Chapter 20: Past, Present, Future

"I don't have any memories from before I became a Sealed Artifact."

Unlike before, the Quill's attitude now was noticeably more serious, no longer treating everyone like characters in a play.

"Do you know when you were born?" Lynn asked, noting the Quill's sudden obedience with a hint of understanding.

"I'm not sure. It seems I appeared at the end of the Second Epoch, but it also feels like I existed long before."

"You've seen me, haven't you?" Lynn continued calmly. In the next moment, he saw the Quill write a few words:

"Yes, I have seen you."

"But I don't have any further memories of you."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Funny, that's a question I want to know the answer to as well," Lynn shrugged, his tone slightly self-deprecating but completely genuine.

He wanted to know who or what he really was more than anyone else.

"But regardless of who I am, that doesn't affect our cooperation, does it?" Lynn said, smiling.

The Quill hesitated for a moment but did not argue, whether it was conceding to Lynn's point or having its own plans was unclear.

Lynn didn't care about the silent Quill, his mind inevitably starting to analyze its earlier words.

Although there were only a few sentences, they carried a lot of information, confirming some of Lynn's suspicions: His primary identity likely existed in the past. As bizarre as it sounded, his identity in the past and his current existence seemed to be synchronized.

This concept was complex. To simplify, actions his primary identity took in the past would affect the present. For example, 0-08 had no special reaction to him before, but after he killed the Dragon of Nightmares, Alzuhod, in the Second Epoch, it had related memories.

Additionally, 0-08 didn't seem to lose its unaltered past memories. Its past seemed to have two distinct outcomes—one already determined, the other shrouded in mystery, awaiting Lynn's future actions.

"This is quite an astonishing result..." Lynn sighed, though he wasn't too surprised. Having experienced being a big shot, he felt nothing happening to him could shock him anymore.

Lynn pondered some key questions: "Setting aside how this parallel past and present works, does my altered past affect only memories or actual events as well? Or does it exist in a bizarre superposition state—both altered and unaltered?"

"If I save someone in the Second Epoch who was supposed to die, will that person revive in the present where my main body resides?"

"If they do revive, how would the resulting butterfly effect be calculated? Does history have an adaptive quality, continuing as it would aside from my interference?"

"Or perhaps, like in the Avengers, the revived person appears in the current timeline?"

"How will the affected individuals view these divergent pasts? Will they acknowledge both as real or see one as an illusion?"

Lynn thought these were all crucial questions.

To answer them, more examples and interactions with relevant individuals were needed, such as...

The three-in-one hotpot still hiding in the underground structure once belonging to the Blood Emperor Alista: Red Angel Medici.

As Lynn's Smurf Account's brother, Medici's fate had definitely been altered by Lynn.

"But although Medici and I are brothers, we don't have the best relationship. Maybe I should build some rapport in the Second Epoch first. Once our relationship is good enough, I can meet the Medici of this timeline to check his condition and attitude..." Lynn decided internally.

He wasn't in a rush to solve these complex temporal issues since there was nothing he urgently wanted to change in the past. And any significant changes he might want to make were far in the future, as his Smurf Account was currently in the Second Epoch, far from key historical events.

Instead of fretting over this complex time issue, Lynn stretched and decided to focus on his immediate plans.

As for his Smurf Account, it was clear he would continue following the Ancient Sun God, building more anchors to rid himself of the divine influence. Acquiring blood from other angels to read their information and create corresponding spells would be a bonus.

For his main body, Lynn planned to stay in Tingen for a few days to see what the Evernight Goddess had in store for Klein, then return to Backlund to avenge Lynn Sotos' death, ascend to Melee Scholar, and perhaps find a way into the Tarot Club.

Firstly, as a reader of the Lord of Mysteries, Lynn was genuinely interested in meeting characters like Justice Audrey and The Hanged Man Alger. For someone who had never ventured outside, these characters were like his real friends, and he naturally wanted to get to know them.

Secondly, Lynn needed the Tarot Club as a channel. The valuable information on the Second, Third, and Fourth Epochs and the resources and backgrounds of its members were highly valuable to him.

For example, he could purchase information on the late Second Epoch from The Sun. Even rough accounts could serve as prophetic information, potentially being very useful for his Smurf Account in the Second Epoch.

"But first, I need to make money..." Lynn thought, considering his remaining 800 pounds and the cost of subsequent potion materials.

Maybe he could get to know Justice and sell her some Spectator pathway potion formulas?

It's worth noting that during his fight with the Dragon of Nightmares, Alzuhod, Lynn had read all the information about the Spectator pathway while in a unique state.

Combined with what he knew from the original storyline, Lynn now possessed complete knowledge of two divine pathways, though aside from making money, this knowledge didn't seem to have much immediate use for him.

(End of Chapter)