Leonard was seated at the dining table, eating his dinner. When he noticed the uninvited guest, he merely glanced over before continuing his meal.
There was no helping it... humans adapt. Over time, Leonard had grown accustomed to Alaric's sporadic visits.
"Travel?" The shadow of Pallez appeared beside the table. As an angel of the Seer pathway, Pallez instantly recognized the ability Alaric had used, which reminded Him of Mr. Door from the day before. He spoke tentatively.
"Indeed, a little gift from Mr. Door." Alaric said with a smile, speaking no lie. In this world, it wasn't uncommon for high-ranking beings to "grant" certain abilities to those of lower status.
"It seems you've indeed struck a deal with Bethel." Pallez said, unsurprised. He looked at Alaric and asked, "But I don't understand… how did you manage it?"
"All thanks to my Lord's greatness." Alaric replied, smoothly shifting the blame to his Lord of Chaos persona, smiling serenely.
"The Retrograde of Time, yes?" Pallez probed. As someone with a mind as sharp as eight hundred, and with Bethel's hints, He had pieced together some clues.
"Perhaps the Bethel I met yesterday didn't belong to this era."
With this suspicion in mind, Pallez had reviewed His meeting with Bethel and noticed several oddities... Bethel's words upon seeing Him, His attire, and more.
"Time is but one of my Lord's authorities." Alaric said, not denying it. He nodded, his expression briefly distant, as if recalling something. "My Lord can summon those from the past back into this world…"
Even with His suspicions, Pallez couldn't help but feel a jolt of shock at the confirmation.
Such an authority was staggering. Pallez knew that if the Lord of Chaos could truly bring back the past, it would be a temptation few could resist.
Even Pallez Himself, in that moment, thought of His long-gone descendants, those who had passed. The chance to reunite, even briefly, was a honeyed lure that could drive many to offer everything.
And if the Lord of Chaos could summon not just ordinary people but someone like Mr. Door from the past, what about true gods? Could He go further?
"So that's why the True Creator is willing to work with you…" Pallez murmured, feeling He'd grasped it all. Though unfamiliar with the Third Epoch's Creator, He wasn't ignorant of His existence.
Pallez understood that if that Creator could be brought back, it would reshape the world's balance.
"Lord of Chaos, Embodiment of Delight…" Pallez mulled over the titles that had once baffled Him, finally grasping a sliver of the other's motives.
Perhaps everything else was secondary. That being's true aim might be to plunge the world into chaos for His own amusement.
"I'm suddenly afraid for this world's future." Pallez said, closing His eyes briefly before looking at Alaric with a wry smile.
"You should trust Them." Alaric said, reading Pallez's thoughts. He smiled. "Neither Mr. Door nor the Creator would push this world into ruin."
The implication: you may doubt the Lord of Chaos, but you can always trust those guardians!
Pallez paused, then laughed. "You're right. I should trust Them."
He turned to Alaric with a teasing grin. "But that doesn't sound like something a devout follower would say…"
Alaric blinked. "Old man, don't slander me. I didn't say anything."
It wasn't out of character. Alaric Zoroast wasn't a devout follower by design. His loyalty to the Lord of Chaos stemmed from revenge, family revival, and loved ones... not blind faith.
Pallez, well aware Alaric wasn't a true devotee, chuckled at his own jab before growing pensive. Finally, as if resolving Himself, He said, "Two months from now, I can begin my first hunt for Amon, but I'll need your help to pinpoint his location."
With a great era of conflict looming, Pallez knew He couldn't keep coasting. He had to step up, despite His heavy injuries requiring preparation time.
"I'll report your needs to my Lord. I'm sure a response will come soon." Alaric said, unsurprised. Part of his visit was to spur Pallez into action.
Then, as if struck by a thought, he turned to Leonard.
Leonard, who'd been eating and eavesdropping, jolted upright. He looked at Alaric warily. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Leonard, interested in joining the Joker Club?" Alaric asked bluntly.
"What?" Leonard froze, then pointed at himself, half-laughing in disbelief. "Me? Let's get this straight... I'm a Nighthawk. I serve the Goddess."
Though Alaric's tales of ancient history had shaken him, Leonard, raised in the Church of the Evernight Goddess's monastery, remained steadfast in his faith. The Goddess and Her Church had always worked to protect the world.
"The club doesn't require members to change their beliefs. You can still worship the Evernight Goddess." Alaric said with a smile, unfazed by Leonard's reaction. He continued unhurriedly, "You don't need to see it as a betrayal of the Church. The club has no quarrel with them. Think of it as just a secretive gathering."
Leonard's expression shifted, his mind stirring. After a moment, his rarely used brain kicked into gear. "Why me? Because of the old man?"
"No, if I wanted the old man in the club, I'd invite him separately." Alaric said, shaking his head and smiling at the spectating Pallez.
"I'd have to think it over." Pallez said with a chuckle, neither accepting nor declining.
Alaric wasn't surprised. He turned back to Leonard. "I'm inviting you because of fate."
***
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