Chapter 414 A Double-Edged Plan
Naturally, if they were going to maintain the deception, they had to make it convincing. Aside from the information they had fabricated about Zara, everything else had been erased.
People online might remember what they had seen before, but ordinary users would never have the chance to meet Lucian and tell him the truth.
Lucian studied the image of Zara, tilting his head thoughtfully.
The High Priest reminded him softly, "Her sudden appearance must mean she's here to challenge you for the position of Holy Sovereign."
It was worth noting that Lucian was hardly lacking in ambition.
Despite losing his memories, he had raised no objection to becoming the Holy Sovereign. On some instinctive level, he was accustomed to standing above everyone else, which was perfectly consistent with his personality.
If someone tried to take his position, he would never tolerate it.
That was exactly the conflict the High Priest and Valerius wanted to create.
"Why doesn't it feel that way to me?" Lucian asked.
His memories might have been altered, but his intelligence remained intact.
The first time he saw Zara, he sensed a certain detachment in her expression, as though she wanted nothing from the world. She did not look like someone who had come all this way to seize the throne.
There was not the slightest trace of ambition in her eyes.
Lucian turned toward the High Priest. A cold, piercing light flashed through his narrow eyes, carrying the faintest hint of suspicion.
The High Priest's heart tightened.
From everything they knew, Lucian and Zara had never shared any deep romantic feelings. Why, then, did he seem so instinctively drawn to her?
Could even the arcane spell not fully suppress his deepest instincts?
The High Priest could only continue, "Appearances can be deceiving. Zara might seem indifferent, but she is exceptionally good at hiding her true intentions."
At those words, Lucian's lips curved into a cold, humorless smile. "You're right. Appearances can be deceiving."
He turned away and said calmly, "If she's here for the position of Holy Sovereign, perhaps there's room for negotiation."
The High Priest's heart nearly stopped. "The Holy Sovereign's position can only be inherited by the one chosen by fate. You are that chosen person. What could there possibly be to negotiate?"
Lucian looked back at him, his gaze indifferent. "Didn't you say you would select a Holy Consort for me when I ascend the throne next week? I think she'd be a good choice."
The High Priest was speechless.
He nearly choked on his own rage. "But she isn't worthy of you!"
"If she's powerful enough to compete with me for the position of Holy Sovereign, then she's certainly more worthy than any woman in the Upper Realm."
The High Priest had no response.
Why wasn't he following the plan?
He hurriedly suppressed the urge to collapse on the spot. "I don't think that would be appropriate. There has never been such a precedent. The Holy Consort must be selected from one of the highest-ranking noble families. Lunelle is the most suitable woman for you..."
"I'm the Holy Sovereign. Are you saying I don't even have the right to choose my own consort?" Lucian's voice now carried unmistakable menace.
The arcane spell within him stirred his power. As he spoke, a pair of radiant wings gradually appeared behind him.
A suffocating pressure crashed down on the High Priest, instantly covering him in cold sweat.
Lucian's personality was very different from Zara's.
Zara preferred to hide her true strength and let others underestimate her. Most of the time, she appeared quiet and unassuming.
Lucian, however, displayed his dominance openly.
In other words, by using the arcane spell to awaken this power within him, the Upper Realm had only succeeded in creating a weapon that could easily turn against them.
The plan had always been a dangerous gamble.
They had deceived Lucian.
They had never truly controlled him.
Zara's power had exceeded their wildest expectations. If Lucian ever realized that the Upper Realm had no way to restrain him, disaster would be inevitable.
The plan had always been a double-edged sword. If they handled it properly, it might actually succeed.
If they did not, then everything would depend on how much of a conscience Lucian still had.
Fortunately, the altered memories involving Zara were only part of the deception. Valerius was not truly stupid. He had also made Lucian believe that he was Valerius's son.
Surely Lucian would not turn against his own father.
Still, the High Priest had never expected Lucian's first reaction to Zara's arrival to be a desire to marry her.
"Of course you have the right to choose," he said quickly. "Since that is what you want, we can approach her on your behalf. But whether she agrees is another matter. You should know, Your Holiness, that she is not an easy woman to deal with."
"There's no need. She'll agree."
The High Priest paused. "...You sound remarkably confident, Your Holiness."
"I have a feeling she will."
The High Priest fell silent.
******
After Zara arrived in the human city, she did not have to make her own way to the Upper Realm.
Someone from the Upper Realm came to escort her instead.
The envoy spoke with impeccable courtesy. "The Holy Sovereign wishes to see you."
Zara blinked, then asked uncertainly, "The male one or the female one?"
The envoy smiled politely. "There is only one Holy Sovereign."
Zara immediately understood.
She gave him a disapproving look. "You people really do discard others the moment they've outlived their usefulness.
What did Lunelle ever do wrong? When you needed someone to fill the position, you put her on the throne.
Now that you don't need her anymore, suddenly there's only one Holy Sovereign. "
She clicked her tongue. "Absolutely shameless."
Anyone chosen to receive Zara was clearly exceptionally well trained. Even after being denounced to his face, the envoy merely maintained his smile and nodded.
Zara found the situation strange. "Why does he want to see me?"
Could Lucian still have his memories?
That seemed impossible. If he remembered everything, Valerius would have created a disaster for himself.
"You'll understand once you meet the Holy Sovereign."
Zara fell silent.
Was there some kind of trap waiting for her, hidden or otherwise?
If Lucian met her, would that not expose their entire scheme?
Aurelion was equally confused.
Pyrelion remained hidden inside Zara's backpack, quietly playing the role of an accessory.
Given his status as a wanted fugitive, it was best that he not show his face and risk being arrested.
However, when Zara reached the Upper Realm, the first person she met was not Lucian.
It was the High Priest.
Of course, the High Priest knew that if Zara saw Lucian and said even one thing she should not, the entire deception could unravel.
They could not allow their years of planning to collapse at the final step.
When he met Zara, he spoke in a gentle voice.
"Since you've come here, I assume you've already learned part of the truth. If you try to tell him about his past and cause his memories to return, the arcane spell will turn against him."
He added, "Both he and the other half of the sacred treasure's power will vanish completely. I trust you don't want him to die."
Zara sucked in a sharp breath.
She had known things could not possibly be that simple.
This was hardly the first time someone had tried to threaten her, so she remained remarkably calm.
"Your plan is to use him to conquer Earth, isn't it? But people who do enough evil eventually pay for it."
"Retribution?" The High Priest smiled. "I am a priest. I understand it better than anyone."
"I have seen countless possible futures after his memories return. In every one of them, he dies." He continued, "How this ends is your choice."
Zara looked at him coldly. "Have I ever mentioned that I don't like being threatened?"
"This is not a threat," the High Priest replied with a smile. "You know perfectly well that we cannot threaten you. If you don't care whether he lives or dies, then our plan cannot succeed."