There was no helping it... Alaric's operations had grown too vast! In the beginning, Medici alone was enough to handle the reforms, allowing Alaric to play the role of a carefree, hands-off boss who only worked when absolutely necessary.
But to condense his avatar at the fastest possible speed, Alaric had reclaimed City of Silver and Moon City. Though both cities had strong self-governance and Amon's unsolicited assistance lightened the load, Alaric still needed to make preparations to ensure their people could be properly resettled after being brought out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Initially, the task was manageable. Alaric had even secured an island for the people of the Forsaken Land to settle. But then, the Mother Goddess of Depravity unexpectedly intervened, forcing him to scrap his original plan. The resettlement location shifted from the Five Seas to Loen, requiring a complete overhaul of arrangements and adding a significant amount of work.
Beyond that, Alaric had struck deals with the Earth Mother Goddess and the Evernight Goddess, securing substantial aid. While this was a cause for celebration, coordinating the incoming support became a challenge... though, fortunately, Medici handled most of that burden.
As for reclaiming the Numinous Episcopate, that was another matter entirely. Alaric had been pulling overtime at the cult just days ago. Returning there now meant risking being roped into more work by a certain Red Angel, who was sure to drag him along.
Then there were the biological and mechanical laboratories. Even after appointing overseers, Alaric couldn't completely step back. He had to steer the overall direction and manage critical details, piling on even more responsibilities.
And now, there was the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery to deal with, not to mention potential future negotiations with the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun. Could anyone really expect the fools from the Aurora Order to handle that? Most likely, the bulk of the work would fall back on Alaric's team. Even if the other side sent a representative, as the Church of the Evernight had, there would still be plenty to manage. You couldn't expect their representative to instinctively grasp complex organizational principles, could you?
Even if Alaric could eventually step back, the early stages demanded his direct involvement.
Truth be told, even Alaric didn't think Medici alone could handle all this.
That's why Alaric desperately needed a Sasrir... his thirst for capable help was undeniable.
For this reason, when there was no need to summon others, Alaric had no issue with making Sasrir a permanent fixture, provided the spiritual toll wasn't too high.
"Still…" Alaric cast a sidelong glance at the Sun God, murmuring, "You really don't let yourself lose out, do you?"
"I just prefer mutually beneficial outcomes," The Sun God replied with a smile, looking at Alaric. "In that regard, we're quite alike."
Alaric chuckled, not bothering to argue. After all, he did enjoy a win-win situation.
But then he nudged the Sun God with his elbow, grinning. "So why aren't you hurrying back? I'm in a rush! If Sasrir doesn't step in to share the load soon, Medici's going to drop dead from exhaustion."
"You're really…" The Sun God shook his head helplessly, clearly wanting to say something but unsure what.
"Well, see you then, Sun God!" Alaric said with a cheeky smile, promptly dismissing the summons.
…
Third Epoch, Eastern Continent, a study in the Divine Kingdom...
Sasrir was working.
This wasn't surprising. Everyone knew Sasrir was always working. Thanks to a certain main body's relentless exploitation, Sasrir single-handedly managed eighty percent of the Divine Kingdom's operations, truly achieving year-round dedication.
It could be said that if the Sun God himself vanished for a while, the Divine Kingdom might face some panic but could still function. But if Sasrir disappeared, the kingdom would likely grind to a halt.
Such was the weight of the Deputy of Heaven!
At that moment, Sasrir sensed something and looked up, unsurprisingly spotting a familiar figure... his main body.
"Lord, what's happened now? More work to handle? If it's not urgent, it might have to wait. I'm still dealing with…"
Sasrir asked with practiced ease, his hands never pausing as he worked through documents. The process was smooth and seamless, showcasing the qualities of a top-tier workhorse.
"I just took a trip to the future," The Sun God said, looking at his avatar. In a few words, he summarized what had transpired, his gaze settling on the stack of papers that made even a Dark Angel seem frail by comparison. For once, he showed a hint of guilt but pressed on, "Alaric didn't reject the plan. He said it's worth a try."
Sasrir fell silent, a rare occurrence. He pushed aside a piece of parchment to better direct his accusing gaze at his unscrupulous main body.
Even Sasrir wasn't immune to exhaustion. Especially during trips to the future, a certain someone named Alaric would tempt him with incomprehensible notions like "eight-hour workdays" or "annual leave." To say Sasrir wasn't the least bit swayed would be a lie.
But Sasrir was a loyal avatar with a strong sense of duty. So, even if tempted, he limited himself to silent accusations, never shirking his responsibilities.
"Ahem…" Even the Sun God felt a pang of guilt at that moment. He cleared his throat lightly and said, "Sasrir, you understand what it means to be a permanent fixture in the future."
"I know, and I'm not planning to refuse," Sasrir replied, his gaze heavy as he looked at the Sun God. Then, out of nowhere, he added, "I'm just wondering why it's my avatar and not your avatar."
"Isn't it possible that you are my avatar?" The Sun God said, feeling a bead of sweat forming.
"Indeed, I am your avatar," Sasrir said, his gaze still heavy, now tinged with a hint of gloom, as if pondering something.
"Sasrir, what are you thinking?" The Sun God asked cautiously, eyeing his avatar.
"I'm wondering if I should take out the main body and take over as the primary myself," Sasrir said bluntly, lifting his eyes to meet the Sun God's.
The Sun God choked, pausing for a few seconds before replying candidly, "Is it possible that in the future, you do become the main body?"
After all, in the future, the Sun God was gone, and the True Creator, with Sasrir as the primary, survived alongside Adam, who was centered around Adam.
Now it was Sasrir's turn to falter. He looked at the Sun God, starting and stopping as if struggling to speak, then sighed. "Lord, please, promise me... don't try to show off your sense of humor. It's painfully cold."
***
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