The afternoon following Viscount Glaint's literary salon, Audrey arrived at Madam Norma's home for their scheduled teatime.
Afternoon tea among noble ladies and debutantes was a popular social staple of the era. However, this particular gathering seemed a bit different.
"These are the mysticism experts I mentioned," Madam Norma introduced with enthusiasm. "This is Mr. Hilbert Alucard. He's a psychologist and a remarkably talented jewelry designer. And this is Miss Islant Ossileka; she's a doctor in the mental field--what we commonly call a psychiatrist."
'A psychiatrist? Isn't that Sequence 7 of the Spectator pathway?' Audrey observed Mr. Hilbert, who appeared to have Southern Continent ancestry, and the baby-faced Miss Ossileka with polite attention. Internally, she felt a slight wave of nerves.
Drawing on her noble upbringing, she quickly composed herself. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she took her seat.
Soon, Audrey noticed something very strange.
She could clearly sense that these two were observing her.
She wasn't using her 'Spectator' abilities--or rather, even if she had, observing a powerhouse of the same pathway who was at least Sequence 7 with the mere strength of a 'Spectator' would surely be noticed.
But the sensation wasn't like that at all. Instead, it felt as if...
'Specifically, it feels like they're being misled by me?'
That emotional sense of 'complacency' was almost palpable, as if they were loudly proclaiming, 'Ah, what a naive girl. I can see through her at a single glance. She must be thinking this...'
'What's going on? Is my talent so great that I can already observe Sequence 7 powerhouses? Or is this actually a test, an attempt to make me drop my guard?'
Audrey pondered this inwardly but dared not let it show. She didn't even dare expose the truth that she was already a 'Spectator'.
Before coming here, she had already decided on the role she would play today. Given her status, even if they intended to do something, they would never dare act directly. Moreover, she had Mr. Fool behind her. As long as she left this place, she could ask Mr. Fool to cleanse any influence.
Therefore, regardless of whether they had seen through her, she had to keep up the act.
Determined, Miss Justice began to interact with the mysticism experts in the guise of a wide-eyed enthusiast, spending a "lovely" afternoon in their company.
As Alucard and Islant stood up to take their leave simultaneously, Audrey finally allowed herself to relax. Today's tea had been so bizarre that she could no longer focus on the Psychology Alchemists. Her only thought was to get home quickly and pray to Mr. Fool to see if she had fallen under some supernatural influence.
However, as she followed them out and was being seen to the door by Madam Norma, the elder woman suddenly asked with a smile, "Audrey, I see you're quite interested in psychology. Why not consider trying your hand at being a psychiatrist before you marry? Count Hall and his wife are both believers of the Goddess; they should support such an endeavor."
'A test? Or a direct hint?' Audrey felt a twinge of tension, but she maintained her poise, responding with a polite, shallow smile.
"I would still need to read many more books."
Hearing her response, Madam Norma showed a satisfied expression and smiled. "Islant and Alucard are both excellent teachers."
"Mmm, perhaps I could consider inviting Miss Islant to be my psychology tutor." Audrey nodded obediently, then boarded her carriage and returned to the Hall family's luxury villa.
Passing through the forecourt, Audrey immediately lifted her skirt, hurrying back to her room with quick, light steps. She shed her complex tea attire and changed into a comfortable home gown. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief, turning to Susie, who had quietly appeared in the corner of the room.
"Help me watch the door. If Annie or the others come, notify me immediately... No, stop them, then bark to alert me."
Susie was already well-versed in such tasks. She obediently headed for the door, not forgetting to turn back and nudge it shut behind her.
Audrey sat at her vanity, her hands clasped against her forehead as she chanted in Ancient Hermes, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era; The mysterious ruler above the gray fog; The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."
"I pray for your gaze;"
"I pray for your hearing."
"This afternoon, I participated in..."
...
'Why is Mr. Devil's prayer getting earlier and earlier?' Klein, still on duty at the Blackthorn Security Company, frowned as the chaotic murmurs echoed in his ears. He checked the time; it wasn't even dinner yet, and there was still a significant amount of time before the end of his shift.
Still, he only grumbled inwardly and immediately headed for the washroom. Walking four steps in reverse, he arrived above the gray fog. To his surprise, he found that the one praying today was actually Miss Justice?
'Does Miss Justice have something for me?'
Klein didn't delay, immediately extending his spirituality to touch the crimson star representing 'Justice'.
Boom! Twisted and blurred images appeared. He saw Miss Justice in her home gown, sitting at her vanity with her hands clasped against her forehead.
But before he could listen closely to her words, he was drawn to something else.
It was a cluster of strange images floating above Miss Justice's head, shifting and gathering. Sometimes it formed white clouds, sometimes a galloping horse.
'Isn't that the Beyonder item Mr. Devil uses to shield himself from the True Creator? How did it end up on Miss Justice?' Klein frowned and began to strain to distinguish the overlapping, sweet female voice, listening as Miss Justice recounted her interaction today with the suspected mid-sequence Beyonders of the Psychology Alchemists.
'Could it be that Mr. Devil used his mystical item to protect Miss Justice? But how does he know her real identity? Or do they know each other in reality?'
Though Klein felt Mr. Devil likely meant well, he didn't jump to conclusions. Instead, he manifested a pen and paper and wrote a line of divination:
"The function of the phenomenon above Miss Justice's head."
He chanted the phrase while visualizing the shifting clouds and the horse. After seven repetitions, Klein gripped the paper and leaned back into his high-backed chair.
He visualized a sphere of light, his eyes turning deep black as he rapidly entered a state of cogitation.
The surroundings became ethereal, with invisible things and illusory mists extending boundlessly above.
Klein recalled the image of the galloping white cloud horse once more, letting his spirituality pull him into a dream within this state...
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika Kagura]
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A/N: Regarding Madam Norma: She is a minor character in the original, but here she serves as a bridge for Audrey to enter the Psychology Alchemists earlier.
T/N: "Islant Ossileka" (伊思兰特·奥西斯莱卡). Snow's presence causes a minor change to the character's name to avoid certain "paradoxes" in his perception.
T/N: Line 199 refers to the author's note about the protagonist's "Paradox" pathway abilities being clarified in a supplemental section (not included in the main text here).
T/N: Line 203 refers to a guessing game for readers regarding the name of Sequence 7. (Hint: It's "A White Horse is Not a Horse").