?"
"You'll see."
Using the views of his multiple marionettes, he led the way to a place far away from Frye.
Phew... I gotta keep my eyes open. If Frye is here, there's a high chance of more Nighthawks also being here.
They walked further and further away. After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of a certain establishment.
"Klein! Is that..."
The sign above read: "24/7 Dog Cafe"
"A dog cafe?! Really?!" Audrey's eyes sparkled as she looked through the cafe's windows. Most dogs were asleep, but a few were still awake, playing with customers.
"Let's go in," Klein said.
The cafe was super cozy, with wooden tables and cushions everywhere. Puppies of all breeds ran around. Shih Tzus, terriers, and golden retrievers soon gathered around Audrey and Klein.
A worker led them to a low table and handed them a menu. "You can pet the puppies all you want~ They love it."
Audrey dropped to her knees, petting a corgi's fluffy ears. "Aww~ You're so adorable!" she said, laughing as it licked her hand.
Klein sat next to her, a pug flopping in his lap. "You're stealing all the fans," he teased as he saw more and more dogs approaching Audrey.
The waiter came back with hot cocoa and dog biscuits. Audrey giggled as the corgi spun for a treat. "Klein, we gotta come back here every day," she said, her eyes shining.
"Only if you deal with the drool," Klein joked, grinning as the pug licked him. It felt fun, just them and the dogs.
As the sky turned dark, they realized it was getting late. They left the cafe and made their way through the streets back to the beach house.
Klein's marionettes scouted ahead. There was no sign of Frye or any other Nighthawks.
The summer house was quiet. Fors and Xio were probably still out on their bounty hunt.
Instead of going inside, Klein and Audrey walked by the seashore under the crimson moonlight. The sounds of the swaying waves were relaxing, and the reflection of the red moon on the ocean water was mesmerizing.
Audrey took off her shoes and, holding up her skirt, let the ocean waves wash over her feet. It wasn't too cold. It was just fresh. She slowly walked further in.
"Klein! Come in, it's so refreshing!"
Klein grinned. He rolled up his pants and joined her. The water was slightly chilly for him, but her laughter warmed his heart—it was enough for him to forget about the temperature.
Audrey flicked water at him, and he retaliated. They no longer cared about getting their clothes wet.
"Hahah—Ah! Klein—" Audrey slipped, her body falling into the water.
Klein caught her by the waist and pulled her in. Their faces were close. Her eyes were sparkling, and, without thinking, he leaned in. Their lips met in a soft, playful kiss.
"Klein..."
Audrey's lips pressed harder against Klein's, and everything else faded away.
The ocean swirled around their legs, tugging them closer, like it wanted them together. Audrey grabbed his shoulders, her fingers clutching his wet shirt. Klein held her waist tighter, keeping them steady as the tide pulled at them.
Their kiss got deeper, more intimate. Audrey giggled, pulling back for a second. "You're gonna make me fall again," she teased, her voice soft but with a spark.
"And I'll catch you every time," Klein said, his voice quiet, and his eyes stuck on hers. He brushed a wet strand of hair off her face with his thumb.
It felt like a fire was burning between them.
Audrey leaned in again, kissing him deeper. Their lips moved fast, hungry for each other.
Their bodies pressed tight in the shallow water. Her hands slid up to mess with his hair, and Klein wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as the waves hit their bodies.
Audrey pulled back a bit, catching her breath, her lips puffy and her eyes burning with a bright flame. She looked at Klein. Her fingers wrapped themselves around Klein's wet hair and tugged him closer.
He laughed warmly and kissed her again, slower this time, like he wanted to feel every second. They sought each other, kissing deeply under the crimson moonlight.
How long has it been?... Hah... I can't think straight... Klein found himself still lost on Audrey. How many minutes have passed? Klein did not know. All he knew was that the woman he loved was wrapped tightly around his body as the ocean waves washed over their bodies. Their clothes were drenched, but they did not pay attention to it.
?! Klein's spiritual intuition was triggered. Someone was coming. Dammit, it's Fors and Xio...
The Worm of Spirit inside Sefirah castle stirred the gray fog and used the Sequence 1 Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic.
In the next moment, their environment changed. The beach disappeared, the sound of the waves cut out, and the water around their legs was gone.
Klein used Grafting to change their positions!
Audrey opened her eyes and pulled back a bit after she felt a change in her surroundings.
They were now in Klein's room. They were both standing by the locked door, their clothes dripping with the salty ocean water.
"Klein?"
"Fors and Xio were coming back," he said, his hand caressing her cheek. "There's no need to worry about it." He leaned in and, before she could speak, he shut her mouth close with his lips.
"Mmnnhh." Audrey's body arched as his tongue plunged deeper, claiming every inch of her mouth.
His hands roamed around her body, sliding up her wet shirt and feeling the curve of her soft tits.
She gasped, pressing herself closer. Her nails dug into his back as he rubbed her sensitive places.
Klein kneaded her boobs through her soaked blouse. He felt her nipples harden under his fingertips.
The room was quiet except for their heavy breathing and the drip of saltwater pooling at their feet, but the fire between them burned with passion.
Audrey, feeling like she was being overwhelmed, decided to get back at Klein by reaching into his crotch. She caressed his cock over the fabric of his pants. She felt a massive bulge ready to enter her at any second. And she wanted it.
Her fingers fumbled with Klein's zipper, her lips still kissing him. She tugged his pants down and felt the hard bulge straining against his boxers. Her hand brushed over it, teasing, and Klein groaned into her mouth. His body tensed.
She wanted him. Her body wanted him.
As she undressed him, Klein also did the same. He yanked her soaked blouse over her head and tossed it to the floor with a wet slap.
Her bare skin and tits glistened with saltwater. His fingers traced her curves. His thumbs circled her stiff nipples, making her gasp and arch into him. She was pushed into the locked door behind her. She barely noticed the cold surface of the door pressing against her back, her mind too caught up with Klein.
"Audrey," Klein murmured as he kissed her neck and slid her skirt down her hips, leaving her in just her panties.
She tugged at his shirt, pulling it off to reveal his toned chest.
Their clothes hit the floor, leaving Klein naked and Audrey in just her panties.
Audrey, still pushed against the door, felt Klein's fingers making their way down to her panties. He gently caressed her over the thin fabric. Her aroused body couldn't help but get wet.
"Klein..." she whimpered.
His fingers slipped beneath the thin fabric of her panties. He gently teased her pussy before deliberately inserting two fingers inside.
"Mnghh~" she moaned. Klein's lips found her neck again, kissing and nipping as his fingers moved around inside her.
Her head went back against the door, her eyes half-closed as pleasure rippled through her.
She couldn't take it anymore.
Audrey pressed herself against him. She felt his hard cock pushing against her thighs. Her hands roamed his chest.
"I love you," she said as she slowly and gently stroked his dick.
"I love you too, Audrey." He kissed her once again for a few seconds before pulling back. His hands gripped her hips and gently turned her to face the door. She braced her palms against the wooden door and raised her ass.
She brought one of her hands to her crotch and pulled aside her damp panties, exposing herself to Klein. Her fingers spread her pussy wide open, inviting him to go in.
"Klein," she murmured, her voice trembling with want as she glanced back at him. "Put it in already— Ahhngh~~"
Before she could finish her sentence, Klein shoved his dick inside. He slid into her slowly, filling her completely. She moaned loudly as Klein reached deep inside.
Klein's hands held firm onto her hips. He moved himself back and forth, his dick gliding in and out smoothly.
"Mmmnn—Ah! Ah! Ahnnghh~~!" Her moans grew louder and mixed with Klein's low groans as he picked up the pace.
Click, Creak
The door downstairs opened.
Fors and Xio were back.