Adam was in such a great mood that he couldn't stop smiling at all. He sat at the counter across from Berger and poured him a cup of wine gleefully. "Here, have some."
Berger took the cup from the youth with a slightly surprised look. He sniffed the strong aroma wafting from it and nodded ever so slightly. Smells nice, he thought.
Then, he took a sip and his eyes lit up. "Hoh, not bad!"
"Hehe, I know, I know." Adam had an extremely smug look on his face, his imaginary tail wagging intensely. It was exactly like how Valerian felt when being praised by him.
As the gnome enjoyed the wine, he glanced at the deep scar running diagonally across his face with an amused look, and he couldn't help but ask about it, "So what's the story behind it?"
Adam, who was about to chug his cup of wine, paused in his movements. When he tells him about his clash with Kevin, he eventually has to tell him about everything. He gathered his thoughts, thinking of the right words to say.
"Yeah, about that, uhm, you see…"
He spoke about his battle with Kevin and his arrangements with Mira beforehand. According to his plans, Kevin should have already died by now and he would have to eventually deal with the Gracie Family.
However, things seldom went according to plan in life. Kevin was alive and he still had to deal with the Gracie Family in the future. After all, he didn't think for a second that they wouldn't retaliate after he crippled their family member—an important one at that.
After listening to his recount, Berger was actually quite shocked, to say the least. "You really fought more than thirty Magi single-handedly? Seems like I've underestimated you."
Adam was speechless, not because of what the old gnome said, but because of what he hadn't.
"Old man, you… you're not mad I used your name without asking you? I mean, what if the Gracie Family Patriarch holds a grudge or something?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Berger spoke in an indifferent tone that caused a chill to crawl up Adam's spine, "Isn't he just a Rank 2 Magus? Why should I bother about the feelings of an ant?"
Adam felt goosebumps all over his skin listening to that response. This was the first time that he felt as if the old man was actually a mighty Magus instead of a senile old geezer who always nagged at him.
The gnome paused to take a sip of wine before continuing, "You should already know that the difference between each rank is enormous. So much so, that even ten Rank 2s might not be enough to take down a Rank 3."
Adam gasped in shock. "No way! It can't be that great?"
Berger replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, it is. The time it takes to advance through each rank increases as one climbs higher. Similarly, their strength also increases exponentially.
"That is why, more often than not, what Magi feel about other Magi of higher ranks is not respect, but fear."
"That said." The gnome's voice turned stern. "You should have consulted me before making such a move. Since the other party is a Rank 2, I do not care much, but have you thought about the possibility of him having the backing of a Rank 3 Magus?"
Adam nervously gulped, sensing the change in Berger's tone. That's right… I didn't think of that at all!
"Heh, cat got your tongue?" The gnome scoffed. He put some fresh tobacco leaves in his pipe and started smoking.
As he exhaled a cloud of smoke, he began, "Magic spells and magic combat techniques, do you think that's all there is to a Magus' strength?"
"Huh?" Adam was puzzled. "I don't get what you're saying."
"Of course, you don't." Berger took another puff from his smoking pipe, then washed his throat with some wine before viciously criticizing the youth,
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"You're a hairless, little brat who doesn't know the way of the world. You're arrogant and egotistical, thinking everything's in your control, but you never think things through."
Adam lowered his head and remained silent. He didn't dare to retort back. This was not one of those moments. He knew that the old man was very serious right now, and everything he said was, as much as he hated to admit it, correct.
Berger's lips curled up into a smirk. "Reputation is also a strength."
The youth's black eyes flashed with understanding after pondering the old man's words. He looked at the gnome and asked, "Are you… talking about your reputation as a Rank 3? No, could it be your reputation as a Herbalist?"
"Yes." Berger nodded in approval. "In the very unlikely case that the man indeed has a Rank 3 Magus backing him, my reputation as a Rank 3 Herbalist will hold him back should the worst-case scenario come to pass."
"Why would it be an unlikely case, though?" Adam asked with a tilt of his head.
POW!
"Do you think Rank 3 Magi are cabbages found in the market?" Berger roared in annoyance. "Stop asking stupid questions!"
"Ughh!" Adam's forehead was swollen as he gently caressed it. "S-Sorry."
"In any case, it wouldn't get to that point." Berger took another sip from the cup.
Adam didn't dare reply, afraid that he would get bonked again. He had really forgotten this feeling since he'd gone to the secret plane over a year and a half back. He hated to admit it, but he really missed it for some reason.
The pair chatted for a long time, the wine in their cups getting refilled by the youth every few minutes. It had been so long since they last interacted with one another, so now they had a lot to talk about. However, it was mostly Adam doing the talking.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})He then took out an aged scroll from his earring and handed it to the gnome "What do you think of this?"
This was Mathias' research of illusion magic that he had acquired at the House of Cards. Although there wasn't much inscribed on it, whatever there was was truly fascinating to Adam.
"Mm." Berger unfurled the scroll and read its contents, nodding from time to time. The next moment, he handed it back to the youth. "The illusion formation is also not bad."
"What about the other thing?" Adam asked expectantly.
"Using spiritual power as fuel to cast spells, eh?" Berger chuckled. "Well, I have also come to a similar conclusion through my research in the past."
"So is it possible?"
"It is practically impossible to do that," Berger began, "first of all, the amount of spiritual power a Magus has is nearly not enough to cast even a single spell. That is why we use mana as the energy source."
He paused for a moment before adding, "Secondly, and most importantly, that type of energy is countless times more difficult to control than mana."
"Hmm." Adam had a pondering expression on his face. "Is that so?"
"Yes, don't waste your time and energy on this," Berger advised. He didn't want the youth to take unnecessary detours.
"I see…" Adam mumbled absentmindedly.
His thoughts remained a mystery.
