"However, this way, you're actually safer."
[The Hanged Man] Alger looked at [The Sun] and said in a deep voice, "To your chief, you and Lovia now represent two different forces.
Both are dangerous, and both might bring new hope to the City of Silver."
"I'm guessing that from now on, he'll try his best to ensure your safety.
Even if you show some abnormalities, he'll ignore them."
"I see..."
[The Sun] breathed a sigh of relief, but soon felt somewhat helpless.
He wanted to work hard to save the City of Silver, but his sincerity couldn't receive pure recognition... After all, the chief had to make the most reasonable decisions.
After this, [The Hanged Man] shared some news from the sea, and everyone taught [The Sun] some Hermes.
Seeing that the time was about right, the Fool at the head spoke, "Let's end it here for today."
"By Your will."
Everyone immediately stood and bowed.
"By Your will."
Silas, the new member, was a second slow, standing up only after seeing the others' movements.
The next second, crimson light surged from the void, enveloping each member present and sending them back to reality.
Only Klein remained above the gray fog, along with the [World] puppet across from him.
He stared for a long time at the strange pattern behind the high-backed chair where Silas had been, falling into silence.
East Borough, No. 9 Saint Martin Street, Silas's current residence.
Silas, who had been sitting still in wait, suddenly felt his body tremble slightly.
Crimson light seemed to surge before his eyes. Immediately after, he seemed to see another illusory version of himself appearing in the light.
The gathering ended?
"Buzz..."
Before he could react, that illusory figure suddenly shattered, transforming into pure streams of consciousness that flooded into his brain, displaying scene after scene and dialogue in his mind.
These are the experiences the virtual personality had above the gray fog?
The five members' code names and characteristics, the lead on the Black Knight formula, the Forsaken Land of the Gods, the City of Silver, there's a way to sell the Beyonder characteristics...
Silas absorbed the memories, feeling as if he had personally gone to the gray fog and experienced it all himself.
The decisions made by the virtual personality and its words and actions above the gray fog were completely consistent with his own.
If his true self had gone up, he would have basically done the same things.
However, why did this personality suddenly collapse the instant it returned to reality?
What's going on?
Silas instinctively looked toward the illusory figure beside him, discovering that red-haired, golden-eyed woman was playing with the cat, waving her transparent finger in front of the little black cat.
"Meow..."
The little black cat had been well-fed for several days, and its messy fur had become much smoother.
It raised its tiny tail, crouching on the ground solemnly, its head turning constantly following the finger.
"What is it?"
M sensed his gaze and turned her head to ask.
Squeak!
The little black cat seized the opportunity.
Its hind legs kicked hard against the floor, its claws scraping out sounds as it pounced toward M's right hand.
"Meow?"
It naturally pounced at nothing, then raised its head in confusion.
"Why did my virtual personality collapse?"
Silas asked.
"Because it lacks a body to anchor to. After its spirituality was consumed above the gray fog, it naturally couldn't maintain itself upon returning to reality."
M answered matter-of-factly. "I designed it this way originally to prevent conflicts between personalities that would make you even more insane."
So that's how it is. That saves a lot of trouble.
Silas nodded.
After confirming Silas was fine, M turned her head again to play with the cat.
She used Observer pathway abilities to imprint her projection in the cat's mind, which allowed the image that originally existed only in Silas's hallucinations to become visible to the cat as well.
Seeing how absorbed she was in playing with the cat, Silas didn't bother her.
Instead, he lowered his head to reflect on what had just happened above the gray fog.
First, Mr. Fool was truly unfathomable, actually able to pull people from the Forsaken Land of the Gods onto the gray fog and establish contact.
Silas guessed that all the members in this gathering He hosted might have some special qualities worthy of a deity's attention.
He was even willing to provide help to Tarot Club members, with the compensation being merely some of Roselle's diary entries!
Speaking of which, Mr. Fool once sent down three angels to help me dispel the True Creator's will.
Shouldn't I give Him compensation?
Silas suddenly thought.
Definitely should.
Although the other party hadn't actively mentioned it, one's attitude toward a deity must be respectful.
Not knowing compensation was needed before was one thing, but now that he knew, if he still played dumb, that would be an attitude problem.
"Anyway, I have that stack of Roselle diary entries Klein gave me, filled with very valuable information.
I can just take a portion from there and hand it over to Mr. Fool."
He muttered to himself.
As for the Black Knight potion formula, that was even more troublesome. That Lovia clearly wouldn't help [The Sun], who was opposed to her.
To obtain the formula, he might need to expend considerable effort.
However, I haven't even started digesting my "Shepherd" potion yet, so this matter isn't urgent.
I can slowly find a way during this time. Thinking about these things, Silas stood up from the sofa.
He was going to begin "acting" as a Shepherd.
————
East Borough, Raman Gang headquarters, in gang leader Charles's office.
"How many members does your gang have in total?"
Silas asked.
"Nominally 600, but those who truly listen to me completely number only about a hundred."
Charles answered honestly.
He felt vaguely strange in his heart, not knowing why he had revealed all the gang's secrets without any concealment.
But when facing Silas's vertical pupils flashing with golden light, this doubt was quickly cast aside.
"How much territory and population do you control?"
Silas continued asking.
"Our Raman Gang mainly controls three docks and six or seven blocks. Dock workers, bar owners, thieves, streetwalkers... they all have to pay the Raman Gang to do business in our territory."
Charles answered proudly. "We haven't counted the permanent residents, but there must be several thousand, right?"
Collecting protection money, very classic.
Silas glanced at Charles flatly without making judgment.
"Have you found the person I wanted?"
He asked again.
"Found him. Hey, you there, bring him up!"
Following Charles's shout, a man wearing ragged worker's clothes was roughly pushed into the office.
His face and hands were stained with dirt, his body hunched, looking utterly miserable.
"This is the guy. He used to work at a ranch in East Chester County."
Charles said.
"Sirs."
The man spoke miserably to them, removing his hat in salute and revealing graying hair.
"Don't call me... never mind. What's your name?"
Silas sized up this old man and asked.
"My name is Nick, sir."
"Nick, did you used to work as a shepherd?"
"Huh?"
Silas's question made the old man named Nick raise his head in confusion.