Klein knocked on the door to Amon's mansion with a big smile on his face- he had come back only after a few hours and directly to Amon to clear up the misunderstanding! He wanted to share the good news with Melissa and Benson first and maybe even take them out on a dinner to some restaurant to celebrate his new job as per proper Chinese culture- but he figured clearing up the misunderstanding with Amon comes first since being later will only make the poor man feel worse and Amon still dropped him off with his personal carriage and gave him both breakfast and lunch and let him rest on his house even when he was very busy. And Klein wasn't a thankless person.
"Amon," Klein called out and after a few seconds, he heard someone walking towards the door with hurried footsteps-
The door creaked open and revealed Amon's face, his eyes were red and swollen as if he had just been crying and there were even a few wet stains on his cheeks, Klein noticed guiltily. But that face wasn't scrunched up in despair but by happiness as soon as he saw Klein's face.
"Klein~!" Amon cheered as he hugged Klein, burying his face into his neck socket, Klein could feel wet stains on his shirt and he awkwardly patted Amon's fluffy hair in a soothing manner while trying not to flinch back from the sudden touch- he wasn't that comfortable and used to having a person who was practically a stranger to him to hug him like this and wanted to instinctively push Amon away- but he had seen how Amon had taken this kind of reaction from him the day before and didn't really want to stress out the man anymore.
"Amon," Klein forced out a smile and a voice that didn't sound awkward or strained, "I got the job!" He announced excitedly to 'his' fiancé just like how a normal lover would tell the good news to their significant other.
Amon separated himself from Klein and looked at him with a frown, "What's the job anyways? A bartender- I've never even seen you drink before and I doubt it's better than placement at your university."
"It's actually a job at a security company." Klein smiled triumphantly.
"Klein. You can't even lift a pot filled with water."
"…"
Klein looked back at his noodle arms.
He looked back at Amon and coughed awkwardly, "It's the position of a professional consultant for a security company whose mission is to seek, collect, and protect ancient relics. It's a five-year contract, earning me three pounds a week."
He was worried whether he should show his advanced payment ahead of time- but Amon was so rich that he'd probably think that the 12-pound Klein had were just pocket change, why would someone like him steal from his lover?"
"They even gave me an advance of four weeks' pay." Klein gave a faint smile before fishing the stacked notes from his pants. "Even if the job at Tingen University is more respectable- I prefer this one." Mostly because he forgot more than half of the things he needed to know to become a professor.
"Klein, you know there are many scams like this in the world right?" Amon pouted, "I'll go with you on your next shift to see if the place is legit, you're always the kind of person who gets taken advantaged of by others." He sighed.
Klein wondered what the hell the real Klein Moretti was like to have both his fiancé and his own little sister treat him like someone with no brains- he was supposed to be a scholar from one of the next universities in Loen!
"Anyways," Amon changed his expression to a bright smile as he pulled Klein out of the mansion, not caring to lock the door behind him, "As a celebration of getting you're new job, let's get you some new clothes and a cane! Don't worry, I'll pay."
"I have money now too- I can pay for my clothes," Klein attempted to fight back.
"Klein," Amon sighed as he held his fiancé's hands, "I know you hate me buying things for you and your bottom line is that I can only give you some food- but let me do this okay? I want to spoil my fiancé as well." Amon blushed shyly as he kissed Klein's cheek.
Klein felt his entire face heat at the kiss and barely managed to stutter out, "B-but still-"
"No buts," Amon said as he pulled Klein to one of the carriages he owned, this one was blue-themed and somehow was even more luxurious and expensive looking than the last one! "You need to save that money to get a new house for you and your siblings," Amon smiled kindly as he helped Klein onto the carriage, he knew that he didn't need to hold Klein's hands and guide and help him all the time for even such basic tasks- but he was horribly used to helping Klein this way ever since he had ended up losing all humanity and emotions after the apocalypse. And he didn't mind helping his lover at all. "Let this be a congratulatory gift from me and use the rest of the money to get a better house and take your siblings out to eat somewhere okay?"
Klein pursed his lips as he nodded back in reply with a shy face.
He couldn't help but feel that Amon was really nice!
"Ah~ Klein you look so cute!" Amon cooed as Klein stepped out of the dressing room with twitching brows and a constipated expression.
"Amon… this is a ballgown."
"Yes, of course I know it dear," Amon smiled back and Klein felt something evil and sadistic behind those eyes- and his guess was proven true when Amon motioned to the staff behind who was standing there awkwardly, not daring to move one step out of place to accidentally piss off the obviously rich and strong man in the store. "You, get that black and yellow skirt I saw on the display-" he then turned back to Klein, and Klein couldn't help but feel that he had misjudged Amon- this person was definitely the devil! "Klein will look so cute in that~!"
Klein wanted to cry.
It was time… to sell his body to save his dignity!
"Amon," he weakly murmured out as he walked towards Amon with small steps, "I'm tired, let's go back home?" He said with a 'tearful' face as he tilted his head innocently to the side as he held Amon's waist- he wasn't gay but he wasn't about to wear hundred different clothes made for women until Amon finally felt satisfied!
This seemed to have worked as Amon's expression instantly froze and the cute patterned lace he was holding in his hands slipped down onto the ground.
His face instantly went back to normal and he smiled down at Klein, "Okay, I'll just ask them to pack your clothes and leave one for you to wear right now."
Although he didn't show any difference in expression- Klein couldn't help but notice that the edges of Amon's ears had turned slightly pink and red.
"…"
He seemed to have successfully seduced Amon.
"…"
Why was he, a straight man, seducing another guy?!
That was when the door to the store opened and a poetic-looking man with dark brown hair and green eyes stepped in, "Are my trousers done-"
That's when he saw his new colleague, Klein who was half-hugging another taller man, staring at him in horror in a really frilly pink colored ball gown and even a matching pink bow attached to his small brown hair as the shoulder band of the gown slipped down revealing his pale shoulders as they stared into each other's eyes- both of them with equally horrified expressions.
Amon tsked, "Klein how dare you show your bare exquisite shoulders to another man". He said as he casually pulled back up the shoulder band of the ball gown and patted him with a small satisfied smile.
"…"
It was at this moment Pallez's voice rang in his head-
[Run- kid, Run!]
Leonard didn't think twice before exiting the shop with a small, "I'll come back later."
Bang!
The door shut behind him as he dashed towards the closest Church.
Klein, who had just experienced social death, "…"
It still wasn't that late to shoot himself in the head another time right?
In the end, Melissa didn't agree to eat out with Klein saying that they should save money in case of emergencies, and even persuading her to move into a new house- just a terrace and not even a bungalow- was so tough Klein felt like rolling off his hair. But then he remembered Benson's recessing hairline and patted his precious hair with great care- he didn't want to go bald!
Klein handed Melissa two one-soli notes after asking her to buy some pan-fried fish, some beef, and some butter. He wanted to ask for some beer as well but then remembered Amon saying how he had never seen Klein drink so he held himself back in order to not appear out of character. The rest of the money would be used to buy some fruits for the family to enjoy.
After thinking for a while- he pulled out some remaining copper pennies from his pocket and handed them to his sister with a smile, "Reward yourself with a lemon cake."
"…" Melissa's mouth widened as she blinked. Finally, she said a single word, "Okay."
She quickly turned around, opened the door, and ran toward the stairwell.
He sighed as he sat back on the chair and glanced at the new clothes Amon had bought for him. He only wanted to buy one pair of decent wear- but Amon was not having that. He said that Klein couldn't wear the same thing every day and mousy at least have two pairs of clothes at the minimum, not including formal wear for occasions and comfortable wear at home and he couldn't really cycle through the same 2 sets of clothes all the time and needed at least 10 sets to have a more diverse closet. He also said that Klein required at least 5 different kinds of top hats and different shoes for different purposes and at least 2 canes.
Klein, who was sure that none of this would even fit in his small closet fought hard with Amon, and in the end both agreed to buy 4 sets of normal clothes for work and 2 sets of comfortable clothes, and 1 set of really formal wear for special occasions. With two top hats and 2 sets of footwear and a cane, the total finally came out to be about 20 pounds- giving Klein almost a heart attack. Thankfully, Amon was paying and didn't even glance twice at the number and paid without even thinking with a happy smile as he helped carried the bags to the carriage.
Amon had also wanted to buy underwear for Klein- Klein could see Amon eyeing the lingerie section for females with an amused expression, and Klein who didn't want another one of his colleagues to walk into him wearing womenswear- and this time women's underwear- tried to check out as soon as possible.
Even though Klein has forced Amon to go to an average middle-class clothing store- the total has still come out to be 20 pounds… and his four weeks' salary he had in his hands was just 12 pounds! He was kind of glad he had allowed Amon to pay for him. But really… this world was too cruel- weren't transmigrated people in those novels usually had tons of money as soon as they crossed?!
In order not to give Melissa a heart attack from the number of clothes Klein had bought (and for her to not give another lecture to Klein about Amon being untrustworthy and to not become his kept man) he had only taken back home the new clothes he had worn and the rest of the bags would be at Klein's and Amon's shared room (Klein shivered at that thought) in Amon's mansion since Klein as Amon's fiancé would obviously spend a lot of time there. (He even had a shared bedroom there with Amon for fucks sake-!)
Klein couldn't help but feel a little happy and giddy inside- even though he had that mistake with Leonard which he refused to even think about and ignoring Amon's obsession with making him wear women's clothes- clothes shopping with Amon was really soothing…
It reminded him to go to buy clothes with his parents back on earth as a child and how they would make him wear at least a hundred different clothes before deciding on a pair that looked the best on him or after Klein finally started crying from frustration and exhaustion. At that time he hated those few moments and hated going to the clothes store with his parents and found it annoying- but when he later grew up and moved out and had to do everything himself and lived alone, he couldn't help but look back at those memories and think fondly of them.
It had been quite a few years since someone had shopped with him like this…
With a small smile, he shook his head out of those thoughts as he started preparing the meal he had planned to cook for his siblings today.
Currently, Klein was at Khoy University, he had come in earlier than his interview period to inform the professors there that he wouldn't appear for the interview as he was a polite person.
That was when Klein ran into Quentin Cohen, his mentor, as well as Mr. Azik, one of his history lecturers.
"Good afternoon, Mentor. Mr. Azik," he hurriedly greeted. "Why are the two of you here?"
Cohen nodded and said with a relaxed tone, "Azik and I are here to participate in an academic conference. What kind of job did you get?"
"It's a security company that seeks, collects, and protects ancient relics. They were in need of a professional consultant and are paying me three pounds a week." Klein repeated what he said to his sister yesterday. Following that, he explained, "As you know, I prefer exploring history, instead of summarizing it."
Cohen nodded slightly and said, "Everyone has their own choices. I'm very happy that you bothered to come to Tingen University to inform them instead of just not showing up."
At that moment, Azik interjected, "Klein, do you know what happened to Welch and Naya? I read in the newspapers that they were killed by burglars."
The incident was already in the newspapers?
Klein was taken aback.
"I'm not very clear on the specifics as well. Welch had obtained a diary of the Solomon Empire's Antigonus family from the Fourth Epoch. My help in interpreting it was sought. I helped them for the first few days, but I later got busy with job hunting. The police even came to me two days ago."
He deliberately divulged the matter regarding the Solomon Empire and the Antigonus family in hopes of getting any information from the two history teachers.
"The Fourth Epoch…" Cohen muttered with a frown.
The bronze-skinned and weary eyes of Azik went blank first before he inhaled. He rubbed his temple with his newspaper-wielding left hand and said, "Antigonus… rings a bell… But why can't I remember…"
Klein looked confusedly at Mr. Azim who was murmuring to himself.
They chatted for a while before finally parting ways after handing Klein the local newspaper which had information about Welch and Naya's deaths.
As Klein was reading the newspaper-
It was like his sixth sense was warning him!
He felt that someone was spying on him!
The Amon clones in the form of bacteria in the air wriggled discontentedly in the air as they watched Klein entering the Saint Selena Cathedral, it was the Tingen headquarters of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. They knew that entering there would instantly give away their location to Amanisis and even though that wasn't something that problematic in and of itself- But, she'd be able to realize that Klein, the person she has blessed with her powers as a fellow person from the pre-epoch era, had been around Amon.
That would no doubt bring a lot of trouble to Amon and his clones as then Ananisis would try anything and everything to get Klein away from Amon since she knew how interested Amon was in the Sefirah Castle that Klein currently had control over.
Well, Amon was interested in the Sefirah Castle, but he no longer was right now. But there was no way Amanisis would be able to know that despite her powers and Amon wasn't keen at all about her knowing his secret. Even if Amanisis had turned out to be an excellent ally during the attack of the outer deities and had successfully become an old day after accommodating the River of Eternal Darkness and had even fought along with Amon's father. Amon couldn't and wild t trust her.
He had already learned the hard truth about trusting others from his father's fall. Even his most trusted angels under his command had so easily betrayed him and almost killed him making him split his consciousness to his oldest son and into a crazy mad evil god. And the gods he had trusted, including Amanisis- had not even batted an eye at the betrayal and had later even joined hands and became buddy-buddy with the three betrayers.
He knew that she'd understand his situation and understand that Amon didn't want the Sefirah Castle any longer- but he also knew that if she found a deal with someone else that was beneficial to her, she wouldn't think twice before betraying him.
Even if Amon had tons of information from the future that gave him a big advantage- that advantage was nothing in front of the 3 True Gods who had betrayed his father.
Even if he had technically eaten that unknown God's body and flesh in his last life which had given him a major boost and bump in his power- making him reach the apex of straight of all Kings of Angels despite still not having all the 3 characteristics of Sequence 1- he was still just a King to Angel.
If planned and acted perfectly, yes, he could definitely face off against Leordo and the others individually and could even defeat them with sufficient luck after he gets his hand on Pallez's sequence 1 characteristic.
But the cruel thing was.
He was only one.
Meanwhile, there were at least 3 guaranteed True God enemies against him- who could also even ally themselves with each other and add the other orthodox gods to their side just to smite down once and for all, Amon who had been the bane of almost every god and angel's existence since as long as they could remember.
Right now Amon didn't have anyone he could trust except for his own clones and Klein, and Klein wasn't even an extraordinary person right now and could easily be swayed by Amanisis or some other gods' or even just simple high sequence Beyonder's words if they decided to drop an oracle on him and advise him to stay away from Amon and not trust Amon.
He couldn't even trust Adam.
Adam wasn't his father yet… so he wouldn't call him his father.
He was just one half of his father- his father's divinity- possessing Amon's older brother whose only goal was to revive himself no matter what 'necessary sacrifices' he had to make on the way.
If situations were to turn and go bad- he too like Amanisis would not hesitate to throw Amon under the bus although a bit reluctantly.
This was the same Adam who had conspired and betrayed his most loyal subject, Medici.
He was the same Adam who had lied to and manipulated Amon as he wore the face of the true Adam in front of him.
This was the Adam who would treat Amon as the 'necessary sacrifice' with an indifferent serene face and expression.
This Adam wasn't father.
Just like how the True Creator wasn't his father.
Heck, the True Creator was his father's humanity turned crazy and vengeful- it was still his father's humanity. And his father had told Amon that Amon was the source of his humanity and his most important anchor. In this sense- Amon had more chances to not be sacrificed under the protection of the True Creator rather than Adam.
But that still wasn't his father.
Not his father who had held Amon so protectively and healed his broken mind after what had happened with the half-sane Mr. Fool. His father who had granted him his protection and even the scale which allowed Amon to teleport to him no matter from where he was- the utmost trust. Not his father who had given Amon his word that he would never use Amon as the necessary sacrifice.
His father will only be his father after Adam and the True Creator finally merged and became one being back again.
Until then, Amon was alone in the world.
Of course, there was Arrodes as well-
But how would a talking mirror help him kill the gods and revive his father?
Let him chill in the Chanis gate in Backlund and help the Deacon there come out as gay and get a boyfriend already.
The Amon clones merged back into one being and turned into a sequence 1 clone as he stood in front of the cathedral with one hand fixing the monocle on his right eye.
He stole others' perception so that they couldn't see this oddly dressed man standing in front of the holy cathedral.
There wasn't much he could do right now, that ant had already used his father, The True Creator's craziness to impregnate that poor woman with "His" child. And he could feel the familiar power of the Quill of Alzuhod restricting most of his actions.
Well, that abided by his plan at least- Amon wouldn't change much of the timeline until much later so as to keep his knowledge of the future more accurate until Klein and his little Tarot club was finally strong enough to protect themselves.
Amon still hadn't forgotten how the unknown god had been unable to save his sister even after so many times of turning back the clock.
Klein, whose fate was to die, was someone in a very dangerous situation. And since Tianzun was already gone- the world would decide to kill Klein in some other way and although that wasn't a strong possibility until much later- it wasn't a risk Amon was tempted to take.
Amon thumbed the ancient gold and silver pocket watch as he thought his plans through over again.