Legacy of the Dark Sage

Cyneah was slightly taken aback at Nolan's words.

'Three years? So it has only been three years since I left the Human plane?'n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Don't speak to her in that manner," Kyran reprimanded Nolan, his frown deepening at the latter's crude language. Despite missing Nolan's rough ways, he was not willing to let him treat Cyneah the same way.

D*mn.

Did he just think he missed this foul-mouthed uncle of his? It was best not to say that... no, he should forget he even thought that.

In any case...

While Cyneah might have been used to Nolan's behavior and foul mouth from their time in the cottage, that was several years ago. In fact, it had been more than twice as long for her than for Nolan since she left the Human plane. She was no longer the young girl learning alchemy from Anette, nor was the princess secretly cast out of her family, whom Kyran accidentally met and reluctantly saved.

Cyneah had grown into a strong and independent woman, surviving outside the Human plane and forging her path in Somuli. Kyran believed that Nolan should treat her better.

Nolan should be more mindful about how she is treated.

Cyneah smiled and said, "I'm okay, Kyran. But... Uncle Nolan, it's not like we hadn't seen each other a few months ago."

"Seeing through a magic device and seeing in person are two different things, mistress," Nolan replied with a toothy grin. "Besides, we barely spoke then. I remembered that creepy old h*g and Euan mostly did the talking. Patriarch and Cade did not even get to speak much."

What the two meant about seeing each other was when Ames, Cyneah, and True Void requested Axil and the Coven for assistance contacting Kyran's clan in the Human plane. Since there was still a threat of Flos's and Obstruction's people taking revenge against Somuli, Cyneah, Euan, and True Void could not leave.

Continue your adventure with empire

There was also the threat of The Emperor returning there, so the Coven had to stay to protect them while the Sovereign of Bulwark, Somuli's Sovereign, was recuperating. In any case, because they could not leave, Axil and Loar created a setting where they could meet without being physically present.

That had been possible with Axil's magic and Loar's Array knowledge.

Anyhow, that setting became the norm during Kyran's disappearance and The Emperor's threat in the Lower Realm.

"Putting that aside, how long will you three be staying?" Nolan asked, directing the discussion back to the main topic. He said three because he knew Jared had returned to the Human plane with them.

"Just long enough for me to consolidate everything I've learned in the Dragon Plane," Kyran replied.

Nolan looked at him with raised brows, "Everything you've learned? Why? Has your great-grandmother decided to teach you?"

"Actually..."

Cyneah explained the situation in the Dragon Plane. In fact, she did not even give Kyran a chance to speak. She told Nolan everything, and she even sounded like she was ranting.

Nolan chuckled and looked at Kyran, "I knew you'd do something only a complete ass would do. But f*ck, to think your great-great-great-great...f*ck— let's just call him your great ancestor— is the one who provoked all your kin into sending you challenge letters."

"..."

There were times when Kyran wondered how Nolan's thought process worked for him to change and even exaggerate the things people told him.

One good example was how Nolan interpreted Kyran's saving of Cyneah as kidnapping. Because of that misunderstanding, everyone believed he had a strange hobby.

"It's spar request, not challenge letters. Lord Aillos also did not provoke them... at least, that was not his intention," Kyran corrected while sighing in resignation.

Nolan snorted and leaned back on the chair, "Who cares about an old dragon's intention? The result of his actions justified everything."

Surprisingly, Kyran could not refute Nolan's words because he made a point.

No matter how noble Aillos's intentions were in announcing the inclusion of the Regis Family in the Dragon Clan and revealing Kyran's identity as the new Dragon Lord, it incited the other tribes' emotions and forced them to test Kyran.

"Seeing Jared is calling the Conclave, you want Missy's help in manipulating time while you train again, I see," Nolan guessed after peeking at what Jared was doing at that moment.

"No," Kyran replied almost immediately, making Nolan curiously raise his brows.

"I'll train inside the terram since time flows differently there," Kyran continued, ignoring Nolan's reaction. "Uncle Jared is calling the Conclave because I needed their council members' help for my training."

He mainly wanted to train with Avrum concerning Poison magic, but Nolan did not need to know that.

Apart from training, he also wanted to check on everyone in the Conclave, especially Malek, Noir, and the others who got transported to Somuli since he disappeared from the Lower Realm before everything was sorted there.

Cyneah had already told Kyran their situation, and he trusted her completely. However, he still wanted to check on them because he felt responsible for everything that had happened to them.

Nolan observed Kyran's expression briefly before looking toward Cyneah, who failed miserably at acting like she was clueless.

"You're avoiding Missy, why?"

As always, Nolan exercised his tactlessness to the maximum level.

"...I'm not."

"You just hesitated."

"I did not."

"What? Now that you have mistress here, you're throwing her away? How ungrateful are you? After using her for all your black deeds, are you casting her aside because she is no longer of use—?"

"Do you have to phrase it like I took advantage of her?"

"Oh, so you didn't? She practically begged you to use her more every time you made a request. If you're not taking advantage of her, you would not have brazenly asked for more favor."

"..."

Nolan was not exactly wrong. But the way he phrased it made Kyran a complete jackass.

In Kyran's defense, he did not ask for that many favors and repaid most of them. There were even things that Kyran did that inadvertently benefited the Conclave, such as Tyr's inventions, which the Blacksmith Order still profited greatly.

If the things he requested from the Conclave were converted into money, everything Kyran asked thus far had already been paid threefold— and it continued to increase since the Blacksmith Order and the Alchemist Association, which benefited from Kyran's potions, were still receiving profit.

However, Kyran knew those things were nothing compared to the lives lost because of his mistakes in dealing with his clan's situation and Haylee's conspiracy at the time. Because of this, he still felt indebted to the Conclave, particularly Stella, who led them.

Nolan sighed after seeing Kyran's conflicting emotions reflected in his eyes, betraying the expressionless facade he had on his face.

"I went overboard," he said before looking at Cyneah, who had turned pale, probably because she had realized the implications of Stella's feelings for Kyran from his words. "Sisi, don't take everything that I said to heart. That's just me mouthing off my observation."

"No, it's alright..." Cyneah started to say, but her voice trailed off in the end, confirming that his words greatly affected her.

Honestly, she was already aware of Stella's feelings for Kyran. How would she not? When Stella's voice was filled with endearment when he talked about him? Back then, Cyneah was still oblivious to her own feelings. When she finally realized them, she never harbored any hope of Kyran returning them, and that was how she never hesitated to leave the Human plane.

In fact, Cyneah believed that Stella deserved Kyran. She might be putting him on such a high pedestal, but her admiration and love for him made her even more conscious of her shortcomings and disability. But it was the same with Stella. Even though she only met the latter briefly, she felt the latter's sincerity and goodness. So much so that she believed the two would suit each other.

That belief caused Cyneah to doubt Kyran's intentions toward her when they finally met in Somuli. In addition, the things she did in Somuli to survive made her question her own morality and conscience, causing her to believe that she was far too evil to feel happiness with someone. Add her disability to the mix; it would be a miracle if someone would even take an interest in her.

Anyway, that was all in the past. Cyneah managed to overcome that. Or at least, she thought. But after hearing how Nolan perceived Stella's devotion to helping Kyran with everything she had, Cyneah felt inadequate.

Was it really okay for Kyran to be with her?

While Cyneah had these self-deprecating thoughts, Kyran had a different take on things. If he had to be 100% honest, he did not think he deserved her or Stella's feelings.

However, Kyran admitted to being selfish. He wanted Cyneah for himself, and that was why he left the Human plane to look for her without hesitation. He did not even consider his family's feelings if he left. He selfishly believed that his family would support him no matter his decision.

They did support him. But that did not mean they were not reluctant.

In any case, Kyran knew all too well about his shortcomings. Others held him in high regard, but that was only the superficial things they knew about him, like his strength and potential. Once they knew him better, they would realize how selfish and inconsiderate he was.

Nolan scratched his head in exasperation at the sudden mood change in the room. He did not mean to nag, but he disliked how Kyran was dealing with the matter with Stella.

In the past, he did something similar when he avoided Cade and Rin, and because of that, he regretted many things, especially all the time he could have spent with them but could not, just because of his stubbornness.