Chapter 7: Elf and Astrology

“The attack case is considered closed. The inspector has announced his verdict.” The middle-aged guard led the way, explaining the inspector’s instructions. “But this case has some long-range implications. We’ll need to contact the authorities in Nymph and coordinate actions. You might be needed to assist, so you should try to stay in town for the time being.”

“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anyway.” Selene stuffed both hands into her coat pockets. “I have a few more surveillance commissions I need to complete, but the clients haven’t shown up yet.”

The middle-aged guard’s expression turned a little bit amused.

“You, a superhuman, spending your days doing this kind of work…”

“You think I want to?” Selene rolled her eyes, a little bit. “I can’t afford anything but my adventurer’s badge to prove my identity. I can’t work for your police department and eat on the government’s dime. I can’t join the Magic Association and become a verified mage. There aren’t any nobles in this remote area who would hire me as a tutor… Superhuman need to eat too.”

“Pathetic.” The middle-aged guard said without any sympathy, then opened a door and walked in with Selene.

The room was bright and clean, with the Lanstier Empire’s black-gold flag and the emblem of the God of Order hanging on the wall. The mainstream religion on the North Continent was the Primal God, “Lord of Glory,” but some people also worshipped other gods. The police, for example, were devoted to the God of Order, whose role is to maintain order.

Hanging the emblem of the God of Order in the police station reminded the guards of their duty. Additionally, though the guards were not clerics of the God of Order or superhuman spellcasters who had embarked on the path of a cleric, they had received the God of Order’s favor for maintaining order themselves. Hanging his emblem would bring blessings from the god, slightly increasing their stamina and focus.

Several guards in black uniforms sat at their desks, handling their tasks. The case involving superhumans and secret chronicles was the biggest thing to happen in this remote town in two years, and the guards in the police station were all taking it very seriously, handling it with an air of vengeful justice.

It was as if they were trying to make up for their usual slacking off.

Selene squeezed in behind the tall, imposing middle-aged guard. At a glance, she saw Louise Antinoa sitting in a chair.

She was a woman who made one think of the sky, the lake, and verdant mountains.

Her pale gray gown was understated and restrained, her long, silver-white hair unadorned, flowing simply down her shoulders.

Two years ago, when she had emerged from the wilderness, covered in grime after surviving, it was Louise, then a receptionist for the Adventurer’s Guild, who had taken her in, letting her stay at her house, which saved her from a fate of living in the streets of the town. Later, due to her work as an adventurer, she received commissions every day, and naturally, she needed to build relationships. Over time, they got to know each other and became friends, one of the few she had in this world.

“Louise?” Selene was a little hesitant, unsure.

“What, don’t you recognize me?” Louise tilted her head in disbelief. “Has your memory deteriorated to the level of a goldfish? You poor thing. Luckily, I have a unique secret method for treating senility. Out of friendship, I’ll only charge you one hundred gold coins…”

“It really is you?” Hearing the familiar words, Selene was finally sure of the person in front of her. She noticed Louise’s distinctly different features – a pair of pointy, elven ears, and she still felt a little bit confused. “Didn’t you say you were going back home to see your parents, that you wouldn’t be back for a while?”

“I’m back.” Louise was a little confused.

“So, for long-lived races like you elves, a ‘while’ is like a few decades, right?” Selene stroked her chin. “Like saying you’ll go see a meteor shower sometime, but in reality, the meteor shower is a few decades away… I’ve already thought about where you should come to find me next time. The cemetery in the east of town would be good. If you can’t find me, I can always capture some kids and raise them. When they grow up, I can have them show you the way…”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Louise twitched at the corner of her mouth, but she knew that Selene was a little off, so she didn’t bother arguing with her. She simply stood up.

“Everything’s settled, I guess you don’t have any money on you. So, I’ll take care of the bail. You just follow me.”

“Like you said, let’s go.”

Selene turned and greeted the guards she knew, then followed Louise out of the police station. After a long day, the sky had become dark. She looked up, and the dazzling stars filled her vision, their light traversing a vast distance, illuminating the way for night travelers.

She looked up at this familiar yet alien night sky, sighed, and then lowered her head, gazing at the deserted street, lit only by the fluorescent lamps.

After all, no matter how long she stared, the moon from her previous life would never follow her to this world.

This was a moonless night sky, a moonless world.

A damp, cold wind hit her face, making Selene shiver. She hastily pulled her clothes closer.

But Louise, in her dress, felt nothing. Her race and profession bestowed upon her a strong constitution, capable of making her ten times stronger than Selene, giving her a stronger ability to adapt to her surroundings. For her, it was merely a pleasant coolness.

She mentally calculated the time, then turned to Selene.

“Are you going home?”

“There’s a dead body in my house. I’m a little scared.” Selene answered cryptically.

“Hmm…” Louise pondered for a moment, recalling her experience with her friend six months ago. “Wasn’t there a spirit in that house? How have you been getting along with it recently?”

“It’s very well-behaved. It can’t talk, but it seems to understand me.” Selene also remembered the moving light in her house. “It has some kind of innate advantage in the spiritual realm and has helped me out a lot. Like figuring out if someone at the door had malicious intent. I was able to prepare myself and kill that guy because of it…”

Louise, having learned the situation from the guards, nodded, reminding her.

“Remember to always be on guard. On the Divine Construct, when all living beings die, their souls return to the divine realms. Even high-level superhumans are no exception. Only those corrupted spirit entities, demons, and phantoms can remain on the mortal plane as spirits. Even if it’s not one of those, the fact that a human spirit is lingering in the mortal world means it’s not simple… I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, I won’t say more.”

Selene nodded, changing the subject.

“Are you going back to the Guild to work as a receptionist?”

“Too tiring, and the pay is too low.” Louise said decisively. “I’m thinking about opening a fortune-telling shop… I’m not trying to steal your business.”

“Nobody comes to me for fortune-telling.” Selene pondered for a moment. “Truth be told, there aren’t many people in town who are interested in fortune-telling. The poor can’t afford it, and the rich look down on it. I don’t think your business will be too good.”

Louise glanced at her companion, who spent every penny as soon as she earned it, and said sympathetically,

“I’m not trying to make a living by snooping on cheating lovers. I just want to find something to do.”

She paused, then brought the conversation back to its original topic.

“Where are you staying tonight?”

“Go to your place…” Selene said unconsciously, then remembered that Louise had always rented a room. She hadn’t renewed the lease when she left two months ago. At this time of night, she probably wouldn’t be able to find a suitable place to stay. So, she changed her mind. “Let’s just go to an inn and wait for the night. We’re superhumans. We can handle a little all-nighter.”

“Alright.” Louise was always easygoing.

So, the two walked on in silence. Selene’s gaze swept across the buildings illuminated by the streetlights, watching them stand tall on the earth, bathed in starlight, orderly, like a formation.

Suddenly, she turned, her eyes catching a glimpse of a figure rushing through a narrow alley. It was a small figure, dashing across the street between buildings, more running than walking, then turning a corner and disappearing from her sight.

Louise saw the figure as well.

“Probably a drunkard or someone’s kid. What about it?”

“Just curious because he saw us and then ran away, that’s all.” Selene replied casually. The small, childlike figure reminded her of something. “Speaking of which, I remember you’re an ‘Astromancer,’ right?”

Louise nodded slightly, confirming.

“Astromancer” is a very unique superhuman profession. Like Selene’s “Ritual Magician,” it’s a highly specialized profession in a particular area. “Ritual Magician” specializes in spirit power and magical reserves in order to cast more rituals and spells. “Astromancer” is different. It’s a profession that exists solely for a particular divination technique. All its growth is geared towards being able to better practice that one divination technique.

That is astrology.

Originating from the elves, it has a history spanning over ten thousand years. It is the most advanced and the most powerful divination technique. It doesn’t make requests or pray to anyone. It simply looks at the stars. It can even, for a high enough price, peek into the secrets of the gods…

Louise, as an “Astromancer,” would definitely be better at astrology than Selene’s divination rituals.

—— Now she remembered that she still had a missing person commission to deal with.

Selene recounted her commission to Louise, pausing for a moment, looking at Louise’s expression before saying,

"So, that’s it. I want to find the kid, Ron. You aren’t going to charge me, are you?”

Louise was amused by her cautious question. She waved her hand, indicating that she didn’t need money, and nodded in agreement.

Selene instantly relaxed, thinking to herself, “Five silver coins for two superhumans to help. Sam is lucky.

Chatting as they walked, they arrived at their destination.

An inn called the “Silver Rose.”