"You can address me as The Fool."
Just with that simple answer, it was as if an invisible ripple had passed through the murky darkness, the grand hall, and the heart of its visitors.
Somehow, the simple designation felt appropriate. Bizzare, mysterious, and powerful, Subaru felt that this was the essence of his image!
After a moment of silence, Otto stood up, crossed an arm across his chest, and gave Subaru a methodically performed bow.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, if you permitted, we would request you to be the witness of our trade…"
"It's acceptable," Subaru responded in a nonchalant tone that matched his perceived status.
"It's our honor, Mr. Fool." Crusch stood up as well, as she narrowly remembered the lesson in her etiquette class. She held up her skirt ever slightly and bent her knees, performing a curtsy of appreciation.
Subaru lowered his right palm and smiled.
"You can proceed."
Otto nodded and sat back down before looking at Crusch.
"If you can obtain the heart of a werewolf, you can send it to the Warrior & Sea Bar at Pelican Street, in the White Rose Borough of Pritz Harbor. Tell the boss, Williams, that's the package for the 'Merchant'."
"Understood."
"I will send you the formula once I receive the heart. Would you prefer me to mail you the potion formula, or do you want me to tell it to you here directly?"
"Naturally, the more secure method." Crusch nodded confidently with a smile "I won't have any problem remembering it here."
Since they have Mr. Fool to bear witness to the trade, there would be nothing to worry about. Crusch couldn't help but look forward to the next gathering.
'Next gathering…' Crusch muttered to herself, clearly entertaining the thought.
With this in mind, she turned to look at Subaru with slight reservation. She couldn't hide the excitement in her tone, however, as she suggested "Mr. Fool, would there be more 'attempts' like this?"
Subaru was obviously interested in this idea. However, his expression remained calm as he replied in an even tone.
"It's possible."
Otto, who acknowledged and tempted by the potential of the 'Gathering', hurried to back up Crusch's suggestion "Mr. Fool, don't you find such 'Gatherings' interesting? Although your powers exceed our imaginations, there should be certain domains you don't understand or excel in. The person across me is obviously a young lady of lofty stature. Unique experiences, insights, mediums, and resources are things I also possess. Perhaps there will come a day when both of us help you complete something trivial that might be inconvenient for you."
From his point of view, the control of Mr. Fool was absolute. Since he had been pulled into this space without any warning or any means to resist, participating in the 'Gathering' seemed to be something he was able to refuse. A merchant at heart, Otto thought it would be better to go with the flow and reap the benefits of this encounter as much as possible to make up for his passive and disadvantaged state.
The trio at the long table had different backgrounds, resources, information channels, and comprehension of the mystical domain. If they interacted and enjoyed some limited cooperation, they could produce unpredictable and immeasurable effects!
The resource trade that had just been negotiated was one example. Another example would be if he wished to kill someone. He could easily request the Gathering's members who did not not appear to be related to him on both the surface and reality for help. He could perfectly misdirect any investigators.
'A young lady of lofty stature? It can't be helped…Mother always told me I am too obvious…' Crusch frowned, but regained her composure shortly after and nodded her head without any hesitation
"Mr. Fool, I think that's a very good suggestion. Provided the 'inconvenient' things you wish to impose upon us are within our capabilities, we will do our best to fulfill them. As long as the Gathering becomes regular, we will all benefit from the arrangement."
'However, having more gatherings…that would make it easier for me to slip up and expose myself.'
Subaru had been weighing the pros and cons of the suggestion the moment it was uttered. The fact that he was here could only mean that his attempt at going home was a failure.
'Hm…some money would be nice.' Subaru thought to himself
Acknowledging that his way home would be impossible for now, Subaru turned to his immediate situation. Subaru noticed that his situation in this world was less than ideal. Truth to be told, he could really make do with some money right now. He and Reinhard may starve in a few months if their situation doesn't improve. And Louanna...that was another can of worm he was forced to deal with.
'I wouldn't request that now, but when it truly got desperate…' then it would be the most effective backup plan, although it might ruin his images a bit.
And about returning home, he is not without hope yet. These gatherings will provide him with more knowledge of the secrets of the Beyonders or other mysteries, and perhaps the key to reverting his transmigration. The advantages will be tremendous in the future.
Already in the next gathering, there would be a potion formula because of the 'spectators'. His present life here would also be benefitted from this kind of knowledge.
Alas, the risks are there…but I wouldn't say it's enough for me to refuse such opportunities. Indeed, nothing comes without a price! Subaru extended his right hand again as he rapped the side of the long table with his finger.
As the one who will do the summoning and dismissing of this gathering, the margin of error is within his control. The knowledge that he was the one in control greatly boosted his confidence.
He stopped his rapping as he smiled under the perturbed gazes of the duo.
"I do enjoy a fair and equal exchange. When the time comes, I will ensure you are rewarded." Subaru said in a roughish voice "Every Monday at three in the afternoon, try your best to be alone. After I make a few more attempts and figure out certain things, perhaps you can apply for a leave of absence ahead of time. Wouldn't want to catch you in an inappropriate situation, after all."
This, in its essence, is a whole-hearted agreement. He just gave some flowery words to not undersell himself. But his playful tone at the end made Otto shudder, feeling as if he had made a deal with a devil.
While opposite of him, Crusch rejoiced at the word of Mr. Fool.
Crusch had just turned seventeen. Although she had been learning swordsmanship and other martial arts since she was a mere child, that didn't equal emotional maturity. Deep inside, she was just a young girl, and thus acting as so. With a grin, she pumped a fist in front of her chest, clearly delighted at The Fool's reply.
Crusch suddenly looked at the man opposite of her warily. She showed no reservation since she knew that the darkness would veil her expression.
That one… might be a problem. Crusch thought to herself. While she was sure it was futile to hide her identity from Mr. Fool, the same couldn't be said for the man opposite of her. Her Father had warned her about these kinds of people, the deductive and analytical types. I must not let him know who I am!
"Then, may I suggest we give ourselves call signs? After all, we can't use our real names for conversation."
"Acceptable," Subaru said in a simple and relaxed manner
"You are Mr. Fool which is derived from tarot cards. Then, as a fixed, long-term and secretive 'Gathering', we should be uniform in our designations. Yes, I will also choose one from the tarot cards."
Her expression turned contemplative, then firm "I've decided. My designation shall be 'Justice'!"
It was one of the twenty-two Major Arcana tarot cards.
"Then, what will be yours, mister?" She looked at the figure sitting across her with a slight grin.
Otto frowned inwardly, clearly uncomfortable being led by the nose. But the feeling passed as quickly as it came.
"Temperance."
It was another Major Arcana card.
"Ah…will our designations be alright to you, Mr. Fool?" Crusch asked hesitantly
"You can decide on such trivial matters by yourselves." Subaru shook his head in amusement
"Thank you! Alright, then we can be considered as the founding members of the Tarot Club!" Crusch claimed in a serious tone, clearly taking pride in the prospect.
Otto nodded alongside her, clearly showing his pleasure at the development, but his face couldn't help but harden as he asked once more "Be sure not to forget the address. I will be waiting."
"Positive. You can rest assured that your confidence is not unfounded."
Crusch recounted the address eloquently, and Otto nodded.
"Hm…you are quite knowledgeable, Mr. Temperance, so can I ask you something?" Seeing Otto's cues for agreement, Crusch continued "I heard that tarot cards, while were invented by Sage Flugel as a game, in fact hold the power to divine the future…is that true?"
"An interesting inquiry, Miss Justice." Otto commented after thinking for a moment "Unfortunately, that's simply not true. Most of the time, divination stems from one's self. Spirituality is something everyone has…this allows them to attune to the spiritual world and connect to information about themselves at an even higher level. However, ordinary folks are unable to notice, much less interpret the 'signs' they receive, so they need to help of divination tools to make it all…clearer. An example of such tools is dream and dream interpreters."
"So tarot cards are similar to that…"
"Yes….it uses more symbolism and logical elements to help us conveniently and accurately interpret the signs."
'As expected…the tarot cards were relevant to my situation.' Subaru was listening carefully, a contemplative look on his face. It was at this point that a throbbing headache assaulted him once more, shattering the peace of his empty mind.
"Hm…I heard that Sage Flugel had actually created another set of cards, secret and mysterious ones. They were paper cards that symbolized a particular unknown power. There was a total of twenty-two cards that he completed. Later on in life, he referenced them to create the twenty-two Major Arcana tarot cards which are used as a gaming tool. However, I didn't know whether this was true…"
She looked at Subaru, apparently waiting for an answer from the mysterious Mr. Fool. Yet, Subaru could only respond with a slight smile. He decided that his only course of action was to pass the responsibility to the knowledgeable Temperance. He cast his gaze at the ashen-haired man, as though he was putting him to the test.
To the unexpected attention of 'Mr. Fool', Otto subconsciously straightened his back and responded in a low voice "That's correct. It's said that Sage Flugel had seen the Blasphemy Slate and that set of paper cards contain the profound mysteries of the twenty-two paths of the divine."
"Twenty-two paths of the divine…" Crusch muttered, clearly awed at the prospect
At that moment, Subaru felt the pain in his head intensified. He vividly felt the connection between the crimson stars and the endless shadow began to wane. He unconsciously knows that-
"Today's gathering will end here." he made a snap decision
"By your will." Otto bowed his head respectfully
"By your will." Crusch was right behind, mimicking his action
Crusch's thoughts were swirling, and there were still many questions she wanted to ask. 'A shame it ended so soon…' She thought to herself
As Subaru severed the connection, he said with a smile "Let us look forward to the next gathering."
The 'stars' brightened once more as the crimson light receded like water. Just as Otto and Crusch heard Mr. Fool's words, their figures turned into a blur as they faded away.
In a second, the 'projection' was swallowed by the sea of darkness. Only silence remained.
As for Subaru, he felt himself turning heavy rapidly. His surroundings turned fleeting as his eyes met darkness before changing into dazzling sunlight.
He was still standing in the middle of his apartment.
"It felt like a dream…" Subaru sighed as he recalled his experience "That darkness…who or what sort of power created the changes that just happened."
Subaru glanced at the clock on the wall
It seemed that time flowed at the same pace… He sighed, nursing his numbing headache. He thought about making subsequent attempts using the ancient Feysac or Loen language. Probably a bad idea…while the prospect was interesting, it's not something an amateur like me should do willy-nilly.
Luckily, Heinkel's memories helped him to be more cautious. His father, Wilhelm, did warn him a lot about the world of mysticism, after all. Although Heinkel at the time held no particular interest and dismissed the warning, Subaru now was glad to be the one able to make use of it.
'FATHER!' He suddenly heard the voice of Reinhard, accompanied by a loud bang on his door that broke him out of his thought.
Realizing that something bad may have happened, taking into account Heinkel's peculiar situation, Subaru quickly felt for his dagger and carefully unlatched the lock on his door.
As Subaru opened his door, just to find a blur of red crashed into him. Reinhard, his face full of tears, was grabbing onto his shirt tightly.
"Reinhard? What brought this on?" Subaru could only ask in a shell-shocked tone
Did he get bullied on the way and lose the money?
No, that can't be true. Reinhard was too clever for that. Heinkel's memories did confirm this, as the child was always reliable in the supply run. But that's not what matters right now.
Reinhard was grabbing onto him as if he was about to disappear…
"D-don't leave me! I will try my best! I won't be a burden anymore!" The boy…his son looked up, his piercing blue eyes were red and puffy, and it pained Subaru to look at him "So…please…"
Subaru kneeled down and hugged his son, and he heard Reinhard's hitched breath. Subaru, while still confused, decided that this was the best course of action.
The crying resumed after a moment, and he felt his shirt getting damp from tears and snout. Subaru didn't mind it and only thought about pacifying the hurting child.
"It's okay…I'm here. I won't go anywhere."
Subaru had no experience calming a child before. If anything, he thought that his nasty eyes would scare all of them away before that. He knew a few tricks that might uplift a child's mood, but none of them felt appropriate in this situation.
Reinhard's body seemed to relax after a moment, his eyes were still glistening, but he didn't grab onto him with his dear life anymore.
Subaru hesitated for a little bit, before using his callous hand to wipe away the tears of that boy.
It felt utterly foreign…yet it also felt right.
"So…can you tell me what brought this on?" He saw Reinhard flinched and looked away guiltily "It's okay…I won't be mad. I promise."
"I came home…and didn't see you. You didn't have work today, and your room was locked-" Reinhard said quickly as if out of breath "And I…I felt so scared, that you left."
"Wait. You think I will leave you, just like that?" Subaru raised his brows, clearly exasperated
"I-I thought I was gonna be sold…"
"…" Subaru's mouth gaped in shock, clearly taking a moment to take the information in
"I'm sorry-" Reinhard kept his gaze on the ground
"No…don't be." Subaru hugged the child, an awful feeling threatened to spill out of his chest. He reigned the feeling in, along with the implications that came along with it. "All this time…I have been a terrible father, haven't I?"
The sentiment, while mostly coming from Subaru, as he searched into the memories of Heinkel, he knew the red-haired man was aware of it, too.
"N-no. That is…not true…"
"You always care too much about the feelings of others," Subaru commented, that perhaps it was because of his own turbulent emotions, the memories of Heinkel were pouring onto his mind as if he was the man himself. "I'm sorry, Reinhard."
Heinkel's feeling of inadequacy bled through the memories, but he knew that he shouldn't burden the already tired child with his own negativity.
He took a deep breath to compose himself, perhaps for the most audacious line he had said yet.
"But you have nothing to worry about…because no matter how much of a failure this father of yours is…he won't leave you."
Reinhard widened his eyes, then finally broke into a sob. The child hugged him back clumsily, and Subaru vaguely saw the bruises on his nape. Subaru almost struck a question, yet he decided to stay silent for now.
For now, staying like this feels like the right thing.
Subaru didn't know for how long, but Reinhard finally let go. He hastily wiped off the tears from his young face, and Subaru ruffled his head with a reassuring smile.
"Why don't I make you something hearty to eat?" Subaru suggested, "I heard that a good meal makes everything better!"
"I…" Reinhard mumbled, barely audible "I forgot…to buy meat and peas."
"No problem! I will go and buy it."
"No…stay…"
"And leave my son hungry and drained? That would be quite irresponsible now, wouldn't it?"
"I…just want you to stay."
"Hah…is your old man that unreliable?" Subaru sighed "How about this? You accompanied me to the market. Keep an eye on this old man so he couldn't run away."
"…okay." Reinhard finally replied
"But first wash your face and change into new clothes…you looked like hell, kiddo."
Reinhard's face turned red, and he quickly made his way to the public bath. The atmosphere didn't seem so heavy anymore.
'Ha…crisis averted.' Subaru let out a sigh of relief
What am I supposed to do now?
Subaru came into his room and spent a few minutes to calm his raving breath.
It seemed that…going home will be impossible for now. With this in mind, his thought about the red-haired child finally cemented.
Who cares if I was Natsuki Subaru before this? Reinhard…he is my kid now.
And from this moment forth, I'm Heinkel van Astrea.
He was unable to return home for now…Subaru knew that, but it wasn't just his acceptance of the situation that caused that thought in his head.
'This hurting child…if I didn't take care of him, who will? He only had me left...' A sense of responsibility rose inside Subaru, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly 'What an absurd situation…'
However, some less-than-desirable thought also assaulted his mind.
When I return home…w ill this body turn back to that of a corpse? How will Reinhard react when he sees that?
Such terrible scenarios…
Subaru clenched his knuckles, as he thought about the potential consequences.
But I…my parents…
After spending a while thinking, Subaru finally reached a conclusion. That there was absolutely no use thinking about it now. He wouldn't be able to return home for a while. His current situation, in the meanwhile, was a real dilemma.
"My financial situation now is really bad. The price of food is one thing, but there's also Reinhard's school fees…"
The memories of a woman with soft blond hair, her face serene as if she sleeping crept up on Subaru's mind.
"Louanna…if I get demoted, I won't be able to afford Louanna's hospital cost."
Because he was a semi-high-ranking officer, the hospital cost has been reduced tremendously. But if he were to lose that position…even if Reinhard dropped out of school, it wouldn't be enough to keep Louanna alive. He could discharge her out of the hospital, but he didn't know how to take care of a coma patient. He and Reinhard also had things to do, and leaving a person with such a condition alone in the apartment…
If Louanna was to die-
No.
Subaru immediately cut off that train of thought. The gravity of his situation is getting more and more precarious as he becomes more aware.
'While relying on the tarot club is an appealing option, that will have to be my last resort.' He thought to himself 'For something like this, I had no choice but to rely on myself!'
My life in another world was already so complicated like this...