"Lucille," Sudiya said, following behind him with a furrowed brow. "If what you said is true, the cult will notice this place soon. What do we do then?"
"We just leave," Lucille replied calmly. "But we can't use the same trick again. Hiding in the cult's strongholds worked under the 'lamp under the black' principle, but once they catch on, it's useless."
"Then… where do we go?" Though she'd been following Lucille's lead, Sudiya couldn't help but worry.
"Wandering aimlessly on the streets would just draw the cult's attention," Lucille analyzed. "But don't worry—Night Star has everything prepared."
"Night Star?" Sudiya was slightly surprised but quickly accepted it. She lowered her head with a huff. "Fine…"
After a moment, she looked up again, hesitating. "Um… Mr. Lucille?"
"What is it?"
"You and… n-never mind, it's nothing," Sudiya chickened out, swallowing her question.
She extended her hands, closed her eyes, and patted her cheeks to snap herself out of it.
The motion made her miss Lucille suddenly stopping.
She bumped straight into his back.
"Ah!" Sudiya yelped. "Mr. Lucille! Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going. Did I hurt you?"
"It's fine," Lucille said, shaking his head. "Night Star's already at the meeting point. Let's hurry."
Night Star watched intently as Aina pressed a deep purple Duty Crystal to her forehead. The crystal slowly merged into her skin, leaving only a small portion exposed. Its color gradually turned murky. Moments later, a pupil-shaped pattern appeared on Aina's forehead, and her aura shifted to something eerie and ethereal.
A card materialized in Aina's hand, adorned with intricate, ornate patterns. She released it, and the card floated upward, expanding into a door.
The door opened to reveal a veil of purple mist. Aina stepped through and vanished. Night Star followed calmly behind her.
Beyond the door was thicker mist, but traversing it brought no discomfort. Night Star had anticipated this and trailed the vague figure ahead. Soon, she emerged from the fog and saw her surroundings clearly.
She stood atop a tower.
From here, she could overlook the entire capital. It was daytime, and the streets below were brightly lit, illuminating every district.
This was the Stargazers' Tower, perched at the capital's highest point, chronicling everything that transpired in the city. Everyone in the capital knew of its existence, knew it was somewhere in the city, but few knew its exact location.
Those not invited couldn't find it. To some, it was like an invisible god—unseen and intangible, yet undeniably real.
Night Star had long anticipated coming here.
"Hello, esteemed guest," a gentle voice said from behind her.
Night Star turned to see an elderly woman with white hair standing there, smiling at her. She nodded in greeting. "Respected Leader of the Stargazers' Guild, hello."
"Thank you for rescuing this child. The villain obscured her starlight, and even I couldn't glimpse her location," the old woman said, her eyes filled with gratitude. "The sacred flame is restless, the kingdom in turmoil. Great changes are coming to the kingdom."
She sighed.
Night Star pulled out a small box and let it float toward the elder. "Leader, I brought you a gift."
"If you don't mind, call me Grandma Luo Lin like everyone else," the Leader said, pointing at the floating box. It opened on its own, releasing a multicolored pebble. She wasn't surprised but grew solemn. "The stone in the throat—it hid Campbell's fate and kept me from seeing his ambitions?"
"Campbell harbored rebellious ambitions, but he wasn't the mastermind," Night Star stated. "He couldn't have obtained such a divine artifact on his own."
"You're right," Luo Lin nodded. "Beneath this capital lies immense darkness. What's surfaced is just the tip of the iceberg."
She looked at Night Star seriously. "Guest, on behalf of the Stargazers' Guild, I ask you to help this kingdom."
"Can't you see the kingdom's fate?" Night Star asked with a faint smile. "What is its future?"
"Divination isn't infallible," Luo Lin said, shaking her head. "The kingdom's fate shifts constantly, and artifacts that conceal destiny or transcenders who escape it can directly alter the course of events."
"Guest, you are a transcender. Even now, I cannot pierce your fate."
"I see," Night Star said, nodding with a brighter mood. The game had portrayed astrology as profoundly mysterious, but it seemed more ordinary than expected.
Whatever the reason, her unreadable nature pleased her greatly.
Still, she wouldn't underestimate the Stargazers' Guild. Their influence was vast, and the Guild Leader, despite her frail appearance, could live at least five more centuries.
Moreover, Night Star needed their help for something major.
"Grandma Luo Lin, can I become an astrologer?" This was her primary reason for seeking the Stargazers' Guild.
"Well…"
Luo Lin hesitated unusually.
"Becoming an astrologer isn't like other standard classes, where a single Duty Crystal suffices," Aina interjected, explaining to Night Star. "Guest, do you know what a special class is?"
"Of course," Night Star replied without hesitation. "Classes that require special conditions or unique artifacts beyond a Duty Crystal are called special classes."
"If I want to become an astrologer, I wouldn't be clueless. It requires a unique Duty Crystal and a personalized deck of cards."
"It seems you've planned this for a long time," Luo Lin said with a smile. "I won't say more, then. Just one last reminder: people choose classes, but classes also choose people. You may not end up with your own deck. Miss Night Star, go with the flow and keep a level head."
Night Star raised an eyebrow. She had never revealed her name to the Stargazers' Guild.
"Alright."