Eros walked out of the meeting room. Only after he had put a considerable distance between himself and the hall did he whisper in his mind:

  "Is that really it? They’re not going to verify anything else? They just handed over the 'God-Child' status like that? What if I’m a false believer or an undercover agent?"

  Wait... I actually AM a false believer and an undercover agent. But was the Church really this lax? It seemed unlikely. If they were this careless, the Church would have been swindled out of its very foundations by the followers of the God of Deceit long ago.

  "A Deity cast His gaze upon you just now. It was likely the Betrayer of the Reincarnation Church—Raul Breton," Barbara spoke the most harrowing words in her calmest tone.

  Shock flashed across Eros’s face. "You mean... He looked at me?"

  "Mhm. And that is exactly why the Archbishop skipped so many procedures," Barbara explained.

  Well, of course. If the God Himself looked and saw no problem, would a mere Archbishop claim to see clearer than his Deity? Who’s the God here, anyway?

  This meant Eros had passed the ultimate "political screening." Better yet, he was screened by the very God the Church worshipped. If anyone questioned his identity in the future, they would effectively be questioning the God Himself. Who would dare? Who could?

  Eros clicked his tongue. "The authority of 'Secrecy' is truly terrifying. Even under the direct gaze of a Great Being, no anomaly was found."

  Hearing this, Barbara glanced at the slightly chirpy little Book of Night beside her and huffed. "It also has to do with you chanting His prayers since childhood with your family. Even as a false believer, praying creates a sliver of faith-force. It’s not much compared to a devout follower, but it accumulates over the years."

  "While the authority of Secrecy played the major part, it wasn't the only factor. The reason you passed the scrutiny so quickly is also linked to the strands of faith-force entwined around you."

  Eros realized the logic. I see. He took me for one of His own. No ideological issues, a high-level bloodline, and most importantly, a follower. If he wasn't a God-Child, who was?

  These three factors were indispensable. Although "God-Child" was an honorary title without administrative power, it granted immense convenience and represented the Church's "face." If they appointed someone with ideological flaws or shaky faith as a God-Child and it was later exposed, the Church would lose all credibility.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "But it's strange that a member of the Elven race can become a God-Child of this Church. Shouldn't a God-Child be a descendant of the Lord they worship, or at least one of His subordinate deities?"

  Eros was puzzled. He had assumed that after confirming his identity, they would at most recognize him as an Elven "Saint." He hadn't expected Archbishop Anthony to grant him the title of the Church’s own "God-Child."

  Even if his faith and bloodline were acceptable, he wasn't a descendant of the Reincarnation Lord. Usually, that alone would be a disqualifier. Being an Elven Saint meant being an honored guest with privileges, but being a Church God-Child meant being family. He wouldn't manage the Church, but his clearance would be astronomical. He’d have the right to know almost anything.

  Have I accidentally blundered my way into the high command of the enemy?

  "This is likely a new layer of the Great Game," Barbara mused after a moment.

  "The Great Game?"

  "Likely so. The nine Orthodox Churches are not a monolith; they have factions forming three major alliances that rule the three strongest empires on the Croatian continent, holding the most 'Anchors.' They appear harmonious on the surface but secretly vie for more Anchors. Your appearance represents a new opportunity for them."

  Barbara shared her deduction.

  "Because of my Elven bloodline?" Eros looked pensive. He had his own theories.

  "The reappearance of Elven blood, vanished for tens of thousands of years, makes people wonder if the Elves are planning a return to this continent..."

  Eros interrupted, finishing her thought: "And that’s why they gave me such a high status—to use me as a bridge to contact the Elven race. After all, the Elves have a Great Being. If they return and a descendant of their bloodline is a God-Child of this Church, it’s a natural alliance."

  "And if they don't return, the Church loses nothing. From now on, the only family on the continent with Elven blood belongs to the Church."

  Of course, all of this assumed he wasn't an undercover agent. He could hear the clicking of their metaphorical calculators from miles away. But... what a pity... he IS an undercover agent.

  At that thought, a delighted expression spread across Eros’s face. Since it was still early and he couldn't be bothered to go to class, he decided to head back to Siphreya’s place to "explore the meaning of life" with her some more.

  Meanwhile, Anthony wiped the blood from his face. Once the burning sensation in his eyes subsided, he stepped out of the meeting room. He glanced at the three Deans waiting outside and asked in a flat, emotionless voice:

  "What is that place over there?"

  The three Deans looked in the direction Anthony pointed. One of them immediately replied respectfully: "Your Excellency, those are the academy’s training grounds."

  "Mhm. Take me there," Anthony nodded slightly, his voice calm and composed.

  "Yes!" The Deans nodded, though they were internally bewildered. What was so interesting about the training grounds? Was there some hidden meaning they had failed to grasp?

  A Sublime One would never visit a low-sequence training ground without reason. Had something happened there? Aside from a low-sequence student being infected by an unknown pollutant—a case that currently had no leads—nothing major had occurred.

  But surely that wouldn't catch the attention of a Sublime One? It was just a common case of mutation. Because it happened so often, the Deans hadn't even considered that as a possibility.