Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Aurora Order
When it came to "selling her beauty," Astella found the suggestion quite ridiculous, but losing her life seemed like a much bigger deal. Compared to that, losing her dignity was as light as a feather. A strong woman knows when to bend and when to stand tall, and Astella's mindset was rather resilient.
Amon, noticing her grim resolve, couldn't help but laugh. "Relax, he's not after your beauty in that sense."
"Any sense of coveting is terrifying!" she thought, her mouth twitching slightly, though she dared not say it aloud. From Amon, she'd learned that the Aurora Order primarily controlled the "Seer" pathway, and some mid- to high-ranking members even had access to the "Apprentice" pathway. That's how Amon knew they possessed the formula for it. Furthermore, those who followed the "Seer" path had the ability to hear whispers, making Astella extra cautious not to mutter under her breath.
On today's blackboard were the following messages:
"Seeking the formula for Sequence 7 of the 'Arbiter' pathway, along with information on the required ingredients…" "For sale: a pair of Enchantress Banshee eyes, 1,500 pounds." "For sale: Beyonder bullets with special effects, price negotiable."
Astella wrote down: "Seeking the formula for Sequence 7 of the 'Apprentice' pathway or any related information. Price negotiable," and handed it to Mr. A's servant.
Although she was quite tempted by those Beyonder bullets, she didn't even have a gun. Plus, she was still maintaining her role as a "fallen girl trying to earn money for potion ingredients, even willing to sell her soul to an evil god." So, she reluctantly held back and prayed there'd be another chance next time.
…
After some careful coaching and corrections from an unnamed mentor, Astella's mind was now clear. Within minutes, she performed a nuanced progression from anxious anticipation to slight disappointment, working her facial muscles diligently. She even restrained her inner dialogue to the point her face almost cramped up—all to prepare for the possibility that Mr. A had a "Spectator" Beyonder among his followers, watching her every move.
"If Mr. A isn't watching me at all, I could probably down an entire bottle of 'Jester' potion and digest it on the spot…" she thought to herself.
Just as her mental state reached a breaking point, and she almost heard Amon's mocking laughter in her head, Mr. A's servant actually approached her, handing her a note: "This is from Mr. A."
Astella let a hint of surprise and nervousness show as she unfolded the note with practiced subtlety.
"Sequence 7 of the 'Apprentice' pathway is called 'Astrologer.' If you're interested, stay after the gathering."
Oh, it's happening…
Astella blinked in astonishment, almost forgetting to maintain her act. For the first time, her nerves were genuine.
After the gathering ended, as the participants lined up to leave, Mr. A lounged on a wide sofa, cloaked and with one leg crossed over the other. Astella felt as though his gaze, from beneath his hood, was locked directly onto her despite her mask and cloak.
Hesitant, she approached and gave a small, polite bow. "Mr. A, hello."
With a voice filled with both tension and expectation, she asked, "You mentioned you have information about the Sequence 7 'Astrologer' formula. What would I need to exchange for it?"
Mr. A's lips curved into a faint smile. His voice was eerily magnetic, both neutral and seductive in a strange, unsettling way. "No rush. First, take off your mask."
"Surely, he has the ability to see through masks, doesn't he? I'm only covering half my face…" Astella hesitated briefly but eventually complied, removing her mask and holding it in her hand.
Mr. A's gaze slithered over her face and skin like a cold, slimy serpent. The unsettling mix of pleasure and heat in his eyes gave Astella goosebumps, making even a polite smile difficult to maintain.
She heard a chilling laugh, suppressed deep in his throat. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple as Mr. A finally raised his head. Resting his chin on his hand, he revealed a face so beautiful it seemed to blur the line between genders, with a strange, captivating allure.
Astella was utterly stunned. Her tension evaporated in an instant, replaced by the intense heat rushing to her cheeks.
One thought dominated her mind: Holy… so beautiful!
Her brain short-circuited.
She recalled the handsome men from movies she used to watch, and in that moment, she was certain Mr. A surpassed every single one of them with his eerie yet breathtaking beauty.
"Already thinking being undercover for this group isn't so bad?" Amon's mocking voice echoed in her mind.
Astella took a small, deep breath, calming herself down. She would not be swayed by mere looks. Feeling justified in her reaction, she reasoned internally: It's perfectly natural to admire beauty. What's wrong with liking beautiful people?
Mr. A, still scrutinizing her face, finally spoke with a tone filled with strange satisfaction. "Good, very good." He handed her a note with his long, elegant fingers. "I have a task for you. Complete it well, and I'll give you the 'Astrologer' potion formula as a reward. If you're willing to establish a deeper connection with us, I can also provide the primary ingredient for the potion. But of course, you'll need to offer something in return."
His voice carried a playful lilt, the tone of his words lingering, almost seductive. His face, radiant and unnervingly beautiful, made Astella nearly nod on instinct—but she restrained herself. She took the note and saw a three-part honorific written in Loen:
"The Fool Who Does Not Belong to This Era; "The Mysterious Ruler Above the Gray Fog; "The King of Yellow and Black Who Wields Good luck."
"This is…?" Astella looked at Mr. A, her pale gray eyes flickering with confusion.
Surely, this wasn't the "True Creator," right? Aside from the fact that preaching on the first meeting seemed excessive, it didn't match Amon's previous description at all.
"What is this? Another evil god?"
"You weren't at that gathering," Mr. A explained. "I had asked the participants to investigate this 'Fool' cult. Your task is to track down signs of activity from the cult's followers, helping us to root out this god's believers. You can simply provide information, but if you're capable, capturing or eliminating them would also be acceptable."
"A terrorist organization fighting another cult… hard to judge who's worse," Astella thought, feeling conflicted. The Aurora Order, infamous for assassinating the Intis ambassador and stirring up diplomatic chaos, seemed far more dangerous than this mysterious cult. It felt hypocritical for them to call others "cults."
But she followed Lena's advice: no matter how absurd a man's words, always gaze at him with admiration and respect. She threw in a few empty compliments for good measure: "I never expected that, while aiding lost wild Beyonder like us, you're also striking against evil gods. Truly admirable…"
Your contradictions are remarkable!
"Indeed!" Mr. A suddenly grew excited, his voice rising in fervor, startling Astella.
With fanatical devotion, he said, "It's all thanks to the teachings of our Lord. We were redeemed by Him, and He bears the sins of the world. He is the Creator of All, the Source of All, the Great Lord… Soon, very soon, He will return to this world! And we will be there to greet Him and hear His teachings… Praise be to You! Praise be to You!"
As he spoke, he crossed his chest in an upside-down motion, drawing a reversed cross.
Astella stared at him, dumbfounded once again.
Her silence was deafening.
If this was the role she had to play, she thought Amon had overestimated her. While she didn't mind doing anything for survival, playing the part of a crazed zealot, spewing fanatical praise, seemed a little too much to pull off.
"Is there really such a Lord?" she murmured, her voice soft, eyes reflecting disbelief. "I mean, I am a believer of the Goddess, but when disaster struck, I never received Her response." Besides, the Goddess had turned the moon red.
She held back a small grumble about this world's deities and silently apologized to the Goddess for the sake of completing her mission.
"That's to be expected," Mr. A smiled. "We, in the Aurora Order, follow the 'True Creator.' If one day you feel His calling and wish to learn the true nature of this fallen world, come find me here."
"Thank you, Mr. A. I'll certainly keep your task in mind," Astella replied with a small bow, showing a hint of hesitation, as if intrigued by his words.
Mr. A nodded in satisfaction. "Go."
…
…
"Aaaaaah!"
After traveling several miles by public carriage and ensuring no one was following, Astella finally allowed herself to scream out the window, venting her frustration.
That was so awkward! So awkward! If I keep acting like this, I'll be able to dig out a three-bedroom apartment with my toes and live in it!
That Mr. A's mental state was… something else. She couldn't believe she'd initially thought his most beautiful feature was his face.
"What does that even mean?" Amon in her head replied leisurely. "You'd better get used to it."
"Speaking of which... what's the deal with that organization that believes in 'fools'? Why is the Aurora order investigating them?" Astella asked.
Her subtext was clear: hurry up and tell me everything you know so I can copy your homework and report back to Mr. A.
"You ask me, I have no idea," Amon said. "Why don't you try reading it for yourself and see?"
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P.S. From the original text, Mr. A isn't actually "herding" the audience, so the female lead is essentially performing for thin air…
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