Derrick's sincere question left the two overthinkers momentarily speechless. Each of them instinctively thought the other was being interrogated, so they both immediately fell silent.
Even Audrey, merely observing the scene, couldn't quite grasp Derrick's meaning. Having grown up among high society, she'd met countless people with two faces — this level of pure, guileless honesty was something she was encountering for the first time.
"I'm in Loen," Sairuis was the only one who answered Derrick's question.
"Loen? Where's that?" Derrick asked curiously.
He didn't know where the Loen Kingdom was? That was something Audrey and Alger both found hard to imagine.
Pretending to ponder, Sairuis replied, "You don't know Loen… Silver City… hmm, I do know of the Nation of Silver. What's that got to do with you?"
Derrick explained without hesitation, "Silver City used to be called the Nation of Silver."
Sairuis acted like he suddenly realized something: "Ah, so that's how it is — you're in the Forsaken Land of the Gods."
All three — Audrey, Alger, and Derrick — widened their eyes in surprise.
Audrey and Alger hadn't expected Derrick to come from the Forsaken Land, while Derrick was the one most shaken
"Mr. Devil, you mean… your lands haven't been abandoned by the Lord?"
"Uh, well, actually, the Forsaken Land only covers a small part of the world," Sairuis explained gently, seeing Derrick's confusion. "And now that you've connected with people outside, doesn't that prove you'll soon be leaving that land?"
Derrick's spirits soared. "Yes! That means we really will leave the Forsaken Land soon!"
Then followed a three-way trade between Derrick, Audrey, and Klein. Derrick offered Audrey the Psychiatrist potion formula; Klein gave Derrick the formulas for Bard and Light Supplicant; Audrey, in turn, handed Klein more pages of Emperor Roselle's diary.
The fledgling god cleverly shifted everyone's focus away from "his broke believer" to the subject of compensation. Everyone now had something to look forward to.
Klein first gave Derrick the Bard formula. Giving both at once would be too much to memorize, so he held one back for later.
While Derrick was memorizing the formula, Audrey handed in her diary pages, and Sairuis followed suit, submitting that day's entry.
Klein's hand paused slightly as he took the diary.
"Mr. Devil, what kind of payment do you want?"
"Please continue saving up my contributions as before," Sairuis replied with an exaggerated bow and flourish of his hat.
This batch of diaries from Audrey wasn't particularly useful to Klein — it merely discussed how higher sequences could switch pathways (something he already knew, since Sairuis had mentioned it in an earlier meeting), and how Roselle had joined a secret gathering, though it didn't name which.
Then came Sairuis's diary entry:
February 13: We met an old man in Penacony. He claimed to be a member of the Genius Society. Real or fake? I asked him a few academic questions, but he couldn't answer a single one.
February 14: I still don't believe he's a genius, but he does know a lot about geniuses. That made me doubt myself a bit. Anyway, I know a genius personally, so I sent her a message to confirm.
February 15: Unbelievable — she actually came in person, along with another genius, Screwellum.
February 16: Looks like the old man really was a member of the Genius Society. Fine, I apologize for doubting him.
February 17: His name is Calderon Chadwick, the 79th seat of the Genius Society. He truly is a genius — I genuinely respect him now. Conversely, I'm beginning to doubt whether "the IPC" is really pursuing the Path of Preservation anymore.
February 18: The accomplishments of geniuses are just beyond comprehension. Chadwick, though short-lived, once invented a weapon in his youth whose shockwaves alone could destroy twenty-four planets. Compared to that, the gods of our world look… pitifully weak.
February 19: That Mr. Screwellum is just too elegant. Oh, truly… he actually showed me his boki! A robot — a male robot — ahhh, so handsome, I'm spiraling!
February 20: I got Screwellim's autographed photo! Sadly, my Beyonder powers can't project his image into reality. But that's okay — a photo is enough! Ssshhhaa—Ssshhhaa—Screwellum's leg ring... Witness my Crescent Moon Strike!
Klein closed his eyes briefly.
This Sairuis fellow… before transmigrating, he must have been from Chengdu. People from that place always had… a certain reputation.
He put down the diary and smiled faintly toward the others.
"You don't have to wait for me."
That's like when a boss tells you not to mind his opinion — which, of course, you absolutely have to mind.
"It's my honor," Alger replied humbly.
You know, Mr. Fool, there's only one sun in my heart — and it's you.
When they reached the free discussion segment, Audrey shared a few of her recent experiences. Then Alger eagerly began talking about his "childhood friend," revealing her whereabouts and asking for help tracking her down.
He glanced at Sairuis and added, "If anyone can kill him, I'll pay extra. His bounty will go to whoever takes down Qilangos."
He then provided a detailed description of Qilangos — his beloved.
Alger: Qilangos… ever since you left, I think about you every day.
As Alger described Creeping Hunger, Derrick seized the chance to speak, talking about Elder Lovia from Silver City and sharing what he knew about Shepherds.
Thus, Derrick and Audrey — the Tarot Club's earliest "angel investors" — contributed to the meeting from two fronts: material and intellectual.
Sairuis, meanwhile, mentioned that a friend of his had recently arrived in Loen — someone truly special, instantly recognizable as different from others at a glance.
Alger didn't take it seriously.
Ha! I've roamed the seas for years — what kind of people haven't I seen?
When it came to the newcomer Derrick's turn to speak, he hesitated, unsure what to say. Suddenly he thought of the Amber King and ventured,
"Mr. Devil, Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Justice… do you know about the Amber King?"
(End of Chapter)