"Zarian, I can't believe we've actually returned to Demor."
"What's wrong, Belthor? Seeing so many mortals makes you uneasy?"
The "god" looked at his friend with annoyance, though deep down he didn't want to admit that he was partly right.
The pride of having reached the pinnacle of power had always made him arrogant, and after years of living in seclusion, being served by those beneath him, his personality had twisted quite a bit.
"Let's finish this quickly, Zarian. I don't understand why you came in person just for information about that man."
"Well… a natural Transcendent isn't easy to handle, Belthor. We shouldn't underestimate her. Besides, there's that other woman who recently reached the same state."
"The one from House Sterling?" A memory flashed through Belthor's mind.
"What is it? Did you remember one of your lovers? Though your face tells me that's not the case."
"Well, I just remembered something…"
Zarian stared at his friend with understanding.
He knew very well that although they didn't move around much anymore, what they were trying to do wasn't the first time they had attempted it.
A long time ago, when they were still demigods and couldn't fully break through the limit imposed on Transcendents —which, although less difficult than the same one, was still a complicated advancement for reasons unrelated to the essence of their souls— things were different at that level.
Back then, clashes of ideas were frequent and the previous war in Demor was at its peak.
A senseless war that ended without an apparent winner; however, they had gained considerable benefits from it.
Many of those who knew their true plans and actively opposed them had died in the conflict.
Demor was left weakened, and they finally began to uncover the true secrets of the world.
They thought they wouldn't have to return, that the people they had left behind would take care of everything while they focused on their advancement.
Belthor had succeeded recently, while Zarian was still stuck in the stage of a false god.
Floating in the sky and using wind magic to hold themselves aloft, both of them looked down at the people of the capital with completely flat expressions.
"Are you sure Lucius did exactly what you told him?" Belthor asked.
Zarian didn't answer. He simply continued observing the city with indifference from above for a moment longer. When he decided it was enough, he turned his gaze toward his companion.
"He'll do it any moment now… For now, we should go find that princess who's been causing so many problems for the Vitalis."
Belthor smiled at those words.
During their last visit, he hadn't had the chance to meet Cassandra Demor, though those who had dared to bother him in the past always tended to mention her.
"I suppose it's about time," Belthor added coldly.
…
Meanwhile, Morgana Valois was in the lounge room having tea with her mother.
"So he told you to come to his bed?"
Cordelia leaned back in her seat and burst into hearty laughter.
"Really bold… Does he think my daughter, a proud descendant of the Valois, would stoop so low?"
Morgana looked at her mother with discomfort, averting her gaze to avoid her eyes.
The duchess stopped laughing abruptly and observed her daughter with attention.
"Right?" she asked, a dangerous edge in her voice. "Morgana, this has already gone too far. First Caelia and now you?"
"I still haven't done anything with him, mother," Morgana admitted in a small voice. "But he's the person I like. I want to do it with him…"
"You're engaged to him, Morgana. I don't expect you not to give yourself to him in the future, but you can't yield just because he orders it. If you do, he'll forget who holds the power in the relationship."
"Mom, I basically forced him to accept the engagement. I think I haven't had any power in this from the beginning."
Cordelia frowned severely.
"You're wrong about that. You're forgetting who your mother is."
"You don't understand… He's not someone you can buy."
The duchess's smile faltered for a moment as she remembered the conversation she had with that man the other day at the club.
She shook her head, trying to erase the image of Cassian's confident and cold smile from her mind.
Without saying anything else, Cordelia took out a gold coin and tossed it into the air.
The coin spun round and round until it landed on the table in front of them.
The metallic clink as it hit the wood filled the heavy silence of the room.
Morgana looked at her mother with doubt.
It seemed like she wanted to say something more, to explain clearly why she thought the way she did, but she hesitated and the words refused to leave her mouth.
…
In Cassian's room, silence had once again filled the space where only two people usually lived together.
Adela and Cassian, in the comfort of their own space.
Silence and small everyday interactions between maid and master.
It started with her helping him change clothes, breakfast, receiving guests if the day brought any, chatting about the latest developments Cassian needed to know, preparing lunch, and staying attentive whenever her master required her.
Adela moved from one place to another, making sure nothing was missing. Cassian simply closed his eyes and rested, accustomed to watching her move.
When she finished her duties, the maid approached, settled beside him, and remained silent. At that moment, Cassian opened his eyes. Probably not the best time… he thought to himself.
He looked at Adela. She shifted uncomfortably, doubtful because her master had broken his routine. Thinking he needed something, she opened her mouth to ask, but a gesture of his hand immediately silenced her.
"I'll be away for a while, Adela."
"Huh?" she reacted, eyes widening.
"I'll be back soon. After all, everything we've been preparing is about to reach its conclusion. Make sure there are some shadows on the streets these days. Tell them not to act immediately, but to be ready to do so once the losses are enough to completely sink the Church."
"Master, what do you mean?"
"You'll understand soon."
The maid frowned, worried.
"But where are you going that requires your physical presence when something so important is about to happen? Are you going to leave us to handle everything alone?"
He shook his head.
"I'll be back in time. It shouldn't take too long. I've been putting this off for a while, but I can't keep pretending I haven't noticed, Adela."
She looked at him without understanding.
"What are you talking about?"
"Someone from my past life has come looking for me," Cassian revealed, his gaze distant. "At first I wasn't sure. I felt her very far from here, but in this same world. After some time, I became certain it was her, and I managed to locate her approximate position."
Cassian stood up and looked fixedly at his maid, searching for a sign of reassurance in her response.
Adela watched her master with deep insecurity; her lips trembled, unsure whether to say anything more.
In the end, she simply nodded in silence.
In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from the room, leaving behind a maid who stared at the empty space.
Adela sighed as she felt the usual warmth of the room fade away, not knowing when he would return.