Chapter 377: George Augustus III and Mr. Door
Under the shocked and dazed gazes of everyone, the ruler of the Ruen Kingdom and the Roselle Islands, Emperor George Augustus III, exploded into a mass of blood.
The royal guards closest to him were splattered with blood on their unprotected faces, their silver-white armor stained, and they collapsed to the ground in fear.
Emperor George Augustus III was dead!
He had inexplicably died right before everyone's eyes!
Panic and chaos began to spread.
Audrey was standing quite close to George Augustus III's podium.
She could clearly see how George Augustus III's body was torn apart bit by bit, and how the blood inside him exploded.
For some reason, in this moment of sudden change and panic, when everyone's eyes were focused on George Augustus III, she instinctively looked at Mr. Hastur opposite her.
He was also watching George Augustus III, but there was not a hint of shock or fear on his face; instead, there was a deeply hidden smile in his eyes.
Could it be that Mr. Hastur had known all along that King George Augustus III would fall today, which is why he wasn't the least bit surprised?
Audrey didn't have time to think or look further, as Earl Hall, who was standing beside her, quickly ordered Hibbert and Alfred to protect her and the Countess of Hall and get them out of there.
"Ah!"
A shrill scream of panic from an unknown noblewoman instantly ignited the accumulated fear. Not only were the royal family members running around like headless chickens, but even the royal guards surrounding the area didn't know what to do now.
They wanted to protect George Augustus III's body, but the explosion was so thorough that not even a single intact bone was left.
In this fearful, chaotic, and frantic moment, Audrey gradually calmed down. She switched to an observer's perspective, coldly watching everything while feeling the various complex emotions coming from all directions.
Grief, sadness, panic, fear, chaos, and even some schadenfreude and joy...
The various emotions that erupted from the onlookers at that moment filled the entire Memorial Square, forming a sea of emotions.
And she, Audrey Hall, was an isolated island floating on this sea of emotions, observing the vast waves of this emotional ocean from a detached standpoint, not missing even the smallest splash.
The Psychologist potion in her body was being digested at a visible speed, and a strange sense of enlightenment filled her mind, as if a switch had been flipped, making her view of the world clearer and more detached.
Audrey noticed the changes in herself and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Was she benefiting from George Augustus III's death?
Or should she thank King George Augustus III for his final gift?
As she was being escorted away, she glanced once more at where Mr. Hastur was standing.
At this moment, Mr. Hastur was also watching everything with an absolutely calm and indifferent demeanor.
However, unlike her, who was observing the complex emotions and hearts of the people, he was watching the chaotic and disorderly behavior of the crowd.
As if sensing her gaze, Mr. Hastur looked at her, his eyes showing encouragement and a sense of camaraderie as fellow observers.
"Mr. Hastur, what kind of true face lies beneath your mask?" Audrey murmured to herself. Soon, she, her mother, and other panicked noblewomen were escorted to safety.
...
Chaos has its own unique beauty.
Hastur watched the panicked crowd, from the royal family members to the ordinary citizens.
At this moment, they shed their identities, displaying their most helpless sides in a naked manner.
Order had collapsed and left a void.
It was like a beautifully painted picture where, when someone tried to burn it with a torch, the figures in the painting suddenly came to life, running around chaotically, creating a kind of chaotic beauty.
Hastur silently savored this chaotic feast, his Chaos Mentor potion digesting faster.
At this moment, he truly understood the legacy left behind by the fall of the ancient sun god.
Those who witnessed and participated in the fall of the ancient sun god could ascend to godhood in a short time.
Because witnessing itself is a great wealth.
The fall of George Augustus III was already like this, let alone the scene of the ancient sun god's fall.
After a brief period of chaos, the royal family members and high nobles began to stabilize the situation, with soldiers completely surrounding the Memorial Square.
They wanted to find the possible assassin of George Augustus III, and the high-ranking members of the church, who knew some inside information, allowed this search because both the church and the Ruen Kingdom needed a scapegoat.
Otherwise, the anger and doubts of the people would easily destroy the hard-won order.
Feeling the chaos dissipate, Hastur closed his eyes gently and re-entered the Hall of Stars.
He needed to confirm whether George Augustus III was truly dead.
When reading the original work, he always felt that George Augustus III's fall was too easy. Even if he failed to ascend to Black Emperor, George Augustus III was still a Sequence 1, and he possessed three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and uniqueness.
Such an existence was stronger than the current Adam and Amon, comparable to the former Mr. Door.
Mr. Door could still resist the pollution from the Fallen Mother Goddess, so how could George Augustus III completely fall just because of a failed ascension?
Moreover, this time, the butterfly effect he brought advanced the time of George Augustus III's ascension to Black Emperor, so there might be new changes.
When Hastur looked into the depths of the black mausoleum, George Augustus III's body had indeed exploded, but the flesh and blood were eerily suspended in mid-air, trying to piece together George Augustus III's face.
Behind that face, a translucent and eerie door was forming.
Not completely dead?
What is that door?
Hastur tried to get a closer look, but a wave of trembling and fear surged in his mind.
It was a warning from his spirituality!
He quickly stopped this thought, frowning.
George Augustus III's state could not be left unattended. Who knew where that door led?
Could it be Mr. Door?
The Fallen Mother Goddess!
Hastur's spirit instantly became alert. The only existence that could make him feel troubled and fearful even through the Hall of Stars was someone like the Fallen Mother Goddess!
Moreover, the Fallen Mother Goddess had been active in Backlund recently, so it might really be connected to George Augustus III!
The blood and conditions needed for Mr. Door's unsealing, if aided by George Augustus III, could be quickly gathered!
George Augustus III must not be allowed to cooperate with the Fallen Mother Goddess!
"George Augustus III, as a qualified emperor, it would be better for you to die completely."
...
In the depths of the No. 1 ruins outside Backlund, the failed George Augustus III had lost the possibility of becoming the Black Emperor.
His body was being devoured by the shadows of order due to the failed ascension.
But he didn't want his long-held patience and hibernation to become a joke!
So in his final moments, he used all his strength to draw a door that could communicate with Mr. Door.
Not long ago, someone had found him, claiming they could help him and introduced him to Mr. Door.
He had heard his ancestor William I mention this legendary figure, who was once known as the closest to godhood.
Even Adam, Amon, and Medici were behind him.
But then he had an accident and suddenly disappeared. There were rumors that he was preparing for a godhood ascension ritual, and others said he was sealed by the Night Goddess and other true gods.
For such a legendary figure, he was cautious and only communicated with him once through the seal.
Mr. Door was indeed sealed by the Night Goddess and other true gods. If he helped him unseal, he could ascend to godhood.
But he wasn't foolish enough to easily trust Mr. Door to help him break the seal.
However, Mr. Door didn't care too much, only mentioning it once and then not bringing it up again.
Instead, he said that his attempt to ascend to Black Emperor would definitely fail because a mysterious existence would not allow him to become a god and would send followers to stop and sabotage him.
At first, he didn't believe Mr. Door's words, but then people began to secretly spread messages unfavorable to the Ruen royal family, targeting him as the king, which made him vigilant and worried.
But he still didn't contact Mr. Door, as such an old guy would only take the opportunity to harm him and wouldn't truly help him.
Until he underwent an examination by the Three Gods Church, he felt increasingly uneasy.
Even Bernadette could accurately spread the date of his ascension to Black Emperor.
This was enough to prove that there was already an existence that didn't want him to ascend smoothly and was trying to kill him.
So, out of unease and curiosity, he contacted Mr. Door again.
He wanted to know who exactly didn't want him to become a god!
"The Stars and the Fool." This was Mr. Door's final answer.