I Need Some Help (Please Bookmark and Vote)

A thin layer of golden earth covered the halo. A blazing sun hung directly above it, bringing warmth to this cold pocket dimension.

Wind swept through, stirring the moisture in the air. It quickly condensed into rain and fell upon the ground.

A tiny green shoot pushed through the soil, stubbornly surviving in this cramped space of only a few dozen square meters.

Fiona Russell, her body as insubstantial as a phantom, passed through the halo into the pocket dimension and looked around with curiosity.

"This isn't quite what I imagined."

As she spoke, a figure shrouded in mysterious white light and a paper figure no bigger than a finger arrived one after the other.

The paper figure—Avram Krell—gave her a gentle smile. "What did you imagine it would be like?"

"Hidden locations, buried treasure, ancient secrets, all sorts of guardians, and an ancient black dragon imprisoned for who knows how many years, thoroughly sick of it all," Fiona Russell said brightly.

"That's the plot of Vancel's Wondrous Adventures." Avram Krell laughed. "It's fiction. Enjoy the book, but don't take it seriously. Real adventures aren't that simple."

"Then what are real adventures like?" Fiona Russell asked curiously.

"Hidden locations, ancient secrets, all sorts of guardians, and a black dragon that still wants to eat you after years of imprisonment—but no treasure. That's Vancel's real adventure, as recorded in Graycastle."

While they spoke, an old-fashioned mirror entered through the halo, interrupting their conversation.

Golden light blossomed across its surface and formed a figure wearing white ceremonial robes.

Jiang Hao glanced over the members he had chosen for his organization.

Three people: a projection, a stand-in, and an avatar.

They're all pretty cautious.

But cautious people live longer. Jiang Hao chuckled. "Good day, ladies and gentlemen."

"Good day, Your Highness." Avram Krell placed his little paper hand against his chest and gave a proper salute.

Ieta Cavendish, shrouded in mysterious white light, followed with a "Good day, Your Highness."

Fiona Russell had been about to reply, "Good day, sir," but the paper figure's greeting made her pause.

Your Highness? Is this mysterious man in white ceremonial robes a prince? No, he could be a demigod or a god. They're addressed as Your Highness too... Fiona Russell obediently copied the paper figure, placing a hand on her chest and giving a proper salute. "Good day, Your Highness."

She was curious about the paper figure's identity. He seemed fond of smiling. Then there was the figure shrouded in mysterious white light, who had said only one thing so far and seemed terribly aloof.

Going by the character types in the newly published Queen Selena and Her Knights, is the smiling one a gentle older man? Is the aloof one a handsome knight?

Fiona Russell's imagination ran wild.

After the brief greetings, Jiang Hao said slowly, "I need help."

He did not open by proposing an organization built on fair, voluntary exchange, nor did he invent an organization on the spot.

This was another world, not Blue Star. Supernatural powers existed here.

An organization that had existed would inevitably leave traces. Even if the wider world knew nothing of it, records would remain. After all, the information returned by Wishcraft told him that Avram Krell was a bishop of the Church of Knowledge, and the God of Knowledge was known as the "Recorder of History."

So he intended to guide them gradually toward making deals here.

Choosing his words, Jiang Hao said, "Something happened on the Main Plane recently. I want to know its cause and outcome, but for certain reasons, I can't investigate it myself. I hope someone can find out and tell me. I'll offer a reward of equal value."

Nor did he ask what "recognition," the key to mastering a divine authority, meant.

Before they had earned one another's trust, revealing his goal would not only fail to achieve anything; it could expose his weaknesses and invite needless trouble.

Something happened on the Main Plane, but he can't investigate it himself... Is something keeping him occupied, or is His Highness actually a god who can't descend to the Main Plane? Fiona Russell studied the mysterious figure in white ceremonial robes as possibilities sprang to mind.

"The Main Plane?" Ieta Cavendish shook his head. "I'm not on the Main Plane, and I've withdrawn my people from it. I'd like to investigate, but I can't. I'm sorry, Your Highness, I can't help you."

Jiang Hao nodded as Ieta Cavendish's information flashed through his mind.

Ieta Cavendish was a divine descendant who carried the bloodline of Lathander, the Lord of Dawn.

Is that aloof figure in mysterious white light on an Outer Plane? Fiona Russell tried to peer through the light, but it blocked her view completely.

He's so mysterious. He probably isn't a handsome knight—knights don't act this secretive. Could he be a mage?

Thoughts raced through Fiona Russell's mind. She asked, "Your Highness, may I know what happened? If it's within my abilities, perhaps I can find out its cause and outcome for you."

Fiona Russell was the beloved daughter of Howard Russell, the current head of the Russell family.

Her information flashed through Jiang Hao's mind. He smiled at her. "The day before yesterday, the Lord of Dawn seemed furious. From the void beyond the planes, he brought divine punishment down upon the Main Plane. I want to know what caused it and what came of it."

As I thought, this is beyond me. And he speaks of the Lord of Dawn as an equal. Is he a god too?

Fiona Russell grew respectful without realizing it. "This is beyond my abilities. I'm sorry I can't help you."

Jiang Hao turned to Avram Krell.

But Avram Krell apologized too, wearing an apologetic smile on his paper face. "I'm sorry I can't help you, Your Highness. Matters concerning gods are secret and cannot be shared."

He said "cannot be shared," not "I don't know." Jiang Hao studied the paper figure, deep in thought.

It seems I could try the Church of Knowledge to learn what "recognition," the key to mastering a divine authority, means.

Jiang Hao remembered the Book of Sedir. Since the God of Knowledge had written in it that "the key to claiming a divine authority is playing the role, and the key to mastering it is recognition," perhaps he had given a fuller explanation in another book.

Looks like I won't be giving out today's gift after all.

The thought had just crossed Jiang Hao's mind when Ieta Cavendish spoke. "Your Highness, if that's what you're asking about, I think I may be able to give you an answer."