Facing such an Angel of the mind domain, Aaron could not judge the veracity of Hermes' words at all.
Especially since Hermes deliberately omitted how he, then only a Sequence 3, obtained that "Discerner" characteristic in an era surrounded by enemies.
This past has been obliterated in the mists of history, and if it truly related to the Dragon of Imagination or the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, relevant information in the Spirit World would certainly have been erased, making it difficult even for Arrodes to provide feedback for verification.
However, there was one thing he could be sure of: Hermes was at least not a contingency plan of the Dragon of Imagination.
More accurately, even if he once was, after encountering Herabergen and Adam, those hidden dangers had already been removed; for example, Groselle's Travels, which should have reunited with the Quill of Alzuhod, was ultimately sealed in the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Pondering, Aaron tapped his fingers on the table, breaking the somewhat heavy atmosphere, and looked at Hermes, saying:
"My promise is still valid; that will not change, and it is the basis of our cooperation from the start."
"But can you give me some more time?"
The Balancer's potion had been completely digested, and he was only one final advancement ritual away from the Sequence 1 position; this was the most pressing matter he needed to focus on.
Besides that, he also needed some time to find a certain Snake of Fate to confirm that period of history.
And as the Elf King's subordinate deity, the "God of Luck" who survived the ancient era, Will Auceptin, was clearly the best candidate.
There was no anticipated bargaining; Hermes calmly accepted Aaron's request, and the ancient and elegant library disintegrated into points of light, merging into the desolate Mind Island beneath his feet.
He added gently:
"This is just an invitation; my main body will be guarding a mausoleum in East Chester County for a while due to certain reasons and cannot leave freely."
"When that matter concludes, I will invite you again..."
The mellow and amiable voice, along with Hermes' dissolving figure, vanished.
Aaron's feet found nothing but air as the Mind Island he stood on disappeared without a trace.
The mausoleum in East Chester County... George III... Aaron's eyes twitched slightly.
He glanced around the chaotic "ocean" from which murmurs occasionally emanated, then his figure blurred for a moment before he exited the collective subconscious sea.
Audrey looked at the collective subconscious sea beneath her feet, then at the intrigued expression on Aaron's face, and she couldn't hide her curiosity as she asked:
"Is that a high-ranking member of the Psychology Alchemists in the Sea of Collective Subconscious?"
An existence that could freely manipulate the collective subconscious sea and make Aaron personally visit could certainly not be merely Demigod level.
Audrey gained a new understanding of this secretive organization that controlled the Spectator Pathway.
Although Hermes was marginalized by Adam, almost becoming a background character, he was still a member of the Psychology Alchemists, right... Aaron muttered to himself, nodded slightly, and led Audrey out of the dream world.
Although he could ignore the influence of the collective subconscious sea, Audrey, who was not even a Demigod, could not do so, and some conversations were not suitable for exchange there.
Returning to reality, as soon as they appeared in the tranquil church enveloped by the authority of concealment, Aaron immediately felt the gaze of Madam Arianna from deep within the sanctuary, but it only lingered for a moment before moving away.
Melissa, who had received the subsequent potion for "Artisan," had now recovered from her surprise and was arranging for the clergy to properly settle the treated soldiers and Nighthawks, while also noticing Aaron and Audrey, who had quietly reappeared.
Aaron waved his hand, signaling Melissa not to be reserved, and explained with a smile:
"Something came up just now, and I forgot to tell you."
"With the potion formula, you should know that the Sequence after 'Artisan' is called 'Astronomer.' I won't elaborate on the specific Beyonder abilities, I just hope you remember one thing when digesting the potion after advancement."
At this point, Aaron's expression became serious, and he solemnly added:
"Beware of the Cosmos!"
"Do not respond to any calls, always maintain mental stability, and pray to the Goddess regularly!"
His words, more like a warning than a reminder, made both ladies present change their expressions simultaneously.
Before they could instinctively ask, Aaron continued to add:
"I cannot give you specific explanations."
"Some things, the more you know, the easier it is to be 'infected,' from body to soul."
"If one day you can achieve Angelhood, only then will you be qualified to explore the specific answers."
The more you know, the easier it is to be "infected"...
With Aaron's help, Audrey, who had gone smoothly from Sequence 9 to her current Sequence 5, felt a chill down her spine for the first time in a long while.
But her professional quality as a Spectator quickly allowed her to regain composure, and she swiftly caught another key point in Aaron's words, opening her mouth in a somewhat astonished manner:
"You, you're already an Angel? When?"
Looking at Audrey, who was somewhat adorable in her shock, Aaron couldn't resist raising his hand and gently pinching her delicate cheek, explaining with a smile:
"I had already been promoted before you left Backlund, but because certain people from a certain secret organization were constantly paying close attention to you at the time, I didn't tell you to maintain Concealment."
Now that the most difficult Trunsoest Brass Book had been acquired, and considering this was the Evernight Goddess's territory, he had decided to gradually let Audrey know some things.
Such an intimate gesture, even in private, made Audrey a little shy, let alone with Melissa standing nearby.
She instantly detached from her Spectator state, and a blush spread across her face.
Audrey glared at Aaron, who smiled and withdrew his arm, then glanced at Melissa, who was still in shock, with a flushed face.
She only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that her embarrassment had not been noticed.
Melissa, belatedly, recovered from the successive shocks.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.
"This is just a reminder; you don't need to overthink it..."
Looking at Melissa's constantly changing expression, Aaron took Audrey's hand and walked deeper into the church, finally adding with a meaningful tone:
"I will explain to the Church that the potion formulas you received for your advancement all came from Audrey and me, so you don't need to worry about internal Nighthawks scrutiny."
Melissa's heart tightened at the last sentence, and her body instantly tensed.
She slowly raised her head and exhaled after the footsteps faded away.
After the confrontation with Feysac began, the Archbishops and other high-ranking Nighthawks deacons who originally guarded the sanctuary had mostly gone to the front lines, making the core area of the tranquil church, accessible only to members of the Divine Council and permitted believers, even more secluded.