Mystery: The Ultimate Tarot

Chapter 34 The Aurora Society's Recruitment

Raphael had just put the letter he wrote to Audrey into the envelope when his subordinates reported that a furniture merchant named Svetlan Wagner wanted to see him.

Raphael assumed it was a regular request for help, so he put the letter in the drawer for the time being and then called Wagner in.

Wagner was a man who was at least 1.9 meters tall, with a short beard, and was somewhat fat. He looked like a brown bear wrapped in a trench coat.

After dismissing his men, Raphael said to Wagner, "Please sit down."

Unlike the other people seeking help, Wagner wasn't flustered. He didn't sit down, but instead took out a cigar from his trench coat and smiled, "Brother, you're in big trouble."

Raphael paused for a moment before asking, "What do you mean?"

"Didn't you break the leg of a grain merchant named Holm a while ago?" Wagner said, lighting his cigar with a long match. "You may not know, but he knows a city councilor who has some prestige."

"They are currently in contact with each other, planning to arrest you on charges such as intentional assault and obstruction of business."

"Why haven't they made a move yet?" Raphael didn't seem nervous at all.

Wagner took a puff of his cigar and smiled, "Because you've become quite famous lately, they've had some concerns."

Raphael considered for a moment, then said to Wagner, "You didn't come here today just to tell me this, did you?"

"Of course," the tall furniture merchant said. "I have a way to help you solve this problem. I think you'll need my help, since you lack connections in the council."

Raphael gave a curt "hmm" without much expression and said, "Then let's be more direct. What price do I need to pay?"

Wagner's gaze suddenly deepened. He looked Raphael over and then smiled, "Some people admire your style of doing things and think you're a good young man who's crazy enough, ruthless enough, yet also quite rational."

"I'm just here to deliver a message for him. He'll help you, but you have to join them, contribute your crazy talents, and become one of them."

Raphael was also a little puzzled as to why he had been approached by various organizations to recruit him lately.

Instead of immediately refusing, he asked, "What kind of organization is it?"

Wagner put down his cigar and said with a solemn expression, "They believe that the Creator is omnipresent and that everything has divinity."

"The great cause they are undertaking is to prevent the people from being deceived by false gods and to let everyone know the existence of the Creator. If the opportunity arises, they will liberate the divinity of all things."

Raphael thought for a moment before saying, "How come I've never heard of this organization before?"

Wagner picked up his cigar again, took a puff, and said, "The former Intis Republic's ambassador to Ruen was assassinated by them."

Suddenly, Raphael recalled the incident involving the former ambassador of the Republic of Intis. Although the newspapers said it was the work of the highlanders, he remembered that the murderer was Mr. A from the "Aurora Society": "I see."

He didn't know why he knew the inside story of this matter. Many of his memories were blurry, and he could only "recall" them like this when he needed them.

Raphael did not give an immediate answer, but instead said, "Could you give me a few days to think about it?"

The Aurora Club is a crazy but intelligent organization, and it seems pretty good.

"Sure," Wagner said. "But, my friend, you don't have much time. How about three days from now? I'll come find you again in three days."

"no problem."

Raphael saw the strong, tall furniture merchant off, pondered for a moment, then took out the letter for Miss Audrey again, and tentatively inquired at the end which organization had assassinated the former Ambassador Intis, and expressed his desire to know more about that organization.

Although he knew it was the "Aurora Society" that did it, he didn't know much about the organization.

After sealing the letter, Raphael called Carter in: "Find a reliable person to deliver this letter to the mailbox at 33 Queen Road."

"Find a few more of your quick-witted subordinates to go to Hayes and find out more about Congressman Wood, such as his hobbies, family members, and political enemies."

"Go to Beckett's house again and find out about Deputy Director Isaacs's recent situation."

"Then inquire about Wood and Isaacs, as well as that grain merchant named Holm, through other channels."

"Yes, it's Monday today. I need to know their specific situation by Wednesday morning."

Holm, the grain merchant whose leg was broken by Raphael, knew the senator Wood.

The Hayes that Raphael just mentioned had received help from "Sir Raphael" and worked in the congressman's household as a servant highly trusted by Wood.

Furthermore, the current police chief of Backlund is nearing retirement, and Deputy Chief Isaacs is one of the contenders for the position. Beckett, who also received help from Raphael, is now Isaacs's cook.

The reason for investigating Isaacs was that Raphael realized he hadn't invested enough in intelligence; he had learned about the plot against him from a furniture merchant.

Carter paused for a moment, then said, "Okay."

Raphael didn't pay any more attention to the matter; he continued practicing "Wolf Fang Claw" and "Magic Source Scripture" as usual.

Since advancing to Sequence 7, he was no longer so worried about the schemes of ordinary people. At worst, he could just run away; he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to let someone arrest him.

……

Queen's Road, in Earl Hall's mansion.

After reading Raphael's letter, Audrey immediately realized that the organization trying to recruit Raphael was the "Aurora Society," a group of lunatics.

But she didn't reply immediately because a tarot meeting was scheduled for that afternoon, and she hoped to discuss the matter there.

At exactly three o'clock in the afternoon, Audrey, who had told her servants in advance that she was going to rest for a while, was suddenly covered by a gray fog. In the blink of an eye, she had arrived in the giant hall, to one side of the bronze table.

Audrey then rose, lifted her skirt slightly, and smiled at the head of the bronze table, saying, "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool."

"The Fool" Klein smiled and nodded in response.

Each greeting from "Miss Justice" felt like the opening act of a tarot session.

Afterwards, the members first offered Roselle's Diary to Mr. Fool, and then made two trades. Because everyone's sequence had increased, the speed of advancement had slowed down, and the trades required were not as frequent.

Finally, the discussion session began, which is now the most important part of the Tarot session.

After Little Sun recounted Silver City's experience of establishing a permanent camp in Afternoon Town, "Justice" Audrey smiled and suggested having a private conversation with "The World."

Having established a private space for conversation, Audrey said, "Mr. 'World,' Raphael Collins just contacted me, saying he hopes to gain experience in digesting the 'Werewolf' potion from the 'Temperance Faction.'"

"World" Klein thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I will contact the 'Temperance Faction,' but Raphael will probably need to pay some compensation."

"I will make that clear to him in my reply," Audrey said. "Also, the Aurora Society wants to recruit him, and I want to discuss this with all the members after our private conversation."

Klein was taken aback: Those crazy guys from the Aurora Club... Why am I not surprised at all by this news?