Avoiding a first encounter

Jack peered out of his window, his sharp eyes catching the spectacle unfolding below. Soldiers marched in perfect unison, their white garments and shining silver armor reflecting the light like mirrors, each one adorned with the unmistakable emblem of the church.

"I guess I'm not too bad at drawing," Jack muttered to himself, a smirk playing at his lips as he admired the scene, one that mirrored the sketches he'd already made on his jottter.

But his amusement quickly faded, replaced by the familiar heaviness in his chest. He knew what was coming. The sound of the trumpet had signaled it—the Lady of the Church had arrived.

His heart began to race, but he didn't panic. He knew what he had to do. 'Stay calm. I still have my dark powers.' But he couldn't afford to be reckless. The Lady of the Church, aside from the angels, was the only human who could sense the darkness within him. One touch, and she would know everything. He steeled his mind.

'I've fooled them all into thinking my powers are gone,' he thought, his fists tightening. 'But if she touches me, she'll know the truth. I can't let that happen, no matter what.'

Jack's gaze flickered back to the procession. He couldn't afford to lose his powers—not yet. The church had already failed to strip him of his abilities once, and Jack had no intention of letting them succeed this time. The stakes were too high. If he was discovered, there would be no mercy. Jamiel had been lenient, perhaps even careless. The Lady of the Church wouldn't be.

Two things terrified Jack more than anything else. First, the certainty of death. His misfortune had placed him in the body of a cursed host, and that curse had death looming over him at every turn. The second was far more personal—the fear of returning to his former, powerless self. He couldn't bear the thought of being mocked, ridiculed, and spat on again. He'd made a vow to himself: that weak, pitiful boy was dead. This was his new life, and it would not be wasted.

'I won't let them see me fall,' Jack thought, the resentment boiling inside him. 'I'll make them choke on their own words.' He wouldn't forgive any of them—not his family, not his enemies, not even those from this strange new world.

He took a deep breath, forcing the tension from his body. "While I'm at it," he said to himself, a smirk curling his lips again, "I might as well have some fun." He knew they would start looking for him soon. It was time to prepare. His eyes narrowed as he watched the grand carriage roll through the castle gates, his pulse quickening.

The carriage door opened, and for the first time, Jack laid eyes on the Lady of the Church. Her figure was draped in a pure white gown, and she stepped down gracefully, a staff held in her left hand. A radiant aura seemed to ripple outward from her like an invisible wind, washing over the entire castle grounds. Jack could feel it even from his window. It was unlike anything he had ever sensed before—powerful, mysterious, and terrifyingly pure.

She wasn't what he had expected. Barely his height, she was just a little girl. But her size was deceiving. Jack could feel it—there was a vast difference in their strengths. While he still struggled to fully control his dark powers, she commanded her divine abilities with an ease that chilled him.

'She's just as they described her,' Jack thought, his throat tightening. He had read about her in countless pages of the book, had heard the whispers of her incredible abilities. Now, faced with her in person, he could only mutter one thing under his breath: "One blessed by the light… divinity itself."

No sooner had the words left his lips than the system chimed in.

**[You are in direct contact with divinity! All your stats have been halved.]

A wave of nausea swept over Jack. His muscles gave out, and before he could steady himself, he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. His body felt like it was dissolving, his strength draining away like water from a broken vessel.

"What the—?" Jack coughed, barely able to speak. "Is she… is she really this powerful? How is this possible?"

As he scrambled away from the window, panic settling in, the Lady of the Church turned her head in his direction. Even from the distance, Jack caught a glimpse of the frown creasing her face. His heart raced faster.

'She knows…'

'My vision was right,' the Lady thought, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the distant window. 'There is a demonic presence here.'

The guard walking beside her, his armor adorned with intricate golden-silver patterns, glanced at her with concern. "Was it necessary to release your power like that? Do you truly believe the Digmun family is hiding a demon?"

Her voice was soft but carried an edge of certainty. "Thomas, I felt it. The presence of a demon—no ordinary one, either. My vision was clear. The Digmun family is harboring something evil." Her veil concealed her expression, but her tone left no room for doubt.

She turned her gaze away from the window, her mind already moving to the next task. "But that will come later. For now, let us bless the two new children."

The Lady's focus shifted as she took in her surroundings. "The castle is as grand as they said," she remarked, her voice thoughtful. "Beautiful, too."

Thomas nodded, standing beside her as they continued toward King Aldermond, who awaited them at the castle entrance. His second wife, Lily, stood at his side, along with their son Arin. The family had gathered to greet the Lady of the Church—all except one.

Aldermond's brow furrowed as he scanned the crowd. "Elian, didn't I send you to fetch Asriel? Where is that boy?" His voice carried a mix of irritation and impatience. 'Of all days, he had to disappear today,' Aldermond thought, grinding his teeth.

"I'll get him," Arwen, Aldermond's first wife, said hurriedly before rushing inside the castle, her steps quick as she made her way toward Jack's room.

Jack, still struggling to recover from the system's sudden debuff, knew he had only moments before someone came looking for him. 'Damn it… I'm not ready for this.'