Huh? I guess the trials are over?" Bastion laughed as he flexed the muscles that had formed overnight.
He knew for a fact that it wasn't normal for this level of muscle growth to occur in such a short time without proper nourishment, yet somehow, it had happened. And really, who was he to question it?
Thankfully, the people in the palace believed he was undergoing some kind of trial. If not, he was certain that—given their fanatical worship and extreme actions—he would have been executed for demonic possession or something equally absurd.
"Wait… is this actually demonic possession? Am I a demon?" Bastion muttered to himself before quickly dismissing the thought. Several more plausible explanations ran through his mind.
A demon wouldn't have memories of living as a human. And demons were always depicted as proud beings—why would one delude itself into believing it was human?
Before he could dwell on it further, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"My Lord, Magister-Adjutant Selene is here to see you," Elara announced from outside the room.
"I thought I said no guests?" Bastion asked.
"My Lord, it is Magister-Adjutant Selene Vor'lth," Elara replied.
Bastion sighed. He had a feeling he was about to be dragged into an entirely new world of drama.
Changing into more presentable attire, he stepped out of his room. The moment he did, a chill ran down his spine as he laid eyes on the near-dead-looking creature before him.
It had unnaturally pale skin and sharp blue eyes that shifted in ways that didn't seem natural, no matter how long he stared. But what caught his attention the most were the modifications to its hands—heavy augmentations that hinted at something beyond simple cybernetic enhancement.
And yet, compared to the Magos he had seen earlier, these modifications were still tame. The unease he felt wasn't from the creature's appearance. It was something else entirely.
"Are you with the Mechanicus?" Bastion asked, the words leaving his mouth instinctively.
The people in this household—including the servants and even Elara—were cybernetically augmented, but none to this extreme. This went beyond what was normal, even in this strange world.
Though, thinking about it, it made a twisted sort of sense. This world's bureaucratic system was oddly reminiscent of early modern governance. Officials would need augmented fingers to endure the strain of constant documentation, and enhanced eyes to sift through information more efficiently.
"My Lord, I do not understand your question," the woman responded.
"Never mind," Bastion said, brushing the thought aside. "What do you have for me?" He started walking toward his office.
"My Lord, I only came to ensure your safety—" Selene began, but Bastion cut her off.
"Are you married?" he asked suddenly.
Selene hesitated, visibly thrown off by the abrupt question. "My Lord?"
"I need to know whether to address you as Miss or Mrs.," Bastion clarified.
"…I am not married, My Lord."
"Then, Miss Selene, I don't know how you interacted with me before, or how you came to be in your position, and most of all, I don't care where your true loyalties lie," Bastion said flatly. "But you don't need to lie to me. Because I can assure you—at this moment, there is no one on this planet with more authority than I do."
His tone was calm, but there was an undeniable weight behind his words. It wasn't arrogance—it was fact.
This wasn't just an assumption based on his observations from yesterday. He may not believe the Emperor was a god, but his people did—fanatically so.
The Ecclesiarchy had gained much of its power through sheer religious influence. But now? That power had shifted. To him.
Even the Magos—who had seemed distrustful of the Emperor's so-called divinity—had acknowledged that Bastion was favored. And in a world ruled by faith, that made him a saint.
Bureaucrats could play their little games, but none of them wielded the authority he now did.
And Selene?
She was a Magister-Adjutant. The equivalent of a Chief of Staff. The first person a ruler—whether a president, governor, or sovereign—was supposed to see after waking up from a near-fatal injury.
Yet she had not appeared until a full week later.
Now she was here, feigning concern. If that wasn't a sign that her loyalties lay elsewhere, then he didn't know what was.
"My Lord, I…" Selene began, but before she could even get on her knees, Bastion had already turned and walked away.
Lost, she remained standing, her gaze darting around the room as if expecting something to happen. But nothing did.
Instead, she looked up—only to find Bastion staring at her.
"So, even double agents know fear," he mused, his tone unreadable. Then, without breaking stride, he added, "Come along. I'm not so petty as to waste a competent subordinate."
Selene swallowed hard before silently following behind him.