Watching Fors' instant, unhesitating slide into apology, Alaric wasn't surprised. He merely shook his head with a wry smile.
Sometimes, he found Fors quite amusing. She could be timid, dragging her drafts until the last possible moment, yet her apologies were always enthusiastic, even if she never changed her ways. But when it came to courage, she'd surrender without a second's pause.
Truly a mix of reckless and cautious... a hallmark of the Lord of Mysteries pathway, Alaric thought idly, then said, "No rush on the writing. I'm here for something else this time."
Fors blinked, her expression puzzled. She cautiously glanced at Alaric and asked, "Your Excellency Lucifer, what brings you here?"
Alaric smiled and gestured to Bethel beside him. "This is Bethel Abraham, also known as Mr. Door. He's returned and plans to rebuild the Abraham family. He's interested in nurturing some Door pathway Beyonders, and Dorian recommended you."
Fors froze, her eyes widening as she turned to Bethel. "You... you're Mr. Door?"
"That's me," Bethel confirmed with a nod, offering a gentle smile.
"So, the full moon whispers stopped because you escaped and no longer needed to call for help?" Fors blurted out. She didn't know the full story behind Mr. Door's pleas, only bits and pieces from the Fool, assuming the whispers were his cries for rescue.
The moment the words left her mouth, Fors realized her mistake. She clapped a hand over her mouth, her face a picture of regret.
After all, no one likes having their vulnerabilities exposed, and her comment had veered dangerously close to doing just that.
My stupid mouth!
Bethel, unexpectedly, wasn't offended. He paused briefly, then smiled. "Yes, I'm back, so there's no need for calls for help anymore."
As for the truth... that he hadn't been seeking rescue but warning others not to save him... Bethel saw no need to explain. Fors, as a mid-to-low sequence Beyonder, wasn't ready to know about Outer Deities.
"That's great, that's great…" Fors said with an awkward laugh, quickly changing the subject. "So, Mr. Door, you want to train me because of my teacher's recommendation?"
As she spoke, her heart was filled with disbelief. She knew her own limits. She wasn't terrible, but compared to exceptional Beyonders like Mr. World or the Emperor, she was far behind.
And yet, she was being considered for training by an angel?
Is this for real?
Fors felt like a pie had fallen from the sky. While thrilled, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a catch.
"I do have that intention. To be precise, I'm considering taking you as a student," Bethel said, nodding. He smiled warmly at the wide-eyed Fors.
The even bigger pie left Fors dizzy. It took her several seconds to process before she blurted, "But I already have a teacher!"
The next moment, her brain caught up, and she hastily added, "Not that I'm saying you're not great, sir! It's just that I already have a teacher, and I'm not sure how Dorian described me, but I know myself. I'm not exceptional... just an ordinary Beyonder. I probably don't deserve to be your student. Of course, I'm sure Dorian didn't exaggerate my abilities on purpose…"
Fors knew being an angel's student was an incredible opportunity, but she wasn't ungrateful. Dorian had been good to her, and she couldn't abandon him for better resources. Besides, she genuinely didn't believe she was qualified to be an angel's student.
Bethel listened quietly to Fors' flustered words. Seeing the nervous, slightly incoherent girl before him, he showed no annoyance at her refusal. Instead, he smiled. "It seems Lucifer's assessment of you was spot-on."
"Huh?" Fors looked baffled.
"Lucifer said you're a good person. You have some minor flaws and aren't the most reliable, but your character is solid, and you have great potential to become an excellent angel," Bethel said with a smile.
Fors' confusion deepened. She glanced at Bethel, then at Alaric, who was watching with amusement, and pointed at herself in disbelief. "Me? An angel?"
Honestly, Fors had no idea she had such potential. And those compliments…
She felt both flattered and overwhelmed.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm just stating the truth," Alaric said with a chuckle, speaking unhurriedly. "Of course, if you could stop procrastinating on your drafts, my opinion of you might be even higher."
Fors' smile, which had been tinged with shy pride from the praise, froze. She awkwardly shifted her gaze to the ceiling.
What a fine ceiling!
"No saving her. Just bury her," Alaric said, shaking his head with mock seriousness.
"Don't bury me! I can be saved!" Fors snapped out of her ceiling-gazing, pleading desperately.
If anyone else had said that, she'd assume it was a joke. But His Excellency Lucifer? Hard to say.
She wasn't eager to test whether he was serious.
"No need to be scared. Lucifer's just joking," Bethel said, shaking his head to reassure her.
Fors let out a sigh of relief.
Bethel continued, "Fors, I won't force you to be my student if you're unwilling, but you do have remarkable talent. I'd hate to see it wasted."
"So, I hope you'll study under me. Don't worry... you don't have to call me teacher. You won't be the only one learning from me; other promising Abrahams will join you." Bethel looked at Fors and added, "Of course, this isn't mandatory. You can refuse."
He said that, but with him putting it like that, how could she refuse? Fors ran a hand through her hair. She wasn't ungrateful, and with Bethel laying it out so sincerely, she couldn't keep dodging.
So, she nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Door. I'm willing to study under you."
***
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