SWNOVELXO Chapter 19: 19
Chapter 91 An AttemptTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3425 words Update time: 2025-05-30 18:16:54
The Hunter Path?
Audrey suddenly asked about other sequence pathways, which seemed a little strange to Klein and Alger.
But Caroline knew why Audrey suddenly asked about this topic.
She actually still wanted to help me collect information about the sequence pathway. I was really touched by this.
Caroline glanced at Audrey secretly, but quickly looked away to avoid being noticed.
The Hanged Man Alger pondered for a moment, then asked in a questioning tone:
"Is that the friend you mentioned last time? She chose the 'Hunter' path?"
Audrey nodded and replied:
"Yes, she became a 'Hunter' through her own efforts, so I was wondering if I could help her with the subsequent clues."
Alger laughed coldly and said with a hint of ridicule in his tone:
"You don't have to help others like this. The extraordinary world doesn't need such generosity. If you help others, they may not repay you with the same value. Of course, if you are very good friends in real life, then just pretend I never said this."
Klein agreed with this, and he also felt that "Justice" Audrey was a little naive in this regard.
However, "Justice" doesn't seem to be very old, so it's inevitable that he would act on his temper. Besides, it's not good to attack a child's kindness after all.
Klein did not speak. He quietly examined the auras of Justice and The Hanged Man, observing their emotions.
Well, Miss Justice was a little unhappy, probably because of the sermon from The Hanged Man.
Mr. Hanged Man's mood was as calm as ever. He didn't seem to have any particular thoughts about it and just said it casually... Eh? Miss Tank's mood was...
Klein inadvertently noticed Caroline's emotions at the moment. From the color of her aura, he could tell that Caroline seemed to be... a little ashamed? What was she ashamed of?
The atmosphere at the long bronze table was a little tense. Caroline looked at Alger and Audrey, cleared her throat, and took the initiative to speak for the first time:
"I think that maintaining good relationships with other extraordinary people can also play a good role in one's own extraordinary path."
"Wild Beyonders are isolated in society. On the one hand, they are suppressed by official Beyonders, and on the other hand, they have to be wary of other Beyonders. In this situation, it is better to have one more friend than one more enemy. One more relationship is equivalent to one more network of contacts. It may not have a very obvious effect at the moment, but it may provide some unexpected help in the future."
Caroline tried her best to speak in a relatively pragmatic way for Audrey and not to show too much emotion.
Ms. Tank, is this the image of official Beyonders in your eyes? We clearly don't oppress wild Beyonders that much…
Klein couldn't help but hold his forehead, feeling a little embarrassed, but what she said was not wrong.
Seeing the new member, Chariot, speaking for her, Audrey puffed up her cheeks and nodded in approval, as if she thought the same thing. She said to Alger:
"That's exactly what I thought!"
Alger glanced at Caroline. He actually somewhat agreed with her theory. However, he would rather only pay money and benefits rather than rely on emotions to build such a fragile relationship.
He shrugged his shoulders and said in a low voice:
"These are just some of my small opinions."
Then, he thought for a moment and said:
"I don't know much about the Hunter Path, but Beyonders on this Path are not uncommon at sea. Clues related to it can be purchased at secret gatherings on major islands, and you can even hear some rumors in some bars, so I know a little bit about it."
"At the same time, because some Beyonders on the Hunter Path have a very intimidating reputation among the pirate community, such as Flame Danitz, there are also many people who pursue this path."
"Of course, on the ocean, the most suitable path is still 'Sailor', but on land, 'Hunter' can make better use of their expertise."
Alger paused, glanced at Audrey, then at Caroline, before continuing:
"I can share with you some clues behind this path, but it's not free. In exchange, I hope you can help me get some information on land."
Get some information?
Audrey asked carefully:
"I need to know first what information you want to find out, Mr. Hanged Man."
Facing the question, Alger leaned back slightly and answered calmly:
"It's just some information about the Loen Kingdom Navy. It doesn't need to be very detailed. Even if it's just some news or some rumors among the people, it's fine."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to conduct any espionage. It's just that there have been some rumors at sea recently, and the pirates' actions have become a little strange. I need to use the information on the shore to determine the specific situation."
Audrey pondered for a while and felt that this would not involve some secret arrangements of the kingdom's top leaders.
"Okay, I can accept this exchange."
At the same time, Caroline raised her hand and said:
"Count me in. I also have certain needs for the follow-up of the 'Hunter' path."
Alger did not refuse. He nodded, recalled a little and said:
"The Sequence 8 of the Hunter pathway is called Provocateur, and the Sequence 7 is called Arsonist. In the past, it was also called Fire Mage. The famous pirate Danitz, Flame, who I just mentioned to you, is a Sequence 7 of this pathway."
Provocateur, arsonist... these names sound a bit negative, but the ancient name sounds very powerful...
Caroline thought to herself.
Is Sequence 7 already a famous pirate? It seems that there are many talented people on the ocean...
Klein was also thinking, and silently memorized the name of "Flame" Danitz.
Alger continued:
"The potion formula for this route is easy to find at sea. If you need it, I can help you get it."
Caroline listened to Alger's narration and suddenly thought of the description of Intis's "Hunter" heritage in the Emperor's diary. So she took advantage of Alger's pause to speak:
"I heard that Hunter is also a very popular Sequence Path in Intis. They have an Extraordinary Organization composed entirely of Hunter Path Extraordinaries. Moreover, it is said that Intis is a country with a Hunter heritage."
As she spoke, Caroline glanced at The Fool secretly. Because this information came from the Emperor's diary, she was worried that saying so would cause The Fool's displeasure.
Fortunately, Mr. Fool did not say anything about this. He remained calm and watched them quietly.
"There is indeed such a saying, and there are also rumors about this at sea."
Alger nodded and replied to Caroline:
"Currently, most of the 'Hunters' are from Intis, because the former royal family of Intis, the Soran family, which was overthrown by Emperor Roselle's coup, holds information about the potions of the 'Hunter' pathway."
At this point, Alger suddenly laughed for no apparent reason, but his laugh was so strange that it made people feel as if he would naturally go out of tune whenever he uttered a series of syllables.
"All Beyonders of the Hunter Path have a very annoying trait, and that is their mouths. After becoming Sequence 8, they gain an ability similar to 'Provocation'."
"So many 'hunters' are Intis people. Perhaps because of this, they are born to play the role of 'provocateurs'."
It seems that the people of Intis are not very popular. Even those who are not from Loen seem to be prejudiced against the people of Intis by the "Hanged Man" who travel the sea.
Caroline suppressed her smile and thought to herself.
After getting the answer, Audrey repeated all the information herself, then nodded to Alger:
"Thank you for your answer, Mr. 'The Hanged Man'. It has taught me a lot."
Although the Hanged Man sometimes spoke harshly, his knowledge and experience were beyond doubt. Audrey also admired him very much. Of course, it would be better if he could be a little gentler and more gentlemanly.
Alger accepted the praise very naturally, and seeing that Audrey had thanked him, Caroline also thanked him.
There was silence again at the long table for a while. Audrey looked at the Fool at the top and said to the other two:
"I have no further questions."
"Neither have I."
Alger also shook his head.
Caroline thought about it. She had seen that Alger seemed to know some secrets of the nobility, so she wanted to ask him about the situation of the Loen nobles. However, after careful consideration, she finally did not ask.
Just when everyone said that there was nothing to worry about, The Fool, who had been silent for a while, spoke.
"I have something here."
Klein said slowly, his tone as relaxed as ever.
"This requires your cooperation. Don't worry, it's just a small thing. If it succeeds, it will be very beneficial to you."
The three people at the table were all stunned for a moment. Audrey quickly calmed down and entered the audience state. She said to The Fool:
"You go ahead."
"Follow your will."
"Please respectfully ask for the Holy Word."
As soon as Alger finished speaking with Audrey, he heard Caroline on the other side say something extremely tricky.
He looked towards Caroline, who noticed his gaze and gave him a polite smile.
Alger's emotions were changing. He looked away without saying anything.
"It's very simple. You just need to try a ritual magic in your free time. It doesn't have to be very formal."
Klein smiled and said:
"Set up a simple altar and place four white candles on the altar, one at each corner. Then, place the four staple foods in the order of the four corners..."
He taught the three of them a new ritual that he had transformed through the "lucky-changing ritual" and the ritual magic of Professor Old Neil, and also gave a free explanation of how to set up a closed spiritual environment.
Sounds a lot like a ritual to please the gods...
Alger thought obscurely.
Why does it feel like a condensed fortune-changing ritual? Then what? Do I recite the four names of Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tian Zun again?
Caroline was thinking about it, and she had already started to consider whether to have these four staple foods as dinner tonight.
Audrey, the only one who was very interested in this, listened attentively. After Klein finished explaining, she asked:
"Then may I ask Mr. Fool, what is the spell corresponding to the ritual?"
Alger and Caroline looked at the head of the long table at the same time. Klein tapped the edge of the table with his fingers and replied calmly and casually in Hermes:
"Fool who does not belong to this era, you are the mysterious master above the gray fog, you are the yellow and black king who controls good luck..."Chapter 92 Passing by (Happy Dragon Boat Festival)Title of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3001 words Update time: 2025-05-31 13:35:50
A fool who does not belong to this era?
The mysterious master above the gray fog?
The yellow and black king who holds good luck?
Caroline chanted the three-part spell as she watched the scene before her being swallowed up by crimson again. She watched herself leave the mysterious gray fog and begin to sink into reality.
The party came to an end after The Fool finished reading all the spells.
According to the normal process, there seemed to be some time for chatting, but it seemed that no one had anything to share today, so the "Fool" announced the end of the party.
When she opened her eyes again, Caroline saw the ceiling of the hotel that she had gradually become familiar with.
"It's really amazing… I didn't even chant my honorable name this time, nor did I take four steps backwards, but I was still pulled above the gray fog…"
Caroline sat up in bed, crossed her legs and looked at her hands.
"It feels a bit like my soul leaving my body... Is this the principle of how The Fool pulls people in?"
"No wonder he asked us to find a place where we won't be disturbed to wait for the party. Even though our spirit and consciousness have been summoned to the gray fog, our bodies are still in reality..."
"Heh, it suddenly occurred to me that if I ask Mr. Fool to pull the enemy into the gray fog when facing him, then wouldn't his real body be at my mercy?"
Caroline let her imagination run wild, not feeling at all that this might be a bit offensive.
After thinking about it for a while, she let out a breath and began to recall what The Fool had said she needed their help with.
A simplified ritual similar to a luck-changing ritual, creating a closed spiritual space, lighting four white candles... all these steps sounded a little bit scary to Caroline. She had never tried any occult ritual magic, and neither had her original body.
Even though she didn't have enough knowledge of the occult, Caroline at least knew that doing so would most likely attract some unclean beings. Isn't this how the plots of all the exorcism movies start?
However, unlike other rituals, this ritual was taught by Mr. Fool and was exclusively certified by him.
Moreover, The Fool also gave a clear spell that could point to him rather than to some other unknown entity.
"A fool who does not belong to this era..."
Caroline recited the three spells again in Hermetic language, and gradually felt that the more she chanted the spell, the more it sounded like a noble name.
Whose honorific name? The honorific name of "The Fool"!
The honorific name of "The Fool" seemed to be more powerful than she expected... It was said that in this world, the three-part description was a status that only gods could use.
For example... "Lord of Crimson, Mother of Secrets, Queen of Disaster and Terror", this is the honorific name of the Goddess of Night.
Now it seems that this description is almost equivalent to the three-part description of the Goddess of Night.
Does he have the same status and power as the seven true gods?
Caroline shuddered. She was now increasingly aware that she seemed to be involved with an extraordinary existence.
But fortunately, the "Fool" behaved in a very easy-going and friendly manner, and did not do anything scary or use force to oppress them. When there was something to discuss at the party, he would discuss it with them in a friendly manner.
Such a great being who is so easy to talk to, where on earth could he be a god from...
Caroline thought about it, took out her pocket watch to check the time, and prepared to pack up and go buy the four kinds of food needed for the ceremony.
...
Back in her bedroom, Audrey hadn't yet recovered from the aftermath of the party.
When Audrey heard The Fool say his honorific name with great confidence, the shock she felt was no less than the surprise she felt when she was first invited to the Tarot Club.
"If Mr. Fool is truly a being with the status of a god, then wouldn't our gathering be... a meeting before God?"
Audrey clenched her hands in excitement, but she quickly calmed down and tried not to show her emotions so obviously.
Fortunately, Mr. Fool had always behaved very kindly and should be a good man on the lawful side. Otherwise, when Audrey realized his character, she would have to worry about her future.
"Mr. Fool is different from the seven true gods, so he must be an ancient being… well, as he said himself, an ancient power that is reviving."
One indication that the power of the Fool is reviving may be the expansion of the Tarot Club.
"The new member, Miss Chariot, didn't say much. Well, judging from her behavior, she was probably a little nervous because it was her first time attending the Tarot Club... In that case, her Sequence shouldn't be high either. She might be just a mystic enthusiast like me at the time."
"She spoke the Loen language, so I guess she's from Loen, but her accent... well, I can't tell. Is it because she's intentionally covering up her accent?"
"She also seems to be pursuing the potion formula of the 'Hunter' path, and seems to know some clues. Maybe she is also a Beyonder of the 'Hunter' path?"
Audrey thought about it, left her bed, and walked towards the dressing table.
"The information I got at this party is still very useful, but I have to discuss it with Caroline first to see what she thinks."
Sitting down at the table, Audrey took out an empty envelope and letter paper, picked up the quill pen, and began to write fluently.
...
In the captain's cabin of the Blue Avenger on the Sonia Sea.
Alger silently looked at the nautical chart hanging in the captain's room, his face illuminated by the oil lamp showing a changeable expression.
His heart had not yet completely calmed down. Complex and chaotic thoughts kept circling in his mind, and all the details and information he had seen at the Tarot Club flashed before his eyes one by one.
This tarot reading will be very extraordinary.
The Fool's character is far more powerful than he had imagined. Perhaps he should reconsider his behavior in the Tarot Club.
"It's only the third meeting and new members have joined..."
Alger was originally somewhat dissatisfied with the Fool's sudden addition of new members. He believed that since they were a secret gathering, they should not rashly add new members.
But after hearing The Fool say his honorific name, his dissatisfaction was immediately replaced by fear.
An ancient being that may have been resurrected, he must have more considerations when selecting new members.
He is a member of the Storm Church, "Justice" is a member of the Loen nobility, and "Chariot"... well, her situation is not very clear yet, but I think her identity should be special.
Having chosen people from all over the world to be his subordinates, what on earth does The Fool intend to do...
"Phew, luckily, I was careful enough not to reveal too much of my emotions, nor did I do anything unwise."
"It is understandable that one would make some attempts when faced with a situation beyond one's cognition. The Fool should not mind my previous attempts too much. If he is dissatisfied with this, I must have already been punished by him..."
Alger thought about it, looking at the rituals and props he had set up in the captain's room to detect the summoning of The Fool, and couldn't help but sigh deeply.
...
Klein left the gray fog, put on his clothes, and walked out of the house while there was still time.
When he came to the street, he walked towards the stagecoach stop while recalling some details of the Tarot meeting.
The most important thing is the details shown by Miss "Chariot", a time traveler who participated in the Tarot Club for the first time.
Just as Klein expected, this was the first time that the Chariot participated in such a mysterious meeting, and it acted very cautiously and did not reveal any information about itself.
However, as the only person who could see more of the situation above the gray fog, Klein's exploration of her revealed far more information than she thought she had hidden.
"First of all, the fellow traveler is a Beyonder of the Hunter Path. At today's party, she did not initiate a trade for the formula, which means she must have other ways to obtain the potion formula."
Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that "The Chariot" did not mention seeking a formula because it was his first time attending a Tarot Club and he chose to wait and see.
Klein walked onto the public carriage parked on the side of the road and continued to analyze the details he had observed.
"Secondly, judging from her support for Miss Justice, she actually agrees that people should interact with each other with sincerity."
"It can be seen that her mind is not too complicated, at least not utilitarian. Maybe she had not entered the society before she crossed over and was just a student."
As he thought about it, Klein recalled the first time he saw the Chariot, when it stood on the bed and performed a luck-changing ritual.
Yes, to be able to perform such an action, it would be strange if the actual age of "Tank" is older.
Klein shook his head and watched the public carriage slowly drive through the streets and finally stop at Hall Street.
He got out of the car and looked towards the Divination Club across the street.
"Based on current observations, 'Chariot' should be a trustworthy person."
"But perhaps I can use the identity of 'The Fool' to delve deeper into her psychology."
"The mysterious 'Fool' still holds a very high status in her eyes. If she is hiding something, she may not continue to hide it from the 'Fool'."
Klein kept thinking. He pressed the brim of his black top hat and walked towards the Divination Club across the street.
He had just walked into the stairs leading to the door of the club on the second floor when Caroline, carrying a bag, slowly walked out at the corner of the same street.Chapter 93 PrayerTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3055 words Update time: 2025-05-31 17:50:20
Originally, Caroline was just planning to go out and buy the four kinds of food, but halfway through her journey, she remembered that Mr. Fool's method of constructing a spiritual wall required the use of a silver knife.
She didn't carry a small table knife, and the dagger for self-defense was not made of silver. The only silver item on her was the "Silver Key".
She didn't think that the "Silver Key" could be used as a medium to build a spiritual wall.
So Caroline had to change direction and ran to a cutlery store on a street north of Zouteland Street and picked out a small silver knife.
The dinner knife was not big, only slightly larger than her hand, which was just right for her to carry with her so that she could build the spiritual wall at any time in the future.
After bargaining with the boss, Caroline finally bought the sterling silver knife for 4 soli.
The shop owner confidently assured her that the knife was made of pure silver and even put it on a scale to weigh it for her. As she left the shop with the knife, he kept muttering something about how you get what you pay for.
"Handmade products are usually overpriced. Four soli is definitely much higher than the cost of this small table knife. If it were a little lower, then you get what you pay for."
Caroline walked down the street with a smile on her face, holding the small table knife in her hand and turning it quickly.
Her nimble fingers made the silver knife dance quickly between her fingers. Caroline didn't know how to play with things like butterfly knives before, but after becoming a "hunter", this operation that tested her finger flexibility and reaction became extremely simple for her.
The small table knife froze in Caroline's hand with a "swish", and the blade reflected a slightly cold white light under the sunlight.
After looking at the fairly clear blade, Caroline put the knife away with satisfaction and went to a nearby restaurant to buy the four foods that The Fool had requested.
To be honest, Caroline didn't understand why Mr. Fool wanted these four kinds of food, but when she thought about the past when her family worshipped during festivals, there would be a few fixed ingredients, maybe some of these foods have some unique symbols.
Thinking of this, Caroline stopped thinking about it and went to several stores honestly. Finally, before 4:30 in the afternoon, she bought the necessary food, candles, a bag of coarse salt, and various necessary ritual items.
Carrying a lot of bags, Caroline walked back to the hotel.
Turn right ahead onto Howers Street and walk a little further to Zouteland Street.
As she turned the corner, Caroline saw a piece of black clothing flash into a house on the side of the road.
She was strolling on the road boredly and was naturally attracted by the attention. She looked up and saw the sign hanging on the second floor of the building on the street.
"Fortune-telling club"? Like a club where a bunch of fortune-telling enthusiasts get together and look at a crystal ball or a Ouija board all day?
It's fine if this kind of group does it on Earth, but aren't they afraid of attracting some weird things by messing around with divination in this world...
Caroline couldn't help thinking with shame. She glanced at the figures coming out from behind the second-floor window. They should be the members of this club. From their peaceful and casual appearance, this didn't seem like some weird organization.
Divination... She remembered that there was a starting sequence for the potion pathway called "Fortune Teller", and Ovis Vine also mentioned that he had a friend who was a fortune teller.
"If you need to play the role of a fortune teller, then wouldn't joining this fortune telling club be a very suitable place to play?"
Caroline inexplicably thought that if she took the time to go around this fortune-telling club, would she have a chance to find a lucky person who was playing the role of a "fortune-teller".
How is it possible... It's not that easy to meet a Beyonder...
"It would be great if there was a 'Hunter's Club'..."
Caroline smiled and shook her head, then continued walking towards the hotel.
...
Ten minutes later, Caroline returned to her hotel room.
After locking the door, Caroline looked around the room and finally decided to perform the ceremony in the bathroom.
After all, the ritual requires the lighting of candles, and having them in the bathroom can also prevent fires.
The information revealed by "The Hanged Man" at the Tarot Club includes that there is a sequence related to fire in the subsequent path of "Hunter". From its names "Arsonist" and "Fire Mage", we can see that this sequence should have the ability to control fire.
Caroline was very much looking forward to this, but she didn't have the ability to control fire now, so she still had to make fire safety preparations.
"Place candles in four corners and light them separately..."
Recalling the steps of Professor Fool's ritual, Caroline placed the candles in order, lit them, and then placed the still steaming food in the four corners.
Then she took out a silver knife, inserted it into the coarse salt, and whispered the spell to sanctify the knife.
Then she took out the knife and soaked it in a cup of clean water.
This cup was a room supply provided by the hotel, and Caroline washed it several times before using it.
Calming down, Caroline took out the knife when she thought she was ready. Holding the handle, she began to circle around the bathroom while meditating on her spirituality spreading out along the knife.
Invisible power surged from the tip of the knife, and Caroline's keen senses quickly captured the feeling of a spiritual wall being built around her.
The environment became quiet, and the area around the ritual altar became clean enough and peaceful enough to be undisturbed and unpolluted.
"Ritual magic...it's really magical."
Looking at the spiritual wall she created, Caroline couldn't help but sigh in her heart. Her mood now was similar to the one she had when she first assembled a computer.
Without wasting any time, she hurried back to the altar, knelt on the ground, picked up the bottle of ritual oil, and dripped it on the candle.
"Sizzle…"
A faint fragrance spread along with the mist, and Caroline felt her body and mind calm down.
She looked dazedly at the four candles in front of her, as well as the white bread, Fenapote noodles, paella and desi pie on the four corners.
"Gu..."
A discordant voice sounded, and Caroline quickly covered her stomach and blushed.
"Fortunately, it wasn't a sound made during prayer..."
She secretly rejoiced for a moment, and then, while she was not even hungrier, she clenched her hands, closed her eyes, lowered her head, and devoutly recited in the Hermetic language:
"You are a fool who does not belong to this era... You are the mysterious master above the gray fog, you are the yellow and black king who controls good luck..."
"I pray for your help, I pray for your favor, I pray for you to let me have a good dream..."
After reciting all the spells as instructed by The Fool, Caroline waited for a while with her eyes closed.
After a few minutes passed and nothing happened, she opened her eyes again.
Is this okay?
Mr. Fool didn't respond at all?
She looked around. It was still the quiet bathroom, and the spiritual walls around it still blocked out external interference.
Suddenly, Caroline felt a sensation and she quickly looked down at the back of her right hand.
On the white skin of the back of her hand, several deep red stars were slowly rotating.
Is this a symbol of the connection between myself and Mr. Fool?
My prayer has been sent out? Has Mr. Fool received it?
Or does this mean that it has been read but not replied?
Caroline scratched her head in confusion and looked at the food in front of her.
Looking at the steaming delicious food, she subconsciously rolled her throat.
So…can I start eating the offerings now?
...
On the outskirts of Backlund, the Royal Army garrison.
Albert Hanover sat in his own tent. Even though it was not dark outside yet, he lit the kerosene lamp early and reviewed the documents submitted by his subordinates in the dim light.
"Report!"
Outside the tent, Colonel Luca's voice sounded. Albert looked away and replied in a deep voice:
"Come in."
After a reply, Colonel Luca lifted the curtain, took a few quick steps, came to Albert's side, and said in a low voice with a somewhat helpless look on his face:
"General, Miss Caroline has gone to Tingen again."
Albert looked up at Colonel Luca, then shifted his gaze to the document in his hand and said:
"Is the secret sentry in place?"
"Everything has been arranged. Tingen has also made arrangements."
Colonel Luca answered, his eyes moved slightly, and he asked in confusion:
"General, is it really okay to ask the official Beyonders for help? If we just want to protect Miss Caroline in secret, our own people can do it."
"The official Beyonder identity is more suitable for action. After all, we are just soldiers."
Albert spoke in a slow tone.
Colonel Luca nodded and said:
"I see... Then, General, regarding the merchant in Tingen, the one who had dinner with Miss Caroline before, do we need to investigate his background? And the street vendor who is still in Backlund, the one who met Miss Caroline in the cafe, do we need to investigate him carefully?"
Albert's eyes moved slightly, and he was silent for a while, as if he was thinking, or making a decision.
Finally, he shook his head and said:
"No need, you just need to keep an eye on her."
"We will be leaving Backlund soon and heading back to the northern border. Remember to leave some people behind to continue the surveillance, and let go of the others so as not to leave any clues."
Colonel Luca pursed his lips after taking a quick glance at the document in Albert's hand.
"Then... the incident with the carriage..."
Albert glanced at Colonel Luca and said:
"Keep checking."
"Yes, General."
Colonel Luca nodded in understanding and snapped his legs together.Chapter 94 Response (Happy Children's Day?)Title of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3063 words Update time: 2025-06-01 13:29:03
Tuesday morning, July 10, Tingen.
Caroline was lying on the roof of a residential house, holding a pair of binoculars she had just bought that morning. Taking advantage of the cover of debris on the roof, she looked purposefully in a certain direction.
After she finished the ceremony yesterday, it was almost six o'clock in the evening. After eating all the leftover food, she took a comfortable bath and had a good sleep.
She didn't know if the ritual had really worked, but she slept very soundly last night, except that she didn't have any dreams.
After a peaceful day, Caroline began to focus on the several purposes of her visit to Tingen.
Looking forward through the telescope, she saw the well-dressed fraudster sitting leisurely in the office in the window of the Lanevus Steel Company a street away, not knowing what he was looking at.
Shifting your gaze to the first floor of the steel company, you can see that the receptionist at the front desk is still sitting there, and the advertisements and signs at the door have not changed, which proves that the steel company is still in operation.
"Very good, it seems that he will not leave Tingen any time soon."
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief. What she was most worried about was that when she returned to Tingen again, Lanevus would have finished his crime and was ready to flee.
Since she had become a Beyonder, Caroline did not plan to have direct contact with Lanevus again, in case he saw something.
The ring he gave her had been returned to Ovis by her. If the other party asked about it, she would probably reveal some flaws.
According to Ovis, Lanevus was a habitual fraudster who had committed crimes many times and acted very cautiously. Any inexplicable behavior of his would be infinitely magnified in his eyes.
So in order to avoid alerting the enemy, Caroline decided to monitor Lanevus's every move secretly.
"As a 'hunter', you must not only strike quickly when the time comes, but also be patient enough when the time is not right, waiting for the prey to let down their guard and slowly walk into the trap you have set."
Now, Lanevus was the prey, and Caroline's trap was Ovis's reliable friend who might come to Tingen at any time.
The sun rose higher and higher above her head. After a whole morning, Caroline had a panoramic view of what was happening inside the Lanevus Steel Company.
The location she chose was very good. If it were just an ordinary person, it would be impossible to capture the details inside the steel company at this distance. For ordinary monitors, they would definitely not choose this point.
Only "hunters" whose senses have been upgraded and whose observation abilities are beyond ordinary people can see more with the help of telescopes at this distance.
A morning passed, and Caroline saw Lanevus doing nothing in the company. All his actions were very natural, and he even received an investor who seemed to be interested in his project.
Judging from the situation, Lanevus's scam has not yet come to an end, and there is definitely still some time worth waiting before he runs away from Tingen.
And what happened next indeed confirmed Caroline's speculation.
Time passed the threshold of noon and entered the afternoon, and then slowly went towards the evening. Caroline was hungry and monitored Lanevus on the roof for a whole day. It was not until five o'clock in the afternoon when he was about to leave the steel company that she was finally able to move her limbs. She slid down the pipe from the roof directly to the ground, and then quickly ran to the corner of the street where the steel company was located to observe Lanevus's next move.
Not long after, Lanevus appeared at the intersection. Caroline hid her body for a moment and saw Lanevus get on a carriage heading north. Then she walked out of her hiding place and breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the carriage go away.
She would not be able to continue monitoring Lanevus's movements. Tailing and surveillance were different in that the former was easier to detect. Especially for a habitual fraudster like Lanevus, there must be many people who had followed him before.
There would be no benefit for Caroline to follow him rashly. She might follow Lanevus back to his place of residence, or she might follow him to some other place. Of course, she might also follow him into the trap he set for herself.
"Hunters must be extremely careful when hunting, because they may also become prey to other beings..."
After learning the role-playing method at the Tarot Club, Caroline has been trying to think with the mentality of a "hunter".
Although there are no obvious results yet, Caroline does feel that when she plays the role of "Hunter", she can think about some problems more rationally, making the situation more favorable to herself as a "Hunter".
Watching the carriage that Lanevus was riding in disappear at the end of the long street, Caroline shook her head and did not linger there any longer.
The day's action was over, and she had other things to do next.
But before that...
"Gu..."
Caroline rubbed her empty stomach, thinking that she would bring enough food with her next time she went out to monitor Lanevus.
When hunting, "hunters" must also consider their own supply issues.
...
During the Moretti family's dinner, Klein was a little absent-minded as he sat at the table.
He got a lot of information today, mainly because he interpreted a dream for Mr. Joyce Meyer at the Divination Club yesterday.
In his dream, he identified the real culprit behind the Clover tragedy that occurred at sea a few days ago as a good man named Tris.
After advising the survivor Joyce Meyer to report the case to the police station, he went to the Blackthorn Security Company early this morning and got more relevant information about the case from the "Nighthawks" team.
For example, the murderer Tris is most likely a Sequence 8 Beyonder, and his Sequence is called "Instigator"...
At the same time, he also learned a lot of information about secret organizations.
For example, the Gnosis Society, the Witch Cult, the Moss Ascetic Society, the Secret Society, the Aurora Society, the Iron Cross Society, etc...
"Tris is still at large. There may be some conspiracy behind this involving some secret organization..."
Klein used a fork to pick at the potatoes on the plate and glanced obscurely at Benson and Melissa who were concentrating on the food.
His family had no idea how many undercurrents were hidden behind this world. The seemingly peaceful environment was actually full of conspiracies.
From the perspective of ordinary people, although life is hard, there is still hope that everything will get better.
And this is exactly what they, the "Nighthawks" and various official extraordinary teams need to protect.
"According to the captain, the Sealed Artifact 2-049 used to track Riel Biber will soon arrive in Tingen, and now the Tris incident has appeared..."
"The next few days will be busy..."
Klein thought as he forked a piece of potato and stuffed it into his mouth.
After dinner, the Moretti family put away the dishes, chatted with each other for a while, and then started studying on their own. They were busy for a while, and when it got darker and late at night, they turned off the lights and returned to their rooms to prepare for bed.
But Klein did not rest just like that. He sat at the desk in the bedroom, looking out the window at the red moon, overlooking the quiet streets below, quietly waiting for Benson and Melissa to rest.
After making sure that everyone in the family was asleep, Klein took out his pocket watch to check the time. He then stood up from the desk, took out the silver knife he had requested, and quickly set up a spiritual wall in the bedroom, sealing his room.
After making these preparations, he stood in the middle of the room, took four steps counterclockwise, and came above the gray fog accompanied by the spell.
As soon as he entered the mysterious gray fog space, Klein saw two crimson stars that were constantly shrinking and rising, as if they were breathing.
Those were the stars belonging to "Justice" and "Chariot" respectively. As early as yesterday evening and this morning, he felt some whispers ringing in his ears.
At first he thought it was the mumbling caused by the residual spirit in the potion, just like the headache-inducing noise he heard every time he came above the gray fog.
But after hearing the second whisper, he realized that it might be the Tarot Club members who performed the ritual he taught.
So he deliberately waited until this time, until it was late at night and the members of the Tarot Club should have gone to bed, before he came above the gray fog to respond.
Klein sat in a high-back chair and thought for a moment. Then he carefully spread his spirituality, first toward the star of the Chariot.
As soon as he came into contact with the crimson, Klein's brain vibrated with a buzzing sound. At the same time, he saw blurry images and heard illusory and overlapping prayers.
He suppressed his mental discomfort and irritability, concentrated his energy, and carefully identified the scene in front of him.
Soon, he saw a girl in a light green dress kneeling on the floor of the bathroom, praying earnestly to the four plates of food and four white candles in front of her.
At the same time, he could hear more clearly the prayers recited by the female voice.
"I pray that you will let me have a good dream..."
"I pray that you will let me go home safely..."
"I pray that you will allow me to complete the commission smoothly..."
Klein pinched his forehead, staring at the girl's pious posture in the picture, listening to the prayers in his ears, and clearly felt that the spells recited by the "Chariot" were clearly directed at him.
While he was happy that his first attempt had been a great success, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional about the "Chariot's" prayer.
"I also want to go home safely…"
Klein smiled helplessly, and with a thought, he tried to convey the response in his mind through the subtle connection between himself and the crimson star.
"I see..."Chapter 95 Io BronsonTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3142 words Update time: 2025-06-01 18:41:01
"I see..."
"I see..."
The unreal and ethereal voice echoed intermittently, as if it came from a very far away place, and fell into the ears of Caroline who was wearing a hunter's suit.
She paused in her action of drinking ginger beer, and a little gray mist filled her eyes.
And in the depths of the gray fog, a distorted and blurry figure stood in the gray light of the background, with dots of deep red flowing in his eyes, staring at Caroline, watching everything.
The voice she heard came from his mouth...
This is Mr. Fool's answer to her prayers!
Caroline's heart was shaken, and the wine glass in her hand almost slipped.
She quickly calmed herself down, adjusted her state, and quickly looked around to make sure no one noticed anything wrong with her.
Inside the "Dragon Bar", a few latecomers were still sitting in their seats, not even glancing at her.
And at the bar, she was the only one sitting there, and the bartender in a black vest was wiping the wine glasses attentively.
Caroline continued to drink ginger beer calmly, and at this time the gray fog in front of her eyes and the sound in her ears had dissipated.
The ritual magic really works. Mr. Fool received my prayer and responded...
But, that happened yesterday evening. Why did Mr. Fool respond only tonight?
Although it was not difficult to figure out the reason, what she had just seen and heard was enough to shock her greatly.
Praying to the gods in the hope of receiving a response is not just superstition in this extraordinary world where gods exist, but has anyone ever actually received a response?
Anyway, Caroline has seen it now. She prayed to the Fool, and the latter gave her a real response.
The Fool is indeed a god-like existence, and his status is probably similar to that of the seven gods, or even the same... He, oh no, in this case, I have to use "He" to refer to Mr. Fool...
Caroline slowly put down her cup, not knowing whether she was excited or worried about this.
On the one hand, The Fool was unexpectedly powerful, and as a member of his subordinate gathering, he was under his protection, which provided a certain guarantee for his future path and safety.
But on the other hand, The Fool is not an officially recognized god after all. His origins are unknown and his intentions are hard to fathom. The more one comes into contact with Him, the more bound to Him one will be, and in the end one may be bound up and unable to escape.
Caroline couldn't think of any solution to this problem. Perhaps she could choose to report to the Church of the True God, saying that she was being targeted by some strange evil god.
With her remaining noble status, the Church of God would most likely not make things difficult for her, but this also meant that she would have to be under strict surveillance and security for the rest of her life, and she would never be able to escape.
Now she is really stuck in a dilemma, and the only thing she can hope for is that the mysterious Mr. Fool has no evil intentions...
"However, ritual magic is indeed very magical... Well, if you want to learn these things, you may need some connections, but it is easier to learn mystical knowledge. You can find a lot of related books in those large libraries."
"I have to find time to start reading and learn more knowledge. Maybe I can find some clues about Mr. Fool or my time travel from the mysticism..."
After a while of rapid thinking, Caroline finally turned her worries into motivation to move forward and decided to take some time to visit several libraries in Tingen tomorrow.
She took another sip of ginger beer, the refreshing and sweet liquid diluted Caroline's complicated emotions well.
She exhaled lightly, looked at the expressionless bartender in front of her, and tapped the edge of the bar with her fingers a few times, imitating The Fool.
After attracting the bartender's attention, Caroline leaned forward slightly, looked directly into his eyes and said:
"Mr. Bartender, I want to ask you something."
"Do you know where I can buy some things around here that are hard to find outside?"
The bartender stopped wiping the glass. He looked at Caroline, sizing her up for a while, and then he said:
"Why don't you ask old Neil?"
Caroline seemed to have anticipated his words and replied with a smile:
"I am embarrassed to bother others all the time."
The bartender's expression changed slightly. He looked at Caroline more seriously for a while, then his whole temperament became casual. He wiped the glass again and whispered:
"You're a little late. The underground trading market has been closed."
"Then I'll come early tomorrow?"
Caroline smiled, drank the ginger beer in the cup, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief with satisfaction, and praised:
"The ginger beer is really good this time."
The bartender, who had his head down, opened his eyes a little wider, and it seemed that he was very satisfied with Caroline's evaluation.
Caroline smiled and took out a handful of money from her pocket, counted it in her palm, put the money to be paid on the bar, then left her seat, turned and walked towards the door, and finally walked out of the "Dragon Bar".
When she arrived outside the bar, she greeted the guard at the door in a friendly manner.
After Old Neil's introduction last time, the guard at the door had recognized Caroline as a regular customer and no longer looked at her with that oppressive gaze. Facing her greeting, the guard also responded politely, but did not say much, still focusing on his post.
Without disturbing the guards, Caroline walked along the street outside in one direction.
After walking slowly for a distance, Caroline suddenly stopped and waited for a while, not knowing what she was thinking about.
After finishing her thoughts, she immediately changed direction and walked into an alley on the side of the road.
The alley is not deep and at the end is a not-so-high wall.
Caroline walked to the end of the alley and raised her head to estimate the height.
Then, she smiled and shook her head, turned around and said to the other figure that appeared at the entrance of the alley behind her:
"I thought you wouldn't follow me, rude sir."
Under the dim kerosene street lamp, a young man in a brown jacket stood at the entrance of the alley. He had curly brown hair, dark skin, and a face that looked like a southern continent person. He was quite generous.
He was obviously not surprised by Caroline's words. He smiled and walked forward a few steps, saying:
"Oh, I knew that the people who could appear in the 'Dragon Bar' were not ordinary people, let alone a girl as beautiful as you."
Caroline raised her eyebrows, took a step back with her right foot, lifted the hem of her hunter's uniform, put her right hand behind her waist and said:
"If you want to chat up a girl at a bar, it's better to approach her before she leaves, rather than following her all the way to a place like this."
The young man raised his hands exaggeratedly, but from his expression, it was clear that he didn't care at all about Caroline's threat.
"I was wrong, I was wrong, please don't shoot me with your air gun."
He said with a smile, pointing to Caroline's right hand.
"I was there the last time you came to the bar. I noticed you then. I never thought you could scare off that 'insect' Oz with just an air gun. You know, once that guy loses his mind, it's not that easy to convince him."
He walked to the middle of the alley, only a few steps away from Caroline.
"Oh, by the way, let me introduce myself. My name is Io Bronson. People who know me call me 'Witty Io'. Haha, why do I have this name of Witty? It's because I know how to judge the situation and understand people's hearts."
"Beautiful lady, you must be a bounty hunter, right? I am different from those guys who only have yellow garbage in their heads. The first time I saw you, I knew that your identity must be no simple matter."
"Don't get me wrong, I mean no harm. If you don't believe me, just look, I don't even have a weapon."
Io Bronson opened his pocket to show Caroline, and just as he said, he was not carrying any weapons, and he didn't even have much money in his pocket.
"I came to you to discuss cooperation with you. You came to the Dragon Bar to seek a commission, right?"
"I just happened to have something I wanted to ask someone to do, and you just happened to be a bounty hunter. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?"
Io showed the utmost sincerity, and he looked very genuine, but Caroline did not give a direct answer. Instead, she just looked at him quietly without putting down her hand.
The atmosphere in the alley became awkward, and Io's smile was a little stiff, with his teeth bared.
He scratched his curly hair and was about to say something else, but Caroline spoke at this time:
"You just want to discuss cooperation?"
"Ah? Yes, that's right!"
"Well...what about those friends behind you?"
"Hmm? What buddy?"
Io turned around in confusion and saw a group of people coming from the corner outside the alley. About five or six people were blocking the alley entrance.
His face changed, and he quickly turned back, and with a twitching mouth, he said to the sudden uninvited guest:
"Hey, isn't this Miles? You come out to see the stars too."
When Caroline heard Io's words, she looked up at the night sky covered with dark clouds.
"There are no stars tonight."
She leaned in behind Io and whispered a reminder.
"I know…"
Io answered with some gritted teeth, but he still forced a smile and spoke to the people at the alley.
"My dear Miles, I don't think I owe you any money, do I? We can have a good chat about anything. Why don't we go back to the Dragon Bar and have a detailed chat?"
The middle-aged man in the lead, whom Io called Miles, sneered. He shook his head and looked at him with his slanted triangular eyes.
"Bronson, you have nothing to do here today. I don't have time to chat with you."
"Well, what you mean is..."
Miles raised his hand and pointed behind Io, pointing at Caroline and said:
"I'm here to see her."