Upon seeing Lucian's statue, Kafka became increasingly certain that Jarilo-VI was truly connected to him.
Still, to avoid making the same mistake as before, it was better to investigate thoroughly first and confirm every detail.
With that in mind, Kafka's gaze locked onto the bespectacled girl with bright blue eyes and long indigo hair standing in front of Lucian's statue.
At a glance, the girl looked like a clerical worker with a quiet and refined temperament. Standing neatly before Lucian's statue, she calmly explained his glorious achievements to onlooking passersby and curious children alike, her voice measured and composed as it carried just enough to reach those gathered around her.
After observing the girl for a while, Kafka ultimately moved closer with unhurried steps, blending into the crowd as she took her place among the listeners, her presence remaining unobtrusive as she intended to hear exactly what Lucian had done.
Thankfully, newly arrived tourists kept asking questions, sparing her the need to ask any herself.
"Miss Pela, I'm very curious about the earth-shaking changes in Belobog."
"I heard that not long ago, this place was still a frozen wasteland, and there was even a Stellaron disaster with countless monsters."
"How did this planet... undergo such an astonishing transformation in such a short period of time?"
Hearing their questions, Pela immediately straightened her back, adjusting her posture with practiced composure.
'Another group of outsiders, drawn here by Lord Lucian's radiance! Another opportunity to spread the hero's great deeds!'
Thinking that, a glint of wisdom flashed across her glasses.
Her name was Pelageya Sergeyevna, usually called Pela, an intelligence officer of the Silvermane Guard—young, yet exceptionally capable, with a reputation that far exceeded her age.
As for the symbolic figures of Belobog, she knew everything about them, or at least everything that had been recorded and preserved.
In her spare time, she would wander around the memorial hall, patiently explaining history and the accomplishments of great figures to visiting travelers and children alike. Aside from her parents and the Supreme Guardians of the past, the person she admired most was none other than the current Supreme Guardian, Lucian.
Now, she was both a fan of his appearance and a staunch supporter of his career, making her more than willing to actively promote his achievements and further increase his reputation among the people.
"Ah, that's because..."
Pela took a steadying deep breath, looking exactly like a scholar about to deliver an important academic report, before beginning her well-rehearsed and rather epic praise of Lucian.
"Our wise, mighty, and all-powerful Lord Lucian."
"His arrival in Belobog was like the first dawn breaking through the long, frozen night."
"He dispelled the suffocating gloom and lingering despair that had shrouded this world for seven hundred years."
"With his own power, Lord Lucian sealed the Stellaron, drove away the relentless ice and snow, and restored life to the world in the blink of an eye, allowing all things to revive and flourish once more."
"Under Lord Lucian's guidance, we rebuilt our homeland from the ruins and developed entirely new technologies that we once could not even imagine."
"Look at those towering, unyielding walls!"
"Look at that bustling, ever-busy spaceport!"
"Look at the genuine smiles on everyone's faces!"
Pela pointed emphatically at the hurried yet spirited pedestrians passing around them.
"All of this, every single part of it, is Lord Lucian's achievement."
Everyone could clearly see that the more she spoke, the more excited and impassioned she became.
Her small face flushed a deep red.
Her glasses nearly slipped from the bridge of her nose.
Pela pushed her glasses up three times in quick succession before barely managing to suppress the overwhelming urge to jump up and cheer on the spot.
"Without Lord Lucian, there would be no Belobog as it is today, and none of us would even have a tomorrow to look forward to!"
*Clap!* *Clap!* *Clap!* *Clap!*
A burst of applause rang out like a sudden wave, and only then did Pela snap back to her senses, as if jolted awake.
Originally, she had only intended to explain things clearly and simply to the children, but somewhere along the way, she had become too immersed. Her tone had unconsciously risen higher and higher until it turned into a full-fledged speech.
Kafka maintained an elegant, composed smile within the crowd and patiently listened to Pela's torrent-like, unending, and fervently idolizing description, showing not the slightest sign of impatience.
Power comparable to that of a god...
Creating miracles that defied all logic...
All those exaggerated words in Pela's description, those unbelievable achievements, and those methods beyond common sense—every fragment of it revealed a crucial piece of information that could not be ignored.
'Lucian... could he be an Emanator of... Abundance?'
Kafka thought solemnly, a heavy feeling slowly settling in her chest as her gaze subtly deepened.
If that were the case, she would have to reconsider how to persuade him, adjusting her approach entirely.
But before that, she needed to find him and meet him in person.
And the fanatical girl in front of her, who spoke with such conviction, should know his whereabouts, or at least have some clues.
Kafka waited for a while, watching calmly until the crowd gradually dispersed and Pela finally took a brief moment to rest, before stepping forward to strike up a conversation—though rather than a conversation, it would be more accurate to call it a carefully planned manipulation.
Just as Pela was about to leave, still faintly caught in the afterglow of her speech, she ran head-on into a purple-clad woman who was beautiful as a flower and possessed an extraordinary, almost oppressive aura.
Before she could even say a word, she heard the woman speak.
"Listen to me."
A thought flashed by like a whisper in the dead of night, cold and intangible, silently drilling into the depths of Pela's mind and taking root before she could resist.
"Take me to see the Supreme Guardian—this is his order."
Hearing that, Pela froze for a brief moment, her body going still as her eyes gradually lost focus and her expression slowly turned dull and vacant.
"Alright, follow me."
Pela responded with a slight, almost mechanical bow.
Without asking Kafka's identity, nor questioning why the 'Supreme Guardian's order' was being delivered by a complete stranger, she turned and led the way like a puppet pulled by invisible strings, guiding Kafka step by step toward Lucian's residence.
Kafka followed behind Pela at an unhurried, leisurely pace, her footsteps light and measured, not exchanging a single word.
What Kafka had used was the enchantment known as 'Spirit Whisper,' a subtle yet invasive influence that temporarily affected her target's mind, dulling their will and making them obey her without question or resistance.
'Now that I know Lucian is an Emanator of Abundance, I can't use Spirit Whisper recklessly anymore. How should I persuade him?'
Kafka pondered the question in silence, her gaze steady as she walked.
Truth be told, her previous plan had been simple—meet Lucian and directly use Spirit Whisper to seize control of him.
Unfortunately, an Emanator was different.
With the highest enhancement and authority granted by an Aeon, an Emanator's resistance in all aspects far exceeded that of an ordinary Pathstrider. Knowing that, Kafka was not confident that she could control an Emanator with her Spirit Whisper alone.
If it failed, it might lead directly to open hostility, leaving no room for negotiation.
Gaining an Emanator as an enemy—one who also held Stelle's lifeline firmly in his grasp—would be fatal for the Stellaron Hunters. Even the ruthless Kafka had to carefully reconsider her approach toward Lucian, weighing her options with rare caution.
Soon, after turning through several winding streets, Pela brought Kafka to the entrance of Qlipoth Fort, the towering structure looming quietly above them, then pointed toward a room on the top floor.
Next, like a machine that had just completed its assigned task, Pela turned and walked away blankly, her movements stiff and devoid of hesitation. Only after putting a considerable distance between herself and Kafka did the light gradually return to her eyes.
"Huh? Where am I?"
Pela slowed to a stop and looked around, her gaze unfocused.
She vaguely remembered that she had been guiding someone who was lost, but was unable to recall anything else beyond that fragment.
"Strange... I should go ask Lynxy if she's ever encountered something like this."
Frowning slightly, Pela did not dwell on it for long and, as usual, set off to find her good friend, Lynx.
Just like that, without anyone noticing, a wanted criminal had quietly infiltrated the Supreme Guardian's private chambers.
===
Inside the Supreme Guardian's bedroom chamber, there was complete silence, the kind that seemed to press faintly against the ears, and no one was present—only a strange, lingering scent hung in the still air, stubbornly refusing to dissipate.
"What is this smell? Hmm... there seems to be a woman's scent as well?"
Right after entering the bedroom chamber, Kafka's gaze fell upon the large bed at the center of the room before noticing the dried stains on it—faint yet unmistakable, something she was all too familiar with.
"Heh, men... even after becoming an Emanator, he still retains such desires? How rare..."
Kafka remarked in a slightly disdainful tone, her lips curling into a faint smirk as she mentally deducted ten points from Lucian without the slightest hesitation.
However, at the very moment her words faded, a warm breath suddenly brushed against the back of her neck without warning, sending a subtle yet distinct shiver through her body.
"I like women. Is that a problem?"
A low, magnetic voice carrying a trace of lazy amusement sounded extremely close behind her ear, so close that Kafka could almost feel its vibration against her skin.
The moment she heard those words and sensed a figure suddenly appear behind her, Kafka's pupils contracted sharply, while every muscle in her body instantly tensed like a drawn bowstring.
In the next instant, she displayed the skills of a top-tier hunter, neither turning around nor showing the slightest trace of panic. Instead, she launched herself forward, planting one hand against the ground as her body folded and twisted in a single fluid motion, flipping into an acrobatic handstand with the grace of a boneless serpent.
*Swish!*
One long, powerful stocking-clad leg shot straight upward, while the other carved through the air like a violet whip, sweeping back from below at a vicious angle—the movement was explosive yet precise, her entire body acting as a pivot as the heel of her boot accelerated with terrifying force toward the figure standing directly behind her.
And the target was none other than the figure's groin—the very person who had spoken into her ear just a heartbeat ago.
Kafka did not stop to consider who was behind her because, to her, anyone who could approach her body so close without her noticing was an extremely dangerous attacker—an instinctive judgment honed through years of life as a Stellaron Hunter.
Regardless of whether the opponent was male or female, her kick would ensure they dropped to their knees without exception.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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