Chapter 28: The Exchange
The Theocracy's sunlight fell gentle on the stone paving, pulling every passerby's shadow out long and soft.
Lucian stood where he was, gaze settling on the small girl at the corner of the street, hands on her hips.
Blue hair, amber-brown eyes, features as precisely formed as a porcelain doll — every detail identical to the Siel in his memory.
But what lived in those eyes was completely different.
Siel's eyes were always tentative, like a startled deer's — when she looked at anyone, they dropped first, then lifted again with careful uncertainty. The eyes in front of him now were looking him over with undisguised arrogance, top to bottom, like someone sizing up an intruder who had wandered into their territory.
"Hey," Elis said, chin raised, a note of impatience in her voice. "You still haven't answered this young lady's question. Who exactly are you?"
Lucian didn't answer.
He only looked at that face while his mind ran quickly through something else entirely.
That face.
This child who looked exactly like Siel.
Godkin bloodline.
A magical prodigy.
Infinite Magic.
Those words collided in Lucian's head and struck against something — dangerous, and deeply tempting.
What if he swapped them?
Lucian's breath caught for a moment.
Once the thought surfaced, it spread like weeds. No pushing it back down.
Bring Elis back with him.
This child, with her enormous magical potential, was far more useful than Siel.
She could serve as a communication node between Lucian and the Theocracy — passing messages with the [Message] spell, more securely than any courier, while keeping his true identity as protected as possible.
Even after Ainz Ooal Gown descended, the most anyone would find was that she was "the girl who had been rescued."
As for Siel —
Something soft moved through Lucian's gaze.
Let that child stay in the Theocracy.
Let her stay away from what was coming — those monsters, creatures that had left almost everything human behind. Let her live well under the light of the Six Great Gods, without having to face things she was never meant to face.
She was just an ordinary girl.
As for the one in front of him —
His gaze settled back on Elis's face.
This little gremlin had just been speaking to him in that tone.
Lucian repeated the word to himself, silently.
She was going to need some correcting.
Lucian pulled his thoughts back, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Who I am doesn't matter." He turned and spoke to the Supreme Pontiff, who had been standing quietly to one side the whole time. "Bring this child back to the Foreign Affairs Temple with us."
"Yes."
The Supreme Pontiff stepped forward at the word, his robes sweeping lightly across the ground. He extended a hand — the gesture respectful, gentle — reaching toward Elis.
Elis took a sharp step back and crossed both arms over her chest, eyes going wary as a cat that's just had its fur stood on end.
"Hey, hey, hey, what's the idea?" Her voice jumped several registers, carrying the particular sharpness of a child's raised voice. "Why should this young lady go anywhere with you? Who do you think you are, just saying 'come along' like that? I'm warning you — this is the Theocracy. Kidnapping children is illegal."
As she said it she kept stepping back, her feet already arranging themselves into a stance for immediate flight.
Lucian stood and watched this small girl who wore Siel's face but seemed to belong to an entirely different species, and felt something quietly amused stir in him.
If this were Siel, she would have been frightened behind him already.
The Supreme Pontiff didn't show any irritation. He simply stopped where he was, bent slightly forward until his eyes were level with Elis's, and spoke without hurry:
"Elis. I am the Supreme Pontiff of the Slane Theocracy."
His voice was entirely calm, the way someone sounds remarking on the weather.
Elis's expression went rigid for a moment.
"The — the Supreme Pontiff?"
She blinked those amber-brown eyes, her gaze sweeping quickly over the Supreme Pontiff's face — lined deeply with age but carrying an authority that was unmistakable — and then flicking just as quickly to Lucian, standing to one side.
Lucian noticed her throat move. She was swallowing.
But this small girl's mouth was clearly tougher than her better judgment.
"The — the Supreme Pontiff, so what?" Her voice had dropped a register or two, but she was still holding her ground. "Does being Supreme Pontiff mean you get to drag children off wherever you like? I'm not so easy to push around."
As she kept talking, her voice kept getting smaller.
Now she was starting to look a little like Siel.
The Supreme Pontiff only looked at her quietly, a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth.
Elis's mana-sensing ability was genuinely extraordinary. She couldn't gauge the Supreme Pontiff's actual power — but her instincts were screaming that this old man was very dangerous.
"...Fine, I'll go."
Elis muttered it under her breath, took two reluctant steps forward, stopped, lifted her chin, and added: "This young lady simply wants to see what you're all planning. Yes. Exactly that."
Lucian looked away.
He was afraid that if he kept watching, he would actually laugh.
* * *
Back at the Foreign Affairs Temple, Lucian called the Supreme Pontiff in alone.
"I have a proposal." Lucian came straight to the point. "I want the child called Elis to come with me."
The Supreme Pontiff's eyebrow moved, barely.
Lucian continued: "She has the same face as Siel, but her magical ability far exceeds Siel's. With me, she can serve as a communication node between the Theocracy and myself — passing messages using the [Message] spell, more securely than any courier."
He paused, his tone easing slightly. "As for Siel — let her stay in the Theocracy. She's just an ordinary child. Let Siel live well here."
The Supreme Pontiff's expression moved from puzzlement to understanding, and then gradually into something like delighted surprise.
"God of Judgment, sir," his voice trembling slightly, "you mean... you are willing to personally instruct Elis?"
Lucian didn't correct the misunderstanding.
"You could say that."
"This — this is wonderful!" The Supreme Pontiff lost his composure for once, clasping both hands at his chest. "That child may be difficult in temperament, but she truly is a once-in-a-century talent. If she could receive your guidance — and speaking of which, Zetsumei is also..."
He stopped mid-sentence, a flicker of regret crossing his face.
If Zetsumei's mission weren't so critical, the Supreme Pontiff would honestly have liked to send her along as well.
"There is one thing that needs to be dealt with, however," Lucian said, his tone shifting, his gaze settling on the Supreme Pontiff.
"Please tell me."
"The child's personality." Lucian's voice was mild. "Too loud."
The Supreme Pontiff blinked.
Lucian continued: "Siel is quiet and timid. If Elis appears in the Kingdom looking like that, anyone would see through it immediately. It needs correcting."
A knowing smile spread across the Supreme Pontiff's face. He turned slightly, his gaze moving toward somewhere outside the hall, and called:
"Antirin."
The next moment, Zetsumei's figure appeared at the temple doorway without a sound.
***
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