Lanqi's Affinity with the Bishop of Domination

Several chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. Beneath them, along the flank of the gallery, hardwood tables and sofas of various designs were neatly arranged. A bronze candelabrum sat atop a table, its flickering candlelight casting a charming fragrance. Sigrid continued to gaze at Lanqi—her features exquisite, her soul untamed and wild. "Before I agree, please allow me to confirm a few things," Lanqi finally spoke. "Speak." Sigrid's voice remained detached. She did not tolerate refusal, yet she was willing to answer questions from a prospective subordinate. "Do you intend for me to serve as your strategist?" Lanqi mused that hanging around the Domination Branch didn't seem bad after all. The starting point here was high, the cultists meshed well with his temperament, and the Bishop held him in high regard. If he wanted to achieve great things in the Empire, this was far superior to slowly climbing the ladder as a lowly spy in the Extinction Branch. Besides, he was not the type to skulk in shadows anyway; he preferred to operate open and aboveboard. "Indeed. Your duty will be to help me win the bishop election in two months. If you can fulfill this mission, I will do my utmost to grant whatever reward you request," the Bishop of Domination nodded, offering her promise. "However, for a strategist to do his job well, I will require authority. Can you truly feel at ease employing someone like me?" Lanqi asked. He did not consider Sigrid a poor boss, but since she was willing to recruit someone poached directly from the Extinction Branch, she had to have considered the risks. "I can tell you bear no grudge against me, but you do harbor some desire to harm Askesan. On that point alone, there is nothing for me to doubt." Sigrid tapped the armrest of her throne, regarding Lanqi with intrigue. For some reason, she found the boy's thoughts remarkably easy to read. "Furthermore, I will grant you one chance to betray me. Until I deem that you have betrayed me, I will trust you completely, even if you wish to see me dead. But in turn, if that day ever comes when you truly betray me, I will eliminate you with my own hands at any cost." "In that case, when it comes to certain decisions, may I take charge as much as possible?" If the Bishop of Domination possessed such boldness, he was willing to give it a shot with her. Sigrid paused for a moment. "You are a bit too arrogant... but someone of your caliber is precisely what I need. Very well. As long as you can prove your capability, I will delegate as much authority as possible for you to call the shots," she replied. Yet having said this without hesitation, she seemed disinclined to pursue the conversation any further. She believed she had shown ample sincerity. If he still failed to appreciate her goodwill and tried to push his luck, she could only treat it as him wasting her time. Boss Cat's body remained taut as an arrow notched to a bowstring. Silence descended upon the surroundings, but that quietude felt like a heavy hammer striking its heart with accelerating blows, sending its heartbeat racing toward the point of bursting. "Then it is a pleasure to work with you, Lord Bishop." Lanqi's voice brought calm back to the tips of Boss Cat's ears. "When it comes to many of these decisions, I will also need your cooperation." Lanqi made his decision to officially join the Domination Branch. Having drifted through life without encountering an enlightened master, if Sigrid would not spurn him, he was willing to pledge himself to her as his bishop. As for his original intention, it remained unchanged. Who said viewing the Original Slate - Seal strictly required Askesan's consent? "Good. Show me your potential, and perhaps I can elevate you even further. I will not skimp on the power you deserve." Sigrid nodded. The youth before her was completely different from her previous disciple—diametrically opposed, even—yet she was thoroughly satisfied. "Though I am reluctant to take on a Holy Son, one day I will cultivate a newcomer to kill the Holy Son of Extinction," Sigrid, the Bishop of Domination, muttered to herself, as if recalling her deceased Saintess of Domination. When she mentioned the Holy Son of Extinction, the temperature of the entire gallery plummeted, causing Boss Cat to bristle and shudder violently all over again. "Wouldn't it be rather easy for you to kill him yourself?" Lanqi did not find it strange; understanding the Bishop of Domination's feelings well, he inquired. If Lanqi hadn't been staying in the Hutton royal capital alongside powerhouses like Loren, the Bishop of Destruction, Ivanos, probably would have come in person to kill him. After all, he had killed a Saintess before and had experience with such things. "I am not so despicable as to lay hands on a Holy Son myself—unless he chooses to challenge me, in which case I will treat it as suicide and send him on his way," Sigrid replied coldly. "I know you are not weak, but the gap between you and the Holy Sons and Saintesses is far too vast. Do not entertain any dangerous thoughts." Although she knew the current state of the Protos Empire suited this youth best, she had no desire to lose such a promising sapling again. She never let go of any grudge; she could merely bide her time for long periods, and the moment an optimal opportunity presented itself, she would repay it twofold with interest, striking terror into her enemies. Having delivered her warning, she looked at the newcomer she had personally recruited, her eyes still filled with appreciable admiration. "First, there is a matter I need you to handle. It is also an opportunity for you to prove your competence to me," she said. "No problem. However, I have my day job at the Protos Royal Magic Academy next week, so the earliest I can attend to it will be early next month," Lanqi replied. Only now did Boss Cat in his arms finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was certain that the kid's professional capability was beyond reproach. This was likely the Bishop of Domination's initial evaluation of him as a direct retainer; the degree of completion would determine whether she promoted him further or dialed back his responsibilities. Yet regardless of the outcome, Boss Cat no longer cared. As long as Lanqi could develop peacefully within the Domination Branch, locate Hubao after a while, and hurry back to the Southern Continent, that was all that mattered! *Just stop getting promoted! Please, I beg you!* "I have reviewed your file. You hail from Lilom City in the Southwestern Province, correct?" Using her Proof of Bishop, Sigrid manifested a [Proof of Resurrection - Domination] cloaked in purple radiance and tossed it to Lanqi. She was aware that this young man served as a tutor to a viscount's daughter from the border city of Lilom, and that the academy operated under a closed campus policy during weekdays. A few days' delay did not bother her. "Indeed." Lanqi caught the Holy Sigil steadily and nodded in confirmation. "It is said that an important figure capable of reshaping the Protos Empire has emerged in the Southwestern Province. Even followers of mine have been swayed by him, and rumors even claim he will participate in the Empire's upcoming presidential election..." Sigrid leaned back against the throne, speaking unhurriedly. "Take this direct retainer's seal, travel to the Southwestern Province to investigate the recent developments there, find out who this 'Forerunner' is, and invite him to me." She did not know what demagogic rhetoric or mind-manipulating talents that fellow called the "Forerunner" possessed to lead the Imperial people to continually deify his image, with ever more people revering him as their spiritual leader. Given the Resurrection Church's perpetually sinister reputation, it would hardly be easy to convince a respectable, rising political star to collaborate with them in seizing control of the Protos Empire, let alone befriend him or win his trust. Yet if Luoqi could pull this off, she would acknowledge his talents and bestow substantial power upon him.