Chapter 398: Mr. "Emperor"

Chapter 398: Mr. "Emperor"

One week later.

Tingen City, the steam train station.

Klein and all the other members of the Nocturne Squad had specially come to see off Dunn Smith and Old Neil, who were being transferred elsewhere.

The matter with the Antigonus Family had been resolved, and Dunn had completed his final task as captain.

Having mastered the method of role-playing, his Nightmare potion was almost fully digested. He had exchanged his accumulated merits for potions and successfully advanced to Sequence 6. He was heading to Backlund to take over Cresta's duties as a Senior Deacon and the new Sword of the Goddess.

Old Neil, on the other hand, would be transferred to the headquarters of the Church of the Darkness Goddess—the Tranquil Church. Too old to continue consuming potions for advancement, he would become a priest to counsel believers and spend his twilight years there.

"Let's say goodbye here. The priest at St. Samuel's Church can only temporarily fill in, and Chanice Gate still needs you to look after and patrol it."

Dunn, with his high hairline and deep gray eyes, carried his suitcase and scanned his gaze over Leonard, Cohen, Loy, Sika, Frye, and the newly joined Klein. Seeing the reluctance and sadness on each of their faces, his expression was gentle and gratified.

For a captain, the greatest praise is to earn the recognition of all squad members.

Old Neil nodded cheerfully at the group seeing him off:

"Feel free to visit the Tranquil Church when you have the chance. Uh... the procedures for the Nocturne Squad to travel out of town are a bit complicated."

"But once you're strong enough and in a high enough position, you'll find those complications won't be an issue."

He particularly instructed Klein:

"I'm leaving you my gas lamp and hand-grinding coffee. Have a cup when you're tired to lift your spirits, and keep studying the mysteries even when you're alone."

"Sure, I will."

Klein nodded earnestly, his heart heavy with reluctance.

Though they hadn't known each other long, both the captain and Old Neil had been kind to him, serving as his mentors. Their sudden departure was a bit hard to bear.

"By the way, remember to claim your expenses. Now that Leonard is the captain, he'll definitely approve your requests."

Old Neil added with a special emphasis.

Klein: "..."

Please don't make it sound like he and Leonard have some secret relationship. And can such things be said in public? How will he have the face to do it in the future?

Klein instinctively glanced at Leonard. The young man, who had successfully advanced to Sequence 7 as a Nightmare and taken over as captain, had a romantic poet's charm and smiled, shrugging slightly.

"I'll try to approve them, as long as you don't go overboard."

Even more gay.

Klein turned his gaze back to Dunn, who had finished hugging Frye and was walking toward him.

Facing the newest and most recent member of the squad, Dunn patted Klein's shoulder with a sense of satisfaction.

"Though we haven't known each other long, your dedication and reliability are evident. You've left a deep impression on us..."

Klein's eyes welled up, ready to say something heartfelt, but then he heard Dunn add with a smile:

"Of course, your poverty is also quite memorable."

Klein: ()

Though he knew the captain was trying to lighten the mood, Klein couldn't help but retort:

"Actually, your high hairline and forgetfulness have left a deep impression on me too."

Dunn's smiling face froze for a moment. He nervously pulled out a mirror to check and then touched his forehead.

"Is my hairline really that high? Maybe I should see a doctor, a doctor from the Apothecary path, who can regrow hair, right?"

Captain, your reaction is like a love-struck student obsessed with appearances...

Remembering that Miss Daly had also been transferred to Backlund, Klein had a pretty good idea what it meant.

Perhaps they would soon be able to enjoy the captain's and Miss Daly's wedding candy.

Does this world even have wedding candy?

As they spoke, the steam train's whistle sounded, urging the remaining passengers to board.

The waiting crowd began to move, bringing a mix of colors and scents, and the surrounding sounds grew louder.

"It seems it's time."

Dunn watched the pale white smoke rising from the steam train, and he gave Klein a not-so-gentlemanly hug before turning to smile sincerely at all the Nocturne Squad members.

"I'm honored to have worked with you, truly."

"Life in Tingen City will be the most vivid memory of my future. If possible, I'll come back to visit you often."

Old Neil's wrinkles smoothed out as he instructed Loy and Sika:

"Please help me send my piano to the Tranquil Church. The men are too clumsy, and I only trust you lovely ladies."

The only two women in the Nocturne Squad smiled and nodded, promising to complete the task.

Amidst a cluster of concerned and reluctant gazes, Dunn and Old Neil boarded the steam train. With the hiss of the steam engine and the clatter of gears on the tracks, they slowly departed.

......

After the farewell ceremony, the group returned to Black Thorn Security Company. They thanked the temporary priest guarding Chanice Gate and then each returned to their respective duties.

Recently, disasters of varying degrees had erupted around the world, bringing about a brief but lingering period of chaos.

Although Tingen City had not been directly affected, the unrest among its people had caused a noticeable increase in the number of incidents.

Among them, Leonard, who had taken over as captain, was the busiest. His workload was particularly heavy, and he needed to quickly learn the responsibilities of his new position.

"Klein, come to the alchemy room."

After completing his morning tasks, Leonard stopped Klein, who was about to have lunch, and brought him to the alchemy room behind where Old Neil had registered information.

"Your application has been approved by the sanctum. The credit for killing Ince Zangwill will be shared equally among you, Frye, Loy, and Cohen. The materials for the magic potion have been delivered."

Leonard took out a pile of Beyonder materials and, in Klein's presence, sequentially mixed the crystallized horn of a Hornachis Gray Goat, a complete Human-Faced Rose, and a variety of auxiliary materials.

The finished product was a liquid that mingled gold, yellow, and red, yet remained remarkably clear.

"Drink it, and you'll become a Sequence 8 'Jester.'"

Klein, feeling a mix of excitement, took the magic potion, took a deep breath, and drank it in one gulp.

The bitter taste, reminiscent of bile, made his face contort, but the sensation of his body being modified overwhelmed all other feelings. Suddenly, he heard the whispers that had long been absent in his ears.

"Horanichs... Freglar... Horanichs... Freglar..."

In the next moment, he felt the Spiritual Energy that should have dissipated being instinctively contained. Stars appeared before his eyes, and the sound of bubbles popping filled his ears.

The 'Jester' magic potion had been fully digested.

"How do you feel?"

Leonard seemed to be trying to emulate Dunn's calm and efficient tone, but he didn't quite manage it, sounding more relaxed and casual.

Klein paused for a few seconds, then smiled slightly before Leonard could sense anything was amiss.

"Um, it's okay, no major issues."

"You've just advanced and need time to stabilize. You don't need to come to the company this afternoon. Rest at home."

"Okay."

Klein nodded, then left the alchemy room at a leisurely pace.

He walked out of Black Thorn Security Company, his face expressionless. He didn't choose to take a carriage but instead strolled down Zutland Street.

Near the square on the street, several wooden platforms had been set up, and a group of workers were skillfully installing "projectors."

This was a new invention from the Steam Church, a public facility promoted by King George Iii. It could broadcast live images and sounds, playing different content at different times.

The purpose of this public facility was to promote education, allowing the poor to enjoy musicals and plays, broaden their horizons, receive basic education, and improve civic literacy. It also allowed them to follow international news and stay informed about the current state of neighboring countries and global affairs.

The recent disasters had caused unrest. Friction between the Forsak Empire and the Rune Kingdom had intensified, and the recent death of an Intis ambassador in the Rune Kingdom was a significant event.

The stock market was volatile, people were anxious, food prices had risen by 10-20%, and gun shops were doing brisk business. There was a gap in the security market, and some wealthy individuals were moving to Backlund...

All these signs suggested that war might be on the horizon.

Klein remained silent, walking through the streets that blended steampunk and Victorian styles, amidst the bustling traffic of foreign vehicles. After a few hours, he reached Daffodil Street.

Regular exercise and the physical enhancements from the Jester Beyonder path left Klein feeling only slightly tired, with just a bit of soreness in his legs.

He was about to head home when he noticed that the door to the neighboring apartment was slightly ajar. His countryman, who had mysteriously disappeared for a week after being away for a few days, had returned.

Klein pursed his lips and pushed the door open, seeing a familiar figure lounging on the bed with one leg crossed over the other.

"Off work?"

Seemingly hearing the door open, Lu Ke opened his eyes a crack and nodded toward the table.

"I was on a business trip and just got back. I brought you some cat food... I mean, snacks. Want to try some?"

Klein glanced at the table, where there were Chaxi pies, cream cakes, sweet iced tea, and other sweets. He sat down on the bed without hesitation and started enjoying the free afternoon tea.

He ate slowly, not saying a word, which piqued Lu Ke's interest.

"What's the matter with you? You look like a middle-aged man with a thirty-year mortgage, elderly parents, and young children who just got demoted and had his salary cut."

Lu Ke raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. He straightened up, took off the half-top silk hat from Klein’s head, and skillfully ruffled his hair.

"I haven’t been demoted or had my salary cut."

Klein didn’t resist, swallowing the food in his mouth with a troubled sigh, then glanced at Lu Ke.

"In fact, I’ve become a Sequence 8 Beyonder, and my salary will increase."

"Great news, then why the long face?"

"My magic potion melted in my mouth."

Klein, as if making a firm decision, looked at Lu Ke intently and spoke in a somber tone.

"On my way home, I’ve been thinking about what ‘Jester’ means. A clown, a performer, the backbone of a circus?"

"But no matter how I think about it, the most direct and profound impression of a ‘Jester’ is probably someone who makes people laugh and brings joy."

"This might not be the true form of the role, but I still completed the digestion, which means I brought joy to a very powerful entity. Who could that be?"

"Among the Beyonders I’ve encountered, the strongest is Ince Zangwill, who is only a Sequence 5... at least on the surface. There must be someone even more powerful."

"The first time we met, you left the Gray Fog Space on your own, acting in a mysterious and unpredictable manner."

"You’re planning a war that will sweep the entire world, you know the true name of the Lord of Storms, and you can protect the ‘Hanged Man’ from the wrath of the gods."

Facing Lu Ke, who blinked innocently and feigned ignorance as if he didn’t understand what Klein was saying, Klein took a deep breath.

"Alright, a magic potion doesn’t lie."

"Stop pretending, Mr. ‘Emperor,’ is it you!?"

Lu Ke shook his head seriously. "Don’t make accusations without evidence. I’ll sue you for defamation!"

"Actually, you’ve always had a lot of slip-ups."

Klein began to list the inconsistencies he had noticed after thinking it through.

"For example, from the name you left at the clothing store, it’s clear you’ve only been in this world for a short time, which aligns perfectly with when Mr. ‘Emperor’ arrived."

"Another example, Mr. ‘Emperor’ called the ‘Fool’ a ‘fool’ to amuse me when we first met, and you also like to tease me when we first meet. Your tone and mannerisms are very similar."

"Powerful Beyonders are typically part of the upper class and wouldn’t oppose their own ranks. Yet, you believe the upper class is corrupt and the Order is twisted and chaotic, wanting to start a revolution. This aligns more with the ideology of our time."

"Also, while Mr. ‘Emperor’s’ diary has some lighthearted and meme-like elements, the content you’ve presented is clearly different in style, clearly made up to scare me. You even deliberately made the handwriting match Mr. ‘Emperor’s’..."

"Lastly, you’ve always treated me as an equal and shown a deep understanding of the ‘Fool.’ Even if you’re not the real ‘Fool,’ you should be very close. How could someone like that be easily fooled by a fake like me, not just once or twice, but three or four times?"

In truth, Klein had long suspected Lu Ke, but in this unfamiliar world, with Lu Ke being his only compatriot, he subconsciously placed him in the most trusted zone, inadvertently overlooking many details.

"Very impressive."

Lu Ke couldn’t help but clap his hands. "You’re truly a worthy ‘Fool.’ I might not have been able to summarize it so thoroughly. So, what do you plan to do now that you’ve exposed this?"

"Shouldn’t I be asking you that?"

Klein couldn’t help but emphasize his words, feeling a pain akin to being betrayed by a close brother.

What was Lu Ke’s true purpose in hiding his identity and staying by his side in the Tarot Club? It couldn’t just be for amusement, could it?

"What do I plan to do...?"

Klein pondered for a moment, then leaned back under Klein’s tense and anxious gaze.

He lightly tapped the bed twice, maintaining a smile, his tone calm, his voice low but not heavy, as if responding to a polite greeting from a visitor.

"An experiment."

Klein froze at the familiar line.

A few seconds later, his face turned red.

Embarrassed, incredibly embarrassed.

It was like being caught admiring yourself in a mirror in front of the whole class, or singing in the bathroom and having it broadcast to the entire school.

Lu Ke crossed his arms under his chin, his tone calm.

"You can call me... Fool."

Klein: "..."

"This gathering is over."

Klein: "..."

Lu Ke clasped his hands together and called out in an exaggerated operatic tone.

"The Fool... not of this era... ah~"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!!!"

Klein, embarrassed and angry, rushed out, covering his head.

It was as if he had been woken up in the living room after passing out without putting on his pants, only to find all his relatives laughing and greeting him. Life was over!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end