The room fell silent for a moment, then the Astronomer chuckled, saying with a hint of regret, "I think I've heard of Pyromaniac; it seems to be from the Hunter Pathway. What a pity. If it were the starting sequence formula for that Pathway, then I would know it."
"To know even the starting formula is quite remarkable, Astronomer. Your knowledge is truly vast." Miss White Rose, seated in chair No. 2, gave a small compliment to the host.
The Novelist, suspected to be of the Spectator Pathway, in chair No. 3, softly said, "I haven't heard of Pyromaniac, so, unfortunately, I can't help."
Lex was not at all surprised by this result. As expected, the Tarot Club still offered more hope; the level of this gathering was simply too low.
Just then.
The Lawyer, sitting next to Lex, chuckled, "If it's an incomplete Pyromaniac formula, do you need it?"
Lex was momentarily stunned: "You have it?"
"I do, but the formula is incomplete. Perhaps you can take a gamble; who knows, you might still advance if you drink it," Mr. Lawyer said with a flippant tone.
Lex frowned slightly, feeling that this person seemed a bit different from last time.
The Astronomer then cleared his throat and said, "Duke, incomplete potions carry a certain risk of losing control, and they might also be ineffective. Therefore, do not attempt them lightly."
Lex nodded gently, and without caring whether the Astronomer saw him or not, he spoke directly to the Lawyer: "What compensation do you want?"
"If it were a complete formula, it would be at least 700 pounds, even 1000 pounds. But because it's incomplete, I'll sell it to you for 300 pounds. How does that price sound?"
"Acceptable, but can you guarantee that it is indeed a part of the complete formula?" Lex retorted.
The Lawyer's body seemed to lean back: "Of course. If you're not at ease, you can use your own methods to verify it. If you can do it at the gathering, that is, because once we leave this room, none of us know each other, do we?"
The Novelist then spoke: "Duke, I can help you verify it."
This was the friendship earned from providing sequence information last time.
Lex nodded subtly: "Very well, please ask Mr. Novelist to verify it for me. If there are no issues, I will pay immediately."
"Consider it done." The Lawyer picked up the pen and paper on the table, quickly wrote down the formula, folded it, and handed it to the approaching waiter.
The waiter delivered it into the Novelist's hand. The Novelist did not unfold the paper; instead, he took out his slightly rusty coin, muttered a low incantation, and tossed it into the air.
He caught the coin with his hand and then said with a confident tone, "This is real."
Seers are truly convenient.
Lex genuinely sighed with emotion, and from different pockets, he pulled out banknotes of various denominations, gathering 300 pounds, which the waiter then delivered to the Lawyer.
When the formula reached his hands, Lex eagerly opened it, seeing several lines of writing.
'Main materials: One Lava Crystal Diamond.'
'Auxiliary materials: 5 grams of Crimson Flower Nectar, seven drops of Tranquil Water, 5 grams of Solidified Magma.'
One main Material was missing, and the auxiliary materials overlapped with what Mr. Kyle provided. The Novelist had already divined that this incomplete formula was real, so combining it with what Mr. Kyle provided, wouldn't it be a complete formula?
I finally see hope for Pyromaniac!
No, I can't let my guard down. After adding the remaining materials, I should divine again. Hmm, I can ask the Novelist to do it for me. No, wait.
He doesn't even know the name of the next sequence in his own Pathway, so I doubt his divination.
The safest bet would be to go to the Tarot Club next monday and ask Klein, who is skilled in divination, for help, but he is The Fool, and doing such a thing would be beneath him.
A change of thought.
Perhaps Mr. Parker could provide this kind of service?
For a moment, Lex's excited mind kept coming up with one idea after another. By the time he came back to his senses, he found that a transaction had already been completed between the Astronomer and the Novelist.
At this moment, Miss White Rose from chair No. 2 said sweetly, "I'm going on a long journey next week, and there might be danger along the way. I hope to hire a bodyguard. Hmm, a Beyonder bodyguard."
"I wonder if any of the gentlemen present can offer protection, and if not, can you recommend others? My compensation will definitely satisfy him."
If it were within Tingen City, I might consider it. But for a long journey, then no.
Lex put away the potion formula and heard the Astronomer laugh, "I think the gentlemen present probably can't meet your requirements. However, I know a place that can provide similar services."
"If you need it, I'll tell you after the gathering."
"Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Astronomer."
After they finished their conversation, Lex spoke, "Last time, I bought some of Emperor Roselle's notes here. I gave them to a collector friend, and he was very satisfied."
"He hopes to acquire more. I wonder if any of you still have the Emperor's notes for sale?"
After speaking, Lex looked at the Lawyer. He didn't know if it was because of the lighting, so the Lawyer didn't feel his gaze, or for some other reason, but the Lawyer showed no reaction at all.
As for the others, they all stated that they did not have what Lex wanted.
Lex calculated the time; he had been gone for over half an hour, and this gathering seemed unable to provide anything more, so he stood up and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
"Please wait a moment."
The Astronomer called out to him, saying, "Recently, a shocking incident occurred in our city. It was a tragedy, and I heard it even alarmed the official Beyonder."
Hmm, that sounds like it refers to the Grizzly Bear incident.
Lex did not rush to leave and continued to listen to the Astronomer: "Therefore, for the next month, I will suspend holding gatherings. Even if you see a play advertised in the newspaper, this place will not be open."
"As for when the gatherings will resume in October, it's simple: whenever there's a play and one of the actors is named 'Stewart,' you can come and participate."
Lex nodded: "Okay, I've noted that. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Astronomer."
This time, he truly left.
Back in the private box, tonight, perhaps because Matthew and his companions had no intention of looking for Lex, the parrot Grego quietly stayed under the coat rack, occasionally flying down to snatch a fruit, getting along peacefully with the male servant bodyguard.
After Lex returned, he sat back in his chair, watching the performance on the stage below. But he had no interest in theater and found himself feeling drowsy.
He barely managed to endure until the performance ended, then Lex immediately put on his hat, picked up his cane, and quickly walked out of the private box.
When will this world develop a film industry?
Only theatrical performances, it's too dull, I have no interest at all.
I wonder if Emperor Roselle invented video recorders and projectors. Logically speaking, cameras already exist, so these two should be coming soon, right?
Or should I invest in this area again, and become a movie mogul in the future?
Forget it, forget it. These are all long-term investments, and I already have one long-term investment. Currently, I'm more interested in finding short-term profitable projects.
Allowing his thoughts to wander, Lex walked out of the theater, unable to resist taking a deep breath of the late-night air.
Suddenly.
A strange, unpleasant smell, neither fragrant nor foul, that made him uncomfortable, entered Lex's nose.
This immediately reminded him of the Lawyer at the gathering!