Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 485 Mother's Machinations(?), Colorful Thoughts

Name: Seraphina Valeis

Age: 20

Rating: 98

Personality: Calm, wise, and nurturing despite her martial ties. She embodies grace under pressure, offering comfort to allies while showing unshakable discipline in battle.

Likes: Honorable duels and fair combat, training mortals to overcome fear, music played on stringed instruments, the sight of dawn after a night of battle, and the God of War.

Dislikes: Cowardice born of selfishness (but not fear itself), cruelty without purpose, the God of War, desecration of the fallen, and deception in war.

Status: It has been a long time since she ate mortal food. Can't remember why she stopped eating mortal food. It tastes great.

For a moment, Isaac doubted his own eyes.

Motionless on the footpath, he remained, attempting to reconcile the truth before him. The city's faint hum moved around him, yet all seemed to fade as his gaze stayed fixed on the woman seated at a small, streetside table.

She was… the angel of the War God.

Her appearance was vastly different from his memory.

Of course, even now, she was an alluring and beautiful woman. Any passerby would surely glance her way. However, compared to her genuine appearance, the one he had witnessed before, this was nowhere near as striking.

'Is she here in disguise?'

This wasn't his inaugural encounter with someone concealing their identity. Eleanor, the Sword Empress, had employed a similar tactic previously, and she had done so effectively enough to deceive nearly everyone, or so she believed.

'Why must all these older women resort to disguises?'

The thought arose naturally but quickly lost its levity.

Almost instantly, something else registered.

Seraphina's age was indicated as twenty in her status.

That was the precise number he had previously seen on her status. With his photographic memory, there was no possibility of misremembering. He simply hadn't dwelled on it until this moment. But now that he had, a realization dawned.

'The War God vanished at the onset of the apocalypse.'

'She was already his angel before that event.'

'This implies she has been alive for at least three thousand years.'

'So how does she remain twenty?'

For a fleeting instant, Isaac questioned if his Inspect ability had malfunctioned, but he swiftly dismissed the notion.

The issue wasn't with the Inspect.

It was her, or perhaps… something intrinsically linked to her.

He recalled his Evolution Trial. At that time, the System had plucked individuals from various temporal points—past, present, and future—and convened them as if it were a trivial matter.

The System possessed the capacity to manipulate time, bending it in ways that defied conventional logic.

'So she's entangled in something of that nature.'

Isaac exhaled a silent breath.

That provided a partial explanation, yet it introduced another perplexing question.

Why was she present here? And more crucially… why was she concealing herself with a disguise?

'I dispatched her to Mother last time.'

His gaze sharpened slightly as his thoughts continued to unfurl.

'If she obtained any information from Mother, she should have approached me directly.'

Their parting had not been acrimonious. If anything, their recent encounter had been marked by cooperation.

Yet, rather than approaching him openly, she was disguised and observing covertly, suggesting her observational target was likely himself, and she wished to conceal this from him.

Furthermore, she might be the spy dispatched by Mother. Catherine must have navigated to this vicinity because she had detected something, possibly a form of communication linking Seraphina and Mother.

Isaac's gaze lingered on Seraphina for another moment.

'To reside in the mortal realm, she must be quite desperate to locate the War God.'

As an angel, descending into the mortal realm was no simple feat. It demanded considerable resources and, even then, was accompanied by significant limitations.

Her inherent power would be constrained. Her abilities might be sealed or diminished. Even her class might not function as intended.

And due to these numerous restrictions, she could potentially perish at the hands of awakeners who were considerably less powerful than her.

Yet, she persisted in her presence here, and judging by her casual movements, her public dining, and her seamless integration, her intention was to remain in the mortal realm for an extended duration.

Isaac lightly tapped his fingers against his thigh.

'She's in disguise and likely attempting to glean information from me.'

'Whatever intel she acquired from Mother concerning the War God must be intrinsically connected to me.'

'But how precisely is it linked?'

'Well, I could inquire, but she's unlikely to divulge the truth.'

'However, since she seeks information from me, she would probably seek an opportunity to draw near.'

There existed a possibility that Isaac was mistaken, and she harbored an alternative motive for her clandestine observation.

But if his assumptions held true…

'How can I leverage this situation to my advantage?'

Seraphina found herself in the mortal realm, burdened by what must have been immense restrictions imposed by the System.

Nevertheless, she was an angel, descended from one of the most formidable Gods.

If ordinary awakeners were comparable to mere knives, and the elite subordinates of the Lords participating in the competition were like automatic rifles…

Then, Seraphina was akin to a nuclear weapon.

'This is a golden opportunity,' he mused.

'I absolutely must recruit her.'

A subtle smile graced his lips.

Had she been in her true form, any attempt at such a maneuver would have been fraught with peril. Her inherent pride alone would have presented a significant obstacle.

But in her current state?

She was operating under a disguise.

Openly acting as an angel was impossible for her, and revealing her true identity would invite severe repercussions.

This situation provided him with the perfect opening to deceive her.

'If I play my cards right… I can secure her allegiance.'

Wasting no further moments, Isaac advanced.

Simultaneously, he deactivated the disguise skill that had previously masked his presence. The faint distortion surrounding him vanished, and his true form became apparent to the world.

He halted beside her table.

"Greetings," he offered.

Seraphina glanced up casually at first, her cheeks slightly full as she chewed her food.

"Hello— Cough! Cough!"

Upon recognizing him, she nearly expelled her entire meal, only to end up choking on her food and coughing violently.

Isaac reached for the nearby glass, poured water into it, and presented it to her.

"Here, have some of this," he urged.

She took the glass without hesitation, taking a deep gulp. Her coughing subsided gradually, and she finally calmed down.

"…Thank you," she managed, her voice regaining its steadiness.

As this interaction unfolded, the surrounding ambiance began to subtly transform.

Patrons in the vicinity started to notice Isaac's presence.

Initially, it was merely a few curious glances, but soon, someone uttered in recognition.

"Isn't that Lord Isaac?"

"Wait, it truly is him…"

Mobile phones emerged almost instantly.

A handful of individuals edged closer, attempting to get a better view. Some even mustered the courage to approach directly.

"May I have a picture taken with you?"

"Sir, just a single autograph—"

The majority of those stepping forward were women.

Isaac blinked once, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

This turn of events was rather unexpected.

Considering the frequent online criticism he faced, he had presumed the general public would exhibit far less enthusiasm.

Before the situation could escalate further, a contingent of patrol guards arrived with commendable speed.

They promptly established a perimeter around the table, gently yet firmly guiding the onlookers back to create a necessary space.

"Please, step back."

"Kindly give him some personal space."

Isaac offered them a brief nod of acknowledgment. "My thanks."

Once the immediate situation stabilized, he redirected his attention back to Seraphina.

And instantly—

[Status 1: Why has Isaac appeared here? Could he have recognized me? Impossible, that cannot be right. Even the War God himself could never penetrate my disguises! Oh, wait! Did he approach me because of my appearance? I did hear that Isaac is a man of loose morals, unable to control himself when faced with beautiful women.]

Isaac's smile faltered, freezing momentarily.

Just what…?

[Status 2: How can the son of the War God be so depraved? I must discipline him until he learns his lesson! Wait, discipline? Is that not a bit excessive? No, it is not! I am his Godmother, and it is my solemn duty to guide him back to the righteous path if he strays.]

[Status 3: No, no, I cannot resort to physical punishment. I am currently in disguise, after all.]

[Status 4: Alas, even in disguise, she is so breathtakingly beautiful that Isaac was compelled to approach. Being excessively beautiful is indeed a form of sin.]

Isaac gazed at her, utterly speechless from astonishment.

Madam, are your thoughts not spiraling a tad too wildly?

Yet, beneath the surface of her internal monologue, he detected a subtle shift.

Her demeanor seemed noticeably lighter.

This might not have been apparent to a casual observer focusing solely on her facial expression, but with the System revealing her innermost thoughts, the contrast was unmistakable.

'She must have received a crucial piece of information regarding the War God from Mother. That is why she appears so elated.'

This seemed to be the most logical deduction.

Isaac maintained a calm and composed exterior.

"Might I join you for a moment?" he inquired.

Seraphina subtly straightened her posture, the earlier fluster having completely dissipated. A gentle smile bloomed on her face.

"Yes, please do," she replied graciously. "I must apologize for my unsightly conduct moments ago. I was quite taken aback to see the Lord of the City appear before me so unexpectedly."