"Ah, there you are. We were just talking about you," Julian said, a aningful smile playing on his lips as he spotted Ery walking into the grand hall of Terra City.
The room was filled with familiar faces—Izta's five widows, Chumo, Thrax, and to Ery's delight, Klea had surprised him by bringing Shinta along.
Seeing them all together brought a rare sense of peace. It wasn't often that all five of them could gather like this. A flicker of hesitation crossed Ery's mind as he considered the weight of the unresolved tension between him and Julian. The clash they'd had earlier still lingered in the air, unspoken but palpable. For a brief mont, Ery was unsure whether to address it here, in the presence of his closest companions or to let the lighthearted mood prevail a little longer.
With asured steps, Ery approached Julian and t his gaze. "What were you talking about ?"
Julian's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with playful challenge. "Oh, you know… the usual.... we et, we spar, and as always, you win… again."
Before Ery could respond, Thrax burst into laughter and clapped Julian on the shoulder.
"You never learn, do you, Roman? Of course, Ery would win! Our man here is sothing else! No one below Grand Magus could stand a chance against him!"
Ery kept his eyes fixed on Julian as Thrax continued to sing his praises. There was a part of him that expected to see a flicker of resentnt, or maybe annoyance, but Julian's expression remained unchanged—calm, collected, and without a hint of negativity.
Despite the unresolved tension between them, there was no imdiate hostility in Julian's gaze. It was enough to make Ery step closer, deciding to confront the matter head-on.
"I thought you were busy playing gods on your planet?" Ery asked, "I'm surprised to see you here."
Julian didn't miss a beat. His casual smile remained as he shrugged, his posture relaxed.
"Yes, I've been busy, I admit. I'm ashad that I couldn't be here to help when things got rough... I couldn't even attend senior Fuxi's funeral. That was sothing I regret deeply," he paused briefly, his voice carrying a touch of sincerity. "But I'm here now, and I'm glad to be able to take part in this event."
There was sothing about Julian's tone, smooth and eloquent as always, that made it hard to tell whether his regret was genuine or just well-practiced diplomacy.
Ery wasn't entirely surprised by Julian's ability to handle situations with such finesse—he had always been good with words. But still, sothing about the ease with which Julian brushed aside his absence left Ery wondering.
What was surprising, however, was that Julian hadn't arrived with his previous entourage. The powerful Nephilim Grand Magus, nor was Athena, the woman who had been so involved with him lately. Instead, Julian had brought along a few high-ranking Nova Roma Magus, likely his most trusted lieutenants.
Julian's enthusiasm for the upcoming Terra Magus tournant was apparent. Not only had he decided to send his people to participate, but he had also donated a fortune in artifacts—dozens of millions worth—to the tournant's prize pool. The Roman stood confidently in the grand hall, his voice steady as he openly declared his intentions to strengthen the alliance between his Nova Roma faction and the Earth factions. Klea, ever perceptive and astute, leaned in closer to Ery. Her brow furrowed with concern.
"What is it? What happened between you two? It's sothing bad, isn't it?! What did he do this ti?" Her voice was low but laced with urgency, a testant to her protective instincts.
Ery was ready to respond, but before he could articulate his thoughts, a resounding cheer erupted from the crowd outside the palace. The vibrant atmosphere shifted, drawing everyone's attention to the imminent start of the tournant.
Shinta, her eyes sparkling with excitent, tugged on Ery's arm. "Co on, Dad! We have to get a good seat!" As Ery and Shinta arrived at the grand arena, the sight that greeted him was far beyond what he had expected. Rows upon rows of magus, more than a hundred in total, filled the space. Their presence created a palpable energy that humd through the air, a testant to the growing reputation of Terra City.
Ever since their decisive victory in the pirate campaign and Magus Rosia's rise to the council of Golden City, Terra had beco a beacon for talented magus from all across the realms.
His eyes scanned the crowd, noting the fifty participants donned in gleaming golden attire. These were the warriors of Terra City, the pride of the factions. Next to them stood a contingent of half-blood magus from the Twilight Halls—around twenty in number. Among them, Ery recognized familiar faces: Yoro, Andrei, and Tatyana. In stark contrast, the Alvanic magus gathered nearby, distinguished by their dark attire and pale skin. Their numbers had doubled since the previous year, a clear indication of their rapid progress following their migration.
Queen Sonhee approached, her regal bearing complented by a warm smile. "I hope you are satisfied with our progress," she said, her tone light yet tinged with a hint of pride. Despite Queen Sonhee's attempt to engage him in conversation, Ery's focus remained distracted. His eyes were locked on Julian and his entourage of six Nova Roma magus, who were preparing to enter the arena. Sonhee, visibly trying to regain Ery's attention, was once again interrupted, this ti by Shinta. She tugged on his arm, steering him toward two young figures standing off to the side—Titus and Arnius. The two acolytes were dragged into this by Shinta from the academy.
"Master," Titus began, his voice betraying his awe as he glanced over at Julian. "Is that... is that Emperor Julian?"
Ery watched as Titus and Arnius edged closer, their expressions a mix of admiration and disbelief. The sight of them approaching Julian, bowing slightly as if acknowledging a higher power, only intensified Ery's unease about Julian's intentions in Terra City.
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