The voice says, "Everyone but the heads shiver." This time its tone is similar to the first one.
A man wearing Inca similar armor, which consists of intricate gold-plated breastplates th, feathered headdresses, and ornate ceremonial masks, stands up.
His armor is adorned with detailed engravings of celestial symbols and geometric patterns.
He gestures his hand and says, "Inti Yupanqui here," then sits back down almost seamlessly.
Another head stands up.
He wears modern clothing resembling high fashion—tailored suits, elegant fabrics, and bold accessories.
His attire exudes a snobby, top-tier confidence, with a crisp, impeccably styled appearance, the cut of his suit, the bold patterns and colors almost out of a rainbow his personality is reflected in his choice of clothing.
he adjusts his cufflinks with a smug expression, . that contrasts sharply with the formalities of the room.
He says, "Colan Here," then sits back down with an air of superiority his shoes make a soft, deliberate click on the floor as he sits.
"That's really bright" Leonardo says noting at how someone would want to dress like that
Leonardo watches as the heads rise and fall while calling out their names with attendance.
"It's a formal greeting," Marquis interjects, already noticing Leonardo's fidgeting. The heirs stand at the front of the door they entered, positioned haphazardly with no formal arrangement.
The table sits in the middle, long and accommodating with chairs for the heads. Further back is an extremely large throne where, presumably, the sage sits.
Marquis turns to Leonardo, almost fixing his gaze on the ground.
"I know I said we should introduce ourselves formally," he says, then continues, "how about after this?" Sensing that this meeting would be longer than usual as his father is already tensing, "Sure," Leonardo replies enthusiastically.
He really wants to be friends with Marquis, and just one act has made Leonardo see him in a different light compared to others.
Anna scoffs at how well Leonardo and Marquis are getting along but notices his frequent twitch
. She pauses and looks around then realizes his guide isn't with him—the dark green cloak should have been eerily visible.
Elara, not paying mind to this, continues watching as more families rise to say their names and attendance.
Turning to the approximate 46 heirs in the crowd, she observes that most heirs seem disengaged, merely waiting for their moment to become relevant in the meeting. Takashiro stays at the end of the crowd, watching his father with intense detail that contrasts sharply with the disinterest of others.
His focus catches Elara's attention. "You ever notice—" she tries to mutter before the all-too-familiar voice of her father speaks up.
"Henri de Meaux." Henri stands up, his coat swaying as his elaborate embroidery catches the light.
He stares at Anna as he speaks. She pauses and stares back. He is the only head who isn't part of the top tier of the pyramid but is strong enough to contend with them.
Known for mocking the others, his family is at the bottom of the heads' list in overall favorability. He sits back down slowly compared to how swiftly he stood.
Before he sits, he stares at his daughters, then at Leonardo, making him feel a pressure. Henri then turns back to Anna, his usual mockery replaced with pure seriousness.
"Alphonse de Lorraine," he says flatly as he stands up. Alphonse's suit matches the color of his blue hair, creating a striking contrast.
The sun insignia on his suit's top left chest symbolizes burning or shining, representing the family's prowess, the sun insignia could be described as radiating with an almost literal glow, symbolizing the power and pride of the de Lorraine family
"Kokoro Takashiro" he says, his armor slightly slowing him down though he eventually manages to do so.
Henri scoffs at this, while Alphonse looks on, flabbergasted. "Why judge him for wearing armor when Sir Eadric is there?" he says silently, though Henri hears it. "I have no idea," is Henri's curt reply.
His face grows tenser as Takashiro sits back down. A few heads remain, standing in no required order, making the process seem random.
"This year's 500-year quest," the voice finally announces as the greetings end. The heads sit in their chairs, while the heirs remain standing. Unlike the heads, the fear in the atmosphere is palpable.
"Your task is to, in short, explore the 17 wonders and bring back an object of similar value to an object from the higher realm, which should be easily findable." Henri winces at this.
Is the sage serious? It's like telling a snake to fly, especially giving this task to a group of kids who haven't even reached adulthood.
"You can go in any order fitting your preference."
"That should be fine, right?" Leonardo mutters to Anna. "I think so. We could avoid the other heirs that way," she replies, not facing him but looking toward the empty throne, where presumably everyone in the hall is directing their attention.
"You are allowed to take a guide with you—one," the voice continues. "The heirs have the supreme right to choose their guides, without the help or assistance of the heads or family members."
Leonardo tries to understand, but as time passes, the sage's words become mumbled or scrambled, with only the first syllable remaining clear.
[immediate translation problem]
"I can't understand," he says to Anna. Marquis, though not focused on them, notices Leonardo's confusion. "What?" Anna says flatly, not wanting to deal with Leonardo's behavior.
The glowing text begins to faintly drift away as Leonardo looks at it.
"Hmm?" The voice says. Everyone who was either paying attention or not raises their eyes to the throne. What was that? Was the sage interested in something, here or in another location?
"There's an interesting person here?" the voice says, though not fully sure.
"Who is it, sage?" the man in Inca armor asks, voicing everyone's thoughts.
"Ah, I can't say right now. I'll have to speak with someone else." That was it. The sage doesn't say another word, and the voice simply vanishes.