Chapter 33: Oh No, I've Become an Undercover Agent

"I intend to open a tavern in Backlund, and I would like to invite you to be my employee." Caelris kindly poured Amon a glass of sparkling mung bean milk.

"You are inviting a Marauder to be your employee?" Amon smiled, picked up the sparkling mung bean milk, and took a small sip. His expression suddenly stiffened.

"Cough," Amon set the glass down, "Is this your tavern's signature drink?"

Caelris changed the subject: "I don't care about most of the tavern's assets, and I believe you don't either. As for the small portion that is valuable, you cannot steal it."

"Is that so?" Amon, easily distracted, played along. He silently stole the taste from his mouth and flicked it out the window.

"Aooogh..." From downstairs came the perfectly timed wails and retching of an innocent passerby.

Caelris snapped his fingers, and a synthesizer appeared beside him. He gestured for Amon to give it a try.

Amon reached out and grabbed at the synthesizer. He failed to steal it; instead, he caught a handful of light, interwoven with blue, purple, and green.

Immediately, Amon's left hand, which had attempted the theft, split open with cuts as if slashed by a sharp blade.

"That is how it works. The power of The Hunt will impose sanctions on you based on the extent of your theft."

"The Hunt..." Amon pondered the term. "How interesting." This time, he did not simply steal the wounds away but attempted to use deceit to make them mend.

"Hmm... before we continue our conversation, can you help me remove this energy from my hand?" The power of deceit had clearly failed.

Caelris withdrew the Path power of The Hunt. "How about this: I will tell you some things about Them, some common knowledge from where I come from. After that, you will become an employee of my tavern, and I will provide you with shelter."

"I have no need for your shelter." Amon marveled as he watched his palm recover.

"Really? You must have lost contact with your main body by now, haven't you?" Caelris was unfazed by the rejection. "After obtaining this mask, you are no longer just a shadow of Him, but a complete individual. As for how He treats other Marauders—especially 'interesting' ones—I think you know that better than I do, don't you?"

Amon remained silent.

"That is also the reason you schemed to have me help you eliminate the other Amons who were present at the time, isn't it?"

Amon stayed silent for a long time. "We need to define what an 'employee' is."

Amon would never fail to notice such an obvious loophole.

***

After some negotiation, the two reached a consensus.

Amon smiled, "Do you need to find a high-sequence individual from the Sun pathway to sign a contract? I have some suitable candidates."

"No need, I have a more suitable... God-chosen." Caelris rejected Amon's "goodwill." He didn't believe Amon was being that kind.

Amon raised an eyebrow. "A god? Ha, that is truly interesting."

"Then, before we sign the contract, as a bonus, let me tell you about those things you are interested in." This was one of the conditions agreed upon earlier.

"First, you need to clarify the concepts of [Aeons] and [Paths]."

"Aeons..." Amon repeated the word.

"I know what you are thinking, but it is not what you think."

"Is that so?"

Caelris put on a pair of black-rimmed glasses and pulled out a blackboard from nowhere. "Let us continue..."

It took some time, but Caelris explained to Amon what a Path was and what an Aeon was.

Amon was thoughtful. "So, have I embarked on the Path of Elation? Why have I never heard of these before?"

"Perhaps because your world never had such things as Paths?"

"Never had paths?" Amon glanced at Caelris, suddenly understood something, and laughed. "Roselle once wrote many novels, among them were stories of transmigrators."

"Perhaps you could also call me a visitor from beyond the sky."

"Hmm..." Amon lowered his head, fiddling with the mask in his hand, looking at the twelve lifelike insects of time painted on it.

"Why? Do you want to experience it? Experience the power of this mask?"

"I am a little curious," Amon did not hide it.

"Ha, sign the contract first. There will be plenty of time to play later."

Amon looked up, wondering what he was thinking. "Alright."

"Then, it is time to sign the contract." Caelris stood up.

"To the Aeon?" Amon also stood up, and the two stood face to face.

"Yes."

Caelris raised his hand, and a strange energy linked the two together. Amon suddenly felt the surrounding scene warp; twisted lines of various colors floated before his eyes, making him feel slightly dizzy.

Amon sensed this novel energy. "Which Path's power is this? Is it Order?"

"It is Harmony, mixed with Order," Caelris explained.

Amon nodded. Caelris continued the ritual, and the sound of harmonious music echoed from his lips.

"O soul of three-fold aspect, witness our oath. Brand our tongues and palms with hot iron, so that we may not fabricate lies, make false vows, or break our promise."

Caelris had intended to use his own mastery of [Harmony] to act as the witness, applying the tuning and binding the oath upon himself and Amon.

But the moment Caelris spoke, he felt a gaze—a gaze cast from an infinite distance.

The consciousness of Caelris and Amon flickered, and Xipe, with a thousand faces in one and eyes closed in a smile, was reflected in their eyes.

Using Caelris’s identity as a note of Harmony as the anchor, and Caelris’s prayer and summons as the pull, the Aeon of Harmony descended into this universe.

*Oh no, I've become an undercover agent.* This was Caelris's true thought.

[Oh my, come in, sir.]