Roselle's thoughts shifted to another matter, and he looked at Alaric with unmasked anticipation. "So, can I go see Bernadette now?"
Though he had memories of his past self reuniting with Bernadette in this era, memories were just that. Roselle yearned to see his daughter in person.
"That's your choice." Alaric said, waving a hand to return the table and cups to his pocket dimension. He fixed Roselle with a look. "But before that, I hope you haven't forgotten something."
"What?" Roselle asked, puzzled.
"You promised to arrange a meeting with the God of Steam and Machinery." Alaric said with a smile, not beating around the bush. "And you need to talk to Him too, don't you?"
Roselle's expression froze, then he sighed, recalling the promise. "I haven't forgotten. I do need to talk to Stiano."
He needed to discuss Bornova with the God of Steam and Machinery... about their past, their history.
Amon, standing nearby, adjusted his monocle, studying Roselle with interest.
Roselle was a stark contrast to the Moretti family. He was undeniably a flawed person, worlds apart from the virtuous Morettis. Yet, this flawed man had chosen to seal himself away for the world's sake and cherished his family deeply.
This intrigued Amon, who saw why Alaric called it another form of humanity... the humanity of a "flawed" person.
While less dramatic than the Morettis' lesson, it held its own merit, sparking Amon's curiosity.
"Shall we head out now?" Alaric asked, smiling at Roselle.
"Sure, let's go. I haven't seen Bornova in ages. I wonder how the kid's doing." Roselle said, sighing. He felt a pang of guilt toward his youngest son. He knew that without his influence, Bornova wouldn't have caught Stiano's attention or become the angel he was now.
Others might see becoming an angel as a blessing, but Roselle didn't. An angel like Bornova, stripped of most humanity, was no better than having his personality erased. Roselle would have supported Bornova becoming a normal angel... one with enough humanity intact.
With their decision made, Amon, ever the spectator, had no objections. The trio soon arrived outside a grand cathedral of the God of Steam and Machinery.
Using his bloodline connection, Roselle confirmed Bornova's presence within.
Staring at the cathedral, feeling the familiar aura, Roselle hesitated, a rare moment of uncertainty. He glanced at Alaric. "Boss, what do we do next?"
"We wait for your son to come to you. You haven't hidden your aura, so he'll sense it." Alaric said, glancing back with a smile. "Nervous?"
"I haven't seen him in forever, and Bornova… he's always been special to me." Roselle admitted, sighing. "Back then, I often didn't know how to face him. Kids are such a burden!"
"Yet you love it." Alaric remarked, his tone almost wistful. "Fascinating, this bloodline bond. You're like this, the Sun God too. You both reserve your only selfishness for your children. The difference is, you're a flawed man who loves only his kids, while the Sun God loves all creation."
"Well, kids are just… special. You'll get it if you ever have your own…" Roselle scratched his head, his expression softening like any ordinary father's. "I used to treat this world like a game, everyone around me like NPCs, feeling it wasn't real. It wasn't until Bernadette was born that I felt truly alive."
"Sounds special, but are you sure it's not because you're too flawed? Lil Klein never felt that unreality." Alaric said, his expression serious.
"Well, from another angle, doesn't it prove how important kids are if even a flawed guy like me feels real because of them?" Roselle countered after a moment's thought.
"That's a novel perspective." Alaric nodded thoughtfully.
"Alaric, if I may ask… do you have family?" Roselle hesitated, his expression nervous, not out of malice but because the question felt risky.
"In a broad sense, sure. I didn't pop into existence this big." Alaric said, glancing at him. "But blood relatives? I don't have those."
He didn't consider Nyarlathotep or its avatars as true family.
"Uh, sorry…" Roselle said with an awkward laugh, not entirely surprised.
In his mind, Alaric was akin to a Primordial God Almighty or Lord of Mystery... beings without blood kin.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the cathedral. A tall young man with chestnut hair and striking features, his blue eyes bore a faint resemblance to Roselle's.
Those eyes locked onto Roselle's position, and upon seeing the familiar figure, the young man froze, his expression flickering with unmistakable confusion.
Undoubtedly, this was Bornova Gustav, Roselle's youngest son, one of the few angels of the Church of Steam.
Moments earlier, Bornova had been praying quietly in his room when he sensed a familiar aura nearby. His first thought wasn't that his father had returned but that someone was impersonating him... mimicking an aura wasn't easy, but it was possible.
After a few seconds of thought, Bornova decided to confront the impostor and uncover their intentions.
But the figure before him now defied his expectations, leaving his mind blank, wondering if he'd fallen into an illusion.
***
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