(Romulus POV)
The question was asked beneath open sky.
That was the first mistake.
We were gathered in the outer forum of the oasis—an assembly meant for civic updates, water allocations, and the reaffirmation of trade accords. No throne. No dais. I had chosen the setting deliberately months ago, to remind the city that authority did not require spectacle.
The Church chose it deliberately as well.
The representative who stepped forward wore no ceremonial vestments. No haloed symbol. Just pale robes and an expression carefully balanced between humility and confidence.
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing—not to me alone, but to the gathered councilors and citizens. "May the Light seek clarity where unity is valued."
I felt the ripple immediately. A subtle shift. People leaned in without realizing it.
He did not look at me when he asked the question.
"Does the Sun Throne recognize saintly lineage as a guiding authority within imperial rule?"
Silence fell.
