Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

No, the Primordial Moon already existed in the Fourth Epoch. There's no way the Emperor was it...

Could it be that the Emperor was corrupted by the Primordial Moon, just like how the Chained God was gradually replaced by the Mother Tree of Desire, becoming its incarnation? Was that why he was sealed beneath this tower?

Ugh, there's too little information to deduce.

As his thoughts raced, Klein picked up the Black Emperor card. His level and authority instantly rose, compelling the forces stirred atop the gray fog to submit one by one.

He then grabbed a paper figurine, flicked his wrist, and threw it toward the crimson star representing Miss Sharron.

The figurine fused with the power of the gray fog, rapidly expanding into a massive angel with twelve pairs of dark wings, overlapping with the silhouette within the crimson glow.

Immediately, the angelic force clashed violently with the blood-red image of Roselle entwining Sharron.

Initially, the crimson force resisted, contending with the angel infused with the gray fog, but it soon lost momentum and was gradually devoured.

However, just before the corruption was completely purged, Klein, seated in the Fool's chair, suddenly heard chaotic mutterings that left him momentarily dazed.

These whispers originated from the corruption expelled from Sharron's body, which was transmitted to his ears through contact with the gray fog.

Fortunately, the whispers had been "processed" and were harmless, somewhat akin to the howls he always heard upon ascending the gray fog:

"Master Key..."

"Full Moon's Murmur..."

"Solution from the Calamity Seal..."

"Separation of pollution was not entirely successful..."

"Beware of the Moon..."

"Help me..."

"Find Liu Bo to save me..."

"Don't recklessly enter the First Layer..."

"Place important items in every tomb or treasure vault of Liu Bo's incarnations to strengthen the bond with his newest reincarnation..."

"Calamity Seal has collaborated with the Betrayer Dragon; they cannot be trusted..."

"I should have listened to Liu Bo from the start..."

"I'm not me, yet I am me..."

"Beware the Mother card..."

"My words may be trustworthy but could also mislead; judge for yourself..."

"Trust me..."

"Tell Bernadette and Three Lights I'm sorry..."

...

These chaotic, contradictory whispers buzzed incessantly in Klein's ears. Though harmless, they left him feeling distinctly uncomfortable. He couldn't help but rub his temple.

What is this? Information deliberately leaked by the Emperor? This feels just like the persistent "Hornacis... Flegrea..." whispers I hear after consuming potions. Could this be a high-level Seer pathway ability?

Judging by these fragmented messages, the Emperor's condition is truly terrible...

Still, Klein felt a flicker of excitement. No matter how dire his state was, it proved... he was still alive!

But now wasn't the time to analyze those mutterings. Klein committed them all to memory, intending to sort them out later.

The priority now was bringing Miss Sharron to the gray fog to ensure her condition was completely resolved.

.....

Not long after Sharron performed the ritual, a radiant pillar of light suddenly appeared before her.

Within the pillar, an angel bathed in golden brilliance and bearing twelve pairs of wings descended slowly, enveloping her layer by layer with its wings.

Though Sharron's delicate face remained composed, her blue eyes couldn't help but flicker in astonishment.

Next, she saw an endless crimson radiance surge from the void, overwhelming her in an instant.

When her vision cleared again, she found herself in a majestic palace, seated at the side of an ancient long table on a dignified high-backed chair.

At the head of the long table, a figure shrouded in dense gray fog reclined leisurely, seemingly gazing down upon all of existence.

The Fool... Sharron's mind flashed with the name. She quickly stood up, lifted the hem of her dress, and curtsied, keeping her gaze low, not daring to directly look at the legendary figure who could oppose the True Creator.

"Sit." The Fool nodded slightly and spoke in a calm, measured tone:

"There's no need for elaborate etiquette here.

"You may call me Mister Fool."

Without waiting for her response, the Fool projected the scene he had divined earlier—the text written by "0-08" and the subsequent process of purging the corruption—onto the center of the long table. He had deliberately obscured Roselle's face with heavy pixelation.

Out of caution, Klein decided not to reveal that Roselle might be sealed beneath the tower.

While Miss Sharron was trustworthy, there was no guarantee she wouldn't be captured by the indulgent faction of the Rose School of Thought—a powerful organization with angels.

Besides, knowing this information wouldn't benefit her; it would only invite greater danger.

As Sharron watched the scene unfold, she gradually realized that she had nearly been corrupted by the Primordial Moon's power. A rare flicker of emotion appeared in her usually serene blue eyes.

Klein observed her with interest. Though he lacked the Audience's interpretive abilities, he could sense from the subtle emotional hues that she seemed afraid.

So even the doll-like Miss Sharron can feel fear... I wonder how much feedback this performance will bring me since cleansing the Primordial Moon's corruption was a challenging act, transforming the impossible into the possible.

As he pondered this, Sharron had already stood up again, curtsied, and earnestly said,

"My sincere praise and gratitude to you, Mister Fool."

Klein returned to his senses, chuckling softly,

"No need for thanks. I am a Fool who enjoys equivalent exchange."

"This time, the World requested my assistance to cleanse that corruption from you.

"He has already paid the price."

Sharron listened quietly. Aside from a flicker of emotion when hearing the words "World" and "paid the price," she remained composed throughout.

When the Fool finished speaking, she lifted her head slightly and asked,

"By 'World,' do you mean Sherlock Moriarty?"

I thought he was the Emperor...

"Yes," the Fool answered nonchalantly. He hadn't planned to keep it a secret since Sharron would likely deduce it soon after joining the Tarot Club.

After a brief silence, Sharron asked,

"May I have a Tarot card as a codename?"

"You may... but let me first explain its significance," Klein said, a bit surprised by her initiative. However, given her extensive knowledge, she likely had strategies in place even before chanting the Fool's honorific name.

The Fool paused briefly before continuing casually,

"Aside from you and the World, other beings have been drawn here for various reasons."

"They requested that I convene a gathering every Monday at 3 p.m. for information exchange, material trade, formula transactions, and mutual assistance. This helps them rapidly advance their sequences."

"Each of them selected a major Tarot card as their codename. You may choose one as well."

With that, the Fool manifested a deck of Tarot cards, placing it on the long table.

After glancing at the cards, Sharron's ethereal and enigmatic voice answered,

"I choose Temperance."

"Excellent. Welcome, Miss Temperance," Klein said with a smile, making the cards vanish. He then gestured to the figure that had appeared at the far end of the long table,

"The World has something to discuss with you. After your matters are resolved, I will send you both out of the dream."

No sooner had he spoken than he "switched" to the World persona, standing up and saying,

"Thank you, Mister Fool."

The Fool had already transformed into a "dummy," merely nodding perfunctorily.

Temperance Sharron looked at the World Klein, pursing her lips before asking,

"You knew all along?"

Klein understood she was referring to the corruption and nodded frankly,

"Yes, but I had no evidence at the time, so it wasn't appropriate to inform you."

Sharron understood his dilemma and did not blame him for the concealment. On the contrary, she felt grateful since, given the circumstances, it would have been entirely reasonable for him to abandon her and escape alone.

As she pondered, about to ask what price Sherlock had paid, Klein interrupted,

"This isn't the place to discuss that... Let's prioritize the main issue."

Sharron stole a glance at the towering figure shrouded in gray fog, then nodded silently,

"What's the matter?"

"You learned too much about 0-08 in the dream scene. Once we return to reality, it might target you. You'll need help to forget certain things," Klein explained quickly, his spirituality running low.

"Who?" Sharron asked concisely after a brief pause for thought.

Seeing her agreement, Klein immediately requested,

"Honorable Mister Fool, I hope you can summon Mister Tower here."

Hearing this, Sharron's heart stirred. She had heard that during the Aurora Order incident, a Tower card had appeared over the destroyed Abyss of Flesh ritual altar... Could it have been this Mister Tower intervening back then?

The Fool's response was ambiguous,

"It depends on Tower's consent."

Despite the polite words, Klein, whose spirituality was nearly exhausted, directly "activated" Tower's crimson star, summoning him to the ancient palace above the gray fog.

...

At the edge of the Daniel Valley, the lion Leon, having finished recounting the Daniel labyrinth and the Great Emperor's arrangements, finally felt a sense of relief. He then reactivated the Sphinx Lion's "secret inquiry" mode, pulling Jane into a private questioning environment.

Ebner watched this scene, wondering if the lion would ask absurd "Yellow Emperor-style" questions like "Which mistress did the Jiangnan Leather Factory owner run off with?" when suddenly, a crimson glow engulfed him.

Before his vision cleared, a familiar raspy voice rang in his ears,

"Mister Tower, I would like to ask for your help."