Work Text:
Modern era.
A woman was sitting in front of her computer and had just finished reading a novel that was currently popular not only in China but all over the world.
The ending was released today, and despite the time difference around the world, millions of readers were simultaneously reading the final words about their beloved world and the characters they had become close to over the years.
– Ah… I would like the main character to be able to save the people important to him. He could do this with his power at its peak. I would like the main character with his strongest powers to be able to save those he cares about.
The woman made a wish unconsciously. She wasn't the only one. Millions of readers of the novel expressed similar wishes at the same moment. Apparently nothing happened…
Somewhere in the spiritual world…
An invisible wave rushed towards Sefirah Castle. The Lord of Mysteries sensed something and turned in a specific direction. Suddenly, an invisible force burst through the gray fog, and Klein's ears were flooded with countless wishes that overlapped one another. The deity's body began to writhe, trying to endure the attack. To eliminate the mass of overlapping voices, individual Worms of Spirit in defense of the main body began to grant single wishes. This is how they allowed the wave to wash over Klein. Before the Lord of Mysteries could sense that something beyond his control was happening and prevent the actions of his Worms of Spirit, his spirituality moved in a great mass and everything disappeared from his sight…
It took some time for Zhou Mingrui to come to his senses. He felt a piercing headache, but after a moment it all passed and he felt the Worms of Spirit regenerating his body. After a moment he looked around the small apartment, which looked strangely familiar.
He was disoriented and instinctively thought of his Sefirah Castle, and a gray mist immediately appeared before him. The surrounding area was empty, but in the distance one could see a large staircase leading up to the door where the souls of people from the "modern era" hung. He looked at his body and his clothes changed from a tattered old shirt to a suit and a black and yellow robe, from under which semi-transparent tentacles with symbols describing the mystery emerged.
The Lord of Mysteries looked around the empty space again and immediately recalled the appearance of the palace. The stone pillars and dome immediately rose from the gray mist, as did the ancient mottled table and 22 stone chairs. Sefirah Castle immediately welcomed its master, and Zhou Mingrui sat in the seat of honor. Behind him, above the backrest, an eye without a pupil immediately appeared, and below it, lines crossing many times, a symbol of mystery and change, a symbol of the Fool.
Klein made the prophecy and analyzed the answer in disbelief, today was June 28, 1349 of the Fifth Era… That was the day Zhou Mingrui appeared in the body of Klein Moretti. It was the day of his awakening… He sat in silence for a moment, then his eyes looked around. Then he closed his eyes. He was back in Tingen, and the Captain was still alive… Old Neil too…
– I could save them… – whispered the Lord of Mysteries to himself.
After a moment he looked around at the seats around him.
– Tarot Club… I could also help everyone better. – Zhou Mingrui said to himself, but his subconscious had already thought of all the members who were important in his heart.
The Lord of Mysteries' spirituality flowed rapidly towards specific individuals, and before Klein could interrupt it, a crimson light appeared at the speckled table. The characters began to appear one by one, and after a while, 8 characters appeared at the table, appearing disoriented, pulled from their current situations and activities.
Zhou Mingrui was momentarily surprised, but then he relaxed, clasped his hands together, and rested his chin on them, waiting for the others to notice him. Of course, Audrey and Alger, who were closest to him, were the first to notice him.
– Um, sir? Excuse me. Who are you? Does this Divine Realm belong to you? – the young noblewoman asked politely.
The rest of the characters heard her voice and turned towards the head of the table.
Mr. Fool smiled freely, feeling confident and knowing that he no longer needed to pretend to be too lofty, for at that moment he truly was a god, a true god, not a pretend one, even the Great Old One.
– Yes, this place is mine, young lady. You can call me Fool. – the Lord of Mysteries introduced himself.
Silence fell over the gray fog, allowing everyone to absorb this information and digest their sudden appearance in the realm of God!
After this silence, Leonard suddenly spoke next.
– What is your reason for gathering us here, Mr. Fool? – the self-proclaimed poet asked cautiously, trying to hide his excitement at the situation he was facing.
Klein smiled to himself, shaking his head inwardly. I had forgotten how enthusiastic Leonard was at that time, considering himself the protagonist of this world. I'd be curious to hear your reaction if you knew how far you could go, fellow poet.
– This is a test. I want to convene a secret meeting of Beyonders who will monitor the world situation with me in order to prevent various threats. It will be called the Tarot Club. You can join or not, the choice is yours. – said the Fool, seemingly calmly, although he secretly hoped that everyone would agree. He didn't want to lose any members, but he didn't want to force them to join either. – At this gathering you will be able to exchange knowledge, ingredients, and items with each other and with me. – after a while, the Lord of Mysteries offered to encourage them to join.
Young Audrey was very excited about this offer and immediately agreed. Similarly, Derrick saw an opportunity to get help for the City of Silver, as those around him seemed to come from somewhere else, but Mr. Fool himself was mysterious and seemed to have extensive mystical knowledge. Perhaps he would know a method to lift the curse of killing relatives from the City of Silver.
Leonard also readily agreed, believing that the protagonist of this era should be in a secret organization that controls world events!
Alger was nervous about the presence of the mysterious being, who was clearly powerful enough to pull so many people into this mysterious space at once. Seeing that more and more people were agreeing, he didn't want to be worse or be left behind. He also agreed to join the gatherings organized by this mysterious being.
Then more people agreed to join, and eventually everyone agreed, for different reasons, although Zhou Mingrui had an idea what those reasons might be. He sat casually, then tapped the mottled table with his finger.
– Now that everyone has decided, it's time for codenames. Choose a card from the tarot deck. If any recur, we'll fix it. – said the Fool, and with a wave of his hand he called out the Major Arcana cards from the Tarot deck in front of everyone present. He did not interfere in the elections (apart from Leonard and Emlyn, because he wanted to annoy them a little), waiting for fate to decide, he did not expect it to be different from what he knew.
Once the selection was complete, everyone introduced themselves, starting with the ladies on Klein's side. They were Justice (Audrey), Magician (Fors), Hermit (Cattleya), Judgment (Xio), Hanged Man (Alger), Sun (Derrick), Moon (Emlyn), and Star (Leonard). The Fool looked around, then nodded in satisfaction and spoke again.
– Meetings will be held every Monday at 3 p.m. Backlund time in Loen. If the meeting is to be canceled, I will notify you in advance. For now, this concludes our first meeting. – Fool Klein said in a calm and confident voice.
Miss Justice was the first to rise from the table and bowed to the host in the seat of honor.
– By Your will. – she said and the other 7 characters followed her example.
The Fool nodded and crimson light flooded the figures, sending them back from the divine palace. He sat in the quiet palace and finally wondered how he had ended up back in 1349. He performed a dream reading by leaning back and closing his eyes.
In a flash, the scene of an invisible wavelet attack flashed through his dream, and he heard voices, a multitude of voices overlapping and whispering.
“I wish the main character with his strongest powers could save those he cares about.”
– So this happened… It was a wave of simultaneous wishes that my Worms of Spirit began to fulfill, and since there were millions of the same wish, the wish gained great power… But where did these wishes come from…? – Zhou Mingrui thought for a moment, then shook his head. – Let's forget about that for now.
Klein said to himself and returned to his room in the small apartment. He began to remember what events had taken place at the beginning of his "transmigration."
After the meeting, above the gray fog, Klein heard a knock on his apartment door. He felt his heart pound, knowing who was behind the door. He ruffled his hair, rumpled his shirt, and opened the door, looking at the two familiar figures, using his Clown powers to hide his turbulent emotions.
We meet again, Captain.