Chapter 148: Chapter 148: First Sect Meeting [4]

Chapter 148 – First Sect Meeting [4]

All the tension in the meeting room dissolved, as if swept away alongside the Goddess as she withdrew back to her Gate.

She left behind a tired, utterly exhausted Cassius, his red eyes struggling to stay open for more than a few seconds at a time, his body trembling faintly as if caught in a chill.

He cursed under his breath, working to regulate his breathing.

And yet, even with that exhaustion soaking into every part of him, there was a presence around him that commanded natural respect. A presence that told anyone watching that even in this state, approaching Cassius with ill intent would not end well for them.

Isolde, Sarah and Meadow all felt it clearly.

The three women watched in quiet patience as he slowly gathered himself: his trembling easing, his eyes going blank as he stared at nothing, signalling that he was reading his notifications.

And he was.

DING!

[You have obtained a new recognised Title: Earth.]

[The significance and meaning of your Title ’Lord Seraph’ can be found within the Title ’Earth’.]

[’Lord Seraph’ has been absorbed into the boundlessness of ’Earth’.]

[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! New Title!]

[Congratulations, Cassius Desdemona. You have obtained the Title: Earth.]

Cassius assumed it was over, inwardly deciding to review the Achievement’s rewards later. But after a short pause, the panels resumed.

This time, for an entirely different reason.

[Your relationship with your Goddess, Lady Ananke, continues to grow stronger.]

[Your resistance to Lady Ananke’s GeumGeum has increased.]

[Due to Lady Ananke being your Nexus Fate, and due to you, your wife and your subordinates — who are her Believers — having performed something of genuine worth, the Owner of the Gate of Fate and Secrecy has received a Special Honour from the Eye of the Divine.]

[Lady Ananke’s standing on the Ladder has taken an enormous step forward.]

[Lady Ananke’s new Epithet ’Reader’ has been acknowledged by the Eye of the Divine.]

[The Authorities of History, Timeline, Evolution and Record are looking upon the new Epithet of Lady Ananke with great interest.] 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

[The Authorities of Fate and Secrecy in the hands of Lady Ananke are growing stronger. One more step, and they will reach the next Level.]

[Congratulations, Lady Ananke and Cassius Desdemona, your relationship as Patron and Blessed has entered the Top 100 of the Bonds Ranking, claiming the 100th spot, in the Eye of the Divine.]

The cascade of panels finally ended, drawing a deep sigh of relief from Cassius, followed by a faint frown.

Some of the notifications were easy enough to understand, and he could guess well enough why he had received them. But others — primarily the last few — left him in a genuine fog.

’What does any of that even mean?’ He asked inwardly, drawing a slow breath and trying to settle more comfortably into his chair.

Sensing that everything was over, Isolde, Sarah and Meadow exhaled quietly and made their way back to their seats.

[It means I have grown stronger.] Ananke said, her voice carrying a satisfied warmth. [I received more than I spent by granting you those distinctions.]

’And those Authorities?’

[You are too weak to concern yourself with them yet.]

’Then what about the ranking?’ Cassius pressed. ’We are 100th in the Bonds Ranking. What in the Queen’s name is that?’

Ananke let out a low, pleased laugh. She seemed oddly and genuinely content about being on that list.

[Remember something, Cassius. You experienced this world as a game in your previous life.] She said, and Cassius arched an eyebrow. [Don’t forget that aspect. I am not certain you fully grasp what I mean...but Sunu Gaal is not a game, and yet it is a game.]

’In the same way I am not a pervert, yet I very much am.’ Cassius guessed easily.

Ananke let out a loud, genuine laugh, her voice shaking her Gate on all sides.

[Yes, exactly like that.] She said between laughs. [That is precisely how it works. And because of that unique distinction, things exist here that mirror game mechanics — rankings among them. For your information, the Bonds Ranking is the lowest and least celebrated of them all. But I love it. No, I am deeply pleased by it, because it represents our relationship as Patron and Blessed. Being Top 100 in the entire world is extraordinary.]

’Then I like the ranking too.’ Cassius replied, genuinely glad to hear her happy. ’Are there other types of rankings?’

[Aye.]

’And benefits for placing in them?’

[Aye, Cassius.]

He fell quiet. Then a small, slow smile began to form on his lips.

Cassius had always loved games. That was one of the core things that had allowed him to play Chosen Ones three hundred and thirty-three times, driven by the need to reach an ending that satisfied him completely.

So to learn that something akin to divine rankings existed here, and that placing in them carried real benefits...the inner gamer that had been lying dormant since his awakening in this world began to stir.

It stirred fully awake, trailing ambition behind it.

The same ambition that had once fuelled his obsession back on Earth.

Top 100?

Cassius would not settle for anything less than first place.

And the reason was the same as why he wanted the Palatine spot, even though he didn’t strictly need it.

Pure vanity.

And he admitted that without the slightest shame.

’This is going to be interesting.’ He thought, watching the three women settle back into their seats.

[It certainly will be, Cassius. But it is far too early to worry about rankings. You would not want to appear in them while still this weak...and neither would I. The Bonds Ranking draws little attention, let alone its 100th spot. So we are still safe. But one can never be entirely sure. Don’t reach for more than you can currently hold, and don’t exhaust yourself needlessly. Train as hard as you can, and I will do the same.]

’Understood, Queen.’ He accepted easily, already grasping the shape of the situation.

He shook his head and refocused.

The three women had returned to their seats. And as if the room itself had been waiting for precisely this moment, white masks appeared before each of them — out of nowhere — featureless, covering the entire face, with no openings where the eyes should have been.

[My final gift to you, for now.] Ananke said. [These are Anti-Divination Masks. They will protect you from Prophets and Seers. They can also alter your voice and presence to align with the Epithet you have received. I also attempted to reflect each Epithet within the design of each mask.]

She paused, then, somewhat shyly...

[...I hope you will like them.]

Cassius was briefly speechless. He wasn’t entirely sure if it was because of how cute Ananke was in that moment, or because of the mask now floating before him.

It was white — with stripes of countless colours weaving between each other — giving the impression of mountains, sky, earth, rivers, meadows and oceans, with all their living inhabitants visible within the shifting pattern.

On the forehead of the mask was a symbol. The symbol of the Sect: a pair of golden yet withered angelic wings folding inward upon themselves.

The mask moved on its own and settled gently over his face.

A cooling, calming sensation washed through him. His connection to Ananke felt stronger in that instant than it ever had.

’I absolutely like it!’ He howled inside his mind.

Ananke smiled with pride, nodding to herself.

Cassius chuckled and looked around.

The women were wearing their masks too.

Meadow’s stripes were golden, converging to form two suns where her eyes should have been.

Sarah’s were blue and silver, interlacing in a way that gave the impression of a shadowed world beneath a moon, though it was nothing more than beautifully arranged stripes.

Isolde’s was simpler and more direct. Metallic stripes, oddly liquid in appearance, forming a circle where her left eye was, and an X where her right eye was. Looking at them, Cassius felt something almost like the idea of life and death sketched by a child who understood both concepts at their most essential.

All four masks bore the same symbol on the forehead: the folded wings of the Sect.

"Well," Cassius began, his tone carrying both a faint smile and deep exhaustion. "It seems our future meetings will be conducted this way. We will also refrain from using our real names, one can never know when gods or other entities might be listening."

Nods of acknowledgement from around the table.

He continued.

"There is only one thing left: the purpose of this Sect." He paused. "I will be honest. At the beginning, this Sect was created because my wife and I needed capable people to handle certain tasks for us. Errands boys, if I am being blunt. Even now, that is still part of it, we will need all of you in what is coming at the Academy." His breathing grew shallower, but he pushed forward. "However, we have decided to make it broader than that, not fixed to any single goal. We are not here to destroy the Kingdom. We are not here to seize control of the underworld of assassins, thieves and swindlers, or anything of that nature. Not at all. We are here, simply, to make it easier for each of us to meet our own needs with the assistance of the others."

He paused, trying to push past the fatigue...and finding his voice beginning to tremble.

Mercury — Isolde — stepped in smoothly, taking his hand with quiet tenderness. Earth looked at her with quiet gratitude.

"In other words," she said evenly, "we help each other obtain what we need. An artifact, the elimination of someone, information...it hardly matters what. If you need something, you state it, and we will assist. We are not running a charity, of course."

Mercury smiled, the smile cold and precise.

"We expect compensation. Earth and I will compensate you for every task we assign, just as you will compensate us. We respect your time and your effort, and we expect full cooperation in return. Is everything understood?"

Sun and Moon nodded.

"Perfectly."

"Then let us call it a day and close the First Sect Meeting." Mercury said without pause, pulling Earth’s head gently into her lap and beginning to move her fingers through his hair. "My husband is tired."

—End of Chapter 148—