The atmosphere in Tingen grew increasingly tense. Even ordinary citizens, unaware of the specifics, began to sense something amiss.
Patrolling detectives seemed to multiply daily on the streets, while nobles curtailed their beloved balls.
Underground, gang enforcers reined in their lackeys, and even the lowliest "trash collectors" became conspicuously diligent.
Amid this charged climate, Snow, paradoxically, lived quite leisurely, his routine unchanged from the past two weeks.
Mr. A, preoccupied with tracking the divine child, hadn't contacted him. Nor had Klein approached him for the Clown potion formula.
This made Snow somewhat anxious.
Though, per the original novel, Klein's promotion was still a month away, obtaining a potion formula from an enemy's corpse was far easier than from Snow. If Klein got it from him, he'd struggle to acquire materials through official channels, unable to explain the formula's source.
"If my meddling slows Mr. Fool's promotion, that'd be a real sin," Snow muttered, reviewing his prepared script twice before calmly awaiting the moment.
…
Crimson light surged like a tide. Snow's vision brightened, and he found himself again before the ancient, mottled bronze table. Opposite him sat Miss Justice, ever radiant with optimism. To his right was Mr. Hanged Man, with his blue seaweed-like hair.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool. Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man. Good afternoon, Mr. Devil."
Miss Justice's sweet, buoyant voice seemed to dispel all gloom. Infected by her smile, Snow and Mr. Hanged Man returned the courtesy.
After the customary greetings, Miss Justice turned to Mr. Fool.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, I haven't collected any Roselle diaries this week. I'd arranged with two Beyonders to gather some through their circles, but their gathering was abruptly canceled for unknown reasons…"
Of course, because Mr. A came to Tingen, Snow thought, then said respectfully,
"Mr. Fool, my current situation is sensitive. I can't retrieve Roselle diaries for now."
"I'm at sea, so I can't obtain diaries either," Alger added.
Seeing neither member had diaries, Alger relaxed, his excuse sounding almost confident. But he noted Snow's use of "retrieve" rather than "obtain," hinting he might possess a significant stash of Roselle diaries.
…
With all three empty-handed, Mr. Fool could only sigh inwardly at his recent streak of bad luck. Adopting his Fool's tone, he said,
"You may now exchange information."
Relieved that Mr. Fool showed no displeasure, Audrey exhaled, slipping into her Spectator state. Smiling lightly, she said,
"Backlund's been odd lately. Scheduled Beyonder gatherings were paused, and planned literary salons and wine parties were canceled. Except for a few 'respectable' noble balls, it's like Backlund's entered a social off-season."
This didn't happen in the original novel! Snow thought. Mr. A leaving Backlund shouldn't disrupt noble life, let alone halt literary salons. Is this Ince Zangwill's new script? But 0-08's influence should be limited to one city, not cross regions to affect Backlund…
Pondering Miss Justice's words, Snow fell into thought. In her Spectator state, Audrey keenly caught his emotional shift and asked,
"Mr. Devil, have you thought of something?"
"Well, I'm not sure if it's related, but something did happen on my end," Snow nodded, organizing his words.
"Last week, Tingen detected traces of a possible True Creator's heir. An Aurora Order emissary, originally in Backlund, arrived in Tingen and clashed with the three major Churches' official Beyonders, leading to Tingen entering lockdown. But a week later, the elite Beyonder teams expected to arrive haven't shown up."
"The Aurora Order's emissary? What's that? And the True Creator's heir—is it dangerous?" Audrey had heard "Aurora Order" mentioned by Hanged Man and Devil before. She knew they were a cult worshipping the True Creator, but that was the extent of her knowledge. Hearing more, her curiosity flared again.
But she noticed that after her question, Mr. Hanged Man and Mr. Devil exchanged a glance and fell silent, as if waiting for the other to speak first.
Does this question risk exposing their identities? Audrey realized she might've misstepped. After a brief silence, Mr. Hanged Man, casting a meaningful glance at Mr. Fool, spoke first.
"The Aurora Order has long targeted the Church of the Lord of Storms, the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. Thus, these Churches know more about them than others. I've learned some details from them."
Here it comes, the classic 'I have a friend'! Mr. Fool thought, chuckling inwardly. Reflecting on Mr. Devil of the Aurora Order and Miss Justice, soon to join the Psychology Alchemists, he mused that his Tarot Club was truly a gathering of double agents.
But why did the Aurora Order's enemies happen to be the three oldest Churches?
Though he had no evidence, Mr. Fool instinctively felt Mr. Devil might know something. As the Fool, he couldn't ask directly, so he waited calmly for Mr. Hanged Man's explanation.
Alger knew he couldn't hide from the Fool. His real concern was the "Devil" beside him. Though new to the Tarot Club, Devil's remarks suggested ties to an ancient Beyonder family with considerable resources.
But Devil was too cautious, offering no chance to probe his identity. Frustrated that his own blue hair might've already exposed him, Alger reluctantly began explaining the Aurora Order's emissary and saint hierarchy…
(End of Chapter)
--
Author's Note: On Ince using the Aurora Order to distract official Beyonders, I think it's feasible.
First, nobles don't care about Tingen's casualties—or even Backlund's. Their priority is their own safety, as the original novel clearly shows. When the Aurora Order's actions threaten them, Backlund's nobles will pressure the Churches to protect themselves.
Second, as stated, an evil god's heir is a catastrophe in Tingen but insignificant in Backlund. Unless it's a Sequence 1 or an Angel King, even an angel wouldn't fare well in Backlund, let alone a likely Sequence 5 or incomplete Sequence 4 heir. For the royals and officials, the worst-case scenario is a disaster in a backwater like Tingen, equivalent to a common plague, with the Aurora Order gaining a saint at most.
Finally, don't forget, this heir was theoretically created by the Aurora Order. If they cause chaos in Backlund, officials will suspect they're planning more heirs or even summoning an evil god.
Thus, I believe using Backlund chaos to divert official Beyonders' energy is reasonable.
As for attracting angels, it's unlikely. The heir hasn't been located—only confirmed to exist. Angels can't station in Tingen permanently, so they'd need to find the heir first before possibly arriving to eliminate it.