GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

Joining the machine pathway isn't something he is willing to do because he already has his mind set on another pathway, and he doesn't want to join the messy pool that is the machine pathway.

He knows that there is conflict in the machine pathway. The pathway is divided between the two gods.

He also knows that if he becomes a machinist, he too will be drawn into this division. It is a conflict that can cost him his life, so he decided not to take it.

He didn't say that to the god of steam, though. He only said, "Thank you for your appreciation, the great god of steam. Please give me some time to think about it."

He wasn't actually talking directly to the god of steam. His existence isn't strong enough for that.

He would die in the presence of a god. So the golden rune is a method of harmless communication between himself and the god.

After he had input his message into the golden rune, it flashed and disappeared. This plunged the small room into darkness.

Then he said to the high priest, "I would like to publish the patent. How do I go about that?"

The high priest and all the priests in the temple became happy when they heard that. Actually, they were about to suggest that he publish the content of his patent for every priest and believer of the Church of Steam to see.

They didn't think he would agree with them, so they were very surprised and enthusiastic when he suggested publishing the patent instead of keeping it secret.

The priests and the high priests got to work setting up the altar. They got new lamps and new candles, which they arranged around the altar. Then they proceeded to make the request to their god.

Legion could have kept the content of his patent secret. He could have used it to earn money secretly, but that would require investment on his part.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have money to start a large business. He doesn't even have money to heat his house at night, so he can't make money from the technology he proposed in secret.

The best thing to do is make the patent available for anyone to see. This access is not free. Everyone who wants to see it will have to pay for the church newspaper.

So the church of steam will earn money from exposing his patent. He in exchange, will gain a lot of publicity.

They won't know everything about the patent, of course. They will only know about the machines he proposed and what they can do, not the underlying principles of their operation.

If anyone among the millions of people who will see the notice of his patent becomes interested, they can reach out to him for business.

The process of making the patent public was similar to the earlier sacrifice. Only, there was no need for him to sacrifice anything to get the god of steam's attention.

After the sacrifice was done, his patent would be in the next issue of the church newspaper. All he will need to do is come to this temple every day to receive any letter sent to him.

The high priest finished the sacrifice and then stood up to say, "It is done."

Legion nodded and said, "Thank you for work."

The high priest smiled. "It was my pleasure. You don't need to thank me."

Then the high priest said to everyone else, "Get to work, everyone."

The other priests and godclads scattered and went their way, leaving Legion alone with the high priest in the small room.

The high priest said with a smile, "Come, let me walk you out."

Legion nodded in agreement.

As they walked past the rows of priests working on some engine and repairing machines, the high priest made sure to introduce what they were doing.

"We are a powerful force in this world. We are responsible for the connection of towns and cities through the railways. We are responsible for building steam engines and maintaining them. No town can do without us. Any family that wants to become a noble family must have a church of steam come to their fief and help develop it."

The high priest spoke at length about the power the Church of Steam wields and the kind of privilege it grants priests of the church.

Most of what he said was the truth. Legion could attest to that.

The church of steam is truly important. The reason why their temple is usually close to the train station is because they are in charge of it. The godclads of the machine pathway built it, and they maintain it.

What the priest said that was wrong was about their motives for doing all of these. He claimed that the Church of Steam was all about improving the world and making it better.

Legion will not be fooled by that. He knows for sure that expanding the railway system not only benefits the Church of Steam financially, it also benefits the god of steam in one way or another.

The railway system is very important to civilization. It has a great impact on humanity because without it, trade between settlements will become dangerous and become stifled.

A town is already so dark and cold. Anyone who attempts to journey from one town to another will have to face the darkness and cold of uninhabitable lands and also face the danger of supernatural creatures.

Trains helped to solve most of the problems facing transportation because a train is not a living thing. It won't get scared or tired like an animal.

Thanks to the trade that trains facilitate, settlements can trade what they have for what they lack. Life becomes generally better for humans.

But he refuses to believe that this was all done because of charity. As someone who has killed and eaten many gods before and as someone who has become a god before, he can think of one or two selfish reasons for why a god will do anything.