The Council chamber had barely settled from the previous day's governance discussions when unexpected visitors sought immediate audience with Lucius. Representatives from Orlov's former territories arrived at the pace, their formal attire suggesting official business rather than routine reporting.

  "They insist the matter requires your direct attention," the chamberin informed Lucius, "ciming developments of significant consequence for vampire society's stability."

  Lucius received them in the formal audience chamber, where Nova had already taken his customary position slightly behind and to the right of the king's chair. Their seamless coordination required no discussion—Nova's presence during unexpected diplomatic matters had become standard procedure, his unique perspective essential to comprehensive assessment.

  The representatives—three vampires with centuries of administrative experience in reformed territories—dispyed uncharacteristic unease despite their practiced diplomatic composure. The eldest, a vampire named Valerius who had served as regional governor since accepting Lucius's judgment during noble evaluations, stepped forward with carefully measured respect.

  "Your Majesty, we bring reports of a... theological development that requires your awareness and potential intervention," he began, his formal phrasing barely concealing evident concern.

  "A cult has formed in the northeastern former Orlov territories," the second representative continued when Valerius hesitated. "They worship you—or rather, Subject 23—as a deity rather than ruler."

  Lucius showed no reaction beyond slight recalibration of attention, his expression maintaining perfect composure. "Eborate," he instructed simply.

  The representatives detailed a movement that had grown from isoted worship circles into an organized theological structure. Rather than attempting to mimic the sacred act of creation that only their "god" could perform, the cult had established eborate worship rituals, building temples with iconography depicting Lucius's transformation and subsequent rule.

  "They've developed a complex theology positioning you as the divine progenitor," Valerius expined, hands moving in subtle emphasis. "Vampire existence is portrayed as a form of blessed state, with humans described as vessels waiting to be elevated through your divine will."

  Nova observed Lucius's micro-expressions with his enhanced perception, noting the barely perceptible tension in his jaw—the only outward indication of his response to having his scientific accident reframed as divine act. For a being who had spent two millennia managing the consequences of unintentional species creation, hearing it described as sacred intention must create considerable dissonance.

  "Their doctrine centers on absolute submission to your 'divine will,'" the third representative added, "which actually aligns with your established position that your word and will are w."

  Nova noted the subtle irony in this observation—how religious interpretation had transformed practical governance necessity into theological imperative. The cult had essentially wrapped Lucius's pragmatic authority in divine significance, creating spiritual framework around what had always been practical reality in vampire society.

  "We have pragmatically allowed the worship to develop," Valerius admitted, "recognizing how it reinforces acceptance of your ultimate authority throughout vampire society. However, a concerning development has emerged."

  He paused, visibly measuring his next words. "The cult has begun interpreting your 'divine will' through its own leadership rather than directly from you. Their high priests cim special insight into your intentions, creating a parallel authority structure that could potentially contradict your actual directives while ciming to represent your divine will."

  This, Nova immediately recognized, represented the true threat—not worship itself, which merely added spiritual dimension to existing authority, but the establishment of intermediaries ciming to interpret that authority. Such a structure could easily become tool for manipution, with cult leaders implementing their own agendas while ciming divine sanction.

  Lucius absorbed this information with characteristic thoroughness, his silence communicating neither approval nor rejection. "Summon the Council of Evolved," he finally instructed. "This matter requires comprehensive assessment."

  Within hours, the full Council had assembled in their private chamber—Baron Cassian and Nara, Count Dominic and Sera, Viscount Gabriel and Maria, Kieran and Valentina, Duke Maximilian and Lord Elias, Duke Aric and Nat, and Lilith. Each pair represented unique perspective on vampire society's transformation, their complementary experiences providing banced assessment of complex challenges.

  The representatives repeated their report for the assembled Council, providing additional details about temple locations, worship practices, and leadership structure. As the full picture emerged, different approaches were suggested by various Council members.

  Baron Cassian advocated military intervention to dismantle the cult's infrastructure, arguing that parallel authority structures inherently threatened governance stability regardless of theological framing. Nara countered with concerns about creating martyrs through suppression, noting that persecuted religious movements often gained strength from opposition.

  Count Dominic suggested economic incentives to gradually redirect cult resources toward educational institutions, effectively starving the movement of funding without direct confrontation. Sera proposed infiltration rather than confrontation, pcing loyal agents within the cult's leadership to guide its development from within.

  Throughout these discussions, Viscount Gabriel and Maria remained notably silent, exchanging occasional gnces that suggested private assessment beyond what they shared publicly. When finally addressed directly by Lucius, they presented comprehensive analysis of the cult's theological structure, drawing on Gabriel's extensive religious background from before his transformation and Maria's experience founding the Church of Eternal Light.

  "The movement dispys characteristics of genuine spiritual awakening rather than mere political manipution," Gabriel observed. "The revetion of your origins as Subject 23 created profound existential questions throughout vampire society—questions our traditional expnatory frameworks couldn't adequately address."

  "Those who witnessed your power dispy when finding Nova experienced something beyond ordinary authority," Maria added. "For beings who had never seen their own creator before, the experience triggered spiritual response rather than merely political recalibration."

  Their analysis revealed deepest dimensions of the situation—not simply governance challenge but fundamental identity crisis within vampire society. The revetion that their entire species originated from one being's transformation had shattered core understandings about vampire nature and purpose, creating spiritual vacuum that religious interpretation naturally filled.

  After absorbing all perspectives, Lucius made a characteristically decisive judgment. "If worship provides stability to vampire society," he stated with calm authority, "then it should be properly managed rather than suppressed. This is not merely a transitional measure, but a permanent framework to prevent future complications."

  The Council waited as Lucius considered his approach, his millennia of strategic thinking evident in the measured silence before he announced his solution.

  "Gabriel and Maria will serve as the official religious authorities of this new faith," he decred. "As former priest and founder of the Church of Eternal Light, they possess the necessary background to structure this worship appropriately."

  The elegance of this approach became immediately apparent to the assembled Council. Rather than fighting against religious impulse that had emerged naturally in response to his revetion, Lucius channeled it into established structures under trusted leadership. Gabriel and Maria, with their centuries of experience bancing spiritual needs with practical governance, represented perfect choice to ensure this faith reinforced rather than undermined broader societal transformation.

  "The church must teach that no intermediaries stand between supplicants and their deity," Lucius continued with subtle humor, acknowledging the irony of establishing intermediaries through this very statement. "All interpretation of divine will comes directly from the source or through officially appointed representatives."

  Nova watched this solution unfold with evident appreciation, his analytical mind tracking multiple yers of benefit this approach provided—legitimizing spiritual impulse while ensuring it remained aligned with governance objectives. His comments during discussion revealed complete synchronization with Lucius's strategic thinking, each anticipating the other's insights before they were voiced.

  "Establishing official religious authority creates clear legitimacy standard," Nova observed, "distinguishing between authorized interpretation and unsanctioned cims to divine communication. This avoids fragmentation into competing cult branches, each ciming unique access to divine will."

  Lucius nodded slightly, the minimal gesture acknowledging Nova's extension of his own strategic thought. "Structure without suppression," he summarized. "Direction without denial."

  What became apparent through these discussions was not conflict between Lucius and Nova, but rather their increasingly synchronized approach to governance—their minds working in complementary patterns that strengthened vampire society's transformation. Yet this professional harmony only highlighted personal distance that persisted between them, creating peculiar dynamic where they functioned as perfect partners in leadership while maintaining careful emotional boundaries.

  As the Council finalized comprehensive response to the cult development, both Lucius and Nova volunteered to participate in formal instaltion of Gabriel and Maria as the church's official leaders, each demonstrating absolute confidence in the other's capabilities.

  "Your presence will be essential to proper transfer of authority," Nova noted to Lucius, his tone banced between professional assessment and personal respect. "The visual connection between you and the appointed religious leaders will establish clear continuity of legitimate interpretation."

  "Your analytical perspective will ensure appropriate ceremony development," Lucius responded with simir bance. "The framework must appear authentic while maintaining proper governance alignment."

  Their seamless cooperation on governance matters stood in stark contrast to their personal hesitation, creating situation where they trusted each other completely with vampire society's future but remained uncertain about their own shared path.

  The chapter closed with preparations for their joint mission to former Orlov territories, practical arrangements proceeding with characteristic efficiency while both privately contempted implications of extended travel together. The comfortable boundaries of pace governance, with their established routines and predictable interactions, would give way to sustained proximity beyond formal structures—creating circumstances where pretense and distance would be far more difficult to maintain.

  As they separately packed necessary materials for the journey, both recognized privately that this unexpected challenge might address questions far beyond religious governance—questions neither had been willing to voice directly despite years of perfect professional partnership.