"No problem." Klein tried to keep his tone low and steady.
He placed his left elbow on the armrest of the high-backed chair, his fingers supporting his slightly tilted forehead, presenting an expression of calm listening.
Alger deliberated over his words and said:
"Antigonus is an ancient family. Their history can even be traced back to the pre-Cataclysmic Era of the Fourth Age, related to the second 'Desecrated Stone Plate'."
The second 'Desecrated Stone Plate'? There can be a second one? How many are there? Klein's eyes narrowed slightly, almost changing his posture.
According to what 'The Hangman' and 'Justice' had said before, the 'Desecrated Stone Plate' records twenty-two paths of the gods!
Such an important item having two or even more pieces?
Twenty-two paths of the gods... sequential paths... Hmm, can these two terms be equated? Each complete sequential path is the way to the throne of the gods?
In an instant, Klein came up with a series of thoughts due to the description of 'the second 'Desecrated Stone Plate''. He believed that if not for the thick grayish-white fog covering it, his emotional reaction would most likely have been detected by the 'Audience' lady.
As for the term 'Cataclysmic Era', as a professional, he was not unfamiliar with it. It was the term for the Third Age.
After this period of review, Klein even knew that the Third Age was divided into two eras: the Age of Light and the Age of Disaster.
"The second 'Desecrated Stone Plate'?" Audrey expressed her doubt without conceal.
She hadn't calmed down yet and hadn't fully returned to the 'Audience' state.
Well done! Klein secretly applauded 'Justice' lady.
This was a question that was inconvenient to ask as the 'Wise Man' identity.
Alger glanced at the 'Wise Man' and saw that his posture hadn't changed and he hadn't spoken to stop it, so he thought for a moment and said:
"The first 'Desecrated Stone Plate' appeared during the Dark Age, which was the second era when we humans struggled for survival under the protection of the gods. The second 'Desecrated Stone Plate' appeared at the end of the Third Age, and one could even say that its appearance marked the end of the Cataclysmic Era."
"The information of these two 'Desecrated Stone Plates' is strictly confidential by the seven churches. I only know one thing, that they both involve the paths of the gods, but I don't know what the differences are between them."
"Which 'Desecrated Stone Plate' did Emperor Roselius see? The first or the second?" Audrey asked curiously.
At this point, Klein recalled what Alger had described the names of the potions at the first gathering, saying that the names of the sequence potions all came from the 'Desecrated Stone Plate'!
"Similarly, the captain also mentioned that the formation and improvement of the potion system relied on the emergence of the 'Desecrated Stone Plate'... This indirectly proves that the paths of the gods are the sequential paths!" Klein made an unspoken answer to his own previous question.
At this time, 'The Hangman' Alger simply and directly said:
"The second one."
Audrey's gaze became calm, returning to the 'Audience' state, not asking any more questions and just focusing on the 'Hangman'.
This made Alger feel rather uncomfortable. He suppressed his emotions in his heart and continued in a low and slow voice:
"In the Solomon Dynasty of the Fourth Age, the Antigonus family was also a prominent noble, but they didn't leave any impressive deeds until they supported the establishment of the Tudor Empire, and then truly stood at the center of the North Continent stage."
"At that time, the ancient names such as Antigonus, Amun, Abraham, Jacob, etc. shone in the human kingdom, but after the Four Kings War, the Blood Emperor of the Tudor Empire fell, they fell from the peak and were pursued by the current Seven Gods." "The specific process, I don't know. All I know is that the Antigonus family was ultimately destroyed by the Night Church. Mr. Foolish, if you want to know more, you'll probably have to get it from the Night Church, or contact those ancient secret organizations. You know which ones I'm talking about."
I don't know... Klein grimaced and nodded:
"Um."
The Order of the Priests counts as one. The Moshaugh Order, which the Captain and Old Neil mentioned, counts as another. I'm not sure if the Psychological Alchemy Order counts...
While he was silently tallying up, Arjey gave the final information:
"The Antigonus family also doesn't know which sequence path they controlled. Only in the relevant descriptions, two adjectives keep recurring: strange and terrifying."
Strange and terrifying... Thinking of that notebook, the original owner and his classmates, and the experiences of Rael Bibber's mother, it was indeed quite fitting... Klein tapped the edge of the long table with his fingers lightly, several times.
Then, he finally spoke in a low and slow voice:
"Very good. I'm satisfied with this reward."
The reason why he kept lightly tapping the long table with his fingers now was to strengthen this action, to make "Justice" and "The Hangman" believe that he had the habit of tapping something, thereby covering up the opening and closing of the clairvoyance.
"This is my honor." Arjey didn't casually mention anything else.
Audrey looked at "The Hangman" and then at "The Foolish", and smiled lightly:
"I'll ask the second question now. What are the subsequent potions of 'Audience'? Where can we find clues?"
I also wanted to ask directly, but different choices would entail different difficulties... Klein didn't speak and looked at "The Hangman".
Arjey was silent for a few seconds and said:
"I'll answer this question for free because I guided you on this path."
"'Audience' subsequent sequence 8 is called 'Mind Reader', and sequence 7's ancient name was 'Psychologist'. It is now described as 'Psychiatrist'. This is what I learned from a member of the Psychological Alchemy Order. I think they probably have many potion formulas for this path."
Psychological Alchemy Order... "Psychicist" Dahlia quite agreed with some of their theories, while the Captain thought it was evil and crazy... Klein listened thoughtfully.
"Do you know where the member of the Psychological Alchemy Order is now?" Audrey asked brightly.
Whether "Mind Reader" or "Psychiatrist" was quite in line with her aesthetic.
Arjey chuckled rarely:
"I know. He's sunk near the island of Sunia, and I sank there myself."
"If you want to find the Psychological Alchemy Order, I can only say sorry. The clues have broken off."
He wasn't worried that "Justice" would determine her identity through the description he just gave, because that was something he did alone.
"Sink..." Audrey didn't know what expression or words to use to respond.
She took a breath and suddenly couldn't maintain the state of "Audience", a little bashfully saying:
"The third question, if, I mean if, if an ordinary animal drinks potion 9 of the sequence, what would happen?"
What a strange question... Klein's fingers on his forehead lightly tapped the center of his eyebrows without any trace.
Soon, he noticed from the change in color that Audrey's emotions were a bit panicked, a bit nervous, and a bit ashamed.
Did she do something similar stupid? Klein thought with a slight surprise but not feeling it was strange.
After the previous two gatherings, he was sure that Miss "Justice" had this kind of gene.
"Arjey of 'The Hangman' was obviously stunned too, and it took him a while to speak:
"Ordinary animals don't have human minds and can't learn meditation immediately, so they are likely to die on the spot or turn into monsters. But if they survive, they should become extraordinary beings. If the potion can enhance their thinking ability, they might even become smarter."
"OK," Audrey exhaled silently and nodded with a relaxed tone, "I have no other questions."
After thinking for a moment, Alger didn't mention the "Aurora Society" and "The Listener" matters. He shook his head as well:
"I don't have any either."
"I have something to say," Klein remained in the same posture and said with a smile, "This requires your cooperation."
Before they could speak, Klein reassured them:
"Don't worry, it's just a small matter. If it succeeds, it will be very helpful to you. So, I won't pay you extra."
"You said," Audrey instinctively entered the audience "state", but she couldn't figure out the thick gray fog surrounding the "Idiot" at all.
"Follow your will," Alger calmed down and said in a deep voice.
Klein moved his fingers lightly and smiled as he said:
"I said before, we need to make some attempts to allow you to take leave in advance. Don't worry about being in an inappropriate situation on Monday afternoon."
"This is exactly what we hope for," Audrey's eyebrows and eyes relaxed.
After thinking for a moment, Alger said:
"What do we need to do?"
"You can try a ritual magic in your spare time. Don't be too formal. Just have an environment free from disturbance... Place four new candles on the altar, at the four corners. It's best to use the kind with sandalwood scent... Put a piece of white bread on the candle on the upper left, a piece of Fenepotato bread on the upper right, seafood rice on the lower left, and Dixie pie on the lower right... Use a silver knife to create a sealed spiritual environment..."
Klein described the ritual magic he had modified from the "Transportation Ritual" and taught "Justice" how to create a spiritual environment for free.
To be honest, because the target was himself, Klein believed that the previous part, that is, the sacrificial part that aroused the interest of the corresponding existence and pleased them, could be directly omitted. But he still tried to make this process seem like it was so - of course, it didn't conform to what Old Neil said about the gods being two and himself being three. "... By blending and distilling the moonflower, golden mint, deep sleep flower, golden bergamot and rock rose, the essential oil was extracted and a drop was added to each candle..."
Audrey listened intently and took notes. Finally, she asked:
"Then what about the incantation? Mr. Fool, what is the corresponding incantation?"
Alger also stopped his pen and turned his head to look at the Fool.
In the grayish-white mist, Klein tapped the edge of the long table with his fingers, answering in Hecate's language calmly and without any excitement:
"Not a Fool of this era. You are the mysterious master above the mist. You are the yellow-black king who holds good fortune..."