"Why, Stiano, did you never once ask me if I even wanted what you thought was best for me?" Roselle's expression was hard to describe as he looked at the God of Steam and Machinery, almost as if speaking to himself.
"Hahaha! Of course you didn't ask. You're a lofty god, after all! I once thought we were friends, but that was never the case. To you, I was just a subordinate, a follower, a subject. Hah! When faced with a god's so-called blessing, a follower is supposed to kneel and grovel... how could they dare question it?"
The God of Steam and Machinery opened his mouth, looking bewildered, perhaps even a bit lost. Finally, he looked at Roselle and said, "Isn't that how it's supposed to be?"
"Hahaha! You're right, that's exactly how it's supposed to be!" Roselle sneered, staring at the God of Steam and Machinery. "Too bad I've never been one for kneeling and groveling. That's why we were doomed to part ways... we were never on the same path to begin with."
The God of Steam and Machinery pursed his lips. He couldn't fathom why Roselle was so angry, nor could he grasp what Roselle was so hung up on. After a few seconds of thought, he said, "You don't need to kneel now. You're a Black Emperor. We're equals."
Roselle's expression twisted, and for a moment, he almost couldn't laugh. Suddenly, all his past anger felt pointless.
They had never been the same. He couldn't understand the God of Steam and Machinery, and the God of Steam and Machinery couldn't understand him.
It was a difference born of their origins. If beings like the Evernight Goddess as transmigrator or the Lord of Storms who had once followed the Ancient Sun God, could at least vaguely grasp Roselle's mindset, the God of Steam and Machinery was unmistakably a "native."
He would never understand the concept of equality between individuals or the respect shared among friends.
In the God of Steam and Machinery's worldview, gods were lofty beings, and all others were mere ants.
"Boss, I'm starting to think your decision to work with this guy was a mistake. The Evernight Goddess and the others might get your ideas, but this guy? He probably can't even begin to," Roselle suddenly said, turning to Alaric, who had been quietly observing the drama.
Alaric raised an eyebrow. What Roselle could see, Alaric saw even more clearly. But he didn't care. With a smile, he said, "Doesn't matter. I don't need him to understand my ideas. I just need him to be obedient enough."
Did Alaric need the God of Steam and Machinery's understanding? No.
All Alaric needed was for him to diligently advance the technological tree. Unlike others, Alaric held no particular respect for the God of Steam and Machinery. He wasn't a benevolent figure like the Ancient Sun God, nor did he earn Alaric's grudging admiration like the Eternal Blazing Sun, who would later clash with the Outer Deities.
The God of Steam and Machinery's sole contribution to society was establishing the Church of Steam. But even that was questionable... it was Roselle who had built the church up, Roselle who had sparked the Industrial Revolution. The God of Steam and Machinery had essentially coasted to victory, reaping the greatest rewards.
And after Roselle's fall, the Church of Steam had largely failed to live up to its potential. Beyond maintaining order in the Beyonder world and eliminating dangerous Beyonders and monsters, the church had made scant progress in advancing technology. Its most notable achievement was helping the Loen royal family build ironclad ships.
But everyone knew what the Loen royal family was like. It was hard to say whether that contribution was more harm than good.
The Industrial Revolution had undeniably boosted productivity, but it had also widened the gap between rich and poor, leaving countless commoners as "necessary sacrifices." As the entity that unleashed this beast, and the greatest beneficiary of the Industrial Revolution, the God of Steam and Machinery had done little to address its downsides.
If one were to pin the state of society on the Seven Gods, the others might bear some undue blame. After all, most resided in the Astral World, and beings like the Earth Mother or the Eternal Blazing Sun were barely conscious half the time, genuinely limited in their ability to effect change. But the God of Steam and Machinery? He had been the most capable of influencing the world over the past century or two, and his impact had been immense. His share of the blame was far from undeserved.
Thus, while Alaric approached the other orthodox gods with a degree of respect, his attitude toward the God of Steam and Machinery wavered between respect and indifference. If the God of Steam and Machinery cooperated, Alaric would show some respect. If not, Alaric was ready to demonstrate the size of his fist.
Of course, Alaric harbored no intent to kill the God of Steam and Machinery. For one, he still had use for him. For another, the Church of Steam had its merits, maintaining order in the Beyonder world alongside the other orthodox churches. The positive aspects of the Industrial Revolution couldn't be ignored either.
"Nice one!" Roselle suddenly wasn't angry anymore. He'd picked up on something in Alaric's words, and for a moment, he even felt a twinge of pity for the God of Steam and Machinery.
"…Have I misunderstood something? What do you mean by 'obedient enough'?" The God of Steam and Machinery finally asked, clearly bewildered, his mind full of question marks.
He looked at Alaric, choosing his words carefully. "I thought Your Excellency Lucifer was here to seek cooperation?"
The phrase "obedient enough" wasn't something typically used in the context of cooperation. It sounded more like a demand from a superior to a subordinate.
"Stiano, for old times' sake, a word of advice: be polite when speaking to this guy. If you get yourself beaten up, don't say I didn't warn you," Roselle interjected coldly. Despite his grievances with his former boss, he still held some lingering sentiment and didn't want to see him dig his own grave.
The God of Steam and Machinery's eyes flickered. He studied Alaric again, then said after a few seconds, "Your Excellency Lucifer, I'm curious... what kind of being are you to earn such regard from both the Evernight Goddess and Roselle?"
"You can't tell?" Alaric looked at the God of Steam and Machinery with mild curiosity. "I thought a Sequence 0 would at least catch a glimpse of my true nature."
The God of Steam and Machinery hesitated before responding. "I can vaguely sense some terrifying power within you, but I can't see anything more."
***
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