Lord of the Mysteries

5 p.m., Olive Tree Avenue, Pam’s Divination Lodge.

Alger Wilson pushed open a brown wooden door with panes of glass situated above it, and he entered the cafe that had a mysticism theme.

He ordered a cup of Fermo coffee from the Paz Valley on the Star Highlands of the Southern Continent. He took out the tarot cards he had bought earlier and placed it beside him. The top card was The Hanged Man, depicting an angel hanging upside down with his hands tied behind his back.

Unlike this morning, he had changed into a dark, classical robe and wore a clergyman’s biretta, like a warlock or magician from folklore.

After taking in a silent breath, Alger slowly sipped his coffee. He didn’t show any anxiety from waiting.

After about five or six minutes, the thick brown wooden door opened again, and a young man in a black tweed coat and a half top hat came in.

The gentleman’s appearance wasn’t even thirty years of age. His face was thin and angular. He had both a mature and gloomy temperament. It was none other than Klein who had slightly modified his appearance and changed his persona.

He wasn’t wearing gold-rimmed glasses, but his eyesight was unaffected. With a casual sweep with his eyes, his gaze landed on Alger’s dark blue sideburns.

Klein looked down and saw The Hanged Man card placed face up on the deck.

Without a word, he walked over, took off his hat, and sat down opposite Alger. He said with a grim smile, “I’d like to have a divination.”

As he spoke, he had already taken in the appearance of the most senior member of the Tarot Club.

Deep facial features, rough outline, with a clear weathered look. It’s obvious he was a person adept at fighting and is often outdoors.

His skin is bronze in color, but it differs from that of the natives. He’s like the result of a pure Loenese being battered by the elements for years, but the dark blue hair is more peculiar, something that doesn’t belong to Loen. It’s closer to the colonists of Desi Bay who live in Berserk Sea region.

Mixed blood… Klein made his judgment.

Alger looked at the gentleman across him, slowly superimposing his image with that of The World. Then, he pushed out the tarot card and said in a low voice, “This requires you to shuffle and cut your own cards.”

Klein reached out and picked them up, spreading them fully to take them in. Following that, he gathered them together and did a reshuffle.

He cut the cards continuously, took out three cards, and placed them in an arrangement of past, present, and future.

Klein slowly leaned back, but he turned over the middle tarot card with his right hand. It showed a naked woman wearing only a purple silk scarf, surrounded by a green wreath like a door.

This was The World, numbered 21. Number 22 returned to 0, symbolizing The Fool.

“How should I interpret this?” Klein asked deliberately.

Although The Hanged Man hadn’t explicitly mentioned that The World was the adorer of The Fool, Klein didn’t think it was necessary to hope otherwise. He felt that being honest about it aided in establishing his image—if Alger hadn’t guessed it, then it was an act of being open and confident. If Alger already knew about the matter, it would make The World appear at ease, as if everything was within his grasp.

H-he knows I know? He already believes that I’ve guessed it before raising the topic above the gray fog? Impressive… Alger’s heart skipped a beat as he replied at a moderate pace, “It’s inverted. It means that things will fail due to a lack of preparation.”

of preparations are needed?” Klein thoughtfully

back all the tarot cards apart from The World

open the top

It was The Hierophant!

voice remained

help of faith and religion to avoid

the sequence and turned over the second card. On it was The Moon

will be confused, you will be exhausted, and you will be

Alger handed over a third

pass, and the light will shine

silent for a few seconds, then seemingly asked for confirmation, “Church,

spread across Alger’s face. He nodded slightly and

hints for the

need to be so tactful. He could’ve described things in detail directly, but Alger felt that he still needed to test out an adorer like The World. He wanted to know if he was smart

intelligence were on the same level, Alger felt that they could cooperate more in the future. There was no need to talk too much between smart people; on the contrary, he would try to not involve The World in his own affairs. He would only ask for help when he needed a helper,

The World’s response and previous performances had confirmed that he

card expert… On such matters, Mr. Hanged

very simple. The Hierophant meant that he wanted to inform the Church of Storms about Blazing Danitz and Steel Maveti, and then

something Klein often used, so there was no difficulty

which followed were a reminder and warning from The Hanged

use a Sealed Artifact that could force many people within its range to fall into a dream, when dealing with similar issues. Maveti’s characteristic meant that there had to be a specific item in the Sun domain which

of the Sun… Klein reached out his hand and half-turned the inverted The World card, turning it into its

and

and flower essence to treat

the contact point at Amyris Avenue?

“Okay.”

motionless. They stopped talking about the aromatherapy

out his pocket watch,

away his smile, pressed his hand to his

us praise God. All divination outcomes come from

you even know how to express your loyalty… Klein tried to hold back his laughter as he replied

and looked

for

with Mr.

Klein had left the themed coffee shop, Alger retracted his gaze and looked at

World’s remark, he found it more inconsistent the more he looked

fellow, who looked boorish and hardened, one appearing capable of summoning a hundred sailors at any time to beat up his opponent or bringing out an axe and chopping them into pieces, really shouldn’t be wearing such a mysterious classical warlock

…

Cathedral of Waves.

into his original clothes, kept a low profile and followed the worshipers into the hall. He took advantage of the act of making a confession in order to