A Certain Multiverse's Holy Right

In modern occultism, there exists a term revered almost as an article of faith: the Secret Chiefs.

The Secret Chiefs refer to entities, either human or extraterrestrial, of immense power and intelligence. They possess knowledge so vast and indescribable that it borders on omnipotence, and they occasionally bestow fragments of this wisdom upon lower-ranking magicians.

Within the mystical order Golden Dawn, which profoundly influenced modern occultism, the Secret Chiefs were described as beings at the pinnacle of magical enlightenment, as articulated in the Silver Star System. This system divides them into three hierarchical levels, with the most basic level denoted as (8=3), signifying "comprehending divine will through the human body"—essentially, a "God of Magic."

A renowned figure in modern occultism, Helena Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy, claimed to have been guided by one such Secret Chief, receiving profound insights as a result.

The angel standing behind Roy was one of these Secret Chiefs. By this definition, she could be regarded as an extraterrestrial intelligence bearing the mantle of knowledge and legacy.

This angel had cascading golden hair and a tall, luminous figure. She wore a simple white robe, her bare feet glowing faintly with light, and a halo crowned her head.

From a human perspective, her gender was indeterminate. However, Roy instinctively thought of her as "female." Perhaps this perception shaped her form, for the more Roy dwelled on the idea, the more feminine she seemed to become.

Her name was Aiwass, the Holy Guardian Angel. She was a mysterious being summoned by Aleister Crowley through the body of his beloved wife.

Roy couldn't remember a time without Aiwass hovering behind him like a spiritual shadow. From the moment he became conscious in this life, Aiwass had already been there.

When Roy once asked her why she was by his side, Aiwass offered a cryptic answer:

"You are an intriguing person, someone who shouldn't exist, someone I wish to observe. I hope to find in you the place I have long sought but could never reach."

Her words were as ambiguous as they were intriguing—pure mysticism incarnate. Roy didn't press further. He understood that beings like Aiwass seldom offered straightforward truths or enlightenment. Her role seemed more like that of an observer, keeping a watchful eye on subjects of interest—such as Aleister Crowley and himself.

Aiwass wasn't a singular entity. She could manifest as multiples, meaning that while one Aiwass observed Roy, another stayed by Aleister's side. Despite existing in separate locations, they were all facets of the same being, simultaneously observing the father and son.

"I will answer your question…"

Aiwass's voice carried emotion, yet something about it was fundamentally unsettling. It was as if beneath her expressions of joy, sorrow, or anger lay emotions fundamentally alien to humanity.

Her voice sounded distant and distorted, like the crackling of static from an old television. Aiwass had explained this phenomenon as the difficulty of translating her words into human comprehension, resulting in a distorted effect.

"…The entity residing within Laura Stuart's body is the Great Demon Coronzon. Coronzon symbolizes '333.' Ten years ago, it attempted to possess Aleister's body but failed. Somehow, it found its way to London."

Aiwass's speech, as always, felt disjointed and peculiar, as though she were translating obscure truths from a higher realm into ordinary language.

"Coronzon? You're the Holy Guardian Angel, so is Coronzon a being similar to you?" Roy asked, his brows furrowed.

"You may think of Coronzon as a fallen angel," Aiwass explained. "Indeed, Coronzon is similar to me. We exist on higher planes of reality and manifest in the material world as 'spirits.' As spirits, we cannot influence the physical realm significantly unless we possess a physical vessel. This is why Coronzon sought to possess Aleister and later Laura. Without a host, it can only observe."

Some parts of Aiwass's explanation blurred, as if her words contained concepts beyond human comprehension. Roy understood this wasn't intentional but rather a limitation of his human mind, which filtered out the incomprehensible.

"I don't care about Coronzon's origins," Roy interrupted, his voice firm. "Tell me, Aiwass, how can I drive that demon's spirit out of Lola's body?"

"You cannot," Aiwass replied bluntly.

"Then who can?"

"Aleister Crowley might be able to."

"Where is Aleister now? I'll find him!"

This time, Aiwass didn't respond. Instead, she offered Roy a peculiar smile, one that felt both knowing and unsettling.

"…Roy, let me ask you this: Is Laura Stuart truly your sister?"

"What do you mean?"

Roy froze, her question sending a chill down his spine.

Before he could demand an explanation, Aiwass's radiant form dissolved into light, vanishing before his eyes.

…

"...Hah."

Roy exhaled deeply, clenching his fist as he approached a full-length mirror.

All of this stemmed from his own weakness. Without sufficient power or knowledge, he was at the mercy of forces far beyond his control. If he had strength and wisdom, he could attempt to exorcise the demon himself. If he were strong enough, he wouldn't need anyone to uncover the truth.

"Power. Knowledge…" Roy murmured, his desire for both growing stronger than ever.

Looking into the mirror, Roy saw a reflection of a fifteen-year-old boy standing nearly six feet tall. His short silver hair was neat, his androgynous face so strikingly beautiful it could only be described as exquisite.

He knew he had inherited his appearance from Aleister Crowley. Though he had never met the man he called "father," Roy knew Aleister was a magnetic figure with flowing silver hair and an ethereal charm.

Comparing himself to his previous life, Roy thought wryly, If I had looked like this before, I wouldn't have lacked for girlfriends.

Roy's gaze shifted to his eyes, the only feature he had carried over from his past life. They were black and bore a rare trait: double pupils, a characteristic known in Chinese lore as the "mark of the sage."

In ancient Chinese records, only eight individuals were said to have double pupils, figures like Cangjie, Yu the Great, Chong'er, and Xiang Yu. In his past life, Roy had also possessed this rare feature, though then he had been Roy Yi, a man born in Jiangsu Province—the heart of ancient Chu.

Roy chuckled, remembering how he had once thought himself the reincarnation of Xiang Yu, the famed warlord of Western Chu. However, a visit to an ophthalmologist in his youth had shattered that fantasy.

"Double pupils are just a congenital malformation," the doctor had said. "It's an early sign of cataracts."

From that moment, Roy had abandoned any notion of grandeur.

Thinking back to his previous life as a photographer who occasionally took risqué photos for models, Roy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

But his laughter faded as his thoughts returned to the present.

"Laura Stuart... is she truly my sister?"

Aiwass's words echoed in his mind, filling him with an unease he couldn't shake.

For years, Lola had been his only companion, the one who called him "brother" with a sweet smile, who shared every hardship by his side. If she wasn't his sister, then who was she?

"No," Roy muttered, clenching his fist. Blood dripped from his knuckles as he slammed it against the wall, the pain grounding him.

"Lola is my sister. No matter who she is or where she comes from, nothing will change that fact."

His voice was resolute, unwavering.