As Fors pored over the Trickmaster potion formula, Alaric pocketed the cash. He knew this deal had likely raised his value in her and Xio's eyes.
This would surely smooth future interactions and cooperation.
Just then, a server handed Alaric a note... his request for spiritual materials had a response. The seller was willing to trade, but the price required a face-to-face discussion.
Alaric raised an eyebrow, glancing toward Mr. A's spot, only to find him gone. Smiling, he nodded and followed the server to a small room.
The server opened the door, gesturing for him to enter. As expected, Alaric found Mr. A inside, hooded as always.
No surprise there. Alaric casually sat on the sofa across from him. Mr. A rose silently, then knelt on one knee, a shadow radiating fervent loyalty.
"Is this an Aurora Order thing?" Alaric asked, studying the kneeling Mr. A with interest. Unlike the disposable Hanass Vincent, Mr. A held far greater value... a true fanatic of the True Creator, close enough to frequently receive his oracles.
"Respect is only proper for a favored one." Mr. A replied, head bowed, answering earnestly.
"Fair enough." Alaric nodded, as if in agreement. "So, what did the True Creator's oracle say?"
He was genuinely curious how the True Creator described him to his zealous followers.
He wasn't worried about Mr. A picking up on anything. Fanatics wouldn't act against a favored one unless their god commanded it.
Mr. A, unquestioning, recounted the oracle with fervent passion.
Whether due to his phrasing or the True Creator's own vague wording, the oracle was chaotic. It took Alaric some effort to parse it, but it boiled down to: "This person is my favored one. Ask what he wants, fulfill his needs, and invite him to join the Aurora Order. If he refuses, let it be."
The True Creator's got style!
Alaric chuckled inwardly, eyeing the fervent yet somewhat dim Mr. A. "Joining the Aurora Order? Pass. I'd like to keep my sanity for now." He said with a smile.
Mr. A looked disappointed but wasn't surprised a favored one wasn't part of the Aurora Order... other groups revered the True Creator too, so it made sense.
"As for my needs…" Alaric paused, smiling. "Gather intelligence on Backlund's hidden Beyonders. In return…"
He leaned forward. "In the near future, I'll make the Creator of old reappear in this era. Relay that to your god. He'll understand."
Though Mr. A found Alaric's tone unusual for a favored one, his fanatical faith kept him from questioning. He bowed. "Yes, Your Excellency."
Alaric, struck by a sudden thought, grinned at Mr. A. "Say, Mr. A, want to join my Joker Club?"
This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea but a long-brewing plan. In a world like this, going solo was a death sentence... Alaric's abilities and the setting demanded he build a team. Hence, the Joker Club. It was just him for now, but he was confident its name would one day echo through the world of Lord of Mysteries.
Mr. A froze, clearly unaccustomed to being poached when he was usually the one recruiting for the Aurora Order.
If anyone else had asked, he'd have refused or turned hostile. But with Alaric, bearing the favored one's mark, his faith made him hesitate.
Then, Mr. A tilted his ear, as if listening. A moment later, he looked at Alaric, resolute. "My honor, Your Excellency."
The True Creator was clearly watching and had sent another oracle.
Alaric wasn't shocked. He knew Mr. A was likely a spy sent to gather intel, but he didn't care. Smiling, he said, "Welcome aboard, Mr. A. I'll fill you in on the club later."
"Oh, and I have some Roselle's Diaries I'd like to sell. Mind helping with that?" Alaric added with a smile.
…
When Alaric emerged from the room, carrying a suitcase of spiritual materials, the gathering was nearing its end.
"You were gone a while. We were almost worried something happened." Xio said, relieved, muttering under her breath.
"The deal involved a lot of materials, so haggling took time. You know how it is... money's always tight, so every penny counts." Alaric said with a smile. To keep up appearances, he'd bought a batch of spiritual materials after his talk with Mr. A... free of charge, naturally.
He felt no guilt. He planned to summon the Ancient Sun God when meeting Medici, boosting the evil spirit's favorability while fulfilling his deal with the True Creator.
Compared to "making the Creator of old reappear." Alaric's requests were small potatoes.
Why was he so sure the True Creator would be pleased? Simple.
Whether to probe Alaric's abilities, meet his past self, or even try to alter a tragic fate, the True Creator wouldn't refuse... especially since Alaric was throwing in a bonus evil spirit.
"I'm quite the honest businessman…" Alaric mused, conveniently ignoring that his motives stemmed from a love of stirring the pot.
***
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