Looking at the beer hall, a place he had only ever visited while working odd jobs, Mozo couldn't help feeling a little nostalgic.
What a shame he couldn't give speeches.
Audrey stepped forward and knocked on the already-closed door in a specific rhythm.
A moment later, the owner's voice sounded from inside.
"We're closed. Please come back tomorrow."
Audrey silently counted to five before replying:
"But I only want a cocktail with lemon juice."
"There is no lemon juice."
After another silent count of five, Audrey continued:
"Then a regular cocktail will do."
"We don't have cocktails either."
Again, she counted to five.
"Then I'll have sugarcane liquor!"
"We don't have sugarcane liquor either."
This time, she counted to ten before saying:
"Surely you have an Underwater Bus?"
After a brief pause, the owner replied:
"That, we do have."
At that point, Mozo assumed the password exchange was over.
To his surprise, Audrey instead led him into the narrow alleyway between the apartment building and the beer hall across the street.
There, she knocked seven times on an old wooden door that looked as though it had never been opened.
The door swung open.
No one stood behind it.
Perhaps it was some supernatural method.
Perhaps merely a clever mechanical design.
Passing through a dim and gloomy corridor, Audrey eventually led him into a brightly lit room.
The gathering's organizer had already prepared two masks and two robes for them.
Suddenly, Mozo asked:
"Why not just wear the masks on the way here?"
Then he answered his own question.
"Oh. That would be too conspicuous, wouldn't it?"
"Exactly."
Audrey put on her mask and robe with practiced ease.
"It's already late at night. There aren't many people around. Walking through the streets wearing a mask would practically be inviting someone to arrest you."
She gestured for him to hurry up.
Afterward, they passed through another corridor and arrived in a large hall lined with several doors.
A number of masked individuals were already seated inside.
When the newcomers entered, nobody showed any particular reaction.
Apparently, everyone already knew he was coming.
While observing the room, Mozo reached that conclusion.
At the same time, he noticed something unexpected.
The excitement he had felt on the way here had diminished considerably.
So this is what a gathering of supernatural beings looks like.
It's... actually pretty ordinary.
Soon, an elderly voice rang out.
"Newcomer, choose a codename."
"It'll make things easier for everyone."
"Oh, and I'm White Dove."
"The person beside you should be familiar to you already. She's Rose."
"To the left are Flowerbed, Great River, Apartment, and Graveyard."
"To the right are Champagne, Cocktail, and Vodka."
Following the introductions, Mozo looked around the room.
Then he pulled out the chair beside Audrey, sat down, adjusted his mask, and declared:
"Please call me Fool."
Come on.
Even if the excitement had faded somewhat, a secret supernatural gathering like this absolutely demanded the title Fool.
Decision made.
That unknown divine pathway he had prepared for himself?
From this moment forward, it would be called the Fool Pathway.
And dear Miss Audrey.
Please stop calling me Mozo in the future.
Call me Mr. Klein Moretti instead.
Just watch.
Servant Audrey Hepburn.
The rise of the sole true god of the Fool Pathway is about to take its first glorious step, completely without your knowledge.
Perhaps it was the force behind his declaration.
Perhaps it was merely the name itself.
Whatever the reason, everyone present visibly reacted.
The title seemed to possess a strange and inexplicable weight.
Even Audrey, who knew practically everything about him, shifted slightly in her seat.
The reaction left Mozo puzzled.
Was there something wrong with the name?
Soon enough, the masked participant known as Graveyard couldn't help speaking up.
"The Fool from the Tarot?"
"My friend, I'd advise you to choose something else."
"That title is unlucky."
Seriously?
You're calling yourself Graveyard and you're worried about someone else being unlucky?
Before Mozo could respond, Audrey tugged on his sleeve.
"Well..."
"You aren't the first person we've invited."
"A lot of previous members also chose Tarot cards as their codenames."
"And..."
Mozo blinked.
Tarot cards?
He swept his gaze across the room.
There were clearly no other Tarot-themed members present.
"I'd like to confirm something."
"What happened to them?"
The elderly White Dove paused briefly before answering.
"Our gathering has had thirty members in total."
"Aside from the nine of us still sitting here, the other twenty-one all chose one of the twenty-one Major Arcana cards."
"And quite mysteriously..."
"They're all gone."
"So, newcomer, perhaps you should pick another name."
Thirty members.
The nine who didn't choose Tarot cards were perfectly fine.
The twenty-one who did were all dead.
And the only card left unclaimed was Fool?
Mozo immediately followed his survival instincts.
"Understood."
"Please call me Lucky."
Thus, the first great step of the Fool was never taken.
The Fool Pathway died before it was even born.
The others chuckled good-naturedly.
White Dove nodded.
"Very well. From now on, you'll be Mr. Lucky."
"I assume Miss Rose has already explained the rules of our gathering?"
"Yes."
Mozo nodded.
"No questions about anyone's background."
"Trades are conducted only with cash or items of equivalent value."
"And once the gathering ends, nobody pursues responsibility for what happened here."
The old man nodded approvingly.
"Excellent."
Then he turned toward the others.
"Since we have a newcomer tonight, I'll share a piece of information free of charge."
"It's about the ruin I mentioned previously."
"The cursed ruin that cost us Mr. World and Mr. Hanged Man."
"Contrary to my earlier assumption, it doesn't date back to Cromwell's era."
"It's much older."
"An ancient Elven ruin."
"And official supernatural organizations have already taken notice of it."
"For the next few months, I suggest everyone stay away from Hawk Street in the Old City."
"The nobles' hounds and the Empress's claws are undoubtedly watching the area closely."
At this announcement, everyone present, including Audrey, who dreamed of becoming a noble's wife one day, immediately began cursing the Empire's lackeys.
From the perspective of these independent supernatural beings, they had always been the targets of suppression and persecution.
At least, that was how they saw things.
White Dove raised a hand.
The room gradually quieted.
"Since our gathering place is also located in the Old City, I plan to move next month's meeting to New City."
"I'll inform everyone of the exact location and contact method later."
"Now then."
"If anyone has items to trade or requests to make, please speak."
The moment those words were spoken, Mozo's eyes lit up.
However, he didn't rush to speak.
Instead, he decided to observe how everyone else handled the process.
To his disbelief, several minutes passed in complete silence.
Nobody said a single word.
Finally, White Dove shrugged.
"It appears nobody has any particular needs."
"In that case, shall we end tonight's gathering here?"
The corner of Mozo's mouth twitched.
Left with no choice, he stood up.
"I need a Sunflower."
Then he quickly corrected himself.
"No. Three Sunflowers."
"I can offer certain pieces of mystical knowledge in exchange."