"So, the real question is, will the Evernight Goddess notice me if I do this?"
Alaric wasn't worried about Leonard snitching on him. Though Leonard was an official Beyonder, the original story showed he wasn't overly harsh toward those with secrets. Besides, Alaric's connection to Pallez meant that reporting him would implicate Leonard himself. Unless Leonard believed Alaric posed a serious threat, he wouldn't act.
But as the host of Pallez's parasitism, Alaric couldn't help but suspect the Evernight Goddess's gaze had long been on Leonard. It was likely no coincidence that Pallez chose a Nighthawk as his host... perhaps it was with the Goddess's tacit approval.
After all, aside from the Marauder pathway, the other's key figures were under the Evernight Goddess's control: Mr. Door was exiled and sealed by her, while Antigonus and Zaratul were imprisoned in Foggy Town.
With these precedents, it would be stranger if Pallez's choice of a Nighthawk host didn't involve some hidden arrangement.
Add to that Azik, who was undoubtedly under the Goddess's close watch, and Klein, who had just arrived... Alaric could almost guarantee that contacting any of these three would immediately draw her attention.
He wasn't fazed, though. If he could face Amon head-on without panicking, the Evernight Goddess, who couldn't easily descend to the physical world, was far less intimidating.
In terms of danger, Amon outranked the Goddess at this stage.
Alaric was more curious about whether the Goddess, as a sequence 0, would notice his uniqueness without him actively revealing Nyarlathotep's power fragment.
And if she did…
"What would you do? Eliminate me as an anomaly, send someone to probe me, or invest in me?" Alaric mused with intrigue, then his thoughts shifted to another deity.
If the Evernight Goddess noticing him was uncertain, the True Creator, whose Shadow of Time Alaric had summoned, had definitely taken note.
Alaric was almost certain that during their brief encounter, the Ancient Sun God, while dealing with Amon, had contacted the True Creator across time, prompting a glance his way.
It wasn't surprising. The Ancient Sun God might be a good person, but as a ruthless figure who defeated numerous ancient gods and led humanity to overthrow Beyonder races, he was no naive fool. How could he not keep tabs on an anomaly like Alaric?
If Alaric were more cautious, he'd avoid anything tied to the Aurora Order. But as a Joker, he was rather looking forward to the True Creator's reaction.
"No, I need to restrain myself. Can't go courting death." Alaric slapped his cheeks lightly. He didn't mind contact with those linked to the True Creator, but only if it wasn't suicidal.
"Still, before heading to Tingen, I need to make some preparations." Alaric's lips curved into a smirk as he glanced out the window, first toward the Bravehearts Bar, then toward the East District.
While house-hunting that afternoon, Alaric had naturally scouted the locations of notable landmarks from the original story. He planned to visit these spots later, mingle with Backlund's Beyonder circles, and meet future Tarot Club members currently in the city.
…
"Achoo!"
"Old man, you sneeze too?"
In Tingen City, Leonard, who had just visited Klein Moretti's home with Captain Dunn to investigate and "spooked" Klein before leaving, heard Pallez sneeze in his mind. Surprised, he lowered his voice to ask.
Since gaining an old man in his head, this was the first time Leonard had heard Pallez sneeze... a rarity on par with seeing a statue use the bathroom.
"Kid, don't think I can't tell you're mocking me in your head." Pallez said irritably, though he was puzzled.
As an angel, he wouldn't sneeze for no reason. Clearly, something related to him had occurred.
"No bad omens… Could it be an old friend thinking of me?" Pallez mused instinctively, only to hear Leonard whisper, "Old man, did you notice anything about that Klein Moretti?"
Though he asked, Leonard's expression remained relaxed, showing mild curiosity without much wariness... just a casual question.
"…What do you expect me to see? That he's a follower of some evil god or a Beyonder? Sorry, he's neither." Pallez replied with a subtle pause, then chuckled.
"I just thought his vibe was unique." Leonard said, missing Pallez's hesitation. He let out a subconscious sigh of relief, muttering, "So he's just a lucky guy after all."
Surviving a Beyonder incident when everyone else died was, by all accounts, incredibly fortunate.
"I recall he's a recent university graduate. If he's truly innocent in this matter, maybe I'll get a new colleague? The captain's been wanting to recruit more clerical staff." Leonard speculated, his first impression of Klein positive. He wouldn't mind working with him.
Still, Leonard knew the odds were slim. Even if Klein met the clerical job requirements, he might not choose that path.
The life of a Nighthawk, even for clerical staff, was far from easy, facing more dangers than most. Few qualified ordinary people were willing to join, or they wouldn't be so short-staffed.
Leonard didn't regret his own path, but he understood why others might hesitate.
"Perhaps…" Pallez gave a vague response and fell silent.
Leonard didn't mind, continuing his watch near the Moretti residence.
It was the captain's orders. As the sole survivor of the Antigonus family notebook incident, Klein Moretti wasn't fully cleared of suspicion, nor was it certain if he was entangled with an evil spirit or curse. They'd need Daly, the expert, to arrive for a final verdict.
Until then, they'd take turns monitoring Klein... both to keep an eye on him and to ensure he didn't flee or die from Beyonder forces.