Evil Gods Don’t Save People

"Mr. Fool, have you considered adding more members?"

More members?

Mr. Fool reflected on the question. He hadn't thought about this matter.

Now, he was already leading a two-person gathering.

He was an unknown god with no influence and no followers—except for his anchors on the Western Continent who believed in the Celestial Worthy.

Why did he continue to convene this gathering?

What did he intend to achieve with this gathering?

Silence fell above the gray fog, Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man patiently waiting for his answer.

Was it really okay to hold this gathering?

Would he be able to take responsibility for even these two people?

No, he hadn't considered adding more members.

Then, would he add more members?

The Fool lowered his gaze, his face hidden by a thicker fog than usual.

In the end, the answer to that question may have been fixed from the moment these two appeared in Sefirah Castle.

"If you wish."

The god watched the two humans.

"As long as my honorific name remains as secret as possible."

The Fool didn't need faith.

The Fool needed humanity.

But He didn't know if He would be able to face that humanity that could make Him plunge into madness at any moment.

The Fool observed Miss Justice as she nodded gently and said, "That is to say that we have to follow a process of observation, recommendation, and testing process. Yes, a process."

The Fool didn't answer.

At that moment, realizing that Justice temporarily had nothing else to say, Alger took the initiative to speak, "I've heard that a Listener from the Aurora Order is searching for traces of the True Creator, which is the holy residence they advocate."

Well, the topic had switched real fast.

"True Creator?" Audrey asked, puzzled.

"It is an ancient entity worshiped by numerous secret organizations and cults. They believe that the Creator hasn't completely perished. The Core he left behind is the True Creator." Alger gave a rough explanation. "Since the Fifth Epoch, the True Creator has appeared in many forms, such as The Hanged Giant or the Eye behind the Shadow Curtains. Heh heh, many people believe that Emperor Roselle referenced the imagery of the True Creator when he was creating the tarot cards; hence, there exists the card of The Hanged Man."

At this point, he looked at the Fool and said, "Mr. Fool, there's nothing with what I said, right?"

The Fool, who didn't have a very good opinion of the True Creator, indifferently commented, "The 'True' Creator has inherited the humanity of the Ancient Sun God and has fallen into madness. The latter was betrayed by the Kings of Angels following Him—a betrayal He had actually orchestrated behind the scenes to get rid of the corruption on Him and use the True Creator as a resurrection plan—and the True Creator was born as a result with the remaining Sequence 0 Beyonder characteristics of the Hang-" He corrected himself, "Secrets Supplicant pathway; the Kings of Angels following him becoming the gods you know now with the other Beyonder characteristics they took after killing the Ancient Sun God."

The two were stunned at the overload of information the god gave them.

The Ancient Sun God?

A resurrection plan?

Gods could die?

Gods could also fall into madness?

Corruption?

Kings of Angels?

The gods they know now?

Alger could discern even more details, his body shivering, 'Sequence 0? There is something above Sequence 1?'

Beyonders could become gods?

Since she was new to the Beyonder world, Audrey recovered her senses first and raised her hand, "Mr. Fool, what is a 'King of Angels'?"

She hurriedly added, perhaps realizing that she was too rude, "I can pay for that information."

The Fool shook his head since it was a simple matter, "It's fine."

Anyway, educating these two Low-Sequence Beyonders was somewhat his responsibility now.

The Fool tapped the table, the face of a certain mischievous brat who wore a monocle coming to mind.

"The requirement for becoming a god is to accommodate the Uniqueness of one's pathway as well as three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics. A King of Angels is the level between Sequence 1 and Sequence 0 and refers to Beyonders who have accommodated the Uniqueness and a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, the Uniqueness and two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, or possess two or three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, but are not yet gods."

Amazed, Audrey inquired, "Which gods are the Kings of Angels who betrayed the Ancient Sun God?"

The Fool recalled the past. It had been a while since he had last mentioned these names.

Then, like a teacher talking to their student, he patiently explained, "Out of the 8 Kings of Angels following the True Creator, there are the Wisdom Angel Herabergen who become the God of Knowledge and Wisdom; the Wind Angel Leodero who is the present Lord of Storms..."

Alger's eyes widened.

"…And the White Angel Aucuses, who is the Eternal Blazing Sun."

That should be all.

After all, Amanises became the Evernight Goddess at the end of the 2nd Epoch and thus did not count as a King of Angel.

Audrey heaved a sigh of relief as the goddess of her faith wasn't mentioned, unaware of the truth.

'Praise the Lady!'

Then, she realized what she had done and wondered if Mr. Fool would be mad that she praised another god in front of Him.

'He wouldn't, right…? Mr. Fool is a kind and generous god.'

As she thought this, the Hanged Man spoke up, "Who were the other Kings of Angels?"

The Fool was slightly surprised that Mr. Hanged Man had directly asked a question to him.

He wasn't scared anymore?

Nonetheless, he answered, "There was also Dark Angel Sasrir."

The leader of Rose Redemption, approximately dead.

"Angel of Fate Ouroboros."

Alive.

"War Angel Medici."

Currently in a ruin in Backlund, approximately alive.

"Angel of Time Amon."

A bit too lively.

"…And the Angel of Imagination."

Who goes around making 'necessary sacrifices'.

The Fool deliberately omitted Adam's name before warning them, "Be careful not to say these names aloud in the real world as it can attract their attention."

Or divine punishment. It was also a good way to attack people if you were ready to sacrifice yourself with the enemy.

Audrey and Alger nodded, catching onto the fact that the Fool hadn't told them the name of the Angel of Imagination.

Did He perhaps not know His name? Or was there another reason?

However, what struck Alger the most was the Fool's relaxed, natural, and nonchalant attitude as He mentioned these names.

The Fool was a god after all.

Upon seeing The Fool remain silently engulfed in the thick gray fog, Audrey questioned them about mysterious organizations and the Hanged Man accepted to answer for one thousand pounds.

After a further exchange of information, the Fool announced the end of the Gathering.

"By your will." Audrey and Alger stood up together.

After they left, the Fool considered what Audrey had said and cast his gaze at the illusory crimson stars.

Other members, huh…

The Fool raised his hand and touched a nearby illusory crimson star, injecting his spirituality to listen to the prayer inside it.

Then, a hazy and contorted image appeared within his sight. He could faintly see a blond teen kneeling on the ground, facing a pure crystal ball.

The area surrounding the teenager was dark and had old furniture. From time to time, the room would be illuminated, but the Fool couldn't hear the roaring thunder or the pattering of rain.

'The Forsaken Land of the Gods.'

In the image, the teenager had his hands on his forehead, fingers crossed. He bowed forward, continually praying for something.

The Fool attentively listened to the prayer in Jotun, his face devoid of any expression, before turning his gaze away.

He didn't pull the teenager into Sefirah Castle.

***

The two Low-Sequence Beyonders the Fool was taking care of sometimes brought some strange surprises.

"Honorable Mr. Fool and Mr. Hanged Man, who has helped me all this time, I have a question to ask. What can a pet with Beyonder powers do for its owner? In other words, how useful is it?"

The Hanged Man Alger Wilson was silent for nearly twenty seconds before he replied in a strange tone, "That depends on what kind of Beyonder powers the pet has. For example, if it's a Spectator…"

'Wait, Mr. Hanged Man, why did you use Spectator as an example? C-could you have guessed what happened?'

Strange surprises, indeed.

Watching Miss Justice be so embarrassed about cultivating a Beyonder pet and the Hanged Man's dumbfounded reaction were somewhat entertaining.

From Mr. Hanged Man, he also received another type of surprise.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, I'd like to ask if the True Creator's Holy Residence that the Aurora Order advocates is the legendary Forsaken Land of the Gods?"

The Hanged Man asked a direct question again?

The Fool nodded.

"Yes."

He rested his chin on his hand, observing them.

The Forsaken Land of the Gods, huh.

Audrey wanted to ask about the Forsaken Land of the Gods but gave up the thought when she saw the Fool's expression.

Was He solemn? Reminiscing? Nostalgic? Frowning?

She stopped herself from trying to read into the thoughts of a god, realizing that her behavior was blasphemous.

Fortunately, Mr. Fool was a kind and generous god, or else she may have already received divine punishment.

In the lofty divine hall above the gray fog, silence suddenly filled the air.

Audrey tried to break that silence and asked a question, "Mr. Fool, if I found a suitable gentleman or lady for this gathering, could I guide them to join? How do I do that?"

Alger followed suit, "Mr. Fool, what is the requirement to be a member of this gathering? How do we determine?"

The Fool looked at the long table, thoughtful.

Finally, as the silence stretched on enough that Justice and the Hanged Man began to feel uneasy, he raised his head.

"…You can inform me here of people who you find suitable. I will decide if they will join us."

His face devoid of any expression, he warned them, "Before that, you can't give any hint that would cause the secret of the Tarot Club's existence to be exposed. You must remember, to non-Gathering members…"

The Fool paused and said in a heavy voice, "You must not speak my name without my permission."

Audrey and Alger felt a chill running through them and immediately nodded.