Chapter 2042: Chapter 2042

The Church had prepared a mountain of documents to help Jenkins with his responses. A tenth of the pile was now stuffed under his chair, while the rest lay scattered beneath the table and the seats of those beside him.

After their opening statements, the two candidates were to question each other, followed by a round of questions and challenges from the floor. The right to speak was granted to everyone seated at the long table. In a sense, the right to speak was the right to participate, and the right to participate was the right to choose. The nature of the questions could steer the outcome in entirely different directions, which was precisely why the Believers of Lies had worked so hard to gain the support of the pseudo-god cults.

The final step was supposed to be a one-on-one debate between Jenkins and Miss Fabry, after which one of them was expected to withdraw. Of course, since no one would willingly step down unless their entire plan was exposed as having a fatal flaw, the Church had a contingency: if both refused to yield, the matter would be settled by a weighted vote.

It was an ancient method, one that appeared fair on the surface but was, in reality, anything but. Still, it would be enough to silence future critics. The individuals present could genuinely be considered representatives of the material world, so history books would not be able to dismiss the decision as one made by a small minority on behalf of the majority.

Such was the Church's plan.

But Jenkins had no intention of following their script. The main reason was that drafting an entirely new vision for the future was an incredibly difficult task, and he suspected Princess Sophia wasn't keen on delivering such a speech either.

Thus, "Miss Fabry" suddenly stood up, raising a hand to quiet the room:

"I have an objection."

"What is your objection?"

"Then, Miss Fabry, what do you propose we do?"

"It's simple. Between you and me, we select the strongest."

Princess Sophia’s sharp gaze fixed on Jenkins. Her confident and incisive demeanor perfectly accentuated the charm of her current disguise.

"Let's have a duel. The winner becomes the Savior. The loser withdraws automatically."

An instant uproar shattered the room's quiet, turning it into a cacophony of voices. The Church representatives immediately understood: Miss Fabry had seen right through their strategy of stacking the vote with allied pseudo-god cults to guarantee their victory.

"She saw right through it, just as I feared."

Miss Stevel murmured nervously in her seat. Her words, however, were caught by the preternaturally sharp hearing of the members of the Music Cult:

Miss Bernreuter asked, and Miss Stevel could only offer an awkward, fabricated explanation.

The Church interpreted the call for a duel as confirmation that the Believers of Lies had not only seen through their intentions but had also detected their undercover agent within the Music Cult and were now retaliating. Aside from the Orthodox Churches, most of the pseudo-god cults also disapproved of the idea. While it sounded decisive, the theme of these negotiations was supposed to be cooperation. No one wanted to see any more sacrifices.

"Williamette, their opinions don't matter. I only want to hear your answer—are you willing to fight me? The winner is the Savior."

The woman pressed her hands on the table, leaning forward slightly as she posed the question. Jenkins didn't answer immediately, because Miss Bennett, the Saint from the Church of All Things and Nature, quickly interjected:

"This sort of decision requires consultation. The Church cannot give you an immediate answer."

"The end of the world is upon us, and you still want to delay with cumbersome procedures? When did the Church become so bureaucratic?"

"Miss Fabry" scoffed. She then turned to the kingdom's delegation seated nearby:

"Behold, the Orthodox Church."

"But a matter truly cannot be decided instantly," the old gravedigger added his support.

"But what does this have to do with any of you? This is a matter between me and Williamette. It should be resolved by the two of us. Williamette, give me your answer."

Princess Sophia’s performance was impeccable. From her initial aggressive challenge to her mockery of the Church, and even the mix of intimacy and cool composure in her dialogue with Jenkins, every nuance was perfectly executed.

Jenkins was about to put on a show of indecision before finally agreeing, but to his surprise, Queen Isabella, who had been mostly silent, spoke up: Get full chapters from NoveI~Fire.net

"He is the King. His every word and action must take this country into account. Dueling you, regardless of protocol or consequences, affects Fidektri. Therefore, I propose a temporary recess to give us time to consider this matter."

Jenkins hadn't anticipated Queen Isabella intervening on his behalf, so naturally, Princess Sophia's script didn't include a response for her.

But Princess Sophia had already fully embraced her role as "Miss Fabry." She addressed the old queen with complete composure:

"I can promise that no harm will come to Williamette's life in this duel. As for protocol... while I may be a commoner with no title, this duel concerns the future of the world. It will be a fair and honorable contest. I am extending this invitation to His Majesty, Williamette, as a commoner. I believe this will tarnish no one's reputation. Even future history books will praise our duel, bringing greater honor to us both."

Her argument was flawless, leaving Queen Isabella momentarily without a counter. Miss Fabry turned back to Jenkins:

Jenkins rose from his seat, his eyes fixed on the standing Miss Fabry. He remained silent, taking a long, slow breath through his nose. As his nostrils flared, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he lifted both hands from the table.

Then, just as suddenly, he relaxed. His slightly forward-leaning posture straightened. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then clamped it shut and scrutinized Miss Fabry again, as though searching for some hidden scheme.

He then leaned back slightly, in a gesture akin to puffing out his chest, and glanced to his right toward Miss Strass. Without making eye contact, he turned his head back to "Miss Fabry":

"I am the Saint of the Inherited Sage Church. I do indeed possess the highest authority to make this decision. Miss Fabry, I accept your challenge."

There was no uproar this time. Everyone stared at Jenkins, wondering why he would make such a concession on his own turf:

"But you must promise me one thing."

"Regardless of who wins or loses, the one who is defeated, while announcing their withdrawal from the contest for the title of Savior, must also stay and help fight against the coming cataclysm."

He puffed out his chest, his face set with a resolute expression, and spoke in the most standard Fidektri common tongue:

"We are here not for our own benefit, but to save the world. Therefore, I hope that a loss will not mean abandoning this ideal."

"Miss Fabry's" face broke into a smile. She reached up and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear:

"Of course, Williamette. We are both fighting for this world."