Silvanus furrowed his eyebrows. Rakï was incredibly tense, Meimei was still curled up trying her best not to look at Veil, and Zayne maintained a polite smile as he stood behind the Arurs. Veil simply looked bored.
"'Accept this arrangement and support the Vessel, and One will resurrect everyone in the Arur family who dies within this timeframe, as well as one person who died within the past twenty years. In addition, One shall grant every Vessel access to One's Domain... Is this acceptable?'"
The air in the room froze. Silvanus fell dead silent. Rakï was utterly baffled by the turn of events. Meimei couldn't believe what she was hearing, and Zayne? His smile only widened. For the first time since this absurd negotiation began, Rakï spoke up.
"Isn't this just a trap?"
Veil looked mildly amused. "'How so?'"
"This deal is too good to be true!" Rakï argued. "The mass resurrection is one thing, but guaranteed access to a God's Domain? I'd believe it if you had told us you'd make the entire Arur family immortal before I believe that!"
A heavy silence filled the hall. The casual smile Veil wore suddenly cooled. He sat up straight, looked up at the ceiling, let out a slow sigh, and then looked back down at the cousins.
"'... One is not capricious. One does not seek merely to make a promise. One wishes to form a Covenant so One cannot go back on One's words. One understands your fears and concerns, but let One add another condition.'"
Veil lifted a single finger and stated lazily, "'When One is fully resurrected, One will dissolve the Covenant with Nox.'"
Silvanus' eyes sharpened instantly. Meimei and Rakï looked completely thrown off, while Zayne's smile finally dropped.
After another heavy bout of silence, Silvanus spoke. "... You wish to dissolve the Covenant? As in, to revoke the status of a Vessel from Nox after all of this?"
Silvanus looked deeply skeptical, while Veil looked delighted, tilting his head to the side.
"'Aha! One knew you'd understand!'"
Rakï hesitated but still voiced her confusion. "Why would you do that?"
Veil paused for a beat. "'Well, One thinks we all need a break. One doesn't plan to take a new Vessel for a century or two. For when One is resurrected, One will descend once more, which will cause a temporary regression for civilization. By then, One will leave you mortals to recuperate. Contact with One will still be possible, but only through the High Priests and Priestesses. Even then, it won't be often; One would be too busy stabilizing the Spiritual Plane through proxies. Your family will once again rise to absolute power within that time as well. Think about it.'"
Rakï looked over at her cousin, who quickly returned her look. The two huddled closer together, lowering their voices into urgent whispers.
"It's a good deal," Rakï whispered to her cousin. "The Lord is even willing to release Nox from servitude!"
Silvanus nodded, his eyebrows still tightly knit. "But Divine Power permanently alters the body of whosoever experiences it. What if it makes Nox sterile? What is the First Branch going to do then?"
Rakï fell silent. '... That's true...'
The two continued to whisper back and forth. Meanwhile, Veil looked down at the half-finished plate of waffles. He casually popped them into his mouth, chewed thoughtfully, and nodded.
"'Hmm, it's not only the technology that has advanced. Even the food is excellent...'" He looked at the now lukewarm orange juice and took a small sip. It was perfectly sweet and tangy. His eyebrows shot up. "'Hmm, how exquisite!'" he muttered to himself.
Nearby, Silvanus and Rakï were still aggressively whispering. Silvanus looked deeply unsatisfied. "Let's ask the Lord to make us immortal while we're at it."
Rakï looked as if her soul had just left her body. "Are you crazy? You need deliverance from madness!"
"... Then wouldn't this mean my son will be illiterate?" Silvanus countered.
Rakï stared at her cousin with an incredulous expression. "What are you talking about?"
"He won't go to university... My son..."
Rakï wanted to hit someone; she just didn't know who. Silvanus turned back to face Veil, only to see several shadow hands actively spreading caviar onto a slice of bread, while others neatly picked out dishes to arrange them neatly before the deity. Rakï looked up, completely stunned. A simultaneous thought struck both cousins: '... Is he eating? A literal god is eating bread?'
They were utterly bewildered. Veil noticed their intense staring and cocked an eyebrow.
"'Have you decided?'"
The two snapped out of their daze. Silvanus spoke up, "It's a tempting offer we won't refuse... However, we want the child to learn. We do not want him to lack even a basic degree."
Veil's eyebrow rose. "'A degree?'"
"Yes, Lord. Because when his title as a Vessel is eventually revoked, he will still need to step up as the Heir."
Veil smiled, offering a slow nod. "'Very well. One will not stop him from learning, but you must teach him not just the things of the physical world, but also the spiritual.'"
Rakï sighed in relief. Meimei had quietly fallen asleep at some point under the table, and Zayne was trying his absolute best to blend into the wallpaper.
"'However, keep Onyx by his side.'"
Everyone froze. Rakï tentatively began, "Onyx? Who is that?"
Veil stretched his arms lazily. "'The one you call Zayne. One does not know him by that modern name, though.'"
Zayne's mouth twitched noticeably.
Silvanus smoothly intervened, "Naturally, he will stay by his side."
Zayne let out a forced cough to clear his throat. Silvanus added flatly, "A hundred-year ownership of the Mont Belle Resort."
Zayne's grin returned instantly. Veil chuckled at the transaction, while Rakï slumped back into her chair, looking completely exhausted.
"I have to ask, though," Silvanus muttered, running a hand through its hair. "Will the Divine Power make Nox sterile? We can't have him being the last of the First Branch's bloodline."
Veil chuckled deeply. "'Be at ease. One will even bless him with exceptional fertility if you are so worried.'"
Silvanus nodded, finally satisfied. "Alright then. It's settled."
"'Then do we have a deal?'"
Silvanus stared dead into the eyes of the divine being occupying his son's body and gave a firm nod.
"Deal."