Derrick jolted awake in panic, but saw nothing around him. "Who's there?"
"No wonder I had such a strong premonition this morning…I thought there might be so harvest here. I never expected such a pleasant surprise."
"Truly, thank you. It seems my one day of protection wasn't in vain. I'll be accepting your reward without hesitation."
Although Derrick couldn't identify the owner of the voice, a powerful sense of fear gripped his heart. Without hesitation, he tried to stand and alert Mr. Fool—but to his horror, his body wouldn't move an inch.
"No!"
At the sa ti, atop the grey fog, Klein was watching as an illusory door ford behind the high-backed chair. It extended spiritual power and, accompanied by a suction force, began pulling the suitcase inward.
Suddenly, he sensed the entire mystical space tremble slightly. The normally static grey-white fog began to flow visibly!
Through the suitcase, Klein saw Derrick curled up inside, his face filled with terror. A transparent figure had wrapped itself around the boy like a python. This figure wore a black, vintage robe and a matching soft, pointed hat. A crystal-like monocle clung to his face.
What is that?!
Klein gasped, a chill sweeping through him.
That eerie being seed to be using Little Sun's sacrificial ritual as a channel to enter the space above the grey fog!
And once he got in?
Klein didn't believe for a second that the entity just wanted a tour. The most likely outco was that it would try to kill him and seize the grey fog for itself—usurping its power and replacing him entirely.
No way!
He couldn't let it ascend!
Klein imdiately severed the connection with the Sun. But it was as if the other party had anticipated this—his mouth curled into a smile, and a gleam flashed across his monocle.
The next second, the ritual that should've been cut off…resud on its own!
Damn it!
Klein's scalp tingled. His eyes quickly scanned all the tools he had on hand, dismissing each one—until his gaze landed on two cards: the Cards of Blasphemy.
Right—the paper angel he had just recently developed!
At that mont, the figure entwining Derrick suddenly thrust a shrivelled hand forward. It looked skeletal—nothing but skin and bone—as it pierced through the illusory door into the realm above the grey fog.
Klein's pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he grabbed the Black Emperor and Red Priest cards and used his elevated spiritual rank to invoke the mysterious powers of the grey fog.
Then he threw out the paper figure.
In a flash, it grew enormous, radiant with golden light. Twelve pairs of massive, jet-black wings unfurled behind it. Each feather was inscribed with glowing, alternating patterns of sacred and forbidden symbols.
Silently, that figure—sacred and fallen, bright and shadowed—flashed through the door, entered the suitcase, and rged with Little Sun.
Light and darkness collided. Gales howled.
Within the flood of overlapping voices and chaotic illusions, the figure that had been clinging to Derrick was struck by a terrifying force. It fell backwards and downward in disintegration, howling in rage and unwillingness.
Several seconds passed before the grey fog and the space above it returned to their usual calm. The distorted and illusory presence had vanished from Derrick's body.
Then, with a loud thud, the illusory door shut, returning the suitcase—and Derrick—with it.
"Phew—"
Klein exhaled deeply. The crisis brought on by that mysterious figure had been overwhelming. Though it looked like the paper angel had dealt with it, Klein didn't dare let down his guard. His instincts told him…things weren't over yet.
It wasn't ideal, and felt sowhat undignified, but he had no choice now but to keep Little Sun outside the grey fog for a while—at least until he could confirm that everything was truly safe.
——
At the base of the ruined temple, Derrick crawled out of the suitcase, gasping like a drowning man.
Terror gripped him. He had nearly brought an unknown, incredibly dangerous entity into Mr. Fool's divine kingdom.
He was afraid—afraid Mr. Fool might bla him and cast him out of the Tarot Club, never answering his prayers again.
And he was grateful—grateful that Mr. Fool had saved him with that golden-winged black angel, dragging him back from the edge of despair.
Just then, grey-white fog once again enveloped his vision. Derrick saw a replay of what had just occurred—how Mr. Fool had intervened to eliminate that unknown intruder.
"Thank you, Mr. Fool."
"Praise the Great Mr. Fool!"
Derrick prayed devoutly.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the air. He turned his head quickly and saw Lovia leading the rest of the team toward him.
Her voice was hoarse, "I found a way out. Let's go."
Derrick quickly stuffed the cloth bag into the suitcase, grabbed the axe in one hand and the case in the other. "Understood."
The others still cast malicious, ravenous glances his way. Fear lingered in his heart.
Just then, Lovia stared forward and murmured almost to herself, "The City of Silver…and the future, huh?"
Derrick was stunned for a mont, then nodded firmly. "Yes. There will be one!"
She gave a small nod. "Then let's go ho."
The group walked into the darkness through the shattered temple.
———
At 15 Minsk Street.
Klein collapsed onto the sofa, drained of all strength.
For the longest ti, the space above the grey fog had been his greatest cheat—his ultimate refuge. Yet today, it had nearly beco his tomb.
That eerie figure… what was it?
It seed to be after him—or after the grey fog itself.
Did it know what this place really was?
One question after another filled his mind, leaving him anxious and unsettled.
After a long while, Klein finally cald down and muttered to himself:
"In the end…it's because my Sequence is too low, and my strength too weak. I need to accelerate my advancent!"
———
Elsewhere, in a small villa in Empress Borough.
After leaving the Sefirah Castle, Edward first sacrificed the suitcase and so food to Mr. Fool. Only then did he turn his gaze to the pile of "scrap tal and junk" scattered across the floor.
As expected, none of the items absorbed the grey fog. Although he'd anticipated this outco, Edward still felt sowhat disappointed.
"Fortunately, there's still the Hufflepuff Cup as a fallback."
Edward picked up the golden cup and quickly figured out the two abilities it had gained after its "evolution":
First, [Gourt]—when food is placed into the cup and imbued with spirituality, it transforms into a large amount of delicacies. Eating these can satiate hunger and keep one full for a much longer ti.
Second, [Fine Wine]—when items with spirituality are placed into it, the cup can transform them into exquisite wine. Drinking this wine helps restore spirituality.
The downside? Over ti, consuming these enhanced foods and drinks would spoil one's palate—eventually making it difficult to stomach anything not processed through the Hufflepuff Cup.
The first ability, Gourt, was relatively "ordinary," but City of Silver would definitely desire such an item—it could turn Black-Faced Grass into edible delicacies. The only question was whether the converted food would retain the plant's curse.
The second ability, Fine Wine, was quite useful to Edward personally. Ever since gaining the ability of the Bookworm, his biggest problem had been insufficient spirituality. Wine that could restore spirituality? That hit the spot.
He guessed "items with spirituality" likely ant Beyonder materials or traits. How exactly this worked, though, would require so testing.
Edward once again surveyed the pile of "treasures" and began checking each item, tossing them into the suitcase one by one with increasing frustration:
Shroud of Turin—fake!
Spear of Longinus—fake!
Kusanagi Tsurugi—fake!
Excalibur—fake!
Zhu Xian Sword—fake!
Wheel of the Sun God's chariot—fake!
Even rlin's slly old shoe...
As expected, just a pile of useless scrap and rags!
Sigh...Looks like the only genuinely useful items in the Harry Potter world were the few specifically ntioned in the original books. Maybe next ti, he should try borrowing the Sword of Gryffindor or the Sorting Hat?
Just then, he casually picked up the supposedly divine picture fra—he was about to toss it into the suitcase when he suddenly froze mid-motion.
"Huh?"
Staring at the plain wooden fra, Edward's eyes gradually lit up in surprise—this naless item had actually turned into a mystical artifact!
It possessed only one ability:
[World Within the Painting]—Within a certain area, it could create a stationary pocket dinsion separate from reality. It would envelop both the user and target (with the option to exclude the user). Duration and range depended on the amount of spirituality invested.
No negative effects.
This ability felt strangely familiar…Edward rembered that most Orthodox Churches possessed similar sealed artifacts to isolate Beyonder battles and prevent collateral damage to civilians.
But if one excluded themselves, couldn't this also work as a prison?
The only thing unknown was how long it could last.
He went through the rest of the items one more ti, but sadly, found no further surprises.
"Lilith, co here."
The little creature who had been playing nearby skipped over. "Coming~ What is it, Edward?"
Holding the fra, Edward poured in one-fifth of his spirituality. Instantly, everything around them grew blurry, like being surrounded by frosted glass. They still appeared to be inside the villa, but Edward knew they'd entered another space.
"Eek!"
Startled, Lilith shouted, "Edward, where are we?!"
"Don't panic. I'm running a test."
Edward checked his pocket watch, then strolled forward, eventually passing through the villa's walls until he was stopped by an invisible barrier on the roadside.
"The range covers just the area around the villa."
Lilith caught up and curiously scratched at the invisible wall with her paw. "Is this the power of a sealed artifact?"
"Yes, it creates a space separate from reality."
Lilith nodded. "When can I go back out?"
"Just be patient a bit longer."
"Okay~"
She yawned and began poking and pawing at random objects to entertain herself.
About fifteen minutes later, the surrounding blurriness abruptly vanished. With a sensation like shattering glass, Edward and Lilith were returned to reality.
"One-fifth spirituality gives roughly fifteen minutes. That should be enough."
Edward stroked his chin, murmuring, "But how tough is this 'World Within the Painting,' really?"
This ti, he poured in two-fifths of his spirituality and activated the fra again.
In the next mont, he and Lilith reentered the painted world. This ti, the range had roughly doubled in width and length.
"Lilith, co here."
"Okay!"
The little one scampered over and leapt into Edward's arms. He perched her on his shoulder, then raised his wand and unleashed spell after spell—Bombarda Maxima, Fiendfyre, followed by various spells enhanced with Magnify, Distortion, and Cull—all aid at the invisible wall.
Yet none had any effect.
"Phew—"
This confird that the World Within the Painting was durable enough to withstand even attacks from most demigods.
——
Twenty minutes later, the effect faded, and Edward returned to reality once more.
"Too bad the duration didn't double."
Back inside the villa, he put the fra away carefully.
"I'll need a real demi-god to test the strength soday. Next up is the Hufflepuff Cup."
He pulled out a Sequence 9 Apprentice trait and was just about to toss it into the cup when—
"You're hoarding the Emperor's diary again!"
Audrey had arrived, cheeks puffed in mock anger, clearly not amused.
———
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