Chapter 11: Audrey, Choose Demoness
As a young girl, Audrey Hall had the most wandering thoughts, and she was currently lost in a swirl of imagination.
Her emerald eyes were wide and round, and her small mouth was slightly agape, completely forgetting the proper etiquette of a noble lady.
All the potion formulas... the impact of this concept on her was far greater than being pulled into this mysterious space just now. She had grown up hearing legends of Beyonders and knew deeply how precious a single formula was.
If someone could produce a formula for trade, she would have already considered it a massive stroke of luck.
But this mysterious man with the pleasant voice before her—he actually said he possessed them all?
What did that mean? It meant that all the doors leading to the Beyonder world were now open to her!
It meant she could freely choose her own life instead of passively waiting for her family's arrangements!
An unprecedented longing, mixed with the anxiety of facing a vast treasure but lacking the power to obtain it, surged through her young soul.
She looked at the man leaning lazily back in his chair; his figure appeared both clear and blurred within the gray fog, filled with a lethal attraction.
Moreover, he seemed much easier to communicate with than Mr. Fool!
An untimely thought suddenly popped into Audrey's head—
His voice sounds very young, and it's quite pleasant... well, the latter isn't the point, and it seems the former isn't either.
Now is not the time to be thinking about this.
In short, she was very interested in this mysterious man of roughly the same age. She unconsciously straightened her posture, patiently waiting for Mr. Naiya to speak.
Just as the atmosphere reached a point of extreme tension, the instigator, Mr. Naiya, finally moved.
He seemed completely unaware of the massive mental shock his single sentence had caused the others, as he looked toward Alger with great interest.
"You seemed to have more to say just now?"
His voice was still lazy, yet it made Alger subconsciously sit up straight.
Alger was still weighing his words, thinking about how to respond in a way that wouldn't seem too lowly while still expressing his awe.
He tried to find the most secure answer.
However, Mr. Naiya didn't give him any time to think. Enjoying the spectacle, he directly pierced through the pretense:
"Were you planning to sell a formula?"
One sentence immediately exposed Alger's previous little scheme.
Alger's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat almost broke out on his forehead.
He had indeed intended to use the 'Sailor' and 'Spectator' formulas he had on hand to trade for 'ghost sharks blood' from 'Justice,' who clearly looked like a wealthy young lady, and he had even harbored some small intentions of waiting for a better price.
But now, in the presence of an entity who claimed to 'know all formulas,' his two Sequence 9 formulas were like glass marbles in a child's hand—completely worthless.
Thinking of the other's unfathomable background, he hurriedly nodded and said, "Yes, esteemed Sir. I was intending to offer the 'Spectator' formula I have to that lady."
He was smart enough not to mention the contents of the trade, only stating his intent.
"Hmm, looking at it this way, your competitiveness seems a bit lacking." Mr. Naiya smiled, his tone making it impossible to tell if it was mockery or a simple statement.
Alger remained silent, not daring to respond.
Was it mockery? Perhaps. But more likely, it was a display of power. This mysterious gentleman shouldn't be so bored as to specifically mock a low-Sequence Beyonder like himself.
No, even if he really was that bored, so what? Facing such a major figure, was it really shameful to act like a chameleon and bow one's head?
At this moment, a strong impulse surged in Alger's heart. He had to find any way possible to establish a connection with this Mr. Naiya!
Even if it was the most insignificant of connections!
However, the development of events once again exceeded his expectations.
Mr. Naiya leaned forward slightly and, in a casual tone as if discussing the weather, tossed out a proposal that left Alger completely stunned:
"How about this: work for me?"
Huh?
Ah!
Oh.
Ah... Alger had not expected the other party to extend an olive branch so directly.
Work for him?
What did that mean? To become his subordinate? A servant? Or... a Blessed?
Happiness, or rather, a massive opportunity, had come so suddenly that it made him feel dizzy for a moment, as if he were experiencing that same lightheadedness Miss Justice had felt earlier.
As someone who had repeatedly maneuvered between the Seven Major Churches and pirates just to survive, Alger's social experience was incredibly rich.
He reacted almost instantly—being a subordinate to such a mysterious and powerful entity was an honor many could only dream of!
"Yes! No problem! What do you need me to do?"
Without any hesitation, Alger agreed with the shortest and most forceful words possible.
As long as it wasn't an immediate order to go to his death or do something that violated his bottom line, he would do it! This was a promise witnessed by Mr. Fool, a massive stroke of karmic luck!
However, Mr. Naiya's next instruction still made Alger feel a bit strange.
He heard Mr. Naiya say slowly:
"I need you to help me collect some information."
"Regarding all the legends, myths, and ghost stories of the sea. Remember, all of them. Whether true or false, as long as they have been circulated, I want them. And make them as detailed as possible, compiling the origins, processes, outcomes, and all the various versions that have been spread."
Collect... information?
Just that?
Alger was stunned. He had thought it would be some task like spying for intelligence or exploring some dangerous ruins.
As it turned out, it was just collecting some ethereal stories?
This was simply too easy.
So easy that it felt a bit surreal.
Alger couldn't understand the true meaning of this task for a moment.
In his view, those legends and ghost stories circulated among Sailors and pirates were mostly nonsense, things people made up to pass the time during their dull and tedious lives at sea.
For instance, ghost ships in the mist, Sirens that could bewitch hearts, ancient gods sleeping beneath the deep sea... he could tell a dozen versions of these stories himself.
Wasn't it a bit of a waste of talent to have a Beyonder do the work of a storyteller or a historian?
But this thought only lingered in his mind for a second before he immediately extinguished it.
Alger Wilson's mind raced, trying to understand the deep meaning behind this task.
For a mysterious entity who claimed to master all potion formulas, what value could these stories told by Sailors and adventurers have?
Could he be trying to find some forgotten historical truths through these ancient legends? Or tracking a certain hidden Beyonder item?
He couldn't figure it out; the more he thought, the more unfathomable Mr. Naiya seemed.
A simple task could sometimes reflect the massive gap in their levels of perception more than a dangerous one.
After all—how could he possibly fathom the thoughts of such a major figure?
This task seemed simple, but there must be a profound meaning behind it that he couldn't understand.
Perhaps these legends contained clues to some ancient secret? Or maybe this itself was a test, testing his loyalty and ability to handle affairs?
Yes, it must be a test!
Alger instantly found a reasonable explanation for his thoughts. This gentleman wanted to see if he could handle a'small matter' beautifully enough.
He immediately adjusted his mindset and answered respectfully, "As you command, Sir. I will compile the most detailed information for you as quickly as possible. May I ask if you have any requirements regarding the timeframe?"
"No rush." Mr. Naiya waved his hand. "I want quality, not speed."
Of course he wasn't in a rush.
Just as he naturally wouldn't tell Alger that his true purpose was actually to 'feed' that persona named thousand faces.
According to the feedback from the Chaos Theater, as long as he could continuously maintain the profound and unfathomable persona of 'thousand faces' and keep 'manifesting' before Tris, or more 'believers' and 'Spectators' in the future, this persona would grow like a rolling snowball, absorbing the perceptions and imaginations of others to become stronger and stronger!
This was a growth-type avatar with infinite potential!
Since that was the case, directly borrowing the existing legends of this world to 'backdoor list' the legend of 'thousand faces' was undoubtedly the most efficient method.
Just as Mr. Fool wore the skin of an ancient deity, he too could take the old legends circulating on the sea and, through a bit of "artistic processing," eventually turn them into stories pointing toward the incarnation known as "thousand faces."
When the time came, the "raw materials" that Alger worked so hard to collect would become the source material for Nairn's "Bible."
It was difficult for a brand-new deity appearing out of thin air to gain the recognition of others.
But what if the identity of this "deity" overlapped with and was corroborated by those long-circulating ancient legends?
He had Alger go and collect sea legends, especially ancient stories involving concepts like "change," "Deception," and "thousand faces."
Once the information was in hand, he could use the powers of Identity Planning and Chaos Theater to "re-create" these stories, silently replacing the protagonists with "thousand faces."
Then, through the "fanatic" Tris, or more "believers" in the future, he would spread these "corrected" legends.
In this way, "thousand faces" would no longer be a rootless castle in the air, but an ancient existence that had existed since primordial times and was only now awakening from a long slumber.
Every "manifestation" and every corroboration of a legend would become nourishment for the growth of "thousand faces," allowing this persona to snowball, becoming stronger and more real.
One day, when everyone believed that "thousand faces" was a certain ancient god from legend, he might actually be able to possess the power of that ancient god.
This was the terrifying aspect of Chaos Theater; it could twist narratives and tamper with reality. When a lie is believed by enough people, it has the potential to become "truth."
Nairn naturally wouldn't tell anyone about these deep-seated calculations.
He looked at Alger, who was still trying to guess his intentions, and felt amused.
This Hanged Man had a rather strong ability to fill in the blanks with his imagination; it seemed he would be a good source of "nourishment" in the future.
Meanwhile, Alger was currently feeling alarmed by another matter.
Why did this gentleman entrust this task to him? How did he know that he spent his years active on the great sea and was most familiar with these legends?
Could it be that he had seen through his identity from the very beginning—a Punisher of the Church of Storms, a Seafarer who dealt with the ocean year-round?
This discovery caused Alger's awe of Nairn to deepen yet another layer.
In his eyes, Nairn's image became increasingly unfathomable, as if a pair of eyes could see through all the falsehoods in the world.
He secretly made up his mind to handle this matter beautifully and never fail to live up to this lord's high regard.
Having settled things with Alger, Nairn turned his gaze toward Audrey, who had been maintaining an expectant posture since a moment ago.
It was time for this lovely young lady.
Looking at Audrey's sparkling green eyes, his mood also became pleasant.
Compared to a deep-thinking old fox like Alger, it was more interesting to deal with a simple daughter of a wealthy family.
Seeing Nairn look at her, Audrey's heart skipped a couple of beats. She straightened her back and met his gaze with the most perfect lady-like posture.
"Alright, the other party to the trade."
His gaze gave Audrey a boost of energy, and she quickly sat up straight, her green eyes full of expectation.
Nairn's fingers tapped lightly on the long bronze table, making a crisp sound.
"Now, let's talk about your reward. This gentleman will provide a service for me, and in exchange, I will provide you with a Sequence 9 potion formula you desire."
He paused and added, "Of course, if you feel a Sequence 9 formula is not enough to pay for this gentleman's labor, you can also provide equivalent Beyonder materials as compensation. For example... 'ghost sharks blood,' or other Beyonder materials?"
Nairn intentionally spoke the last few words slowly while glancing at Alger.
Alger's heart jolted violently!
That was exactly the advancement material he needed—
So this gentleman really had seen through his identity from the beginning—a Punisher of the Church of Storms, a Seafarer who dealt with the ocean year-round!
He also instantly understood Nairn's intention.
This was an exquisite three-way trade!
The "Hanged Man" serves Nairn.
Nairn pays the reward to Miss "Justice."
Miss "Justice" then pays the reward (whether it be a formula or materials) to Mr. "Hanged Man."
Yes, the entire trade chain was perfectly closed; everyone got what they wanted!
Miss "Justice" got the potion formula she dreamed of.
The Hanged Man, by doing work for Nairn, obtained "ghost sharks blood" or other Beyonder materials without shedding blood, and even managed to latch onto this unfathomable powerhouse.
And Mr. "Fool," sitting high at the head, like a true deity, calmly witnessed it all and could even eavesdrop on all the secrets under the guise of official business.
Even Nairn, who orchestrated it all, only had to move his lips to harvest the "data" he wanted, along with the awe and favors of two people.
Everyone won!
A world where everyone wins was born just like that!
Alger's evaluation of Nairn in his heart rose another level.
He quickly stated his position: "I have no objection; everything shall be according to your arrangement."
He looked at Audrey again; the expression on this young girl's face could practically be described as "overjoyed."
She had originally been worrying that she had wealth but no way to obtain a formula. Now the opportunity was right before her eyes, and in such a dramatic and mysterious way!
"Then, sir," she asked in a crisp and sweet voice, "are you willing to trade the formula to me? What options do you intend to provide? Do I need to pay any additional price?"
The string of questions exposed her inner urgency and expectation.
Nairn smiled. This was the effect he wanted.
"The additional price will be discussed later. As for the options..."
He paused intentionally, enjoying the girl's increasingly expectant gaze, before slowly saying:
"I said just now, I know the formulas for all twenty-two pathways of the gods. So, theoretically, you can choose any path."
Audrey's breath hitched.
Any path!
This promise was even more tempting than she had imagined!
"Of course," Nairn's tone shifted, "some Pathways are not suitable for you. I can recommend a few more appropriate ones."
"Moreover, as for specifically which Pathways there are—that question requires an extra fee."
He added playfully, causing the tense atmosphere to instantly relax quite a bit.
Audrey nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at grain. "Okay, okay! Please go ahead!"
Nairn cleared his throat and began his "sales pitch."
"Well, considering your background and environment, I personally recommend these few Pathways."
"For example, the 'Lawyer' Pathway. It can give you excellent eloquence and logical reasoning abilities, making you skilled at using rules and order to achieve your goals. For a noble lady, this is very useful."
"For example, the'Seer' Pathway. It can let you glimpse the threads of fate and foresee small fragments of the future. Mysterious and interesting, isn't it?"
"And for example, the 'Spectator' Pathway you were interested in before. It can let you insight into people's hearts, see through others' disguises, and become a qualified observer."
With every one Nairn mentioned, Audrey's eyes brightened a bit more.
These Pathways all sounded very attractive and fit her imagination of the Beyonder world perfectly.
Just as Audrey thought the introduction had ended and was preparing to choose from them, Nairn threw out an unexpected option.
"Oh, right, there's also the 'Demoness' Pathway."
"Demoness?"
Audrey was stunned.
This word, no matter which way you looked at it, carried a thick air of negativity and evil.
She asked in confusion, "Sir, why... recommend this one?"