Unlike usual, none of the faces seated at the table were jovial.
Instead, they wore stoic and placid faces as they all looked at Ryan, waiting for him to begin the meeting.
"Welcome to the first gathering of the war against the Kheaweth Empire," Ryan said, addressing both sides of the table. "First, I want to address the most pressing matter, the wedding. But befor-"
Before Ryan could finish speaking, Komma Argallod interrupted him. "I think you mean the most pressing matter of the attacks on the Zol'Gan Empire."
Ryan raised his eyebrows. Looking at the Zol'Gan Empress, Ryan wasn't afraid. He was angry.
"Your plight against the Kheaweth Empire is noted," Ryan said, his voice turning icy cold. "But you should know that you're not the only one facing attacks from the Holy Alliance."
After speaking, Ryan turned to Aurora, who had yet to join the Emerald Family, but since Ryan knew her identity as his mother, he wasn't worried about a betrayal.
"Aurora's Dawn Pavilion is experiencing far worse attacks than your empire, yet you still have the gull to claim that your empire is the most pressing issue?" Ryan's voice was getting heated, not because he felt enraged by the demon's interruption but because he had to establish dominance.
Ryan knew that his leadership would be tested in this meeting. He was, after all, sitting at a table full of leaders in their own right.
Sitting opposite him were two Empresses and a leader of an equally strong force, which wouldn't accept the leadership of another easily.
"I still don't understand why your Master is not the one speaking," Aurora said, but still nodded in thanks at the recognition Ryan gave her issue.
Before the meeting, Ryan explained to everyone that he was acting as his Master's spokesperson, not himself.
So even the Zol'Gan Empress, disgruntled at Ryan's reply, wouldn't give up his identity.
"My Master is preparing for the wedding, which I will explain in a moment why it is the most pressing issue," Ryan said, looking back at Komma.
Komma nodded and seemed to be subdued, at least for now.
"But before that, Aurora, are you sure you won't be joining the Emerald Family?" Ryan asked.
Aurora shook her head. "I have stated that once my son has been returned to me, I will join whatever alliance you want. But before then, we'll just have to make do with trust."
Ryan sighed. "As I've explained before, my Master-"
"Yes, your Master said that my son is safe but doesn't want to see me before the wedding," Aurora waved her hand.
That was the lie Ryan had told Aurora, as he didn't want to expose his identity before the wedding for two reasons.
The first was that, as Aliza had taught him, mothers were unpredictable regarding their children.
Right now, Ryan had Aurora on a leash that he could tug on anytime he chose. It was her weakness.
But what if his mother tried to take control and stop his plans for the wedding?
What he would be doing was risky and required him to put his life on the line.
Would Aurora let her son risk his life like that?
That wasn't a risk Ryan was willing to take.
The second reason was that for this plan to work, Ryan needed a genuine reaction from Aurora when his abilities were revealed at the wedding.
The Kheaweth Grand Empress wasn't someone who would be easily fooled, as she was a master of foolery herself. After all, she had fooled an entire world for hundreds of thousands of years.
"As you wish," Ryan said. Then, standing up, Ryan waved his hand, making a hologram appear.
"The reason why the wedding is a pivotal moment is because of… me," Ryan said.
While Ryan's harem members were in the know, the opposite side was confused, besides a knowing expression from Becca Kheaweth.
"What do you mean?" Komma Argallod asked, frowning.
She knew the wedding was essential, but her previous outburst wasn't a play.
She was confident that the attacks on her empire were more pressing.
Waving his hand, a file titled 'Project: Subject One' was displayed on the screen.
Several things from the file had been redacted, as Ryan didn't want to give away anything that could indicate he was Aurora's son to her.
"What is this?" Aurora asked, looking over the file.
As Aurora scrutinized the file, she started frowning, seeing several concerning details.
"Brainwashing? Torture? The Academy?" Aurora suddenly remembered her secretary she had 'tortured' and gotten information from about this raven-haired man attending the wedding.
Aurora had been trying to discover how the secretary could know this, but now it all made sense.
Aurora didn't hesitate and immediately activated her aura, encompassing everyone except for Emily, Becca, Ester, Sienna, and Komma.
Expecting this, Ryan wasn't perturbed by the pressure. Instead, he was calm and stated, "Do you normally have enemies come and present themselves defenseless to your door?"
Becca calmly said, "Aurora, let him finish. I think you'll be surprised."
Aurora snarled. "Do you think I take orders from an imbecile like you? You, who couldn't even realize her own mother was evil?"
Biting her tongue, Becca couldn't refute the words Aurora was saying, as she had come to the same conclusion.
Aurora turned to Ryan, expecting him to be hunched over due to her aura, but to her surprise, he was standing upright and looking her in the eye.
Although she wore a veil that covered her features, she still couldn't help but get lost in those emerald eyes.
'It's not him. It's not him,' Aurora continued to repeat in her head, knowing Ryan wasn't the man she wanted to be there.
Although she didn't know if she was hoping it was her son or the man she dreamed of.
Seeing her lapse in concentration, Ryan started speaking, "Although what that file says is true, there is one thing it leaves out."
"And what's that?" Aurora asked after calming down.
"I'm not brainwashed."
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