"But in the eyes of others, those who haven't interacted with me, they won't have memories of your depraved lifestyle. They'll only think you're someone with a clean private life and a good reputation." Lynn paused briefly here, then looked at Roselle with a tempting smile, saying:
"Don't you want that? Or do you want to go through that kind of degenerate life again?"
"Huh?" Roselle instinctively furrowed his brow. Something felt off, but his emotions told him that Lynn's words were undeniably enticing.
After all, he had already indulged and, after all these years, he lacked the energy to go through it again. So what Lynn proposed wouldn't negatively affect him. In fact, it was all benefits.
However…
"Why are you being so kind?" Roselle suspiciously looked at Lynn.
"Look at how you're talking! I've always been a good person, haven't I? Ask anyone." Lynn spread his hands casually, his expression not betraying any guilt, as if his words were entirely genuine.
Klein said nothing, but his gaze became a little more nuanced.
From what he knew of Lynn, helping Roselle clean his reputation was definitely secondary. The primary goal, without a doubt, was to mess with Roselle.
As for which version of Roselle he wanted to mess with, Klein couldn't be sure.
Hearing Lynn's words, Roselle hesitated, reluctantly admitting that Lynn did seem like a good person.
"Of course, I'll admit I do have my reasons. For example, I want to mess with the past version of you a little, as revenge for all those nights spent writing essays..." Sensing Roselle's wavering, Lynn smiled and continued:
"But that won't affect you at all. You'll simply gain a memory, which is the price for whitewashing your reputation..."
"If you're just trying to be a mischievous ring grandpa, you wouldn't have told me all this. What are you really up to?" Roselle thought for a few seconds before asking, seemingly realizing something.
"You're mistaken. I really do just want to be the ring grandpa, but I also need some information from you," Lynn replied, smiling at Roselle. "Some confidential information that will gain your trust. Secrets and dark histories that only you know. I need to earn the trust of your past self quickly, not just for my amusement, but to prevent your self-destructive behavior at critical moments."
Roselle's expression darkened, his face like the bottom of a pot.
…
In the end, Roselle handed over his secrets and dark histories, repeatedly instructing Lynn to never reveal them.
He had no choice; he was counting on Lynn to help him out. Even if he wasn't counting on this version of Lynn, he had to rely on the Angel of Secrets. In Roselle's eyes, these two troublemakers were indistinguishable. He knew that even if the Angel of Secrets came to his era, he would likely also demand these secrets to gain his past self's trust.
Since he would have to give them sooner or later, it was better to do it early and be done with it.
Having obtained enough information from Roselle, Lynn began analyzing it while planning his next steps.
Once he had his plan in place, he noticed Klein, looking at him, as if wanting to say something but hesitating.
"Yes, I do intend to mess with Roselle," Lynn said, glancing at him and smiling, "According to the memories I share with the Angel of Secrets, past individuals will only gain a memory, but they will experience it as if they had lived through it..."
Hearing this, Klein instantly understood what Lynn was planning.
"But this is for his own good! As they say, 'Without distractions, one's swordsmanship sharpens.' If Roselle hadn't been so indulged in those messy things, he'd have advanced the tech tree to the modern era by now, instead of making a mess of his life." Lynn said, righteously. "If he really becomes a good man, he and Bernadette might even reconcile completely."
Klein wasn't sure how to respond, but suddenly remembered something. "Wait, will Bernadette retain her previous memories?"
"Of course! She's already interacted with me, so her memories won't be overwritten." Lynn nodded with a smile.
Through his time experiments, Lynn had confirmed that the people involved in the changes he made to the past would retain their memories. If someone had interacted with him before those changes, they too would keep their memories.
As for everyone else, their memories would be overwritten. If they hadn't interacted with him, they wouldn't notice anything wrong. But after contact with him, they might recall the original past.
Lynn's assessment of this was: strange, twisted, and making him feel like a true villain.
So, as someone who had interacted with Lynn many times, Bernadette wouldn't forget her father's dark history. She would only gain an additional memory of what it was like to have an upright, abstinent father.
Klein: "..."
In that instant, Klein fully understood Lynn's devious scheme.
As they say, comparison is the thief of joy. When you only have one father, even if he's awful and makes you angry, that anger is limited. After all, Bernadette didn't know that Roselle could be any different.
But if one day she realized that her father could have been serious and abstinent, without all the chaos in his personal life... Klein could already imagine how much more disappointed she would feel with the current Roselle.
"So, do you have a grudge against him?" Klein couldn't help but ask.
"No..." Lynn shrugged, speaking honestly, "But Roselle's messy relationships are such a waste of time. My time is limited, so I'd prefer him to focus on work..."
Yes, that was Lynn's real motive for wanting Roselle to get his life together.
Of course, it would also be fun.
"Huh?" Klein couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
Lynn didn't hold back and explained the deal between the Angel of Secrets and Roselle. Finally, he said, "If Roselle works for the Angel of Secrets, that means he works for me. From what I can tell, I'm likely the one who'll save him in the end, and the one who'll revamp the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery..."
"So Roselle should work for me. Naturally, I have to find ways to make sure he stays focused. It's like neutering a pet—if I don't, I'll end up overworked." Lynn said confidently.
Though his plans to push the tech tree to the modern era levels might have fallen through, Lynn believed that with a little push, it was still possible. This, of course, required someone to work extra hard.
More importantly, with Roselle's abysmal track record in personal affairs, Lynn didn't feel even a twinge of guilt for messing with him. In fact, he felt like he was guiding him toward a better life.
Klein: Surprised Pikachu face!
Roselle might be a scoundrel, but you're the one who is truly devious!
Once again, Klein was amazed by his companion's absurd ideas.
(End of Chapter)
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