Luo Lin leisurely shared what he knew about the Antigonus family, blending details from the novel with inherited knowledge from "Luo Lin Zoroast." As a Zoroast descendant, even a fallen one, he had some insight into the Seer families.
Mindful of his persona, he avoided Beyonder specifics, giving a general overview before hesitating.
"Something wrong? Is it sensitive?" Klein asked, catching the pause.
"Not sensitive, just… the rest involves legends and mysticism. It's not very reliable," Luo Lin said, pouring himself coffee. "Rumors say the Antigonus family had eerie powers, possibly tied to their faith."
"Did they worship an evil god?" Klein guessed, thinking of the deaths linked to the Antigonus Notebook.
Azik, silent until now, showed interest.
"Probably an evil god. Records are scarce; I dug through many texts to find anything," Luo Lin continued smoothly. "They worshipped more than one entity. One was called the Mother of the Sky, another the Fool. I'm not sure if they're two sides of one god, but the texts suggest separate beings."
Klein felt struck by lightning. Just yesterday, at the Tarot Club, he'd adopted "the Fool" as his divine persona. Earlier, a market divination had also pointed to "the Fool." Now, the Antigonus family worshipped a "Fool"? Despite his brief time in this world and limited mystical knowledge, Klein's scalp tingled. Too coincidental—terrifyingly so.
Thanks to prior mental prep and solid acting, he kept his face neutral, avoiding a visible freak-out.
But his subtle reaction didn't escape Luo Lin, whose observation rivaled a Spectator's. Deliberately spooking Klein, he sipped coffee, feeling his Trickster potion digest slightly. Scaring Klein for fun clearly aligned with the Trickster's acting principles.
Then Azik murmured, "No, He can't yet be called the Fool."
Did he recall something? Luo Lin glanced at Azik, who frowned, rubbing his temple as if in pain.
"Mr. Azik, you know about this Fool?" Luo Lin asked, feigning curiosity and concern. "You don't look well. Headache?"
"Old ailment," Azik brushed off, shaking his head. "I don't know much about the Fool. I just… saw in texts that the Antigonus ancestor wasn't quite the Fool, only half at best."
But I didn't say the Fool was their ancestor… Luo Lin blinked but didn't press, saying tactfully, "I see. Maybe my sources exaggerated. You know how believers hype up their deities."
Klein, burning with curiosity about the Fool, saw Azik's reluctance and held back, turning to Luo Lin. "Jack, anything else on the Fool?"
Luo Lin shook his head, hesitating. "Not much. If you're keen, I can dig deeper, but no promises."
"Thanks, Jack. I owe you," Klein said sincerely, desperate to understand his ties to the Fool.
"No need for that! We're friends, right? If you feel bad, buy me dinner sometime," Luo Lin said, waving it off with a grin.
"Deal, I'll treat you," Klein replied, mentally checking his thin wallet. He could afford a meal.
"It's almost dinnertime. How about I treat? To celebrate Klein's new home and Jack's fresh start in Tingen," Azik offered warmly, ever the reliable adult.
"Sweet, Azik's paying!" Luo Lin, ever sociable, agreed enthusiastically.
"Thank you, Mr. Azik," Klein added, unable to refuse after Luo Lin's acceptance.
The trio headed out cheerfully, led by Azik to a decent restaurant for a pleasant meal. With work the next day, no one drank, and they parted ways afterward.
Luo Lin didn't go home. Watching them leave, he exhaled, a smile curling his lips.
"Amnesiac Azik's favor is so easy to earn…" Entering an empty alley, he tugged the air, summoning a shadow that merged into him.
"About Sequence 7 Necromancer-level power. Thanks to my stronger spirituality, I can sustain it for a fight," he assessed.
His efforts to bond with Azik paid off. Azik's favor was around 20-30—average for casual friends. Reaching that on a second meeting? Luo Lin was thrilled.
(Chapter End)