"No way it's that exaggerated. Sure, the God of Steam and Machinery got a bit lucky…" Will didn't know the full extent of the God's later fortunes, but he was well aware of his earlier strokes of luck. Comparing that to his own years of holding the Uniqueness of Fate without managing to accommodate it, Will's expression twisted for a moment.
Because, deep down, he realized Alaric's words might actually hold some truth.
Damn it!
Will rarely cursed, even in his thoughts.
He gave Alaric a sullen look. "Are you here to work with me or just to rile me up?"
"Just giving your heart a little jab. It's too good an opportunity to pass up." Alaric replied with unabashed honesty, shrugging. "Besides, the two aren't mutually exclusive!"
"…"
"Can I just walk away?" Will asked, looking at Alaric with equal sincerity.
"You'd probably end up dragged back." Alaric said after half a second's thought.
They locked eyes, and Will sighed. "Do you talk to the Ancient Sun God like this too?"
"Looks like fate's shown you quite a bit." Alaric said with a chuckle, spreading his hands. "What else would I do?"
"Then how come they haven't beaten you to a pulp?" Will asked, genuinely curious.
"They've probably thought about it, but the cost of taking me out is too high." Alaric answered candidly, gesturing casually. "Sacrificing the whole world just for me? That's a price they can't afford."
He paused, then added, "Of course, the main reason is that the benefits I bring them far outweigh the annoyance I cause."
Will choked, falling silent for a few seconds before saying, "Are you this honest with everyone?"
"Honesty is just one of my many understated virtues." Alaric said with a smile, delivering the textbook response.
In that moment, Will's mind flashed with visions granted by his authority over fate... scenes of Alaric deceiving, bluffing, and spinning tales. He nodded earnestly. "Yeah, I believe you."
They exchanged another glance, and Alaric tilted his head. "So, are you satisfied with the terms I'm offering?"
The terms, of course, referred to Alaric's initial promise to help Will accommodate the Uniqueness of Fate.
"Are you sure the Ancient Sun God would help me?" Will asked skeptically, eyeing Alaric. "She might prefer to help Ouroboros hunt me down."
"I never said the Ancient Sun God would help you with the Uniqueness." Alaric replied, blinking innocently. He had no intention of involving the Ancient Sun God... that would make things awkward for Ouroboros!
Besides, Alaric's support for Will was partly to pit him against the Creator's faction, reducing his own reliance on them. Why would he involve the Ancient Sun God?
"Not the Ancient Sun God?" Will froze, clearly caught off guard by the response.
"Nope! It's the Lord of Mysteries." Alaric said, nodding frankly without dragging it out. "Though, as you know, the Lord of Mysteries hasn't been born yet, so you'll have to wait a few years."
As for how to get the Lord of Mysteries to help Will? Easy. Whether it ends up being Mr. Door or Klein, Alaric's relationship with them made calling in a favor a simple matter.
"…I've sensed the Lord of Mysteries' emergence approaching." Will said, hesitating before looking at Alaric. "So, isn't this just an empty promise?"
"It's an empty promise, sure, but I prefer to call it an investment." Alaric said, sipping his coffee with a smile. "Investing in someone like me... limitless potential, incredible connections... isn't a bad move, right?"
Will's expression turned thoughtful. After a moment, he nodded. "Sounds a bit like self-promotion, but you're not wrong. It's not a bad choice."
He looked up at Alaric, puzzled. "So, what do you want from me?"
Alaric's lips curved into a smile. He took a sip of coffee before answering slowly, "First, I've got a bit of a collector's streak. I enjoy gathering angels from various pathways. Ouroboros is under the Ancient Sun God, so I can't poach him, which leaves you as my target."
Will's mouth twitched. Thinking of the angels surrounding Alaric, he had to admit it was true... Alaric really did seem to collect them.
"Second." Alaric continued, setting down his coffee and smiling at Will, "while my partnership with the Ancient Sun God' faction is going well, we both have our reservations. We can't fully trust each other, and I don't want to rely too heavily on them. So, I need other allies. You, being at odds with Ouroboros, are a perfect fit."
"…Aren't you worried the True Creator's side will hear this?" Will asked, struggling to process Alaric's bluntness.
"I've never hidden my stance from them. They've known my position from the start." Alaric said truthfully. He'd made his attitude clear as early as his chats with Pallez, and he was certain Adam had been paying attention.
He paused, his smile growing brighter. "Besides, I know they're wary of me too. Want to bet they've got a hundred plans to counter me? Or that they're recruiting allies in case I suddenly decide to destroy the world?"
Will was speechless. Based on his understanding of the Creator's faction, that was almost certainly true.
Finally, he sighed. "You adults are so complicated. All I want is to accommodate the Uniqueness of Fate."
"The adult world is harsh, no way around it." Alaric said, his expression turning serious as he looked at Will. "Also, you're thousands of years old. Is it really okay to play the innocent kid here?"
"Who says I'm thousands of years old? I'm clearly eight." Will replied without a hint of shame, puffing out his chest as if proud to be "eight years old."
"Ouroboros can't compete with you there. He doesn't have your natural shamelessness." Alaric said with a sigh.
"He's got nothing on you. You're the true master of shamelessness." Will shot back, looking at Alaric earnestly. "I'm just sticking to my principle: since I've reset, I'm going to fully experience each stage of life. Kids should act like kids."
***
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