Upon hearing Miss Justice's greeting, The Fool Klein was suddenly overcome with strong emotion.
Now that he knew her identity, status, appearance, and situation, he gained a much deeper understanding of the natural lightheartedness, cheerfulness, and sunny vitality in Justice Audrey's tone, and he understood where its essence came from. But Klein didn't feel envious or jealous, nor did he think she lacked the tempering of hardship. Instead, he felt that in a world where the underlying rules were steeped in chaos, distortion, and madness, it was truly a good thing that a young lady like her could exist.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he nodded slightly in response to Miss Justice's greeting.
After the members of the Tarot Club had finished exchanging greetings, The Hermit Cattleya adjusted her glasses, turned sideways, and bowed to the blurry figure shrouded in gray fog at the head of the bronze long table.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, there are three pages of diary this time."
The Mystery Queen is finally online again... Klein muttered inwardly, then said with a smile:
"Very good."
A few seconds later, having received permission, The Hermit Cattleya materialized the diary pages and watched them leap into Mr. Fool's palm.
Klein glanced at them casually and let out a silent "Eh" in his heart.
He realized that the diary provided by the Mystery Queen this time seemed to be from Emperor Roselle's early period, not the kind with important information.
Normally, when you can't determine what's important, you'd prioritize later diaries to maximize your chances of uncovering the mystery of Emperor Roselle's "assassination"... I trust the Mystery Queen has enough intelligence... Klein muttered doubtfully in his mind as he began to read the first diary page carefully:
"September 21. Arrived at Saint Millon and officially began my first diplomatic visit with the delegation.
"The weather in Feysac is really damn cold. It's not even October yet, but it looks like it could snow any day. No wonder the local specialties are all kinds of coats and winter clothing—and strong liquor!
"Damn, the people here are ridiculously tall. I guess that's to be expected from a nation of giant descendants. Still, I have to say it—I hate being looked down on!
"Tonight, I'm heading to a tavern to find myself a Feysac beauty and get drunk together!"
Reading this, Klein suddenly wondered whether the Mystery Queen Bernadette had provided these diary pages to ask if she might have a half-brother or half-sister with Feysac blood.
Suppressing a mental tsk, Klein moved his gaze to the second diary entry:
"September 22. I think I blacked out...
"What happened last night? Where's my Feysac beauty? I couldn't even outdrink her!
"The embassy staff told me that women here can drink more than men more often than not...
"I need to pace myself in taverns from now on. Wouldn't want some old lady taking advantage of my drunken state...
"The liquor here is seriously strong. I had a headache the whole day. Good thing it's not my butt that hurts. Early to bed, early to bed—I'm going to visit the Dusk Giant Palace tomorrow."
"September 23. The Dusk Giant Palace really is magnificent and grand, like something out of myth made real. The whole complex seems like it was built entirely for giants.
"As a heathen, I could only circle around the outside. But surprisingly, even the square at the foot of the Dusk Giant Palace was thick with the smell of alcohol!
"There were quite a few people around—some kneeling, some sitting, some playing bone flutes. It had a very melodious, expansive feel.
"I met a Feysac bone flute player. Even compared to his own countrymen, he was absurdly tall—I'd estimate nearly three meters.
"His name is Oleg. He claims to be from one of the clans with the purest giant bloodline in Feysac. The way he played the bone flute was melancholy, like he didn't belong here but didn't know where else to go either. He's got more of a poet's soul than those Intis fellows who only know how to hang around women's skirts. Speaking of which, I can't help complaining again—those idiots actually take pride in catching certain diseases. It's a complete disruption of the social scene!
"I chatted with Oleg for a while and brought up that question I had. He said he was just missing his homeland.
"But here's the thing—he's a born-and-bred Saint Millon native. He's never left this place.
"Oleg didn't answer me right away. He played the bone flute for a few more minutes, then said he was missing the source of the giant bloodline—the Giant King's Court from mythology and legend.
"He told me that he and the Feysac people of his clan often dream of towering mountain peaks, massive city walls built on their foundations, palaces, towers, and all kinds of structures forever bathed in twilight. They look a lot like the Dusk Giant Palace, but even more incredible, with a greater sense of epicness and wonder.
"Without anyone having to tell them, Oleg and his people are certain this is the Giant King's Court.
"At the end of our talk, Oleg slowly stood up, thanked me for listening, and said he was going to leave Feysac to search for the Giant King's Court—to find the homeland of his spirit and heart.
"He believes the easternmost part of the Sonia Sea might hold the path to the Giant King's Court.
"He said that thousands of years have passed, but the giants have never forgotten their homeland. Now it's his turn to follow in his ancestors' footsteps. This path—unless he reaches the end—will never stop.
"He played the bone flute again and gradually faded away into the distance on its melodious yet sorrowful notes.
"Homeland..."
"Homeland..." Reading this far, Klein felt for the first time that his emotions resonated a hundred percent with the Emperor's.
Although Roselle had only written those seemingly repetitive three words at the end without elaborating on his inner feelings, Klein completely understood the Emperor's emotional turmoil at that moment—because both he and Roselle, like Oleg, had a spiritual and emotional homeland.