Legacy of the Dark Sage

"That's a tempting offer coming from someone who would lead the Courtenay Family in the future," Kyran commented while looking away and half-filling his glass with vodka.

"I'm glad you understand—."

"But," Kyran cut her off and raised the glass to his lips. "I gave my word when I made that wager. I can't just 'forget' about it because someone asks me to, in turn, for another favor. Besides, we're not even close to be offering each other favors."

He looked at Mimi from the corner of her eyes and said before downing his drink, "Also, I don't want to receive any favor from someone from the Courtenay's main branch."

Mimi furrowed her brows, "You—!"

She bit her lower lip to stop herself from cursing aloud before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then she asked, "Why not?"

"Did your cousin tell you the content of our wager?" Kyran asked instead of answering.

"Of course," Mimi replied. "Why do you think I'm asking you to forget—."

"If you did, I don't get why you are against it. To be honest, your family will actually gain from it."

"What do you mean?"

Kyran put down his glass and looked at Mimi with a slight smile, "Ah... it seems you haven't heard all of it."

"I did!"

"Then did you know that even if she lost, I agreed to let her watch me work on arrays for a few days?"

Confusion flashed in her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak. However, understanding soon shone in her eyes, and she immediately closed her mouth.

The change in Mimi was subtle, but Kyran saw it from the corner of his eyes. Acting as if nothing had happened, he filled his glass with vodka again.

Seeing him pour another drink, Mimi frowned, "You are drinking too much."

"I've got a high tolerance," Kyran replied with a wry smile. "More importantly, it's getting late. You better leave. If someone sees us, who knows what scary rumor will circulate about us."

"What do you mean scary?" Mimi scowled at him.

Most would want to get involved with her, even if it's only a rumor, for the sole purpose of gaining fame or her family's attention. If the rumor had enough substantial proof, the Courtenay Family could even give that person a huge sum of money to silence them. However, this guy actually thought it was 'scary'? He got some nerve!

Anyway, Mimi would not approach Kyran without making countermeasures. She had ensured no one would come to the dome's left-wing common area until she finished her business with him.

An idea crossed Mimi's mind recalling what Kyran just said. She could use it to make him agree.

"Agree to my request, then I will leave you alone."

Kyran sighed in his heart. He knew Mimi would not be moved by him acting like an ass.

To be honest, receiving Mimi's favor was better than asking Millie to do something for him. But Kyran's target had always been Millie. The asking-something part was only an excuse to get her alone. His real purpose was to change her into a tool he could use.

Getting a tool was far better than asking someone a favor; tools could be used in any way and would not complain or reason out.

An excellent example of a useful tool was Tritus. But Kyran would not make Millie his Sigil. Doing so would mean they would share a bond— something he never wanted to share with her.

Still, Kyran admitted that Millie's current status in the Courtenay Family didn't make her an effective tool. He had to boost her value so she could rise in her family's ranks. In this way, she would be privy to more confidential information. However, doing this would require some time.

Kyran had yet to devise a good plan to boost Millie's worth. At least, that had been the case until Mimi appeared before him.

Mimi's status in the Courtenay Family was higher than Millie's, making her more valuable to Kyran in intel gathering. After all, she was privy to more confidential information.

For this reason, Kyran would capitalize on this chance to get her too.

Yes, too.

Because Kyran would not leave Millie be. He still had to settle past grievances with her.

"I don't think so," Kyran replied as he downed his glass again.

"What do you even want from Millie?" Mimi asked in exasperation.

Kyran looked at her and smiled mischievously, "What do you think?"

"Pervert!" Mimi glared at him.

Kyran widened his eyes and said, "Please, Lady Mimi. Whatever is it your thinking?

"Lady Millie and I are both Array Specialists. What else would I want from a fellow Array Specialist apart from exchanging notes? I may be studying from the best, but there are advanced array formation every noble families possessed that my master doesn't know. I wanted to have a look at them."

Hearing his reason made Mimi redden up to her ears. She felt ashamed to have thought Kyran had impure designs on Millie.

"Besides, if I am ever in need of whatever it is your imagining right now, I got a number of women lined up that would gladly help me with that."

"What-? Lined up—!" Mimi took a sharp breath at Kyran's follow-up words, and she glared at him again. She just couldn't handle this guy!

"You really are despicable!"

Kyran chuckled in response. Without saying anything, he turned to return the bottle of liquor to the rack and made his way to the counter's sink.

"If there's nothing else, please go on your way."

"I am doing this for your own good," Mimi said after a short pause. She had to convince him, no matter what, to forget about the wager.

Kyran's hand stopped midway from opening the faucet.

Mimi continued, seeing she got his attention, "Forget the wager and stay away from Millie. Suppose you don't want to receive a favor from someone in the Courtenay Family's main branch, then fine. Just think of it as me owing you a personal favor."

Kyran looked at her without saying anything. However, Mimi could see the unspoken question reflected in his eyes.

He wanted to understand why she was doing this. However, Mimi could not tell him. Her reasons were something her family wanted to keep under wraps at all costs.

"'Stay away from her.' 'This is for your own good,'" Kyran repeated. Then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he asked, "Does this have something to do with that incident?"

Mimi's eyes constricted in surprise. However, she reigned in her emotions at once and kept an indifferent expression. She was someone who would lead the Courtenay Family in the future.

Kyran would not bait her easily.

With a slight smile, she replied, "I don't know what you're trying to make me say, Disciple Tyr but—."

"The incident in the Milfiore Military School that forced Millie to withdraw in her first year."

Mimi's expression turned serious as she looked at Kyran menacingly. In just a matter of seconds, her priorities had now changed.

No matter what, she had to take him back to the Courtenay Residence!

As much as she wanted to kill him, he was still Chairman Noir's disciple, and the Crown Princess had her eyes on him. She could only take him back and let the elders deal with him. Most likely, they would erase his memories once they found out where he got his information on Millie.

"You don't have to make such a scary face—."

Kyran's words were interrupted by Mimi's sudden array activation.

Array calculation suddenly filled the ceiling, floor, walls, and both entrance and exit of the common room.

Mimi's eyes flashed, and her magic level erupted from her body at full force.

Surprisingly, she was already half a step to becoming an Exalted.

A restraining array also appeared beneath Kyran's feet, instantly locking his movements and magic.

"Oi—!"

Because the array restrained his movements, he dropped the glass, which shattered on the floor.

"Your arrogance is your undoing, Disciple Tyr," Mimi said as she took a step toward him. "You should have agreed when I am still asking nicely. Today, I will show you what the Courtenay Family could do!"

A ringing sound filled their surroundings as soon as her foot landed on the floor.

Kyran, who had not shown any reaction from the start, finally showed what appeared to be fear the moment he sensed her magic.

"Your magic... isn't a simple Wind magic...!"

Mimi smiled, "I'm surprised you've noticed."

She spread her arms, and five half a meter radius of yellow-green magic arrays appeared, surrounding them.

"Correct, my magic is not Wind. It's Air!"

The ringing sound was actually caused by the air being compressed around the space where her magic arrays had isolated.

Most people were not familiar with the difference between Wind and Air magic. Thus, they tend to think that as long as there was movement in the air, it was called Wind magic. However, that was not the case.

Air magic was broader, while Wind magic was only one of its branches. Similarly, the Air Pressure Malek possessed was a branch of Air magic. Whether Malek had Air magic or just its branch, Kyran did not know, but that was irrelevant right now.

Because the important thing right now was that Kyran found a human mage with the same magic as Zephyr! It could be something good.

"Ugh..." Kyran gasped as he dropped to his knees and grabbed his neck.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. I just want you to pass out cold. After that, I'll take you back to the Courtenay Residence."