John: "Are you surprised? I'm not surprised at all."
Seraphina: "Not at all. What else could it be but a lie?"
John: "Who could disagree?"
[Deception]: "???"
"Wait, do you have a better idea? And why can I hear another voice?"
"That's because I want you to hear it. That's not the point. The point is, are you sure this will work? What if we're found out?"
"I infiltrated this way, so we won't be discovered. The only ones who could see through this lie are the Divine Emissary and [Gluttony]. And our goal is to meet them, right?"
"Are you saying you've been in Atlantis for so long and haven't even seen either of them?"
"You think it's easy? That Divine Emissary, relying on his ability to see the future, rarely makes public appearances. I couldn't find a chance to get close."
"I thought you had found some concrete information..."
John sighed, a bit disappointed with [Deception]'s performance.
But given the situation, it wasn't the time to blame each other. After pondering for a moment, John continued, "Speaking of which, when will this worship ceremony end?"
"By my estimation, it should be ending soon. Why? Do you have an idea?"
"Don't you think it's strange that in such a vast Atlantis, only the two of us are moving around freely?"
"Don't worry. Once I've enacted the deception, no one will find it strange. So... what kind of identity do you want? I might be able to help."
"You can choose an identity?"
[Deception] then smiled proudly and said, "Of course. The moment the lie becomes reality, Morton Leonard will be a living person, existing seamlessly in the memories of everyone connected to him. It's flawless, effortless. Do you think my proud abilities are just some minor tricks to change your appearance?"
"You underestimate me. Once the deception is established, some people will have memories of you and firmly believe them. Unless someone realizes you shouldn't exist and notices the gaps in their memory, your identity will remain intact.
The simpler your identity, the harder it is to uncover. For example, I am Randall Fila, a frustrated painter who grew up on the outskirts of the kingdom after losing my parents. My identity is seamless, so no one will suspect. If you try to be the king's son or a princess's consort, trust me, your cover will be blown within three days."
After hearing [Deception]'s explanation, John nodded thoughtfully.
"Whatever, you choose for me. I don't mind."
"Brother, you're overthinking it. You're too focused on the future and afraid of losing. That won't do!"
John watched as [Deception] chatted with the passerby about a past that never happened, as if he had really lived it. He couldn't get a word in edgewise.
It just showed that his grasp of lies was far from [Deception]'s level.
"Take Leonard, for example. Do you remember the girl who pursued him? The one from the marine guard, almost quit for Leonard, what was her name..."
"Wasn't it Sherry?"
"Exactly! Sherry! She was madly in love with Leonard, but now she's moved on, right? So, brother, take it easy. With our lifespans stretching over a thousand years, who can really say who will be with whom until the end?"
"...You're right, Fila. I should loosen up a bit. It's been a long time, and I didn't expect you to have gone through so much."
"No choice, we're wanderers. We've seen a lot and gained a lot of insights. So, want to join us?"
"No, I still want to try one more time. If it doesn't work out this time... maybe then I'll give up."
"Alright, my friend. Good luck. It's getting late, and Leonard and I have to start our next journey. Wishing you all the best."
"Wishing you both smooth travels. I'll cover the drinks as a farewell gift."
"You're very generous, my friend."
[Deception] stood up with a smile, put his arm around John's neck, and they left the tavern. Once outside, John gave a thumbs-up.
"This time, I'm truly impressed. You are indeed very skilled."
"Hmph, now you understand? Don't underestimate me, you fool."
"But here's the question: what is the purpose of all this?"
"Purpose? Of course, there is one. For instance, we've made a new acquaintance."
John furrowed his brows in confusion, "A new acquaintance? Are you talking about Rachel?"
"Exactly. Next, we're going to visit this Rachel!"
"And then? Isn't she just an ordinary person?"
"She might be an ordinary person, but what if someone she knows is in a position of power? John, do you think a lie works just by claiming I'm a guest of the king? Of course not! All lies need a gradual process. What we're doing now is perfecting that process as much as possible, weaving a lie that no one can uncover, and making it the truth.
Got it?"