At the top of a jagged cliff, enveloped in a shadowy mist, stood an ancient castle belonging to the Gracie Family. Its turrets reached for the sky, while the gargoyles perched on these towers acted as the castle's silent guardians.
The castle seemed to have been kissed by the vicissitudes of time, indicating the long history of this Magus Family. Its walls seemed to be in disrepair, covered in ivy and moss.
Despite all that, the structure stood tall and proud. Neither time nor nature could claim the castle walls as it was reinforced with magic cast by the ancestors of the Gracie Family, and further strengthened by generations of descendants.
Within the depths of the castle, in a large hall made of gray stones and sparsely lit up by candle stands adorning the walls, a couple of people had gathered. They were facing a middle-aged man who was sitting on a luxurious throne situated atop an elevated platform.
This man wore lavish, silk robes and emanated a dignified aura. He had a head full of black hair and neatly trimmed facial hair that made him appear stern and unforgiving.
However, the regret and pity flashing in his brown eyes told a different story entirely.
This man was none other than the patriarch of the Gracie Family, Oswald Gracie.
In front of this mighty Rank 2 Magus stood his younger brother, Morden Gracie, and his nephew, Kevin Gracie.
A week ago, when Kevin returned to the castle with a missing hand, it was sufficient to say that all the members of the Gracie Family were shocked beyond belief.
Kevin, after all, had an A-grade talent with a bright future ahead of him. Moreover, he was also someone being groomed to become the future patriarch of the Gracie Family.
So when he returned in such a miserable state, no one was more disheartened than Oswald. After all, he had never had any child of his own. Although Kevin was his nephew, the man treated him like his own.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Oswald hadn't had a proper chat with Kevin regarding what exactly had transpired inside the secret plane. All he knew was that the person responsible for his nephew's woe was the same person behind the release of Jamie de Clare.
"How are you feeling now, Kevin?" The man asked with a gentle tone.
Kevin, who had recovered considerably both physically and mentally, gazed at Oswald and spoke bitterly, "Uncle, forgive me, I have let you down."
The youth bit his lower lip as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. At that moment, his father, Morden, patted his back, trying to comfort him.
Seeing his nephew's pitiful appearance, Oswald couldn't help but sigh dejectedly. Now when he looked at the youth, he couldn't see any trace of arrogance and conceitedness that he saw in the past.
It seems like whatever happened inside the secret plane has truly humbled him.
"Will you tell me what happened, child?"
Kevin nodded, wiping his tears away. He then recounted everything that happened inside the secret plane.
From him gathering all the Magi he had hired to take down Adam, to his battle where he ganged up on the latter, and finally how he managed to desperately survive for a year after being crippled in the battle.
As he spoke about the happenings inside the secret plane, he clenched his fist so tightly that the nails dug into his palms, causing blood to drip on the gray-stoned floor.
Intense fury flashed in his eyes as he recalled the brutal ordeal he had to go through. All because of one person.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})By the time he had finished narrating everything, his chest was intensely heaving up and down as he struggled to contain his anger.
A brief period of silence ensued in the dimly lit hall.
Although Oswald appeared calm and collected on the surface, he was actually very surprised to hear the details of the fight from his nephew.
To be able to take down more than two dozen Magi all on his own… This kid, Adam… What monstrous fighting prowess!
Although a third of those Magi had been killed by the magic scroll that Oswald had given to Kevin, it was still a great feat to defeat all those remaining Magi and even survive after being hit by the Rank 2 Fireball.
He couldn't help but be deeply impressed by Adam.
But suddenly he thought of something and asked, "This Adam, if I recall correctly, he is a commoner, yes?"
Kevin nodded. "Yes, Uncle."
"And what was his aptitude grade?"
Immense shame flashed in Kevin's eyes as he replied with a lowered head, "B-grade."
Oswald's eyes narrowed and he thought to himself, A B-
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})grade talent being able to last long enough to fight over two dozen Magi? Impossible! He shouldn't have that much mana in his reserves, to begin with. So then how did he do it?
He glanced at Kevin and solemnly said, "Kevin, I want you to tell me everything you know about the boy. Don't miss any details."
"Yes, Uncle." Kevin was surprised to see Oswald's sudden change in demeanor, however, he still complied.
After Kevin told his uncle everything he knew about Adam, the spacious hall turned silent for a few moments once again before it was broken by Kevin's father.
"How dare this commoner conspire against us?!" he roared, seething in anger. He looked at Oswald and screamed, "Brother, we must kill this trash for even daring to go against our family!"
However, Oswald remained silent. He rested his chin on his palm and closed his eyes, deep in thought as he silently made deductions.
Adam, a commoner from the Cormier Kingdom comes to study at Clover Academy.
He is tested to have a B-grade aptitude. However, the Rank 3 Herbalist, Lord Berger, sees immense potential and hires him as the shopkeeper.
No! Considering the rate of progress and the magical prowess the boy has shown, it is very likely that Lord Berger has taken him in as his personal apprentice!'
Oswald's eyes revealed a tiny slit, his brown eyes flashing with understanding. Yes, this could explain why a mere commoner could display such skills. But…
However, confusion enveloped his eyes soon after.
This still doesn't explain the kid's large reserves of mana. Did the academy make a mistake in determining his aptitude grade? No, that's very unlikely. Perhaps, a result of a magical artifact given by the gnome? But are there even such artifacts out there that can increase a Magus' mana reserves?
The more he speculated about Adam, the more he felt that the latter was being wrapped in a mysterious fog.
