The Bookkeeper

Raiden and the others stood before a secondhand bookshop. There were no flashy signs, just a velvet curtain, a brass bell, and a door etched with constellations. It seemed meant only for those who were supposed to find it.

"This doesn't look appealing." Raiden said with a sneer.

"I can search around for better options," Aeris suggested.

Raiden gave her a firm nod. "Yeah, and Levi, make yourself useful as well."

Levi instantly vanished as Aeris began walking away from the alley.

"MK, try to get us something. I'll handle this with him," Noelle told MK, and he graciously walked away.

The place looked so small that even the remaining four wouldn't be able to find space, and there were already people inside from what they could see.

"I'll walk with Freya; maybe we'll find something," Speed said, and Raiden gave him a firm nod.

At that very moment, someone came out of the shop. It was a woman in a blue cloak etched with random zodiac symbols.

"Apologies for the delay," the woman said respectfully. "You may enter now." She motioned toward the entrance.

Raiden and Noelle exchanged glances, though neither moved. The whole scene felt familiar, reminiscent of the astrologies from his world—except those hadn't carried this same unsettling quality.

Raiden took a deep breath and entered, Noelle right behind him.

Inside, the space was bathed in soft twilight hues—navy, silver, and deep purples—illuminated by floating lanterns designed to mimic stars. The ceiling bore a zodiac sky that seemed to move with the passage of real time.

There were low, circular tables ringed by plush cushions, and rocking chairs with half-finished quilts hanging over their backs.

At the corners stood two women in similar attire to their guide, and by the wall stood another who was clearly their leader.

"Welcome to the Astro Society," the leader said, smiling as she gestured for them to sit.

Once again, Raiden and Noelle exchanged glances, though confusion flickered across Raiden's face. It was as if Noelle only acted after he had already made his move. He couldn't quite grasp why, but the feeling that she was treating him like a servant nagged at him.

"Please, no smoking in here," the Astro leader told Noelle, but her words went unheard.

With Noelle around, Raiden couldn't help but feel like he was a better person. Her actions seemed to follow no principles at all; she just said whatever she wanted, whenever she felt like it, with no consideration for others. She was that flawed.

However, after a long moment of letting the woman's voice fade into the distance, she removed the aether from her mouth without another word.

It seemed miraculous to Raiden, and he couldn't help but wonder if the Astros had an ability that compelled people to obey.

"Can you—

The woman shushed Noelle, and Raiden looked at her as her gaze dropped to the ground, clearly struggling to stay calm.

"This is the society of peace and acceptance. Many people in this world refuse to learn beyond our established concepts," she said with a storytelling cadence.

Raiden listened quietly, absorbing her words and hoping for something more substantial.

"There are many hidden truths in this world. Where have all the people gone who reached zero and transcended mortality? What did those strange words in Aaron's book mean—the ones no one could understand?"

Raiden smirked.

"There are worlds beyond our own, and the stars tell us that's where all righteous souls ascend to… different worlds, different concepts. These are things we must love and appreciate."

Raiden could tell right away they were wasting their time with the cult, but Noelle remained surprisingly calm, like an obedient child, which contradicted her usual behavior entirely.

"I know you're here out of curiosity. Perhaps you doubt this world for what it is. If that's the case, then join us… let's unlock these mysteries together."

Raiden sighed. "Sorry, but I think we're in the wrong place…" The woman's expression became unreadable. "Do you know where the tavern is?"

Speed had already told him how hard it was to deal with these people, but with the right words and determination, they could shake them off.

The woman remained silent for a moment, her eyes meeting Raiden's. "A tavern?"

Raiden adopted a convincing expression. "Yes, we were told there were some around here…" He gestured toward Noelle. "My comrade here was trying to inform you, but you didn't let her."

The woman seemed lost in thought for a long moment—like a robot rebooting.

"Okay," she said, gesturing toward one of the girls in the corner. "Take them there and make sure they get what they came for."

Raiden immediately stood up, with Noelle following suit as they began to trail behind the girl. Raiden glanced at Noelle, still puzzled by her sudden change in behavior.

"I didn't know you could actually be nice to people."

"Shut up," Noelle replied and put the aether back in her mouth.

The girl made just two left turns while they followed behind, and suddenly they found themselves in front of a tavern.

The tavern was located at the city's town square, built with weathered stone foundations and thick timber frames.

Its heavy wooden door hung open, revealing a chorus of sounds from what were probably the drinkers within.

The girl held the door open for them to enter when a young man, likely in his mid-twenties, emerged from the tavern. He didn't look like a drunkard in the slightest.

He had long, wavy, tousled dark brown hair flowing freely behind him, and wore an unbuttoned dark green shirt with a loose collar. His facial expression suggested a confident and dreamy demeanor, but what truly stood out were his eyes.

His eyes were hidden behind a wide black blindfold wrapped around his head, and strangely, no aura radiated from him despite his yellow crest.

Neither Raiden nor Noelle spoke, but they could both feel the confusion that permeated the atmosphere.

"Hey, it's you," the mystery man said, flashing a casual smile as he put his arm around Raiden's neck. He looked at the girl.

"They came for me, you can leave now," he said, dismissing her with a wave.

The girl stood motionless for a moment, then finally turned and walked away.

The man released a heavy sigh. "You really got yourself into trouble there," he smiled.

Raiden remained confused, not only about the man's friendly demeanor but about how he had managed to see them with his eyes blindfolded.

"Who are you?" Noelle asked before Raiden could.

The man's expression fell immediately, and he withdrew his hand from Raiden's neck. He studied both of them for a while before putting his smile back on.

"Come in and let's talk…"