Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran and Mimi returned to the dome using the same transportation array they used to go to the Courtenay Residence.

True Void, still sitting on Kyran's shoulders, stretched his body and yawned. He said, "That was exhausting! Using that arts is far more energy draining than fighting Sovereigns!"

Mimi looked furtively at True Void. She still could not fathom what kind of 'creature' this little armor was. Aside from this, 'it' would sometimes say things she could not understand. Just like now. What did he even mean about fighting 'sovereigns'?

Finally, Mimi turned her gaze on Kyran's back, who had not said a word to the little armor's ranting. She wondered if he was even listening.

Sensing Mimi's gaze on him, Kyran turned to look at her and raised his brows questioningly.

Mimi nervously stepped back, which caused an amused smile to appear on Kyran's lips. Annoyed, she immediately steeled her heart and looked at him straight in the eyes. However, her face heated up at once, and she looked away.

Mimi found it hard to look at 'Tyr's' real face.

'His name is not Tyr but Kyran. Kyran Regis...' she corrected herself.

'Tyr's' aquamarine eyes looked mesmerizing. But being born into a family with different colored eyes, Mimi was used to them. While Kyran's dark gray eyes were unusual, and his gaze seemed to pierce through one's core, it was pretty unnerving.

Her late grandfather had once told her about his experience after meeting the Regis's Patriarch. He said:

"His dark silver gray eyes pierced through me, and I was left frozen in place. He seemed to look through me and no matter what I say did not matter. Nothing could escape their dark silver gray eyes."

Mimi did not understand what her late grandfather meant back then; now, she did.

"W-Why didn't you change me, too?" Mimi asked after hesitating for a second.

The change she meant was her personality and view.

Truth be told, when they found Eoin was still alive, they thought Kyran would force him to manipulate their memories through Memory magic before enslaving them.

To their utmost confusion, Kyran left their memories intact and only changed their personality and view.

At least, that was the case with Ernst, Hanes, and the rest of the elders. Kyran did not use the Dark Arts to change Mimi, Eoin, and Mordin.

After a few seconds and no answer came from Kyran, Mimi looked at him again. Her expression turned sour at once after realizing he had completely ignored her. He even started fiddling around the still-activated transportation array as if it was the most curious thing in the world.

"Did Evan create this array?" Kyran asked after a few minutes of silence.

Mimi frowned. She wanted to ignore Kyran. But while he did not change her, along with Eoin and Mordin, they had sworn allegiance to him.

They could not defy or ignore his orders. Right now, Kyran asking her a question seemed to be an order.

"No," Mimi replied, not bothering to hide her annoyance. "The whole array formation is one of our Family's Treasure, recorded in the Ancient Tablet. Elder Evan, along with all Array talents of our family, studied it for years and succeeded in replicating it."

"I see. No wonder the Courtenay Family managed to promote several Array Specialists. It's all due to this array."

"You make it sound like that array was why my people got promoted."

Kyran looked at her and said, "That's exactly what I meant."

Mimi frowned, "Many of our family members have talents in Array! Apart from this, most are very diligent and-."

"It's getting late," Kyran cut her midsentence. "Head back to your room first. I'll stay here for a while to check this array."

Mimi's frown deepened at Kyran's blatant dismissal. She wanted to argue but knew it was futile. It only occurred to her that, unlike when Kyran was acting as 'Tyr,' the real him was far more aloof and disliked being asked questions.

With a sigh, Mimi turned and went to the door. Then she paused and said, "Just as you said, it's already late. You have a competition tomorrow morning. Is it alright for you to stay up late?"

"I'm fine," Kyran replied without looking at her.

"G-Good night then," Mimi said and hurried out the door.

True Void, who watched the whole thing in silence, jumped off Kyran's shoulder and hovered above. He shook his head disapprovingly and said, "Void Halfling, it is one thing not to tell that girl your reasons, but I'm wondering the same thing. Isn't it risky to leave three people with only a Mark of Allegiance?"

"They know fear better than the others. It's fine not to change them," Kyran explained while checking the array on the floor. "They are also smarter. They will not make the stupid mistake of telling the Crown Princess about me. Besides, they are always around her and the Emperor. They may not recognize the Dark Arts spell I used on them, but what about Ruin and Deception?"

True Void sat cross-legged in midair and crossed his arms, "I kind of get the two elders being smart, but that girl just now... what's her name again? I don't think she's smart, especially after falling on your cheap trick."

Kyran chuckled, "She hated Tyr, and that clouded her judgment. Anyway, she's smart enough to keep her mouth shut around the Crown Princess. That's enough."

"Ah, right. That Ernst guy blabbers a lot."

Kyran nodded.

"Wait. Ernst is the Courtenay Patriarch, right? Wouldn't he be around the Emperor and the Crown Princess, too?"

"Not much as Eoin, at least."

"Eoin?"

Kyran nodded, "Eoin holds the highest position in the Courtenay, not Ernst. Ernst is the Patriarch, but Eoin is the one making decisions."

"Eh? Do you mean Ernst is only a puppet?"

"Not entirely. It's just that with Eoin's magic, he could not become a real pillar of the Courtenay Family. On the other hand, Ernst, a Wind mage, is almost an Exalted; eventually, he will become a Magus. Even if Eoin managed to become a Magus, compared to Memory magic, Wind magic looks more powerful."

"Hm... But that is not true."

Kyran smiled and nodded, "Yes. Unfortunately, because of human's prejudice, they all think offense magic is superior than support magic."

True Void, "True that. There is really no weak magic. Its just how mages utilize them."

He looked at Kyran and added, "And there is no evil magic either. People are only ignorant."

Kyran looked at him but did not say anything. With a bitter smile, he turned his attention back to the array.

After a few minutes, Kyran stood up with an appreciative look. He deactivated the array and said, "This array is quite good. It has seven sequences. Depending on the active sequence, its effect changes."

"Oh?" What Kyran said piqued True Void's interest. "That's not something a normal human with Array talent could come up with."

"Yeah," Kyran agreed. "I read this kind of array back in the Tower of Tribulations."

True Void's eyes widened, "You don't say... Could the person who came up with this entered the tower at some point?"

"It is a possibility," Kyran replied, and with a bitter smile, he added, "It just meant that not every member of the Courtenay Family is evil. The one who made this array is one of the few who were righteous and found their way to the Tower of Tribulation."

"Hm," True Void agreed. "But I'm surprised you didn't ask Eoin or that Ernst to hand you all the Courtenay's information or even visit their archive to read through all their records. You could have checked the original array formation there instead of checking a replica."

Black lines appeared on Kyran's head as he looked at True Void.

"Their archive contained probably about half a millennia worth of records. Do you think I have the leisure to read through those in one night? I still have things to do."

"Oh? What's this? Void Halfling is actually admitting he was incapable of doing something?"

"..."

"BAHAHAHA! You're face!"

Kyran sighed. He ignored True Void's teasing and took out his face-altering mask.

"By the way, Void Halfling. What are you planning to do with their family's Magus? That Eoin admitted, there are three in their family."

Kyran looked at him, "What about those three?"

"Oi. Those are three Magus, you know," True Void said in exasperation. "It's not about you unable to handle them, but the Royal Army is definitely monitoring them."

Instead of answering True Void with a long explanation, Kyran only said, "Tritus," as if that was enough to put the former's mind at ease.

"GAH! Seriously!" True Void blurted. "What does that even mean?"

"Tritus is an Arch Magus, almost at Legendary," Kyran explained patiently. "He is being monitored by the Royal Army, too. But I still managed to make him my Sigil. Why does a three Magus be any different?"

"It's one thing to deal with one, but we're talking about three!" True Void insisted.

"Then I'll deal with them one by one," Kyran replied and finally put on his face-altering mask.

"Oh, right. There's that option. Gah! It's cause you drained my newly acquired magic energy, my thinking slowed! I NEED MORE MAGIC ENERGY! DO YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK TO SLEEP DUE TO INSUFFICIENT MAGIC ENERGY?"

Kyran scratched his head.

Using the Dark Arts spell to change Ernst and the others required a lot of magic energy. Then he also placed a mark on them similar to the ones he gave the Montgomeray. That also required a lot of it.

Since Kyran had a competition tomorrow, he had to use his magic energy sparingly. In the end, True Void supplied the required magic energy to complete the spell and the mark.

"I'll find time to talk to Azaloth. I'm sure he knows a place here in the empire with richer magic energy."

"Of course there is! Just go inside the Chaos Palace!"

"You know I can't enter there yet," Kyran reminded.

"How about we ask mistress's help?" True Void asked teasingly. "She can sing and replenish my magic energy!"

Kyran did not respond. Instead, he waved his hand and forced True Void back into his Void World.

[Oi! I'm not done yet!]

'Stay put there for now. I'll find a place where you can eat, don't worry.'

[Fine. Fine.]

When True Void had settled down, Kyran returned to his room.

Outside his room, he found Millie waiting for him.

Kyran smiled inwardly. His business with the Courtenay Family would only be completed after he dealt with Millie. And her appearing before him was no coincidence.

He told Ernst to allow Millie to meet with him.

As soon as Millie saw Kyran, she beamed and ran to greet him, "Disciple Tyr!"

Kyran smiled slightly and nodded, "Lady Millie."

Tonight. He would settle the score with her.

====================

The following day, all faction leaders, elders, council members, non-participant faction members, and guests gathered at the dome's fourth floor, Grand Hall. Inside the dome, this was the second largest hall after the center hall.

Several seats, which could accommodate thousands of people, surrounded the hall's first floor. The second level had additional seats which could accommodate around five hundred people. On the third level, there were six executive booths reserved for the leaders of each faction who would be watching the whole program.

The executive booth at the north side of the hall was where the Royal Family was staying. In previous matches, either the Emperor or the Crown Princess would be present to oversee it. But today, both were already there, including the Empress. Their presence showed how important today's matches were.

The center of the hall had been divided into two. On the left side, six alchemy furnaces, tables, and cabinets full of ingredients were lined up. At the same time, the right side had a four hundred square meters arena with two steel benches on each corner.

For today's event, it was apparent that the Courtenay Family made it so everyone could watch all matches.