"..."

  Looking at the girl croug with her head in her hands, Alex was momentarily at a loss for words. After thinking for a bit, he sighed and reached out his hand, realizing he couldn't just leave her sitting there.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Ah…"

  Hearing Alex's voice, the girl trembled again, then cautiously looked at his outstretched hand. After a moment of hesitation, she gingerly took his hand, and Alex helped her stand up.

  "Th-thank you, and sorry for making a se…"

  "It's nothing… really."

  "Well then… please wait a moment…"

  Taking a deep breath, the girl put her hood ba, which seemed to calm her nerves. She theo the bookshelf, took out a thick book, and pced it on the desk. She picked up a quill, made a gesture over the crystal ball, and Alex saw a strange, azure power emerge from it.

  The power followed the quill's guidand settled into the book, f a unique, mysterious symbol on the onk page. It was a cross-shaped star within a circle, surrounded by characters that resembled a oracle bone script.

  Alex couldn't uand the writing, but he knew from memory that this was the "Language of the Stars," a nguage said to have beeed by the Goddess of Order to give each star its meaning. Only the gods could decipher it.

  "The Desote Realm… the Star of Renewal…"

  The girl murmured to herself, words that even Alex couldn't prehend. She then closed the book, took a silver badge from a drawer, and pced it before her.

  Using the quill again, she drew power from the crystal ball and i into the badge. The crystal ball dimmed once more.

  "Alright, sir, please take this badge. It now tains your star pattern."

  Her voice had ged, no lohe deep tone she had used earlier but a pleasant, melodic sound. Alex uood why she had disguised her voice; her natural tone had no authority, sounding more like a soft plea.

  "Thank you."

  As he took the badge, Alex closed his eyes and ied his power into it. He saw a bck starry sky with tless stars shining, the brightest one in the ter.

  This is my destiny star, but...

  Alex pared it to the star pattern of Williams from his memory and was satisfied. Though not an astrologer, he could see that the two star patterns were entirely different, with no on points.

  Good, the pn proceed.

  Smiling, Alex pocketed the badge and turo the girl.

  "Miss, I have a small request."

  "A request?"

  The girl tilted her head curiously, then quickly waved her hands as if realizing something.

  "Um, my teacher said I shouldn't go out to eat with strange men…"

  "..."

  Alex wao say that she was overthinking it, but sidering his current troubles, he might have indeed invited her for a meal under different circumstances. He shook off the thought.

  "It's like this…"

  He coughed, clearing his mind.

  "I o visit the temple and was hoping you could write me a letter of reendation."

  "The temple? A letter?"

  The girl was momentarily stuhen uood.

  "Are you pnning to joiemple, sir?"

  "Yes."

  Hearing this, Alex finally breathed a sigh of relief. Despite her fusion, the girl was at least reasonable.

  Normally, one wouldn't need a letter to pray at the temple. But Alex wasn't going there to pray htsee. He inteo joiemple.

  Any well-anized religious group has strict procedures for admitting new members. The Holy Nation was no exception.

  For an outsider like Alex to join, he o apply to bee an apprentice guardian knight.

  Although the title of knight sounds grand, an apprentice guardian knight's role was simir to intellectuals in Alex's world beio the tryside.

  They had a sacred mission to protect people in the most challenging and impoverished pces, fighting against various threats.

  These threats included local creatures like gnolls and goblins, bandits, and the ever-present cultists, undead, and chaotic creatures.

  Danger brought opportunity. If these apprentiights survived and pleted their tasks, they would be reized as knights by the temple.

  Exceptional deeds could eveo higher ranks and nds of their own.

  For noble offspring, this path, even without signifit achievements, added prestigious credentials to their records, aiding future promotions.

  However, only lower nobles or minor aristocrats chose this arduous path. Those aced to luxury couldn't ehe harsh wilderness.

  Alex watched the girl write something on a piece of paper, then boriously stamp it with a rge ivory seal. She sealed the dot and ha to Alex.

  "Please take this, sir."

  "Thank you, miss."

  Alex took the letter and smiled at the girl.

  "If you have time, let's have a meal together sometime."

  Without waiting for a response, Alex smiled a.

  The dangerous pce is also the most safe pce.

  As Alex left the city hall aered the temple without hindrance, he reflected on this timeless truth.

  Uhe retively empty city hall, the temple's security was stri. Though not overly spicuous, many armed temple guards patrolled diligently. Despite their vigihey paid no attention to Alex, focused like statues.

  Perhaps they couldn't imagine a wanted cultist walking brazenly into their sanctum.

  "Humans are simir in every world," Alex mused.

  "I e from the Silver Principality," Alex said to a temple bishop, handing over the letter he received.

  "I seek guidand enlighte from Order."

  "I uand."

  The bishop, an elderly man with white hair and beard, clearly aced to noble applits like Alex, read the letter, checked the seal and signature, and nodded.

  "Follow me, child."

  The bishop led Alex through the corridors into the inner courtyard, stopping at a rge marble insignia. He turo Alex.

  "Step onto it, child."

  "Alright."

  Alex's hand brushed his sword hilt, feeling the sweat on his palm. This was the final and most crucial step. He repared for this test.

  Everyone khis, especially cultists.

  Everyone was atable for their as, recorded ihreads of fate. No one could alter the past, and history's dust couldn't obscure the truth. Order was eternal.

  Alex khat standing on this ptform would trigger a search by Order's light, akin to antivirus software cheg for viruses—enemies of Order.

  Or rather, cultists devoted to Chaos. This determination was made by Alex's soul star.

  Though fident he wasn't a cultist, Alex was unsure of the accuracy of this process. After all, even antivirus software sometimes mistakenly deletes system files.

  He hoped this firewall was more precise—better than Kaspersky, at least.

  Taking a deep breath, Alex stepped onto the ptform. The moment, a pure white light desded, enveloping him.

  ? Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! ?

  Hello, beloved readers and supporters!

  I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon unity, you'll unlock a treasure trove of bes, including:

  ? Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore neters, experieng the twists and turns of our tales well ahead ur readers. Your jourhrough our stories doesn't have to wait!

  ? ect with the unity: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage iing discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.

  ? Support the Creator: Your patronage directly tributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the tent you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!

  patreon./anish_44