Legacy of the Dark Sage

After meeting with Noir, Sigma and Kyran, Malek led them back to the VIP area where the Crown Princess and her two guards were waiting.

"The Crown Princess has a peculiar innate ability," Malek warned them. "It is hard to detect. Even as a Magus, I am only able to detect a small fluctuation around her when she uses it. However, I can more or less guess that her ability had something to do with control over a person..."

Then he paused and furrowed his brown as he recalled the scene where Lt. General Reid could do nothing but listen to what the Crown Princess says.

"No... to be precise, rather than control... it is instilling fear in a person's heart."

Noir's brow furrowed as he looked at Malek, "'Instilling fear?' Can she do that to anyone?"

Malek shook his head, "I am not sure. We all know innate abilities had limitations. For example..."

He paused and thought of someone with who the three were familiar, who also had a well-known innate ability. Then he recalled someone while looking at Kyran sideways.

"Dante from the Mercenary Hall could only use his multiple cast ability with his innate magic. He will not be able to use it with another magic type."

He turned his attention up ahead before continuing, "So there is bound to be a limitation to her ability. But we'll need more information and time to accurately determine it.

"However, this is not the only thing you have to be careful of."

Malek stopped and turned to look at them.

"Because I have a feeling she has another ability."

Noir and Sigma looked at him with wide eyes, "Two 'innate' abilities?"

Both of them asked at the same time, as they stop in their tracks.

Kyran also stopped. Unlike the two older men, however, his expression was neutral. He looked neither surprised, nor worried.

Malek shook his head and replied, "I am not sure if it is another innate ability. You two probably are not aware yet, but if a mage successfully acquire an inheritance from the Master Mages of ancient times, there is a big chance they will also receive an ability."

He then looked at Kyran and a complicated expression flashed on his face before it turned indifferent once more.

Kyran noticed it but did not react. He could guess what Malek had thought at that moment.

Finding an inheritance from a Master Mage of ancient times was rare and could be considered a chance encounter. However, whether a mage could succeed in acquiring it would depend on his abilities and skills. It was because of this that most mages that managed to find the location of an inheritance would either sell the information or plan for a long time before trying to acquire it.

But there was a different kind of inheritance where it could not be acquired by just anyone. Most of the time, only mages who had the same bloodline as the Master Mage of ancient times would be qualified to inherit it. The process of inheriting it differed from person to person, thus, this information was not known publicly.

In a way, Kyran could be considered as someone acquiring an inheritance. He was not the Void Master's reincarnation but instead someone who inherited his legacy because he was of his bloodline.

Malek looking at Kyran pretty much meant he was sure the latter probably also acquired a second ability. As to what that ability was, Kyran guessed it had something to do with how most beasts appeared to stir clear from him.

But Kyran knew the meaning of Malek's look was not only because of this. If he had to guess, Malek was trying to hint at something.

Once again, Kyran recalled Stella tried to tell him something about the Crown Princess.

'She was from the Royal Family. If she had a second ability because she acquired an inheritance then the Master Mage she acquired it from is likely... the Soul Emperor,' Kyran thought and felt his Void core tremble.

"Of course, the Crown Princess having two abilities is only my assumption and I have no solid proof," Malek continued and continued walking. "In any case, she realized almost immediately that Sigma was fighting a puppet earlier. I find it a little strange."

"Her second ability can't be seeing through falsehoods can she?" Noir wondered out loud. "I mean, Kyran's puppet was practically a perfect human replica. The first time I've seen it, I was really surprised.

"For her, to identify it was a puppet in an instant meant she can differentiate a fake from a real one."

Sigma scowled after hearing Noir's words, "Then won't it be dangerous to continue with this lie? If her ability can see through falsehoods, won't she also realize we are putting on a show?"

His scowl deepened as he thought of something and said, "Wait. What if she already saw through our lie and we are falling into a trap if we go to her now?"

"Her ability may not necessary be like that," Kyran finally spoke.

Sigma looked at him and crossed his arms, "What do you have in mind, junior?"

"If she really saw through our show, then that means she already knew the crowd is just a projection," Kyran reminded them. "Why did she not react to that?"

After Kyran pointed this out, Sigma's expression turned thoughtful.

Noir also nodded his head in agreement, "True. Then her ability may not necessarily be seeing through falsehoods but..."

He paused for a moment. In the end, he could only sigh and shake his head, "I think trying to understand her ability at this point is meaningless. If we dwell on it and act cautiously around her, it may be counterproductive and may even cause her to think we are up to something."

"Master Noir is right," Kyran agreed with a short nod.

Malek did not say anything but agreed inwardly.

Sigma snorted, "Regardless of what her second ability is. In the end, she is interested in you, junior. You have to be careful."

Kyran gave him a wry smile, "Why does it feel like your cursing me when you said that?"

"Why you—! I am genuinely showing my concern and yet you—! Just what do you take me for?" Sigma growled.

Noir chuckled at them while Malek only raised his brows.

After a few minutes, the four of them finally arrived in front of the VIP room.

[The Crown Princess is accompanied by two army officers. One captain and one Brigadier General. They have low magic levels, however, the captain possessed Space Magic, while the Brigadier General was a combat mage with Fire Magic.]

Malek switched to telepathy when he said to make sure the people inside the VIP room would not hear them.

Noir, Sigma, and Kyran all nodded their heads.

[Then, let's go in.]

Malek pushed the door open and entered the room.

Inside the VIP room, Haylee was still seated on the middle floating cushion while Vera and Rhys stood on each side of her.

,m As soon as Malek entered, all three of them looked up.

They already sensed their arrival and differently from how Malek briefed Kyran and the rest, the three had been silent from the time Malek had left the room.

Haylee smiled at once as she watched Malek and the rest entered the room.

Kyran was the last one to enter and the moment he looked up and saw the Crown Princess, his heart could not help but skipped a beat.

The first thing that crossed his mind was a young girl, with short light brown hair and eyes that seemed to reflect all colors in the surroundings, smiling at him.

'Cyneah...' Kyran thought.

Then the image of the young girl overlapped with the Crown Princess, sitting on the floating cushion before him.

In Kyran's mind, Cyneah opened her soft pink lips and said, "Nar."

At the same time, the Crown Princess opened her soft red lips and said, "Disciple Tyr."

Kyran snapped out of his reverie.

None of the people present inside saw how shaken he was just now because his expression remained neutral and even looked as if he was bored. Inwardly, though, his heart still trembled.

Five years ago, or to be precise, a couple of weeks ago in real-time, Nolan said that Cyneah looked like the Crown Princess. Now that Kyran was seeing the latter in person, he realized what Nolan said was an understatement. If he did not know better, he would think Cyneah and the Crown Princes were one and the same.

Kyran looked at the Crown Princess and only replied to her greeting by tilting his head to one side.

His action instantly made Vera and Rhys frown in disapproval. However, after what happened back in the receiving area, they did not say anything and only glared.

"Your Highness," Noir and Sigma greeted by lowering their head slightly.

To be honest, they did not want to lower their heads to anyone but the Lord of the Tower. But given how dire their situation was, they had to keep putting on a show.

"Chairman Noir, President Sigma," Haylee nodded at them, before looking at the rest while gesturing toward the vacant floating seat cushions, "Please everyone, have a seat."

Malek was the first to move, he waved his hand and four floating seat cushions flew toward them.

Haylee kept a smile on her face as she waited for them to take their seat. Once they did, she looked at Rhys and Vera who nodded their heads and also took a seat on the floating seat cushions on each side of her.

Finally, Haylee looked at Kyran and said, "I don't want to beat around the bush, Disciple Tyr.

"The reason why I asked to meet with you in front of Chairman Noir and the rest is that I want to take you with me back to the Royal Palace."

Silence ensued inside the room.

Noir and Sigma were both surprised to hear this because Malek did not elaborate on how the Crown Princess had taken the bait which was the 'puppet.' They did not expect that her taking the bait meant she had taken interest in Kyran, himself.

On the other hand, Kyran, still wearing an unreadable expression, leaned back and raised his brows.

"Is that something a Crown Princess should be saying?" He asked, breaking the silence. "It almost sounded as if, you're hitting on me."