No wonder she single-handedly bankrolled the Tarot Club's economy. I kinda get why Trissy got dazzled.
Evah quietly shifted his gaze away, chuckling inwardly, as Fors took the initiative to introduce:
"This is Xio… and this is the erudite gentleman from an ancient family I mentioned."
Audrey first greeted Xio, then turned her attention to Jac Jones. Clearly intrigued by the "ancient family" bit, she smiled and said, "Hello, sir. How should I address you?"
While greeting him, Audrey instinctively slipped into her Spectator state, observing the young man before her.
He was as good-looking as she was, likely not from the highest echelons but definitely not low-born, well-educated, didn't smoke, and probably knew some combat skills… Hmm, he didn't seem like someone with a complicated mind. Maybe a bit naive?
"No need to be formal, Miss Audrey. Just call me Jack," Evah replied with a smile. As a seasoned Mischief-maker, he was already in full acting mode, using his Mischief-maker potion abilities to control his emotions and ensure no Spectator could spot any flaws.
"Alright, Mr. Jack," Audrey nodded amiably.
Viscount Glaint greeted the two as well, then eagerly said, "Are we heading to the Beyonder's gathering next?"
Seeing his impatience, the group didn't dawdle. They soon took a carriage to the designated location—Mr. A's gathering.
Perhaps by coincidence or the inevitability of fate, despite the different time and place from the original story, Xio still brought Audrey and Viscount Glaint to Mr. A's gathering.
The process was much like the last gathering Luo Lin attended. After the group settled in a corner, Xio turned to Audrey and Viscount Glaint. "Have you decided which Sequence 9 formulas you're looking for?"
Viscount Glaint, without hesitation, answered "Apothecary." It had always been his goal, unwavering.
Audrey, after pretending to think for a moment, said, "I want to become a Spectator. If possible, I'd also like to buy the subsequent Telepathist potion formula."
"Spectator?" Evah chimed in at the perfect moment, looking at Audrey. "I have the Spectator potion formula and the Telepathist formula. Want to buy them?"
Shearing a rich lady's wool? Evah wasn't about to pass that up.
He was pretty broke himself.
"Really?" Even Audrey, in that moment, felt genuine delight, as she hadn't secured the Telepathist formula yet. "Please sell them to me. How much?"
"600 pounds," Evah said. While he wanted to cash in on Audrey, he wasn't greedy enough to risk the long game, so he quoted a fair price.
It's not like he was actually losing anything.
"Deal. Thank you, Mr. Jack," Audrey said, not bothering to haggle as the wealthy lady she was. The transaction was completed at lightning speed.
"Jack, just how many potion formulas do you know?" Xio, witnessing the swift deal, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.
"That depends on how much my ancestors recorded in their notes," Evah said with a smile.
"That's something to be jealous of," Viscount Glaint said, visibly envious of Audrey's quick success. He turned to Luo Lin. "Mr. Jack, do you have the Apothecary potion formula?"
"Apothecary…" Evah put on a thoughtful look, then shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, Viscount Glaint, I don't have the complete Apothecary formula. But I do know the main ingredient for the Apothecary potion. Interested?"
"I am. How much?" Viscount Glaint nodded almost immediately. Knowing the main ingredient wouldn't let him craft the potion right away, but it would allow him to start gathering materials. Once he got the full formula, he could advance as quickly as possible.
"How about 100 pounds?" Evah suggested. A complete Sequence 9 formula typically went for 200 pounds, so 100 pounds for just the main ingredient was reasonable.
"No problem. You're a fair man," Viscount Glaint said. While not as wealthy as Audrey, he didn't bat an eye at 100 pounds.
Another transaction was sealed in record time, leaving Xio and Fors green with envy.
This Mr. Jack really knows a ton of potion formulas. I wonder which ancient family he's from… Audrey instinctively began speculating about Luo Lin's background. Curious, she asked, "Mr. Jack, is your family one of those legendary houses passed down from the Fourth Epoch?"
"I don't know much about that myself. My family's pretty much fallen on hard times. But our archives do have some records about the Fourth Epoch," Evah said, letting a touch of helplessness and melancholy slip into his tone.
"Sorry…" Audrey said, a bit apologetic, sensing his genuine melancholy.
"It's fine. It's not like it's a secret," Evah said, shaking his head.
Fors, seizing the moment to change the subject, asked, "Jack, anything you're looking to buy this time?"
"Not really…" Evah shook his head, then, as if struck by a thought, added, "But I'm planning to ask around about The Fool. With a gathering this size, I might get some leads."
Audrey, still in her Spectator state, nearly lost her composure at Evah's words.
But as a noble lady seasoned in high-society settings, Audrey had excellent control over her expressions. She steadied herself, showing just a hint of curiosity. "The Fool? What's that? Are you talking about tarot cards?"
"No, the Fool I'm referring to is a mysterious entity," Evah said, shaking his head. At that moment, his acting skills were at their peak, and with his Mischief-maker potion abilities keeping his emotions in check, he ensured no flaws could be detected. "It's not exactly a secret…"
He then recycled the explanation he'd given Xio and Fors, tweaking the "curse" angle to "my ancestors were tied to The Fool." He finished with a worried expression. "Honestly, I wasn't in a rush to investigate The Fool, but a friend of mine seems to have gotten directly involved with that entity, and it's got me concerned…"
The friend he mentioned was, of course, Klein himself, The Fool.
(End of Chapter)
(No need to read translator's note.)
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Translator's Note: We would be having Viscountess Glainta if he manage to become True God of his pathway, though unlikely...