Hello, and welcome to another chapter of TPoM! :D
First of all, sorry for not uploading a new chapter last month, guys. I had intended to, but things came up in rl, distracting me and I just forgot.
I have no excuse, really. It didn't help that I had a dose of some writer's block, so things had been difficult for a while.
Anyways, I'm not going to bore you guys with the details of my life lately. So, just go on ahead and read.
Enjoy! :)
(PS – There's no Q and A in this chapter since there are no questions in the review.)
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Chapter 16 – Mentors
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"Uh, so what'chu want?!" A highly disgruntled Lord El-Melloi asked with a glare on his face.
Hadrian, who was at the receiving end of said glare (that doesn't really have any anger behind, but mere annoyance), chuckled nervously.
His former mentor had just kicked out his friends after giving them all a lengthy scolding for the current condition of his office. Hadrian himself did not get excluded, seeing as he was forced to kneel on the floor and received his own share of admonishment from his former mentor, much to the quiet amusement of a certain cheeky retainer with dual black and white hair.
Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Edelfet, the two troublemakers, were also scolded as well, and a punishment was also passed unto them since they were the ones who have caused Lord El-Melloi II's office to end up in a mess. As a result, they were forbidden from entering his office (unless specifically invited) and must pay for the damages they caused.
With a bit of grumbling from the two, the twin-tailed haired cousins paid the costs and had been ordered to leave the building.
Coincidentally, two female mages stopped by during that time and one of them visited the office due to having intended to pick up the two troublesome cousins.
The two female mages in question were Rani and Sakura Tohsaka.
Hadrian knew Rani, considering as she was one of the participants in the Holy Grail war and one of the people that helped him in the later events. The latter though, not so much.
Sakura Tohsaka was a close cousin of Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Edelfelt. Hadrian had encountered her when he reunited with Rin, which was a month after the Holy Grail war was finished. And the first time he met her, he had experienced a brief flashback of a certain purple-haired young woman dressed in a white doctor's coat.
From what he found, Sakura Tohsaka had been one of the models that the Moon Cell used to create the NPC Sakura Matou that he had met in the Holy Grail war. The NPC had been designated to be Shinji Matou's little sister, which turned out to be the automaton's ploy to keep the latter unaware from discovering his true identity.
Of course, it didn't work out in the end.
Shinji Matou regained his memories and became one of the participants to join the war. What came after was history.
It was a strange feeling, seeing the real Sakura. But, with a different surname and certainly a human-like one instead of an NPC.
Nevertheless, it was a humbling discovery for Hadrian to see that Sakura Tohsaka was also similar in temperament to the NPC Sakura Matou.
Recalling the scary smile that Sakura wore and sent towards Rin and Luvia, who had both flinched at the sight before they were 'gently' ushered by the former and escorted them somewhere that they need to be (according to Rani), Hadrian had decided that the two Sakura's were nearly similar.
Still, it was nice to speak to Rani and Sakura Tohsaka before they had escorted the twin-tailed haired duo out of the room, even if it was for a short while. The twin-tailed haired cousins protested from leaving the room, but Sakura Tohsaka was equally determined in escorting them to their designated classes, rendering their protests mute.
It might just be his imagination, but Hadrian thought the shadow behind Sakura Tohsaka moved for a second before the quartet left.
With the exception of Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Edelfelt, Hadrian and the others had taken their seats and usual positions now that the room was repaired.
Seated on the two leather couches facing each other were Lord El-Melloi II and Hadrian with Arturia beside him. Gray, his former mentor's pupil, was standing beside Lord El-Melloi II.
Reines El-Melloi Archisorte was on his former mentor's chair by the desk, and Trimmau, the silver golem maid, was beside her in her usual vigilant posture.
Charles and Dia were standing vigilantly behind their liege, mindful of their duties while listening into the conversation.
Flat Escardos, Caules and Svin were seated on a separate couch that was a few feet behind Hadrian's. His two familiars, Ryu and Fou, were also there with them, entertaining the trio.
His former mentor tried to shoo them away, but Flat, in his usual childish glory, kept on annoying the long-haired professor that lasted for ten minutes, begging him to let them stay and listen in, even if they were on the sidelines. Lord El-Melloi II could do nothing but grumble under his breath and put a cigarette in his mouth to that.
Although, the long-haired mage threatened to kick them out if they become a bother.
The noises from their side (particularly Flat's loud chatter) were making his former mentor's forehead crease, an obvious sign of the older mage's stress.
The thought of Lord El-Melloi II causing another outburst rendered Hadrian to clear his throat and speak, which he did mostly to distract the older mage.
"Umm… parley, professor?" He offered with a small nervous smile, holding up the box of pastries on his left.
First, he had to ease the older man's irritation. It wouldn't do him good if the long-haired mage was in a bad mood throughout the conversation.
Sure enough, Lord El-Melloi II's dark gray eyes lit up when he saw the name brand on the front of the box.
The long-haired professor inhaled and puffed out a cloud of smoke.
"Fine, make this quick, Hadrian. I've had a long day." Lord El-Melloi II grunted, disposing the cigarette in the ashtray.
Inwardly, Hadrian sighed in relief as he watched his former mentor gesture to Gray to take the food and serve it for them to eat on the recently repaired coffee table. Trimmau, who was then urged by Reines and Lord El-Melloi II to assist Gray in serving the treats, moved on to help hooded girl.
Once everyone were given a small plate of pastries and preferred drinks, the slightly awkward situation was diffused and his former mentor had loosened enough to speak with.
"So…" Lord El-Melloi II began, taking a moment to sip on his tea and a small piece of a glossy chocolate sponge cake before he continued. "I've heard that you visited the Watch."
"Opa told you?" Hadrian looked up from his small plate of chocolate sponge cake.
"Only a little." A neutral expression took place on Lord El-Melloi II's countenance as he gently laid his fork down. "The godfather wasn't exactly pleased to recount the news that you were injured during your visit there."
Hadrian grimaced slightly.
His former mentor might seemed relaxed now, but he was not holding back with his words.
"A little, huh? You might as well come out and say that he told you everything that happened there." The young mage remarked with a slight frown, causing the long-haired professor to smirk.
"Speaking of which, it was still reckless of you to charge into that place. You were lucky that a broken rib was the only thing you got out of that event." Lord El-Melloi II admonished, gray eyes squinting as a stern expression fell on his face.
"Ribs, not just one." Hadrian corrected weakly, sighing as he rubbed his temple.
"It was still stupid of you to do that." Lord El-Melloi II continued, unrelenting.
"Yes, but what was I supposed to do then?" Hadrian countered, meeting his former mentor's eyes head-on. "The Watch might be equipped to handle normal security breaches, but those intruders were on a different level than what they handle. Not only that, but they were crafty enough to breeze pass the security measures protecting the island. There was no choice for me, but to move."
It was a good thing that his friends were distracted by the antics of his familiars, who had joined Flat in some sort of an impromptu contest of who can eat the food spread on their table the fastest. By the noises he can hear from their side, it seems like Ryu had the upper hand.
The former student and mentor calmly stared at one another in the eyes, both unwilling to back down.
Their stare down was interrupted, however, by a gentle voice that caused the two to blink in surprise.
"And you got one of your retainers nearly eaten and your ribs broken. My, such luck you have, Hadrian." A gentle voice interjected, followed by a giggle.
Shifting their gazes away from each other, they turned their attention to where they heard someone spoke.
It was Reines El-Melloi Archisorte.
The princess of the El-Melloi house was staring at the Schweinorg heir with focused eyes, her smirk was hidden behind the porcelain teacup that she held to her lips.
Hadrian's bright cyan eyes narrowed as they set upon her, frowning a little when he sensed a hint of schadenfreude from her via Empathy.
The bright blonde haired young woman might have a comely appearance and a gentle voice that can fool most people, but not Hadrian. Upon meeting the former, Hadrian did not know what to think of her, and even now, he still doesn't know. His impression of her is that she was someone with a bad personality, which she even admitted herself.
On the other hand, she also happened to be his former mentor's master. Not in a master-to-student kind of way, but a master-to-slave viewpoint.
Hadrian was not privy to the important details, but his former mentor had once explained to him that he had brokered a deal with Reines in the past before they had met.
When he asked why, Lord El-Melloi II simply answered him that "it was to make up for a dumb mistake he made a long time ago".
Unwilling to pry into the older man's life without good reason, Hadrian had left the matter alone. But, he does try to keep an eye on problems related to his former mentor and the El-Melloi house from time to time. One can never really tell what might happened to the older mage, especially when he was involved with a dangerous family such as the El-Melloi.
The way the true heiress of the El-Melloi house treats his former mentor was a bit upsetting to Hadrian, but he keeps it to himself since he doesn't want to make the older man's situation worse.
From what he had gathered, Lord El-Melloi II had been forced to integrated into the household due to his actions in the previous Holy Grail war that he had participated in.
The older man joined the war that his own mentor, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, had also partaken. Eventually, as the war went on, the two were paired as enemies and battled one another. But, due to the interference of Arin von Aelfryth, Lord El-Melloi II (who was known as Waver Velvet at that time) managed to survive the elimination safely, but without his servant.
When Hadrian heard of it (and saw it via Moon Cell) for the first time, he was surprised.
He thought that he was the first person to have had interfere in an elimination battle in the war via Command Seal, but his father had done it as well, almost in the same manner as he did. The way his father had done it was a lot smoother and prepared than what he did. Hadrian, on other hand, didn't know what he was doing at that time.
His entrance into the fight was rather clumsy, and he had been unprepared when Rani and Rin Tohsaka tried to attack him, with them assuming that he sabotaging their battle when he was only trying to help them by making them aware of Julius B. Harwey's machinations. Fortunately, things worked out in his favor and the three of them were able to survive the black cloaked bastard's trap.
Rin's headlock after that event was a painful experience for him though.
Returning to his thoughts on the matter, his former mentor was able to survive the battle, thanks to his father's interference. The mage then had offered to assist his father in his battles, nearly the same way as Rin Tohsaka and Rani had done for Hadrian. And then, his father was designated to battle Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald.
Arin had won in the end, but it had caused his former mentor in a crucial bind with the El-Melloi house.
His actions, from the beginning to the end of the war, had led him in the sights of the El-Melloi. When the war had been over, and Waver Velvet was the only one to return to earth safely, the El-Melloi had put two and two together, doing investigations of their own and were displeased by the answers they found. Unsatisfied, they went and kidnapped him at the first chance they got.
But, they cannot kill him since he was an acquaintance of the Schweinorg house, whose influence can be felt in every corner of the moonlit world. Harming a good acquaintance of a magician of the Kaleidoscope was a sure instant way to destroy the house, physically and status-wise.
And so, they opted for a different method.
The result ended up with Waver Velvet changing his name to Lord El-Melloi II, replacing Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald as the Lord of El-Melloi house.
However, behind the scenes, his former mentor had no power nor the authority in the house. Instead, it was the princess of the El-Melloi, Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, who was the true heiress.
Simply put, Lord El-Melloi II was a figurehead of the El-Melloi house until Reines El-Melloi Archisorte becomes old enough to replace him as the new Lord.
With his magic crest held as hostage and dangerous threats at his way, his former mentor had no choice but comply with most orders of the bright blonde haired young woman; a fact that, sometimes, upsets Hadrian since there was nothing that he can do to help the older mage, not that he didn't try.
Believe him, he did try, but Lord El-Melloi II was a prideful mage.
The man can simply ask his grandfather for a bit of help, but he didn't do it since he had a sense of responsibility to see through his end of the deal. Also, it might just be Hadrian's opinion, but there was a high possibility that Lord El-Melloi II felt partly responsible for Kayneth's demise in the war. He did assist his father in their battle, so it was highly likely that the man felt guilty.
Of course, Hadrian didn't asked Lord El-Melloi II about his past. The man often looked contrite by the mere mentioning of his mentor's name.
So, Hadrian had to improvise. He searched through the Moon Cell's records and discovered the older mage's involvement in the war.
He keeps it himself since he doesn't want to bother him with the details and questions, but it doesn't mean that he would ignore the El-Melloi's treatment to the professor.
Forcing down his annoyance, Hadrian huffed and turned his head to face Lord El-Melloi II instead of Reines.
"Yes, what luck indeed." He said in a neutral tone, ignoring the young woman's giggle from behind her glove covered hand.
He had been close to give her a snark reply, but the mild warning look in Lord El-Melloi II's eyes dissuaded him from doing so.
Hadrian was not afraid of Reines, considering as his family was more influential and powerful than hers could ever be. There was bad blood between the El-Melloi and the Schweinorg, but the former would always cower to the command of his family, particularly due to his grandfather's presence. But, Reines was different.
He had traded words with her a few times, and he was the one who was left uncomfortable in most of it.
He does not like her, but he does not hate her either. Rather, it was her personality that causes him to squirm. Not that he would openly show it.
All mages have their own bouts of eccentricity, even he was no exception. The princess of El-Melloi, however, was quite eccentric. He had seen her act around his former mentor, and she was prone to make weird expressions around the man, which somehow extended to Hadrian as well for some reason.
Coincidentally, just as he thought of that, the bright blonde young woman in blue began to speak.
"Hehe, still the same as ever." She grinned, causing Hadrian's eyes to narrow when she continued. "By the way, I hear you're still single?"
"And? What about it?" The Schweinorg scion asked in a low tone, slightly apprehensive where the topic was going.
"I'm looking for a husband, want to be engage to me?" Reines offered with a wide smile that implies that she was enjoying the situation too much.
"I'll have to politely decline." Hadrian said in a deadpan tone, used to the young woman's antics.
It was not the first time she proposed such a thing to him before, after all.
Curiously enough, he felt Arturia inched closer to him. Their thighs almost touching as she gently laid a hand on his right hand.
When he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, he noticed that she was giving the El-Melloi heiress a stern glare. She was startled, however, when he gave her hand a soft squeeze, shifting her surprised gaze to him before looking down at her lap after she met his curious eyes. Her cheeks gaining a bit of a rosy color that he kind of found adorable.
There was something in her expression that made Hadrian feel something. He doesn't know what it was, but it was making his heart softened a bit at the sight of it.
Slowly, he reluctantly turned his gaze back to Reines and saw her looking at them with an amused expression.
Then, Reines sighed, but it was more of a show than a genuine reaction.
"Aw, such a shame. That face of yours is truly my type, you know." Reines bemoaned, but the corner of her lips twitching upwards was telling of her enjoyment.
"Thank you, but I still declined. If you truly want to find a husband, I'm sure there are others who'll be more interesting for you." Hadrian said, closing his eyes briefly.
"Oh? Do you have someone in mind?" Reines asked, quirking one brow up in curiosity as she laid the teacup gently back on its saucer.
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps Flat won't mind. He's the heir to the Escardos family, so wouldn't he be more suited for you?" Hadrian suggested in a nonchalant tone.
On the other side of the couch, Lord El-Melloi II sniggered when Reines made a face at his words, along with Charles, Caules and Svin as they were listening on the background.
"Flat? Absolutely not." Reines denied instantly, eyes half lidded as a blank expression quickly replace her earlier amusement.
"Why not?" Hadrian asked, slightly bemused by her reaction.
"It's Flat we're talking about. Do I need to say more?" Reines retorted, sending a knowing look at his way.
From behind, a certain foolish blonde haired young man perked up at the mention of his name.
"What about me?" Flat asked from behind the couch.
"Nothing!" Reines answered before Hadrian could, giving Flat a glare that only caused the poor blonde to wonder what he did to deserve it. "Go back to whatever it is you're doing."
Hadrian smiled thinly, knowing that he was the one that won their trade-offs, something that Reines was well aware of as she turned her gaze back to him after dealing with Flat. The squinting of her eyes told him that she was dissatisfied with the outcome of their 'talk'.
Knowing her, Hadrian wouldn't dream that Reines would simply end it there.
And just as he expected, the bright blonde haired heiress's lips slowly curled into a Cheshire grin.
"Hmm… catty Schweinorg, I like it. You know, you should show this side of yourself more often. It makes you a lot more interesting than dear old brother over there, whose face is always set in a perpetual scowl." Reines commented almost absentmindedly, staring at him in fascination, as if he was a strange specimen that she wants to poke and prod with a scalpel.
Seeing the strange glint in her eyes, Hadrian suppressed the urge to frown as he met her fixated gaze with a calm, stoic expression.
Fortunately for him, Lord El-Melloi II interrupted before he could reply as he cleared his throat, gaining their attention as he had intended.
"As amusing as it is to see you two snipe at each other, you can both continue this later on, so why don't we return to the main topic?" Lord El-Melloi II said, giving Hadrian a pointed look.
"You're no fun, brother." Reines pouted, lifting the porcelain cup to her lips.
Instead of deigning her a response, Lord El-Melloi II simply turned to Hadrian, waiting for the young lad to state his purpose of visit.
"I heard from opa that found something." Hadrian said, opting to direct.
Lord El-Melloi II made a noise in his throat, which sounded as confirmation as the older mage leaned back into the couch and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes, that's correct." He confirmed, a slightly grim look fell over his face as he recalled certain memories in mind. "A few days ago, I visited one of my sources with these brats."
He pointed his thumb over his shoulder to where Flat, Svin and Caules where sitting, then he pulled out a new cigarette from his stash. He hanged it upon his lips and ignited it with a small fire that he conjured from the top of his fingertip via rune magecraft.
It was silent for a few moments in their side as Hadrian calmly watched his former mentor smoked, seemingly lost in thought.
"That source of mine was gathering some info that I asked for. By the time I visited then, he was dead." Lord El-Melloi II announced, the cigarette in between his index and middle fingers.
There was a slight gasp that was heard, but Hadrian didn't turn to see who it was.
Instead, he focused his attention upon the long-haired professor, brows furrowed in thought as his mind shifted through theories possibly related to the incident.
"What was his name? Your source." Hadrian inquired.
Internally, he had the automaton ready to search for the person.
"Blair Icecolle." Lord El-Melloi II answered.
Hadrian's bright cyan eyes widened briefly.
To his side, Reines spoke.
"Blair Icecolle? Wasn't he…?" Reines asked, trailing off as she looked at the solemn face of her step-brother.
"He was one of my first students." Lord El-Melloi II affirmed with a slight nod.
"Cause of death?" Hadrian asked quietly.
"Stabbed through the head with a very thin blade. It was right above and between his eyes too." Lord El-Melloi II said, gesturing to his forehead as an example.
With a name in mind, the automaton had searched through its records for the individual, collecting any information that occurred recently related to Blair Icecolle.
And just like before, the Moon Cell provided him where Blair was last located (which was in Siberia, Russia), his recent actions, but not who killed him.
In the scene where he was about to be killed, the automaton was unable to completely identify the appearance of Blair's murderer. All that could be seen in the recording was their blank silhouette.
It was a bit surreal, in all honesty. The experience was like watching a movie with the character drawn in a white blank slate with no defining features.
However, not all was lost.
Even if the important details were missing, there was still something that he can make out from the recording.
Such as the murderer's choice of weapon.
At first glance, it seemed to be a cane with a hidden sword. But, Hadrian noticed that the murderer liked to hold the object in a manner that a person would with an umbrella. The way the murderer had twirled the object in their hands after killing Blair Icecolle gave it away to him.
There was also another detail that Hadrian had caught onto.
The murderer appeared to be a female.
Having some experienced with the body language, Hadrian arrived to that assumption by observing the murderer's mannerisms. The way the murderer moved their hand over their shoulder, as if to flip their hair behind, and patted down their thighs, as if they were wearing a short skirt, were particular traits that females would usually do subconsciously.
The record only lasted for brief moments, seconds, but they were enough for Hadrian to gain some new information.
Noticing the contemplative expression on Hadrian's face, Lord El-Melloi II spoke out.
"What is it?" The professor asked, sensing that his former student realized something.
"I'll tell you later…" Hadrian said, giving the older mage a knowing look.
Hadrian was reluctant to share what he found, considering as their conversation was not exactly private.
As if approving of his former student's caution, Lord El-Melloi II nodded, not saying anything more.
Reines, who saw their interaction with mild distaste, was not happy that she was excluded from what might be a secret. Lord El-Melloi II knew this, and would no doubt be subjected to the young girl's 'gentle ministrations' (interrogation) later on, but the long-haired mage couldn't care less.
The princess might be his superior, but she was not the one that the high council ordered to handle the murder cases.
Anything related to the investigation was Lord El-Melloi II's priority, and Reines knew it.
Although, forcing him to tell her about it in secret was not above her. In fact, Lord El-Melloi II wouldn't put it past her to have Trimmau drag him into another room, cast a bounded field on the door and the room, hang him upside down and start interrogating him.
The professor hoped that the princess would not be too forceful with her questions.
Ignoring the dread in back of his mind, Lord El-Melloi II pulled out a large white folder that was on top of the stack of papers he had left on the table. He dropped it on the glass surface and then pushed it towards Hadrian, who quietly looked on before turning to his former mentor with a questioning glint in his eyes.
"What's this?" Hadrian asked, glancing at the older mage as he opened the folder.
"The thing I had Blair looking into." Lord El-Melloi II stated, gesturing to the folder. "Why don't you take a look at it?"
Using his index finger, Hadrian flipped through the papers and photos before looking back up.
"These are rituals." Hadrian stated, eyes narrowing into slits when he recognized some of the circles.
"Recognized them?" Lord El-Melloi II asked, puffing out a small cloud of smoke.
"Some. I've seen them a few days ago when the others and I visited the murder locations in Canada." Hadrian confirmed.
"Do you know what they are?" Lord El-Melloi II questioned.
"A little." Hadrian admitted, a pondering look in his eyes as he examined the photos and drawings. "I'm not exactly experienced with rituals. But, judging by the structures of these circles, it seems like these are rituals to draw out energy and store it in an object, which is basic in alchemy. But, for what?"
"Yes, you're correct. It's basic in its structure, but that's a lie. An illusion to hide the process and purpose behind it." Lord El-Melloi II said.
"What is it for then?" Hadrian inquired, pondering of his former mentor's answer.
"Prana, Hadrian." Lord El-Melloi II smiled grimly at the collective shock on their faces. "These rituals are designed to draw out prana from people by force, be they magi or normal folk."
Silence reigned upon their side as Hadrian and his retainers processed the ill news dropped upon their laps.
Charles, Dia and Arturia, being good-natured knights they are, looked the grimmest by his former mentor's answer.
Hadrian, on the other hand, remained calm as he pondered about the new info.
"Hmm… it makes sense now." Hadrian began, almost absently. "No wonder the people that were kidnapped were found already dead with no fatal wounds."
And it was true.
From all the reports of casualties he read regarding the murder cases, most victims that had been kidnapped were found dead yet their bodies remained unblemished. There were some exceptions, but most bodies that mage groups had come across were left untouched.
They have unknown rune symbols drawn across their bodies, painted in fresh blood, but other than that, there were no signs of the victims' bodies being violated.
It was something that caught most mages in a stump as they try to make sense of the matter.
A sigh from his former mentor snapped Hadrian out of his thoughts.
"That's right." Lord El-Melloi agreed, looking a bit weary. "They had some injuries, but not to the point that it was grievous."
"Then, what of the ones that were killed horribly?" Charles asked, a scowl on his face.
"They were the ones that resisted. Well, tried, I suppose, since they ended up dead anyways." Lord El-Melloi II shrugged, turning to the retainer. "The ones with no fatal injuries were hypnotized, so that they can't resist throughout the process of the rituals. An effective method to use especially against the normal folk."
Due to the lack of magic circuits in their bodies, the normal folk (ordinary humans) are easily susceptible to magecraft.
Even the weakest of spells, a normal human would not be able to resist the effects of a spell before he or she would succumb to it.
Whereas an average mage has a higher chance of breaking through the effects of a spell, possibly even become immune, depending on the quality and quantity of their magic circuits.
Hadrian himself was part of the latter group, considering as he has an unnaturally high resistance to most spells to most modern magecraft.
He has his lineage (Lucis and Schweinorg), magic circuits and that one other thing to thank for that.
For example, the Gandr spell has an effect that decreases one's health.
If a normal human was hit with the spell in question, they would immediately feel its effects and become ill. If they were repeatedly hit with it, their condition would plummet from healthy to sick within a record time. An average mage would also be affected, but not as much as a normal human would. It would take several charged Gandr shots to make an average magus sick thoroughly.
Hadrian, on the other hand, would be immune to the spell's effects.
A magically charged Gandr would still hurt him physically, probably in a way a light punch to the arm would feel, but his condition would not be affected.
It would be a different matter if the spell was on the level of a powerful Noble Phantasm, but the spells produced in the modern era (without any special characteristics) had never been a concern to him for some reason.
'It's probably due to my lineage. The Lucis do have a significant amount of divinity in their blood and soul. That, and probably because of that guy…' Hadrian mused, recalling a certain king in mind.
Beside him, Hadrian noticed his female retainer prepare herself to speak.
"And the ones that resisted?" Arturia asked, frowning slightly.
"The few autopsies we did have found that they were beaten or drugged into submission." Lord El-Melloi II answered. "Some groups looking into these murder cases discovered a few victims, alive but seconds away from the brink of death. The teams could barely make out what the victims were saying, half-conscious and delirious as they are. They tried to heal them, but the damage was done."
Lord El-Melloi II took a moment to finish his second cigarette before he held it in between his fingers.
"As you know, normal folks lack the magic circuits to necessarily produce prana in their bodies." He lectured, depositing the cigarette into the ashtray that was almost full. "Therefore, with these rituals, instead of prana, their life-force are the ones that was depleted. And when that happens, the body would be the only thing left behind while the soul disappears, turning them into soulless husks. The human would enter a state that was alive but dead at the same time. So, even if the victims' bodies were healed, they would remain unresponsive. No better than vegetables, if you ask me."
"Not only that, their minds were also destroyed. Chances are, they probably lost their senses of who they are. Saving them would be pointless at that point." Reines pitched in, daintily sipping her tea.
Charles and Arturia appeared like they want to snap at Reines for her nonchalant attitude to human lives, but had thought better of it.
As gentle as her voice and demeanor might seem, the young woman was still a magus by heart and mind.
And magi were known for their ability to regard others in a cold outlook. Lies, manipulation and bearing an uncaring attitude to the safety of the normal folk was a common thing for most mages.
Their liege was no exception to this, but at the very least, Hadrian and his family have morals and boundaries they limit themselves to.
The princess of El-Melloi II, however, was the opposite.
Reines might be favorable towards Lord El-Melloi II in present time, but there was no telling of what might happen should she suspect the man of betrayal.
Knowing of his circumstances, Charles, Arturia and Dia held their tongue, silencing their own opinions to prevent themselves from causing more Lord El-Melloi II than necessary.
Instead, the retainers turned their gazes away from the El-Melloi princes and back to the former student and teacher.
"Moving on, what was the thing Blair was investigating?" Hadrian asked, aware of his retainers' feelings on the matter.
Rather than answering him, Lord El-Melloi II turned his head to the stacks of paperwork beside him and reached in with his hand.
After a few moments later of rummaging, he picked up a book with a black leather cover before throwing it lightly in front of Hadrian on the table.
Hadrian didn't touch the book.
Instead, he watched it slide into a stop in front of him, conveniently in a position where he can read the front cover of the book.
Thing was, there was no title on the front, nothing but the black leather cover.
What prevented him from picking it up was the ominous energy that was permeating from the object, something that Arturia, Charles and Dia have definitely sensed as they all turned their heads and looked at the book closely with guarded expressions. Their bodies were tense, as if preparing themselves to leapt in front of their master in case something happens.
"When I saw the ritual circles on every murder sites, I became suspicious." Lord El-Melloi II began, observing Hadrian glanced down at the book. "Rituals are not my expertise, but Blair was, so I asked him to look into the ritual circles. He called me to visit him in his ancestral home because he found something, but when I got there, he was dead."
"Then, how did you get… this?" Hadrian inquired, hesitant to term the object as a book.
"From Blair's desk." Lord El-Melloi II answered, sighing. "His desk has a secret compartment. Since his murderer didn't have the sense to check the desk, I took the liberty of doing it."
"This tome…" Hadrian's brows furrowed as he trailed off.
"It's disgusting." Charles supplied, glaring at the object.
"I can almost see the dark tendrils coming from that…" Dia added, a frown on his face.
Arturia didn't say anything, opting to scoot closer to Hadrian and nodding her head silently in agreement.
Hadrian didn't notice her action, seeing as his gaze was on the black book.
He doesn't know why, but he felt something familiar about the book before. It was not just its appearance, but rather the ominous energy that it was exuding.
"No surprise there." Lord El-Melloi II agreed. "This book is practically as dark as some disgusting magecraft can get. The contents written within are wholly abhorrent, but that's not why I brought it out."
"So, why did you?" Charles asked, looking thoughtful.
"Hadrian, I heard from Lord Schweinorg that a few of your retainers encountered some trouble during your visit in Canada." Lord El-Melloi II said, catching Hadrian's attention. "Care to fill me in of what you and your entourage had found there?"
"It's going to be a long story, you sure you want to hear it?" Hadrian warned, staring at the bags under the professor's eyes.
"Keep it short then." Lord El-Melloi II grumbled.
"Alright…" Hadrian sighed.
The Schweinorg scion recalled the events in Canada to the simplest but accurate way that he could.
His former mentor looked rather worn out, so he skipped on the things that weren't exactly important and related to the murder cases.
When he got to the part where Arash, Dia and Yan Qin were involved, Hadrian saw Lord El-Melloi II leaned back against the couch with a weary sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if the story he was told just confirmed his suspicions or fears.
"Ah, that part right there." Lord El-Melloi II stopped him, brows furrowed.
"What about it?" Hadrian quirked a brow.
"Does the energy coming from this book seem familiar?" The older mage asked, straight to the point.
"Hmm… now that you mentioned it, it does." Hadrian muttered, thoughtful as he stared at the black tome.
He dug deep into his mind to search for anything, but it just wouldn't come. It was on the tip of his tongue, but recent events had somehow made him forgot about it.
Just as he was about to have a moment, a certain love of the knight spot shifted behind him in surprise.
"It is as vile as that energy in those papers that we have given to you, milord." Dia spoke up, eyes widening slightly in recollection.
"Oh! Yes, that's it." Hadrian said in slight surprise, nodding in agreement.
Then, he turned to his former mentor.
"There was a small stack of papers that Dia and two of my retainers had found in one of the murder sites in Canada." Hadrian explained to the stoic-looking Lord El-Melloi II. "There were dubious plans containing details on inhuman experimentations, but there was also a portion of dark energy coming from it. It's as potent as the one from this book though."
"Then…" Lord El-Melloi II sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "It is just as I suspected. Those papers you found and this book have a connection. Remember that time when I said that intent is important in all manners of magecraft? This is one example. The people who wrote on those papers and on this book were mostly likely so vile and wretched; their intentions had embedded in their hand-writing."
Hadrian certainly did remember that lesson.
Intention was important when it comes to practicing magecraft.
But still, he was surprised to see a proof that there was actually someone out there so vile in nature that even their handwriting was exuding an evil, wretched energy that rendered his former mentor to make such a face.
"After my visit in Russia, I immediately went to Lord Schweinorg once I made sure that Blair's body was in the morgue. In his office, we both discussed our findings regarding the murder cases, along with what you have found recently, Hadrian." Lord El-Melloi II sent a knowing glance in Hadrian's way as he said this.
"So then…?" Hadrian said, prompting the other mage to continue.
"When I showed Lord Schweinorg that book, his face turned really dark. Calm, but awfully eerie." Lord El-Melloi II huffed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Hadrian noticed the action, and he couldn't help but sensed that his former mentor looked nervous at the mention of his grandfather.
'Hmm… he only does that when he sees something that scares the shit out of him. Opa must've looked scary to him that time…' Hadrian mused.
Not that he could blame the man.
His grandfather can be quite intimidating when he was exuding rage.
Happy-go-lucky his grandfather may be most of the time, but when his ire was roused, the nearby surroundings would distort and something would just die.
Usually, his old man would tend to get angry at arrogant assholes blatantly disrespecting him, vile acts like torturing or needlessly killing innocent people or animals, or inhumane entities with personality problems like Crimson Moon. Hell, even the thought of his fight with the bloodsucker was probably enough to bring his grandfather to get into a bad mood.
Whoever it was, the person was mostly likely very bad if his grandfather's face turn dark and murderous.
"Does opa know who they are?" Hadrian asked.
Lord El-Melloi II sighed again. "I don't know, actually."
Four pair of eyes blinked, but before anyone could ask, the long-haired professor held up a hand and continued.
"It's better to ask Lord Schweinorg than I. He didn't gave me any names since he had yet to gather proof at that time, but that was a few days ago. If you return home and ask him yourself, I think he would tell you who it was. Odd, really. I thought he would have informed you of this by now." Lord El-Melloi II looked at him dubiously.
"He told me to go here first and visit Lady Lorelei. Let her know that I'm fine." Hadrian reasoned.
"Hmm, then he would probably tell you about it later on, I'm sure." Lord El-Melloi II shrugged.
With their questions silenced, the master and the three retainers glanced at each other blankly before turning back to the professor, who stood up from the couch with a grunt before walking around the sofa Hadrian and Arturia were sitting on.
"Then… should we return now, milord?" Charles asked in a whisper.
"Hmm…" Hadrian hummed, idly staring at his former mentor's actions.
He was about to say no, but when he noticed Lord El-Melloi II halt in his tracks and zoomed in on his friends' table, the suggestion became sound in his mind.
The man's body stiffened at record pace as his dark gray eyes landed on the crumpled wrappings of certain snacks and food laid around.
"… What in the hell are my food stash doing there?" He asked in a low tone.
Snapping his irate gaze on the most probable suspect, Lord El-Melloi II marched towards where Flat, Caules and Svin were seated.
"Flaaaaaaaaat!" The older mage bellowed in anger as he slowly approached his target.
At the man's shout, Flat almost jumped out of his seat, startled by the loud sound.
Svin and Caules scooted away from Flat in a flash, as if they were never sitting with the latter in the first place.
Hadrian's familiars, Ryu and Fou, were making themselves scarce by running back to their master, who merely watched their cowardly actions with a bemused expression.
"You bloody imbecile! As if allowing those two girls make a mess in my office was enough, you do this!" Lord El-Melloi II growled, slowly moving into a run.
"Ack! I'm sorrrrrry!" Flat wailed.
The Escardos scion's arms flailed in the air as he was almost caught by a yellowish beam that was shot in his way, courtesy of the older mage.
The foolish blonde ran away as he was chased after by the professor around the room, while everyone beside the two were content to watch the peanut gallery of the student and mentor.
Hadrian sighed, knowing that that was his cue to leave.
"Never mind. Let's go."
Better for him to leave now before he gets involved in another punishment.
...
…
After leaving his friends and Flat to their fates, Hadrian and his retainers walked away from the office, ignoring a certain foolish blonde's cries behind.
With his mind occupied with the recent conversation, Hadrian's body went on autopilot as he led the group to the west side building of the Clock Tower where his mentor's office was located.
As he entered the building with the others, there were many people in the lobby.
The west side of the Clock Tower was mostly inhabited by mages of prestige, usually professors and wealthiest mages with prestige.
However, there were also students and freelanced mages among the crowd.
The students were obviously there to chat amongst themselves, while the latter group were seen going in and out of some rooms.
Hadrian recognized some familiar faces too, such as Rani, Rin, Sakura and Luvia in the distance.
"Master, I see your friends there." Charles pointed out.
"And the two cousins are still arguing, I see." Dia added, almost dryly.
"Want to go talk to them, master?" Charles asked.
"No, we should go. No need to bother them now." Hadrian decided, a bit nervous to be seen by the four girls.
"Agreed." Arturia said with a small sigh, recalling the scene that Rin and Luvia had caused earlier.
In order to avoid gathering attention from the quartet, Hadrian ducked in the opposite direction with his retainers in tow.
As much as he wanted to talk to them, it would have to wait on a later time since the day was nearing afternoon.
Hadrian would rather not want to be late for dinner, and neither would his retainers as well.
The last time it had happened, his mother was disappointed.
She understood his reason that time and forgave him, but it made Hadrian felt bad nonetheless.
Seeing his kind and caring mother, Lucia, sitting by the garden on her lonesome and staring sadly at the various flowers and plants after that day was enough to pierce through Hadrian's usually calm façade.
With that in mind, Hadrian went up the building, alternatively using the stairs and the elevator when it was convenient, and made his way to his mentor's office.
Few minutes had passed and he found himself standing in front of two doors made of dark polished oak, staring at the sign above the doors.
Written on the thin rectangular plaque of gold metal was the name that magi of the Mage's Association and the Clock Tower feared and respected: 'Vice Director, Lorelei von Barthomeloi'
With a hand on each door knob, Hadrian opened the doors and went inside.
The Queen's office consisted of four rooms: a lobby, lounge, study and laboratory.
The lobby would be the first room that would be seen as it was occupied by a young woman with long brunette hair and clear blue eyes, who looked up from her desk to see who entered. On the right side of her desk was a silver nameplate: 'Secretary, Ilsa Dianthe'.
Upon sighting Hadrian in the front of the group, she stood up in surprise and drop the papers she was reading onto the table.
"Young master Schweinorg! You've returned?!" Ilsa uttered in surprise, mixed albeit with relief.
"Hello to you too, Ilsa." Hadrian greeted with a faint smile.
Ilsa Dianthe was his mentor's assistant and secretary.
The brunette female dressed in a formal attire was a member from a small mage family, which had been a close ally of the Barthomelois for centuries.
She knew Hadrian due to his relative association with her mistress (boss), Lady Lorelei Barthomeloi. She also happened to know his father as well in the past.
The Barthomeloi, Dianthe and Aelfryth had been allies due to their similar beliefs in religion. From what Hadrian knew, the three families were followers of the Christian faith, which might sound odd given that they are all magi. Mages being followers of the church wasn't exactly normal in the moonlit world, considering what happened in the past regarding the witch hunt events and purges.
But, even then, the Barthomeloi and the Dianthe families remained firm believers of the Christ.
The Aelfryth, on the other hand, were not exactly as devoted as the two, but they were deemed as one nonetheless.
That was in the past, of course, since Hadrian was the only one living member of the Aelfryth family.
His mother, Lucia, cannot be counted as one since she was only part of aforementioned family through her marriage with his father, Arin.
Still, the Church was not happy with the three families' relation to the Mage's Association and the Clock Tower, despite being recognized as firm followers of the Christian religion.
Ilsa, like most people in the Mage's Association, had taken to calling him 'young master' due to his status as the scion of the Schweinorg family. And like with the others, Hadrian had lost count in how many times he had to convince the brunette to simply call him by his name.
Sensing that he would get nowhere in talking her out in being formal with him, Hadrian left the matter alone.
"Is Lady Lorelei present?" He asked, gesturing to the single door that was the entrance to his mentor's office.
"She is currently doing paperwork, but she has specifically asked me to let you enter in case you visit." Ilsa answered, walking around her desk.
With that confirmation, Hadrian turned to his retainers.
"You three should stay here. There's something I wish to discuss with lehrer in private." Hadrian suggested, gesturing to the sofas available to the right side.
"Sure, boss. We might as well be here in case Rider shows up." Charles shrugged.
"We will wait for you, milord." Dia said, bowing his head slightly towards him.
Hadrian's gaze shifted to Arturia, who seemed reluctant to leave his side.
"I won't be long, Saber." Hadrian reassured with a small smile.
Reaching out, he touched her hand briefly, snapping her out of her thoughts as she turned her gaze upwards and met his.
Giving her hand a soft squeeze, Hadrian pulled away and walked pass the female knight, who was called by Charles to join him and Dia by the seating area.
His familiars were also there, waiting patiently by the coffee table.
"Oi, Saber! C'mere! Let's chat while we wait for master!"
"I can hear you just fine, Charles. There's no need to shout that loud."
Hearing the subtle annoyance in Arturia's response, Hadrian doesn't even need to turn around and see the stern expression on her face.
Imagining it in his mind did bring a smile to his lips though, as faint as it was.
Hadrian sobered up when he stood in front of the door that leads to his mentor's office, along with Ilsa ahead of him.
Knowing how his mentor disliked not displaying proper manners, Hadrian squared his shoulders and straightened his posture, morphing his face into a calm and neutral expression.
It was a composure befitting of someone with a noble stature, something that his mentor had often drilled into him a few years ago.
As he prepared himself, Ilsa had already knocked gently on the door and opened it slightly so that her head could peek inside.
"Yes?" a female voice asked from the inside.
"You have a visitor, mistress." Ilsa announced.
"Who?" the voice inquired.
"It is the young master."
"Send him in then."
With that order, Ilsa pushed the door wide open and stood to the side, gesturing for him to enter with her hand.
Nodding to her in thanks, Hadrian watched the door closed gently behind before he turned his gaze to the one person in the room.
Like any other study of mages, the room was quite lavish and not lacking in furniture and materials that were commonly favored by first-rank magi. Due to her position in the Clock Tower as one of the two Wizard Marshall, his mentor's office was just as large and spacious as his grandfather's.
His interest in the room wavered as he turned his attention to the far center, where there was a young woman in her mid-twenties sitting behind a large polished desk.
She has an aristocratic countenance, with brown eyes and a long dark brown hair that was tied into a ponytail. Her hair was neatly kept to the right, providing a subtle hint to her simplistic nature when it comes to appearance. She has a light pale complexion, with a height of around one hundred and sixty centimeters (160cm).
Her current attire consisted of a white beige coat with twin tails, a white blouse with a high collar, burgundy riding pants and a pair of knee-length dark brown boots. On her neck was a crimson ribbon that was large enough to cover a small part of her upper front.
If she had been born in a medieval century, his mentor would not look out of place.
But, in a modern era, even Hadrian was forced to admit that his mentor looked a tad eccentric in her choice of attire.
Not that it was his first time seeing her in such an outfit.
Even when he first met her, his mentor's sense of fashion revolves around the clothes she was wearing today: formal, simple, authoritative and efficient.
Her face was set into a calm expression, but her eyes were sharp and piercing as she watched him walk towards her.
"Hadrian." She said by her way of greeting.
"Lehrer." Hadrian returned with a slight nod, slowing into a halt in front of her.
Lorelei Barthomeloi didn't speak for almost a whole minute, simply roving her observant eyes up and down his form.
Hadrian himself didn't moved, content in letting her do as she pleased.
His mentor was not doing anything untoward, but inspecting him instead. She was searching for any signs of injury.
When she was finished, Lorelei nodded to herself in content before meeting his gaze.
"Hmm, it seems you're fine enough." She commented, glancing down to the papers stacked in front of her.
"My ribs are still a bit tender, but I'll be fine after a few days of rest." Hadrian replied.
It was almost the same answer he gave to his grandfather and former mentor.
"When Zelretch informed me of your situation at the Watch, he was bawling his eyes out over the phone as if someone just died." She said idly, almost absentmindedly as if she was talking about the weather instead of her fellow Wizard Marshall acting more eccentric than usual.
The Schweinorg scion winced.
"Err, that's just opa being over dramatic like he always is." Hadrian refuted, laughing nervously at the end.
"More like more than usual, you mean." Lorelei said dryly.
Not knowing what to say, Hadrian shrugged in response.
Lorelei sighed, leaning back into the chair as she interlaced her fingers below her bosom with her forearms supported by the armrests.
The Queen of the Clock Tower stared at her apprentice, musing silently for a few moments before she spoke.
"I heard that you ventured into the Spider's lair. Tell me, what was it like?" Lorelei asked, a curious glint in her eyes.
Hadrian shifted in his position, brows furrowed in thought.
After several heartbeats, he answered.
"Humbling." Hadrian settled on that answer.
And it was truly a humbling experience for him.
While not a boast, Hadrian had went through life-threatening experiences that most people ever rarely encounter. More so in his first life.
He had fought powerful beasts and enemies with exceptional abilities, even solo diving secret dungeons to acquire the royal weapons of the previous kings and queens of Lucis.
He had even battled a few Behemoths on his lonesome before, courtesy of his father's retainer's to train his endurance, resourcefulness, his ability to think under pressure and pain tolerance.
Hadrian was suspicious on what the man meant with the last part, but he let it go since it did helped him get stronger that time.
His recent encounter with the Spider's spawns, however, was a different story altogether.
Not only was it dangerous, it was also an astonishing experience. A real eye-opener, in his opinion.
He was confident in his abilities and experience in combat, but his encounter with the Spider's spawns made him pause and think that there was truly someone above another.
He was prepared that time, ready to activate his Lucian abilities and form a tactical retreat with his retainers after saving Arash. He had even set up the layers of bounded fields, which worked at most and kept most spawns at bay, but when Arash got caught by one spawn, his plan was wrecked and everything almost spiraled out of control.
His retainers, particularly Scáthach and Arturia, were not pleased that he went to save Arash without them at his side.
He had received quite a scolding from the two, and was even punished for it.
Said punishment came in the form of his regular combat training with them recent increase in difficulty. The two women gained a habit of teaming up on him whenever it was time for him to spar with them, which was an exhausting, nightmarish experience for him to endure, to be honest.
Imagine floating crimson spears (altered copies of Gae Bolg) following him almost everywhere with Arturia and Scáthach dogging at his wake every time he tries to evade.
If Hadrian hadn't known their personalities, he would have thought that they were aiming to kill him out of exhaustion and anxiety.
For a few days, his dreams were plague with flying blood-red spears, exploding runes and storm-like winds attacking him in every direction.
Hadrian closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the urge to muse over his actions in the island.
He already had plenty of time to pour over his thoughts on the recent event. But, seeing as he was standing in front of his mentor, it was not the time for him to recall the situation again.
Thinking deeply on matters of importance was something that became a habit of his in his first life, of which had transferred over in his second life as well.
Compartmentalizing his thoughts to carefully analyze certain situations had helped him greatly in solving problems, and it was an ability that increased his chances of survival throughout the Moon Holy Grail war. But, the downside of possessing such a habit was that it tends to make him oblivious to the things happening around him.
There were many times that Hadrian would just be in his mind; internally focused on analyzing anything that was of interest to him, to the point that everything else becomes background noise.
For example, if someone came up and stood beside while he was thinking deeply, they would just be ignored and unacknowledged. Unless said person takes the initiative to break him out of focus, Hadrian would remain oblivious to their presence until he comes out of his musing on his own. It didn't help that the Moon Cell would only break him out of focus if there was malicious intent sent in his way.
His retainers, for one, had been subjected to such a treatment many times before.
Most of them would be amused by his strange ability of being able to single-mindedly focused on his thoughts, using the fact as ammunition to tease him from time to time. Some of them, however, would downright complain that it was annoying habit for him to have. Charles and Astolfo were usually the most vocal with their complaints, seeing as they would seek his attention sometimes for fun.
Opening his eyes, he was just in time to see his mentor speak.
"Hmm… it is good to see that you acknowledge the Spider's true power, even if you have not confronted that thing head-on." Lorelei paused, thinking before she asked, almost cautiously and slowly. "You did not confront that thing, did you?"
Hadrian smiled wryly, slightly amused by his mentor's inquiry.
"No, I did not." The Schweinorg scion answered. "I would not have been able to leave that place whole if I did."
"Yes, indeed." Lorelei hummed, nodding in agreement to his words. "You certainly would not be able to, regardless of your abilities and lineage. There's a reason why the Spider is among the strongest beings in this world. Even your grandfather and I are wary of its existence."
Hadrian remained silent, not knowing what to say in the face of such an admission.
"But enough of that, I wish to know you're experience with the Spider's spawns and your impressions of them." Lorelei stated, focusing on him.
For a few moments, Hadrian was in thought, choosing his words carefully.
"I was nearly overwhelmed." The blonde-haired young man began, appearing thoughtful as he continued on. "I thought I was prepared for the encounter, but the spawns were faster, stronger and far more durable than any enemy I have encountered. The conflict started in a chaotic manner, but it had settled down somewhat when the spawns were stopped by the bounded fields I had set up in the vicinity."
Hadrian paused, taking a moment to breathe before pushing on as Lorelei maintained her silence, waiting for him to continue his explanation.
"When Arash got caught by one of the spawns, I kind of panicked and went after him." Hadrian admitted, almost sheepishly.
He glanced to the side to avoid meeting his mentor's reproachful gaze.
Fortunately, his mentor didn't utter a word and merely waited for him in silence.
"Then I gave chase, and made contact with a spawn." Hadrian said quietly.
"And you got several broken ribs for it in return." Lorelei finished, lips curving into a small smirk.
Her tone was gentle, yet the words were enough to make Hadrian's shoulders slump slightly.
The Queen of the Clock Tower chuckled, lightly amused by her student's somewhat despondent posture.
"Come now, apprentice, surviving an encounter with a spawn of the Spider's and leaving the island is quite an achievement on its own. Perhaps even more so than that princely title of yours." Lorelei said, rubbing her chin in thought.
Hadrian frowned.
He knew what title she was implying.
The title 'Prince' was one that was bestowed upon him when the news of his apprenticeship under Lorelei Barthomeloi had been published throughout the moonlit world. Hadrian did not really care for the things that came with the title, but he would appreciate it if his mentor would not use the title as ammunition to tease him from time to time.
"I thought opa had already informed you and Lord El-Melloi II of this?" Hadrian asked instead of reacting to her rare teasing.
"He certainly did, but not in great detail. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to understand that man's words while bawling his eyes out and sniffing over the phone? That man had made it as challenging as trying to learn the art of 'Unified Language' and not in a very good way either." Lorelei retorted, looking a bit irritated.
"Point…" Hadrian relented with a sigh.
"Now, what else have you noticed while you're there?" Lorelei asked, moving on with the subject.
"The island was dead." Hadrian answered after a moment of thought. "There were neither animals nor insects living there. It was very hostile to creatures of earth, and more suited for the Spider's spawns to live, which – I'm sure – was intentional on the Ultimate One's part. If not for my circuits, I would have a difficult time to breathe in there. The air within that island was infused with so much magical energy; I don't think anyone with low quality circuits will be able to survive in there in less than a minute. The isle was also protected by a powerful bounded field. And no, it's not the one that opa had set up."
"Elaborate." Lorelei said, brown eyes narrowing into focus.
"The bounded field that opa had left there was large enough to cover both the island and the Watch's headquarters. But, the one that I'm speaking of was within the outlines of the land and above its sky. If my guess was correct, it might be the thick fog that permeated in every parts of the island since it was literally everywhere." Hadrian explained, eyes glazing slightly in thought.
"You think it was purposely weakening you and the others?" Lorelei asked, wanting to hear her student's opinion.
"It's highly possible. I was there, after all. That spawn hit me to the point that a whole side of my ribs nearly got pulverized, and that was not normal." Hadrian wore a wry expression as he said this.
"Oh?" Lorelei raised one delicate eyebrow.
"I'm not entirely sure since everything was going too fast for me to keep up that time, but now, after giving it some thought, I feel like that was the case." Hadrian admitted. "It also made sense since all I've felt after entering the island was nothing but dread. That time, it felt like the fog around the island was both a giant powder keg and a poison gas, and bursts of prana would light the fuse."
"And the Spider's connection to the fog would be the fuse to accelerate its awakening. A terrifying scenario, really. I suppose it's a good thing that did not occur." Lorelei ended with a grim smile.
Silently, Hadrian nodded his head in agreement, feeling relieved that things had turned out okay in his favor.
He was, however, curious to the events that led the spawns to retreat.
Hadrian might have been injured that time, but his memory was still as sharp as ever.
There was no way he didn't noticed the spawns' immediate reaction to Fou's presence that time. His small white fluffy familiar was the one that ultimately saved his life and Arash's, even going as far as to brave stand in front of him and against the spawns. The scene from that time still boggled his mind and, no matter how many times he tried to make sense of the situation, nothing comes to mind.
A noise from his mentor's side snapped Hadrian out of his musing.
"Despite the danger you've faced, you have done well in your task. I will speak to the High Council later on about your reward." Lorelei smiled.
Sensing an opportunity, Hadrian didn't hesitate and went in to discuss an important matter, which was the reason for his visit, actually.
"About that… May I have these as my reward instead, lehrer?" Hadrian asked as he slipped a paper towards her on the desk.
"What's this?" Lorelei asked, glancing at the list written on the paper.
"A list of books and materials I need for my research." Hadrian answered promptly.
"Some of these books belong to certain magi families." Lorelei said, looking at him pointedly.
"Yes, I'm aware. Will it be difficult for you to gather them?" Hadrian inquired, knowing that some of the items in the list might be impossible for him to obtain.
"Difficult, but not impossible." Lorelei answered after some time. "I'm sure the High Council wouldn't begrudge you of denying these items after what you have done."
"Then…" Hadrian trailed off, unsure.
"Expect these items to be gathered and sent to the Schweinorg castle in two to three days." Lorelei nodded cordially.
"Thank you, lehrer." Hadrian said with a smile.
"Don't thank me yet, young man. I expect for your magecraft to improve greatly in the next few weeks if these items and materials are needed for you to meet the demands of your next research." Lorelei warned with a stern expression on her face.
Truly, his mentor can be quite a perfectionist.
The Queen was already giving him a stern lecture after complimenting him with a job well done.
Hadrian let out a small sigh.
It was honestly difficult to be him sometimes.
…
…
TBC...