"Tea or coffee?"
With two large mugs in her hands, Utaha Kasumigaoka walked over to Lucien and offered him one.
He glanced at the cup filled with coffee, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. As he took it, he muttered,
"There was never a real choice, was there?"
"Wasn't there?" Utaha took a sip from her own mug and settled down on the nearby sofa. "But don't you think the illusion of choice fits our current situation perfectly?"
Lucien stared at the coffee in his hand, then turned to look at her.
Half-lidded eyes, a quiet sip—Utaha quickly noticed his gaze and smiled.
"If you keep staring at me like that, senpai, I might have to call the police."
"You don't get to say that," Lucien shot back. "Weren't you the one begging me to avoid the cops just moments ago?"
He took a sip of his coffee before adding,
"By the way, aren't you planning to report me to the police?"
"Normally, something like what just happened would definitely attract the attention of the Metropolitan Police. And with all the surveillance along the streets, I'd say our movements are probably already on their radar."
But before Lucien could respond, the system's voice suddenly chimed in their minds:
[No need, dear~]
[At Lady Kasumigaoka's request, all nearby surveillance has been... creatively adjusted~]
Lucien: "…"
For a moment, he didn't even know where to begin.
Utaha narrowed her eyes, wearing that same playful smile.
"Still want to keep talking, Your Majesty?"
Lucien sighed and rubbed his temples. His head was starting to ache.
"So you two teamed up, huh?"
He meant the system and Utaha.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, the two had reached some sort of mutual understanding—both now actively pushing forward this absurd "Divine Network Reconstruction" mission.
For someone who had just barely escaped death, this was all far too much.
He wasn't a fan of being dragged along by someone else's plans.
With that thought, Lucien set aside his previous reluctance and asked directly,
"So, what exactly are you and my 'familiar' planning?"
"It must've told you what it wants—its mission, its goals, right? You should also know that, for now, I'm just a normal person with some minor supernatural abilities. In this situation, what's your plan? What are you trying to achieve?"
"And once you get there, what kind of reward are you expecting?"
Utaha blinked, slightly surprised by how fast he caught on.
'He was reluctant just minutes ago, and now he's already adapting? Godhood really does come with terrifying flexibility…'
With a small smile, she took another sip and said,
"According to your familiar, it needs some kind of energy—something like… influence, maybe?"
"Apparently, some rare individuals have it naturally, but for most people, it only appears when they've got significant presence or impact in society. That sound about right?"
Lucien considered the system's vague descriptions and nodded.
"Close enough."
That kind of energy was indeed tied to presence, fame, charisma—whatever you wanted to call it.
"Then in that case," Utaha placed her mug down and smiled, "things are pretty simple."
"Top celebrities. Powerful politicians. Senior bureaucrats shaping national policy. CEOs of massive corporations. Religious leaders. If we could turn those kinds of people into familiars, harvesting energy would be a breeze, wouldn't it?"
"After all, I can't imagine most of them saying no to eternal youth and a longer life."
Lucien raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. What she said was true.
If something like a real life-extending miracle ever appeared, the first in line would always be the elite. That's just how the world works.
[Ding~]
[Unfortunately, while both Your Majesty and Lady Kasumigaoka present a feasible strategy, familiars must meet certain qualifications, and such qualifications are not widely available.]
[Additionally, energy points can currently only be collected through Your Majesty and your familiars increasing your own influence.]
[Therefore, the proposed plan has been deemed unviable.]
Utaha frowned. "Qualifications? What kind of qualifications?"
The system's reply was as cryptic as ever:
[The favor of fate.]
She blinked at that. Then, with a wry smile, murmured,
"Is that so? Never thought someone like me would be favored by fate…"
She composed herself quickly and asked,
"Then is there a way to recognize someone with these 'qualifications'?"
[Your Majesty possesses the Eye of Truth. It can distinguish such individuals in a crowd.]
Lucien couldn't help but grumble internally: The Eye of Truth, huh? Why does this feel like I'm being set up to collect anime protagonists? Are they all wandering around this world too?
While he silently cursed the system, Utaha glanced at him again.
"In that case, our options are pretty limited, aren't they?"
Lucien looked back at her.
"Limited?"
"I wouldn't say that. If anything, I'd be suspicious if becoming a god didn't come with restrictions."
He paused, then added:
"Besides, just because we can't recruit the elites doesn't mean we can't influence them, right?"
"…What are you getting at?" Utaha asked, intrigued.
Lucien's lips curled into a smirk.
"I read a book once. I forgot everything about it—except one line."
"What line?" Her voice turned wary.
Moonlight poured through the window, casting soft silver across Lucien's face, illuminating one side.
"The greatest lie in this world… is religion."
"And we just so happen to possess the power to make that lie come true."
Utaha was silent for a moment. Then she asked in a flat voice,
"…That book you read. It wouldn't happen to be called The Penal Code, would it?"
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Let me know if you'd like to expand this chapter further or polish any part of the tone!