[Third Person Pov]
"Shall we go more in depth about the Conspirators?" Beatrice asked, wanting to get a clearer sense of Lucian's thoughts and preferences on the matter since he would ultimately be the one who would be owner of them.
"Sure, I don't mind," Lucian replied as they settled into her office. He made a small motion with his hand, summoning two chairs into place in front of the desk. He took one for himself while Thalia took the other, Beatrice meanwhile went and sat behind her desk.
"For their initial design, I was thinking of having them wear cloths over their eyes, each bearing the symbol of a single eye," Beatrice began, conjuring several sheets of paper with her magic and spreading them neatly across the desk. "It was meant to represent your third eye, similar to your figure on your Blasphemy card."
Thalia leaned forward, picking up one of the sketches and examining it closely before handing it over to Lucian so he could see for himself.
"Their motif, so to speak, would revolve around that third eye," Beatrice continued, her tone steady as she explained. "It represents enlightenment, their awareness of the magical world, and their connection to you. In a way, they would act as your eyes while you 'rested,' my liege. That was the core idea behind their lore."
"Sorry…" Lucian said after a brief pause, a hint of guilt in his voice. He realized he hadn't taken the time earlier to properly listen to Beatrice's original concept before jumping in with his own ideas.
Beatrice shook her head, her expression bright and reassuring. "Like I said, this is your special force, my liege. Your input takes priority."
While they spoke, Thalia continued looking through the remaining designs, her attention lingering on the details of the uniforms. "They don't look bad," she admitted, "but can I ask something? Would they even be able to see with those cloths covering their eyes?"
"Of course," Beatrice answered without hesitation, straightening slightly. "The cloths would be enchanted to enhance perception and heighten their other senses. They're designed specifically for espionage and covert operations." She puffed her chest a bit with confidence, though it faded slightly as she continued, "Although… it seems we may have to rework some aspects of the idea. Perhaps instead of cloths, we could use raven-style masks, similar to plague doctor masks?"
"No, I've never liked plague masks," Lucian said immediately, shaking his head. "I actually prefer your original idea. We don't have to throw it out entirely. We can combine both concepts and make something that works."
Beatrice visibly brightened at that, clearly pleased that he favored her initial design.
"Wait, hold on," Thalia cut in, turning to Lucian with a puzzled look. "You seriously don't like plague masks?"
"No," Lucian replied plainly. "Why would I? They're overrated. I don't really get the appeal."
"Because they're cool, obviously," Thalia scoffed. "They're popular for a reason. They fit the whole vibe you're going for—mysterious, ominous, designed after a raven, and tied to bad omens."
"Yeah, maybe they were cool during the Black Plague," Lucian said, rolling his eyes. "Get with the times, grandma. The only reason you like them is because of your emo phase, and that's not the aesthetic I'm aiming for at all."
"I'm going to punch you," Thalia shot back with a glare. "You know my style is punk rock, and you're only saying that to annoy me and get a reaction."
Lucian just smiled, not even bothering to deny it. "And it works every time."
"Why you—" Thalia growled, already shifting forward like she was about to lunge at him.
"Can we please continue with the discussion?" Beatrice interjected quickly, her tone almost pleading before she gave a small apologetic nod for interrupting.
"Right, sorry Beatrice," Lucian said with a light chuckle, shaking his head as he refocused. "As I was saying, no plague masks. We'll go with the enchanted cloths. They can keep the single-eye symbol since it fits the idea of them being silent watchers. Not to mention it also forms a Paradox, how can one see with their eyes closed. As for the cloaks, we can make those raven-based to tie everything together."
"Why not enchant it so they can transform into ravens?" Thalia suggested, leaning back in her chair with her fingers loosely intertwined over her stomach, her tone more thoughtful now.
Lucian and Beatrice both turned to look at her, caught slightly off guard by the suggestion.
Thalia shrugged at their reaction. "I mean, you should be able to do it, right? You already have magic that lets you transform yourself and other people. Just embed that kind of spell into the cloak or something—limit it so it only turns them into ravens."
Lucian and Beatrice exchanged a brief look before turning back to her.
"What?" Thalia asked, raising a brow at the silence.
"Nothing," Lucian said, shaking his head slightly. "It's just a really good idea. I'm surprised, that's all."
That earned him a punch straight to the shoulder.
"Gah! I was complimenting you!" Lucian protested, wincing as he rubbed the spot.
"Didn't feel like a compliment, jackass," Thalia shot back with a scoff, though she didn't press it further as she looked off to the side.
From there, the tension eased, and the three of them gradually fell into a steady rhythm, tossing ideas back and forth. The conversation picked up momentum as they became more engaged, each new suggestion building on the last.
"Perhaps we could make the eye cloths different colors to represent rank," Beatrice proposed, already thinking ahead.
Lucian nodded, and Thalia gave a small approving hum. "That works."
"We can structure it from white at the lowest rank to black at the highest," Lucian added, thinking it through as he spoke. "So something like white, red, green, blue, purple, and then black at the top."
"That would make the hierarchy immediately recognizable," Beatrice agreed, already incorporating the idea mentally.
"We should also think about how to adapt something like this for the other churches," Lucian continued. "For Thalia, Annabeth, and the others, I mean."
Both of them nodded in agreement at that.
Beatrice began sketching again, redrawing the design with quick, precise strokes. She stuck her tongue out slightly in concentration while still participating in the conversation, occasionally pausing to adjust a detail or refine a concept. Some ideas were dismissed almost immediately, while others were set aside to revisit later.
"After this, I should really focus on training my positive energy manipulation," Lucian said after a moment, his tone turning more thoughtful. "If I can reliably provide blessings, it'll strengthen the whole deity aspect."
"I will inform you, my lord, when everything is ready," Beatrice said respectfully, not looking up from her work. "It will take some time—at least a few months—so I ask for your patience."
"When do you think it'll be done?" Lucian asked. "I'll need a clearer timeframe."
"At minimum, three months. At most, six," Beatrice answered, finally leaning back slightly as she examined her work with a satisfied look.
After a second, she turned the paper around and slid it toward them. "What do you think of the design, my liege? This is how your Conspirators will look."
Lucian and Thalia both leaned forward, studying the drawing closely. Their eyes moved over the details in silence for a moment before they both blinked and then glanced at each other, a shared smile forming.
"It's perfect, Beatrice," Lucian said with a small chuckle. "You really outdid yourself."
Beatrice's expression lit up immediately. She bowed her head, her composure slipping just enough for her emotions to show as her eyes grew slightly wet.
"You are too kind, my liege," she said softly. "Your words mean more to me than I can properly express. I am happy to serve."
(Image will be in the comment section of the chapter)
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