Chapter 14: HIGH PRIESTESS SERAPHINA

High Priestess Seraphina Aurell arrived carrying twenty-three books and no practical luggage.

Vael disliked her immediately.

Not because she was a priestess.

He had outgrown that prejudice around his eightieth birthday.

He disliked her because the first thing she said was:

"The Demon King Vael was approximately one hundred ninety centimeters tall."

Vael, standing beside Lyria in the adventurer guild, turned slowly.

"No, he wasn’t."

Seraphina looked up from her book.

She was twenty-eight, wore white-and-gold clerical robes, round spectacles, and the exhausted expression of someone who had not slept because history was more important.

"Excuse me?"

"He was one hundred eighty-eight."

Seraphina smiled politely.

"The Third Royal Chronicle records one ninety."

"The Third Royal Chronicle is wrong."

Her smile did not vanish.

That was the first thing Vael should have noticed.

Lyria whispered, "Vale."

"No." Vael pointed at the book. "That thing also claims he had horns."

Seraphina’s eyes sharpened with interest.

"You have read it?"

"I suffered through it."

"It is the most widely cited surviving account of the Demon War."

"It says Vael sacrificed seven hundred virgins before breakfast."

"That passage is disputed."

"It should be laughed at."

"On what evidence?"

"I was—"

Vael stopped.

Lyria watched him.

Morrigan, disguised badly beneath a large hat, began coughing violently.

Vael continued, "...researching obscure sources."

[Deception Skill +7]

Seraphina wrote something in a notebook.

Vael narrowed his eyes.

"What did you write?"

"Nothing important."

He disliked that answer because it sounded like his own.

Seraphina opened another book.

"The Battle of Ragnor occurred in midwinter."

"Autumn."

She nodded once.

"General Khar commanded the eastern flank."

"Left flank."

Another note.

"The Demon King lost six thousand troops crossing the Veyr River."

"Four thousand eight hundred and twelve."

The guild went quiet.

Seraphina slowly looked up.

Lyria stared at Vael.

Morrigan covered her face with both hands.

Vael realized too late.

"You’re doing this deliberately," he said.

Seraphina smiled.

Finally, openly.

"Yes."

Vael’s eye twitched.

"You lied about history."

"To test you."

"That is academic misconduct."

"You appear more offended by that than by the possibility I know who you are."

Vael leaned toward her.

"Because misinformation survives."

"So do Demon Kings, apparently."

Silence.

Lyria looked between them.

"What does that mean?"

Seraphina shut the book.

"It means your friend either possesses impossible access to military details erased from official records..."

She looked at Vael’s face.

"...or he was there."

Lyria’s guild token suddenly chimed from her belt. The merchant they had escorted needed her signature on the completed contract.

She pointed at Vael before leaving.

"Do not disappear while I’m gone."

"I have no intention of—"

She was already out the door.

Morrigan’s hand slid toward a hidden dagger.

Vael put two fingers on her wrist without looking.

"No."

Seraphina noticed that too.

Of course she did.

She stepped closer to Vael.

"You resemble the early portraits."

"Many handsome men do."

Everyone stared at him.

The System displayed:

[Self-confidence +1]

Seraphina snorted.

"Vael was supposedly terrifying, not handsome."

Vael’s eye twitched harder.

Then she delivered the final insult.

"Also, he was taller."

Vael decided priests remained his natural enemies.

But Seraphina did not expose him.

Not yet.

Instead, she pulled out a chair.

"I have questions."

Vael sat opposite her.

"So do I."

"Why are you getting younger?"

"Classified."

"Why is Morrigan of the Night Wing pretending to be your cousin?"

Morrigan froze.

Vael stared at Seraphina.

The priestess smiled pleasantly.

"I told you. I study history."

For the first time since the System appeared, Vael met someone who made the System seem relaxing.