Oh no!
Klein's pupils dilated, and he pressed against the carriage's edge. Regret overwhelmed him—regret for his reckless actions. He clearly recalled that both Tarot Club discussions and Nighthawk records unanimously noted one thing about the Aurora Order:
Every Aurora Order member was a mentally deranged lunatic!
I'm done for… The thought flashed through Klein's mind, followed by a primal urge to survive. Biting his lower lip, his body tensed, mind racing to piece together the situation.
Why would a wealthy, generous gentleman single him out after he acquired the Antigonus Family's notebook? Why act so chummy with a company employee over a routine business deal? He's targeting me!Did his death and revival disrupt their plans, catching the Aurora Order's attention?
Seeing Klein purse his lips, unwilling to respond, Adrian smiled. "A few days ago, when you investigated Hanass Vincent… when your captain entered his dream, you saw the True Creator, didn't you?"
What? How does he know? No, wait! Klein couldn't help but blurt, "How do you know about the captain? What's the Aurora Order planning?"
"Let me correct you, Klein," Adrian said, unruffled, facing the anxious Klein. "First, the Aurora Order bears no ill will toward you. Don't deny it—think about it. Your captain faced the True Creator directly and came out unscathed. Doesn't that prove our lack of malice? If I meant harm, would I act like this?"
"I admit the Aurora Order's past deeds are indefensible, but haven't you noticed? Since you 'transmigrated' into Klein's body, the Aurora Order has barely acted."
That… sounds reasonable… Klein thought, but he remained cautious, eyeing Adrian silently.
"Before you arrived, the True Creator was consumed by madness. Your presence gave me a chance to slip past the gods' gazes and help the True Creator separate that madness," Adrian said, weaving a misleading tale. "Or do you really think a god could weaken to the point of malice toward mortals without killing them?"
Some can… Heh, I'm a Sequence 9 "Seer" posing as a god… Klein thought bitterly. Sorting through Adrian's words, he asked warily, "How did you find me? And why does the True Creator want me?"
"Answer me first. What's your name? As transmigrators, I've shared my real name. It's a bit rude not to reciprocate, no? I get your Nighthawk distrust of the Aurora Order, but at least trust me a little on this," Adrian said, staring calmly at Klein, refusing to answer further questions. As Klein realized Adrian's resolve meant no answers without compliance, he hesitated, then asked, "Will you tell me what you were planning before?"
"Given our shared identity, I will. It's no secret," Adrian said, smiling. "We're among the few in this world who speak the same 'language.' But one thing, Klein—I'm not with the Aurora Order. Nor is my god the True Creator. Quite the opposite. I'm here because my god has a cooperative relationship with the True Creator."
A god? Well, I accessed the mysterious gray fog, so it's no surprise other transmigrators have their own "cheats"… Wait, does the True Creator*think I, the fake "Fool," am another god, and Klein Moretti is His spokesperson, so they're seeking to ally with my "Fool"? What a misunderstanding!
"Zhou. My surname's Zhou. Before this world, I was Zhou Mingrui," Klein said glumly, his guard still up. "Now, the reason?"
"The reason?" Adrian nodded. "Because you and I are both favored by the True Creator."
"?"
...
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, the True Creator gaped at the scene on the light screen. Perplexed, He turned to the High-Dimensional Overseer. "Saying it so bluntly… Can this really… make Klein warm to us…?"
"Relax. A spooked cat needs coaxing to calm down. Frankly, isn't this because your Aurora Order's reputation is infamous?" the High-Dimensional Overseer's avatar said to the True Creator. "Sometimes, lies hide the truth temporarily, but not forever. Seers are sly as foxes—well, except that one Storm pathway exchange student. You don't get it, but sometimes you've got to lay things bare. Tell him the truth, and he'll come around."
Seeing the speechless True Creator, the
High-Dimensional Overseer smirked. But externally, Adrian silently protested to his cosmic self: "Hey! Can I skip these awkward jobs next time? We're the High-Dimensional Overseer, not some other god! I hate this cringe stuff. Can't I just watch the 'plot' unfold?"
"I'm having fun watching," the High-Dimensional Overseer said, hiding behind His curtain, amused as His most human self grew exasperated. Pausing, He added, "Fine. Once the True Creator regains sanity, I'll toss a Hollow Shell onto this planet. Then you can do more of what you want. Oh, share your feelings with us, or we'll get bored too."
"…" Adrian flipped himself off.
...
"What did you say?" Klein struggled to keep his face neutral, barely avoiding a grimace. I'm the evil god's favored? His mind flashed to an internet meme: Three years, then three more, and three more—if you don't wrap this up, I'll be running the show.
But the irony hit hard. He, a Nighthawk, was now told he was the favored of the most dangerous cult's evil god?
"Don't tell me you think divine favor is valuable?" Adrian scoffed, feigning ignorance. "Sure, to devout believers, maybe. But to us, from that era, what's divine favor worth? I'm favored by both the True Creator and my own god. And you… you're likely favored by that gray fog's master, right?"
No… I'm actually the gray fog's master, at least for now… Klein thought, distracted, but caught a secret from Adrian's words: "You know Roselle Gustav's diaries? In his later years, his rift with the God of Steam and Machinery came from the god's favor toward His child."
From Adrian's tone, Klein sensed blatant irreverence. He didn't insult gods outright but seemed to hold them in no regard. Klein faintly saw a thin glow around Adrian, as if shielding his mystical ties from the world—his boldness's foundation.
Staring at Adrian, Klein felt a familiar sensation from that glow, akin to the gray fog he accessed daily. Is this the power his god grants? Or… is he hiding his strength, maybe posing as a great being like me, unable to admit it?
"Emperor Roselle?" Klein latched onto Adrian's words, probing for more. "How do you know about him? You've read his diaries too?"
"So you've seen Roselle's diaries…" Adrian rubbed his chin. "Ever come across a particularly striking line?"
"What?" Klein asked, confused. Adrian's rapid shifts in thought and speech left him struggling to keep up.
"You haven't, then," Adrian said, disappointed. "Pity. If you had, you'd recall it instantly. Roselle had a little-known saying: 'The Taste Of Demoness ain't bad!' He wrote it in his diary, but you probably missed that page."
With that, Adrian sighed, as if regretful.
"?!?" Klein, listening intently, nearly fainted. He stared at Adrian, incredulous, as Roselle's image as a "transmigrator role model" crumbled.
"If I'm not mistaken… the Demoness Sect*? Emperor Roselle was involved with Demoness Sect members?" Klein recalled Nighthawk records, stunned. Adrian only smiled, silent. Poor Klein was too young to grasp the Demoness Sect's true secrets.
"We're here. Come in," Adrian said as the carriage stopped. Klein cautiously scanned the surroundings, finding an ordinary house, not the sinister ritual site or plotting cultists he'd imagined. More cozy home than evil lair, it eased his guard slightly, though he knew better than to relax fully.
"Alright, Mr. Z. You have thirteen hours to leave Tingen. After that, the Punishers will lock down the city's Aurora Order members. If Backlund doesn't hear of your arrival by then, you'll be marked dead."
"I understand, Your Excellency Favored," Mr. Z bowed slightly.
"Good luck," Adrian said calmly. "As a divine envoy, I don't think you should risk so much to save a few Secret Supplicants of questionable faith."
"…Sorry," Mr. Z whispered. "I don't want the Lord's followers to die needlessly."
"Your envoy's not bad," the High-Dimensional Overseer said to the True Creator in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. "Your shift in demeanor sparked such a change, proving his devotion. But it's not enough."
"Yes…" the True Creator raved, humanity's madness creeping back into His will. "Not enough, not enough…"
The High-Dimensional Overseer's avatar sat in the Forsaken Land, watching darkness ripple in the air. He smiled faintly, observing the True Creator wrestle between madness and sanity.
"So, Klein? Nice place, huh?" Adrian plopped into the living room, gesturing for Klein to sit anywhere. Smiling at the hesitant Klein, he said, "Ask whatever's on your mind. I won't share what I can't. I know the Aurora Order's rep is… well, rough. Chinese don't scam Chinese. I get how rough it is landing in a strange world. I'll answer what I can."
Questions? Klein had a ton. But this man was favored by the True Creator and another unknown evil god. Fellow transmigrator or not, Klein couldn't trust his friendliness. Even pre-transmigration, he knew to stay cautious. How much more so with this mysterious "hometown" stranger?
He couldn't even gauge Adrian's Beyonder level or abilities—his knowledge of the Beyonder world was too limited. After Old Neil's case, he wasn't sure if Adrian was tainted by an evil god or stable, so he avoided potentially offensive questions.
As for their transmigration, or whether Adrian found a way home… Klein wasn't ready to spill everything or fully trust him.
Though Tingen-era Klein wasn't as cautious as his post-death self, as a keyboard warrior schooled in caution, he had a healthy dose of wariness—or, bluntly, he played it safe.
Steeling himself, Klein took a deep breath and asked carefully, "Adrian… why say I'm the True Creator's favored?"
(End of Chapter)