As they stepped out of the Blackthorn Security Company, the sun had already begun its descent. The remaining rays of light painted the sky in hues of fiery red, blending with the crimson moon that had just risen on the opposite horizon.
Klein had originally planned to take a public carriage from the station, but Edward casually flagged down a rented carriage instead. As soon as they got in, Klein turned to Edward with a serious expression and extended his hand.
"Let's reintroduce ourselves. Klein Moretti, a Blessed of The Fool, though I have yet to join the Tarot Club."
"Edward, a devoted believer of The Fool, willing to dedicate my entire life and soul in His service! Wherever The Fool's sword points, that is the path I shall follow! Wherever His gaze falls, that is where my efforts shall be—"
Cough, cough, cough.
Klein barely held back his embarrassment, hurriedly cutting him off. "Alright, alright, Edward, The Fool is already well aware of your devotion."
"Praise The Fool," Edward placed his right hand over his chest, bowing slightly.
"...Praise The Fool."
What else could Klein do? He could only follow suit.
"Does the esteemed Blessed have any divine decree to convey to me?" Edward asked with an expectant look.
"Not exactly."
Klein quickly added, "And just call me Klein. Normally, I shouldn't be revealing my identity to members of the Tarot Club this early, but today's events were rather unexpected."
"Thank you, Klein."
Edward spoke sincerely before asking, "So, are you staying with the Tingen Nighthawks to carry out a secret mission for The Fool?"
Klein hesitated for a moment before nodding in acknowledgment.
"That's right, but I can't share the details just yet."
—Mainly because I haven't figured out how to explain it.
"Understood. If you ever need anything, just let me know!"
Klein nodded before asking, "By the way, weren't you living in Backlund? Why did you suddenly move to Tingen?"
Edward let out a sigh, his expression turning helpless.
"Not sure if The Fool mentioned this to you, but the True Creator has taken an interest in me. To avoid potential assassinations from the Aurora Order, I had no choice but to relocate here. I originally considered fleeing to the sea, but Mr. The Hanged Man advised against it."
Pausing for a moment, Edward rested his chin on his hand and muttered, "I wonder what kind of price I'd have to pay to get The Fool to deal with the Aurora Order…or even the True Creator."
Klein turned his gaze to the passing scenery outside, forcing a bitter smile.
Am I supposed to kill the True Creator?
Bro, I literally just advanced to Sequence 8! That kind of absurdity is beyond impossible!
At that moment, he suddenly spotted his sister, Melissa, walking along the street. Without thinking, he called out:
"Melissa!"
"?" Melissa turned toward the carriage with a puzzled expression. "Klein?"
Then, her face immediately shifted into a stern look as she scolded him seriously.
"Klein, I know your new job pays well, but that doesn't mean you should waste money! There's a perfectly good public carriage system, yet you're splurging on this? The money you spent on this ride could have bought us a proper meal with meat!"
"Uh…"
Hit with an unexpected verbal assault, Klein found himself speechless. He forced an awkward smile and introduced, "This is my sister, Melissa. She's…quite frugal."
Edward stopped the carriage, opened the door, and smiled. "We meet again, beautiful lady. Klein originally planned to take the public carriage, but I insisted he ride with me instead. Don't worry, he didn't have to pay for it."
"Ah…"
Melissa instinctively covered her mouth, her face flushing bright red in embarrassment.
"S-Sorry, Klein…I didn't know…"
"It's fine, I know you only meant well for our family. But why are you walking home again?"
Melissa pursed her lips, staying silent.
"Alright, alright, Miss Moretti, why don't you hop in too?" Edward suggested.
She declined softly, "No need, I'm almost home anyway."
"Then we won't take the carriage either," Edward said as he jumped out of the vehicle.
Melissa quickly waved her hands. "No, no, there's no need! You don't have to bother with me, just head home."
Edward paid the fare and turned to Melissa with a gentle smile.
"I'm good friends with your brother, Klein. There's no need to be so formal with me. Isn't that right, Klein?"
Klein immediately stepped in between Edward and Melissa, his posture cautious as if guarding against a thief.
"Wait, you two know each other?"
"We met the other day when I was house hunting. I had no idea she was your sister—what a coincidence!"
Klein let out a sigh of relief. "So that's how it is."
As they continued chatting, the three of them walked down the street together, soon arriving at the intersection of Daffodil Street.
Edward waved his hand, preparing to leave.
"Alright, I'll head back now."
Melissa hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Mr. Edward, it's almost dinnertime. Would you like to join us for dinner?"
Edward turned to Klein. "Is that alright?"
"No problem, as long as you don't mind our simple home-cooked meals."
"Of course not."
At that moment, Edward suddenly slapped his forehead, reached into his coat, and rummaged around for a bit before pulling something out—Lilith.
He had just yanked a whole cat from inside his clothes.
"Almost forgot about her."
The moment Lilith was freed, she immediately started complaining. Her tiny paws flailed at Edward as she meowed furiously.
"Meow!ヽ(.>Д<)o゜"
"???"
Klein and Melissa were completely baffled.
Wait…where did that cat just come from? His clothes were perfectly flat a second ago!
Is this some kind of mystical ability? Klein speculated inwardly.
Edward placed Lilith on his shoulder and, with a swift motion, produced a deck of cards in both hands. "As you can see, I'm a magician. Pulling animals out of nowhere is just a simple trick, right?"
Lilith rolled her eyes dramatically. "Mrrr… (￣△￣)"
"Oh, she's adorable!"
Melissa's eyes instantly lit up, unable to tear her gaze away from Lilith. "Can I…pet her?"
"Lilith, greet this beautiful lady," Edward said.
Lilith yawned before gracefully leaping toward Melissa. Melissa quickly reached out to catch her, gently stroking her soft fur.
"So fluffy~"
Meanwhile, Klein's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched Edward closely.
This guy doesn't have any ulterior motives, does he?
Using a cute pet to lower a girl's guard, then making his move to win her favor…Klein might have no personal experience, but he'd seen plenty of dating tips in his past life that described this exact tactic!
For some reason, a ridiculous image flashed through Klein's mind—Edward wearing flashy loafers and a cocky grin, casually saying, "From now on, let's keep things separate. I'll call you Mr. Fool, and you can call me brother-in-law."
…What the hell?!
While Klein was lost in his wild thoughts, the three of them arrived at 2 Daffodil Street.
Melissa, still holding Lilith, stepped forward to unlock the door. Turning back, she gave a warm smile.
"Please come in, Mr. Edward."
———
[Backlund, Cherwood Borough]
With an exhausted expression, Xio returned home and immediately spotted Fors sitting upright at her desk, appearing deeply engrossed in her writing.
Glancing at the messy couch, Xio muttered, "Stop pretending. The sofa is still warm."
"N-no, it's not!"
Fors turned around, her face flushing red as she protested, "I've been writing all night! I've already written…written…"
She looked down at the manuscript in front of her. Only two lines had been scribbled down.
She froze in embarrassment.
Xio collapsed onto the sofa, her fatigue evident. Fors quickly poured her a glass of water and handed it over with a fawning smile.
"Here, drink some. How was your night?"
"Not bad. I managed to buy the materials I needed…and I also got two pages of Emperor Roselle's notebook."
Xio took a sip of water, then stared blankly into the reflection of the gas lamp in her glass, momentarily lost in thought.
Earlier that evening, while purchasing materials for the Sheriff potion, she had encountered a mysterious individual wearing a golden mask.
The person claimed that the Sheriff formula in Xio's possession had originally come from his client, and that it had been distributed as a means of recruiting suitable candidates for a certain job.
Fearing that outright refusal might offend this enigmatic figure, Xio had refrained from rejecting the offer on the spot. After setting up a future meeting location and means of contact, the masked person had departed.
However, on her way home, the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. She was worried that she had unknowingly entangled herself with some dangerous organization—an involvement that could also put Fors at risk.
Noticing Xio's troubled expression, Fors asked, "What happened?"
After hesitating for a moment, Xio told her everything.
"Don't worry. From what you've described, this might not necessarily be a bad thing. If it turns out to be dangerous…well, worst case, we just move again."
"Alright."
Xio quickly composed herself and retrieved the materials for her ritual magic.
"I'll notify Edward about the notebook pages I found."
She took a deep breath and solemnly chanted:
"I summon in my name—
The wandering spirit within the void,
A friendly creature willing to serve,
The messenger that belongs to Edward."
The candlelight flickered slightly.
A slit seemed to tear open in the air before her, rippling with waves of darkness that spread outward.
A shadowy figure shot out from the rift, dragging a long, phantom-like trail as it hovered in midair.
It tilted its head and let out a raspy voice.
"What do you need?"
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.