Chapter Twenty Three

~ Signs ~

“What now?” Luhan turned to Kris.

The two of them are still in Volo, staying in Kris’ home. Both are figuring out how they would continue their search for Weiss Rey now that they know it’s the Cyphian royal family that is behind his abduction. The information they’ve got is too limited. Finding more would be complicated and difficult.

Luhan frowned from getting no response from the taller man. “So, magic, huh?”

Kris, who was staring off outside the window of his living room, finally gave him his attention. “Yes, magic, what of it?”

“One would think that developers would be the first to deny its existence.” He pointed out.

“Some of us do.” Kris admitted. “But there are those that has accepted it, like me. We created a secret branch that focuses on magic researches, and we hide it under technological and medicinal advances majority of the organization’s developers are doing.”

“Why magic?” he probed, genuinely curious.

Kris looked at him. “Legends suggested that magic is the framework of Serce. Past developers believed that it may be somehow true, so they proceeded to look into it. The King back then approved of it. But it was soon learned that the King agreed to have the research in order to clear out those who manifest a trace of magic in them. The organization put a stop to the research.”

“If it was halted, then what are you doing now?” he raised an eyebrow.

“The royal family, having the confirmation that magic is real, had suspicious people imprisoned or killed.” Kris said with a sigh. “When Liana took the seat, the organization resumed the research in secret. The more we know about magic, the more we could think of ways to protect those who have it.”

Luhan nodded slowly, mulling over what he had heard. “Then the King knowing what you have researched so far would be a bad thing.”

“Your professor doesn’t know everything in our research. He prefer it that way. So he won’t be able to give anything substantial even if they torture him.” Kris bluntly replied. “But yes, it would be very bad for us if the royal family learned what we know now.”

“Us?” he questioned, a little puzzled as to why he’s part of it. He didn’t know anything.

“Us as in you, me, and people like us. People with magic.” Kris shrugged.

Luhan blinked at him. Then gasped when he understood what was implied.

Kris smirked. “What? You didn’t expect me not to know, did you? I’ve been studying the signs. I’ve known even before we got here.”

~~~

He stood up slowly from his kneeling posit