“The problem now is how do I get Mr.
Lovers to hand the item over to me?”
“I can’t exactly have him turn himself in, or leave the Sealed Artifact at some designated location, can I?”
“I am ‘Mr.
Fool.’ My instructions must be fitting of ‘Mr.
Fool’s’ identity.”
Klein slowly tapped the edge of the bronze long table, contemplating how to get the Church’s Sealed Artifact back from Truman.
Based on his understanding of Mr.
Lovers, the other party had gotten involved in this matter to exchange something with Mr.
Fool.
“But what can I use to trade for Sealed Artifact 2-049?”
“In the Nighthawks’ internal records, there are documents about ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Bestowal’ rituals.
Whether it’s the Goddess bestowing holy relics upon believers or evil gods and demons descending cursed artifacts, the process is the same.”
Klein felt that with some effort, he could overcome this difficulty.
But what compensation Mr.
Lovers would demand was a headache.
…
“I understand.”
Crimson light illuminated the pitch-black warehouse, and Truman’s ears finally received the long-awaited response.
“Has Mr.
Fool finally come online?”
“What does ‘I understand’ mean?
And then what?”
Truman blinked in confusion.
Did all these ‘gods’ enjoy being so cryptic?
But since the other party hadn’t asked him to hand over Sealed Artifact 2-049 for now, nor mentioned his borrowing of the gray fog’s power, that probably meant he would be assigned to continue handling related matters in the future.
“The Nighthawks team will definitely be searching vigorously for my trail in Tingen next.
Maybe St.
Samuel’s Cathedral in Backlund will even send some experts.
So I need to make a move.”
Truman reviewed the general map of Tingen City in his mind, and finally set his sights on the crowded yet orderly factory district.
There, darkness, oppression, and resentment were the eternal themes.
“Emperor Roselle once said that the industrial revolution he started would be a breeding ground for evil gods.
But do evil gods really need something as trivial as human resentment?”
He looked at the astrology crystal ball in his hand and smiled.
“Is my choice to hide in the factory district good or bad?”
Truman poured his spirituality into the astrology crystal ball.
The transparent crystal ball lit up with brilliant specks of starlight.
The stars intertwined and flickered until only two stars remained glowing.
“Great luck?”
Truman looked at the Jupiter and Venus still shining in the crystal ball without any particular expression.
Venus symbolizes harmony and balance, leaning toward feminine (negative bias/Yin), corresponding to the God of Steam and Machinery!
Jupiter symbolizes expansion and luck, leaning toward the masculine (positive bias/Yang), corresponding to the Lord of Storms!
Truman always took divination results with a grain of salt—three parts belief, seven parts skepticism.
But Diviners and Astrologers walked different paths.
Diviners typically used the first type of divination, which involved interpreting results through the ‘revelations’ gained from the querent’s own spirituality communicating with the spirit world.
Astrologers typically used the second type of divination, where the diviner calculated, speculated, and interpreted results through objective information provided by the querent or natural changes.
Although there was no rule that Diviners and Astrologers had to choose one type of divination over the other, Truman was more accustomed to using the second method.
The second type of divination gave the diviner more control.
The initiative didn’t lie with the querent, but with the diviner.
Even if the other party hadn’t asked for a divination, you could still divine their next move.
And because it relied less on the spirit world, it was less susceptible to interference.
Unlike the first type of divination, which required a stable environment, the second type could also play a significant role in combat.
Truman had used the second type of divination in the dock district battle—using his crystal ball to help calculate bullet trajectories and predict his opponents’ next moves.
After that battle ended, he could clearly feel that the Astrologer potion had been partially digested.
This showed that the Astrologer’s acting method was quite flexible.
Whether divining for himself or forcibly ‘divining’ for others, both could satisfy the requirements for potion digestion.
“A history major graduate from Tingen University fails to get a teaching position, is heartlessly abandoned by his wealthy patroness, and to fill his stomach chooses to seek employment in the factory district—that’s perfectly reasonable, right?”
After recovering some of his spirituality and strength, Truman left the abandoned warehouse.
He needed to warn Trissy and Madame Sharon to lay low for a while, and also to apply for a desk job in the factory district.
His gray robe was burned to ashes with flame, his black gloves were removed and thrown into the sea near the dock district.
Truman first went to several shipping companies near the dock district to apply for clerical positions.
After requesting a weekly salary of 5 pounds, he was unceremoniously shown the door every time.
“Hmph!”
“Thirty years east, thirty years west—don’t underestimate a young man’s poverty!”
Truman let out a heavy snort at the companies behind him, putting on a show of frustrated indignation before leaving without hesitation.
He found a carriage and rode comfortably back into Tingen City.
….
Orsna Street.
As Truman approached, a sharp-eyed servant quickly came forward to lead him through the garden and into the two-story building.
In the first-floor living room, Madame Sharon sat elegantly on a soft sofa, enjoying her tea and pastries.
“What have you been up to lately?
Why haven’t you come to see me?”
Her eyes lit up at the sight of him.
After instructing the maid to brew tea for Truman, she waved her hand to dismiss them.
“Be careful lately.
The Evernight Church’s St.
Samuel’s Cathedral in Backlund might send Red Gloves to Tingen to investigate me.”
Truman picked up a few milk biscuits to fill his stomach, then said to Madame Sharon.
“Did you kill the Conservative Party congressman?
That shouldn’t warrant Red Gloves, should it?”
Madame Sharon was startled by this, her innocent doe-like eyes turning eerie.
“No, I happened to steal a Level 2 Sealed Artifact from the Evernight Church.”
Truman took a sip of tea and said calmly.
“What?
You stole a Level 2 Sealed Artifact from the Evernight Church?”
“Then what are you planning to do next?
Do you need me to arrange for you to leave Tingen?”
Madame Sharon sat up straight, her brown hair cascading like a waterfall behind her.
“No need.
Just help me arrange a job in the factory district.”
“Oh, and remember to remind Trissy to expand her range when reaping lives.
It might be more work, but it’s best not to draw attention.”
Truman put down his teacup, lightly tapping the edge of the table with a smile.
“Don’t worry.
Even the Red Gloves will prioritize checking the rats in the sewers—like the Aurora Order, the Psychology Alchemists, the Secret Order, and so on.”
+++
T/N: Thanks for reading!