Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods-Chapter 40. The wicked child... is Alane Fitzgerald.

Anna stiffened.

She hadn’t expected how casually Sofia would give an offer, how easily she smiled as if poaching Alan was no big deal.

But Alan mattered to her more than she was ready to admit.

She turned to Alan for a brief moment, who looked like he was thinking about the offer she made, which made Anna more uncomfortable.

"Come on, Sir Alan," Sofia smirked, crossing her hands under her ample chest. "You’ll get the life that everyone is dying for."

Moriko’s golden eyes widened with excitement, and her tail swished furiously. "You pay that much?" she chirped, practically bouncing. "Like, enough for a mountain of food?"

"Of course, cat lady. Our knights get salaries that’d make nobles jealous, plus benefits to match. You’d eat like a queen," the beautiful lady informed, which churned Anna more and made Moriko more excited.

The beastkin turned to Alan with a wide grin and grabbed his arm. "Alan, you gotta take it! Think of the food! We’d never starve again!"

Anna opened her mouth to shut down the cat girl’s wild suggestion but before she could say anything, a strong tanned hand yanked Moriko backward by the collar.

"Okay, food addict, time’s up," Janine sighed, dragging Moriko away from Alan’s face. "The meeting’s about to start. You can obsess over money later."

Moriko let out a weak whine as she was pulled back with her tail flicking in protest.

Sofia chuckled as still at Alan. "Well, Sir Alan, we’ve got five days here in Teranese," she said with a seductive smile. "You don’t have to answer now. If you change your mind about House Dubost, come find me. My door’s open."

With a final, knowing wink which made Anna tensed up, she turned and walked into the meeting room and vanished through the doors.

Anna turned to Alan, who’s still looking at Sofia. She opened her mouth to speak to him, but—

"Alright, Anna," Janine interrupted her as she clapped Alan on the shoulder. "Church bigwigs don’t wait for anyone. Let’s go."

As they walked toward the meeting room, the tanned beauty leaned closer to Anna with a smirk to tease the cute silver head girl. "You got scared, didn’t you? Thinking your new knight was going to leave you for Dubost?"

Anna’s face turned red quickly, and she shook her head.

"I wasn’t scared," she spoke softly so Alan wouldn’t hear. "I... I know he’ll stay."

Janine chuckled, drawing glances from nearby guards.

The group entered the main hall of the Concreda Church, which is a huge, echoing room that felt old and holy. It looked a bit like a parliament hall, but more sacred.

The tall stone walls curved up into a high dome, where glass windows glowed with colorful sigils of the Twelve Gods.

The room was full of soft chatter from nobles and attendants, but the noise faded quickly as House Nocelle entered. The seating was four curved blocks, shaped like open wings. Each section was designated for one Monarch candidate and their followers.

A raised marble platform was in the middle of the hall where everyone would face; it held fifteen grand chairs for the Church Elders and important leaders of the Concreda.

At the entrance, Moriko broke off from the group to join the line of guards by the large doors. She gave Alan a quick thumbs-up playfully, then she straightened up.

Alan stayed behind Anna as they walked to the third seating block, which was designated for House Nocelle. Sharra took her seat with her usual calm authority, and Janine sat beside her.

Alan remained standing behind Anna’s chair, quietly watching the others.

He barely looked at Janet Verdelane in the first block or Sofia Mahler in the second. His eyes were focused on the fourth block, where Velmira Loos sat gracefully. Her pink eyes stared ahead without emotion. Behind her stood a knight that Alan didn’t recognize at all. He was tall and confident and standing far too close for Alan’s liking.

Next to Velmira was Duke Thomas Fitzgerald, along with Alas, the elf knight Alan had met half an hour ago.

A sudden cough took Alan’s attention back to the marble dais where the twelve Church Elders had already seated with solemn stillness. Behind them sits the two High Priests of Concreda.

At the center stood a young woman who drew every eye with her graceful presence, it’s Thalina, the newly elected Bishop of Concreda. She was radiant in ceremonial white, her golden hair crowned with a circlet of silver olive leaves. Her hands folded politely over the podium as she leaned.

"May the Twelve guide our hearts," she began, her soft voice can be heard every corner of the hall with the mana-amplified microphone. "I thank you for your presence, noble houses. And I thank the Concreda Council for bestowing their trust upon me. I will serve with humility and clarity."

The room erupted in polite applause, nobles clapping with enthusiasm. Alan noticed how perfectly measured her tone was, it’s warm, reverent, and sweet enough to charm everyone.

She turned to the four blocks where the candidates sat.

"To our four aspiring Monarchs—Lady Janet Verdelane, Lady Sofia Mahler, Lady Anna Nocelle, and Lady Velmira Loos—I am honored by your grace and courage. The gods watch over you in this sacred trial."

A few nobles clapped again and Alan remained silent with his eyes fixed on Thalina. Something about her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

She bowed slightly. "As many of you know, Bishop Havel, my predecessor, died under troubling circumstances. His final act before death... was leaving behind a Revelation Scroll."

Whispers broke out across the curved seats as Revelation Scrolls were rare, its holy records written by the bishops under divine guidance.... it meant the gods themselves had spoken to mortals.

"Only a few within the Church knew of this, but it is my duty, as bishop, to reveal what our gods have spoken."

Duke Danel Verdelane stood by lifting a hand. "Lady Bishop," he said with noble calm. "First, let me offer my sincere congratulations. Your grace at the podium speaks well of your future. But may I ask what does the Revelation say? And why did you summon every major house?"

Alan noticed a woman knight with long black hair tied in a sleek ponytail stood behind him. He can admit she looks good, but he felt something wrong about her, like something about her felt familiar.

Thalina’s lips curled into a slight sly smile.

"Because, Duke Danel," she said, leaning in toward the microphone with her soft chest pressed against the podium, "the Revelation speaks of a great evil among us. The gods have warned us that a devil has been born into this world. One who walks in mortal skin and shall bring fire and ruin to our lands if left unchecked."

Alan’s eyes narrowed as he suddenly felt something enormous was creeping up behind him.

Thalina’s next words are really enormous to him.

"The wicked child... is Alane Fitzgerald."

Bitch, What the hell? He thought.

He barely registered Anna half-standing from her seat or Janine’s sharp gasp. Murmurs erupted from every section and every nobles, priests, and knights, all eyes turned slowly toward Duke Thomas Fitzgerald who’s sitting at first block.

The old man sat confused in his chair beside Velmira. "What?" he mouthed with his eyes darting around the room like a man caught in a dream-turned-nightmare.

"Alane... died," he muttered, trying to convince everyone. "He died... six years ago."

Velmira’s shoulders had gone rigid as she turned slowly toward her future father in law, her pale pink eyes wide with horror.

"Uncle," she whispered. "You said Alane died..... In a carriage accident."