Chapter 413 The Enemy in His Memories
Zara brought Aurelion and Pyrelion to a human border city.
When they reached the checkpoint, the security officers were stunned to see a lone human standing among a massive crowd of mystic beasts. Zara stood out instantly.
It had been years since they had seen a human coming from a mystic beast city, except for those traveling on official business.
And official visits were always reported in advance.
Mystic beasts could take human form, but only the most powerful among them were capable of it. The fact that even Aurelion and Pyrelion could not transform made it clear just how rare the ability was.
Zara looked at the security officer. "What are you staring at? Aren't you going to check my pass?"
The officer hesitated. "...You look somewhat familiar."
Afraid that she might be one of the rare mystic beasts capable of taking human form, he spoke to her with great respect.
Zara brightened. "Really? I didn't know I was already this famous. Oh, right. Valerius is my uncle."
She had no interest in his position, but she was remarkably skilled at name-dropping whenever it benefited her.
The security officer fell silent.
Naturally, news that Zara had openly appeared in human territory spread across the Divine World's internet almost immediately.
The Divine World had already been thrown into an uproar recently by the sudden appearance of a mysterious man whom the Upper Realm had publicly recognized as the Holy Sovereign.
He possessed some unknown, overwhelming power.
More importantly, he was so devastatingly handsome that even the mystic beasts had openly praised his looks.
Though many people found him strangely familiar.
The public loved gossip about the Upper Realm. They did not particularly care who became Holy Sovereign. Whoever took the throne would rule over them anyway.
What mattered was that the new Holy Sovereign was absurdly powerful. The moment he appeared, he subdued a formidable mystic beast that had caused endless trouble for both the mystic beasts and the Upper Realm.
As far as everyone was concerned, he was the undisputed choice for Holy Sovereign.
Lunelle might have held the title before him, but everyone knew she had only ever been a figurehead.
There were also rumors that Lunelle would become the new Holy Sovereign's Holy Consort.
Zara had not heard that particular piece of gossip yet.
Either way, the Divine World's internet exploded the moment she appeared in human territory.
Why had the legendary Holy Heir returned?
Had she come to challenge him for the throne?
Meanwhile, the Upper Realm was beginning to panic.
"She found us already?"
"Do you think the new Holy Sovereign will fight her?"
"Hard to say..."
"Lord Valerius isn't here right now. We'll have to see what the High Priest decides."
The people of the Upper Realm knew that Valerius had ordered Lucian to be brought back.
What they did not know was why Lucian possessed such terrifying power.
After all, that was not the kind of secret Valerius could allow too many people to learn.
******
"How did she get here so quickly?"
It had only been a few days.
Lunelle sat in her room, discussing the situation anxiously with the High Priest. He was dressed in white robes, his face concealed so completely that no one could read his expression.
At her question, he merely replied, "There's nothing to worry about. His loyalty lies with us now. If Zara makes any move, he'll deal with her."
Lunelle still sounded doubtful. "Can he really defeat Zara?"
The High Priest answered with absolute certainty. "Even if he can't, they'll both suffer heavy losses. That outcome would benefit us most."
He had barely finished speaking when a report came from outside.
"High Priest, the new Holy Sovereign wishes to see you."
The High Priest paused.
Lunelle had already been stripped of the title of Holy Sovereign. After the last incident, everyone knew her claim to the position had been false, so there was little point in letting her keep it.
Zara had not taken away the Holy Sovereign's power within her, but compared to Lucian, Lunelle was no match at all.
That was why no one in the Upper Realm had objected to Lucian taking the throne.
Valerius had still promised Lunelle something in return. If she could not remain Holy Sovereign, she could become the Holy Consort instead.
Lunelle was somewhat attracted to Lucian. He might have come from Earth, but his power was overwhelming, and his face was undeniably flawless.
For a human from Earth, he had been blessed with such extraordinary gifts that even people in the Divine World envied him.
She had not objected to becoming his Holy Consort. At the Holy Sovereign's enthronement ceremony the following week, their union would be announced publicly as well.
Granted... Lucian had only met her once so far, and he had barely acknowledged her existence.
But he had lost all his memories and treated everyone with the same icy indifference. It was not as though he was singling her out.
That thought made Lunelle feel slightly better.
Still, she had always been known as the greatest beauty in the Upper Realm. Being ignored so completely inevitably left her feeling resentful.
When she heard that Lucian wanted to see the High Priest, an ominous feeling rose within her for no apparent reason.
But Lucian had not asked to see her, so she could not follow.
The High Priest assumed Lucian had probably seen the news about Zara.
That made sense. Her arrival had caused such an uproar. The Upper Realm had altered Lucian's memories, but they had not restricted his movements, so it was hardly surprising that he had come across the reports.
In the memories they had implanted, Zara was his enemy.
Lucian had been given chambers inside a magnificent palace. Whatever else could be said about the Upper Realm, its buildings were extravagantly luxurious.
Unlike the formal attire he wore in public, Lucian was dressed in black sleepwear. He looked handsome and elegant, carrying an air of effortless nobility.
He had already possessed an extraordinary status on Earth, but here, he looked even more commanding.
When the High Priest entered and saw him, he experienced a moment of strange disorientation.
It was as though Lucian had been born to belong in a place like this.
Without his memories of Earth, his expression had become far colder.
When the High Priest entered, Lucian spoke quietly. "Is this the woman you told me about?"
He lifted one long finger and tapped lightly at the empty air. A video of Zara immediately appeared before them.
She was standing inside the security hall of the border city, her face clearly visible.
Lucian felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
He had seen photographs of her before, but watching her move in the video made that familiarity even stronger.
Everyone in the Upper Realm had told him that this woman was his enemy.
The High Priest's eyelid twitched. "Yes. She is your enemy, the woman who once fought you for the position of Holy Sovereign."