Chapter 283: The Good Girl Nun

Solomon's faction was finally taking shape. Though he hadn't decided whether to call the organization "Chaldea" or "NERV," and while none of the research had yet resulted in tangible outcomes, the establishment of this group allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief. He now felt just a bit more prepared for the challenges ahead.

Recently, Solomon had been so busy with other affairs that he'd neglected his study time, something both Jane Foster and Athena were none too pleased about. So, after wrapping up matters at the Undying City, Solomon immediately returned to his studies, heading back to class and tutoring sessions before his foster mother and teacher became any more upset. Achieving perfect scores, he knew, was less about intelligence and more about stubborn dedication. Solomon was fully aware that he hadn't done nearly enough practice questions—relying solely on intellect wouldn't be enough to score full marks. Athena, full of confidence, reassured him that as long as he gave it his all during the exams, any score would be acceptable.

Of course, Solomon didn't believe a word of that nonsense. However, with his A* grades across all subjects, he was confident he could get into Oxford without much trouble. Maya Hansen, a proud Cambridge graduate, even placed a hand on her chest and assured him this wasn't just flattery. After all, she wouldn't bother sucking up to a boss who refused to buy a coffee machine.

Truly committed to his scientific studies, Solomon focused all his attention on coursework. Conveniently, Jeanne d'Arc and Bayonetta had recently accepted a mission from the Kamar-Taj London Sanctum to hunt down upper-plane entities that had been appearing with increasing frequency along the etheric borders in Scandinavia. With them away, Solomon could immerse himself fully in his books, leaving even minor tasks like feeding the cat to the android caretaker.

He ignored everyone—well, mostly just Nick Fury—and kept his head down in his studies.

The Cheshire Cat grumbled a few times but settled down after the android gave it a light knock on the head. The fat feline begrudgingly stopped lounging on Solomon's books.

"You really are just a student?" Anna Helstrom asked in surprise, her gaze lingering on the ink smudge on Solomon's right middle finger, his tired eyes from late-night reading, and the various textbooks he clutched to his chest. When she had arranged to meet with Solomon, she hadn't expected him to look like this. "You look like you're about to fall asleep at any moment," she said. "Should we reschedule? It's not like my mother or that demon is going anywhere—they're stuck in the psychiatric hospital."

"I'd rather deal with this as soon as possible," Solomon replied, taking a big gulp of strong tea and widening his eyes to force himself awake. "You should've waited for me in San Francisco, not run all the way to the East Coast. But it's fine. A portal can take us to any corner of the Earth as long as I have the coordinates."

"I want to go straight into my mother's room, not to the psychiatric hospital in Portland. The attending physician won't let you see her—they know something's wrong with her. My brother works there as a consultant, and I don't want to see him," Anna said, taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm curious, though. Why do you think I can actually help you? Even if I am the child of a demon, my powers…"

"As I said before, you don't know how to use your powers." Solomon fixed her with a sharp look. "Let me ask you something: can you see the sins of others?"

"Yes. But if you think that's my ability, I won't be of any use to you," she replied, waiting for his explanation.

"That's just a basic demonic instinct," Solomon began, explaining the process by which demons scavenge souls along the River Styx. Demons, he said, could perceive the sins of others at a glance.

"Sinners' souls naturally attract you," he continued. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have hunted them. Those souls didn't descend to Hell because you devoured them. Though the efficiency is low, you're growing stronger. That's probably why your father kidnapped you in the first place. Your talents are stronger than your brother's—or rather, you have more demonic essence than he does. When your father carved that inverted pentagram on your brother's chest, it was likely part of a ritual to sacrifice him and transfer his power to you."

"You know all that?" Satana narrowed her eyes. "Or did someone tell you?"

"I have my sources." Solomon closed his eyes slightly, making it clear he wasn't about to reveal too much. "Regardless, your father wants to use you, and I need to disrupt his plans," Solomon said. "Your father is the most insane demon I've ever encountered. While he's not the Satan, he dares to call himself that. He craves the Seventh Throne, which is why he wants me dead. As for your proposal—to open a portal into your mother's hospital room—I'll agree to it. But I must warn you of the risks. If the demon possessing her resists too violently, your mother might not survive."

"That's not what we agreed on!"

"I never guaranteed I wouldn't fight back if the demon used your mother to attack me," Solomon replied calmly. "I can only do my best to ensure her survival. Force will only be a last resort. But don't worry. The reason Marduk can only influence the material plane through possession rather than descending himself is because he can't come to Earth—no blood sacrifice, no ritual. It's nearly impossible for a demon to manifest their true form here. Through possession, his power is limited, and it's still within my ability to counteract it. I'm just warning you about the risks in advance."

"If you think my plan is too risky, you're free to try it yourself." Solomon's tone made it clear he wasn't particularly concerned about whether Anna would agree to his exorcism. All he needed was Satana's power—to turn Marduk's greatest weapon against him. If her mother's madness made Satana hate Marduk even more, Solomon was more than willing to maintain the status quo.

"Let me be upfront," he added. "I don't have much in the way of Hell-related black magic. The demonic magic you'll gain when you awaken your bloodline will be far stronger than what I can offer—and it won't come with any costs."

"Let's start with a normal visit," Anna said, not immediately agreeing to Solomon's approach. "I need to discuss this with my brother."

"Of course. It's your family business. I hope you come to a clear decision." Solomon nodded. "By the way, I'm very interested in the nun accompanying your brother. I've already looked into her background through my contacts in the Catholic Church. My God, she's practically Jesus' perfect little lamb. But without divine magic, her piety is useless. The more devout someone is, the less independent their thinking. Once she falls, she could do something truly catastrophic.

Moru had seen the aftermath of devout individuals losing their faith more than once. After reviewing the details, he had urged Solomon to act quickly, showing no concern for the fact that the mage was busy preparing for exams. If necessary, Moru would even arrange for the Ghost Rider to step in—but that was a last resort, and the Catholic Church wouldn't easily agree to such a move. Instead, Solomon might need to discreetly extract Johnny Blaze, with Moru acting as an inside man.

To prevent things from spiraling further out of control, the nun named Gabriella was Solomon's real reason for meeting Anna despite his busy schedule. The "exorcism risks" were just an excuse. Solomon's true goal was to use Anna to get closer to the nun. Disguising a primary objective as a secondary one was a classic trick among antiquities dealers, and Anna saw right through it. Though she didn't know why Solomon wanted to approach the nun, she didn't particularly care—she only wanted the exorcism.

"Fine," she said. "Take me there. Now."

(Side note: The Helstrom series was such a letdown. It felt like a low-budget web series—worse than DC's Batwoman. Guess we'll have to spice things up a bit.)

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