Lucius glanced around the grand hall. He didn''t see the figure he expected. "By the way, where is Patriarch Ragnar? I heard he was here."

    Savra nodded slightly. "He was. But he was suddenly called away to attend a meeting with another dukedom. It''s an important matter."

    Lucius bowed his head a bit. "I see. As expected from the patriarch. Duty calls, as always."

    Savra chuckled softly. "Of course. The Volcaria family is not just any estate—we''re a dukedom. Responsibilities come with that, and sometimes we''re busier than most."

    Lucius nodded again. "Naturally. It''s part of what makes the Volcarias such an invaluable backing. That level of influence and power is unmatched."

    Savra smiled faintly as she glared at Lucius. "And so are you. You''ve proven yourself to be a valuable ally to this family. I''ll be very interested to see how much further you can rise, Lucius."

    Lucius smirked. "I assure you, Matriarch, there''s no limit to how far I intend to go."@@@@

    Savra chuckled again. "But still. I doubt you''ve come here just to see me. Knowing you, there''s more to this visit than a simple check-in. What are you planning, Lucius?"

    Lucius leaned forward slightly and smirked. "You''ve always had a way of reading people. Yes, I''m here to discuss something important that requires your attention."

    Savra arched an eyebrow and glanced at Lucius. "If you say it''s important, then it must be."

    She rose from her throne and gestured for Lucius and the others to follow her. "Come. Let''s talk somewhere more secure."

    Lucius smirked as he stood up. He adjusted his coat slightly and motioned for Luna and Liora to follow. "Lead the way, Matriarch."

    Savra led them to a seemingly unremarkable section of the wall. She reached into her spatial ring and retrieved a plaque and pressed it against a concealed slot in the stone.

    A faint hum echoed through the hall, and with a soft grinding sound, the wall shifted and slid open, revealing a hidden passageway.

    He couldn''t reveal the truth that the destruction of the Garran estate was his doing. Some secrets were better left buried.

    Savra''s sharp gaze remained fixed on Lucius as she leaned slightly forward. "But how can you be certain this mysterious group is connected to the Garrans?"

    Lucius smirked and gestured toward Luna, who stood calmly at his side. "You see. Luna was once a Garran."

    Savra was a bit surprised hearing that. She turned to Luna. "Luna, is this true?"

    Luna stepped forward slightly and nodded. "Yes, Matriarch. I was born into the Garran family. But because I was deemed talentless, I was sold into slavery. They are afraid that their status will fall because of me."

    Savra softened slightly. She sympathized with Luna. "I''m sorry to hear that."

    Luna shook her head and smiled. "It''s alright. If I hadn''t been sold, I never would have met Master. My life now has purpose."

    Savra only smiled hearing that and turned back to Lucius. "I see. But that still doesn''t answer the question. How did you come to know about this group?" Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

    Lucius leaned back slightly. "For reasons unknown, one of my academy missions was to evolve a beast for Garran''s young master."

    Savra tilted her head slightly. "So, was this mission the moment you encountered the mysterious group?"

    Lucius shook his head and faintly smirked. "No, it wasn''t. Allow me to explain—it''s a bit of a long story."

    Savra leaned back slightly, gesturing for him to continue. "I have time. I''m sure it will be worth hearing."

    Lucius glanced at Luna and Liora briefly before settling back into the sofa. He crossed one leg over there to comfort himself first.

    He glanced at Savra and smirked as he began the story. "The Garran mission wasn''t my first encounter with them, but it was the moment where it began."