Bypassing the stack of parchment, the Angel of Imagination finally spotted Sasrir behind the desk, reviewing a document.
"What's the matter?" Sasrir offered a gentle smile instinctively, looking up. He paused, puzzled, upon seeing who it was.
Why was Adam visiting him?
The Angel of Imagination wasted no time, recounting the recent events. After a moment's hesitation, he added honestly, "Besides that, Mr. Lucifer asked me to ask when you're planning to switch sides."
Sasrir froze, then gave a wry smile. "He's persistent, isn't he?"
Shaking his head, Sasrir didn't dwell on the poaching attempt. Instead, he looked at the Angel of Imagination and asked, "How do you feel now? The mask… do you think it can work?"
"I'm not sure." The Angel of Imagination replied, shaking his head. "But it's given me some ideas. Even if we can't change history, we might be able to make arrangements to influence the future."
By "influencing the future." He meant not meddling after being summoned forward but setting things up to alter the future of Lucifer's era.
"How do you plan to do that?" Sasrir asked, looking at him.
"Based on the mask's properties, I'll perform a deep psychological suggestion…" The Angel of Imagination explained unhurriedly. In essence, he would actively use the Spectator pathway's abilities to amplify his emotions in sync with the mask, aiming to preserve a sense of self during the future fusion.
"As the most powerful Spectator, with my humanity still intact and the mask's power, the chances of success are high." He said with a smile. "Of course, if the Lord assists, the odds would be even better."
"I'll inform the Lord to return soon." Sasrir said, nodding in approval of the plan. He hesitated, then added, "The future Adam mentioned this mask to the Lord. If the amplified emotions reach a certain threshold, the wearer could become Lucifer's puppet, though it's possible to break free with willpower."
Even as avatars of the same Lord, their roles and access to information differed. Without deliberate sharing, Sasrir and Adam's memories weren't synchronized.
Why mention this specifically? Despite the Creator's camp and Alaric being close allies, both harbored mutual caution due to various reasons. This didn't hinder cooperation, but a degree of wariness was necessary.
The Angel of Imagination looked at Sasrir, then flashed a vibrant smile. "Thank you for the warning. Don't worry, I'm fairly confident in my willpower. And…"
He paused, his tone growing somber as he looked at Sasrir. "What's the difference between the future me and a puppet of divinity?"
Sasrir fell silent, sighing. "You're right. There's little difference between a robot and a puppet."
"So cheer up, Sasrir. If this plan works, I might regain clarity before the future you." The Angel of Imagination said with a smile.
"I look forward to it." Sasrir replied, offering a gentle smile in return.
Adam watched the past Angel of Imagination vanish without a trace of melancholy, his expression as calm as ever.
But in the next moment, as if delayed, his demeanor shifted... pain, confusion. His body swayed, and he instinctively grabbed a nearby chair for support, his other hand covering his face, obscuring his expression.
Clearly, Adam's reaction was far stronger than Azik's had been when the Death Consul returned after wearing the mask.
This wasn't surprising. Between the Death Consul and Azik, the former was the more emotionally distant, while Azik's humanity was robust. Thus, the emotions accumulated by the Death Consul's mask had a subtler effect on Azik... like adding five points to someone already scoring eighty.
But Adam and the Angel of Imagination were the opposite. Adam was the one with faint humanity, while the Angel of Imagination's was far richer. Combined with the Angel of Imagination's efforts to maximize the mask's effect, this reaction was expected.
Alaric observed Adam with interest. Through the gaps in his fingers, he saw Adam's golden eyes flicker between cold indifference and the warmth once seen in the Angel of Imagination's gaze. Two similar yet distinct beings seemed to merge in that moment.
Undoubtedly, the Angel of Imagination's humanity had begun to awaken within Adam. It was hard to quantify how much, but Adam's humanity was no longer zero.
"Mr. Adam, are you alright?" Klein asked, hesitating as he noticed what looked like a personality split... a dangerous condition in the Beyonder world, prone to causing loss of control.
"You should trust a savior's willpower. At the very least, you can trust my mask." Alaric said, glancing at Klein with a smile.
He wasn't worried. As something of an expert, Alaric could see Adam's state wasn't dire but rather improving. Like a patient enduring pain before recovery, Adam, an emotionless machine, would naturally face some turmoil in regaining humanity.
Hearing this, Klein felt a mix of sheepishness and relief, then continued watching Adam curiously.
He, too, was eager to see what kind of being the Sun God's divine incarnation would become with restored humanity.
Neither spoke, and the chapel fell silent. The quiet didn't last long, as Adam's transformation was swift.
After a few minutes, the golden-haired priest straightened, adjusted his slightly disheveled robes, and restored his composed appearance. He looked at Alaric and Klein, offering a faintly apologetic smile. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."
***
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