"What?" Lilith asked, clearly puzzled.
"The root of your corruption lies with the Mother Goddess of Depravity. So why not address her directly?" Alaric said, his smile brightening. "If that Outer Deity falls, even if she retains the possibility of returning, wouldn't that lighten your burden significantly?"
Confronting the will of a fallen Pillar was a far different matter than facing a living one.
Killing the Mother Goddess of Depravity wouldn't eradicate the corruption, but it could minimize her influence.
"…I can't kill her." Lilith said, her tone complex... hesitant, surprised, and probing.
"I can help you." Alaric said with a smile, gazing at the flower bearing Lilith's will. "Not now, of course. But when I reach the end of my pathway, I can help you slay that Outer Deity."
Alaric wasn't boasting. He was confident that once he fully digested Nyarlathotep's power fragments within him, he'd be no weaker than any Pillar. The Mother Goddess of Depravity might seem unkillable to others, but Alaric wasn't so sure that applied to him.
In essence, Nyarlathotep's power surpassed this world's Pillars.
Why target the Mother Goddess of Depravity? It was obvious. Alaric had crossed her multiple times. While other Outer Deities might only seek to invade Earth for its Sefirot, the Mother Goddess of Depravity would undoubtedly come for Alaric the moment the barrier fell.
So, naturally, he'd strike first.
And he had no regrets about antagonizing her. She was a key aggressor against Earth. Even if he hadn't acted, when the apocalypse arrived and the barrier fell, he'd still have to face her.
Might as well gain some leverage from her in the meantime.
"…How long will that take?" Lilith asked, not questioning his claim.
"No idea. You'll need to be patient." Alaric said with a smile, avoiding empty promises. "But rest assured, Lady Lilith, I'm a fair businessman. Before delivering the goods, I don't mind offering you some free samples."
Lilith didn't ask about the samples... the answer was obvious. Instead, she said, "What do you want in return?"
"I'm leading a revolution, a war to reshape the world. You know a war can't function without food and healers." Alaric said, smiling. "For society to truly improve, it needs abundant resources, with food and medicine at the core."
People needed many things to survive, but food and healthcare were non-negotiable. Without food, you starve; without medicine, illness kills. Other needs, while important, could be managed.
"So the Church of the Earth Mother is vital to me. I need the Beyonders of the Earth and Moon pathways to contribute." Alaric said bluntly, his smile unwavering. "Of course, you can refuse, just as I can refuse you. But I believe neither of us will."
Lilith fell silent, sensing the seriousness and hidden implications in his words. He needed the Earth and Moon pathway Beyonders, but he didn't necessarily need her, the Earth Mother.
Given her dire situation, Alaric could simply do nothing, and by the time the apocalypse arrived, she'd likely be finished.
Then he could claim what he wanted without effort.
But that carried risks. The Church of the Earth Mother's Beyonders were Lilith's followers. Without her, Alaric might struggle to command them due to their faith... devout believers would die for their god.
That's why he said, "I believe neither of us will." With her cooperation, rallying the church's followers would be far easier.
"…I can't fully trust you." Lilith said after a pause.
"I don't need your full trust, Lady Lilith. As I said, I'm a fair businessman. I won't ask you to pay the full price before the deal is done." Alaric said unhurriedly. "We can build trust gradually. I'll provide samples, and perhaps you'd be open to a deposit?"
Alaric hadn't expected Lilith to bet the entire church on a single conversation. He couldn't kill the Mother Goddess of Depravity yet or fully resolve Lilith's predicament. Unless she was naively trusting, she wouldn't commit all her chips.
From the start, Alaric's goal was mutual probing, laying the groundwork for a preliminary deal.
…
Klein and Jack were chatting with Emlyn White.
Here's how it happened: while waiting idly in the hall, Jack heard a noise and dragged Klein to the church's living quarters, where they found Emlyn White locked in the basement.
"…So, all you have to do is convert to the Earth Mother to gain your freedom. Why not do it?" Jack asked, his expression curious, like a sunny, naive university student.
"Pfft! You're insulting my devotion to the Sanguine Ancestor!" Emlyn White snapped, his voice rising with agitation, as if he'd been gravely offended. "I'll never worship the Earth Mother, even if that wretched priest locks me up forever!"
"Really? I don't buy it." Jack Said skeptically, grinning. "Unless you put it in writing."
Klein shot his friend a glance. Though he had no proof, his gut told him Jack was up to something mischievous.
"Huh? In writing?" Emlyn White blinked, clearly thrown off.
"Yeah, talk is cheap. Anyone can make claims. A written vow adds some credibility." Jack Said, still grinning. "Otherwise, I'd think you're just bluffing."
"Fine, I'll write it! My faith in the Sanguine Ancestor isn't something you can question!" Emlyn declared, spurred by the challenge, without hesitation.
"What are you doing?"
Bishop Utravsky's voice came from the corridor behind them.
"Bishop Utravsky, we're discussing whether Emlyn White will convert to the Earth Mother…" Jack turned, quickly summarizing the situation, then looked at the bishop. "Do you have paper and a pen I could borrow?"
***
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