Audrey Hall had come to attend the Beyonder gathering. The moment Raphael entered wearing a mask and hood, she realized that the newcomer was not Mr. C.
When Raphael introduced himself as "Mr. A," Audrey, Xio, and Fors Wall, whom Raphael did not know, all froze for a moment.
They had all met the previous Mr. A. Xio and Fors had commissioned him to assassinate the ambassador of the Republic of Intis, and he had been a powerful Beyonder.
But the Mr. A before them was clearly not that Mr. A.
The former Mr. A had given the impression of someone desperately holding back madness, while this Mr. A appeared very calm-or rather, very reserved.
Many others noticed this as well. At the same time, they realized that the original Mr. A was dead, and this was a new Oracle who had inherited the code name "Mr. A."
Raphael glanced toward Audrey and the others, then said, "Let's begin."
The gathering began as usual. Raphael was not actually responsible for the particulars; two low-sequence members and several attendants handled everything according to the established rules.
Raphael's main role was to use a Mystical Item of the Reader Pathway to perform appraisals for the participants, as well as provide the necessary deterrence.
Generally speaking, those who attended knew something of the host's background and would not cause trouble under normal circumstances.
But they were Beyonders, after all. When something they had waited years for finally appeared, yet they lacked enough gold pounds to buy it, they might take a desperate gamble.
Raphael's role was to ensure that such gambles did not disrupt the gathering.
Seated among the participants, Audrey kept observing Mr. A, sometimes deliberately and sometimes almost unconsciously. She noticed that many of his habitual gestures, as well as his