As much as Leonel wanted to ignore everything else around him and focus on the monuments, there was only so long he could dodge Syl.
Not long after Leonel found out the truth about the monuments and was planning on travelling through them one by one, the remaining seven members of the Keafir family's selections finally made it through the gates.
Aside from the petite girl who had confronted Leonel initially who became a Royal, the rest were either Generals or Soldiers. With all of them now here, Leonel couldn't continue to stall Syl and had no choice but to follow her through the Eastern Sector and into the more luxurious regions.
"Jerach, why are you following us?" Syl said, seemingly a bit displeased.
Apparently, she still hadn't forgotten about the words Jerach had said to take advantage of her earlier.
"Wherever Leonel goes, I go." Jerach said matter factly.
Leonel didn't refute this. If things went south, Jerach was maybe the only protection he had. He was under no delusions that he would be able to handle Syl's elder brother on his own.
Unless Heira had a way to contact her husband, it was unlikely that the Keafir family Heir was even aware of Leonel's existence. And, Leonel had a bad feeling that Heira wanted it this way.
Leonel wasn't oblivious. He knew of the underhanded tricks Heira was pulling behind the scenes. One of the things he was best at was reading people. And, he wasn't new to women being fond of him.
As a Five Star Quarterback, there were plenty of women, even those from noble families, who were willing to throw themselves at him. Even though the occupation wasn't as respected, that was only a matter of relativity. Not every woman would be able to find a husband from a Five Star Profession of high standing. And, as a quarterback, Leonel was guaranteed to become a very rich man in the future.
This was all to say that Leonel could easily read the signs of women coming on to him. It was just easier to pretend to be ignorant.
But, by now, Leonel realized that if he allowed things to continue like this without stepping in properly, a small misunderstanding could easily become a massive one.
The worst part was that he couldn't just step out and say he had feelings for another woman. He was quite familiar with women and saying such a thing bluntly would only make him public enemy number one.
'Please come back soon…' Leonel looked up into the sky, holding back crocodile tears.
Things would be so much easier if Aina was here, even if she was still pretending to not like him.
Leonel suddenly smiled. 'That's alright, I know you've already fallen for me.'
Syl and Jerach looked toward Leonel's suddenly smiling face, wondering just what he was thinking about…
At that moment, the surroundings began to change. From dirt roads and tents, they began to see neat little huts amid smooth roads. Soon, those smooth roads became paved in stone and the huts became small houses of brick.
Even now, one couldn't say these homes were luxurious. They were quite minimalistic compared to true behemoths one might find in the outside world. However, in this place, where the only building taller than three stories was the massive tower that connected the Sectors, this was by far the best place to live.
Each home was gated and had a different style, exuding a different aura. Some reminded Leonel of gentle winds, others of rushing water, and still others like raging flames. However, what each house had in common was a single lamppost before its gate.
It only took a moment for Leonel to understand that if this lamppost was lit, the house had been claimed. If it hadn't been, then the lamppost wouldn't be.
Judging by the current situation, there were much more homes lit than Leonel thought there would be. Were there really this many Emperors?
Syl hesitated for a moment. Though she knew her brother would be here, she wasn't exactly sure where he would be.
"You don't want to choose a house?" Jerach suddenly asked, glancing toward Leonel.
"Not yet." Leonel shook his head.
Jerach laughed. "If I was as weak as you, I'd be hesitant too."
Leonel chuckled in response, not minding. "How'd it feel to lose to someone so weak?"
"…"
Syl giggled, forgetting about her task to find her brother for a moment.
Just as the group was about to continue through to see if they could find any clues, Leonel frowned. He turned back to find a young man strolling through the stone paved roads.
He wore white robes that shifted slightly with his every step. His long, black hair was neatly tied, making it almost impossible to make out individual strands. Everything about him exuded an air of refinement and cleanliness, almost like a diligently polished blade ready to be unsheathed.
Syl noticed Leonel's odd reaction and turned back. Her eyes lit up in pleasant surprise.
"Big Brother!"
Leonel's gaze narrowed. He hadn't expected to run into this man so easily. And, most importantly, he hadn't expected that even after overestimating his potential abilities in his mind, that Leonel would still be so surprised by the pressure he felt from this young man.
As Leonel was looking toward the Keafir family Heir, he too was looking toward Leonel.
The Young Heir had never met Leonel before, he didn't know who he was either, but he still felt his eyes gravitate toward him. And, when he noticed the Emperor mark that barely shrouded the black brand between his brows, he felt inwardly surprised.
For a moment, he forgot to respond to his sister. A sword that hung to his back vibrated slightly, making it seem as though the blade might unsheathe at any moment.
This was the first time Leonel noticed the sword. His vision had been so focused on the young man before him.
However, after a moment, he realized why he hadn't…
The sword wasn't attached to anything.. It floated in the air, following the young man around as though it couldn't bear to part with him… Leonel couldn't imagine the level of skill that was needed to reach such a state.