Night time, at the Raphael Cemetery.
The place was quiet and serene under the illumination of the crimson moonlight.
Suddenly, the stone slab sealing the grave with the bouquet of flowers was flipped open and a pale hand extended out from the soil.
Whoosh!
The gravestone was shoved aside. The lid of the coffin was pushed open. Klein sat upright and looked around, lost.
His memory was still frozen at the scene with the brand new leather boots, and the palm that grabbed onto the urn of Saint Selena's ashes. Everything after that felt like a dreamless sleep.
Klein instinctively lowered his head and unbuttoned his shirt. He looked at the left side of his chest, only to see that his ravaged injury and missing heart were squirming as they healed, similar to how he recovered from the bullet wound through his temple back when he looked into the mirror.
The only difference was that this time, the recovery was much slower and much more difficult.
Unexpectedly, a jovial broke the calm silence permeating through the calm cemetery.
"Good evening, Mister Fool," Casper said, mimicking Audrey's tone.
…
Klein stared at the mysterious arrival who wore a burgundy fedora and a gray suit.
The sight of a person half emerged in soil and a cleanly groomed person extending his arm to help the submerged person made for an odd scene.
The cold jolted Klein back to his senses as he immediately reached into his pocket to pull out a revolver only to grab air.
"Oh, Mister Fool. You don't have anything to worry about. It's me, The Emperor. Not the one presiding over heaven but the one you know and love."
"Ah. So it's you, Mr. Emper—"
Klein's warm and understanding face immediately fell mid-sentence as the words registered in his mind.
The fiasco of dying and reviving had caused his mind to be occupied by many thoughts, causing his mind to lag.
Though, at this very moment. One of Klein's greatest and important secrets had been revealed causing these inessential thoughts to vanish.
His eyes darted around as a feeling of dread overtook his heart, seeing nothing around his gaze returned back to the crimson eyed Emperor and saw a horrifying wide smile plastered on his face.
Suddenly, Casper pulled out a still-beating heart from his coat. Crimson blood poured down his wrist as Casper faced Klein's eyes which could not longer move. "Don't randomly leave your marionettes around, they can be tracked." As he spoke, he casually pulled out a crystal monocle from his pocket and slowly wore it on his left eye.
Instantly, Klein's face twisted into anguish as he stared into the menacing figure that was veiled in darkness. In an astonishing speed he pulled his face down, glancing at his own chest only to see it completely healed.
Suddenly Casper's serious expression cracked, his expression twisted into laughter as he said calmly. "Don't worry, this is just a pig's heart and I'm not the silly prankster, trust." He said seriously before taking off the monocle on his left eye.
Klein sighed with relief before glaring at the Emperor — Casper. "How?" He asked simply.
"Alright, alright. Don't shit yourself. I'll answer all your questions," he murmured before pointing to his side, "shall we take a walk?"
…
"You are not alone Klein, there are others before you. Those who are from a world before this, those who do not belong to this era. Not all of them are friendly. In fact most of them are quite the opposite — aside from me, an emperor and a certain furry of course."
Casper spoke unhurriedly as they strolled through the cemetery, the chilling air providing a comfortable atmosphere.
"I am one of them. I arrived in this world a few weeks after you, I believe. Like you, I possess a cheat of a similar nature, and like you, I have already established a secret organization."
Klein's expression remained unreadable as he listened quietly.
Casper furtively glanced at him before sighing. "I want to formally extend you an invitation to my organisation. I think it'll be a great help to you, so what do you say?"
Klein stayed silent for several minutes, feeling unease under Casper's expectant gaze. In the end, he let out a small sigh and relented. "Alright," he said, "I'll join your organisation."
Casper nodded. "Good…. One more thing, there's going to be a slight change in my attendance to the Tarot Club. Instead of acting like an almighty God, I'm instead going to act like a Blessed of his.
"I hope you'll make an announcement on that, since I too want to trade in your gathering and that.... identity of mine will not be helpful in that regard."
Klein nodded calmly. After a brief silence, he asked hastily.
"Mr. Emperor — no, Casper. How did you know I was The Fool, that I died, and where I lived? Moreover, how did you know that my name was Mr. Fool when I first met you? How did you enter the mysterious space above the gray fog? Who all are the other transmigrators? Why were we transmigrated here in the first place? How can we get back home?"
Casper fell silent for a moment before telling him softly, "I can't tell you the answers to some of your questions…. Th—"
Klein interrupted him before the words fully left Casper's mouth, "Can't" he questioned, then asked flatly, "or won't?"
His unyielding tone and his intense gaze made Casper squirm but eventually Klein shook his head, "Leave it."
Casper sighed remorsefully, "I'm sorry Klein. But some of your answers intrude on my secrets as well. You might not understand it now but you will later…. Believe me. I do want to tell you the answers but I simply can't. And for the rest of your questions? Your sequence is simply too low for them."
Klein's eyes flickered with restrained frustration, but he held his tongue.
"Thank you for not pursuing this matter. Now… I'll explain the circumstances pertaining to your death on the train. It's too late now… come. I have a room reserved."
Klein's face fell into confusion as he asked doubtfully, "A train? Where are you taking me?!"
Casper smirked. "The place where you'll gain the most opportunities to grow your sequence and the place you'll find your revenge — The City of Cities — Backlund!"
___
A/N - Might be my best chapter yet. What do you guys think? Did you like Klein and Casper's interaction? I think I did pretty well tbh. Anyways, drop the stones guys.