Chapter 1970: Chapter 1970

By now, the future that would have unfolded without the outsider's arrival has become quite clear.

In the spirit of avoiding major spoilers, here is a brief summary:

Without the outsider, this epoch would have played out like all the previous ones. Nine Saviors, born of destiny, would have vied for the ultimate title. This group would have included Hathaway, Jessica, Mr. Hood, and many other familiar faces. The victor in that struggle, however, would have been the original Jenkins—the one who chose to shoulder the burden of sin and also wielded mechanical power.

Of course, even though he would have won the title of Savior, he still would have failed to save the world, just like the failures who came before him (such as the Savior Jenkins buried in the chapter "The Madman and the Fool"). The original Jenkins, just as the parchment prophesied in the first volume, would have become the Beast of Calamity, wreaking havoc upon the world at the end of the epoch. Then Alexia, the only mortal in this era to ascend to godhood through her own efforts, would have defeated the Beast of Calamity and truly averted the apocalypse.

Yes, in the original timeline, Alexia was the one destined to save the world.

If you think about it carefully: she is a non-believer (placing no faith in any other gods), possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge (a pursuit she shares with the Sage), and has extraordinary talent (the potential to achieve divinity on her own). Furthermore, she has been studying the Difference Engine for years (giving her the most profound understanding of the Beast of Calamity). Isn't this the standard-issue template for a Savior destined for godhood in this epoch?

I'm surprised that almost no one seemed to notice. I thought it was rather obvious.

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To put it simply, she lacks that inherent detachment from the mortal world that the outsider and the mathematician possess. Jenkins is detached because he does not belong here and therefore remains unconcerned with its conventions. Alexia's detachment stems from her very nature, her singular focus on the pursuit of mathematics.

The gods of this world are not like the anthropomorphic deities of traditional Western mythology—they are not beings deeply entangled with mortals, coveting their pleasures, and appearing as little more than immensely powerful humans.

That is why Hathaway is different from Alexia and Jenkins.

So, did the outsider's arrival cause Alexia to lose out? Not at all. In a world without him, she would have eventually become a god by saving the world, succeeding the Sage to become the new deity of knowledge. The price of that salvation—the loneliness of walking her path alone and the immense hardships she would have to endure—was all part of the process.

But in the world where the outsider arrived, she is no longer alone; she has found a lover she is quite content with. She does not have to bear the cost of saving the world or experience those same trials and tribulations. What's more, she has gained knowledge from another world, making her own path far broader than it would have been otherwise. In fact, at the end of the story, she... (no spoilers!).

Therefore, Jenkins's arrival was a good thing for everyone—including the original Jenkins, Alexia, and all the other characters.

This 500-word note is on the house.

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