Chapter 247 : Chapter 247

Chapter 247: The Real Questioning

Ilyss ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍suppressed her coughing, caught her breath for a few moments, and met the Royal Princess’s gaze. A trace of complexity flashed through her violet eyes.

Her ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍voice was weak, but clear. “Your Highness... I am fine. It is only Mana exhaustion, and some damage to my spirit. Rest will be enough.” She paused. Her eyes met Cecilia’s for one long, meaningful instant, then lowered. “As for the task Your Highness entrusted to me... I did not fail you.”

Those ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍last four words were very soft, but the tent was quiet enough that both Lillian and Rex heard them clearly. They did not understand what they meant, but they saw at once how a genuinely bright smile, one touched even with visible relief, bloomed across Cecilia’s face.

“That ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is wonderful.” The Royal Princess’s voice grew lighter. She straightened and instructed the healer beside her, “Bring the finest restorative potion for spiritual strength and for nurturing the origin. Prepare it to the highest standard.” Then she looked back at Ilyss, her tone warm. “You have only just awakened. Do not think too much. Rest well. If you need anything, tell the people outside directly.”

“Thank ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you, Your Highness,” Ilyss answered softly.

At ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that point, Lillian and Rex could no longer help themselves and moved closer, looking at Ilyss with concern.

“Ilyss, are you all right?” Lillian asked. Her ice-blue eyes were full of worry. Though they had not known one another for long, they had passed through life and death together, and in the final moment Ilyss had paid a terrible price to save all of them. That bond had already been branded deep into Lillian’s heart.

“Yes. I’m all right.” Ilyss looked at them, and even in her cool violet eyes, a trace of warmth flickered. She gave a slight nod.

Then, as though she had suddenly remembered something, her gaze swept quickly across the tent.

“Ryan? He...”

The moment she spoke, everyone’s eyes—including Cecilia’s—turned at once toward the bed on the left.

Ryan still lay there silently, utterly unresponsive to the stir on this side of the tent. Several healers remained gathered around his bed, and their expressions were even graver than before.

The Royal Princess’s smile faded a little. She walked over and asked the oldest-looking white-robed mage, the one whose bearing was the calmest, “How is his condition?”

The old mage’s brow was tightly furrowed. At the Princess’s question, he immediately bowed and answered in a heavy voice, “Your Highness, this student’s condition is... highly unusual, and highly troublesome. The Saintess’s Holy Light Spell has healed nearly all of his physical injuries, and his vital signs have now stabilized. However...”

“We carried out the most comprehensive Mana Resonance Detection possible on him. The results show that... there is no active Mana flow within his body. More than that—even the most basic degree of Mana affinity and response in the Mana circuits, the sort a mage possesses from birth, is so faint as to be almost nonexistent. It is as though... as though his Mana source has been completely exhausted, or forcibly stripped away by some power.”

“Stripped away?” Cecilia’s gaze sharpened.

“Yes. This is not simple Mana depletion. Mana depletion can recover. But in his present state... he resembles an ordinary person who has never practiced magic at all. The vessel and channels within his body for storing and circulating Mana seem to have suffered a fundamental failure.” The old mage stepped aside slightly, motioning toward Ryan’s hair. “And Your Highness, please look at his hair...”

Everyone had already noticed it, but under the bright light of the magic-crystal lamps, the white strands were even more striking—white to the point of seeming without impurity at all, carrying a cold, unnatural sheen.

Lillian’s and Rex’s hearts jolted.

That color... it instantly reminded them of the dazzling starlight that had burst from Ilyss when she used that mysterious spell at the end.

Ilyss’s violet eyes contracted. The hand resting on the blanket suddenly clenched tight, and a strong unease rose in her heart.

The old mage continued, “Such a change in hair color usually accompanies extreme magical depletion, life-force exhaustion, or the backlash of some exceedingly rare forbidden spell involving origin-level power. Combined with the ‘emptiness’ of his body’s magical state, our preliminary judgment is that this is most likely a chain reaction caused by the eruption of a power far beyond what his body could endure—one that led to the complete collapse of his Mana source and perhaps even a backlash against his own life origin. To put it simply...”

He glanced at the Royal Princess and lowered his voice still further.

“He may well... have lost all magical ability. In terms of magic, he has become... a cripple.”

“What?!” Rex cried out involuntarily, his eyes going wide.

Lillian clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, while her other hand grabbed hard onto Rex’s arm, her nails nearly digging into his flesh.

Ryan...

Ryan, who had always been calm and powerful, who had seemed capable of anything, had lost all of his Mana? He had become... crippled?

The news was harder for them to accept, and more terrifying, than any monster inside the ruins had ever been.

Cecilia listened in silence.

Her ice-blue eyes were deep as an ancient well as she looked at Ryan’s quiet sleeping face and that striking white hair. Her expression did not change in the slightest. Only in the depths of her eyes did something extremely complicated seem to flicker soundlessly.

After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and looked back at the old mage.

“I understand. Then in his current state, do you have any further treatment plan?”

The old mage lowered his head in shame. “Your Highness, forgive our inadequacy. The Saintess’s Holy Light Spell is already one of the highest healing divine arts. If even that cannot awaken his Mana source, then conventional magical treatment methods will likely... have very little effect. At present, we can only rely on his own life force to recover slowly, wait for him to awaken naturally, and observe what changes follow. Perhaps... some legendary treasure, or some more unusual opportunity, may be required.”

Cecilia nodded, revealing nothing of pleasure or displeasure.

“Very well. You may withdraw for now. Do your utmost to keep his life state stable.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The healing mages bowed and withdrew one by one from the central area of the main tent, leaving behind only one assistant standing by in the distance.

The tent fell quiet again, but the atmosphere had become even more stagnant than before.

Lillian and Rex were still reeling from the shock of “Ryan has become a cripple,” their faces pale.

Ilyss pressed her lips together, her gaze locked tightly on Ryan, turbulent emotions rising in her violet eyes, too complex to name.

Cecilia turned around, her gaze passing over the stricken Lillian and Rex, and the perfectly gentle smile returned to her face.

“It seems today’s story can only be heard up to this point. Unfortunately, one casualty after another has required attention. You two have suffered enough yourselves. Go back and rest well for now. As for the full report on the ruins expedition, the Empire’s relevant departments will formally question and record your testimony later. As for the commendation ceremony, once we return to the Imperial Capital and everything has settled, it will naturally be held. At that time, I shall find another chance and hear the rest of your adventure from you, Lillian. Would that be all right?”

Her words were courteous, and her reasons entirely sound, but the meaning beneath them was clear enough: they were being dismissed.

Though Lillian and Rex were full of anxiety and unanswered questions, they did not dare linger. They hurriedly nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness. Then... we will take our leave.”

Lillian pulled at Rex, who was still somewhat stunned, and bowed to the Princess. Then both of them cast one last worried glance at Ryan and Ilyss before leaving the tent with many backward looks.

The heavy curtain dropped shut behind them, cutting off the inside from the outside world.

The gentle smile vanished from Cecilia’s face in an instant.

She returned to the low table, drew from her sleeve a dark black metal box no larger than a palm, and set it casually upon the tabletop.

Click.

With a soft sound, the box opened by itself along a narrow seam.

No light burst forth. Instead, centered on the box, a pale blue ripple almost too faint to see spread outward soundlessly, swiftly filling the entire interior of the tent.

It was as though the air itself had been wrapped inside an invisible membrane. Every sound was instantly absorbed and sealed away. The tent sank into a silence so complete it was unnerving.

A soundproof barrier—and of the highest grade.

Only after doing all of this did Cecilia slowly turn around.

Her ice-blue eyes, like frozen crystal, fixed directly on the pale-faced Ilyss in the bed.

There was no longer the slightest concealment in that gaze.

It was sharp.

It was cold.

“Now,” the Royal Princess said into the absolute silence she herself had created, “there are no outsiders left. Tell me, Ilyss—what exactly did you encounter in the depths of the ruins? Everything. Especially regarding him—”

Her gaze cut over Ryan like a blade.

“—and the power you used, and his current state. What, exactly, is the connection between them?”