So, another complication. What's new?

While the oddly friendly (but not any less irritating) director was looking for a glass to sample the wine I brought, I quickly reconsidered the situation. First off, we apparently knew each other. Or later, he knew Leonard Pendragon. That meant we were in contact before I came to Critias, and well before I lost my memories. I doubted it was personal contact, considering she was at the very top of the Celestial food chain, while I was… well, considerably less impressive before all the craziness of the last few months forced my hand into becoming a household name in supernatural circles, but one could never know. Furthermore, she seemed to be labouring under some kind of misunderstanding about why I was here and how that related to Polemos, and I couldn't just ask her to clear things up because… Because…

…

"Why couldn't I do that?" I whispered, drawing her attention.

"Did you ask something?"

"No, I'm just thinking aloud. Carry on."

She did just that, and despite my earlier protests, she produced two pretty crystal wine glasses and a corkscrew from a nearby cabinet. I ignored her for the time being and focused inwards.

Why did I even care about what she would think about me? I was here to learn more about the inner workings of the Elysium, not to befriend them, and certainly not to befriend her in particular. My primary goal was to get that done as soon as possible, and then return home to resolve this whole kerfuffle with Percival and the Assembly. Why would I need, or want, to pussyfoot around?

This question reminded me of the advice my girlfriends gave me before I left. Judy told me to be on the lookout for Narrative influence, so… was this just that? I wasn't so sure about it, but it wasn't entirely off the table. If the nebulous Narrative needed me to play the part of Polemos, going so far as to forcefully put me in the position, it wouldn't be surprising if it tried to assert some kind of equally nebulous pressure on me to make sure I'd stay in the Elysium. Maybe not necessarily fulfil my designated role, but to at least be present for whatever alleged Angie-route shenanigans it was planning to throw into our collective face.

It was best to be on the lookout for such subconscious nudges, but I felt that this wasn't quite that. I was simply letting myself go with the flow again when I didn't need to. That was Elly's advice; I was supposed to be the big boss here, so I was allowed to be as demanding and straightforward as I needed to be. I wasn't here to reform the Celestials, or to be their friends, so what did I care for their opinion of me?

"Are you sure you don't want a taste?" Director Savir jolted me out of my thoughts with that question and shook the bottle she was holding by its neck.

Okay then. Since the opportunity presented itself, I figured might as well start here.

"I do not repeat myself," I growled at her, and it made her pause for a moment.

"I just tried to be polite," she told me flatly and filled up one of the glasses before picking it up and sitting down. "I have to say, I never expected that we would be meeting again under these circumstances. Life can truly be unpredictable."

"Couldn't have said so better myself," I grumbled. I guessed that meant we did actually meet in the flesh, which was… logistically troubling, to say the least, but pretty low on my list of problems at the moment. "Before we get down to business, I want you to clarify a few things."

"Such ask?"

"Since when do I know you?"

She blinked at me in surprise, seemingly unable to parse the question right away.

"Could it be…? Have you really lost your memories? I thought it was just a ruse, wasn't it?"

"I'm the one asking the questions here," I said in as commanding of a tone I could manage. "Answer the question, 'Eris'."

She eyed me uncertainly for a second, but then she adopted an inscrutable expression and took a sip from her glass.

"We first made contact three years ago."

"Who initiated it?"

"We did. According to the records, you weren't satisfied by playing second fiddle to your mentor, and were looking for an opportunity to 'make it to the top on your own', as you put it at the time. There was no reason to turn down an eager talent like you. We were happy to have eyes on the Unorthodox directors' little pet project, and you jumped at the opportunity to step out of the shadows of the man who raised you. It was a beneficial arrangement, for both of us."

That kind of ambition did fall in line with what I'd heard about Leonard Pendragon from the Knights, and considering the relationship between pre-amnesia me and Percival, I wasn't too surprised by this revelation.

"Are you the ones wiring eighty thousand Jens to my bank account every month?"

"Naturally," she answered with a look that said she didn't understand why I even needed to ask that. "Services rendered have to be duly compensated. It is an ironclad rule. Have you truly forgotten something so elementary as well?"

Instead of responding, I considered what she just said. Apparently, I really was a Celestial double agent, working for two separate branches while also secretly being a Knight of the Brotherhood. In other words, at the time I gained consciousness on the first day of school, I was already a secret triple-agent. Wasn't that backstory sound too complicated for the comedic sidekick of the local protagonist, I wondered? Though again, the girls also theorized that I was planned to be a secret villain in plain sight all along, and those tended to have this kind of convoluted background. It made for some very dramatic reveals under equally dramatic circumstances. It didn't make me feel an iota better about it though.

"I think I'm starting to understand what happened," Savir suddenly raised her voice and inclined her glass towards me. "If you were meant to be the second advent of the Second True Archon all along, you must have undergone an incomplete awakening, which led you to lose your memories in the process. It would certainly explain your sudden leap in competence." She flashed a sweet smile that definitely didn't reach her eyes, and amended, "Of course, I'm not implying that you were incompetent in the past, by any means."

That wasn't far off from what Roland used to theorize a while back, but while it made internal sense from a Watsonian perspective, I was pretty sure my amnesia, headaches, and subsequent powers, had a much more Doylist explanation behind them. Of course, she didn't need to know that.

"Think what you will, it doesn't matter anymore," I said dismissively, and she nodded along.

"True. For all intents and purposes, you certainly are Polemos right now," she concluded, followed by another sip from her glass. "Speaking of which, I hope you didn't take my official stance on the matter of your identity to heart." When I raised an intrigued brow, her lips parted into another calculated smile and she explained, "When I first heard the news of the Second True Archon's sudden return, and that it involved you, in particular, I was fairly certain it was all a ruse."

"By Tsephanyah?"

"It seemed quite obvious at the time," she told me with a shrug. "As the representative of the Orthodoxy, it naturally fell on my shoulders to give a voice to everyone's skepticism, though I admit, I had my own reservations about this development."

"And so you sent me the letter to see if I could read Celestial Script," I concluded, and this time her smile was much more genuine.

"Precisely, but even more specifically, I was curious if you could read Ancient Script. There's not many of us who are fluent in it anymore, but you…" Pausing, she swirled the remaining red liquid in her glass, which was probably supposed to be meaningful, but came off as rather weird to me. "The fact you brought the wine means you're the real deal. It opens up a lot of doors for us."

I momentarily entertained the idea of indignantly declaring 'There's no 'us' in this!', but I ultimately discarded the idea. While I wasn't obliged to play nice, burning down my bridges was just as counter-productive. Instead, I exhaled a thoughtful hum and shifted into my mastermind posture, with my fingers forming a tent in my lap.

"Since you brought it up, we might as well discuss the topic. How am I viewed by the Celestial Directorate at the moment?"

"With utter confusion," she told me in a tone that sounded much more upbeat than the words would've indicated. "Your actions left most of the directors baffled. Some of them, like Tsephanyah's Reformists, seem to be true believers in your claims. Not surprising, since they must have seen you claim the mantle in person."

"That's a very poetic way to put it, but yes, you're correct," I told her after a shallow nod. "What about the rest?"

"Most of the unaffiliated directors are cautiously optimistic, and so are the majority of the Unorthodoxy, but as far as we are concerned…" By 'we', I presumed she meant the Orthodox faction, and after a long beat, she admitted, "There are many skeptical voices, though as I've heard, you already managed to silence the loudest of them."

It took me a couple of seconds to unravel what she was talking about.

"Are you talking about Kane?"

"Already on a first-name basis, I see…" She flashed a Cheshire cat grin and finished up her glass before placing it on the coffee table and returning her attention to me. "Yes. The Directory of Military Affairs in general, and the Primus of the Celestial Safeguard in particular, have been staunchly opposing Tsephanyah's claims about your identity. I wasn't surprised by the attitude of the old fools; they are afraid that with Polemos's return, they would lose their grasp on the military of Elysium in one fell swoop, but Primus Khurshid's adamant resistance was rather unexpected."

She was looking at me as if I was supposed to know something about that, so after a moment of consideration, I threw the first thing that came to mind at her.

"I'm acquainted with his son and he's aware of my deeds on Critias. That might've been the source of his mistrust."

"Maybe, but it's nothing to worry about now." Pausing for a beat, she looked me over from head to toe. "How did you convince him to completely change his tune?"

"I simply gave a few pointers to the 'guards' I was assigned. That's all."

She didn't seem satisfied with my answer, but didn't press the issue and moved on to the next topic.

"Speaking of this new 'Praetorian Guard' of yours, I hope you're aware that they cannot be trusted."

"Any other obvious observations you wish to share with me?" I asked back, letting my temper get the better of me for a moment before reeling it back. She didn't seem to mind though.

"Never mind then. What you need to keep in mind is that by winning the Primus over, we gained a foothold in the Department of Military Affairs."

"Aren't they already part of the Orthodox faction?"

My question made her blink in surprise.

"As far as opposing the influence of the Unorthodoxy and the Reformists? Certainly, but the factions of the Directorate aren't monolithic. Just as how some of the Unorthodox directors believe that you truly are Polemos in the flesh, some are still skeptical. Similarly, while the majority of our people are wary of you, by gaining strong supporters, such as the Primus, such sentiments can be easily turned around."

"I don't really care about their opinions though," I noted in a detached tone, surprising her once again.

"Leona— … Polemos? Which one do you prefer?"

"We're in private, so Leonard," I answered automatically, and she nodded with the same, serious expression.

"In that case, Leonard. The fact that someone like you, who's already aware of the workings of Elysium and holds considerable power in the outside world, is Polemos reborn, is nothing short of a stroke of divine fortune. We cannot waste it. The advent of the Second True Archon means that the return of Deus is close at hand, and we cannot predict when it will happen or who it will be. To avoid chaos, we absolutely need to solidify your position and consolidate as much power as possible in your hands before Deus's rebirth."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?"

Scoffing, she shook her head and leisurely leaned back in her seat.

"I would rather trust someone I already know than to place the fate of Elysium and all Celestials in the hands of an untested and unknown individual. Be they the new advent of Deus or not."

Her comment made a new, different kind of indignation bubbling up in me, this time from the back of my mind instead of the pit of my stomach, and it took considerable willpower to beat it into submission. It was a reaction that wasn't mine, but rather, that of Polemos.

While I had discarded the vast, vast majority of the memories Teeny was designed to imprint onto me, there was still an issue of sheer quantity. As of now, I had several months' worth of memories that were unmistakably my own. On the other hand, Polemos lived for multiple centuries, so even a fraction of a fraction of those memories was quite a lot, and now that they finally settled down in my unconscious, I could sometimes feel their pull. Like just now, when I was getting indignant over Deus getting disrespected.

Fortunately, such impulses were rather easy to differentiate from my own thoughts, yet from time to time, they could still catch me off-guard. Anyhow, once I suppressed Polemos's vexation, I exhaled and levelled a flat stare at my host.

"Is this a common sentiment?"

"It's not uncommon," she answered, stressing the first syllable. "Our duty is to ensure that Elysium remains eternal and pure, maintaining the order created by Deus. It is our foremost concern, even if the one disturbing that order is the returned Deus himself."

I wondered; how would she answer if I asked what she'd do if I broke that order? In the end, I deemed it a bit too unnecessarily provocative, so I shifted the conversation by voicing another question that's been on my mind for a while.

"So, Leonard Pendragon used to work for you." Her brows already furrowed by this point, some part of that statement obviously not agreeing with her, but I didn't let her speak up. "Did my sudden plan to head to Critias have anything to do with this arrangement?"

"Yes. Following the findings of the Department of Divination, you came to our ancestral land in search of Deus." After a long beat, Savir let out a long groan. "At the time, they insisted that they had seen clear signs of the second advent of Deus, and so I had you move to Critias, just in case." Shaking her head, she leaned forward to fill up her glass again. "Instead, they completely missed the mark. Of course, it resulted in a pleasant surprise, but their divinations are worth less than the ink I used to sign their quarterly budget, as usual."

"Are you certain of that?"

"Certain is a strong word," she told me off-handedly before reclining in her seat again. "However, it may be our ancestral land, but for Polemos and Deus to appear on the same island at the same time? I wouldn't bet on those chances."

I was about to change topics, but then she abruptly emptied her glass and used the empty container to point at me, grabbing the reins of the conversation again.

"Don't we have much more important things to talk about? Such as what to do with all this power you have amassed, O Second True Archon?" I was wondering if she was getting tipsy, but before I could get a word in, she let her glass down and threw her head back with a throaty chuckle. "Oh, the possibilities!"

"Elaborate."

My terse command made her level a pair of covetous eyes at me that said she was stone-cold sober.

"I have it on good authority that, as of this moment, not a single person outside of this Migdál is aware of the fact that you are Polemos reborn. Even your dear mentor is kept in the dark; I expected nothing less of Mensah, but this time the fool played perfectly into our hands. If you were to return now, you could use your influence over the dragonbloods and their allies, with none of them being the wiser of your true allegiances."

All of a sudden, I had a bit of an epiphany. No, not about anything she said, but rather, about my unpredictable and mostly irrational negative reaction to certain people, her included. Thinking about it rationally, who were the ones for whom I had the strongest antipathy? Crowey, Lord Grandpa, the Feilong Grand Elder Xinji, Sir Percival, and then the woman sitting right in front of me.

I also felt irritation towards Sebastian, the Kage elder, and Naoren the first time we met, but in their case, it was much milder, and faded with time.

What was the commonality that tied the first group together, but was missing with the second one? One word: schemes. Not only that, schemes that were directly involving me, Josh, or both of us, and caused a domino chain of effects, or as Judy would put it, 'moved the plot'. Crowey's plans caused the focus of the Simulacrum to shift from our school lives to the supernatural. Lord Grandpa caused that whole three-way hubbub with Fred, Mountain Girl, and the undead Chimera. Xinji was responsible for both the tournament arc and also putting the whole Eastern Draconian rebellion into motion, and as for Percival, I really didn't have to explain the results of his scheming.

And then, there was Director Savir, with her laidback attitude masking an ocean of greed churning under the surface, and with each word leaving her mouth, it was getting closer and closer to the surface.

"… using them, we can strike a blow against those pompous leeches with a borrowed knife. The Assembly has been considering themselves the owner of the World of Mystics for too long, just because Deus's teachings forbade us from putting them in their place, but now… now that we control this alliance of dragonbloods and oathbreakers, it is the greatest opportunity we ever had to break their stranglehold on the World of Mystics and take them down a peg."

Suppressing my indignation, I used the flattest voice I could manage to tell her, "You want me to lead the Draconic Federation to war."

"Yes," she answered as if the answer was self-evident.

"A lot of people will die," I pointed out, and she looked at me as if wondering if I was testing her.

"True, but not Celestial lives," she answered, sounding completely detached from the notion. "Much more importantly, by weakening the Magi and their Assembly, it would solidify your position as Polemos, so even if Deus were to return, we could use your influence and power to stop them from causing an upheaval and to convince him to see things our way."

"When I came here, I can't say I expected to hear such words from the mouth of the… what was your title again? The Matriarch of the Cult of Deus, I believe?"

She chuckled, as if my observation was inherently funny, and casually waved her hands.

"Maybe if I was still the starry-eyed idealist of my youth, I would even condemn myself, but idealists don't climb to the pinnacle of the Directorate. Success isn't earned through principles, but by choosing the right friends and enemies along the way."

That last bit, and the way she was looking at me, was probably supposed to convey something meaningful, but all I could think about I how well she would suit Sir Percival. They would probably stab each other in the back soon too, but that would've just been a win for everyone.

In any case, after collecting my thoughts, I straightened my back, sat straight, and directed a dispassionate gaze at my host while saying, "I have nothing to say about your personal philosophy, but as for your plans, I can't comply."

"… Why?"

"I came here to see the Elysium with my own two eyes," I told her in a stern, level voice that didn't tolerate any back-talk. "I have no wish to involve myself with the affairs of the outside world until I have observed the workings of the Celestial Directorate and listened to all of its members first."

I thought she would object to that, but instead, she narrowed her eyes and slowly nodded.

"You're right. I was getting ahead of myself." She loosened her shoulders and reclined back, suddenly looking tipsy once again. Was it an act, I wondered? "If you returned to Critias right away, it would not only raise further suspicions, but it would give free rein to the skeptics to question your legitimacy. It would be indeed better if you stayed in Elysium for the time being, and as for the other suggestion… Yes, I can certainly see how visiting every department and personally interacting with the hesitant directors could sway them to your side, just as you did with Primus Khurshid." Pausing, she turned a passionate gaze at me, and muttered, "I wonder. Was that the guile of Leonard, or the wisdom of Polemos speaking?"

Sighing, I shook my head.

"Interpret that however you want. You've already done a lot of that."

She didn't seem to get the critique, but before she could speak up again, there was a loud knock on the door. Without even waiting for her to answer, it was thrown open, and a burly man in the usual hoplite cosplay barged in.

"Director, I—!"

The man froze and his eyes opened wide as saucers behind the visor of his helmet the moment he laid eyes on me.

"What is it?" the woman still reclining in her chair asked with undisguised dissatisfaction over the sudden incursion, and after a brief pause, the hapless guard finally gathered his wits.

"G-Glory to the Second True Archon!" After spluttering that out in my direction, he hastily turned to the owner of the room and told her, in a considerably clearer voice. "Madam Director! There was an incident!"

"Don't speak in riddles," she warned him, making the guard gulp audibly.

"Pr… Praetor Jaakobah Arpachshad is in the main kitchens, along with a contingent of guards, and they are… they are arresting the staff! Something about…" He twitched and glanced at me, and when I waved him to go on, he continued, but in a much lower voice. "They say he… found poison in the Second True Archon's dinner. What… are your orders?"

Before Savir could respond, I unceremoniously stood up and told them, "What orders? He's simply doing his job. Do you have a reason to interfere?"

"N-No?" the burly guard responded in a tone that would've fit a little kid being scolded much better, but I ignored that and turn to the still-seated director.

"Let us continue this discussion at another time. Since the authority of my direct subordinate is under question, I think it's only natural that I observe the situation."

Once again, the head director surprised me with her nonchalant attitude, and she only answered with a rather genuine, "It was a pleasure to talk with you, Polemos."

The emphasis on the last word was probably meant for the guards, both the man inside and the others by the door. I didn't really care though, as I was simply happy that she didn't try to poke any holes into my excuse to leave her company. Without further ado, wordlessly nodded in her direction, and then walked out the open door, all the while the Celestials outside were trying their best not to be in my way.

In the end, as I walked down the hallway and towards the elevator, I couldn't help but conclude that I've learned many things in this short discussion, but none of them was half as important as the fact that Director Eris Savir, and consequently the Orthodox faction, probably weren't the good guys. That was one down, two more to go, but before any of that, I really had to get to the bottom of this poisoning case…