Adam froze. Not by this revelation, but by sothing else entirely.
He gazed at the Headmaster, carefully weighing what he was about to say.
His following words caused the two Mana Core Magi’s expressions to turn dark...
"Then, have you sensed the presence of the enemy Mana Core Magus within the city?"
"We were just talking about that before you arrived." Headmaster Blackwood nodded.
"So you know!" Adam’s eyes lit up. "Have you found him already?"
"We know this because of your report from last night," Gerald said with a grave expression. "Kenelm inford about everything. Even the spy you found."
Adam’s expression paled. "As I thought... that man must be using a high-grade concealnt artifact. Even I couldn’t see through his appearance."
Headmaster Blackwood gazed at the youth with a look of approval in his eyes.
"Magus Constantine, it is comndable that you managed to draw this mysterious figure out. At the very least, we now know there’s a hidden danger in the city, and we can act accordingly," he said with a nod.
Adam turned to him and smiled wryly. "That was not my intention, truth be told."
He then thought about Gerald Acadia’s advice about the thin line between caution and fear.
The main reason why Adam was so paranoid was because of Helene Godfrey’s betrayal. That’s why he began suspecting almost everyone he t of being a Cult spy.
But now... he was willing to place his trust in the forr Emperor.
If the Old Man trusts him, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t, he thought to himself.
He deeply looked at the two Mana Core Magi sitting before him, then ultimately decided to tell them everything.
It was about ti.
He feared that the weight of the secrets he carried would one day bury him underground.
Adam was willing to take that leap of faith.
He took a deep breath and then exhaled.
I can only hope this doesn’t co to stab in my back soday...
Then, he finally began, "It all started yesterday, when my sister and her entourage left the city. I knew they would be attacked by the cultists, so I made several arrangents beforehand. But what I didn’t know was that Ives Ballard’s son was going to be among them..."
The two Mana Core Magi’s expressions varied. At tis, they nodded, other tis, their eyes flickered with gravity.
But one thing was clear: both were taken aback by Adam’s audacity in attempting to bluff an Elder from the Cult’s Inner Circle.
Blackwood deeply looked at the raven-haired youth, then evenly said, "You were willing to risk your sister’s life... what if the Cult had sent more Magi?"
Adam smiled bitterly. "I had made several divinations before going forward with this plan. In the end, the best way to outsmart the Elder was to formulate an overtly simple sche. I was certain that she would make it out alive."
He then recalled the news of Ives Ballard gathering a group of powerful Magi and setting out in pursuit of her, and couldn’t help but heave a dejected sigh.
"Although I don’t know what’s going to happen to her now that that rat is out for her."
Speaking of rat...
He turned towards Blackwood and asked, "Headmaster, did you... did you know about Ballard?"
Marcus Blackwood remained silent for a few monts before slowly nodding. "Indeed. The only thing I didn’t know about was the presence of the Elder from the Cult."
Adam wanted to ask further, but thought better of it. If the Headmaster did not make a move despite knowing that Ballard was a spy, then there must have been a reason.
A grim silence settled over the office, each Magus lost in their own thoughts about what lay ahead.
Gerald Acadia suddenly turned to Adam, his expression as stoic as ever. But in the depths of his eyes, sothing dark and heavy had started to bloom.
"I had already surmised that the Cult was planning to weaken the Empire by dealing with the prospective young Magi who would gather during the Tournant," he began, his voice slow yet steady.
Then, his eyes narrowed and he continued, "But what did you an by the whole of Ulier being in danger?"
Adam’s breathing turned a little shaky.
Finally... the mont is here, he thought to himself, feeling anxiety gradually drown his heart.
He was going to divulge to the two Magi a piece of information so valuable, it could alter the course not just of the Acadian Empire or the Ulier Continent... but all of Tron itself!
Yeah, just... just trust him, damn it!
Adam scread inwardly.
He’s the Old Man’s ntor... that’s got to an sothing!
The youth took several deep breaths, his mind churning with imnse turmoil.
Blackwood and Acadia could clearly see the young man wrestling with hesitation. But they did not urge him any further.
They understood the kind of person Adam was - a deeply cautious man who was only just now beginning to slowly put his trust in others.
If not... he would have never co to the Headmaster’s office today to begin with.
After an entire minute of deliberation, Adam looked at Gerald Acadia and asked, "Your Highness, before anything else... I wish to first know, how many Magi in the Council of Dawn can truly be trusted?"
Without hesitation, the Emperor Eritus scoffed, his tone filled with disdain, "I don’t trust most of them."
Adam’s expression darkened. "You an... they could be spies?"
Gerald lingered for a mont before flatly stating, "Uncertain."
Well, that’s as good an answer as any, Adam thought as he slowly nodded.
He then took a deep breath and finally muttered:
"Hannes City."
Gerald Acadia frowned ever so slightly. He thought for a mont, then said, "The southermost part of Uriel. Yes, what about it?"
Adam lowered his gaze and saw that his hands were slightly trembling.
Even he couldn’t believe what he was about to divulge to the people before him.
Strangely enough, this was only the second ti Adam had t them, yet he was already entrusting them with such a deep and heavy secret.
He clenched his fists and spoke, "In my youth, my friends and I traveled to Hannes City and stopped a powerful, evil vampire from fully awakening and regaining his strength. But this isn’t the odd part..."
He paused for a mont, taking another deep breath before continuing, "In the vampire’s underground lair, I discovered a strange phenonon—a powerful enchantnt that distorted perception. It made people believe the lair was connected to Shadowmuir, when in truth it wasn’t."
The Headmaster and the forr Emperor gradually turned solemn.
"Recently, during the Blackshore Incident, I encountered a similar phenonon. It was the sa powerful enchantnt that distorted perception, making us believe that the Cult of Bones had abandoned the Umbra Thieves, when in fact... it was secretly supporting them with reinforcents," Adam added.
"An enchantnt capable of fooling so many Mana Vortex Magi..." The Headmaster’s expression turned grave.
But nothing could have prepared him and Gerald Acadia for what Adam was going to say next.
"When I noticed the similarities between the two, I knew the Cult was also behind the event in Hannes City. So I imdiately set sail for the Southern Federation," said the raven-haired youth.
He lingered for several monts before speaking again, "After investigating the underground lair in Hannes City, I was finally able to unravel the Cult’s plot."
"What are they scheming?" Gerald Acadia muttered coldly, his expression twisting into a deep frown.
Adam involuntarily gulped.
"Underneath the vampire’s lair, I found a chamber," he said, his voice low.
"Inside it stood a massive, ominous portal. It does not lead to anywhere in Tron... but to a world beyond ours."
Adam’s expression turned solemn, his dark eyes flickering with a mix of fear and dread.
"If my guess is right," he said quietly.
"Then that portal leads to the Nine Hells of Inferno. And the Cult of Bones... they intend to offer the people of Tron as a sacrifice...
"A sacrifice to the devils."
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