"But…" Bornova's expression was conflicted. Treating his revered god as an uncle clashed with his ingrained beliefs, yet his instinct as a devout follower urged him to obey the God of Steam and Machinery.
After a brief struggle, Bornova seemed to resolve himself. "Alright, my lord… un-uncle?"
The last word came out haltingly.
"Why yo stuttering?" Roselle interjected, objecting. "Its normal you'd call your father's friend 'uncle,' right?"
The God of Steam and Machinery glanced at Roselle, unbothered by the quibble, and smiled at Bornova. "Call me uncle properly."
"…Uncle," Bornova said, a bit smoother this time, though still hesitant.
He paused, then looked at the God of Steam and Machinery. "Uncle, what should I do? How do I gain humanity?"
"Uh…" The question stumped the God of Steam and Machinery. While his own humanity wasn't lacking, he drew a blank when asked how to acquire it.
How did I gain my humanity?
He instinctively reflected. His humanity hadn't always been this robust. Before Roselle, it was barely holding on, just steps from madness. Ascending to Sequence 0 without fully digesting his Sequence 1 potion was a miracle... he'd avoided losing control entirely by sheer luck.
Roselle's arrival changed things. The rise of steam and mechanical technology, coupled with the growth of the Church of Steam, brought more worshippers, strengthening his anchors. This gave him leverage against madness and divinity, allowing his humanity to breathe and flourish.
Roselle himself became a key anchor, their deepening bond making it even more profound, enriching his humanity further.
Recalling this, the God of Steam and Machinery met Bornova's expectant gaze and faltered.
He couldn't exactly tell Bornova, I coasted on your dad's coattails, could he? Even he had too much pride for that.
So, after some hemming and hawing, he coughed lightly. "My experience isn't very useful for you. For this, you should consult someone more knowledgeable."
His gaze swept the group, skipping Aucuses, avoiding the Ancient Sun God, bypassing Amon, and wavering between Alaric and Roselle. Then, as if struck by a thought, he settled firmly on Alaric. "Mr. Lucifer, since you're set on helping Bornova gain humanity, you must have ample experience, right?"
He didn't choose Roselle for a simple reason: while he trusted his old friend's capabilities and had just witnessed Roselle's abundant humanity, Roselle's post-angel antics made Alaric seem the safer bet.
"Not exactly an expert, but I've handled a few similar cases," Alaric said honestly, then looked at Bornova with a smile. "Ready to wear the mask now?"
Bornova met his gaze, nodding without hesitation this time. "I still don't understand what humanity means, but if both my lord and my father want me to have it, I should try."
He added earnestly, "Thank you, Mr. Lucifer."
"No trouble at all. Helping you gain humanity isn't meaningless for me either," Alaric said, smiling. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap...
"How's it feel? What's it like, Bornova?" Before Bornova could react, Roselle rushed over, asking anxiously.
"…It's strange," Bornova said, his expression dazed. After sensing himself carefully, he continued, "I'm not sure if this is what you call love, but…"
He pursed his lips, looking at Roselle. "Father, I suddenly want to hug you. Is that love?"
Unlike Adam, Bornova wasn't entirely emotionless. His humanity had been so suppressed that his emotions were faint, and years under the God of Steam and Machinery left him unable to clearly recognize feelings, making him seem like a divine puppet.
But with the God of Steam and Machinery minimizing his influence and the Persona Mask taking effect, Bornova's humanity began to take root and sprout.
Though he still didn't grasp familial love, just as he'd once felt joy at Roselle's return, he now instinctively wanted to hug his father.
Roselle's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and enveloped his youngest son in a fierce embrace.
Unlike their previous hug, where Roselle initiated and Bornova merely didn't resist, this time Bornova responded like a true child, returning his father's embrace.
Alaric's lips curved upward. No matter the moment, he always delighted in such heartwarming happy endings... one of his few joys and a pursuit he never tired of.
"So, what's the mask?" Aucuses whispered, genuinely clueless as an outsider.
Even the God of Steam and Machinery was baffled, unsure what Alaric had done to suddenly boost Bornova's humanity.
"One of my abilities," Alaric said, glancing at them with no intent to hide it, offering a cheerful explanation.
Aucuses and the God of Steam and Machinery's expressions grew complex, as if thinking, Good grief, an ability this overpowered exists?
The higher one stood in a Beyonder pathway, the more they understood the critical role of humanity and anchors... and thus, how ridiculously powerful the Persona Mask was.
***
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