Since all the important matters had been discussed, Lynn naturally didn't seek out any of the members of the tea party for individual conversations during the latter part of the event.
He simply enjoyed enlightening the tea party members about the culinary and religious cultures of Modern Century. Lynn also briefly shared some interesting historical anecdotes from the First-Epoch, sparking curiosity among some attendees before abruptly stopping, teasing them with tales of the conflict between the Lord of Mysteries and the God Almighty.
Looking at the diverse expressions of the people in the banquet hall, Lynn smiled and said, "Alright, since the story of the Lord of Mysteries and the God Almighty is finished, today's tea party ends here!"
"I suppose many of you are eager to go home, reflect on life, or perhaps recover from your injuries," Lynn said, glancing at Amon and Tudor with an unapologetic smile.
Yes, after Amon faced the gods' punishment, Tudor had also been ambushed during a free exchange session.
As for who the perpetrator was? Lynn claimed to know nothing and insisted he didn't see the Evernight Goddess and the True Creator — one in charge of concealment and the other of delivering beatings.
It just goes to show that there's truth to the saying, "Trouble comes from the mouth."
However, Lynn felt a bit disappointed that everyone at the tea party was quite reserved this time. The discussions, which should have been lively, turned into a lecture by Lynn, with no one engaging in trades or substantial exchanges of information, which were mostly avoided with him, making the atmosphere rather dull.
But there was no helping it. After all, it was the first tea party, and Lynn's credibility wasn't established yet. Given the cautious nature of these high-ranking individuals in the Beyonder world, their behavior was understandable.
'Next time should be better. They'll know me better, and with this experience, they'll likely be more willing to test the waters. Maybe I should even plant a decoy next time,' Lynn thought to himself after sending off all the tea party members. Although he didn't know when the next tea party would be, he started planning nonetheless.
Stretching, Lynn prepared to head to the divine kingdom of the Evernight Goddess.
Some matters discussed at the tea party were only briefly touched upon, and more detailed negotiations were necessary.
If possible, Lynn was quite interested in meeting Artisan, who hadn't ascended to godhood yet.
Unlike the Fifth Epoch, where the divine kingdoms were located in the astral world to fill the cracks in the Earth's barrier and fend off outer gods, the Evernight Goddess's kingdom was established in the real world today, as the barrier was still intact.
As Amanises returned to her divine kingdom, ready to review the tea party's events and see if there was any information she had missed, she received a prayer from her pope, announcing the arrival of a guest.
Amanises raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The Evernight Goddess had anticipated Lynn's visit to discuss their transaction in detail, but she hadn't expected him to come so soon.
However, the Evernight Goddess quickly suppressed her astonishment and issued a instruction to her pope, soon welcoming a rare guest into her divine kingdom.
"Nice to see you again, Lynn. I didn't expect our next meeting to be so soon," Amanises said with a smile, pouring tea for herself and Lynn. "This is a floral tea I brewed myself. You might find the taste quite pleasant."
"Thank you," Lynn said, taking a sip. The tea had a faint jasmine aroma, a slight bitterness followed by a sweet aftertaste.
"How much honey did you add?" Lynn couldn't help but frown.
"Two spoonfuls," Amanises answered with a smile, sipping her tea.
"Tablespoons?" Lynn quipped, but he finished his tea, placed the cup down, and asked, "Who was the Paragon you originally intended to cultivate?"
Amanises paused, surprised by Lynn's abrupt change of topic, but she answered in her gentle voice, "I originally favored The God of Craftsman Artisan. We have a decent relationship. Though he had just ascended to Sequence 1, becoming an Illuminator, becoming a god isn't an overnight plan. I had enough patience to wait for him to digest the Illuminator potion."
The God of Craftsman, as Amanises mentioned, was the ancient term for a subordinate god of Sequence 1 or 2, similar to how she was once called the Goddess of Misfortune. The Evernight Goddess preferred using their old titles when referring to certain old friends.
This was also a probe. The Evernight Goddess was testing whether Lynn intended to replace Artisan she knew.
"Then you probably won't have to wait," Lynn said with a smile, unconcerned by the probe. "Artisan was quite lucky. He ascended to Sequence 0 without fully digesting the Illuminator potion."
Amanises was taken aback, pausing her tea-drinking for a moment before nodding. "It seems he is indeed a fortunate individual."
Ascending to Sequence 0 without digesting a Sequence 1 potion was an extraordinary feat in any pathway, a rarity that left Amanises both surprised and somewhat wistful.
"But now, it seems he wasn't fortunate enough," she said, looking at Lynn meaningfully.
"You can't say that. Perhaps losing the Sequence 0 position was a form of luck for him too," Lynn said, shaking his head. "It seems you had a good relationship with him. No wonder you cooperated well for so many years until you had a falling out near the apocalypse."
Lynn was aware that Amanises's seemingly casual remark was another probe, testing his intentions towards Artisan, to see if he would eradicate him or spare his life.
"Artisan and I are indeed old friends," Amanises said, not denying it. She took another sip of tea, her lowered eyes hiding her thoughts, then placed her cup down and said, "If possible, I hope he can have a good ending."
(End of Chapter)
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