How many weeks had passed since the first time Celine heard this voice? To be precise, Kyran Regis's voice?
Back then, she had been very curious to see the face under the huge cloak he had on. And when she finally saw his face, she was disappointed to find how much younger he was.
But that was the only disappointing part, for Celine, Kyran's age. Everything else about him had been perfect in her opinion.
Even his reckless and domineering side was very attractive, although she admitted to feeling very scared when he had threatened her in the abandoned warehouse.
When the attack in the Tower of Conclave happened, Celine knew it was Kyran's doing.
In the end, President Callan had to alter the memories of almost every person involved in the Mercenary Hall and the Tower of Conclave incident, and Celine's memories would have been altered too if she had not made an oath with President Callan.
After that, President Callan gave her the task to negotiate with the people behind Kyran's bounty while keeping an eye and 'ear' out on any clues or news the mercenaries encountered about Kyran's current whereabouts.
Alas, they found nothing.
Now, after so many weeks, here he was. Or at least, Celine believed it was Kyran disguised as Tyr, and she could hardly contain her excitement.
Her excitement came as a surprise, because she did not realize how much she had hoped to meet him again!
Kyran belatedly realized something was wrong when Celine did not reply to his cheeky remark. The truth, he was sure she would recognize his voice, given her magic was Sound.
Though others might think Kyran's decision not to alter his voice while in Tyr's disguise was a huge mistake on his part, he did not really care because few people had heard him, as Kyran, speak. He never liked to talk after all. So when he had spoken just now, he had expected Celine to recognize him and went along with his act.
He had hoped for her to retort in anger or something and turn this awkward incident into a joke. But instead, she ended up getting tongue-tied.
This made Kyran wonder if his threat had traumatized her to the point that his voice alone could freeze her.
He made a mental note to talk to Celine privately and maybe apologize for his previous behavior.
"Er... Hall Master-?" Kyran started to say.
However, before he could speak his mind, Celine suddenly jerked and forced a laugh.
"Ahahaha! Tyr, my Tyr. As always, you are so fast to reject my advances!" She said in a high-pitched voice, it was hard for anyone not to realize her nervousness!
This made the two Grand Masters with Tobias, break out in cold sweat.
Just who was this 'Disciple Tyr' to make Hall Master Celine act nervously?
Tobias was also flabbergasted. He was beginning to think that they had jumped the wagon too fast without fully understanding who Tyr was.
"Ah… no… that's…"
Blacklines appeared on Kyran's head as he looked at Celine speechlessly. Was she really going this route?
He did not want 'Tyr' to become a ladies' man or something, alright.
Just as he was thinking this, Celine turned around to look at him.
As soon as she did, a slight disappointment appeared on her face after seeing a pair of aquamarine eyes, instead of dark gray eyes, looking back at her.
Kyran, slightly taken aback by Celine's imploring eyes, recalled Nolan's advice before meeting her the first time.
'Don't look into her eyes.'
Kyran never knew what Nolan meant, but after understanding about innate abilities and such, he now understood Celine's innate ability might have something to do with her eyes. Most likely, she could detect lies or read other people's minds once they looked into her eyes.
Prior to his training in the tower, Kyran would have avoided Celine's eyes at once. But since he had learned a lot of things in the tower, not to mention, his Array knowledge had practically advanced by leaps and bounds, he was confident the enchantments and array formula he placed in the face-altering mask would protect him.
True enough, Celine's brow instantly furrowed after confirming that she could not see through Kyran's disguise. As she made a quick assessment of his physique as well, she felt something was different.
The Kyran she remembered was a few inches shorter and had more muscle mass. But the man before her looked leaner, and taller. Not to mention, he had a more domineering aura around him. It might have only been caused by a difference in clothing but, Celine was 100% sure there was something different from the man before her.
If she had to use one word to describe the change, she would use the word 'mature.'
"Kidding aside, Hall Master, can we go back to dealing with those clowns behind you?" Kyran diverted the conversation.
He honestly did not want their conversation went down the route Celine seemed keen on going.
Besides, he still had to expose the remaining hidden 'observers.'
With this in mind, Kyran telepathically sent a word to Celine.
'There are three more people hiding.'
Celine's eyes contracted as soon as she heard Kyran's voice in her head.
Almost at the same time, she expanded her magic sense and true enough, found a distortion in the space nearby.
This discovery surprised Celine. It also made her doubt whether she had been wrong about the 'Tyr's' real identity.
Kyran could not possibly jumped magic levels in a short span of time!
Wait. In the first place, she was not privy to Kyran's information. Maybe, his magic level had always been high.
'Got it,' Celine replied telepathically and expanded her magic's influence.
A soundless explosion seemed to spread in the surrounding which surprised all of the people nearby.
Tobias and the two Grand Masters also keeled over as Celine's magic seeped inside their bodies. All three of them spat out a mouthful of blood as their magic energies became more unstable.
Crackle!
It was at this moment that a crack appeared on the space above, which had been close to where Tobias and the Grand Masters had appeared earlier.
"Before that, why don't you three come out?" Celine's voice sounded, instantly shattering the crack on the space above.
"Ahaha!" A woman's laughter filled the air as the space that had shattered revealed three figures.
"This!"
All of the members of the Blacksmith Order could not help but gape in shock after seeing these newly discovered people's attire.
All three wore black hooded coats and an insignia of the Royal Army was embroidered on their vest.
Kyran's eyes also narrowed as he saw the three figures. He also recognized the black hooded coats these three people were wearing.
He had dismantled a couple after all, to take out the space storage stitched on their pockets.
Though the black hooded coats he had dismantled did not have the Royal Army's symbol on the vest, Kyran was 99% positive it was the same.
That was right. These three was wearing the same black hooded coats as the three people from the Special Ops Kyran had fought.
Celine turned to face the three figures. Her expression immediately turned sour.
It appeared the current situation here was about to take a turn for the worse.
The three figures landed, and the one in front, who obviously belonged to a woman stepped forward.
The remaining two stood behind her in silence. Both had huge frames and had huge weapons on their back. The one on the right had a great sword, while the other one had a polearm.
Celine narrowed her eyes as the woman approached.
The latter stopped three meters away from Celine before lowering her hood, revealing a young-looking woman with short black hair. Her eyes were almost the same shade as Celine and though her looks were average, she had a very pleasant smile on her face.
"Hall Master Celine," the woman greeted. However, she did not lower her head, showing how much she did not care about Celine's status. Not to mention, her magic level as a Magus.
"Do not take offense in our decision to 'observe,'" she went on. "We are only here under the Royal Family's orders to keep an eye on Disciple Tyr."
As soon as the woman said this, all of the people, excluding Kyran, Tobias and the Grand Masters were shocked.
Once again, someone had appeared because of Disciple Tyr!
This… just who was Disciple Tyr to make known people come one after another.
All of which had different agendas, but the fact they all came for him had shocked them.
"The Royal Family ordered to keep an eye on Tyr?" Celine repeated, looking at the woman in disbelief.
The woman nodded and looked at Kyran. Then to the surprise of everyone, the woman lowered her head in respect before saying, "Disciple Tyr, her Highness, the Crown Princess has asked us to deliver a message."
"W-What did she just say?"
"D-Did she really say the Crown Princess?"
"More importantly, why did she bow to him and not to Hall Master Celine?"
The people nearby whispered to one another.
Kyran felt an incoming headache as the woman from the Special Ops had spoken. He had wanted to stir up a storm by appearing as Tyr, but this kind of storm was… too much.
"What?" Kyran asked curtly.
The woman did not appear to take offense of Kyran's curt attitude and kept a pleasant smile. She replied, "The Crown Princess really hope that Disciple Tyr will provide a positive response regarding her personal request."
As soon as the woman had said this, gasp of surprise filled the air.
The Crown Princess had sent a personal request to Disciple Tyr?
This was a big news!