"Hey, don't say weird stuff at a time like this!"
"March, how could you think that… this is Adrian's dying wish!" Stelle's lips curled into a grin. She was now a loyal follower of [Eternity], and no one could stop her!
"Eternity…?"
Cocolia froze, her mind drifting back to the Stellaron Core's ravings. Jarilo-VI was too backward, and she had never even heard of the [Eternity] Aeon.
As the Great Guardian, she was well-versed in Belobog's history. The reason they had endured for over seven hundred years was all thanks to the Stellaron Core!
Could it be… the Stellaron Core was cast by the [Eternity] Aeon?
…
The trio emerged from Qlipoth Fort and spotted Gepard, who had been waiting for them.
"The Great Guardian seems to favor you. I've received orders that your movements no longer need to be restricted."
"Honestly, I didn't expect things to go so smoothly," Dan Heng said, shaking his head as he glanced at March 7th and Stelle's clear, innocent eyes.
When Dan Heng mentioned the [Stellaron Core] to the Great Guardian, he caught a fleeting shadow of unease cross her face.
On the way here, Gepard had told him that the Great Guardian was known for her calm and decisiveness. For her to show emotional fluctuation now suggested something was amiss.
"Haha, I still have duties to attend to and need to return to the restricted zone soon. I hope you enjoy your time in Belobog."
"Wait, where did Adrian run off to?" March 7th looked around but couldn't spot him.
"Mr. Adrian is at the Everwinter Monument. He's chatting with the Silvermane Guard Intelligence Officer and some children. I didn't catch the details. By the way, the Everwinter Monument is Belobog's most iconic landmark."
"Oh, oh! Recommend some other sights for us, then! We want to explore more," March 7th said eagerly.
"For places worth visiting, the Golden Theater and the History Museum are great choices, though the museum requires identification to enter…"
"If you're into music, check out the [Ever-Active] Machine House. They occasionally hold open-air performances. The performers… well, you can go find out for yourselves."
After giving March 7th the recommendations, Gepard excused himself to deal with Fragmentum erosion issues.
"Let's head to that ice sculpture to find Adrian first! We'll fill him in on what happened," March 7th suggested.
"It's not an ice sculpture, March."
While Dan Heng and March 7th were still talking, Stelle had already dashed to the Everwinter Monument, blatantly eavesdropping.
"After talking about [Preservation] Qlipoth, let me tell you about [Elation] Aha…" Adrian continued.
"So, the universe has far more Aeons than just Qlipoth. Mr. Adrian, you know so much!" Pela scribbled furiously, recording every word Adrian said, afraid to miss a single detail.
"Just an ordinary Trailblazer, here to contribute a little to Jarilo-VI," Adrian said, pulling out a few bottles of Immortal's Delight Tea from his pocket and handing them to the children listening to his stories.
"Miss Pela, want one?"
"I'm not into sweet drinks. I prefer hand-brewed coffee. As a Silvermane Guard Intelligence Officer, I need to stay sharp outside of rest hours! Too much sugar is bad for the body."
"I bet she'd love Himeko's coffee," March 7th, who had just arrived, remarked.
"Deeply relatable."
Stelle recalled the night before their departure. Thirsty and fumbling in the dark, she couldn't see a thing—not even the [Shut Up] robot, which was in sleep mode. Groping around, she found Himeko's coffee mug, still half-full of leftover brew.
"Wow, that's just tragic!" March 7th looked at Stelle with a touch of pity.
"In short, a cup of coffee is a must for staying up late!"
Pela adjusted her glasses. She had intended to probe Adrian's background, but the more she listened, the more engrossed she became, accidentally getting sucked in.
Adrian's tales were strange and thrilling to Pela—things like the Swarm Disaster, Glamoth Iron Cavalry, the Bu'li, and the Xianzhou Alliance…
So, the universe held far more Aeons than just Qlipoth. What an eye-opener.
"Miss Pela, remember this! The root cause of this planet's decline is the Antimatter Legion! [Destruction] Nanook's spawn," Adrian said, getting to the point.
"Ah, the alien invaders that attacked Belobog seven hundred years ago."
Pela's expression grew solemn. Those extraterrestrial monsters had set the planet ablaze, turning the land to ash. Everywhere you looked, there was molten fire and choking smoke.
At the brink of annihilation, the eternal frost suddenly descended. The sweeping blizzard came without warning, burying the invading Legion in snow, leaving only Belobog standing.
"But Miss Pela, did you know? Just a few days ago, a trash can monster appeared and beat the tar out of Nanook!" Adrian shifted gears. "Guess who this trash can was, to stand against an Aeon?"
"Hm… based on what you said, only an Aeon can rival another Aeon. So… the trash can is an Aeon?!"
Pela's worldview was shattered. In the vast cosmos, even the humblest trash can could rise to become an Aeon.
This was more thrilling than the ending of Snowland Adventure Saga!
"Ugh, he's at it again…"
March 7th couldn't wrap her head around it. Were all [Eternity] Emanators this disrespectful toward their own Aeon?
You're totally the number-one [Eternity] Aeon hater!
After chatting with Pela, Adrian returned to the trio, ready to discuss serious matters.
"So, did you put in a few good words for the [Eternity] Aeon in front of the Great Guardian?"
"Is that the main point?! I can't figure out Teacher Adrian's logic. One minute, you're telling us to praise the [Eternity] Aeon to the Guardian, and the next, you're badmouthing THEM to someone else."
"No matter what you've done or whether you're THEIR follower, as long as you believe in the [Eternity] Aeon, THEY will forgive you."
"This is one of the eight virtues of the [Eternity] Aeon: THEY will always forgive your actions," Adrian said, raising his arms as if a holy light shone upon his refined features.
"Oh… my understanding was too shallow. I apologize to Teacher Adrian and the [Eternity] Aeon," March 7th said, bowing deeply to Adrian before clasping her hands and looking skyward.
Adrian gave a benevolent smile. They were all family—saying a few bad words didn't matter.
But if an outsider dared to badmouth the [Eternity] Aeon, the Church would have a few words with them.
"What about the other seven virtues?" Stelle asked curiously.
"You'll find out when you visit Carwash Star in the future."
"Didn't you say you hate riddlers? Why are you being one now?" Stelle couldn't understand. Did [Eternity] Emanators flip personalities this fast?
"I hate riddlers, but I never said I couldn't be one myself."
"Stelle, this is what they call 'the dragon-slaying youth becoming the dragon.' Don't follow Teacher Adrian's example," March 7th said earnestly.