"You performed exceptionally well," Adrian said. "I know you collaborated with Mr. Z, but don't worry—this doesn't break any rules. On the contrary, the Lord is pleased with your harmony."
"You have two choices: first, take the Black Knight Beyonder characteristic to become a Hanged Man pathway Saint. Second, switch to the Sun pathway to become a demigod." Adrian eyed Mr. A, his tone emotionless. "Either way, your merits ensure you'll be the Lord's sixth Saint."
"…If it benefits the Lord, I choose Sun. Even if I can't honorably walk His pathway, I'll remain His Shepherd," Mr. A said earnestly, his eyes free of deceit. Adrian nodded, handing him a small box. "Well done. The Lord indeed hopes you'll choose the Sun pathway. Submitting to the Sun's false god is temporary; the Lord will reclaim His mythical glory and authority."
"Praise the Lord." Mr. A, trembling, drew a cross over his chest, accepting the box with shaky hands. Adrian smiled faintly. "Since you've chosen this path, I'll read the Lord's decree."
"Please, go ahead."
"Aurora Order Envoy Mr. A, upon advancing to Sequence 4 demigod, automatically becomes an Aurora Order Saint, titled White Saint. After becoming a Saint, you'll be dispatched to the Southern Continent to expand our Lord's Faith, accompanying Holy Mother Megose and guarding the Lord's descent."
The classroom erupted. Believers gazed at Mr. A with envy. Mr. A himself was stunned—guarding the Lord's child was the highest honor! He hadn't dreamed of serving so closely.
"Congratulations, A," Adrian said, clapping, eyeing the speechless Mr. A—still Mr. A for now. "After the meeting, prepare the ritual to advance to Unshadowed."
"Praise the Lord!
The Lord that Created Everything,
The Lord who Reigns Behind the Curtain of Shadows,
The Degenerate Nature of all Living Things"
Mr. A devoutly praised the True Creator, a sense of mission swelling. Such honor—how could it not thrill him?
After Mr. A's decree, it was Mr. Z's turn.
"Now, Mr. Z," Adrian said, turning to him. "You're a Sequence 5 Shepherd. With Mr. A's reassignment, you'll inherit part of his forces. In Backlund, develop your own flock to bolster the Lord's return."
"Yes," Mr. Z replied respectfully. Adrian continued, "You've only recently become a Shepherd. To ensure our plans succeed, you must increase your shepherded souls. Once we achieve results, you may shepherd a Sequence 6 enemy Beyonder."
"I understand."
"Good," Adrian nodded, satisfied. "Next, refine your tactics and aim to establish the Crusader Legion soon. We've invested in Backlund's new technical university; select three knowledgeable members to take positions there. This task is yours, Mr. Z."
"Also, Mr. A's commerce guild will transfer to you for further development. Be warned, Mr. Z—if you lack the ability to manage it, your authority will pass to another envoy with superior operational scores."
"I won't fail!" Mr. Z vowed. Mr. A's promotion to serve the Lord stung—Z, the first to meet the favored one, lagged in every field. I'm not devout enough, he confessed inwardly, failing to grasp the Lord's will as Mr. A did.
But next time, he'd be the most devout envoy!
"Meeting adjourned. Mr. A, stay," Adrian said after addressing minor matters. He stopped Mr. A as the others left.
"What is it, Your Excellency?" Mr. A asked, following Adrian to a secret chamber. The dark, profound room held only a black cross at its center, the rest shrouded in darkness. Adrian took Mr. A's box, drew a photo from his pocket, adjusted its angle, and a table materialized, fitting perfectly in the chamber.
Mr. A wasn't fazed—divinely favored ones deserved such gifts, matching their status. Having seen Adrian wield non-Sequence abilities, he assumed they were the Lord's blessings.
Aurora Order fanatics thought so simply and joyfully when it came to the True Creator.
Adrian methodically placed Beyonder materials from the box on the table. Mr. A, watching, grew tense—this was his demigod ritual, his closest step to becoming half-human, half-god.
"Strip away your strongest, most cherished emotion, consume the potion, and reinfuse it during the process. That's the Unshadowed ritual. You understand its meaning. Don't fear losing them—the Lord will bless you, and His love will return," Adrian said, mimicking God's tone, placing a golden, sun-like potion before Mr. A. "Prove your devotion, Mr. A."
For Aurora Order members, the hardest emotion to relinquish was faith in the True Creator. Stripping and reinfusing it tested their resolve. The ritual was simple yet arduous, hinging on their willingness to let the Lord's love briefly leave. Mr. A took a deep breath, lifted the potion, closed his eyes, and drank.
Adrian watched sunlight envelop Mr. A, his gaze darkening.
…
Klein was buzzing with excitement.
Waking the next morning, he realized last night's events felt surreal. Without the lingering pain of depleted spirituality, he'd think it a dream.
He and his Tarot Club killed a Sequence 5-level powerhouse!
…Though he only used a charm, and Adrian provided it.
Qilangos was dead, The Hanged Man's commission was complete, and his request for The Fool's aid would bring gold pounds. No, the charm was Old Gao's—I owe him half the reward. Last night, Audrey secretly prayed, saying she'd earn 10,000 gold pounds for reporting Qilangos's disguise to her father, hoping to use it as the Tarot Club's shared fund—Excellent, I admire Miss Justice!
Sadly, Audrey's 10,000 pounds weren't accessible yet; she'd need time to "donate" them.
I'll be rich—not now, but soon! Klein thought gleefully.
Arriving at Blackthorn Security Company by carriage, he saw an exhausted Daly, surrounded by stacks of documents, her face a hollow mask of despair. Startled, Klein nearly dropped his newspaper headlining "Qilangos Slain."
He carefully retrieved it—the crumpled paper cost him two pence!
"Little Klein," Daly said, propping herself up, eyeing him with the paper. Her gaze sharpened, and she whispered earnestly, "How did Dunn handle all these documents?"
"Uh…" Klein faltered. He'd never seen Dunn tackle such a pile—Maybe clerks helped?Unsure why Daly asked, he ventured, "Perhaps… Dunn was just skilled at it?"
"Sigh…" Daly slumped back, defeated. Gazing at Klein, she murmured, "Little Klein, what do you think Dunn likes?"
No way… Hearing this, Klein recalled a rumor—now, it seemed true. Eager to help, he asked cautiously, "Daly, are you planning to gift the captain something?"
"Yes, does Dunn have any favorite things?" Daly glanced at the door, ensuring no one was there, then whispered, "Don't tell Dunn… You're his teammate; you must know what he likes, right?"
Klein suddenly felt his monthly wage was at stake if he said he didn't know. Outside, Leonard leaned numbly against the wall, frozen. His face grave, he asked Palles inwardly, "Old man, I won't get silenced, will I?"
"Heh, who knows?" Palles chuckled. "Want me to erase that memory? You'd be safe then."
"No way," Leonard muttered, tapping his chest four times. "Daly and Captain Dunn will surely wed, blessed by the Goddess…"
"Such sweet love," the High-Dimensional Overseer said, watching Klein flounder under Daly's question. "Look, two people in love—how nice! Night, you're getting on in years…"
"We must prioritize the greater good," the Evernight Goddess cut in, halting Adrian's teasing to avoid curing her low blood pressure. She studied Klein, repeatedly checking for Celestial Worthy's marks, relaxing only when none were found. After a pause, she continued:
"I can't confront Adam now." She hesitated. "Sacrificing a few is better than losing all of Tingen. After their deaths, I'll raise them to my Dark Heaven. My believers' spirits will live eternally there."
"That's quite the empty promise, straight from God's playbook," Adrian remarked, losing interest.
A life manipulated by gods lacked charm, like the Celestial Worthy's puppet plays—stiff and dull. The High-Dimensional Overseer felt a rare urge to stir trouble. From selfless sacrifice to vengeful hatred, it was a gut-wrenching tragedy. He deemed it time to shake this stagnant board.
"A storm's coming," Adrian said cryptically, drawing the Evernight Goddess's attention. Beyond Earth's gods' sight, a pattern bloomed from his Sefirot, spreading to those he watched.
"Indeed, a storm's coming," the Evernight Goddess nodded, pitying the oblivious Klein. But she quickly dismissed it—for Earth, any life was a bargaining chip. Yet, the Outer God across the table never cared for the "greater good."
The High-Dimensional Overseer cared only for Himself. If an individual amused Him, He'd grant favor, heedless of civilization's survival. Like other Outer Gods, He fought for His interests, driven by Sefirot instincts, seeking only personal delight.
He was the cruel High-Dimensional Overseer, the eye watching all; He was the "Overseer" and the "Player in the Drama."
He was the most human Outer God, the universe's primal humanity.
[He] was the first sweeping storm.
—To: Dear Evernight Goddess.
—I ask you, is a humane god or a divine human more human?
—Undoubtedly, you're human, in the Old Days or as the Demon Wolf. Yet you'd
sacrifice those who revere you for the whole.
—I overestimated your "humanity." Your divinity drives such choices. A god so keen on trade-offs, your humanity's no different from an Outer God's, yet you cling to humanity's flawed profit-dividing nature.
—Utterly dull.
(End of Chapter)