Remuneration

Klein wanted to say something-for instance, that one of the two people mentioned clearly wasn't someone who could be negotiated with. Then it occurred to him that this might be precisely why the negotiations had failed.

He looked at Neph, only for her to abruptly raise her head and ask, "By the way.

"Has the City of Silver gone to explore their former Chief's mausoleum?"

"They're probably about to set out-?" Klein answered hesitantly.

"Tell Little Sun," Neph said, her eyes shifting, "that if circumstances permit, he can try giving Lovia a hand."

"Lovia?" Klein repeated with a frown. "The City of Silver's former Chief? What is-

-?"

Naturally, Neph wasn't going to give Klein a particularly detailed explanation. This wasn't the first time she had done something like this, and after a little thought, she had an answer. "You probably don't know this, but the City of Silver's former Chief failing his advancement had all sorts of connections to the Numinous Episcopate."

"The Numinous Episcopate?" Klein couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes. "They can establish contact with the Forsaken Land of the Gods?"

"It was a coincidence." Neph shook her head. "Ultimately, it came down to the advantage of sharing a pathway, plus-

"Something special."

Neph gave Klein a meaningful look. Unsurprisingly, Klein thought of Sefirah Castle. Looking at Neph, who hadn't spelled it out, he chuckled. "And I'm not allowed to know what that something is?"

Neph nodded. Klein thought for a moment before asking, "Wasn't Lovia-I remember... Do you, uh, do you people have designs on the Numinous Episcopate too?"

"Not the Numinous Episcopate." Neph shook her head. "The one we've had designs on, from beginning to end, is that sister I've never met."

*So the one with designs on the Numinous Episcopate is the Goddess-hmm,