Legacy of the Dark Sage

"I am not fearless, milord," Cyneah replied meekly. "Rather, I am full of fear that I want to give it my all."

She did not elaborate on what she meant, but every one near who heard her knew exactly what she did not say aloud.

'Neah...'

[This girl...]

After hearing Cyneah's words, Shaiha couldn't help but view her in a different light.

Honestly, the younger woman's very existence posed a significant obstacle in convincing Kyran to accept his identity as the Realm Scion. Thus, Shaiha would rather that she be removed from the picture as soon as possible. However, that would be impossible to do because she was not only someone very important to Kyran but also one of the successors of Ancient Magic Cores.

As already assumed, becoming the Realm Scion meant Kyran had to gather all Ancient Magic Cores and absorb them. Obviously, this included the Soul core. But doing that would mean that Cyneah would never recover her sight.

Moreover, the Ancient Magic Cores, although artificially produced, are still magic cores and magic cores are part of a mage's essence— or, to be more precise, their life soul.

Anyone who lost a part of their essence would have their time reduced.

One would think that if Kyran becomes the Realm Scion, he should have the power to keep Cyneah— as well as Stella— safe from any negative effect of losing the Ancient Magic Cores.

But that was not the case.

Initially, Cyneah and Stella were immune to the Fate's Code because they were possessors or successors of Ancient Magic Cores. But once they lost it, their immunity would also be lost, and their fates would be sealed.

Kyran becoming the Realm Scion did not mean he would have the power to overwrite someone else's fate. He could severe the fate that the Fates would bestow upon Cyneah and Stella, but if he did that, their existence would become an anomaly in fixing The Realm.

Shaiha knew Kyran by now. If severing Cyneah and Stella's fates would ensure they would not die, he would not hesitate to do that, even if it resulted in an anomaly that threatened the revival of The Realm.

When that happened, turning Kyran into the Realm Scion would lose all meaning. In fact, all the plotting and manipulation that happened to ensure he would be qualified to possess all Ancient Magic Cores would be wasted.

Knowing all these, Shaiha knew she had to tread carefully when Cyneah was concerned.

Shaiha decided that the only way for Kyran to not feel any ounce of hesitation in claiming Cyneah's Ancient Magic core was if he lost interest in her. In Shaiha's eyes, Kyran was only interested in Cyneah because even if she was blind, she was a real beauty. The impure thoughts that would fleet in and out of his mind whenever Kyran and Cyneah were in close proximity made Shaiha believe this.

With this in mind, Shaiha wanted to devise a perfect plan for Kyran to meet someone far more beautiful than Cyneah. Such a woman was not hard to find in the Higher Realm, where the more powerful a female mage's magic knowledge and level, the more beautiful and flawless they became.

However, after glimpsing Cyneah's true character, Shaiha knew that her thoughts were too immature.

Kyran would never lose interest in Cyneah. She was special to him not because he was physically attracted to her but because of her character.

As a matter of fact, Kyran was already aware of Shaiha's plan and just rolled his eyes at her foolish idea.

Going back to the present, Cyneah's words touched Shaiha's heartstrings, and now she, too, felt bad if someone like her ended up losing her life just because she possessed the Soul Core.

The Dragon Emperor's eyes softened as he looked at Cyneah. It was a subtle change that Kyran did not notice them. But he did sense the former's overbearing presence simmered down.

Cyneah might not elaborate on what she meant about her words, but the Dragon Emperor knew that she had done what she did because she feared for Kyran. She feared so much for him and the Dragon Emperor's relationship turning sour that she did not mind risking her own safety to stop that from happening.

To other people's eyes, the Dragon Emperor and Kyran were relatives, and they believed that the former would not truly hurt the latter. However, Cyneah thought differently, and the Dragon Emperor agreed that when he was enraged earlier, he nearly lost all rationality and truly wanted to hurt Kyran.

If Cyneah had not done what she did, the Dragon Emperor might have truly gone over the line— a line bordering on the path of no return.

Frankly, how Cyneah intervened helped the Dragon Emperor greatly. He knew his outburst just then was quite immature of him. Still, because of others' misunderstanding of his reason, he could say that Cyneah's song calmed him down. Now, he could pretend to allow Kyran in the Dragon plane after careful deliberation.

With that in mind, the Dragon Emperor turned around and said, "Do as you wish."

Then he paused dramatically before saying, "Let us talk after you have rested, young man."

.net

"Yes," Kyran replied.

The Dragon Emperor then left the Void Domain and gave Ames a meaningful look before flying away.

Everyone watching the situation from a distance finally let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the Dragon Emperor fly back toward the city.

Back to where Ames, Cyneah, and Kyran were, the latter still refused to remove his domain even after the Dragon Emperor left.

"Kyran?" Cyneah called after realizing this.

"It is fine, child. Undo your domain," Ames told Kyran as she approached them. "My father will not go back on his words."

"I may have thought things too lightly when I decided to come here," Kyran admitted. "I expected the Dragon Emperor would not be happy to see me, but this..."

"Now you understand the severity of your possessing two Ancient Magic. Finally, being aware of it is a good thing," Ames said, attempting to comfort him. "Now that you know, you will know how better to interact with others."

Kyran did not respond because he knew he and Ames were not on the same page when it came. In Ames's opinion, he had only realized how dangerous his existence of possessing two Ancient Magic was. But Kyran said what he did because he sensed that this was not why the Dragon Emperor was angry at him.

"Father agreed to meet you tomorrow. So, for now, focus on resting," Ames told Kyran.

Kyran only nodded in agreement. While it would be best to talk to the Dragon Emperor now, after what just happened, meeting him tomorrow sounded better.

"Let's go. Everyone is waiting," Ames added with a smile.

Kyran knew that she did not mean the other Dragon clan members but the Regis family members who came to the Higher Realm in search of him. Thinking about them made him smile.

"Kyran? You have not released your domain yet," Cyneah said while they started to stand.

Kyran did not respond. Instead, he reduced the area of his domain until it enveloped him and Cyneah only.

"Kyran?"

"I don't want to release it."

"'Don't,' not 'can't'?"

Kyran remained silent.

Ames's eyes narrowed slightly, catching on to his meaning. She looked at Cyneah tentatively and said, "What you did just now and what Father said... did that thing...?"

Cynean shook her head at once, "No..."

"I won't take any chances," Kyran replied.

"You're overthinking."

"I'm not," he replied as he reached out to her face and gently wiped the blood that trickled down the side of her eyes.

The blood was still warm and had yet to dry, making it easy for Kyran to clean them off. But as he did, his expression turned grim.

"Don't do that again."

"I will not become a burden. I don't want to be a damsel in distress."

"You're not. But if your life ends up in any danger..." Kyran stopped, unable to continue what he wanted to say.

"I agree with him, Sisi," Ames told Cyneah. "I understand not wanting to be a burden, but if anything happens to you and that thing acts up, the situation just now might not have ended like this."

"I..." Cyneah opened her mouth, wanting to argue. But in the end, she closed them because they were right. If she failed to control the amount of magic energy she channeled out from the Macabre Glacier and its sentient noticed it, things might have ended up in a bigger disaster.

"Since nothing happened, let's not overreact. But that does not mean we should be complacent," Ames continued. "Next time, don't put yourself in danger. You have to understand that, at the moment, you are the only one who can contain that thing."

"Yes," Cyneah nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Then let's go. I'll have a feast prepared for your arrival."

"Can I pass on that?" Kyran suddenly asked.

"Hm?" Ames frowned and looked at him disapprovingly. "What do you mean to pass on that? Do you understand that preparing a feast will basically mean that things are finally— Oi— Why are you sweating too much?"