In that instant, Odis understood why he had appeared here...
The space of endless Knowledge that he could access had reacted with Klein's
'Sefirah Castle' during the 'Roselle Commemorative Exhibition'...
This reaction ultimately formed a gray palm-sized orb after Klein's astral projection departed... likely due to some unknown reason.
Only now did Odis realize... that orb must have been an "invitation" and a "pass"...
Under the orb's influence on his Spiritual body, he had arrived in the Spirit World in his unconscious sleep state, and somehow appeared outside the 'Sefirah Castle'.
At this moment however, Odis felt helpless... 'If you're going to give me a pass, at least make it complete, will you? If I can't get inside, fine... but don't set the damn hounds on me!'
"Open the door! Your dogs are about to bite me!" he shouted while searching for any possible way to climb over the walls.
Fortunately, the 'Hounds of Fulgrim' seemed to detect traces of the 'Sefirah Castle' on Odis's Spiritual body, which made them hesitate to outright lunge at him.
However, Odis could sense their aggression intensifying. At any moment, they might pounce and tear him apart.
The towering walls of the castle didn't have even a single gap between bricks... This castle was also generated through the use a 'Sefirah'... So it was impractical for Odis to even hope to find a way to climb over it...
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
"Open the door!" he shouted...
In desperation, Odis even wondered if revealing the Fool's secrets might buy him a chance at survival.
*Wooo..!*
A high-pitched howl finally rang out... That was a signal to attack.
Dozens of dark figures surged toward him.
Terrified, Odis pressed himself against the massive doors. As a mere Sequence 9, he stood no chance against these hounds.
*Creeeak....*
At that moment, the doors cracked open just enough for a person to slip through.
The hounds, now mere inches away, immediately dropped to the ground in submission.
Seizing the opportunity, Odis darted inside.
*Creeeak...*
The doors closed behind him.
Odis exhaled in relief, 'I knew the Fool wouldn't just let me die...'
But as sooner as his tension eased, another thought struck him... 'Could the aura of Sefirah Castle corrupt me?'
Then he reconsidered, 'If Klein let me in, he must be shielding me from corruption... Otherwise, just glimpsing the castle from outside would've driven me mad or turned me into a monster...'
Before him, the gray fog parted and revealed a huge hall... It's as if it was built for giants...
At its center stood a mottled bronze table, flanked by high-backed chairs engraved with Mystical symbols.
At the head of the table sat a towering, indistinct figure, exuding an aura of unfathomable power...
Odis froze... 'Wait... from outside, the doors led to a courtyard. How did I end up in this hall?'
Shaking off his confusion, he bowed deeply, "Great and Mysterious existence, was it you who summoned me here?"
He phrased it this way deliberately, all in order to preempt the inevitable question... How did you get here?
A true hidden existence might still ask, but the 'Fool' was still building his facade. To maintain his mystique, Klein wouldn't pry so bluntly...
'A few vague answers, then a request to be sent back... that's the plan...' Odis mused.
"What were you doing at the Royal Museum tonight?" The Fool's voice was low, reverberating throughout the hall.
Behind the gray fog, Klein was genuinely puzzled. He had been sleeping soundly, when a sudden knocking startled him awake... only to realize someone was pounding on the "Door" to the gray fog's space!
Upon arriving, he was even more shocked to find a real person outside... a young man with black hair (though his face was obscured by mist)...
Something about him felt familiar. A quick 'dream divination' revealed their encounter at the Roselle Exhibition...
This put Klein on high alert. But since the gray fog was his domain, he had little to fear...
Rescuing Odis, he now sought answers... especially about the terrifyingly powerful woman from earlier.
Odis looked up, feigned surprise, and then lowered his head as if 'comprehending' the situation.
His reaction wasn't entirely faked. He was startled that the 'Fool' knew his whereabouts... but then he 'realized' such a being would naturally have ways to discern such things...
To Klein, Odis's expression read: First shock, then, understanding that a great existence would obviously know...
'Got him.' A faint smirk tugged at Klein's lips beneath the fog...
After a pause, Odis answered truthfully: "Great one, I was forced to be there against my will."
He knew honesty was crucial... The 'Fool' could detect lies after all...
As expected, Klein's hidden hand performed a divination beneath the table, confirming Odis spoke truthfully.
"Who forced you?"
"A mysterious and formidable lady."
Klein nodded slowly... 'So this young man is connected to her...'
"Why did she compel you?" Klein asked.
"I've made certain breakthroughs in Extraordinary weaponry, which drew her attention. She wished to... negotiate a transaction..." This was a half-truth.
Bernadette's primary goal had been to prevent Odis's capture by that secret organization... but she was also 'interested' in his research...
Since partial truths wouldn't trigger divination alarms, Odis gambled on this answer...
Klein nearly asked, "You're an artificer? What exactly did you research?" But stopped himself... After all, a 'great existence' wouldn't show such mundane curiosity.
Instead, he focused on the mysterious lady... a natural subject for someone of his supposed stature:
"Did you... proceed with the transaction?"
"We did." Odis nodded.
Klein hummed, as if pondering... Through his 'Spirit Vision', he could only confirm Odis was Sequence 9, not his Pathway.
Still, a Sequence 9 that capable of crafting Extraordinary weapons? It highly unusual...
Lacking stable channels for such items, Klein considered testing Odis further, "Do you wish for the power to oppose her?"
Odis blinked, "No."
Klein had expected a 'Yes', which would've let him assign tasks to Odis, observe his capabilities, and gather intel on both him and the mysterious lady... all for free.
But no..?
To his own surprise, Klein found himself nodding approvingly.
'This answer... I like it...' he mused.