Realm Lord
Chapter 141: Meeting at the Wings (3)

Chapter 141: Meeting at the Wings (3)

They continued their walk through the corridors, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors that reflected their images like mirrors.

Eventually, they made their way to an elegant elevator with doors crafted from what appeared to be solid platinum. The interior was just as luxurious, lined with soft velvet and equipped with buttons that gleamed like precious gems. The elevator carried them smoothly upward, taking them to one of the top floors of what Arthur was beginning to realize was essentially a palace disguised as a headquarters.

They exited the elevator and embarked on another small walk down a corridor lined with massive windows that offered breathtaking views of the surrounding city landscape. The glass was so clear it seemed almost invisible, creating the illusion that they were walking through the sky itself. Arthur found himself momentarily distracted by the panoramic vista before forcing his attention back to their destination.

Finally, they arrived at their destination: a magnificent glass-walled conference room that seemed to float in mid-air, suspended by some architectural marvel that Arthur couldn’t quite comprehend. The room featured a long conference table crafted from what appeared to be a single piece of dark mahogany, its surface polished to such perfection that it seemed to glow with an inner light. Surrounding the table were numerous high-backed chairs upholstered in rich leather that looked more expensive than most people’s entire homes.

In two of those chairs, now standing up with bright, genuine smiles that seemed to light up the entire room, were Kay and Lara. The moment they spotted Arthur and Aziel, their faces transformed with joy and relief.

"Aziel! Arthur! You guys made it! It’s so good to see you!" Lara exclaimed with a bright face, her voice carrying a warmth that immediately began to melt away some of the tension that had been building in Arthur’s chest. Both she and Kay quickly closed the distance between them.

"You too!" Arthur replied.

Without any prompting, Lara and Kay pulled out chairs for Aziel and Arthur to sit, the gesture both thoughtful and somehow formal at the same time. The chairs were positioned strategically around the table, creating an atmosphere that was part reunion and part business meeting.

"Now sit! There’s much to discuss," Kay said with an air of importance.

Arthur smiled warmly as he nodded. Both he and Aziel took their seats, the leather cushions conforming perfectly to their bodies in a way that spoke of the finest craftsmanship.

Ms. Pellion gracefully took her seat as well, positioning herself next to Kay and Lara across the table from the two boys. Even in the simple act of sitting, she maintained an elegance that seemed almost supernatural, her white robes settling around her as if arranged by invisible servants.

Lara shuffled through some papers that had been arranged neatly on the table before her, the documents crisp and official-looking. She cleared her throat purposefully, and right as it seemed she was about to speak and begin whatever formal proceedings they had planned, she was smoothly interrupted by Ms. Pellion’s gentle but unmistakably intimidating voice.

"Now, now, let’s not rush things," Ms. Pellion said, her tone carrying an undercurrent that made Arthur’s instincts prickle with unease. "There’s a lot I desire to know about these two boys, so what do you say you answer some questions I’m dying to know?"

Arthur felt a wave of hesitancy wash over him, his body tensing despite the comfortable surroundings. ’Something feels off about her... I can’t place it, but my brain is telling me to be careful of what I say.’ Every instinct he had was screaming at him to proceed with caution.

But before Arthur could decide how to proceed carefully, weighing each word before it left his mouth, Aziel spoke up with his characteristic lack of filter.

"Sure, ask away! I’ll tell you anything," Aziel said enthusiastically, his voice carrying none of the wariness that Arthur was feeling.

Arthur wanted to palm his face in frustration but held himself back, not wanting to appear rude in such a formal setting. ’Idiot! He can’t think straight when talking to a pretty face.’ The observation was both accurate and deeply concerning given their current circumstances.

Arthur sighed internally, trying to rationalize the situation. ’Whatever, I doubt Kay and Lara would put us in a dangerous situation... I trust them... or at least I’m really trying to.’ The internal struggle was real—part of him wanted to trust them completely, while another part remained suspicious of everyone and everything.

Ms. Pellion smiled brightly at the two boys, her expression appearing warm and welcoming on the surface. But suddenly, as words began to stumble out of her mouth, something changed dramatically. Her tone and facial expression remained exactly the same, maintaining that pleasant, almost motherly demeanor, but there was something else—as if there was a physical energy around them, an invisible force that shifted the entire atmosphere of the room.

The change was so sudden and profound that it sent chills racing up Arthur’s spine like ice water being poured down his back. The very air seemed to grow heavier, more oppressive, charged with an energy that made every hair on his body stand on end.

"Now..." she began, her voice still soft and delicate but now carrying something darker beneath the surface, something that made Arthur’s instincts scream warnings. "I’ve gotten reports, but I wish to hear it from you two. Your journey through the first realm, beginning to end, and a complete report on your powers."

Arthur sighed, both audibly and mentally preparing himself for what was to come. ’How many times am I going to have to tell this story I’d rather forget? Whatever.’ The resignation in his thoughts was palpable—he was tired of reliving the trauma, tired of having to justify and explain every detail of their harrowing experience.

Arthur and Aziel went on to detail everything about their journey, their voices taking turns as they painted a comprehensive picture of their trials and tribulations. Well, Aziel didn’t leave anything out at least, his natural honesty and lack of guile ensuring that every detail was shared with complete transparency.

Arthur, on the other hand, conveniently left out anything and everything related to Luke. All of it was carefully edited out of his version of events.

But once they were done with their lengthy recounting, they noticed Ms. Pellion giving them an odd, penetrating look. Her golden eyes seemed to be peering directly into their souls, searching for answers to unspoken questions, probing for the truths that lay hidden beneath their words. The intensity of her gaze was almost physical, like being examined under a microscope by someone who knew exactly what they were looking for.

After a moment or two of awkward silence that stretched between them like a taut wire ready to snap, she spoke again. Her tone remained quiet and delicate on the surface, but there was something else lurking beneath—something that could only be described as scary, like the calm before a devastating storm.

She looked directly at Arthur, her gaze never wavering as she delivered her words with surgical precision.

"Amazing story! Absolutely unbelievable! To think you two went through all that on your first time is unbelievable, truly!" Her praise seemed genuine, but there was an undertone that suggested she was building up to something. "One thing though... you left something out."

Arthur and Aziel looked at her with confused expressions, their eyebrows furrowing as they tried to process her accusation. The confusion was genuine—from Aziel’s perspective, at least, they had been completely honest about everything.

"No, we didn’t," Aziel said, confusion clear in his voice as he glanced between Arthur and Ms. Pellion.

"Not you, Aziel," she said smoothly, her gaze shifting from him to focus entirely on Arthur with laser-like intensity. "You, Arthur... you left something out of your story."