Registering the indignant outburst from his younger sister seated upon the sofa, Celestian's composure remained entirely undisturbed. Locking his luminous golden pupils strictly onto her, he projected a query infused with absolute ease and a light vocal tone:
"At what coordinate did I restrict you from traversing beyond the boundaries of this sanctuary?"
The absolute microsecond those words resonated, the layer of discontent across Lucy's features deepened significantly.
Disengaging her frame from the sofa, she rose to a fully upright posture instantly.
Driven by the sharp acoustic vibration of her boots, her steps translated forward, advancing straight toward her elder brother.
Coming to a halt directly in front of Celestian, she tilted her neck upward fractionally, anchoring her gaze strictly into her brother's eyes. The raw resentment expanding across every contour of her countenance was fully visible. Sustaining a controlled yet sharp vocal frequency, she projected:
"My words held no such implication... Brother, you are fully aware of precisely what I intend to convey."
Observing the unfiltered anger and agitation projecting from his younger sister, a deeply affectionate, subtle smile materialized across Celestian's lips. A warm brilliance ignited within the golden aura of his pupils.
Without projecting any rigid reaction, he effortlessly extended his right arm forward, resting his palm directly over Lucy's head.
Under that affectionate touch, he initiated a gentle movement, running his fingers through her hair. Driven by that playful and warm stroke, Lucy's neatly set, silky strands became caught within his fingers, scattering completely in every direction.
Observing her neatly set hair being scattered in such a playful manner, Lucy forcefully pushed her brother's hand away with a sharp movement of her head. A playful irritation flared within her pupils.
Attempting to untangle her strands with her fingers, she projected in a sharp tone:
"You... are deliberately executing all of this, aren't you!"
The subtle smile remained anchored across Celestian's lips. He smoothly lowered his hand, releasing his touch from over Lucy's head.
Thereafter, Celestian re-aligned the vector of his golden pupils back toward Eric. Registering Eric's calm yet intense facial contours, he projected with profound warmth:
"Why do you not take some rest first? A considerable duration must have elapsed since your entry into this dimension."
However, zero tokens escaped Eric's lips.
His sharp, crimson pupils remained rigidly locked onto Celestian's features without blinking. His cognition remained completely detached from the acoustic frequency of Celestian's spoken words, anchoring strictly upon the structural contours of his countenance.
Within the internal canvas of Eric's mind, Len's image remained vividly suspended. Through his gaze, he was actively cross-analyzing Celestian's golden pupils, cascading golden hair, and facial markings against Len's structure.
Receiving no verbal response, Celestian registered Eric's silent, searching gaze.
Releasing a subtle breath, he projected smoothly:
"Very well... taking rest first would be appropriate."
Eric remained deeply submerged within that analytical state. Though his ears registered the acoustic waves of the tokens, his cognition was entirely consumed by the mathematical impossibility of the identical features between Len and this Sovereign.
To disengage Eric from that state, Celestian shifted his gaze toward the grand portal of the chamber, projecting a low, grave vocal call.
The microsecond that call resonated, a regal handmaiden stationed outside entered the chamber without a fraction of delay. Holding the edges of her luxurious silk gown with both hands, she expanded the fabric slightly and bowed from her waist with profound reverence, projecting a respectful greeting:
"Your Imperial Majesty... you summoned?"
Positioned near the sofa, Luna executed a subtle eye gesture toward the handmaiden.
Decoding that authoritative command instantly, the handmaiden smoothly restored her upright posture, standing in complete silence.
Without turning his frame backward, Celestian issued an authoritative decree toward the handmaiden:
"Escort him to the royal chamber situated adjacent to mine. He shall rest there... ensure his comfort and hospitality remain absolute."
Not a single additional token escaped Celestian's lips beyond that sole authoritative decree.
Registering that specific instruction, the regal handmaiden froze in subtle shock upon her spot. A visible wave of sudden disbelief flickered across her pupils.
When zero verbal response returned to Celestian, he rotated the alignment of his luminous golden pupils, anchoring them strictly onto the handmaiden's facial contours as he projected a calm, grave query:
"Is there an issue persisting within your mind?"
Upon registering that query, the handmaiden directed her gaze toward Celestian's features first. Thereupon, she shifted the alignment of her pupils across to scan the countenances of the four young women seated upon the sofa.
Their facial features remained completely devoid of any emotional expression—their expressions were absolute, calm, and motionless, as though this extraordinary assignment introduced zero concern or resonance within them.
Observing their complete indifference, the handmaiden peacefully redirected her gaze back toward Celestian. She instantly shook her head in a negative motion, suppressing her inner hesitation, and projected in a low tone:
"By no means... Your Imperial Majesty."
Concluding her response, she translated her boots forward. Advancing with steady momentum, she came to a halt directly before Eric.
Registering the unexpected materialization of the handmaiden directly in front of his frame, Eric was caught off guard for a microsecond. A layer of genuine surprise surfaced within his sharp, crimson pupils, driven by her sudden alignment before him without prior indication.
Stopping directly before Eric, the handmaiden extended a soft, respectful request:
"Distinguished guest... kindly follow my lead."
The vibration of those tokens collided with Eric's focus, bringing the realization of her statement into his active cognition. Locking his crimson pupils strictly onto the handmaiden, he projected a direct, sharp, and pragmatic inquiry:
"Where am I expected to proceed?"