Chapter 352: Happy New Year!!

Hearing the Fool's words, the Hanged Man A'erjie moved his body slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, deliberately avoiding the newly joined Hermit Jadelya, and landing on Justice and Magician sitting opposite at the mottled long table.

He tried to keep his tone flat, as if recounting a rumor he'd casually heard among pirates: "The Rothschild Islands have been uneasy lately."

"What happened?"

Justice Audrey asked curiously.

The Hanged Man A'erjie lightly shook his head, seeming not to know much himself; after a moment's thought, he continued:

The "City of Generosity" Baiyam saw a battle involving several demigods, its battlefield erupting in the Loen residents' district inside the city and finally being forcibly moved onto the sea by the "Sea King".

That night, bright sunlight illuminated the whole of Baiyam; the fierce wind, terrifying sonic boom, and continuous lightning gave the most direct impression: a terrible calamity!

He didn't describe it in too much detail; although he was then in Baiyam, in the Sea Wave Church, for a battle of this level he had no mood to spectate, merely noting the weather changes on the sea while dodging the storm.

The Hanged Man A'erjie looked around; seeing the Tarot Society members either shocked, doubtful, or calm, he paused briefly and continued:

Members of the Moses Ascetic Society disguised themselves as archaeologists and took something from an ancient elf relic on Ximi Island, indirectly causing the collapse of the local faith's Sea God Kawituwa.

The Storm Church takes this very seriously, currently issuing a bounty across the Rothschild Sea for members of the Moses Ascetic Society.

Saying this, he unintentionally glanced at the Hermit Jadelya; seeing no obvious change in her expression, he continued: "That Sea God, when faced with an unavoidable collapse, tried to unleash a tsunami to make all living beings in the Rothschild Sea die with it."

But it was suppressed by the Storm Church's Sea King; strangely, after the incident ended, the Sea God's devout followers still occasionally receive a response.

Rekton lazily leaned against the high-backed chair, his gaze directed toward the figure shrouded in gray mist at the head of the table, then quickly withdrew it.

The Hanged Man A'erjie, who had been observing everyone's reactions, didn't miss this detail; he leaned back slightly in his chair, and his thoughts began to wander:

The White Tower's reaction was very calm; he also knows about this? And he subconsciously looked toward the Fool, wondering if it's because he thinks this matter concerns the Fool?

Kawituwa fell into an unavoidable collapse; when it tried to have everyone die with it, the Sea King stopped it, yet afterward it began responding to its followers again?

Jadelya frowned slightly; as a pirate admiral, her knowledge of Kawituwa wasn't extensive, but neither was it lacking—in her view, that Sea God should have perished after its final madness.

In her thoughts, a flash of inspiration sparked a scene: the image of when the Fool had just pulled her into this palace shrouded in gray mist.

At that time, the Fool held a scepter that exuded a divine aura, giving off a near‑substantial scent of sea and storm. This— the one now responding to believers was no longer the Sea God, but the Fool; was He secretly usurping the authority over storms, or did He have another aim? Instinctively, Jadelya turned her head toward the figure shrouded in gray mist at the head of the mottled long table.

Why would the Hermit lady look at the Fool? What does she know? Justice Audrey, who had been paying attention to Jadelya, keenly noticed her movement.

She first felt blank and doubtful; soon a bold idea formed in her mind—could it be that the Fool is now answering the Sea God's believers? Thinking this, her gaze unconsciously turned to the figure at the head of the table.

Following the movements of several others, the somewhat slow‑reacting Magician Forsyth and Moon Emlyn also turned their heads toward the Fool at the head of the table.

Little Sun Derrick knew little about the outside of the God‑forsaken lands and wasn't very interested, but seeing everyone's gaze turn to the Fool, he instinctively did the same. Klein manipulated his little avatar 'World', reacting half a beat behind the others as he looked at himself.

When all the Tarot Society members were looking at him, Klein finally leaned back in his chair and let out a light laugh, his tone relaxed:

Kawituwa's nature stems from a fragment separated from the Calamity Goxinam; as the Book of Calamity was taken, it inevitably collapsed and then died.

The Book of Calamity—is that what the Moses Ascetic Society took from the ancient elf relic on Ximi Island?

While the Hanged Man A'erjie silently muttered to himself, a bold idea formed in his mind—the Fool seems to have also participated in this affair and gained something from it; the one now answering the Sea God's believers is very likely the Fool! As the thought surfaced, he unconsciously fixed his gaze on the figure shrouded in gray mist at the head of the mottled long table, then quickly withdrew his look, glancing elsewhere.

During this, he unintentionally caught sight of Rekton, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

Have I seen him before? Unlikely—even if he were a Sequence 5 or even Sequence 4 extraordinary, despite his unremarkable appearance, his bearing and sense of danger would be enough to leave a deep impression on me; moreover, given the White Tower's conduct in the Tarot Society, he doesn't seem like someone accustomed to concealing himself or skilled at hiding.

Not a person, could it be a wanted poster? As the thought arose, he recalled that the three portraits given to him by Bishop Joggori in the Sea Wave Church were of him! "Arsonist" Al, a demigod of the Knowledge Church, the one who fought the saints of Baiyam and the Rose School of Thought! Hmm? Hanged Man, why are you looking at me? His emotions fluctuated greatly; recognizing me, his reaction was a bit slow—despite the Storm Church issuing so many wanted notices, he only just recognized me.

Rekton glanced back at the Hanged Man A'erjie, pulling the corner of his mouth into a faint smile, then turned his head and withdrew his gaze.

Surely, the one now answering the Sea God's believers is the Fool! Is the present Sea God Church perhaps also a subsidiary force of our Tarot Society? Justice Audrey excitedly let her thoughts run wild.

Is that scepter the remnant of Kawituwa's nature? How did the Fool obtain it? In her thoughts, Jadelya turned her gaze toward Rekton beside her.

From what I've observed, the only one in the Tarot Society capable of involvement in this matter is him.

After everyone had fallen into contemplation for a while, Klein manipulated his little avatar 'World', gave a light cough, and drew everyone's thoughts back.

Then he asked himself, had himself respond, and manifested a portrait; after showing it to the people on both sides of the mottled long table, he said in a low voice: "Does anyone know her?"

Red hair, female, and at this time, Tressy's lover. As the thought turned, Rekton chuckled and said:

"Are you interested in a melodramatic love story?"

A love story? But what's the odd description 'dog‑blood'? The Magician Forsyth, who is especially sensitive to the word 'story', glanced at Rekton and then examined again the portrait displayed by his little avatar 'World'.

The Hermit Jadelya gave Rekton a strange look, then spoke in a steady voice:

The red‑haired Irene, bearing the bloodline of the Etisosoren family, is a fallen noble lady.

She once worked as a sea merchant, and it's said she was captured by the Disease Maiden Tressy.

(End of chapter)