NOVPUBSeveral chandeliers hung high from the ceiling, and beneath, on the side of the museum, long wooden tables and sofas of various shapes where tastefully arranged. A bronze candlestick sat on a table, its candle flickering, spreading a charming fragrance.
Sigrid continued to fix her gaze on Lanci, her exquisite looks embodying a soul that was unrestrained and wild.
"Before I agree, let me confirm a few things."
Lanci finally answered.
"Go on."
Sigrid’s voice remained indifferent.
She did not tolerate refusals from people, but she was willing to answer questions from a potential subordinate.
"Are you asking me to be your strategist?"
Lanci considered that it might not be too bad to join the Hegemony Branch.
After all, it offered a high initial position, the church followers had good compatibility with him, and the Bishop seemed to think highly of him. If he wanted to achieve something big in the empire, it would indeed be better than starting as a spy at the Nirvana Branch and slowly climbing up.
And he was not a person who liked sneaking around. He preferred doing things openly and righteously.
"Indeed, your duty is to help me win the Bishop election two months from now. If you can complete this task, I will reward you as appropriately as possible, no matter your demands," the Bishop of Hegemony nodded and promised.
"But to do well as a strategist, I need authority. Are you really willing to trust someone like me with that?"
Lanci asked.
He didn’t think Sigrid was a lousy boss, but since she wanted to employ someone from the Nirvana Branch, she must have considered the risks.
"I can tell that you bear no grudge against me, but you do have some ill-intentions towards Asksan. Given this circumstance, there’s not much to doubt,"
Sigrid tapped on the armrest of her throne and gazed at Lanci with interest. For some reason, she found it easy to read the thoughts of this young man,
"Additionally, I will give you one chance to betray me. I will fully trust you until I feel you have betrayed me, even if you plan to bring me to my death. But in return, if you do betray me one day, I will stop at nothing to annihilate you with my own hands."
"So can I make some decisions on my own?"
If the Bishop of Hegemony has that level of courage, he’s willing to give it a try with her.
Sigrid paused for a moment.
"You are a bit arrogant... But I need someone like you. As long as you can prove your capabilities, I will empower you to make decisions."
She responded; however, from this point on, her decisive tone suggested that she would not engage in further discussions with Lanci.
She believed she had displayed enough sincerity.
If he failed to appreciate her goodwill and wanted more, she could only see it as him wasting her time.
The cat boss was tense, like an arrow on a bow, as silence fell around them. But the quietness was like a rapidly accelerating hammer, heavily beating on its heart, causing its heartbeat to rise dramatically, almost to the point of explosion.
"Then I am glad to be serving with you, Mr. Bishop."
Lanci’s voice brought the cat boss’s ears back to calm,
"Many decisions also require your cooperation."
Lanci made a formal decision to join the Hegemony Branch.
He had been astray for half his life, not finding a good leader. If Sigrid does not abandon him, he is willing to serve her as Bishop.
As for his initial goal, it remained unchanged.
Who said that he needed Asksan’s permission to observe the Sealed Stone Tablets?
"Good, show me your potential. Perhaps you could even progress further, and I will not be stingy with the power you need." 𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
Sigrid nodded.
The young man before her was in no way similar to her previous apprentice, rather quite the opposite, but she was satisfied.
"Although I’m not particularly keen on nurturing a Saint Heir, one day I do need to cultivate a new person to kill the Saint of Nirvana."
Bishop of Hegemony Sigrid muttered to herself, seemingly reminiscing her deceased Saintness of Hegemony.
The temperature in the entire archive room dropped significantly when she mentioned the Saint of Nirvana, causing the fur of the cat boss in her arms to stand on end and tremble violently.
"You should have an easy time killing him, right?"
Lanci didn’t find this surprising and understood the Bishop of Hegemony’s emotions well, he asked.
If it wasn’t for Lanci residing in Loren, the Capital of Hutton, where many powerhouses were located, Bishop of Destruction Ivanos would probably have come to kill him in person.
After all, he had killed a Saintness before and had some experience.
"I wouldn’t stoop so low as to personally kill a Saint Heir unless he chooses to challenge me. Then, I would treat it as a suicide and send him on his way."
Sigrid replied coldly.
"I know you’re not weak, but the gap between you and the Saint Heir or Saintness is still too huge. Don’t harbour any dangerous ambitions."
Although she knew that the current Protoss Empire was the version best suited for the young man before her, she didn’t want to lose another promising seedling.
She never let go of any grudges, she could be patient for a long time and was always waiting for the best opportunity to pay back exclusively, making her enemies fear her.
After issuing her warning, she looked at the new recruit that she had personally admitted in appreciation.
"Firstly, there’s one thing I want you to do, which will also serve as a chance for you to demonstrate your capabilities to me."
She said.
"Sure, but I’ll have to work at my day job at the Protoss Royal Magic Academy next week, so the earliest I can do it is at the beginning of next month."
Lanci responded.
The cat boss in his arms finally let out a sigh of relief.
It was certain that Lanci’s professional ability was on point.
This should be the initial evaluation of Lanci as a direct soldier by the Bishop of Hegemony. Depending on his performance, the degree of consideration given to him will either increase or decrease slightly by the Bishop of Hegemony.
Regardless, the cat boss no longer cared. If Lanci could develop steadily in the Hegemony Branch, once he found Xiu Bao, he should be able to swiftly return to the South Continent!
Please, don’t get promoted anymore! I beg you!
"I’ve read your profile, you’re from Lilom City in Xi Nan Province, isn’t it?"
Sigrid summoned a [Certificate of Rebirth-Hegemony] using the Proof of the Bishop that was entwined with purple light and tossed it to Lanci.
She was aware that this young man was the tutor of the viscountess of the border city of Lilom, and the school he worked at would quarantine during workdays. She didn’t mind waiting a few days longer.
"Yes."
Lanci smoothly caught the holy seal, nodding in confirmation.
"According to rumors, a significant figure capable of changing the Protoss Empire has emerged in the Xi Nan Province. Even my followers have been convinced by him, and there is even word that he will be participating in the upcoming presidential election of the empire…"
Sigrid slowly said as she leaned back in her throne.
"Take this emblem of a direct soldier, go to Xi Nan Province and investigate the recent changes there for me, and find out who this ’Pioneer’ is. Invite him to visit me."
She didn’t know exactly what kind of instigating speeches and talent of controlling people’s minds this so-called ’Pioneer’ possessed, that he continued to be deified by the citizens of the Empire. More and more people started to see him as a spiritual leader.
Despite the bad reputation of the Rebirth Church, it was very challenging to convince a political rising star to collaborate with them in controlling the entire Protoss Empire and win his trust.
But if Lanci could do it, she would acknowledge his talents and grant him more authority.
