Klein hurriedly turned to the next diary pages, hoping for more clues about the "chaos":
[September 11, light rain.
After days of digestion, I've finally learned to control my emotions. Now, even when facing Amon, I can muster a smile and suppress the murderous intent in my heart.
I need to bide my time. Until I can kill Amon, I must survive under His thumb.
I know my flimsy disguise is probably obvious to Amon, but that's fine. After the last incident, He's grown more interested in me. Until He uncovers all my secrets, He doesn't mind playing a few games with me.
That's good.]
[September 15, overcast.
Today, I consulted Amon about occult knowledge as usual, as if nothing had happened.
'Interesting!' I heard Him describe me, flashing the same gentle smile as before, answering my questions like a true teacher.
After addressing all my queries, I saw Amon adjust His monocle and comment, 'You should work on controlling your gaze. The murderous intent is too obvious.'
'My apologies, Teacher. I'll be more careful next time. Thank you for the reminder.'
I heard myself reply, obedient yet insincere, and then I caught my reflection in the window.
That person was smiling.]
Reading this, Klein, without the Clown's ability to control expressions, would have struggled to keep from frowning.
Though these entries held little critical information, they marked a pivotal shift in Zoroast's character. To pursue revenge, Zoroast had learned to feign compliance, playing along with Amon.
Such a change undoubtedly aided Zoroast's survival, but… Klein sighed inwardly and continued reading:
[September 20, sunny.
Today, Amon taught me more about Fourth Epoch history. He told me the Blood Emperor Tudor and the Primordial Demoness had a closer relationship than most people think, describing them as, 'Though it sounds insane, there might actually be something like love between those two lunatics.'
Seriously? The Hunter and Demoness pathways are interchangeable, closely related sequences. While other related pathways are busy fighting, you Hunters and Demonesses are out here falling in love?
Only the Fourth Epoch's history could be this wild... official records outdoing rumors.]
What? The Blood Emperor Tudor and the Primordial Demoness were truly in love?
Despite having heard some gossip about Tudor and the Demoness from Jack, even knowing they had a child together, Klein, as the Fool, was still shocked.
He had assumed their union was a strategic alliance, but true love?
So gods can fall in love too… Klein suddenly felt the divine wasn't so distant, becoming almost relatable.
After his musings, Klein moved to the next diary, dated much later:
[October 21, stormy.
Last night, I dreamt again... of that chaos. But this time, I saw another version of myself in it.
Of course, it might not be me. Though he looked identical, who says looking the same makes you the same person?
For now, I'll call him the dream-me.
The dream-me smiled when he saw me and said, 'Ah, finally, I meet you.'
'Who are you?' I asked.
'You can call me Lucifer,' the dream-me replied.
Lucifer? Honestly, I'd heard that name in myths from before I transmigrated, so I asked curiously, 'So, you're Satan?'
'No, I'm merely your shadow,' he answered.
Then I woke up.]
Without the Clown's expression control, Klein might have struggled to maintain the Fool's unflappable persona at that moment.
The diary's revelations were staggering, all but confirming that Zoroast's diaries belonged to the Mr. Lucifer Klein knew, yet things weren't so straightforward.
"Split personality? Or is Lucifer another consciousness from the chaos, one that replaced the original Zoroast…?"
Klein's mind buzzed with theories, urging him to read on, but the remaining diaries were all Roselle's, unrelated to Zoroast.
Fortunately, Roselle's diaries contained valuable information, making the read worthwhile for Klein.
While the Fool quietly read, Alaric, naturally, speculated on the Fool's progress.
Over time, Alaric had written several diaries, collectively titled The Birth of Lucifer. They described how Lucifer was toyed with by Amon, then rallied to learn deception, playing along with Amon while encountering the power of chaos and meeting the self-proclaimed "shadow" Lucifer.
In this setup, "Lucifer" was the antagonist, akin to the True Creator... a fusion of Lucifer's negative emotions and the will of chaos. This figure would teach Lucifer much, hasten his descent, and ultimately meet his end as a villain, yet persist in another form.
Alaric crafted this to logically expand Lucifer's knowledge sources... after all, not every piece of gossip could be pinned on Amon.
The shadow Lucifer also served as a counterpart to the Celestial Worthy's will, fleshing out Lucifer's role as a revival vessel for another great being.
It also added mystery to Lucifer in the Fool's eyes, reducing the chance of exposure.
"Of course, the key is that this makes Lucifer's persona richer and more intriguing!" Alaric mused inwardly. He had a flair for drama and loved layering complex character arcs.
Unaware of his friend's thoughts, Klein, having finished the diaries, scanned the Tarot Gathering members and had an idea.
The Fool chuckled lightly, announcing he'd share some common knowledge. He then explained the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility and the Law of Conservation within related pathways.
This was new information for both Alger "The Hanged Man" and Audrey "Justice." Sparking fascination and questions, like "What are related pathways?"
These answers, naturally, weren't part of the free knowledge. But neither Alger nor Audrey minded paying a price for such valuable insights.
***
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