Sia had no choice. Slaughtering the wavering members at this critical juncture would be tantamount to destroying the Numinous Episcopate herself.
Killing to establish authority might work in normal times when people had no alternatives. But now, with a "returned" God of Death, such actions would only push more members to the opposing side.
Moreover, Sia had her own reservations... she needed to keep a fallback option. Too much bloodshed would be her own downfall.
Whoever this "God of Death" Truly was, they surely wouldn't want their potential followers massacred.
"So, who is it…?" Sia's expression darkened. She'd been investigating the "God of Death's" identity, and after extensive inquiries, she'd narrowed it down to one figure.
"Could it really be you, Lord Azik…?"
Her face grew even grimmer. If the "God of Death" was indeed Azik, and he had fused with the Death's Uniqueness, her chances of winning were slim.
It wasn't just about strength but also bloodline. Azik was Death's most legitimate heir, the divine son who represented Death during the Balam Empire's era. Even now, he remained a figure every Numinous Episcopate member had to know.
In a sense, Azik was a symbol of the Balam Empire. When people thought of the empire, aside from Death himself, the Death Consul was the next name that came to mind.
Frankly, when Death fell and the Balam Empire crumbled, only Azik's mysterious disappearance left room for someone like Sia. Otherwise, there would've been no place for her.
Had the Death Consul ruled the Numinous Episcopate from the start, factions like the royal or Artificial Death groups likely wouldn't exist.
Or rather, factions might still exist, but only under the Death Consul's unified rule. The Numinous Episcopate wouldn't be the fractured mess it was now, with no leader commanding universal respect.
"But you've been gone for so long... good thing you were…" Sia murmured, taking a deep breath to regain some confidence.
No matter how formidable the Death Consul once was, he'd been absent for years. Meanwhile, Sia hadn't been idle.
With that thought, she poured herself a cup of tea, intending to take a sip.
Knock, knock, knock...
A sudden rap at the door stirred an uneasy feeling in her gut. She opened it, facing the visitor, but before she could speak, they blurted, "Lady Sia, the Artificial Death faction has rebelled!"
"..."
Crack...
The cup in her hand shattered with a crunch.
"What did you say?" She asked, enunciating each word.
"Lady Sia, just now, the Artificial Death faction attacked our people…" The visitor blinked, launching into a vivid description.
"What is Haiter up to…?" Sia's mind reeled. She looked at the messenger, about to order them to follow her to assess the situation, when she froze.
She didn't recognize this person.
She'd never seen them before!
Her heart tightened, but she didn't confront them immediately, instead subtly gathering her power.
"Sigh, I knew I couldn't fool you…"
As Sia prepared to strike, the figure shook their head and vanished.
She realized it had been an illusion.
Suddenly, Sia looked up sharply in a certain direction, spotting a man with black hair and golden eyes.
"Greetings, Lady Sia." He said with a smile. "First time meeting. I'm Lucifer, someone who enjoys a good show."
"…You're with the Church of the Evernight?" Sia quickly searched her memory, locking onto the name.
"Hahahaha!" Alaric laughed, shaking his head unhurriedly. "You've misunderstood, Lady Sia. I'm not with the Church of the Evernight. If you must know my affiliation, I'm with the club."
"The Joker Club."
Sia mulled over the unfamiliar name, then froze, sensing something wrong with herself.
She touched her head, finding a pair of rabbit ears that hadn't been there before.
"Abomination!" Sia instantly understood what had happened. A chilling sensation gripped her... a curse from the Chained pathway.
But Sia was no pushover. With Sequence 1 characteristics, she wasn't easily defeated. In an instant, spirits filled the space, and the rabbit ears shifted to one of them.
"Tolzna?! Impossible! You're clearly…"
While dispelling the curse, Sia sensed her opponent's presence, which shocked her.
She recognized the attacker... an old acquaintance. The Numinous Episcopate and the Rose School had clashed often in the Southern Continent, and as an angel, Sia knew what backed the Rose School: Tolzna, a wretched figure.
Yet the Tolzna before her showed no signs of being controlled by the Mother Tree of Desire.
Had Tolzna broken free of corruption? When? How could he possibly have escaped?
Countless questions flooded Sia's mind. Then, realization hit as she looked at Alaric and the newly appeared Tolzna. "You're behind the return of the God of Death?"
"No, we're just helping him out." Alaric said, shaking his head with a smile. "Lady Sia, you already know, don't you? Behind the returned God of Death is the Balam Empire's former Death Consul, the Numinous Episcopate's rightful heir."
"..."
Damn it! It really was him!
Despair crept in. She looked at the two, gritting her teeth. "What did he offer you…?"
"That's not important. What matters is, you can't match it." Alaric interrupted, smiling calmly. "Lady Sia, I don't wish to add to the bloodshed. But if you resist, I'll have no choice."
Alaric wasn't keen on killing Sia. Angel-level tools were hard to come by, and subduing her was preferable to eliminating her.
Truth be told, killing a Death pathway angel wasn't easy. Even with Tolzna, ensuring a clean kill was tough.
Sia clenched her jaw, her eyes flickering. Then, with a self-mocking laugh, she said, "Call it my pride, but I can't surrender without a fight. I'm not reconciled!"
"Fine." Alaric said, nodding nonchalantly. He glanced at Tolzna with a smile. "Tolzna, take her down!"
***
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