Inside the Tower of Conclave's conference room, Malek and the rest of the Conclave council mbers gathered for an ergency eting. Because more people were present for the eting, Sigma created additional chairs to accommodate everyone.
Seven chairs had been added around the table, and the council mbers pushed their chairs to make room. With the addition of these chairs, the usually spacious table appeared crowded.
An awkward tension also hung in the air as most of the people at the table— specifically, Malek and his side— looked at the people occupying the seats opposite the head seat, where Stella was.
These people were none other than Euan, Mannick and five aides under the latter's leadership.
On the other hand, Stella looked at them with a calm yet unreadable expression. Her attitude had been the sa even when Euan and Mannick arrived with thousands of soldiers at such short notice.
Although Malek was the only one who received Euan, while the rest of the council mbers handled the rest of the aides and soldiers, Stella had made sure to let her presence known.
Nevertheless, only Euan and Mannick knew who she was, so her presence only made the others wonder who she was.
Euan was also calm and wore an unreadable expression. His attitude ca naturally because of his upbringing.
"I apologize for not providing a much better place for your people to stay," Stella said with an amiable smile. "We'll find a suitable place for them as soon as possible."
The rest of the army soldiers were currently staying at an encampnt the council mbers had prepared at the location Kyran and True Void warped them. It was located thirty ters away from the northeast entrance of the Tower of Conclave.
Since Kyran had already told Malek about them, they agreed on where the forr would warp them. After that, Malek asked Noir and Sigma to make a concealnt array around that area to ensure that no people spying on the Tower of Conclave would see them.
Euan shook his head with a similarly calm smile, "It is more than enough, to be honest. It is I who should apologize for inconveniencing your people."
"If there is anyone who should apologize, it's that rascal Kyran," Malek quipped, his disdain evident from the tone of his voice.
"Malek," Stella warned, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.
Malek responded with a slight shrug before leaning back in his chair.
Mannick's eyes flickered slightly at Malek's attitude but did not say anything.
"Let us address the current situation," Stella started the eting imdiately.
Everyone nodded in agreent.
Rivka, one of the five aides Mannick took to the eting, was the one who recounted the events of what happened that led them here.
Throughout Rivka's explanation, the council mbers' expressions made several changes. From looking confused to feeling indignant, then finally concerned.
Kyran already hinted that Emperor Euan's and the Crown Princess's objectives might differ. When the council mbers heard it, so hoped it was all his speculations and that he was only overthinking. But now that it was confird, they could not help but be concerned for the empire's future.
"There are still things that we don't understand, which I hope you can explain," Euan said after Rivka finished explaining. "Mannick already explained so, but Kyran said there are still things he isn't aware of."
Stella could not help but smile bitterly. Malek already told her that Kyran had asked him to explain what they could to Euan. However, Kyran did not tell them how much they were allowed to say.
Although Stella imdiately concealed her bitter smile, Euan and Mannick had seen it. Euan imdiately said, "There is no pressure when answering my questions. Just tell what you can, and I will accept it."
"Your Majesty," Stella replied, carefully choosing her words, "Do not misunderstand. It is not that we are unwilling to provide the answers. We just don't know how much we can tell."
She looked at Mannick as if asking for his opinion.
Seeing Stella's imploring look, Mannick smiled bitterly and shook his head, "The last few tis I spoke my mind, things had escalated."
What he said was not without basis. After all, if he did not show Kyran the situation at the Regis Estate, Kyran would not have been forced to change his plans. If he did not speak with Euan, Euan would not have changed his mind about going to Noser. Ultimately, they went to the Regis Estate, which resulted in Lira going after them.
Honestly, Mannick was still confused about how his ddling could affect the Human plane. He only had a vague sense that the Fates were watching his every action and might be influencing the cause and effect of everything.
Stella looked at Mannick in confusion. However, Mannick remained tight-lipped and did not elaborate on his words.
The other council mbers looked at Mannick with a complicated expressions.
The first ti they t, Mannick ca with the other Deputy Marshals and appeared unbridled. He and Sigma almost ended up clashing. Then the next ti was when True Void introduced him to them. They were all blown away by the reveal of Mannick's real identity. While they did not doubt True Void's words, they had not fully digested the truth. Even when Mannick healed Hugh, they still had reservations.
Mannick knew this; thus, he decided to be a bystander this ti.
"If you don't mind, milord, allow to answer his Majesty's questions," Malek proposed.
"Very well," Stella agreed almost at once. After all, compared to her, Malek had a better understanding of the current situation. Kyran did talk to him and the others before he left. It pained her a little that he did not ask for her, but after what happened with Cyneah, she knew it was her fault.
Euan's and Malek's voices were the only ones heard inside the conference room as they continued the discussion for the next few minutes.
Malek answered most of Euan's questions. The only ones he refrained from comnting on were the things he had little knowledge of. Kyran might have spoken to him and the others before he left, but he did not reveal many new things.
Euan finally had a better grasp of what happened that led to Kyran's situation and fud inwardly. He did not expect people from the army and the Royal Family to sche behind his back.
What angered Euan the most was how Haylee covered for Gael while the latter swore his allegiance to her. Finally, there was the matter of Kyran's bounty and the reappearance of 'Gray.'
Euan was shocked to learn everything he knew about 'Gray' was wrong.
Honestly, he already knew Gray's relationship with the Regis Clan. He discovered it recently and admitted feeling angry about it. It was one of the reasons he wanted to et with the Regis Family and demand to know why they hid this fact.
But after talking to Iulia, Euan cald down and tried to change his perspective. He ca up with a few conjectures, but ultimately, he could only et with Patriarch Aron to find out the truth.
After talking to Malek, however, Euan inadvertently found the answers he was looking for. Malek offered to show him the Conclave's findings of Gray's supposed murder and theft, but Euan declined and encouraged Malek to tell him.
The truth made Euan despise his father to his very core.
Though Gray did kill soone, he did not do so intentionally. He did not even steal the artifact which that person possessed.
The truth was that Gray's matter beca sensational because the person he killed was a man who received the Royal Family's Legendary Platinum Badge. The latter was awarded the badge after discovering an artifact on which the emperor placed great importance.
The late emperor believed that the artifact held great knowledge and, when deciphered, would assert the Royal Family's rule over the empire for the next thousand years.
For this reason, when the artifact got stolen by Gray, the emperor was enraged and ordered an extensive manhunt.
After several years, they failed to find Gray, and the artifact remained lost. Even when they finally discovered Gray's 'corpse,' they did not discover any clues on where he had hidden the artifact. In the end, the late emperor died, and when Euan succeeded to the throne, he ordered the matter closed.
But now, Malek actually confird that Gray had never stolen the artifact. According to their investigation, before the night of the murder, the late emperor visited the victim. After that, the emperor left the victim's house with a very expensive antique.
The Conclave speculated that the artifact might be hidden in that antique.
From this information, Euan more or less guessed that the man might have been murdered by his father and that Gray was only a scapegoat. Of course, this wouldn't have happened if Gray did not go into the man's house.
Alas, Malek could not tell Euan Gray's reason. Euan did not insist on it, but that did not an he had given up. He only decided to put aside the matter about Gray for now and focus on what was most important: how they should proceed from here.
However, Mannick abruptly stood up before they could continue their discussion. His action imdiately drew everyone's attention to him.
Mannick stood up because he sensed the Sovereign's Cradle activated. If its scale had been similar to the ones during the Beast Hunt competition, or the one at Noser, Mannick would not react. However, the scale of the cradle was enormous.
With a grim expression, Mannick said to no one in particular, "We have visitors."
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