Chapter Text
…
…?
Why am I still here
Having gotten caught up in the meeting, Zhou Mingrui temporarily forgot that Mr. Fool still had certain matters to discuss with him. He was left baffled when he remained in the mysterious realm after his fellow Club members had disappeared in a flash of red light.
Mr. Fool chuckled – the sound echoing through the mist, a gentle melody in Zhou Mingrui’s ears. “You didn’t forget our appointment, did you? If you had, I would be sorely disappointed,” he joked.
Zhou Mingrui still hadn’t adapted to this entity’s apparent fondness for him. He felt slightly hysterical at The Fool’s teasing – unsure whether he should shrink back in fear or quip back at him.
Luckily, he did not have to worry for long. Mr. Fool spoke up again, “Let us finish up our conversation. You and I both have other matters to tend to, soon.”
Zhou Mingrui nodded and sat back down in his chair. The Fool crossed his ten fingers, placing them underneath his chin as his elbows rested on the long table.
“As you must have come to understand by now, ‘Beyonders’ are those who possess extraordinary abilities,” Mr. Fool said. “You must become one of them to obtain the answers you seek.”
“You will start at sequence 9 and grow stronger through the use of potions. At sequence 4, I can start giving you proper answers – though, even then, I will not be able to tell you everything. Before you reach sequence 4, I will only give you hints.”
Zhou Mingrui nodded. Hesitantly, he asked, “Will you give me the formula of a sequence 9 potion? Is there anything you need me to do in exchange?”
Mr. Fool leaned back, placing his clasped hands on his lap as he offered Zhou Mingrui a gentle smile. “Don’t worry. As I said before, your entry into this world has already been laid out – you need but be patient.”
That is very helpful, Mr. Charlatan, Zhou Mingrui mentally lampooned. He sighed, resigned. Why can’t you just give a direct answer?
Mirthfully, Mr. Fool smiled at him. “One piece of advice–” he said, “–don’t try to run, you’ll only end up embarrassing yourself.”
…?
What is that supposed to mean!?
His thoughts must have shown on his face, as Mr. Fool’s gentle laughter tinkled through the mist once again. “You will understand when it is time,” the professional charlatan said, trying to get his amusement back under control.
You are ten times worse than that beast tamer! Zhou Mingrui inwardly raged.
After his chuckles subsided, The Fool’s expression turned somber. “There is one other matter that I wish to discuss before you return,” he spoke. “That is, regarding that luck enhancement ritual.”
!!!
Zhou Mingrui immediately became serious again – all his previous thoughts abandoned.
“As you may have guessed, that ritual connects to this space,” The Fool said. “However, I urge you not to repeat it. Other than my kingdom, it also connects to a different, far less friendly existence. Performing it will bring you nothing but more trouble in the future.”
It connects to a different existence as well as this space? It is also related to my transmigration… These cannot be mere coincidences – they must all somehow be intertwined with one another.
Mr. Fool said that he is the current owner of this space. Maybe the dangerous existence was its previous owner, and it played an important role in my transmigration?
Zhou Mingrui looked up. Pursing his lips, Mr. Fool nodded gravely at him.
I must be on the right track. However, Mr. Fool isn’t sharing any more. It must be because my level is insufficient again…
I shall attempt to investigate further when I become a Beyonder.
He reigned in his thoughts, turning his focus back to Mr. Fool. Seeing this, The Fool spoke again, “This is not only for your own benefit. For my own sake, I also hope you will not attempt that ritual again.”
Surprised, Zhou Mingrui nodded in agreement. “I will not attempt the ritual again,” he promised.
Mr. Fool smiled gratefully at him in response. “However,” he said, “it will be beneficial for you if you could access this space as you wished. Therefore, I have a proposal for you. Should you accept, it will aid you in your quest to become stronger.”
Another proposal?
Reminded of Mr. Fool’s earlier proposals, Zhou Mingrui felt a bit hesitant to accept his offer.
Forget it – he said it will aid me in my advancement; I can’t turn it down. I can’t do things half-heartedly if I wish to return home! Plus, it is better to have as many trump cards as possible in a situation such as mine.
Tentatively, he responded, “Alright.”
The Fool smiled wryly at him. “I understand your weariness – this is the last matter I have to talk to you about today. After this, you can return home.”
“Though you could just pray to me for entry, I will not be… available, all the time. Hence, it would be easier for you to have a sort of key, wouldn’t you agree?” he said, waving his hand through the mist.
The mist floating in the realm trembled. It started swirling, converging at a specific spot above the long table. The haze surrounding the center started thinning – coalescing into a compact mass that was gradually taking shape at the core of the vortex.
Gradually, the compressed mass turned corporeal. As the last remnants of the mist was absorbed, an object was reflected in Zhou Mingrui’s eyes.
Attached to a metal chain, a silver pocket watch hung. Its cover was engraved with organic curves and rolling incomplete circle motifs, exuding an arcane elegance. A small, topaz pendant swayed from the other end of the chain, exuding a warm yellow glow.
The watch flipped open, revealing dial numbers written in Loenese. Three soberly decorated arrows pointed outwards from the center; the short and thick hour hand pointed to the right, the thinner minute hand pointed to the left, while the long second hand swept from the right to the bottom of the watch.
The Fool waved his hand again, and the pocket watch drifted smoothly through the mist towards Zhou Mingrui. When it arrived in his hands, Mr. Fool nodded at him with a gentle smile.
“This is your key to this realm,” he said. “All you have to do…” A slippery feeling startled Zhou Mingrui. He looked down to see a tendril of fog that had risen up from below, nudging at his hand. Mr. Fool chuckled. “– is to remember this feeling.”
A warm, weightless feeling erupted within his chest. It felt comfortable – right, as if it had always been there and had simply gone unnoticed during his short time in this world.
He cradled his hand to his chest in quiet fascination. Awed, he looked back up at Mr. Fool, who regarded him with soft eyes as the fog swayed tenderly around his feet.
There was but a single thought in Zhou Mingrui’s mind at that moment.
What a magical feeling…
“Everyone possesses spirituality,” The Fool said. “That is what you felt just now. However, as an ordinary person, you will have difficulty harnessing it – you will only truly understand it when you become a Beyonder.”
A little dazed, Zhou Mingrui nodded. Mr. Fool chuckled again. “When you wish to make use of this space, envision this realm remember this feeling,” he said. The slippery feeling receded as the tendril of fog withdrew from his hand, taking with it the warmth in Zhou Mingrui’s chest.
He tried to ignore the gaping, cold hole it left behind.
“The pocket watch also has other uses.” Mr. Fool settled back in his chair in a relaxed manner. “The pendant attached to it acts as a sort of locating device. It is connected to your soul; regardless of where you are or where the watch is, you will be able to sense it.”
So, no matter what happens, I am physically unable to lose it. Are you insulting my ability to keep my belongings safe? Zhou Mingrui thought humorously.
Suddenly, the fog halted all movement. It tightened around his feet, thick with tension.
The moment lasted for but a moment before the fog eased the pressure it exerted on his calves – simmering with nervous energy around his chair. Bemused, Zhou Mingrui stared at it, before looking back up.
At the other end of the table, Mr. Fool’s pursed lips twitched. He offered Zhou Mingrui a sheepish smile. “There is another use…” his mellow voice trailed off as he rapped the arm of his chair.
A brief moment of silence befell the realm of fog as The Fool considered his words.
“On Monday afternoons, I would like you to pour your spirituality into the watch,” The Fool eventually spoke. “The process is similar to what you would do if you wished to return, but without the intent to enter this space.”
“This is a personal request of mine – a favour, if you will.”
Wouldn’t you owe me, then? Zhou Mingrui mentally shook his head in amusement.
He seriously considered the matter for a moment, looking down at the pocket watch in his hands in thought. When he looked up at The Fool again, he asked, “What are the consequences? What is its purpose?”
The fog clawed uncomfortably at his legs as The Fool sighed.
“I will usually be in a deep sleep,” The Fool said with a complicated expression. He pursed his lips as the fog stirred below the table. “If you send your spirituality into the pocket watch, I will wake up.”
Stunned into silence, Zhou Mingrui found he had discovered something personal.
Mr. Fool had also been sleeping when I arrived here… He must be very tired…
On Monday afternoons, the meetings would take place. If he wishes to continue these gatherings, as he had promised to Mr. Hanged Man and Miss Justice, he will have to somehow wake up from his slumber.
Having come to a realization, Zhou Mingrui felt that the man sat opposite him was very pitiable. He soon decided to accept his request, as it did not seem to bring him any danger that did not already exist. A feeling of determination welled up inside him.
Starting today, I will become a dedicated alarm clock!
“Alright, I will wake you up every Monday around two in the afternoon,” he said, placing his hands – which were still holding the pocket watch – on the table.
The Fool nodded gratefully, a sheepish smile on his face as the fog softened, gently caressing Zhou Mingrui’s feet. “Thank you,” Mr. Fool said. “As is the case for Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man, your help, too, will not go unrewarded.”
No, really, you’re too generous, Zhou Mingrui thought, sweat dripping down his forehead as a feeling of guilt built up inside. At this rate, I won’t ever get out of debt!
“You’re too kind,” he said instead with a polite smile.
Oh, whatever. This small addition doesn’t compare to my mountain of debt, anyways. This will benefit me, too… A person can’t ever have too many cards up their sleeves, after all. Let’s just accept his goodwill…
The smile on Mr. Fool’s lips deepened.
“Do you have any further questions?” he asked Zhou Mingrui.
In response, Zhou Mingrui gave him a cordial yet strained smile as he shook his head. Truthfully, he had a lot of questions to ask the mysterious person sat opposite him. However, today had already been tiresome enough. He wished to return home to properly digest all the information he had received and take a nap.
“Then,” Mr. Fool said, “that will be all for today.”
With a snap of dainty fingers, Zhou Mingrui was expelled from the mysterious realm.
When he opened his eyes once again, Zhou Mingrui was still standing in the middle of his apartment. Clutched within his hand was a silver pocket watch attached to a small topaz pendant by a delicate metal chain.
“It was like a dream…” he mumbled. “What the heck was that foggy world. Who was that Mr. Fool?” He sighed softly. Sorting through his thoughts, he walked towards the study desk.
He picked up the pocket watch that lay on the desk with his left hand as he raised the one holding the new pocket watch.
He opened the old pocket watch, checking the time. “Time flowed at the same time,” Zhou Mingrui made a rough guess. He opened the new watch, comparing it with the first. “They show roughly the same time…”
Of course, the new pocket watch that had been mysteriously created from a magical fog was probably more accurate than the one that had to be manually adjusted by mortal hands.
He put down the old pocket watch as he sat down on the chair. Lowering his head, he used his thumb and middle finger to massage his temples. The Fool’s information dump had given him a headache.
He sat quietly for a few minutes, massaging his head.
After a long while, he suddenly let out a sigh. He swallowed with great difficulty and whispered weakly in Mandarin, “From the looks of it, I won’t be able to return any time soon.”
Despair washed over him. Feelings of dismay, disappointment, agony and grief flooded his lungs; they surged up like a sludge, invading his throat and constricting his airway. He tried to swallow again – shallowly gasping for breath.
Why is this happening? he wanted to ask.
Why me?
But no answer came.
He clawed desperately at his chest as his breathing became more strained. His vision became blurry – his body felt both hot and cold at the same time. Stubbornly, he pressed his lips together as tears threatened to spill.
…
A tiny voice sounded in his head through his laboured breathing.
I want to go home…
Teardrops fell from his lashes, trickling down his cheeks. His hands shifted to scrub furiously at his eyes. The pocket watch clenched within his right hand slipped out of his trembling fingers, left dangling from the chain wrapped around his wrist.
His soul felt like it had been torn open. His longing for his home burned in his chest, threatening to swallow him whole.
Minutes passed as soft cries rang out in the shabby apartment.
…
After some time, he silently wheezed, swallowing around the lump in his throat. Tears continued to slide slowly down his face as he lowered his arms, resting them on his thighs. He blinked, water droplets dripping from his eyelashes.
Gradually, Zhou Mingrui’s breathing slowed. He sat quietly in his chair with unseeing eyes.
…
His eyes regained their focus as he noticed the sunlight on his desk. He looked up at the sole window in the room. The sky was still blue outside – even though it felt like an eternity had passed since he had performed the luck enhancement ritual.
Zhou Mingrui pursed his lips. He looked down at his wrist, which was wrapped securely in a thin metal chain. From one end of the chain dangled a silver pocket watch, from the other hung a small topaz pendant.
He turned his hand, grabbing the silver watch. Clicking it open, he was greeted with dial numbers written in Loenese.
The minute hand ticked once – then twice. After it had ticked a third time, his hand squeezed the pocket watch tightly. He caressed the ornate engravings that decorated its outer casing as he sighed.
The feelings of dismay, disappointment, agony, grief and longing remained.
However, he thought, At least I have a lead.
With a quiet but firm voice, he said, “From this moment forth, I’m Klein.”