The next morning, the Kagu Ancestral Estate was a hive of activity. The immediate, explosive relief of my return had given way to the grim, necessary logistics of a post-war reality. The Red Chalice Cult, though leaderless, was not entirely gone. Lyra's brother, now rescued, required debriefing and care. The 7 Demon Lords, now unchecked, were a looming, existential threat that Tiamat and Luna were already beginning to analyze with new urgency.
I sat through the initial strategic meetings, my new divine presence a heavy, anchoring weight in the room. I gave my report. I listened as Cecilia, Alastor, and Ren formulated the initial containment and intel-gathering plans. I felt the weight of their stares, the new, subtle distance my transformation had created. They were my family, my partners, but I was also, now, something… other.
