"'This face grew on me...'?" Iulia repeated absentmindedly. She blinked for a moment, half understanding yet relatively not the meaning behind it.
"Neo," Kyran called Neo once more.
Though Kyran used the same tone, something in the way he spoke made Neo shiver, and immediately, he touched his mask and changed the settings of his face.
"All done, master. Please don't reset my settings."
"'R-Reset settings...'" Iulia repeated again. She was then reminded of how 'Tyr' used a puppet during the competition between the Conclave and the Royal Army and knew for sure that Kyran was indeed Tyr.
"A puppet," Iulia said, observing Neo momentarily before looking at Kyran. "A puppet with a sentient."
Kyran only smiled in response.
"Why not have a seat first? We have so much to discuss. Let's not dally any longer."
The one who had spoken was not Kyran but someone else among the several others present in the room.
Iulia had been focused on those who knelt before Kyran that she did not get a better look at them. But after hearing that person, she looked up and realized more familiar faces were among them.
The Courtenay Family First Elder and one of the Twin Belles: Eoin and Mimi.
The Montgomeray Family Patriarch and his daughter: Ezra and Zuri.
The Lumley Family First Elder and newly appointed next Matriarch: Adonias and Claudias.
The Lord of the Tower and the Chairman of the Mercenary Hall: Stella and Hugh.
Iulia's expression turned solemn seeing these people gathered here. She was forced to reassess her understanding of the young man named Kyran Regis.
The things they had gathered about him were nothing compared to what she was seeing now.
Although it had been hard tracking down Kyran's tracks after he left the Regis Estate, and there were still unclear things, especially regarding the 'mage with forbidden magic' who 'abducted' him, Iulia and her family only discovered he had been hiding at the Conclave all this time.
When the news of Disciple Tyr's return coincided with the date when Kyran had taken refuge there, they had assumed they were one and the same. However, they did not have solid proof, especially after discovering the Courtenay Family's findings that 'Tyr' looked like the missing young ruler of a neighboring country.
Even during the joint Military Exercise between the Conclave and the Royal Army, when Haylee had suspected 'Tyr' as someone from the Regis Clan, Iulia never linked the latter to Kyran. She did agree with Haylee that he might be a clan member— but not from the main family.
After meeting Kyran, Iulia could not help but sense similarities between him and Tyr.
Seeing the leading figures of the Three Noble Families here, especially the Courtenay Family— who Iulia and her family knew had been working with the Boyd Family, a branch family of the Winfrey Family— confused her.
How did they end up becoming allies of the Regis Clan?
It seemed the information Iulia's people had gathered was all wrong.
Meanwhile, Abe, Pheobe, and Zeniff, who were silent throughout the initial exchange between Kyran and his Sigils, took their seat first. They already knew about them, which was why they did not react. Although, Iulia's reaction was pretty much the same as theirs the first time they found out about them.
After them, Tritus and the others also took their seats.
Finally, there were only Kyran and Iulia.
Kyran looked at Iulia, gestured at the empty seat beside the one he would sit on, and said, "Empress Iulia, I know you have a lot to say after seeing them here. Don't worry, we'll get there."
Before Iulia could respond, the space above Kyran distorted as a beautiful woman with an unearthly feature appeared.
The woman's pinkish eyes bore through Iulia as she sat on a huge crystal lily.
"Are you sure it is fine taking her here?" She asked Kyran, although her eyes never left Iulia.
Iulia felt a powerful pressure enveloping her whole body. However, there was no ill intent on them. Nevertheless, it still caused cold sweat to trickle down her face.
"White Lily, there is no need to scan her. She's inside my domain. She would not be able to do anything."
"Domain?" Iulia's eyes widened after hearing Kyran.
Domains are something a Magus could possess. Not only that, another Magus would have noticed if he or she had entered another Magus domain. But Iulia did not sense anything like that when they appeared in this place. For this reason, she was convinced they were 'transported' out of the palace.
That was right. Iulia was already a Magus. As a matter of fact, she was already at the peak and would have already advanced to the next level if she did not get pregnant.
Of course, that was not to say she did not want to be pregnant. It was actually her choice to stop focusing on improving her magic and focus on building a family.
Still, the fact that she did not realize she had entered a domain meant the person before her was far stronger than her.
Which, if she looked at the information they had of 'Kyran Regis,' would be impossible.
"There is nothing to worry about, your majesty."
Another person spoke from behind.
"My new master is not someone who would hurt people he deemed trustworthy."
'This voice...!' Iulia turned and saw Mannick, much to her surprise.
However, there was something about his demeanor that changed.
Mannick no longer had that domineering, almost like a rebel, aura around him. He looked more amiable, albeit still exuding that powerful aura.
As a matter of fact, Iulia felt Mannick's aura had gotten stronger. She remembered he was only an Exalted. But that did not seem to be the case.
Kyran looked at Mannick with a wry smile, "I thought you didn't want to join."
Mannick smiled at him and said, "If its about missing a chair, it is okay."
He waved his hand, and a new chair appeared next to Tritus.
"I'll take a seat beside Tritus."
Seeing this, Byron immediately reacted. Actually, he already bulked when Mannick called Kyran his 'new master.' Because if they had to include him in their rankings, wouldn't he get pushed down further?
Even that Zephyr kid was stronger than him!
"Oi! I don't sense the Sigil on you! Why are you calling our master your new master, huh?"
Mannick ignored him.
On the other hand, Tritus was looking at him curiously. Neither of them said anything when Mannick sat beside him. However, judging by the seat arrangement, it looked like Mannick was 'higher' than him.
Before any of them would make a big deal out of this whole ranking stuff, Kyran said in exasperation, "You guys, stop. Settle your differences later, we have things to discuss."
Byron scowled at Mannick. But since Kyran, his master, gave an order, he could only shut his mouth.
Tritus was the same. He only smiled at Mannick, who smiled in return.
The rest of the people inside were looking at them with mixed emotions.
Although it was not the first time they had seen them, with some of them even working closely with them during the war, they still had trouble adapting to the fact that they were 'Sigils.'
Well, except for Abe, Pheone, Zeniff, and even Stella. They were already used to it— or, at least, trying to get used to it.
Kyran turned to Iulia again and said, "Shall we?"
Iulia snapped out of her reverie and looked at Kyran. The more she looked, the more she could not fathom him. In the end, she nodded her head and took a seat.
When everyone was seated, Kyran looked at them for a moment before starting the meeting.
*
Iulia stood in front of the palace courtyard as she saw the carriage Kyran and the others had taken a left. She looked at the back of the carriage, still overwhelmed by what had just happened.
One of the ministers looked at her in concern and asked, "Your majesty, although they had not taken much of your time, you have been meeting with the Royal Court since morning. Why not take a rest this afternoon?"
The other minister nodded in agreement, "Yes, your majesty. You have to take care of the young prince's health as well."
Iulia could not help but smile wryly at their words. They had no idea how wrong they were.
They had not taken much of her time? She should rest this afternoon?
Iulia had thought she had been gone for hours. Thus, she expected it was already late at night when they came back. But after returning, she found only a few minutes had passed.
Although she already knew what Stella could do, they were inside Kyran's domain. How was she able to use her Time magic inside another's domain?
There were also a lot of things Iulia still had to digest. Thus, with a nod, she said, "You're right. Cancel all my meetings this afternoon. I want to take a rest."
"Yes, your majesty."
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