The members of the Church of Knowledge had no idea of the grueling workload awaiting them. If they did, they might have stayed up all night cramming to cope with the shock.
Meanwhile, their stern master, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Herabergen, received part of his payment on the spot after striking a deal with Alaric.
True to his decisive nature, Alaric, figuring he was already there, used his extraordinary abilities to transcribe his current research on Outer Deities onto paper. He handed it to Herabergen, asking him to pass a copy to the Evernight Goddess as well.
After all, making another trip to the Astral World for this alone wasn't worth the hassle.
Herabergen, of course, didn't refuse. He tucked away Amanises's copy and couldn't help but glance at his own, clearly eager to dive in but restraining himself with guests present.
Alaric noticed and chuckled. Not wanting to keep Herabergen from his scholarly pursuits, he glanced at The Ancient Sun God. "Anything else you want to discuss with Herabergen? If not, I'll head off to deal with the Rose School's mess and check on things in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. No rush, though... if you need more time, take it."
Though plenty of tasks remained, they were already being handled by others and unlikely to spiral out of control. A slight delay wouldn't matter.
The Ancient Sun God looked at Herabergen, who met his gaze. After a few seconds, The Ancient Sun God smiled. "I'd love to catch up properly, but I suspect you'd prefer some uninterrupted reading time right now. And I have other matters to attend to, so…"
He paused, offering Herabergen a warm smile. "Until next time, Herabergen. If you're up for it, we could discuss the changes in mystical knowledge over these thousands of years. I'm a bit out of touch, being from the past."
"Until next time, my Lord," Herabergen replied, his smile relaxed yet slightly sheepish. "I look forward to discussing that topic. I'll prepare afternoon tea for your visit, but…" He paused, his expression growing serious. "In some matters, I can be a stubborn old man. I hope you won't find me too rigid then."
The Ancient Sun God, slightly surprised, glanced at him and smiled. "I don't see seriousness in the pursuit of knowledge as a flaw."
After their farewells, Alaric left with The Ancient Sun God. Once they were gone, Herabergen didn't immediately dive into the documents. Instead, he gazed in the direction they'd departed, a relieved and easy smile on his face.
"Perhaps this is a good start?"
He wasn't sure.
Alaric's arrival and The Ancient Sun God's "return" Had shattered many of Herabergen's prior plans, sending the world's dynamics into unprecedented upheaval.
Herabergen didn't know if this was good or bad, but for now, he didn't dislike the change.
…
After leaving the Astral World, Alaric looked at The Ancient Sun God with mild curiosity. "What's this business you need to handle? Want me to drop you off?"
Though he suspected it was just a polite excuse, he couldn't rule out the possibility The Ancient Sun God actually had matters to attend to, so he asked directly.
The Ancient Sun God glanced at him, chuckling. "I do have things to do. Sasrir's handling the Rose School's aftermath for you, and I can't keep him from his work."
Alaric raised an eyebrow. "You could always take his place, you know."
The Ancient Sun God shook his head, a helpless smile on his lips. "Poaching me now? That's not quite fair, is it?"
"What's unfair about it? I'm very open-minded. If you're willing, Grisha, I'd welcome you and your whole crew with open arms," Alaric said, his radiant smile utterly sincere.
Who could resist a Sun God pledging loyalty?
Especially one who came with a full set of capable subordinates.
"I'd mind, thanks!" The Ancient Sun God replied, his refusal firm yet polite. He gave Alaric a warm but resolute smile. "I've entrusted Sasrir with keeping you in check. So, allow me to always stand as your counterbalance, the one who watches and ensures you don't cross the line."
"A gentle yet ruthless answer, pure Sun God style," Alaric said, raising an eyebrow, unfazed. He swiftly changed the topic, his tone eager. "There's something I've been curious about for a while."
"What's that?" The Ancient Sun God asked, accustomed to Alaric's conversational leaps.
"I've seen how close you are with your King of Angels... your bonds are remarkable. So, I'm dying to know: of your eight King of Angels, who's your favorite?" Alaric asked, his face deadly serious as he discreetly activated a mystical recording device.
Though this world lacked cameras, extraordinary powers made it possible to capture fleeting moments.
The Ancient Sun God noticed Alaric's move... or rather, Alaric made no effort to hide it.
His blatant gossip-hungry demeanor gave The Ancient Sun God a headache. After a rare moment of hesitation, he said, "I'm afraid I can't answer that. They're all important to me."
Even The Ancient Sun God, faced with a question that could spark a family feud, opted for evasion.
"But there's got to be a favorite, right?" Alaric pressed, undeterred. "If you won't answer, let me guess…" He paused, then lit up as if struck by revelation. "I bet it's Aucuses. He's your eldest son, after all. People always have a special bond with their first child."
The Ancient Sun God faltered, caught in a trap. He knew Alaric's words were a setup... agreeing or denying would lead to trouble.
But he couldn't stay silent either, as silence would be twisted into agreement.
***
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