Chapter 14: Mr. Lover
[Character Card: Lover]
[Appearance: Unknown, but the voice is very young and pleasant to hear]
[Personality: Refined and easy-going, wise and powerful, yet possessing an indescribable wicked sense of humor]
[Profession: Unknown]
[Life Experience: Unknown, suspected to be related to the source of the twenty-two Pathways of the Divine]
[Social Relations: The Fool (Collaborator?), Justice (Curious observer, admirer), The Hanged Man (One who stands in awe)]
[Destiny Anchor: The most mysterious member of the Tarot Club, a walking "Blasphemy Slate"]
It matches the image he wanted to shape.
Only, I'm not the real Lover!
Nairn looked at some of the strange parts on the character card.
Did a certain girl overthink things?
No way, Miss Justice, you aren't even a "Spectator" yet, so how have you already started your own mental analysis?
He began to wonder if this would be detrimental to the growth of this "vest."
However, considering Miss Justice said she had gained such precious knowledge and guidance and decided to open an anonymous account to regularly send "gratitude fees"—
Nairn decided not to dwell on it.
For now, he really needed money, and besides, he had also entrusted Miss Justice with his Spectator Beyonder characteristic.
That's right.
The Tarot Club meeting had ended.
After Nairn gave Audrey the Spectator potion formula and some advice on the Spectator acting method, Mr. The Fool was finally exhausted.
So, Nairn had just come down from above.
In fact, he could have used the Sefirah to stay up there a bit longer.
In the end, he didn't stay, lest he slip out of control and frighten Mr. The Fool.
Better not to give our Mr. The Fool such a scare.
Besides, even if he stayed up there, Mr. The Fool might eventually go offline himself because his mana bar was insufficient.
When that time came, only he would be left in the gray fog—
That wouldn't be fun enough... The wind howled and the rain poured down.
A massive three-masted sailing ship struggled to navigate between mountain-like waves, looking as if it could be torn to shreds by the fury of nature at any moment.
Alger Wilson's figure solidified within the crimson light; he found himself still standing at the bow, the icy rain instantly soaking him to the bone.
He looked down; the strange glass bottle in his hand had already shattered, the frost and snow melted, vanishing without a trace.
A Mystical Item worth at least several hundred pounds was gone just like that.
But Alger didn't feel the slightest bit of heartache.
In his mind, Mr. Lover's final words were still echoing, along with that subversive "Bookkeeping Method" and Auditing Reform.
Collect all the legends, myths, and ghost stories of the sea.
This task seemed simple, but the more Alger thought about it, the more he felt it contained shocking secrets.
Mr. Lover, a powerful existence who suspectedly knew all the Pathways of the Divine, why was he collecting these ethereal stories?
Was it to find traces of some lost deity from ancient legends?
Or was he himself... some legendary existence, now attempting to reclaim his lost authority and memories through these stories?
The more Alger thought, the more alarmed he became; he felt as if he had touched a corner of an incredibly terrifying truth.
He took a deep breath, the cold air clearing his chaotic mind significantly.
Regardless of the truth, this was a good thing for him at the moment.
He had not only gained the favor of a big shot but also obtained a stable channel to contact the other party.
This meant that the subsequent potion formulas he dreamed of were no longer an unreachable fantasy.
He looked up toward the distant horizon where the storm met the sea, dark as the end of the world, and for the first time, the flame called "hope" ignited in his eyes... In the Loen Kingdom, the capital Backlund, Empress Borough, inside Count Hall's luxurious villa.
Audrey Hall gave her jade-like cheek a hard pinch; the slight pain told her that everything that had just happened was not a dream.
On the ornate dressing table before her, an antique bronze mirror had shattered into countless pieces.
"Susie, it looks like we'll have to find a way to buy another mirror, and we can't let Father and Mother know," she whispered to the large Golden Retriever lying at her feet, who looked equally dazed.
Susie gave a "woof," seemingly in agreement.
Audrey's gaze fell upon the back of her hand; there, a crimson, star-like "tattoo" was slowly fading, eventually hiding beneath the skin and disappearing.
Only at this moment was she completely certain that she had truly joined an extraordinary organization.
"The Tarot Club..."
"Mr. The Fool..."
"Mr. Hanged Man..."
"And... Mr. Lover..."
She silently recited these code names, the corners of her mouth curling up bit by bit uncontrollably, revealing a brilliant and sweet smile.
Thinking that she could see them again next week, especially that "Mr. Lover" who had such a pleasant voice and knew so many things, her mood was as light as a bird just released from its cage.
But why did he choose the code name "Lover"?
"The Fool," "Justice," and "The Hanged Man" all sounded full of mystery and symbolic meaning.
But "Lover"... this word seemed out of place with the atmosphere here, appearing somewhat... too soft, even ambiguous.
However, once she remembered that the Tarot cards themselves included this card, Audrey felt her thoughts were somewhat redundant—
Instead of pondering this, it would be better to ask the person who originally created the Tarot cards why such a card existed.
Besides—Mr. Lover must have his own deep meaning for choosing this code name.
It couldn't be without some special meaning... Hmm~ besides representing love, this card also symbolizes "choice" and "duality."
Could he be hinting at something? Hinting at his nature, or his future path?
Also, the "Bookkeeping Method" and the auditing system he mentioned—where did he learn those from?
Right!
She suddenly remembered that she hadn't asked Mr. Lover where the Sequence 9 "Spectator" Beyonder materials should be sent.
The gathering had ended too abruptly.
But... it doesn't matter!
They could meet again next Monday anyway; it wouldn't be too late to ask then.
She had even begun to calculate in her heart how to quietly squeeze a sum of money out of her allowance to purchase the Beyonder materials.
Then, she thought of the accounting knowledge Mr. Lover had taught her.
A bold idea sprouted in her mind.
Perhaps... I can use this knowledge to start with the accounts of the charity foundation Mother manages, helping her discover some problems as a way to prove my ability?
If it succeeds, maybe I can apply for a "research fund" from Father!
The more Audrey thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Wisdom and cunning sparkled in her emerald eyes.
She couldn't help but stand up, lift her skirt, and do a light, quick pirouette on the soft carpet.
Her long golden hair traced a graceful arc, and a more brilliant smile than ever before overflowed from the young girl's face.
She had decided!
She would start taking action immediately!