"Sharon…" "asked me…" "to help you…" "with a warning…"
After speaking, Reinette Tinekerr's four heads blinked in perfect unison.
Miss Sharon… is expressing her concern for me? Is this her way of 'indulging' herself—allowing a trace of self to remain even while playing the 'Puppet'?
After all, a Puppet was supposed to have no "heart," no emotions, and no capacity to care for others.
Klein nodded slightly in thought, then turned his attention back to Danitz's letter.
"'The Pale Admiral' and 'Admiral of Iceberg' want to discuss something with me… It's most likely about hunting 'Admiral of Blood.'
"After all, that's the only matter we have in common.
"And asking Danitz to write this letter—they must not want to show their 'hostility' before taking action.
"But Admiral of Blood Senor is a wraith, not a demon. He shouldn't be that sensitive, should he?
"Then again, he's from the Rose School of Thought, which, according to Mr. Tower, worships the evil god—the Mother Tree of Desire.
"The Nors family from the demon line also worships Her… perhaps he's received something similar from Her."
At that thought, Klein tensed slightly and immediately stopped himself from pondering further.
Although he hadn't yet discussed specifics with the two pirate admirals, he didn't want to risk triggering Senor's awareness by generating too much hostility.
"I can…" "think for you…" "here…" "safely…" Reinette Tinekerr's four red eyes swept across him as her heads spoke in turn.
So, Miss Messenger—you mean you can block or absorb my hostility? Klein was pleasantly surprised, instantly understanding the "joy" Mr. Tower had described when developing new functions for the Fool.
Now that he had guessed the intent behind the letter, Klein recalled the nearby sea routes and the position of the Golden Dream mentioned in the message. Then, he chose the same deserted island where he had once unearthed "Admiral of Ailment" Tracy, telling Danitz in his reply to steer the ship to waters not far from there.
—Last time, Danitz had helped dig up Tracy himself, so that island should still be vivid in his memory.
After finishing the letter, Klein folded it neatly and handed it to Reinette Tinekerr, who was floating with her four heads in tow.
But even after receiving it, she lingered instead of leaving.
Seeing this, Klein understood at once and said toward the side,
"The coin will be paid by Danitz."
"Alright…" Reinette's figure quickly faded and vanished.
Phew. Klein let out a breath, dispelled the "Wall of Spirituality," and walked out of the lavatory, reappearing before Ockfa and Anderson—instantly silencing the strongest hunter mid-provocation.
Klein glanced at him, his expression deliberately cold, his tone serious with a trace of madness beneath: "There's nothing wrong with my kidneys."
Anderson froze, his smile stiffening before he forced a dry laugh and quickly changed the subject.
"I've realized you'd make the perfect subject for a portrait—dark, shadowy background, a brooding atmosphere that fits your temperament perfectly.
"So, what do you say? Want to consider it? I can paint you a portrait myself. Trust me, I'm a master-level artist!"
Ockfa, eager to ease the tension, chimed in, "He's at his best when he's painting… mostly because he doesn't talk."
"Maybe you're better off as a painter who can't talk," Klein replied icily. He then politely bid Ockfa farewell and left the manor.
As for Anderson, having fulfilled his promise, he didn't accompany Klein further and instead went to complete that demigod's commission.
…..
County of Jianhai — Conston City.
A pure industrial city, forests of smokestacks and blast furnaces filled the skyline—an artificial forest, even grander in its mechanical beauty than Backlund.
The buildings here were made of steel and reinforced concrete, far taller and sturdier than those of Backlund.
Though coal dust filled the air, the wind sweeping from the Jianhai Sea made it cleaner than Backlund's—despite the latter's new air-pollution control laws.
Along Maris River Avenue, a girl with a sorrowful face leaned against the railing, staring blankly at the water flowing toward the sea. It looked as if she might jump in at any moment.
But suddenly, her expression froze. Then, as if she'd seen something unbelievable, she rubbed her eyes, shock and confusion flashing across her face, followed by hesitation and dazed disbelief.
As she stood there, uncertain what to do, her peripheral vision caught sight of a woman nearby wearing a pointed hat and a black dress, sitting by a small stall. On the stall rested a mysterious-looking crystal ball.
The woman's face was painted with colorful makeup, her eyes lazy, half-closed as though she were dozing.
A fortune-telling witch—or maybe just a con artist… the girl thought instinctively. But as the word "divination" formed in her mind, she suddenly decided to approach the stall.
Several minutes later, the girl rose, visibly relieved. She walked away without the sorrow or confusion she'd had before.
Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she turned the corner, the fortune-telling stall by the riverside vanished completely. None of the nearby pedestrians seemed to notice anything strange.
Under Maris Bridge, Fors removed her pointed hat, looking a little worried as she turned to Ebner beside her.
"She won't go back to trying to kill herself, right?"
"You already 'divined' the general outcome of the fate stream she chose, didn't you, my dear Miss Astrologer?" Ebner replied with a smile beneath his hooded cloak.
After his discussion with Princess Vera about the mythological creatures of the "Black Emperor" pathway, Ebner had resumed his journey—using the "Wheel of Fortune" to play the role of a "Prophet" and to draw the attention of the "Angel of Destiny," Ouroboros, away from Backlund.
However, since his "manifested fate options" no longer showed the eventual outcomes, many who chose a "stream of fate" ended up in even worse situations. Though it was ultimately their own choice, Ebner still felt somewhat guilty for causing the divergence in destiny.
After some thought, he realized that since Fors had already advanced to "Astrologer," she could perform divinations and interpretations for those affected—reducing the chances of tragedy.
Moreover, this would help Fors digest her "Astrologer" potion and prepare her for her next role as "Traveler." It was, indeed, killing several birds with one stone.
Thus, they had been traveling together these past few days, cooperating in their acting. Upon learning that all of this was, in essence, preparation for the assassination of Louis Wayne, Fors had set aside her usual laziness and actually become diligent for once… Besides, traveling was her favorite pastime anyway.
Their current destination was Conston City—a choice not just for travel, but also for Ebner to quietly gather information about that mysterious "Mr. Gluttony."
At this moment, after hearing Ebner's confident reply, Fors still didn't look reassured. She rolled her eyes and said, "You should know her state wasn't normal—she's clearly under some Beyonder's influence.
"Even if today she was saved because of us, she might be unknowingly manipulated again later."
To that, Ebner simply gave a mysterious smile and said meaningfully, "That would actually be better if they act again."
…..
(End of Chapter)