'Whoever copied this should be fired...' Complaining a bit about the lack of dedication of the copyists, Klein took a moment to digest the information.
'Herald of Steam... Repeating the Emperor, the lack of creativity is disappointing for a machine-centric organization such as the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery is...
'Though of course, it's never as simple as a lack of creativity, there's always something more...'
'What makes this title different from Son of Steam?'
In the direct meaning of the word, Herald refers to a messenger or announcer.
However, viewed through the lens of mysticism, a Herald is a figure or symbol that brings about a momentous change, a revelation, or a call to action.
Whether positive or negative, they are a mark of before and after.
Klein paused, a bit incredulous.
'... In mysticism, a Herald and a Son are extremely similar on the outside, but very different at the core. Both are considered messengers of the God they represent, only the Son's relationship is more profound as it also includes Humanity's relationship to the God...'
Had Roselle been... demoted?
'Well, considering that Roselle at no time mentioned being concerned about it or even mentioned it at all, it must not be that. It's just as it's not wrong to say that Jesus is the Herald of God, as well as his son...
'But why then would the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery wish to announce the title to the world? It would just be another name for Roselle, another synonym. Further deepen their relationship with him?
'Well, he didn't read too happily about it. And it's clear why. The Church was trying to increase its control over him. Something they tried to do with his son, Bornova, but failed...' Klein frowned internally, an uncomfortable feeling forming in his stomach.
In his mind, that word repeated itself over and over again. Like a broken record that could only poorly produce one part of a song.
'This is a reminder of my spirituality...'
It was not his sense of danger, but a mild reminder.
'I'll mention this to Joa after the club. Maybe he'll know something about it...'
With that bit of information decided, Klein looked at the part where the diary ended and could only regret a little.
He wanted to know what kind of heist he had planned to do with that mysterious and powerful organization, whose one of its members was the Creator of Mysticism as it was known today.
'I wonder what it was that Roselle wanted to get that he needed the help of this nameless organization... It can't be an artifact, he's part of the Savant Pathway and an angel at that, Sequence 2! If he really wanted the artifact, it wouldn't be the artifact itself, but the characteristics it was made of...
Maybe the artifact he wanted was the characteristics of the adjacent pathway? Most likely Sequence 1...
'If that's the case, then it makes sense that he would have sought the help of that organization...'
Stealing from a Church where you are literally known as the 'Son' would need ridiculous and hidden support after all...
With the fact that Roselle was an Angel at this point, it was obvious that this page was written in the man's later years, but before he would start calling himself Emperor.
'Mystery Prier... That's the pathway of Old Neil... I wonder how he's doing.
'Is he eating properly? Resting well? I hope the treatment he's going through is going smoothly... Sigh.'
Not wanting to get sentimental now and knowing that his mind would only go through more names, Klein returned his concentration to the incomplete page in his hands.
He felt that the full page had more information regarding what he was planning, but until he got it, Klein could only speculate a little.
At that, he returned his attention for a moment to the full page he had and the information on it, more specifically, to the change of path and what it brought.
'A change not only in abilities but in mythological creature form... Ince Zangwill was a Death Pathway beyonder that used the Sequence 4 characteristics of the Sleepless Pathway to advance...'
From what he knew about the Death Pathway, thanks to the abilities demonstrated by Daly Simon and Mr Azik, this pathway possessed strong bodies, spirit manipulation and control, and spirit storage...
Adding that the abilities of the Sleepless Pathway at the same time combined to create new powers? Even if he still had the Sun Flaring Charms, they would bring no change if he were to face him... And that was without considering 0-08 at that.
His revenge was still far from possible.
Sighing a little internally, and like every time he finished reading the Emperor's diary, the pages in his hands disappeared as if they were an illusion.
He just nodded, words not necessary for someone like the Fool.
And with the leader's approval, the hour of exchange began. And to the surprise of some, the first to speak was the one who had just joined after a week's absence.
Looking at the other members, Adryan laughed a little and raised a hand, "I recently got my hands on an artifact made with the characteristics of an Unshadowed. So if you guys want to purify some characteristics for your potions, I can do it for a fair price~".
Audrey, whose green eyes were crystal clear, looked away from the man in front of her after discreetly observing him. Her eyes moved to the youngest member, noting his lack of reaction, then moved to the only other lady in the club who shared the same lack as the second of the background inhabitants.
'... Everyone knows what a characteristic is except me... Sigh, the pains of lacking experience.' Audrey was a little disappointed but didn't let it show.
Being a beyonder of the Spectator Pathway, it wasn't appropriate for her to always be the center of attention. It was better to wait for someone else to take up the mantle of protagonist.
'Of course, if no one wants to get on the dance floor, I have no problem leading a little dance...' Adding in her heart the acting rule she had found, Audrey watched with crystalline eyes around her, waiting for someone to want to dance.
Alger controlled his expression and movement with attentive concentration, sighing inwardly but not worried.
Being a Pirate, how could he not know what the characteristics were?
What he was most curious about was the method he used to purify them. However, going by the name Unshadowed, it was very likely that Chariot had obtained an artifact from the Sun Pathway, a path focused on purification, so his question was already answered in itself.
What really interested Alger was that Chariot had specified purification when he had already implied it in his words. But his curiosity was not enough to ask. He still had to pay the man, after all; further increasing his debt would be foolish.
Seeing that waiting would get her nowhere, Justice Audrey sighed and, looking into the background, asked without stuttering.
"Mr Chariot. What are characteristics?"
'It's been a while since I've had expenses, so I have money left over to pay for this...' She added in her heart.
She just hoped it was worth it.
There was a small pause in the hall of giants, one that came suddenly without warning like a north wind.
Turning his gaze to the older man, Adryan laughed a little playfully.
"I admit I forgot to tell her about this. What about you? Harvest for later or bad memory due to age?"
Feeling his eyes want to roll back at the back of his head, Alger blinked a little hard to clear his eyes from the curtain.
'I'm not that old.' Adding silently in his mind, the man controlled his voice and replied with apparent calm.
"It never came up."
That was the truth, most of what they had chatted about in the meetings was about occult knowledge, secret organizations, rituals involving Evil Gods and Their children, plans to stop said rituals, hunting Vice Admirals and Demigods...
There wasn't much room to talk about such common knowledge.
"Of course you would say that." Laughing a little, the red-haired man returned his attention to a discomfited noblewoman.
"Sorry about that, honestly, it's a bit of a tragedy that we haven't talked about this sooner. But better late than never, isn't it?"
The answer took a few seconds to come.
'That's the first time he's done that...' Audrey looked at Chariot with a somewhat flat expression, eyes confused.
"...What would be the price for this information?"
"It's general knowledge, most wild beyonders know it, so for this time it'll be free." Adryan laughed a little at the end.
Honestly, this was a bit of an oversight on his part. Because of his presence, many things didn't happen, one of them being the Poor God explaining the beyonder laws here.
He was simply taking responsibility for that. Miss Bank could not walk around the circle of nobles and beyonders without knowing something so simple, especially when the situation between the New Party and the Conservatives promised to only get worse.
"..." The confusion in the noble grew a little more; she didn't know what kind of expression to put on.
Kind Chariot was something that made her uncomfortable.
Magician Fors, who had immediately noticed the man's abnormality, just closed her eyes, inwardly grateful that the fog here hid her face. Which would undoubtedly have a slight blush.
Remembering what she had heard from Hazel before the end of yesterday's meeting, the writer knew well the reason for the man's happiness.
'Those two did it... Sigh. I owe Xio an apple pie...'
'Free is always the most expensive. It's not that simple...' Not trusting that it was just a sudden outburst of kindness from the man, Audrey approached cautiously.
"That's fine, Mr Chariot, but if I feel that the information you will tell me is more valuable than you think, then I hope you can agree to let me pay accordingly."
"Cautious, eh? Not bad, little lizard. Hehe~ Alright, do what you want." With another short laugh, Adryan waved his hand disinterestedly.
Money wasn't something he needed right now, but he would never say no to a few good bills.
'Goddess give me strength...' Squeezing her hands under the table until a vein pulsed, Audrey maintained a polite smile and gave a slight bow.
"Thank you very much, Mr Chariot. Would it be necessary for this to be a private exchange?
It was 'general knowledge', but she still felt it was necessary to ask, not wanting her suffering to be taken advantage of by others.
"This is basic knowledge, no need to go to so much unnecessary trouble." Sighing a little, the red-haired man bowed his head slightly.
"I'm sure you've wondered about this before. With the growth in numbers of Beyonders, the mystical animals from which the potion ingredients come will gradually disappear until they become extinct. What will happen there? Will the pathways that depended on that animal no longer be able to produce Beyonders?"
She could already sense that she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear, but she nodded nonetheless.
'This is something I need to know, whatever the answer is, I will take it no matter what...'
Smiling, scarlet eyes gained a strange glow, "Once we take the potion, we cease to be truly human.
"We transform into monsters with human skin, the only thing keeping us from taking it off is our will and taking care of our state.
"Isn't that exactly what these fantastic creatures are? The only difference between them and us would be that if we can say 'no' to giving them away~" Smiling innocently, Adryan finished by adding.
"The ingredients for the potions will never run out because they just pass from charger to charger. Right now, Miss Justice, you're an ingredient too, as well as everyone here."
A single word repeated itself in Justice's mind as she heard the explanation, one that almost made her retch and churned her stomach horribly
Cannibalism!
Unconsciously, her eyes darted around. Looking to see if there was anyone else who shared her same thought through their body language or any reaction they had, but it proved to be useless.
'I'm the only one who didn't know...' Audrey thought somewhat aggravated before sighing and consoling herself.
She had only just entered this world, it was normal that she didn't know.
'But it's still very cruel... Nightmarish even. Why is it so dark?' Audrey found herself confronted with a very harsh reality.
This was the first time she had ever encountered anything so horrible. While the deeds of Embasador Bakerland were also evil, she had only heard of them, never seen or experienced them herself.
The most she ever encountered was the Moonless Night earthquake and her first attendance at a beyonder gathering. The aura that Mr. A emitted was something difficult to forget...
'Is it necessary to be so brutal? Even with us, you weren't so descriptive...' Fors groaned a little at the treatment of Backlund's brightest gem, but she restrained herself well.
Not because she felt bad would she put herself in the way of the shot. No sir!
While he was a bit annoyed at the treatment by his fellow, Klein didn't interrupt and let him explain well.
Miss Justice needed this information, so she had to eat it whether she liked it or not.
'Besides, I may as well take advantage of this...' The corners of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly.
It was inappropriate for the Fool to explain what the characteristics were. But what they were part of fell within his performance profile.
Tap tap tap...
With the sound of soft tapping on the table, the attention of all the members focused on the top, to the figure in the seat of honor.
Smiling slightly, the Fool said;
"Mr Chariot's words have made me realize something we never discussed here." Looking at the man in the background, he nodded faintly.
"Something that, to use Mr Chariot's words, is general knowledge."