But Ebner was certain that the faint mist that had suddenly appeared wasn't an illusion. Strangely, it even felt familiar—like he had seen it somewhere before.
While he was deep in thought, the heroic-looking woman across from him seemed to come back to her senses. She nodded slightly to Ebner, who had transformed into Xio's appearance, and smiled faintly. "Very similar, but a bit too tall."
After saying this, she didn't linger and walked toward one of the office buildings within the base.
Yeah, I know I'm a bit tall... But with the "Faceless" abilities I can currently mimic, this is the best I can do!
Grumbling inwardly, Ebner climbed into the same carriage that had brought him here and thought to himself:
Judging by her appearance and attire, she must be Xio's superior—Her Highness Vera, the youngest sister of George III.
She recognized that I was impersonating Xio but didn't expose me? Was it because of Xio?
Still, this princess, who never appeared in the original story, probably has quite a few secrets...
And that mist... What was it? It felt familiar yet dangerous... Could it also be something left behind by a previous transmigrator?
Carrying these doubts, Ebner performed today's "prophecy" as usual—but unexpectedly, he didn't receive any results...
His heart instantly tightened. That either meant there was a high-level force interfering with the princess's fate, or her fate had been "shrouded"...
Either way, it meant this Princess Vera was anything but simple!
And someone that exceptional seemed to value Xio quite highly... even trusted her as a confidant... Why? What's so special about Xio?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Ebner didn't return to the East Borough immediately. Instead, he had the coachman drive him to the house in the Cherwood Borough where Xio and Fors lived.
…..
At the same time, Princess Vera, who had entered the office building, let out a soft sigh and murmured quietly to herself:
"So it really is him...
"Hmph, Hermes probed for so long, and in the end actually ruled him out...
"It's still not time yet...
"At the very least, not until he becomes a demigod..."
…..
Cherwood Borough, 15 Minsk Street.
Klein descended to the first floor and sat in the living room, enjoying the warmth radiating from the fireplace.
He rocked gently in the armchair. He wasn't reading the newspaper, flipping through magazines, or browsing books.
He was waiting for Miss Sharon to arrive… He would soon be leaving Backlund, and there were still matters to discuss with her. That's why, after the Tarot meeting, he'd sent an invitation to her via Mr. Fool.
Just as Klein estimated that Miss Sharon should be arriving soon, the sound of the doorbell suddenly rang out, ding-ding-ding.
Huh? Doesn't Miss Sharon always knock on the window when she visits? Why is she ringing the bell this time? Hmm… maybe it's not her…
Wearing a home shirt and a cashmere vest, Klein got up and headed toward the door. During the process, the "Clown" ability gave him a slight premonition about the visitor—and it was a bit unexpected.
He opened the door and chuckled softly:
"Good afternoon, Emlyn. Shouldn't you be helping out at the Harvest Church around this time?"
The visitor was none other than Emlyn White—the handsome vampire with a touch of androgynous elegance, his hair slicked back at an angle.
Upon hearing Klein's greeting, Emlyn's usually arrogant expression froze for a moment before he managed to recover.
"I have something to consult you about, Sherlock. Moriarty. Detective." Emlyn spoke each word deliberately.
After inviting him into the living room, Klein returned to his armchair and asked with a smile:
"What's the matter? My consultation fee is one pound, but I won't charge more than an hour."
Emlyn White didn't pay attention to his words. Instead, he spoke in a pensive tone:
"A powerful figure asked me to do something... While that task could help me resolve some hidden dangers indirectly, it also carries considerable risk.
"I don't have many friends, and I don't want to worry my parents... but you're a well-informed Beyonder detective... What would you advise? Refuse, or accept?"
Another "powerful figure"? I'm starting to get "allergic" to that phrase lately... It never leads to anything good... except when they're paying, of course.
But the big shot Emlyn mentioned clearly couldn't be Prince Edessak... So who is it? Someone high-ranking among the Blood Tribe? As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Klein said cautiously:
"With only the word 'task' to go on, I can't offer any advice."
Emlyn White stayed silent for several seconds, gritted his teeth, and lowered his voice:
"It's related to the 'Fool'…"
"Ah?" Klein almost thought he'd misheard. After confirming that Emlyn really had said "Fool," he hesitated for a moment, then made up a bunch of statistics on the spot to scare the vampire in front of him. He wanted Emlyn to understand, more intuitively, just how dangerous an unknown great being could be—advising him to drop the idea as soon as possible or at least find another method to counteract the mental suggestions from his Earth Mother faith.
To that end, Klein even badmouthed himself a bit.
After listening, Emlyn fell into a heavy silence for over ten seconds before he finally spoke:
"If I choose to go through with it, it definitely won't be for myself—but for the sake of the entire Blood Tribe! Shaking off the faith in the Earth Mother is just a bonus…"
For the sake of his people? That excuse sounds awfully familiar... Didn't Mr. Hanged Man use a similar line to trick The Sun into slacking during exploration?
The only difference is, one coaxed someone into taking risks, the other coaxed someone into hiding and playing safe...
Yep, this kid is definitely being tricked! Klein reached his conclusion and chuckled:
"A vampire of modest strength getting the chance to save the entire tribe—do you believe that yourself?"
"Blood Tribe! Blood Tribe!" Emlyn emphasized. "Besides, my strength isn't weak. I'm equivalent to one of you humans at Sequence 7—and I specialize in combat!"
With that, he stood up and took his leave, leaving behind one final remark: "Take the suitcase from our last material trade as payment for this consultation."
It took Klein a moment to react. Then he muttered to himself:
"Mr. Tower didn't even ask me for those few suitcases... Compared to him, this vampire is really stingy…"
But before he finished muttering, Klein caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye—Miss Sharon was already sitting on the sofa, silently brewing a cup of red tea for herself and sipping it slowly.
When she noticed Klein looking over, she gently set down her teacup and said meaningfully:
"Praying to Mr. Fool is the same as…"
That was a phrase Klein had used earlier while talking himself down. She didn't finish it aloud, likely to avoid showing any disrespect toward Mr. Fool.
Miss, when did you arrive? And how much did you hear?! Klein smiled awkwardly and explained:
"I was just trying to dissuade him… Besides, Mr. Fool wouldn't mind…"
Sharon shook her head slightly and said softly:
"Believe in the power of the gods… Whether or not to accept him—that's a decision only Mr. Fool can make, not you."
Believe in the gods' power, but don't believe in the gods' mercy? I've heard that saying before… But I really was making the decision for myself.
Knowing that Sharon spoke out of genuine concern—worried that he might lose divine favor—Klein didn't argue. Instead, he simply nodded and said:
"I'll be more careful from now on." After all, the "Faceless" truly did require deeper and more immersive acting.
Afterward, knowing that Sharon had to remain in Backlund to await a certain opportunity and wouldn't be leaving easily, Klein entrusted her with several tasks he himself wouldn't be able to complete.
For example, regularly paying Old Kohler's informant fees… managing the shares he held in the bicycle company… and continuing to monitor Baron Pound's movements…
Sharon carefully noted each matter down and assured him he could rest easy.
Once everything had been handed over, and seeing that Sharon was about to leave, Klein smiled and said:
"Let me say it in advance—Happy New Year.
"And please pass that wish along to Maric as well."
Sharon was silent for two seconds, then pursed her lips and replied in a drifting voice:
"Happy New Year."
As soon as she finished, her figure began to fade and gradually vanished from the room.
.....
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, within the final hall beneath the True Creator's temple where an altar had been set up, Derrick once again encountered the little boy who kept crying out for help.
While the Chief was still mulling things over, Derrick took the initiative to ask about the boy's background—he had come across the sea by ship from Enmat Harbor.
Just as Ebner and Alger had guessed, words like "Enmat Harbor" and "the sea" coming from the boy's mouth painted a vivid picture of a new world before Chief Colin, giving him a long-awaited glimpse of hope for Silver City's future.
From the boy's recollection, they inferred that to reach the sea, they would need to pass through the ruins of the "Giant's Court"!
At this point, Derrick—despite the Chief's skeptical and shocked gaze—took out that gear-covered book and asked the boy:
"Do you remember this?
"If you do, can you tell me where you picked it up?"
(End of chapter)