Alaric smiled at Bornova. "No matter. Fanatics have their uses. Since you're so loyal to your Lord, if He wished for you to regain your humanity, you'd obey, wouldn't you?"
Bornova differed from Azik. Though Azik's humanity was suppressed, he still fought to save himself, showing no loyalty to the God of the Death... more like performative devotion. But Bornova genuinely revered the God of Steam and Machinery, a faith rooted not just in divinity but in his upbringing, which made it unsurprising.
Alaric's earlier actions weren't just about coaxing Bornova's humanity to the surface; they were also to gauge his character. Confirming Bornova's devout loyalty to Stiano, Alaric mentally refined his treatment plan.
Smiling, he said, "You mentioned the God of Steam and Machinery longed for Roselle's return. Now that he's back, shouldn't you inform Him?"
To address a fanatic, one had to start with their object of worship.
Bornova hadn't expected the topic to shift so abruptly, but Alaric's point was valid. After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Follow me."
He could have prayed on the spot to inform Stiano, but considering the God might react strongly... perhaps issuing an oracle or descending in person... Bornova opted to lead them to his room. A public spectacle was hardly ideal.
Alaric didn't mind. Roselle sidled up, whispering, "Boss, are you planning to talk to Stiano and get Him to issue an oracle for Bornova to regain his humanity?"
"What choice do I have? Your son's a true believer in Stiano." Alaric replied, glancing at him with a smile. "I could force the Persona Mask on him, but how effective would treatment be if the patient doesn't cooperate?"
Roselle gave a bitter smile. "But will Stiano agree?"
"That's up to you." Alaric said, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. "You're the one who knows Stiano best."
"If I could've convinced Stiano, we wouldn't have had this mess years ago." Roselle said, a touch irritated.
Alaric glanced at him, shaking his head. "Forget it. I can't rely on you. You'd probably just fight Stiano and make a mess."
Roselle gave an awkward laugh, unable to argue.
He knew his own tendencies. A conversation with Stiano about Bornova would likely escalate into a brawl within minutes.
It was the deepest rift between him and the God of Steam.
…
Soon, they reached Bornova's room... a modest space that seemed ill-suited to an angel's status. Aside from basic necessities, some Church of Steam books, and metal parts, the only notable items were a few mechanical figurines on the desk.
Alaric glanced at the golden-part figurines, instantly understanding Klein's "postmodern" description from the original story. The figurines were clumsily assembled, like shattered porcelain forcibly glued together. Without extraordinary power, they'd likely crumble into pieces.
"Huh?" Roselle noticed the figurines, his expression turning complex. "Bornova, you really do remember…"
Long ago, when Bornova was young, Roselle had told him stories of mechas and giant robots. Back then, he wasn't consumed by madness or obsessed with godhood. He'd been pushing the tech tree, dreaming of one day building something like a mech. But the Outer Deities disrupted everything, halting his plans and sapping his energy for such pursuits.
Bornova's gaze lingered on the figurines, his usually stoic face showing rare complexity. After a half-second, he said, "These designs have value."
Roselle choked, his sentimentality evaporating.
Alaric, unfazed, said, "You can notify the God of Steam now. A friendly heads-up: I don't know if you usually serve as a vessel for divine descent, but you'd better warn Him not to use you as one in front of your father... unless He wants a beating."
Bornova paused, saying nothing, then closed his eyes and began a quiet prayer.
Moments later, the room shifted. Unused metal parts on the desk began assembling themselves, quickly forming a palm-sized figurine.
Say what you will, compared to Bornova's clumsy creations, Stiano's figurine was lifelike. The only pity was that it depicted a man, not a woman.
Why not Steam Girl?
Alaric felt a pang of regret. Not that he was interested in Stiano, but he'd once shipped female Stiano x Roselle, imagining her as a lovesick, yandere type who turned dark when her love went unrequited. He'd spun countless stories in his head.
Now, Steam Girl was Steam Guy. The unrequited love could still work, but the vibe felt off.
"…What are you thinking?" Roselle, sensing a chill, traced it to Alaric's regretful expression and asked warily.
"Just mourning a ship that ended in tragedy." Alaric sighed, speaking truthfully.
"What ship?" Roselle blinked, then, as someone familiar with internet culture, realized what he meant. His face turned green. "Come on, man, I'm into women! Isn't my orientation obvious?"
"But you messed around with Demoness." Alaric pointed out, glancing at him. "They're not exactly women either."
"Uh…" Roselle faltered. "But Demoness look female, feel female, and, uh, act female in that way."
"Can't Steam Girl do the same?" Alaric asked, puzzled. "The Hermit pathway is feminine too. Can't He become female?"
The question stumped Roselle. He pondered it seriously but found no answer.
At that moment, the figurine, animated by the God of Steam's power, spoke. "You seem to be discussing something about me?"
***
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