Upon hearing Karl's question, Quevedo immediately replied:
"That's a real shame. Even though The Adventures of Gloria and The Magical Journey of Valia are also my two favorite books from my childhood, they don't contain any powers of that kind. Well, not exactly…"
Quevedo hesitated for a moment, then added:
"Some say that after drinking a potion, one can obtain powers similar to those of Gloria and Valia. But I have never witnessed it myself."
Erich intervened:
"It's true, such potions exist. But it's no longer something we can touch. We should rather say that all the powers of the afterlife come from potions. Whether it's wondrous magic or the strength of warriors, everything is obtained by drinking a potion. No one really knows the source of potions, but some say they come from our Creator."
Upon hearing this, Quevedo found his words sensible. Then he explained to Karl:
"But Karl, even though obtaining a potion is very simple, it also brings a curse. I remember that at one of the meetings I attended, someone transformed directly into a monster. Fortunately, the host of the meeting was able to eliminate this monster single-handedly."
"The loss of control," Furen added, intervening.
"That's what happens in these situations. The potion grants us power, but it also brings a curse. Even if we don't know exactly what that curse is, as soon as our emotions run wild, we have a high probability of becoming monsters. But... Karl, can I call you that?"
Seeing Karl nod in agreement, Furen continued:
"Karl, the powers we possess all come with a terrible curse. Besides the terrifying loss of control, there are the whispers that accompany the potion, and other curses besides. You will never know if one day your character will change in ways you will never be aware of. Do you truly accept such a price? It is even possible that we may never obtain superhuman power, while carrying these crushing curses."
After a pause, Furen added:
"You are not like us. Your social status surpasses even that of the majority of Beyonders. And if you were to become one of us and be discovered, your fate would be such that you would bitterly regret it. And if you truly wish to become a Beyonder, you could simply ask Governor Roselle for help. He is a very powerful Beyonder."
Karl did not answer immediately. He thought for a moment, then the frost on his face seemed to melt in the sun, leaving only a bitter smile.
"Actually, this isn't the first time I've heard the word 'Beyonders.' When I was very young, I remember my father being one, and Mr. Roselle was too. But as I grew up, when I wanted to investigate my father's death, Mr. Roselle refused my request. And when I asked him about the Beyonders, he simply remained silent for a moment, then refused me."
Karl continued:
"Without Erich, I would never have understood what it truly means to be a Beyonder. And our family isn't as close to Mr. Roselle as you might think. To be honest, he's not someone you can see that easily. After my father's death, even though his gifts were generous, he was never as close to me as he was when I was a child."
Furen remained silent upon hearing this. The dead are like lights that go out. Even though Roselle, after Green's death, generously aided the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, it was understandable that he was no longer close to his fallen comrade's son; he now had his own family. But Furen still didn't understand why Roselle hadn't guided Karl down the path of mysticism, since Green himself was a Beyonder.
Quevedo and Erich also remained silent: they knew Karl was heartbroken. But quickly, Quevedo composed himself and said:
"Ah... uh... Mr. Roselle must surely have his reasons. Although I find it a bit excessive that he didn't even explain why to you."
Karl regained his usual calm.
"I understand. But I want to become someone from the same world as you, and discover the truth for myself. That's why I want to become your friend."
After saying this, Karl realized he was placing too utilitarian a meaning on the word "friend." He fell silent again.
Seeing this, Quevedo hastened to say:
"Hey! Having more friends means having more paths ahead. Friends shouldn't use each other, that's true. But they should also help each other. Often, helping and using are just two interpretations of the same thing. As long as you stay true to your heart and have nothing to reproach yourself for in the eyes of your friends, then help or use, it doesn't matter."
Without pausing for breath, Quevedo continued:
"Okay, Karl, we have three types of potion formulas between us. Mine is 'Scholar', Erich's is 'Reader', and Frann's is 'Apprentice'. Which one do you want?"
Then Quevedo turned to Furen:
"Sorry, Furen. I invited you to the meeting for that reason. I'm truly sorry. I'm willing to give you the formula for my potion. I'm really sorry... I thought it would be good for us, being only Sequence 9s. Forgive my behavior."
Quevedo then addressed Karl:
"Between friends, accounts must be clear. I prefer to warn you: no matter who you get a formula from, you'll have to pay the price. No debts, okay!"
Then he blinked to lighten the atmosphere.
But Karl remained completely impassive:
"Of course. I don't have extraordinary knowledge of the world, but I won't be stingy when it comes to buying such a valuable formula. I have plenty of money."
He glanced briefly at Quevedo, showing that he understood the benevolent intentions behind his supposedly stupid words.
Furen added:
"I'm ready to tell Karl the potion formula. It's our friendship, and it's also the friendship between him and me. Besides, you've allowed me to reconnect with people my own age after so many years. I won't forget that gesture."
He also cast an indulgent glance at Quevedo.
Erich, who had been silently observing the scene, added:
"The 'sequence' is the term used to classify the potency of potion paths, from sequence 9 to sequence 1, from weakest to strongest. It is said that there is only one path for each potion. In other words, once you drink one, you can only drink the one that immediately follows it. Otherwise, you will become a monster. And even if you drink the right potion, you still have a high probability of becoming a monster."
Without giving Karl time to digest this information, Erich finished: "Good, Karl, choose a potion. That's how you'll take your first step."
(End of chapter)