Gael sneered as he observed Kyran inside his domain. Though the latter's expression did not change after Gael's revelation, he knew it was only a facade.
Based on all the reports of those who met Kyran in battle and survived, he normally wore an indifferent expression. From this, Gael knew that the Regis Clan taught Kyran to hide his emotions pretty well. It would not be easy to rile him up simply by speaking of words.
However, Gael already knew Kyran's weakness— his unrelenting belief that he had to protect everyone close to him.
It was not Gael who concluded this but her Highness, the Crown Princess.
Kyran's sudden appearance in Noser puzzled Gael and the others. Kyran had been throwing off the Royal Army's pursuit all this time, why did he suddenly decided to show up?
But Haylee guessed that Kyran did this to keep split the Royal Army and the Royal Family's forces, reducing the pressure on the Regis Clan in the process. Haylee did not know who leaked the information about their attempt to destroy the Regis Clan's defensive array with the help of Ruin that time, but after Lira escaped from the Conclave, and she told them what had happened on her side, it gave them all the information that led to them finally understand the whole picture.
Mannick was the traitor on their side. All this time, he had been working with the Conclave.
No wonder he had been too focused on developing the eastern part of the empire. It was because he had forged an alliance with the Conclave.
On the other hand, Gael made the wrong choice of approaching the Conclave's Mercenary Guild to log Kyran's wanted list.
Initially, Gael was not afraid of others recognizing Kyran because the Regis Clan had been in seclusion for a long time and few had met their members.
In the empire, there were two individuals whose information had been kept under wraps from the public and even the noble families' scrutiny. One was the Crown Princess, and the other was the Regis Clan's Young Master.
Their information were actually hidden better than that of the Emperor!
This actually held true even when Kyran studied in Milfiore Military School. Only a selected few in the faculty was aware of his identity as a Regis.
Even Emperor Euan did not know Kyran studied there. Only after issuing the Legendary Badge did he knew about Kyran.
In any case, Gael was confident that no one would recognize Kyran even if he released the latter's photo to the public— obviously, he did not know about the Legendary Badge and that Emperor Euan already knew what Kyran looked like.
Ultimately, Gael's plans were rendered useless because the Mercenary Guild to whom he thought he could use, had been working with the Regis Clan all this time.
One thing led to another that end up with Gael's ploy being discovered by the Crown Princess. But at least she was far more receiving with his ideals and after surrendering to her will, his ploy was finally back on track, albeit the one leading now was her and not him.
But that was good and all. As a matter of fact, Gael believed it was better.
Going back on topic, with the addition of Lira's intel, Osric got a better hold of Kyran's network and even character. Then after Gael arrived and the three exchanged information, they finally had a better understanding of Kyran's thinking and what moves him.
It also confirmed why Kyran was unmoved at times, but would go on a killing spree the next moment.
"You don't have to pretend to be calm. We already know what makes you tick," Gael continued to taunt Kyran. "You had the Conclave's master, the Time Keeper, protect her. So we know you placed great importance in her safety.
"Which is somewhat contradicting. Since Mannick is working with you, I'm sure you already know what her Highness looks like. So why would you keep her safe?
"Did you think they are not the same person? That's not the case, is it not?
"Now that I think of it, most who met her Highness in person would end up awed by her appearance and presence. After all, she really is a beauty. But you were composed each time— right. You did not actually meet her as yourself but as Disciple Tyr."
Kyran remained silent even after Gael revealed their real intentions. But Gael knew that deep down, Kyran was already on a verge of exploding.
Gael could not help but grin at the thought of Kyran losing control. Gael was not stupid to let Kyran lose control in the real world, but that was not the case when they were inside his domain.
The reason was simple, no one could touch Gael in his domain.
Truth be told, although Gael said Kyran could not counter his magic, that was not entirely true. To be precise, the latter did not need to counter his magic in order to win. He could simply aim at his physical body and he would be defeated in no time.
"The reason you were unfazed after seeing her Highness was because you were already used to seeing her 'face,' am I correct?" Gael continued, and then paused with a sigh. "Unfortunately, because of your indifference coupled with a handsome face, you succeeded in distracting her Highness's thoughts.
"But all of that is in the past. Thanks to you revealing the truth about your lie, her Highness has truly awaken, and as long as she absorbs her other-half, she would be truly complete!"
Kyran slightly lifted his head upon hearing this.
Seeing Kyran finally react, Gael's grin broaden further.
"What's this? Are you shocked to learn the woman you're protecting is only a piece of her Highness?"
Gael did not know about human essences. Thus, he only thought Haylee's other half was a 'piece' of herself.
"Could it be that you actually… with that piece…? You seduced her Highness while feeling nothing for her, but was smitten by a 'piece' of herself, instead. HAHAHAHA, talk about irony—!"
"Are you done?"
Kyran finally spoke, cutting off Gael's gloating.
Gael's eyes narrowed. However, he was not afraid. If Kyran went on a rampage in his domain, it would be alright. As a matter of fact, that was what he wanted— Kyran, exhausting his energy in his domain. Then Gael would 'eat' it as his own.
He might even end up killing the new Dark Sage! What would her Highness think if that happened?
Gael immediately extinguished the idea in his head.
The Crown Princess needed the new Dark Sage alive, so Gael could not kill him.
Just as Gael was thinking this, Kyran's voice brought him out of his reverie.
"No? Then, I'll make you shut up."
BOOM!
A couple of hundred meters outside the Tower of Conclave, a dark purple half-sphere appeared and expanded at an alarming speed.
The moment Aki, Len and Neo sensed this, they immediately stopped what they were doing and retreated.
The Special Ops, and the remaining enemy mages were flabbergasted at the sight. Even the strange shadow minions, engaged with the purple orbs stopped on their tracks.
Instincts told them to flee. Unfortunately, even when their brains told them to move, their bodies failed to react in time. By the time their brains registered the 'flee' command, the dark purple half-sphere had already expanded toward their location and they disintegrated upon contact.
It happened too fast that they did not even have the time to scream.
Inside Stella's chamber at the central tower of the Tower of Conclave, after Cyneah sensed Kyran's presence disappearing, she felt her heart sank.
From the moment Kyran failed to keep his promise to return as soon as possible, Cyneah had already felt her whole being gripped with fear.
To be fair, she never experienced real fear. Yes, she felt hopeless at times, but never feared. She did not even felt fear when she was forced to face death after being left alone inside a cave in the Valley of Morte. She already knew she would die so it was pointless to despair. Instead, she tried to stay alive as long as possible. But when the time to die arrives, she was prepared to embrace it.
But then, Kyran appeared and unknowingly gave her something she had thought she would never feel.
Hope.
It was because of this that Cyneah regarded Kyran as her 'light,' even though technically she could not see his 'light.'
Thus, whenever Cyneah felt real fear, it was always because of Kyran.
In that moment of fear, Cyneah was already prepared to use the token Kyran gave her and come to his aid.
The token could teleport her once, and although she did not know if she would appear where he was, she wanted to believe it would.
In the end, Cyneah could not use the token. Not because she suddenly felt reluctant, but because Stella stopped her.
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