Seeing The Fool fall silent, the Tarot Club members exchanged glances before turning their curious gazes to Derrick and Alaric, hoping the two who seemed in the know might spill some details.
Derrick, feeling the weight of their eager stares, instinctively looked to The Fool for permission. With a nod from Mr. Fool, he began recounting what he knew, though it wasn't much: Lucifer had decided to help City of Silver, promising to restore light to the city and its surroundings, select a few people to visit the outside world, and eventually save City of Silver entirely when the time was right. Though Derrick wasn't sure when that time would come, he was brimming with anticipation for the promised light.
"Sounds like wonderful news." Audrey said, unable to hold back her joy for Derrick.
Alger, The Hanged Man, wore a thoughtful expression. He recalled his encounters with His Excellency Helel and the records he'd read about the angel. Associating Helel with "kindness" felt like a stretch... mischievous was more fitting. Still, he wasn't about to badmouth Lucifer in front of The Fool. After a moment's consideration, he said, "Has your Chief decided who'll go to the outside world? Need any help? I might be able to lend a hand."
Regardless of The Fool's motives for City of Silver, sending an angel showed serious intent, so Alger decided to invest in the opportunity. Even without The Fool's agenda, City of Silver itself was worth betting on.
"I can help too. I mean… if you're short on funds, I've got some to spare." Audrey added, her offer driven purely by kindness and camaraderie, without the strategic calculations Alger entertained.
With two senior members stepping up, the others couldn't stay silent.
"I'd be happy to assist City of Silver's people." Alaric said with a smile.
"I'm not sure what I can do, but if there's a need, I'm in." Fors, still bewildered, chimed in to fit in.
"If you need me, just say the word." World's cold puppet voice echoed.
"The Chief has a rough list of candidates, but I don't know the details…" Derrick replied instinctively, warmed by the group's support. "Thank you, everyone. You're all such good people."
And just like that, the Tarot Club members each received a metaphorical good-person card.
Derrick, struck by a thought, turned to Alaric. "Mr. Emperor, do you know His Excellency Lucifer?"
"I'm Lucifer's student." Alaric said with a smile, not dodging the question.
He'd deliberately dropped that hint earlier... not to show off, but to naturally set the stage for revealing Lucifer's persona. An angel couldn't exactly boast about themselves, so Jack, the student, had to provide some assists.
The revelation stunned the group, who'd overlooked Alaric's earlier mention of Lucifer as his "teacher" amid Derrick's bombshell. Their gazes now brimmed with shock.
"Mr. Emperor, may I ask... what does His Excellency Lucifer like or dislike?" Derrick asked eagerly after the initial shock. "I don't mean anything by it, just… I'm worried we might not host him properly."
With City of Silver's limited resources and scant knowledge of Lucifer, Derrick feared they'd fall short in their preparations, from the welcome ceremony to accommodations and provisions. Learning that Emperor was Lucifer's student, he seized the chance to ask.
The other members, though surprised by Derrick's bluntness, pricked up their ears, curiosity piqued about an angel's preferences.
"Teacher's interests…" Alaric blinked, adopting a reminiscent look before carefully choosing his words. "Teacher loves knowledge, reading, and uncovering secrets buried by time…"
Derrick mentally noted this, cross-referencing it with the Chief's plans. He relaxed slightly... Chief Colin Iliad had anticipated an angel might be interested in knowledge or history, given that the outside world seemed to lack records of the Second and Third Epochs. If Lucifer came from outside, he'd likely find City of Silver's archives appealing, one of the few things the city could proudly offer.
"Beyond that…" Alaric hesitated, then added, "Teacher tends to appreciate people with complex pasts."
Derrick looked puzzled. "What's a complex past?"
Alger's expression flickered briefly before he masked it.
After a second's pause, Alaric said, "Like those with winding life paths or facing tough choices... say, someone who's fallen out with a sibling, parted ways with a close friend, or was once a villain but turned over a new leaf…" He listed examples, then coughed lightly. "Teacher likes stories, so he's drawn to such people. But don't worry, his… personality is still quite kind."
A few seconds of silence hung over the gray fog. Derrick, oblivious, remained confused, while Alger, Audrey, and Fors lowered their heads in unison. Unlike the naive Derrick, they caught the subtext... Lucifer's personality might lean a bit mischievous.
But did they dare tell Derrick? Of course not.
Even if Lucifer's a bit tricky, with Mr. Fool overseeing, it should be fine… Audrey reassured herself, though she couldn't help a worried glance at Derrick. Alger and Fors shared similar thoughts.
Unaware of their concerns, Derrick earnestly pressed Alaric for more details about Lucifer. Their conversation carried on, with most members distracted, until they moved to the trading phase. Only World requested materials for a Faceless potion, and Fors sought a Trickmaster formula. No one else had needs.
With that, the Tarot Club meeting drew to a close.
***
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