Amon's main body wasn't surprised by Alaric's words. It glanced at the visibly exhausted Sasrir, who seemed to be dancing on the edge of collapse, and shook its head. "Working for you really is a life-or-death gig."
"Don't blame me!" Alaric protested, bristling. "I'd love for Sasrir to take a break, but he insists on overworking. What can I do? It's not my whip driving him... it's his sense of duty to this world."
Sasrir gave a slightly embarrassed smile. "Amon, don't worry. I know my limits. Finishing things sooner means the people of this world can find happiness sooner. My fatigue is nothing."
Amon clicked its tongue. Though it had begun to grasp humanity's importance and even gained some itself, it still couldn't fathom Sasrir's willingness to sacrifice himself for others.
Couldn't he just rest a bit without derailing everything?
"…Excuse me, can someone clear up my confusion?" The Dark Angel Evil Spirit, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. "What did you mean by 'tool'? And what exactly is Sasrir working so hard for?"
Sasrir glanced at Alaric, who nodded, before turning to the evil spirit with a gentle smile. "It's a long story…"
He briefly explained their recent revolution, the establishment of a new regime, and their ongoing efforts to liberate the world.
"And that's one reason we came to you," Sasrir concluded. "The Republic is desperately short on capable hands, so we're hoping for another reliable helper."
"Of course, if you could influence the Chaos Sea even slightly, that'd be ideal, but it's fine if you can't," He added with a smile.
"…So that's how it is. Truly remarkable!" The Dark Angel Evil Spirit's eyes lit up, its expression a mix of relief and awe. Turning to Alaric, it said, "If what [I] said is true, and you've really liberated this world and its oppressed people, I'd be honored to contribute to such a noble cause."
Alaric's eyes brightened, and he smiled. "You can see for yourself once we leave the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Witness it with your own eyes. I'm confident you won't be disappointed."
He then turned to Adam. "Can you do it?"
He was, of course, asking if Adam could complete the Dark Angel Evil Spirit's soul, granting it a full personality.
"Yes, it's tricky but manageable," Adam nodded. While helping the evil spirit suppress its madness and regain clarity, he had assessed its condition and devised a treatment plan.
Adam stepped toward the Dark Angel Evil Spirit. "You'll need to fully open your mind to me so I can properly complete your soul."
"I have no issue with that. To me, we're essentially one," The evil spirit agreed without hesitation. It might have refused someone else, but Adam was different.
After all, Adam was part of it, too.
Adam wasn't surprised. He stepped closer to the evil spirit.
As the Dark Angel Evil Spirit lowered its mental defenses, just before Adam's power entered its mind sea, it spoke up. "You're completely different from what I'd heard. I've never met you, but the information I had suggested you weren't this… emotional."
…
"Is that a bad thing?" Adam asked, glancing at it faintly.
"No, it's good... far better than I expected," The evil spirit replied with a smile. "Now I'm curious about the person who changed you all. What kind of existence are they?"
Its gaze flicked toward Alaric, brimming with curiosity and scrutiny.
"You'll find out soon enough," Adam said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of mystery and pity.
Even Adam felt sorry for Sasrir, slaving away endlessly.
After all, to be honest, even The Ancient Sun God had avoided work, dumping everything on Sasrir back then.
The Dark Angel Evil Spirit seemed to pick up on this, its expression turning odd for a moment before it closed its eyes.
Adam began the process of mending its soul.
…
While Adam worked on the Dark Angel Evil Spirit's soul, Alaric rummaged through a corner and pulled out an object.
"So this is the Blasphemy Slate? Looks pretty ordinary," Alaric remarked, rubbing his chin as he examined it. Then, as if remembering something, he waved to Klein, who was curiously peering from a distance. "Don't just stand there peeking. Come take a look. Your future potion formulas are on this."
Blushing slightly, Klein hurried over and began studying the Blasphemy Slate, focusing on memorizing the Seer pathway's potion formulas.
Alaric, having lost interest in the slate, spoke up after Klein finished. "Barring any surprises, Bethel will soon ascend to Sequence 0."
Klein froze, then broke into a delighted smile. "Really? That's fantastic!"
He was genuinely thrilled for Bethel, who was something of a mentor to him, and their relationship was strong.
"Once Bethel ascends to Sequence 0, it won't be long before he attempts to become the Lord of Mysteries," Alaric continued, looking at Klein steadily. "When that happens, Sefirah Castle will no longer be yours."
"Strictly speaking, it's not mine to begin with. I'm not its true master," Klein said, shaking his head. Looking at Alaric, he continued, "If you're asking whether I'd regret it, Mr. Lucifer, I can tell you plainly: I don't. I have no desire to become the Lord of Mysteries. That position, that power, belongs to the one best suited for it."
This was Klein's honest truth. Becoming the Lord of Mysteries meant unparalleled power but also endless responsibility and a near loss of humanity.
Klein didn't crave power and wasn't averse to responsibility, but he deeply feared losing his humanity, losing himself.
***
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