Perion Sov Vasilios/Timeline

## Plot

Perion’s associate nagged him awake to make haste to The Grand Temple as it was the first oracle they received in three years. With his associate momentarily distracted with prepping the carriages, Perion ventured into town where he briefly crossed paths with a disguised Medea. As he followed her into an alleyway, the mysterious cloaked figure disappeared without a trace, and with the intervention of his associates, he was unable to pursue her further. On their way to the temple, Perion brushed past Helios, repulsed by the stench of rotten corpse exuding from the young marquess. In his absence, the priests disparaged him to the Pope, their impatience exacerbated by his late arrival. However, upon his entrance, the priests were left flabbergasted. There, he graciously greeted the pope and the two engaged in cordial small-talk despite the well-being of the empire at stake.

He then further provoked their infuriation by directly insulting the priests, and the knights in turn, drew their swords to his neck, exclaiming the six priests are the loyal servants of God while he was a mere outsider. Not one to back down, Perion openly declared to put their statement to the test as to who was the true servant of God, himself or their priests. Noticing the general air of malaise, he eased the tension by playing it off as a joke. Following their confrontation, Perion suggested they should reveal the oracle to the public as well as the remainder which left the sixth priest ill after he heard it. Unwilling to cooperate, a priest accused him of fraud which led to their scuffle. However, their dispute was brought to an end by the announcement of the sixth priest’s passing, thus concluding their meeting. Outside, Perion’s associate inquired what instigated his behaviour in the meeting to which he quoted the oracle that prophesied that one closest to the heart of the Vasilios would bring about the downfall of the empire. As they mused over the identity of the one closest to the heart, Perion presumed it to be either Eros or Psyche.

Despite being warned about the repercussions of operating publicly, the Pope announced his true identity at the chapel, dubbing him as the temple’s cardinal. Eros arrived at the temple after hearing Perion revealed his identity, and the latter accused him of planting a spy. Following their dispute, Perion mulled over Eros’ words regarding his fiancée. Back in town, Perion intercepted Medea’s carriage, claiming she possessed a murderous soul. As he put her combat prowess to the test, Medea, in Psyche’s frailer body, feigned a move against Perion and made her escape. One evening, Perion received an imperial invitation and his associate imparted a rumor related to Medea. He then forcefully broke into the Solon Household where he directly confronted Medea. There, Medea attempted to persuade Perion into joining her alliance, however, when he expressed his doubts about the potential benefits of allying with the daughter of a declining dukedom, Medea casually inquired about his injured abdomen, confirming his suspicions that Medea and the hooded figure he encountered many nights prior were indeed the same person. As Perion pressed for answers regarding the high priest and fake oracle, the two found a common enemy in Eros, and Perion eventually conceded to the alliance offer under the condition she beats him in a swords match. He enunciated that if she won then he would do as she pleased, but if he came out victorious then Medea must renounce her title, the ring bearing the Solon crest and her pinky finger.

While Medea explained the rules of the fight, Perion agreed to wager his right eye to balance the stakes. As they duelled, Perion gained the upper advantage due to his strength and familiarity with Medea’s fighting methods. Medea attempted to outmanoeuvre him with her speed and surprise attacks though to no avail. Before she could counterattack, Perion quickly disarmed Medea’s sword but she struck while he was off guard. Even though she recovered the sword, Perion held Medea at sword point and boldly declared his victory. Despite how he envisioned the turn of events, Medea displayed her true skills at the last moment and turned the outcome of the battle in her favor. With Medea emerged as the victor, Perion remained true to his words and gouged his right eye out. Enraged by his action, Medea issued her first command, ordering him to keep his temper under control. Injured and in pain, Perion returned to the temple with a poorly bandaged eye to recuperate from his wound.

The next day, his associate warned Perion of the dangers of allying with someone as villainous as Medea as he may either gain or lose it all. Believing that Medea has the skills to warrant her arrogance, Perion confidently declared he placed his bet in landing on top. In town, the civilians were surprised to witness Perion hanging around with the infamous Medea Solon, the two feigned a romance to explain their meeting in town. Back at home, Medea imparted she planned to manipulate the public sentiment in her favor. From the collective evidence, Perion and Medea draw to a conclusion that Thesion and several noble families conducted human trafficking under the guise of an orphanage. Pleased with Medea pursuing a different path from her father, Perion then remarked on Medea’s lack of emotions and demonstrated how to show empathy. Not long after, Medea entrusted Perion on a journey to seek out answers for the trial from her estranged brother. At his destination, Perion encountered Dekis at the beach by the ocean, noting that despite his striking resemblance to Medea, their personalities differed greatly. After getting acquainted with each other, Dekis acknowledged him as a person important to Medea, much to Perion’s disbelief. Impressed by the former heir’s thorough investigation, Perion invited him to accompany him back to the capital. However, the former heir refused and Perion returned home alone.

Back at the capital, discussions of the trial between Medea and her father spread across the nation as bets were placed on who would win between Medea and the parliamentary faction. As the reformists debated the advantages and risks of supporting the only daughter of Solon, Perion arrived uninvited and revealed himself as the cardinal, soon to be introduced in the upcoming coronation. On the day of the trial, anticipation filled the air as the courtroom filled up and crowds of people gathered outside filling the streets. Much to his displeasure, Perion overheard people gossiping that perhaps he attended the trial because of his rumored love affair with Medea. Despite doing the task instructed by Medea, the cardinal pondered how he would impart the news to Medea about her brother’s refusal to return home. Murmurs befell the courtroom when Medea entered the courtroom with an extravagant ensemble and a glowing smile.

With the revelation of the true oracle at the trial, Perion mentally vowed to remove the corruptive people from the ministry of divinity once he became cardinal officially. Tension began to brew within the courtroom but Perion continued to place his trust in Medea.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 26
2. ↑ Episode 27
3. ↑ Episode 28
4. ↑ Episode 30
5. ↑ Episode 31
6. ↑ Episode 32
7. ↑ Episode 34
8. ↑ Episode 35
9. ↑ Episode 36
10. ↑ Episode 37
11. ↑ Episode 45
12. ↑ Episode 48
13. ↑ Episode 50
14. ↑ Episode 51
15. ↑ Episode 52
16. ↑ Episode 53
17. ↑ Episode 54
18. ↑ Episode 55
19. ↑ Episode 56
20. ↑ Episode 58
21. ↑ Episode 59
22. ↑ Episode 64
23. ↑ Episode 65
24. ↑ Episode 69
25. ↑ Episode 74
26. ↑ Episode 75