Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2312 The truth about the suitor

Step Step

Sirene slowly began opening her eyes, her small mouth gradually falling open as well as she instinctively stared toward the golden light before her.

At that moment, a young man stepped out of the golden gate... a familiar young man whose appearance she could never mistake.

He wore a white shirt and matching trousers embroidered with exquisite green patterns, covered by a flowing green cloak that naturally drew the eye wherever he stood. The young man himself was handsome, appearing to be in his twenties. His soft white hair, however, was no longer hanging over his forehead as usual, but had instead been neatly combed to one side in an elegant style that made him look far more refined than before.

”...Richard?!”

”....?” Richard turned toward the voice in surprise. He knew he was coming to Radiance Galaxy, but he had never expected to hear that familiar voice the very instant he stepped through the gate. ”...Sirene?”

”What is going on here?” Kaylis knitted her brows tightly before turning toward her daughter and raising her voice. ”Who is this?”

Kaylisʼ heart skipped a beat the moment she saw the expression on her daughterʼs face. Sirene was standing there with an unbelievably wide smile and dreamy eyes that practically seemed to have butterflies fluttering out of them. It was an expression so unfamiliar that Kaylis could not remember seeing anything remotely similar on her daughterʼs face even once in all these years.

Sirene suddenly remembered where she was and immediately shot her mother a hostile glare before—Whoosh—in a single instant, she was standing between Richard and Kaylis. She faced her mother with tightly knitted brows, yet every word she spoke was directed toward Richard instead.

”What are you doing here? Are you trying to save me? ...Idiot, youʼre putting yourself in tremendous danger!!”

”Sirene!!” Kaylis stepped forward. ”What is going on? Who is he? ...Is this the man because of whom youʼve been refusing your engagement?”

”...Heʼs my friend, and heʼs leaving now. Thereʼs no need to cause any trouble because of him.” Sirene stretched one arm behind her and gently began pushing Richard back toward the gate. ”All right, go now. Weʼll talk again later, okay?”

”Umm...” Richard felt an overwhelming sense of awkwardness.

He hadnʼt come to rescue anyone, nor had he thrown himself into any danger whatsoever. Yet she seemed completely attached to that idea and genuinely liked believing it... How could he possibly crush her feelings by simply telling her the truth?

”Stop right there!” Kaylis took another step until she stood directly before Sirene. ”Someone like him cannot be allowed to leave. Heʼs a Variable, and he could drag every one of us into disaster. He must remain as our guest until this crisis is over.”

”Our guest? Youʼll kill him!!” Sirene, who had already returned her weapon to her spatial ring, immediately released her soul sense once again while simultaneously continuing to push Richard farther behind her.

”Use your head!” Kaylis shouted. ”Do you have any idea what will happen if the Shadow Swords learn about him? If they find out he came here... and then left?!”

”....?”

”I donʼt care!” Sirene shouted back without the slightest hesitation. ”What are they going to do? Tell that spoiled brat who lives off his fatherʼs fortune that I know another man? So what if they do? I donʼt even know him personally!” She waved her hand dismissively. ”I reject him completely. I donʼt want to see him or hear anything about him ever again. Iʼm sure heʼs an absurdly overweight man surrounded by hundreds of girls anyway. Why is he chasing me too? Iʼm not some gift for anyone!!”

”Uhhh...” Richard gently patted Sireneʼs shoulder. ”Letʼs not judge people unfairly, okay? Maybe heʼs actually a nice guy.”

”....?!” Sirene turned around with an expression of complete disbelief, staring directly at Richard. ”What are you talking about, Richard...? Did the Shadow Swords threaten you or something?!”

”..?” Kaylis was equally puzzled, though this unexpected development actually worked in her favor. Perhaps she could still negotiate some kind of agreement with him after all.

Then a disappointed smile slowly appeared on her face...

It seemed that today would become the day her daughterʼs heart would be broken, just as the hearts of countless women before her had been shattered by reality. Today she would finally learn just how manipulative men could be, and how utterly unworthy of trust they truly were. Today she would learn that—

Hooom

The golden gate blazed with brilliant light once again, then—

Baة!

Richard, who had been standing directly in front of it without moving, was suddenly shoved forward by a tremendous force from behind, sending him straight into Sirene before he even had time to react.

”Ah!” she cried out as well when she suddenly found herself pressed into Richardʼs embrace, her mind going blank for an instant from the unexpected collision.

”Hmm, why are you still standing in front of the gate like an idiot?” At that moment, an amused voice came from behind Richard, followed by the appearance of a blond-haired young man with a neatly trimmed short beard.

”Hmm?” The moment Robin casually walked past his son from the side and noticed Sirene still in Richardʼs arms, he immediately burst into laughter. ”Haha, looks like arriving a little late actually turned out to be a good thing.”

Hooom.

Glatheon stepped out through the gate as well. The instant he saw the scene before him, he silently patted Richard on the shoulder before giving him a solemn nod filled with unmistakable pride and approval.

”Aah!!” Sirene hurriedly took several steps backward and quickly pulled herself away in embarrassment, her face flushing as she tried to compose herself.

”What is going on here? Who are the two of you? Has my throne hall become a courtyard open to anyone who pleases?!” Kaylisʼ aura immediately erupted, crackling through the air like countless flying sparks before her brows drew together tightly. ”…Are you Glatheon, from the Vast Frost Empire?”

”From the Vast Frost Wing, my lady. It is an honor to meet you.” Glatheon offered a slight bow before calmly gesturing toward the man standing beside him. ”And this is Lord Robin Burton.”

”........?!” Kaylisʼ eyes widened to their absolute limit.

This was the first time she had ever laid eyes upon Robin face to face.

She immediately began examining him from head to toe, carefully observing every detail...

Robin looked like nothing more than an ordinary human youth one might casually encounter walking along the roadside.

True, he was somewhat handsome, and there was an indescribable aura surrounding him that naturally inspired respect in those around him... but an Elven Planetary Emperor and the owner of the Cosmic Academies? No. He simply didnʼt possess the overwhelming majesty or oppressive presence she had imagined someone of that status would naturally carry.

”Robin Burton?!” Sirene instinctively stepped forward, placing Richard behind herself as though shielding him. ”…What do you want from us?”

”Umm.” Richard gently patted Sirene on the shoulder in reassurance. ”Thereʼs no need to worry. My father didnʼt come with bad intentions.”

”My fa— your father?!” Sirene spun around so abruptly that it looked as though she had been bitten by a snake. ”Y-Youʼre... him?”

”…?” Meanwhile, Kaylis rapidly began connecting one clue after another before slowly turning back toward Robin with carefully concealed hostility. ”...It seems plans have been woven in the shadows for a very long time... plans that are still gradually revealing themselves before us even today.”

”You donʼt have anything worth plotting to obtain.” Robin chuckled before leisurely strolling through the spacious hall as though he were visiting his own home. ”Even your galaxy will ultimately be handed down to your own daughter. You should thank the heavens and pray day and night that my son happened to fall for this beauty. Iʼd say itʼs the result of all the positive karma accumulated from both of you healing people!”

”........?!”

Then his eyes landed upon an area arranged as a guest seating section along one side of the hall. Smiling with satisfaction, he casually walked toward it.

”Come. We have something to discuss.”

He then turned toward his son, casually gesturing for him to leave.

”And you, take your girl and go shopping. Buy her something cold. Itʼs a hot day today.”