The Emperor probably refused to accept the ritual provided by the Church of Steam—one that would bring his soul closer to the deity—which is why he gradually drifted further and further away from the God of Steam, right?
On the contrary, his son Bonova might have had his soul tampered with from the moment he was born… was that the fuse that led to their eventual split?
Klein tapped the edge of the table thoughtfully. He understood Old Huang's choice very well—if it were him, he wouldn't be willing to accept such a "bestowed" ritual either.
"Come to think of it, for pathways with a true god, Sequence 2 believers are essentially Their angels…
"Not only are their souls closer to the true god, allowing them to bear the god's power through rituals, but even the authority they wield can be enhanced by the deity of their pathway.
"Such angels are actually no weaker than ordinary Sequence 1s—perhaps even stronger.
"Heh, I wonder who came up with the term 'angel.' It's really quite accurate!
"However, both Sequence 1 and Sequence 2 are called 'angels.' Since Sequence 2 are the angels of true gods, then who do Sequence 1 angels serve?
"The Above the Sequence?"
At this point, Klein became serious. After all, he had his own guesses about "Above the Sequence," and had even asked Mr. "Tower" about it.
Unfortunately, Old Liu was extremely tight-lipped about such knowledge and refused to reveal even the slightest bit…
Now, seeing Roselle's speculation gave him some new thoughts:
"Perhaps, beings Above the Sequence—or those above true gods—no longer require three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics. Therefore, those who serve Them must at least be Sequence 1 Archangels… This is supported by the fact that the Creator worshiped by Silver City once had eight Kings of Angels under Him…
"Additionally, it should be true that angels can receive augmentation from the deity they serve. One only needs to look at the attitude of the 'Servant of Concealment' Arianna when mentioning Amon—she was wary of Him, but not afraid…
"Sigh, Old Huang stopped right at the crucial point again. Couldn't he just write out what 'Above the Sequence' actually means?
"Where did the writing skills you used in those romantic escapades go?"
Although Klein guessed that knowledge about "Above the Sequence" was likely extremely dangerous—hence why both Old Huang and Old Liu avoided elaborating—he still couldn't help but complain inwardly.
Then, he withdrew his gaze, letting the Roselle diary in his hand disappear, and looked at "Hermit" and "Hanged Man" with a smile.
"Have you thought about what you need?"
"Respected Mr. Fool, may this question be accumulated until next time?" "Hermit" Cattleya responded respectfully.
Accumulated until next time… is the "Mystic Queen" preparing to ask a particularly difficult question? Or has she foreseen something? In order to maintain the image of "The Fool," Klein didn't ask why and simply nodded lightly.
"You may."
Naturally, his gaze shifted to "The Hanged Man."
Alger quickly gave a salute and carefully said, "Respected Mr. Fool, I would like to know where I can find clues about the main ingredients for the Cataclysmic Interrer potion… well, just a direction would suffice."
He knew that three pages of Roselle's diary were unlikely to exchange for detailed information about Demigod-level main ingredients. What he sought was merely some kind of "divination" or "prophecy"—symbols or hints.
Even a few key words would be better than having no direction at all.
How would I know? But judging from the 'tide of the times,' war is probably about to break out. Even Old Liu doesn't seem able to stop it… So in a full-scale war between several nations, there will definitely be Demigods falling—that would likely be the Hanged Man's opportunity…
Additionally, Mr. "Tower" has a close relationship with the Queen of Calamity. He might not necessarily lack extra Cataclysmic Interrer Beyonder characteristics.
Thinking of this, "The Fool" Klein suddenly let out a soft chuckle.
"There are currently two choices.
"First, wait… your opportunity will eventually arrive, and it shouldn't be too far away.
"Second, you need to consult Mr. 'Tower.'"
After saying that, he didn't wait for the Hanged Man's response. Leaning back, he smiled and said:
"You may begin."
At this moment, "The Hanged Man" Alger finally came back to his senses. He turned his head to look at "Tower" beside him and asked expectantly, "Mr. Tower, do you have clues about the main ingredients for the Cataclysmic Interrer?"
I don't—unless I destroy the Book of Calamity… but that thing is currently one of the main power sources of Morning Star City, so it can't be touched lightly…
And Cohinem might still have some stock, but she would definitely prioritize providing it to Siatas.
After thinking for a moment, Ebner said uncertainly, "I can help you ask… but even if she can provide it, she will definitely make troublesome demands…"
Alger, eager to become a Demigod, wasn't afraid of trouble—only of lacking channels. So upon hearing "Tower's" words, he instead felt relieved and said firmly, "No matter what the request is, I will do my best to fulfill it."
Young man, there's no need to be so anxious. Once Mr. Fool's level rises, I could actually help him dismantle the Sea God Scepter. At that time, you'll naturally be able to exchange it from him.
Ebner muttered inwardly with an "elderly" tone, though on the surface he nodded in agreement.
After his matter was settled, "Justice" Audrey slightly raised her hand and asked:
"Do you know how to find a Harpy? My ritual requires this kind of spirit world creature."
Earlier, while shopping with "Sun," Audrey had unexpectedly learned that not only "Sun," but even "Magician" Fors had already advanced to Sequence 5. This immediately made her feel pressure.
In the current Tarot Club, aside from "Tower," "World," "Temperance," "Hermit," and "Judgment," who were Demigods, she was the only one still at Sequence 6—the rest were all Sequence 5.
"The Hanged Man" was also actively seeking materials for Demigod advancement, which inevitably made her anxious.
Hearing Audrey's question, Ebner realized that because he had replaced the real Hvin, Miss "Justice" had not received the hint about the true purpose of the ritual when she obtained the formula, which was why she was asking about the Harpy.
That was indeed my oversight… As his thoughts turned, Ebner met Miss "Justice's" gaze and explained with a smile:
"Harpy possess abilities related to nightmares and can wake people from dreams. Therefore, the essence of the Dreamwalker ritual is that when you become immersed in a dream and are unwilling to wake up, an external force pulls you out. Otherwise, you might fall into eternal slumber or lose control on the spot and turn into a monster…"
Before he finished speaking, Audrey nodded thoughtfully.
"Consuming the potion while in intense emotions is also to make one's sleep unstable and the dream shallow?"
"Yes, you've grasped the key." Ebner smiled. "Therefore, waking from a dream doesn't necessarily require a Harpy… you can also pray for Mr. Fool's help."
That's right—if the essence of the ritual is like this, then with Mr. Fool's angelic blessing, I can remain clear-headed in my dream and wake up whenever I want… Audrey's green eyes shifted slightly as realization dawned on her. She then said sincerely:
"Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Tower."
"No need to be polite. It's a small matter," Ebner said casually. After all, I'm just making up for knowledge you should have realized on your own in the original timeline.
After speaking, seeing that "Justice" had no further intention of talking and that the other Tarot Club members had no trading needs, he looked toward "Hermit" Cattleya across from him and said:
"I'd like to ask you for a favor."
"What kind of favor?" Although "Hermit" Cattleya wanted to agree directly to "Tower's" request, out of caution and habit, she still asked.
Ebner did not answer immediately. He first obtained Mr. Fool's permission to manifest a list and handed it to her, then said unhurriedly:
"Help me transport the supplies on this list to a certain sea area east of Nass…
"As payment, you'll receive a 'hidden' story about a heroic figure seeking light in the darkness… what do you think?"
(End of Chapter)