Lynn did not plan to employ any devious schemes; he chose a straightforward, open strategy. If Adam's rationality deemed it necessary to sacrifice others, then what would Adam do when the one to be sacrificed was himself?
If Adam chose to let Sasrir lead, Lynn might try to save him from disappearing. If Adam did not make that choice, Lynn would still support Sasrir in becoming the leader, meaning Adam would truly vanish.
This was a test of humanity versus rationality, posed by Lynn to Adam. He didn't mind if Adam saw the answer in advance because Lynn himself wasn't sure what he would ultimately do.
'What would you do?'
Lynn looked towards a corner, silently asking.
"Lynn, what are you daydreaming about?"
A hand waved in front of him, snapping Lynn back to reality. He glanced at Klein beside him and responded with a somewhat subtle expression, "I just remembered something..."
"Remembered something?" Klein paused, then curiously asked, "Did you remember something about Roselle in your past?"
"I'm not sure, maybe..." Lynn shook his head, neither confirming nor denying, and vaguely added, "I just recalled some things related to the God of Craftsmanship..."
"The God of Craftsmanship? Isn't that the previous title for the God of Steam And Machinery? You have a connection with him? Well, I guess it's not surprising..." Klein's initial surprise gave way to a nuanced expression as he recalled the tea party hosted by Lynn that included major deities like the Earth Mother.
"What did you remember?" Klein asked, his curiosity evident.
"The God of Craftsmanship might have worked for me once..." Lynn scratched his head and whispered, "Do you think this counts as blackmail material against the God of Steam And Machinery? If he discovers my existence, will he send someone to kill me?"
Klein was momentarily stunned. He didn't know whether to marvel at the God of Craftsmanship's past or to question why Lynn's first reaction was that the God would want him dead.
Klein looked around nervously, ensuring no members of the Church of Steam were following them, then whispered, "Are you sure he followed you? He's a true god..."
"My memories suggest so. When he followed me, he was only at Sequence 1, before he became a god..." Lynn spoke candidly.
'He wasn't a god? That made sense. The God of Steam And Machinery only became a Sequence 0 in the late Fourth Epoch, while Lynn had been in this world since the Second Epoch. Theoretically, it was possible for him to have had the God of Craftsmanship as a follower before his apotheosis.' Klein pondered.
Klein, now being knowledgeable about Sequence 0, asked, "Why do you think the God of Steam And Machinery would want to kill you? Even if he went independent later, it doesn't mean he harbors ill will toward you..."
Lynn shrugged, "Just a hunch. Maybe we still have a good relationship..."
"Hearing this, I'm worried you might get targeted by the Church of Steam..." Klein frowned slightly, clearly concerned.
Lynn sighed theatrically, muttering, "I hope that doesn't happen..."
Lynn's words were partly to tease Mr. Fool but also to give Klein a heads-up. If, by some remote chance, the God of Steam And Machinery or the Evernight Goddess targeted him, Klein would be mentally prepared.
After all, while the God of Steam And Machinery might not directly pinpoint him, the Evernight Goddess could. She might not know exactly who "Lynn Sotos" was, but she could suspect his connection to the Angel of Secrets.
'If only Artisan wasn't foolish enough to be used as a pawn...' Lynn mused. He wasn't overly concerned about a direct confrontation with Artisan. In fact, it might give him a justified reason to act and reinforce his position.
'Or Artisan might seek the Evernight Goddess's help, get my information, and try to establish contact...' Lynn thought, finding the prospect somewhat intriguing.
If Artisan followed his true intentions, Lynn would welcome him. But he has doubts. The costs of giving up a Sequence 1 Characteristic and the church he'd built were too high. With his indecisive nature, Artisan might just pretend nothing happened until the last moment, choosing to counterattack or follow his true intentions only then.
For Lynn, that wouldn't be bad. His main goal was a leisurely life, leaving the hard work of godhood to his avatars.
Thus, Lynn wasn't keen on taking over the Church of Steam and Machinery immediately. It would require significant effort to place loyal people within the church, convert its members, and gain their trust, rather than just nominal leadership.
Violence wouldn't solve everything, especially in matters of religious faith. Even if Artisan submitted, his followers might not. Fanatics can be unpredictable.
(End of Chapter)
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