Lynefra's entrance was as grand as it could get considering the environment. The shock of having Syble and Lystall together in front of everyone was quickly drowned out by the magnificent beauty of Lynefra.

Cirwyn quickly bowed to her father, the man who had expelled her from her familial clan. Fallagar returned her bow with a neven deeper one. "It seems both of us are poor fathers indeed. We truly are not worthy of having such wonderful children," Laigrat patted Fallagar on the back.

None of the Nihili children met their grandparents. The two men standing together in the corner of the room in their sleeping robes were like complete strangers to them. Thankfully the children of the house of Nihili weren't stupid, they noticed the deference of the Emperor and the Magisters towards the two. Following as per the custom of the subject to the monarch, Freyd and Altresca bowed. Curiously, Lynefra did not bow, she walked right up to the King and the Royal Ancestor of the Dulsa family.

As she walked by the magisters, the fragrance of cherry blossoms wafted through the room behind her. This too, was imbued with her charm, and caused no small reaction. 'She's going to be the death of these men,' Cirwyn thought smugly to herself as the wives who had accompanied the magisters noticed their husbands' looks of desire and lust falling on the young woman.

Lynefra's charm didn't seem to do much to Fallagar, the royal ancestor. When Lynefra arrived in front of the aged man, the only difference was a fire that had been lit in his eyes. It wasn't lust, it was a desire to live. Lynefra's charm ahd rekindled his desire to overcome the wound that had been inflicted upon him so long ago.

Laigrat was similarly unaffected by Lynefra. He marvelled at her beauty but nothing more. The Lion of Zelix, God's Kin, had more self control than most High Elves in their reserved nature, let alone the High Humans. His ability to put a stop to his impulsive nature was due to his extreme age. The only one in the room older than he, was Syble. Lystall wasn't even as old as Laigrat. Needless to say, Laigrat was older than most of the races in the Paradoxica Star System.

"We ask of you, your name, maiden," Laigrat commanded in his royal splendor.

Lynefra looked at him, then ignored him as she placed a hand on Fallgar's forehead. "She's got the fire of your mother in her, that one," Syble beamed as he spoke to Laigrat.

Paralyzed under Lynefra's charm, the onlookers couldn't do much more than gasp as Lynefra reached out to Fallagar. Subjects shouldn't even look at Royalty, let alone ignore one and put hands on another. Shock circled the room once again as Lynefra emitted a purple glow and some of her energies flowed into Fallagar.

Do not speak, Lynefra commanded of the ancient Emperor. Her face abnormally focused. She had noticed upon first glance of the aged elf, his ailment. Fallagar had an injury well hidden in his chest. One of his Yin meridian was ruptured. If he had been a weaker man, he might have actually healed with no issues whatsoever. Unfortunately the man's power was greater than his injured body could withstand and his own power had prevented his meridian from sealing up. The books she aquired from Kuzunoha had helped her in her study of the inner-force flows of the body. Thankfully the race that had made the books had a similar anatomy to elves and an even more simliar anatomy to High Humans.

Lystall took the opportunity to isolate the five figures behind a wall of light. The questions would be endless, she explained to Syble who looked at her.

If possible, I'd like to meet the people who made such discoveries...or at least members of the race that could produce something so enlightening, Lynefra requested to the gods in the room. Only they had the ability to allow her to meet a race of a distant world.

Hmm? What are you talking about? Syble asked curiously.

The creators of the books Kuzu gave me. I want to meet them.

Ah, Lystall replied, That would be impossible. Kuzunoha informed us that the Star their planet was orbitting consumed the planet in its mourning of a dear friend that passed.

Lynefra didn't think anything of the subtle hint, I see.. that's unfortunate. She resumed her probing of Fallagar.

Lynefra's purple energies supressed the aged man's power slightly and then sealed up the leaking meridian. She then transformed the energies she had injected into the man and cut them off from herself.

"You've..healed me.." Fallagar muttered in gratitude. As he spoke, the wears of time faded from his skin until he looked to be a mere 70-year-old mortal, with pointed ears of course. The old man's eyes watered up an in a rare desplay of affection, he tightly hugged the young girl who he knew to be his granddaughter.

You have been injured for so long that some of the damage was permenant, Lyenfra replied wistfully as she returned Fallagar's hug awkwardly. She didn't know who the man was in relation to her but he didn't seem like a bad person. At least not with Lystall standing behind him. The sudden closeness with a man caught her a bit off guard as she hadn't really had very many experiences with the members of the opposite sex, her father and brother included. The man's advanced age hid most of his original facial features that would have identified him to Lynefra as being her mother's father. Still, the man had a similar aura of her mother and her Uncle, who she had affectionately dubbed "Uncle Arty."

Hoh, Syble whistled, How did you do that?

Gifts, Lynefra answered coyly, separating herself from Fallagar. The knowledge of this world regarding meridians is extremely lacking. The humans of Kuzu's home world appear to have been much more clever than the elves and the humans of this world.

Lystall waved her elegant hand, and the wall of light disappeared, leaving the five people exposed to the onlookers.

"Lynefra," Cirwyn beckoned.

Lynefra shivered slightly, to the amusement of Syble and Lystall. The young woman was fearless in front of the two gods, undaunted by their obvious power and status, but she was scared of her mother. Cirwyn had been extremely strict when Lynefra was young, somewhere in her mind, Lynefra knew it was because Cirwyn was concerned for her daughter's well-being and safety. Lynefra was an obedient child but the few times she thought to contradict her mother, she received the paddle as punishment.

"I do not like spanking you," Cirwyn had said, "but you need to listen to your mother about some things. You cannot play with the little boys, you must practice your control over your power." It had been right after Lynefra had tried to sneak out of the family manor to play with several of the sons of the family guard.

Yes, mother.." Lynefra complied then and had complied presently to Cirwyn's call.

"Daughters, Son," Cirwyn explained while Traigar scratched his head and mumbled to himself in an apparent bad mood. "There are several people here you should meet. Ah, can we clear the room of all those who aren't related?"

"No need," Fallagar replied with a wave of his hand. There was something different about the old looking elf that no one could quite place. "Cirwyn, with all to witness, I would like to announce something."

Cirwyn humbled herself to the old elf, "This one dares not to give permission to the honored Ancestor of the Imperial family."

Her tone and her words had weaponized themselves against the old man. It wasn't a mystery as Cirwyn had been deeply hurt by her father after she had married Traigar. Her father had given his blessings to their marriage and then promply expelled her from the clan. The slight edge in her voice didn't go unnoticed.

It was silent for a few moments before the old elf spoke. His expression was pained by Cirwyn's words, "I have done a great misdeed to you and your family. In my weakness I cast you out when your children should have been raised in nobility. To you I ask for your forgiveness, to your children I would like to offer the greetings not of an Emperor past his time, but of a grandfather who is meeting them for the first time. In this, I ask for your permission."

It dawned on the three children of Cirwyn and Traigar who the old man was. They remained silent and waited for Cirwyn's reaction. Traigar wasn't as calm as the children, he gnashed his teeth in anger and spat, "I killed the enemy who wounded you and destroyed the empire that threatened your borders. You allowed your daughter to marry me but you cast her out of your family and house. She might have drowned in her sorrows if it wasn't for her brother's companionship and my unending efforts."

"When my children were born, it wasn't you who sent good tidings, but your son! Your son, who had been named Emperor didn't let status get in his way as he tried to mend the relations with his sister that you had destroyed. You, who no longer had such a lofty position didn't say anything! My wife, Cirwyn, may be able to forgive for you are the one who raised her, but I will not."

"Husband," Cirwyn placed her hand on Traigar's cheek. His richeous anger moved her as it always had. She looked at the old elf, Fallagar, and said, "Out of respect for my brother, I will not denounce YOUR royal family, but it is not my family any longer. It hasn't been my family for a long time. If my children decide to recognize you as their grandfather and claim what is rightfully theirs to claim they have my permission. Know this, from you, I want nothing and offer nothing."

The magisters and nobles in the room choked. What a prideful stance to take against the royal family. The people under the academy's employ quickly removed themselves from the room, these kinds of discussions were known to sour, and sour quickly, espcially in the presence of the High Humans.

"Ahem." Laigrat cleared his throat in preparation to speak.

Not now, boy. He heard Syble's voice in his mind and his face slightly paled.

"Mother," Freyd whispered something in her ear. He had long since heard of the plights of his sister, Altresca, and the lecherous advances of the unworthy Dean.

Cirwyn's eyes lit up. "Actually royal father," she began, "If you wish for forgiveness you'll have it, even from my husband if you so want. There's just something that needs to be done and I'm sure you can accomidate my request." Cirwyn had spoken clearly and consicely.

"If he can't, I'm sure I can." Artinalwe spoke up. Being the current ruler of Dulsa, he had more authority than his father. He was sincere in his joy for his sister when she found her lifelong companion in Traigar. The two of them cared for eachother and Traigar, true to his word on the day he married Cirwyn, had never done her wrong. The man had even confided in him on several occasions when Cirwyn had been depressed.

Cirwyn glanced at her brother, "Well...is there anything we can do about Dean Hallel?"

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Dean Hallel rolled out of his bed. Instead of bathing before he went to bed, he put it off for the morning, only he didn't bathe when he got up either. Instead the Dean heavily coated himself with perfumes and attempted to comb his greasy hair. He found the least stained robes he could and after patting some crumbs off them, he put them on and proceeded to walk out of his chamber.

'Today is going to be a good day,' he thought happily to himself. His plan was to use his backing to either make the Nihili family pay for the damage to the school's barrier or "regrettably" accept Lynefra as a payment if the family couldn't afford to pay for the twice broken barrier. The unkept dean wasn't aware of the sudden rise in status of Traigar and his family. As the dean walked to the dining hall reserved for the VIP's and the school's instructors, he mused to himself, 'If I can get that girl myself, I have no need of the aid of that demon. With Lynefra's ability I should easily rise through the ranks of nobility.'

As Dean Hallel smiled at the thought of his own ambitions, he had arrived at the dining hall and walked right into Traigar. The Dean had been too distracted to avoid the large man or to take notice of the identity of the man he just walked into, "Do you have eyes you buffoon?!" Dean Hallel roared, attempting to flaunt himself. He was unaware of the audience in the room but he never missed an opportunity to belittle others.

"Well, speak of the Devil," Traigar grinned with malevolence. Shortly before the dean's arrival, Cirwyn had informed EVERYONE in the room of Dean Hallel's tendencies and even added a few of her own experiences with the pig-like man herself.

Dean Hallel recognized the voice to be Traigar's and looked around the room curiously. Noticing several of the magisters nad nobles, and even the old emperor, curiously in his sleeping robes, who had banished Cirwyn because of Traigar's race, the dean felt a false sense of security in his well-being. There were a few people present whom he didn't know, nor did he care. Mistakeningly determining that the several unknown faces were of no importance and held no particular status, the dean continued. "High Humans have no manners!" The dean shouted, making a fool of himself. "I say, your first daughter disrespects me and spreads slanderous rumors about me and your second daughter went so far as to threaten me and destroy the school's barrier not once, but twice! Do you have any idea of the severity of those crimes and of the price of the barrier?"

The Dean thought that in front of all the nobles, even if the current Emperor was biased towards his sister and her family, he wouldn't be able to keep Lynefra from the dean's grasp.

"Oh, do tell," Cirwyn interjected, if looks could kill, the Dean would be dead twice over in an instant.

"Very well," Dean Hallel huffed, "Slander against a noble is punishable by death, and the price of the school's barrier is no small matter at all. Couple that with the fact that your troublesome daughter has destroyed it twice, it would most likely cause the Nihili family to go bankrupt! Disrespect to an esteemed authority figure in the school also warrants expulsion." Dean Hallel was so full of his own gusto that he failed to notice the souring faces of even the nobles who had been extremely biased against the High Humans years prior.

"Ohhh, I was taught to respect only those who deserve it and my sister isn't spreading any 'false' rumors," Lynefra said cooly. A trace of a smile was forming on her lips.

"Hmph! This is exactly what I mean, children should only speak when spoken to. Your coming-of-age ceremony hasn't been held yet and you're talking in place of an adult." The dean felt his position was strengthened by Lynefra's rude remarks and her interuption.

"I see, these are grievous crimes indeed," Emperor Artinalwe's voice had a commanding pressure, silencing the murmors that had been generated. Dean Hallel missed the sarcasm and disdain in the Emperor's tone. "How then, dean, should this situation be rectified?" The only person who didn't realize the mocking nature of the emperor's remarks was the one being mocked.

"If the Nihili family can't pay for the damages to my reputation and the damages to the school's barrier, I might have another solution," Dean Hallel answered slyly, "I can teach Lynefra some proper manners. After her coming-of-age ceremony she will be of marrying age, afterall.