Actually, there were three pages, but the characters were too complicated and too difficult to memorize. My limit is only a little over two pages. I would mess up if I were to memorize more. The rest will have to wait until the next gathering... Audrey thought.
Klein asked, "Miss Justice, what do you need?"
Audrey replied in a reserved manner, "You know that I'll soon fully digest the Spectator potion. I hope that I can get the formula for the Telepathist potion so that I can prepare the ingredients ahead of time. Hmm, I know that there isn't much content for two pages of the diary, and it might not equal to the value of the Telepathist formula, so I'll give you another page. Hmm, I'll also pay you a sum of money on the side..."
Audrey added with a stammer, "That's not what I meant! Mr. Fool, what I meant is that you can determine the compensation that you'd like. Yes, that's what I meant!"
Klein didn't answer immediately but weighed his words.
Backlund Bank was one of the seven major banks in the Loen Kingdom, and as such, it possessed the right to clear transactions.
The Loen Kingdom settled accounts with receipts to take care of cash transfer business between banks within the same city in a centralized manner. However, unlike banks in the Intis Republic, not all banks were part of the same league. The biggest seven banks held on to these rights. Hence, they were called the clearance banks, making other banks rely on them.
Transferring money from a different location, on the other hand, could only be done within the same bank. It would be completed by squaring accounts between branches. With the invention of the steam locomotive and telegram, the efficiency of these transfers had been enhanced drastically.
Just then, The Sun, Derrick Berg, spoke. "The Telepathist potion formula? Telepathist that is followed by Psyche Analyst?"
Audrey looked towards him puzzledly. "You know of it?"
At the same time, Miss Justice noticed something. The young man had used the ancient title "Psyche Analyst" instead of the modern term, "Psychiatrist!"
Derrick replied seriously, "I can get you the formula!
It's a Sequence pathway that stemmed from the Dragon race. And our City of Silver was once ruled by the Giant King's imperial household. As you know, the Giants and the Dragons are sworn enemies. Hence, the City of Silver has all of Sequences 9, 8, and 7. I have ways to get them."
This kid... I already warned him not to speak carelessly or expose his origins. Sigh, although The Sun appears to be in great pain, very mature and silent for his age, he's just a boy after all! However, that clarifies one thing for me... It turns out that the Spectator Sequence's origins stem from the Dragon race. It's no wonder that the symbol formed by stars behind Miss Justice's high chair is the Dragon... The City of Silver has preserved history well...
In fact, he could've easily stopped The Sun from exposing those matters. As long as he didn't help in the simultaneous translation, Justice and The Hanged Man wouldn't have understood him at all.
However, Klein took a different approach. He felt that it might help him consolidate his mighty and mysterious image in the minds of the three members effectively. Hence, he listened and didn't make a sound.
Giant King, Dragon race, the City of Silver... Audrey was confused. She first took a look at The Hanged Man opposite her, but she could tell from his body language that he was also confused.
She looked sideways towards the seat of honor on the long bronze table and saw The Fool sitting on the high chair, engulfed in thick grayish-white fog. His right arm was placed on the armrest while he leaned sideways leisurely.
He knew all of this... Audrey and Alger made the definite judgment almost at the same time.
"The City of Silver, I've never heard of this place... Where is it?" Audrey asked while Alger listened attentively.
Derrick was filled with questions as well. He could tell that, besides the godlike Fool, Justice and The Hanged Man were some sort of Beyonder.
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, besides the people in the City of Silver, Derrick had never seen another living human. So, he asked in reply, "If you aren't residents of the City of Silver, which city-state are you from?"
Klein couldn't help but wish to sigh again.
The meaning behind his question is that if you don't want to answer a similar question, don't pry into the questions about where the other person lives... Miss Justice thought.
Alger had misunderstood The Sun's intentions as well. He didn't know the other person was really just asking straightforwardly. So, he kept quiet too.
When Derrick didn't receive any reply, he said, "I will try to get the Telepathist potion formula as soon as possible. I would like to use it to exchange for the beginning Sequence pathway of the Sun."
"Sun Sequence pathway? Sequence 9 Bard?" Alger asked.
Derrick thought and said, "Probably, but I lack information about it."
Klein, who was watching from the side, decided to get involved, not wanting to risk anyone taking his business away. "I believe Miss Justice doesn't have the Bard formula."
But Mr. Hanged Man seems to be able to get it...
Seeing Audrey nod, Klein continued, "I will give The Sun the Bard formula. The Sun will pass the Telepathist potion to Miss Justice. Try to get it done within the next two Gatherings. Miss Justice, please pass me the new pages of Roselle's diary. Then, the deal is done.
According to the law of equivalent exchange, The Sun is on the losing end of this transaction, but as of now, he has only made a promise. When he really provides the Telepathist formula, Miss Justice can consider how to compensate him again, or I will compensate him while Miss Justice provides money to one of my adorers. Heh heh, that's because The Sun might not necessarily be able to receive Miss Justice's cash or ingredients as compensation."
Klein intentionally added that final statement to redirect The Hanged Man and Justice's focus onto the fact that Sun might not be able to receive her compensation. He also did that to place himself in an unfathomable position; then, everyone would ignore the adorer that lacked money.
Might not necessarily receive the compensation... Where exactly is The Sun? The Southern Continent? Alger creased his eyebrows.
The origin of The Sun is mysterious... Audrey finally saw her hope of becoming a Sequence 8 Telepathist and said, "I have no objections."
"Neither do I." When Derrick saw that he could obtain the beginning sequence of the Sun pathway, he nodded, not caring about additional compensation.
Alger, who was out of the three-way deal, didn't have the right to speak. Although he could get the formula of Bard, he would need to wait a week or two as well.
At that moment, Klein, who had successfully delayed the compensation to the next Gathering, or the following one after, pressed his palm forward, and The Bard formula surfaced.
"Main ingredients: a Crystal Sunflower or an adult Flint Bird's tail feather or a Fire Bird's tail feather... A piece of Siren Rock or a Singing Sunflower...
Supplementary ingredients: a blade of Midsummer Grass, 5 drops of July Wine Juice, a blade of Elf Dark Leaf..."
He sent the formula before The Sun.
The ingredients in the Forsaken Land of the Gods will should still be known by their ancient names. Luckily, my formula was obtained directly from the Eternal Blazing Sun; therefore, the knowledge that I gained used ancient names and various replacements...
Audrey looked at The Sun, who was memorizing the formula, and then she willed the two pages of the diary that she had memorized.
The diary immediately appeared on the yellowish-brown goatskin and, with a flash, appeared in Klein's hands.
Just like before, he immediately began reading.
"3rd November, Matilda is three months pregnant now. I even find those maidservants who come from the villages beautiful. No, I can't lower my standards. Coincidentally, Countess Florais has invited me to join a private party, hehe."
"On 8th November, Archbishop Fan Estin sought my help. Huh, what can I do for an archbishop?"
"9th November, it turns out that there is actually a secret hidden within Sequence pathways. Archbishop Estin told me that after becoming a Sequence 5 Beyonder, the rest of the Sequences could be replaced with Sequences of the same level from one or two other pathways! In other words, it starts from mid- to high-sequence! But this is only limited to those one or two pathways and if it's replaced with a potion from a wrong pathway, semi-insanity is the mildest outcome, and one also can't advance any further. One can begin substituting pathways from Sequence 4 onwards. Sleepless and Corpse Collector pathways. Yes, the Church's Savant and Mystery Pryer pathways can also substitute for one another at a High Sequence."