Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 151 The First Day of October
In the Meazza Palace, sunlight shines through the carved window lattices and onto the exquisite and classical carpets, creating a solemn and quiet atmosphere.

Count Meazza was sitting in his study, his back straight, writing at his desk.

The door of the study was gently pushed open, and Jessica, wearing a light white dress, walked in.

Count Meazza looked up and saw his sister, who looked peaceful. A hint of relief flashed across his dark eyes. He closed his notebook, motioned for Jessica to sit down, and said, "Jessica, I heard from Eurydice that you've been trying to get a seat on the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee recently?"

After returning from Tingen, Jessica, who was in poor mental state, resigned from various family business positions one after another.

Even after seeing Claire's spirit in the cemetery chapel and feeling better, Jessica didn't return to the business world. Instead, she participated in some of Backlund's charitable and public welfare activities with a mindset similar to praying for blessings.

Having worked in business for nearly half her life and experienced all kinds of human intrigues, Jessica knows very well that this kind of activity is full of fakes.

But she has the halo of the Meazza family. During this period, she really did some practical things according to her own temperament, and the fake people around her just followed her with a smile.

Jessica doesn't care whether those who participate in charity and public welfare are hypocritical or sincere, because she believes that her purpose is not that simple. She just wants to seek peace of mind and blessings through these things.

"Yes, brother." Jessica responded calmly.

"Need... help?" Count Meazza paused, his voice a bit hard and cold. Combining what he knew about the matter, he continued, "This committee involves heavy industry, energy, and the environment. Heavy industry is now a pillar of the kingdom, so this committee is quite involved, and many nobles and ministers are paying close attention."

Jessica smiled lightly and shook her head, saying, "I've already received a definite response, and they welcome me to join them."

Jessica didn't have any emotional ups and downs about the application being approved. She would do what she had to do, but that was all. What she was more worried about at the moment was the dream she would have tomorrow night.

Tomorrow is the first day of October. As agreed, I will be able to see Claire in my dreams tomorrow night. In Jessica's current understanding, if I can see her tomorrow night, it will prove that Claire has indeed entered the Kingdom of God after her sacrifice, which also brings her comfort.

If I don’t see...

Jessica didn't want to think about it.

She is so devout now, she devoutly believes that the goddess exists and devoutly practices the goddess's teachings.

Just to make himself believe that Claire was living forever in the goddess' kingdom, rather than dying in vain.

Count Meazza, secretly concerned about his sister's situation, could empathize with Jessica's feelings to a certain extent, but he was not good at expressing his feelings and brought up another matter: "Beth Lyonnes' case was already finalized. Fortunately, you had already severed all contact with her by then."

Jessica frowned, a hint of doubt on her face. "I heard that none of the noble women who had relationships with Beth Lyonness were punished."

"Yes. The kingdom didn't conduct any investigation, simply brushing the matter aside under the pretext of 'cover-up,' but those noble women didn't end up well..." Count Meazza said in a low voice, "After Beth Lyonness disappeared, they lost the looks they were so proud of and began to age rapidly. Some, unable to endure the changes, even took their own lives. It's just that this matter was concealed by their respective families."

Jessica remained silent.

Of course, there were noble women who approached Beth Lyonness for her beauty.

But she hadn't been able to accept Claire's death a while ago, and had nearly fallen prey to Beth Lyonness's seduction. So, among those noble women who had fallen into this situation, were there any others who had similar circumstances?

Jessica said calmly, "What about those men? I've heard before that many of them want Beth Lyonness's more beautiful looks and younger bodies in order to please their husbands. Some men even send their women to Beth Lyonness."

Count Meazza remained silent.

Jessica shook her head and sighed softly. "Brother, you asked me to come mainly because of the committee, right? I remember that the family held a considerable share of the anthracite market, and some of it was negotiated by me back then. Do you want me to have some influence on these policies in the committee?"

Count Meazza's mouth twitched slightly, but in the end, no expression appeared on his face. He said stiffly, "This is your duty after becoming a committee member, isn't it?"

Jessica responded softly, "I will fulfill the duties entrusted to me by the kingdom. If there is nothing else, please allow me to leave."

Count Meazza looked at Jessica's departing figure, frowned and sighed deeply, then returned to his expressionless look. Under the arrangement of the butler, he got on an ordinary carriage without any markings and came to a members-only club.

This was the place where Count Meazza met with people who were not convenient to meet in public.

The Meazza family has arranged many places like this.

"Press." Count Meazza, upon seeing the stern-faced man waiting at the door, smiled, a rare gesture, and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

This person was actually Viscount Press, the private detective hired by Claire to investigate.

Viscount Press came forward and said with a smile, "Respected Count Meazza, you have kept me waiting for a long time. Your loyal friend has been awaiting your orders."

"Press, your jokes won't amuse me...it's true it's been a long time since we last met." Count Meazza relaxed a little, patted his old friend on the shoulder, and said:
"I'm contacting you this time because I hope you can help me look after Jessica on the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee. She's been recruited to the committee. This is a government body approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and it holds considerable power... Also, I heard that Hibbert, the eldest son of the Hall family, is vying for the position of Chief Secretary. The Hall family is the second-largest shareholder in the Constant Coal and Steel Consortium, and I'm worried that Jessica might clash with them and suffer losses."

"Furthermore, Jessica hasn't fully recovered yet. She doesn't fully understand the scale of interests and concerns involved in this committee. Based on her recent behavior within those charities, she's going to suffer greatly on the committee."

Viscount Press couldn't help but laugh. "My respected Count Meazza, after all these years, you're still so awkwardly complicating your family's affairs... Fine, fine. I'll help you look after Jessica."

"Thanks, Pres."

……

On Pacefield Street, after discussing the time and place for her meeting with Tai Perslan with Daly, Claire returned to her residence at noon to rest and prepare for the Tarot Club gathering at three o'clock.

Moreover, today was Monday, also the first day of October. Claire remembered that tonight was the date she had agreed to meet with Jessica. If she didn't keep her promise, she was afraid that Jessica's mental state, which had finally recovered, would deteriorate further.

Tessa's meeting, the tarot gathering, the agreement with Jessica... Just as Claire was thinking about these things, she felt movement in the gray fog world again.

The Fool has arrived in the Gray Fog World again early.

This time, the Fool brought some items with him, which made the clutter in one corner of the magnificent palace a little more numerous.

There were two items that particularly caught Claire's attention.

A bunch of blood-stained documents turned out to be standard contracts. After browsing the contents of the documents, Claire saw that they were templates for the employment contract of private detective Sherlock Moriarty.

"Is the Fool's current identity really Sherlock Moriarty? What a strange name..." Claire sighed softly: "Klein Moretti." The other one was a pair of completely black eyes that the Fool took out from an iron cigarette box.

"This is the Beyonder characteristic left behind by the Sequence 5 'Puppet Master' hunted by the Fool... Sequence 5. If the Fool is truly Klein, how did he kill a Sequence 5 of the same sequence?"

"Is he planning to directly absorb the Sequence 5's characteristics? But this item carries a strong aura of 'True Creator'. Is the Fool so reckless?"

Claire had many doubts in her mind, and then she saw the Fool trying to separate the Beyonder characteristics in the "All-Black Eye".

But the Fool failed.

Then, Claire saw the Fool raise his hand, and a man in a hooded robe materialized on the chair at the bottom of the mottled bronze table.

"Are you trying to create a trumpet again?" Claire was stunned. The movements of the clone created by the Fool were just as stiff and rigid as last time.

But this time, the prepared Fool reached out and grasped the Eye of Blackness. Suddenly, through the power of the gray mist, Claire vaguely saw that the Fool's spirit, under the blessing of the Eye of Blackness, seemed to grasp something floating out of the dummy.

Then, Claire saw that the dull dummy suddenly seemed to come alive!
Claire heard the Fool smile and ask the "alive" dummy opposite, "Welcome, new member. Which tarot card would you like to draw?"

The dummy raised his hand, touched his chin, and laughed hoarsely, "World! I choose the 'World' card."

The Fool is the beginning of the Tarot deck, representing infinite possibilities, while The World is the end, signifying perfection and sublimation. This also corresponds exactly to the position of the two.

"This……"

The Fool succeeded? Is this a secondary account controlled by the Fool?

Claire looked at the gray fog world. The Fool was like he had obtained a new and interesting toy. He manipulated the "world" to perform various actions and kept communicating with the "world".

Claire looked at this scene and couldn't help but wonder, is this a fantastical self-questioning and self-answering?

The Fool is simply manipulating a puppet that is indistinguishable from a real person.

"'Master of Secret Puppetry'... Could this be a Sequence 5 Beyonder Ability of the Diviner's Path?"

Claire felt a little envious as she thought this. She also wanted to create an alt-account and re-enter the world of gray fog. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to do it, nor did she have the opportunity to try.

At three o'clock, figures sat down in the giant palace. Audrey's greetings echoed cheerfully: "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool. Good afternoon, everyone."

Audrey glanced at the figure sitting at the very end.

"Who is this?" Audrey couldn't help but asked in surprise.

She carefully observed the figure, but could only see that it was hidden under a hooded black robe. Who was it? Could it be Hugh? Fors? Galadilla?

Not very similar...

Just as Audrey was pondering, the Fool's leisurely voice came from the upper seat, introducing everyone, "This is the new member, Mr. World."

Claire was filled with envy. This feeling of opening two accounts simultaneously only showed that the Fool was a skilled player. He must have been a veteran player on Earth!

If only I had this extraordinary ability to open two doors at once... Claire's gaze fell on Tessa, who was sitting in the "Queen" seat.

After the various Tarot Club members briefly observed the new member's "world", the Tarot Club entered the Fool's reading time as usual, and it was still the "Hanged Man" who handed over his batch of Russell diaries.

Claire watched along:

"On February 9, I had my third child, and I named him Bonova."

This is a diary entry in which Russell introduces his three children.

Offspring can inherit some of their parents' Beyonder traits, so "giving birth" is also a way for Beyonders to expel excess Beyonder traits from their bodies.

Roselle's eldest daughter, Bernadette, was born in Roselle's Low-Sequence period. She did not inherit any Beyonder traits, but was fortunate enough to be able to freely choose the path she wanted to take.

Russell's eldest son, Charles, inherited only a few Beyonder traits and was therefore confined to the "Generalist" path. He neither gained any inherited benefits nor was able to freely choose the path of his own interest.

And Roselle's second son, Bonova, was equivalent to a "Sequence 5" astrologer when he was born!

"This child is actually a natural born astrologer... How powerful would Russell be at this moment?" Claire was a little shocked as she read the diary.

Astrologer is the ancient name for the "astronomer" of Sequence 5 in the Universal Path. She is currently only a Sequence 7 "appraiser" and can't even see the tail of a Sequence 5.

Then in the diary, Russell asks the angel "Zaratul" of the fortune teller's path about the future of his children.

The angel praised Bonnois as a lovely angel, predicted Charles's death, and predicted that Bernadette would abandon her father and become a big figure in the mysterious world.

Then, the second half of the diary was filled with Russell's mumbling about the prophecy - he couldn't believe that his lovely and attached daughter would hate and betray him as a father.

"As a daughter, I'm bound to be disappointed and disgusted by my father's indiscriminate consumption of food... But to the point of disgust, did Roselle do something that angered heaven and earth?" Claire recalled the records of Roselle in the history books. "Could it be that this Bernadette was a progressive who opposed colonialism?"

Claire's thoughts wandered randomly.

"However, since Bernadette has become a prominent figure in the mysterious world, and is even called a prominent figure by a Sequence 2 angel, she's probably still alive..."

Claire felt that this guess was very likely.

After the Fool finished reading the diary, in the following communication session, it was Tessa who spoke first.

She looked directly at Audrey and reminded her, "Miss Justice, you should find a way to pay me the £20,000 reward safely and secretly."

(End of this chapter)