"And in return?" Zaphyr demanded, raising an eyebrow. He crossed his legs, staring at the High Priest.
Two other High Priests were present in the room, but the only one who spoke was Charles.
He must be the one with a higher rank than the other two. He looks like the oldest among them.
He analyzed.
"In return… certainly it would not be a bad deal," Charles paused, inhaling deeply. "Our priests will ensure loyalty to the crown," he said smoothly. "We will deal with any deviant influences as soon as they appear, before they take root."
His words hung in the room for a moment. A murmur rippled around the hall but died quickly.
Enzo felt each word like a blade. He knew what Charles meant by deviant influences—powers the temple had long sought to control. And to a certain extent, they had succeeded.
The Emperor folded his hands on the golden armrest, eyes unreadable.
