Chapter 57: Diplomacy 3

After having tea and chatting with Isara for over an hour, Elania finally retired to see her guest room. It was inside the building and not far. Isara had promised to meet with her later after she had time to rest.

One of her escorts coughed as she entered the room. “One of us will be outside your door at all times. Let us know if you need anything or need to go somewhere, and we’ll inform the necessary people.”

Elania shot him a fake smile. “Thank you. I’ll let you know if I need anything then.”

He nodded, and she politely shut the door. Fair enough, considering how dangerous she was with her powers, but that didn’t mean she had to enjoy it.

The room was well furnished, although she found that the only running water in the bathroom was cold. That was a step down from what she was used to, but at least she wouldn’t have to use a chamber pot.

Unpacking her flight bag only took a minute and her heavier gear just a little longer. She set it all beside the bed. Eziel went up against the headrest, near her pillow.

She had learned a lot and needed to make sense of it all. She sat down and then leaned back in her bed.

Hels wasn’t very attached to Contia, although things were cordial and generally positive.

The news from airships routed slowly between the cities, updating every few months. Neither city was an importer or exporter to the other, so that limited the flow of news via trade sharply. Overland routes were even more round-about, going wide through the Monevoian Empire or Bterrean Kingdom.

The Towers hadn’t been in official contact with Hels for nearly a decade, the current trade treaty being the primary relationship. It hadn’t been modified since being established.

“Arlois grossly misrepresented their ‘ally’ status to me,” Elania muttered.

[A dangerous game, sending an Envoy without sharing the cards they hold.]

Elania turned on her side to look at the sword. In the artifice light of the room, it had a soft golden glow that warmed the wall and bed beside it.

“Finally going to talk to me, Eziel?” Elania asked, an annoyed, hurt knot forming in her chest. If he ignored her again after interjecting, she’d be upset—more so than she already was.

It was a distinctly lonely form of upset.

[Without five competing Domains to contend with, conversation should be simple enough.]

“So you don’t want to talk in Contia because of the Towers?” It felt like she was getting to the bottom of something important.

[Communication creates change, change creates ripples. Ripples require great care to smooth out.]

Elania took a deep breath. “And who are you hiding the ripples from? Why?”

[The divine may bend the will of any seraph to their desires. Your Domain is weak and will not protect me. Many could force me to their service.]

“And it wasn’t like that when you were the Lightbringer’s pet justice sword?” Elania bit her lip. Maybe that was a bit too acidic, but he had been working with Anton for who knew how long before she “rescued” him.

[Being dipped in Neftasu’s Celestial Engine stripped me of my concept and previous attunement. Before that, there was no risk. Now I am essentially naked before children.]

Elania rolled onto her back again and stared at the ceiling of the room.

“And you couldn’t have just mentioned this?” Elania muttered.

[I am fairly certain you were able to determine things on your own, Godling.]

Elania hmphed. “What was that thing that jumped down my throat?”

[A concept seed. A precursor to godhood, or the recreation of a new Celestial Engine. It has merged with your essence and given you a portion of divinity.]

“I had some divinity before, including a core after falling into the engine, if you don’t remember,” Elania complained.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

[You know very well the differences between a seraph and the demi-divine, Godling.]

“I mean, demi-divine is obviously better?” Elania asked hesitantly.

[The seraphs serve as warriors of the divine, enforcing the will of the gods. Above them in rank are the demi-divine, the lieutenants and messengers of divinity. Above all are the gods who dictate the laws and continuation of the world.]

“And the gods are all dead,” Elania added matter-of-factly.

[The gods perished for their hubris and dogma. Once they held love for their creations, but when they decided all should perish… their children fought back. And won.]

Elania frowned. “Did you tell me that before?”

[You were unconscious.]

Elania rolled her eyes. That didn’t really count.

“How do we make it so you can talk all the time? Because, as far as I am concerned, this is a major improvement over your normal moody routine,” Elania asked.

[Become the strongest. A city’s worth of devotion should be sufficient. Conquer Contia.]

Elania sat up straight. “Woah, woah. Please don’t tell me you’re becoming a warlord sword now that your justice senses have been wiped out. If you… like… have the urge to conquer the world or something… I might need to toss you in the ocean, maybe.”

[We are inextricably bound. Our souls and essence would rip at the attempt at separation. It would be fatal. I trust you understand, Godling?]

Was that a lie? Because she didn’t feel that bound to him. And if they were bound, why was he so worried about him being yanked away from her?

“So… I’m part human, darkwalker, and seraph. In a lesser-demon container. While being a demi-divine because a holy insect is crawling inside my soul, and I have the soul of an arch-seraph along for the ride, who likes to cosplay as a holy order artifact?” Elania asked. “Do I have that right?”

[Your summary is succinct. We have a few options for advancement through various processes.]

Elania bit her lip. “I’m listening.”

[First, you could continue to gather [Divine Power] until you have collected enough to recreate a Celestial Engine. You could then become a new concept of creation, dictating all interactions with that concept in the world, or you could sever your ties to the divine and be restored to your natural state: a lesser demon and your core essences.]

“No, for one. Maybe number two, I guess…” Elania mumbled. She didn’t like either option. Going back to being an ordinary lesser demon seemed like a bad idea when entire countries were looking to kill you, either in revenge or just out of sheer dogmatic hatred.

[The third option is to continue through the path of demi-divine: build up your ranks of followers and establish a Divine Domain. This is related to the same power of concept as creating a Celestial Engine, except it is based on yourself rather than the workings of the world. The pinnacle of such a state is the recreation of a new divinity.]

“Okay, that seems to be the best one so far, considering it wouldn’t leave me a mindless machine thing or nearly stripped of all my demi-divine powers,” Elania replied. There was a moment of silence between them before she spoke again. “Any other options, though?”

[Remain at your current state and power while hiding from those stronger.]

“Yeah, fat chance of that. I guess… we’ll muddle along until I’m an actual goddess? Fuck, this chat is surreal,” Elania muttered.

[Such a process is only theoretical. As far as I know, none have achieved the level of the previous gods.]

“That… actually makes me feel better. I’m not sure how I’d handle it.” Elania stood back up, and her hand rested on her revolver. The handle felt right in her palm, and she drew it in a smooth motion, aiming at a mirror.

She barely recognized herself, but… the look wasn’t half bad. Her hair had settled into a crimson red, the golden flakes mostly having retreated. That didn’t stop the faint golden glow that came off her skin and her white and gold feathers folded neatly beside her.

She was… pretty.

That wasn’t a thought she usually gravitated to.

But she was. Pretty. With no makeup, even.

A white dress would be nice. Something like Isara had worn? It would match her feathers.

She had been wearing beat-up outfits and regular clothes of Yolani’s until she had ended up in a perpetual suit of leather and armor—no chances to just wear a cute dress or anything girly.

Elania lowered the weapon and slid it back in her holster. She needed to stop worrying and figure things out. After all, she only had a few days in Hels.

“Hels can only provide limited support. Their airship fleet is small, and reinforcement by ground is impossible. And if the fleet went to Contia, it would leave them vulnerable,” Elania stated.

[An alliance can provide support in more ways than military force.]

“True. From what I could tell, the city is extremely fortified. And it didn’t seem artifice-based at a glance. That means there’s potentially a lot that could be learned or shared. For sure, an anti-demi-divine defense would be good for Contia to have,” Elania mused.

Especially if the rumor of Monevoia and the Lightbringers working together was real.

Really, what did she have, tangibly, to show the High Chancellor? “Hi, I’m from Contia. Since we sometimes talk to you once a decade and get along, could you please help us if the big bad attacks the city with some giant army? One we don’t have proof exists?”

Elania sighed, trying to sort out the mess in her head.

[What’s the plan, Godling?]

“I don’t know yet,” Elania admitted. “I need to talk to Isara and see about getting an audience with the High Chancellor. Somehow, I have to figure out a common ground between Hels and Contia and see if we can help each other.”

[The Monevoian threat and the Sun Emperor seem a potential common point.]

“Yes. Exactly. It would be even better if we can link the Lightbringers and Monevoians together,” Elania replied.

She closed her eyes. The flight and day’s events were catching up to her. Concentration was a resource that didn’t have a number attached to it, but focusing on maintaining her various abilities for so many hours was draining, mentally.

Maybe she needed to consider… ability exercises?

Tomorrow, she’d put the pieces together. Tonight, she’d get some rest.