Alger briefly outlined the Aurora Order's emissary, and Snow added,
"The emissary in Tingen is Mr. A, a Sequence 5 Beyonder. As for the evil god's heir, it's a child conceived by a woman through a vile, twisted ritual to bear an evil god's offspring. It likely carries divinity, a natural mythical creature. Upon birth, it's probably a demigod."
"Demigod?!" Audrey's striking eyes widened. A Sequence 9 novice, she was already hearing about Sequence 5s and demigods? The Tarot Club's caliber was indeed extraordinary!
But what Sequence was Mr. Devil, privy to such intelligence?
"Exactly. The most terrifying aspect of an evil god's heir is its potential to serve as a vessel for the evil god's descent. That's why Tingen's official Beyonders are risking loss of control to hunt it down," Snow said pointedly, though Mr. Fool seemed oblivious to the hint.
Hearing Snow, Mr. Hanged Man felt a pang of unease. Compared to his somewhat common knowledge, Mr. Devil's intel was far more precise and secretive, sparking a strong sense of crisis.
Mr. Fool's power and uniqueness were undeniable—perhaps not a god, but surely a high-existence like the Hidden Sage.
With such a figure presiding, the Tarot Club's growth was almost certain. To secure his place as a mere Sequence 7, Alger needed a distinct role.
Miss Justice, from a prominent Loen noble family, had vast wealth and connections. Offering occult knowledge sufficed for her standing.
But now, this Devil seemed to possess even richer occult knowledge and intel channels, possibly backed by a great family.
This threatened Alger's role as the "intel provider."
To maintain his Tarot Club status, he had to carve out a new "persona."
With this in mind, he mused aloud,
"If that's the case, I think I can guess what's happening in Backlund."
Yes, if he couldn't be the eyes or purse, he'd try being the "brain."
Racking his mind, he addressed the now-attentive Justice and Devil.
"The Aurora Order is full of fanatical zealots. Even ignoring the heir's power, its status as the True Creator's offspring would drive them to protect it at all costs. A Sequence 5 Beyonder is unmatched in a small place like Tingen, but once the three Orthodox Churches' elite Beyonders arrive, he likely can't protect the 'child.' As the Aurora Order's Backlund leader, what would he do?"
"Delay the elite teams… You mean…" Audrey's potion-enhanced mind clicked instantly. Alger nodded.
"Undoubtedly, Backlund's Aurora Order members are likely stirring up Beyonder incidents, probably targeting nobles. Only this would force nobles to pressure the Churches, diverting elite Beyonders meant for Tingen to protect their safety."
"Well done, Commissar Hanged Man!" Snow thought, noting this aligned with Mr. A's style. However, Backlund's Aurora Order would likely suffer heavy losses.
This wasn't his concern. After considering the potential fallout, Snow roughly guessed Ince Zangwill's new script.
Audrey nearly objected to Mr. Hanged Man's theory but, calming herself with her Spectator powers, admitted the kingdom's nobles were capable of such self-interest.
Sensing the heavy mood, Klein waved, ending the Tarot Club. As his consciousness returned, he frowned slightly.
'If Mr. Hanged Man's right, Backlund won't send reinforcements for a while. If only I'd kept some of that woman's hair! With the gray fog's interference-blocking power, I could've found her!'
…
Unaware of Mr. Fool's budding habit of collecting hair, Snow sat up, handing dried fish to Lily, his lookout. He began planning his next move.
He'd intended to return to Backlund soon, but Miss Justice's intel made him reconsider.
Though unclear how much of Mr. A's actions stemmed from Ince Zangwill's influence, Snow's room to intervene was indeed shrinking.
Pondering, Snow's gaze fell on Lily, gnawing her fish. Sensing his look, she clutched her treat, munching three times faster, as if saying, Whatever you're planning, wait till I'm done.
…
"Time to move again!" Peering through the bed's edge at passing official Beyonders, Trissy bit her lip, packing her luggage.
Though called luggage, her frequent moves left little to pack. Important items were already in her suitcase; stuffing in clothes and bedding, she was ready to hunt for a new hideout.
Using makeup techniques gained from her potion in reverse, her harmonious, beautiful face became plain and unremarkable. This non-Beyonder skill evaded most detection, letting her slip past official Beyonders.
"Such a lovely face—it's a pity to mask it like that."
"!" The sudden voice made Trissy adopt a combat stance. Only concern for nearby Beyonders stopped her from instinctively using her powers.
"Can you stop appearing so silently?" Trissy glared at the black cat, fear lingering. She'd moved multiple times—how did this thing keep finding her?
"I've told you, don't rely on anti-divination," Snow, possessing Lily, grinned eerily. With the high existence of White Horse, Not Horse, he easily bypassed a Demoness's anti-divination to pinpoint Triss. Amusingly, the tracking source was a lock of hair Trissy had given him.
"Forget that. What's up this time? Who's the target?" Trissy twitched her mouth, dropping the issue. Snow feigned a hurt expression.
"Don't make it sound like I only come to you for killings. I'm quite peace-loving!"
"Oh, sure. Peace-loving you, in the twenty days we've known each other, asked me to kill three people. That's one per week on average…"
(End of Chapter)
Author's Notes:
I. The more logical and reasonable a Writer's ability, the less it consumes. Ince Zangwill's need to write 'this is logical' or 'this is reasonable' reflects their inherent improbability, making them strenuous. Conversely, leveraging Mr. A to stir Backlund is highly logical, as it fits noble behavior and Aurora Order tactics. Thus, 0-08 doesn't even need to monitor Backlund; once Mr. A issues the order, it flows naturally. Having Mr. A send a letter to Backlund is far easier than dropping a meteorite, which 0-08 can indeed do.
II. The idea of the three Churches coordinating defense is idealized. Though not hostile due to Sequence alignments, they aren't bosom allies. A Goddess believer who values women's strength wouldn't be guarded by the chauvinistic Storm Church. Also, Backlund's East and Bridge Districts are hotbeds for evil god cults—full of desperate people ready to perform rituals or blood sacrifices for food. If the Aurora Order goes all out, hundreds of evil god descent rituals daily aren't surprising, mostly duds, but officials can't gamble, ensuring they're run ragged.