"Greetings, Miss Reinette Tinekerr. Allow me to introduce myself... I am Lucifer." Alaric said with an elegant bow, followed by a smile. "I'd like to discuss a collaboration, one that benefits us both."
"What…" "…collaboration?"
Reinette Tinekerr's four heads turned to Alaric in unison, creating a rather unsettling sight.
"The following conversation isn't suitable for our two young actors to overhear, so I'd ask them to step aside briefly. Not too far, just enough to ensure they can't hear what's said." Alaric said, smiling at Sharon and Maric without answering Reinette directly.
He was about to discuss matters involving Outer Deities, which Sharon and Maric couldn't be privy to.
Alaric wasn't worried about them fleeing. With Reinette's Shadow of Time present, they wouldn't run, and as long as they stayed close, the summoned shadow could be maintained.
"What are your thoughts on the Chained God, Miss Reinette Tinekerr?" Alaric asked directly once Sharon and Maric reluctantly left the alley.
Reinette hadn't expected the question and paused briefly before responding, "They were once…" "good…" "but sadly…" "They fell."
As a former favored one of the Chained God, Reinette's feelings were complex. They had once revered this King of Angels until the Mother Tree of Desire corrupted Them, erasing what They once were.
"Fell? I'd call it pollution. The Chained God has become a mere plaything of the Mother Tree of Desire... a tragedy. A King of Angels losing Their sense of self is absurd, even in this mad world." Alaric said with a smile, correcting Reinette's wording with a sigh.
"It seems…" "you know…" "a great…" "deal."
Reinette knew this was the truth but had spoken cautiously, unsure of Alaric's sequence.
"As a competent actor, one must know enough of the script to perform well." Alaric said with a smile, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. "What if I said I want to invite you to help me wrest the Chained God from the Mother Tree of Desire's grasp? What would you think?"
Reinette's four heads snapped up, staring at Alaric in disbelief.
"You're…" "insane…" "That's an…" "Outer Deity."
"Exactly why it would make for a spectacular performance, don't you think?" Alaric said, smiling at Reinette's incredulous stare. "Of course, I won't deny I'm not entirely confident I can free the Chained God from the Mother Tree of Desire. I can only offer Them a chance... a chance to save Themselves."
"And if Miss Reinette Tinekerr is concerned about the risks, you may simply play the role of a key prop." Alaric added considerately.
Reinette clearly didn't grasp what "key prop" meant, but she sensed Alaric's confidence. The fact that she'd been inexplicably summoned here gave her pause. After a moment's thought, she said, "What…" "do you…" "plan to…" "do?"
"Allow me to keep that a secret for now." Alaric said, smiling as he pressed a finger to his lips in a hush gesture. "If Miss Reinette Tinekerr is genuinely interested in collaborating, come meet me in person."
"I'll be waiting here."
Without waiting for Reinette's reply, Alaric released the Shadow of Time, standing in the alley to wait.
Why was Alaric suddenly intent on rescuing the Chained God? The reason was simple... he didn't truly aim to save Them. After experimenting with Mr. Door, he felt the need for more test subjects to refine his approach before attempting to rescue Mr. Door. He didn't want to risk turning Mr. Door into a mental wreck, as he rather admired him.
The Chained God, thoroughly corrupted by an Outer Deity and possibly beyond saving, was a perfect test subject.
Of course, if Alaric could actually save the Chained God, he wouldn't mind. They were, after all, a quasi-ally. Though Their track record was lackluster, a rescued Chained God could serve as a ready-made enforcer. With some goodwill, Their abilities could be useful.
Moreover, this endeavor could secure the supplementary materials needed for the Mask Maker potion. Earning Reinette's favor would be an added bonus.
Even if the plan failed, Alaric stood to lose nothing. He couldn't overpower an Outer Deity, but neither could one corrupt him.
That was why he was here.
"Of course, there's another ready-made test subject in this world…" Alaric mused, rubbing his chin as he thought of poor Roselle, languishing in a mausoleum for over a century.
To be honest, Alaric wasn't fond of Roselle. He admired good people, and Roselle was undeniably a scoundrel. Based on Roselle's misdeeds, Alaric ranked him below Medici... while Medici wasn't exactly a saint, he leaned neutral and had once saved the world.
"Yet such a scoundrel sacrificed himself to save the world. Human nature is truly the strangest thing." Alaric reflected, recalling Roselle's choices in the original story. With a click of his tongue, he made up his mind:
"Fine. At least the Artisan's abilities are useful, and Black Emperor isn't bad either. An extra test subject will help me study the nature of Nyarlathotep's and Outer Deities' powers."
While Alaric's Shadow of Time ability typically borrowed power from a target's peak, with enough goodwill, he could access their abilities from any point in their timeline. For someone like Roselle, who switched pathways, Alaric could borrow his Artisan or Black Emperor powers... or even Knowledge Emperor, making him a versatile three-in-one asset.
Just then, the colors around Alaric distorted. Unsurprised, he calmly observed the scene.
The next moment, Reinette Tinekerr's true form appeared before him.
***
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