Seeing the serious look on Magnus's face, Luden nodded and motioned for him to follow. They made their way to a quieter corner of the ballroom, where the crowd was thinner. Luden raised his hand, showing off an emerald ring. The ring was a magical artifice, allowing him access to countless items from his family's vault at will. The gemstone emitted a soft glow as a small spherical object materialized, constructed from light right above his palm. Once it fully formed, Magnus recognized it as being made from the same material as his mask. It was covered in intricate runes, with a small button on top.
Luden grabbed the sphere and clicked the button. Immediately, the runes lit up, mana surging through the device's internal workings. The sphere floated in midair, and Magnus felt a strange sensation wash over him. Suddenly, the surrounding chatter from the ballroom vanished. At the same time, their own conversation became imperceptible to anyone else in the room. It was as if they had completely disappeared—only their visible forms remained.
Naturally, the mages and knights present, their senses ever-alert, noticed the sudden absence of Luden and Magnus's presence and glanced over in their direction.
"Hmm, I wonder what those two are up to," Lazitha muttered, popping a miniature donut into her mouth. Standing beside her, Mulvin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Isn't that, like, your twentieth donut?" he quipped.
"It's not my fault the academy insists on serving only 'healthy' and 'nutritionally balanced' food," Lazitha shot back, already eyeing the next platter of pastries nearby.
Meanwhile, Magnus was still processing what Luden had just done. Sensing his confusion, Luden explained, "This artifice is inscribed with privacy spells—sound nullification, facial distortion, and anti-magic protections that disrupt most sensory spells. As long as we stay within range, no one can eavesdrop."
Well, that's convenient.
Magnus thought to himself as he let out a soft sigh.
"Alright, here's the situation." With no risk of being overheard, Magnus began explaining everything to Luden—his encounters with Zeth, the syndicate he was involved in, and the run-ins with his people. He didn't hold back on any details, except those hinting at the Command Console, glitches, or his unique relationship with the Major General. He even mentioned the vampire woman and her likely Master-level strength. By the time he finished, Luden wore a somber expression, deep in thought.
"Hmm, I was wondering what had you so tense, but now I see why. This is... troubling," Luden muttered. It was perhaps the first time Magnus had seen real concern cross Luden's face.
After a moment of silence, Luden asked, "Do you remember exactly what the spell catalyst Zeth used to teleport away looked like?"
Of course, Magnus did. He could even recall memories from his infancy, albeit blurry, let alone his recent encounter with Zeth.
"It was black, with sharp purple runes—no curves. The symbols mirrored each other on both halves of the catalyst, and it seemed to be made of some kind of paper. It was about this size," Magnus gestured with his hand to show the approximate size. As he described it, Luden seemed to be mentally cross-referencing the catalyst with those he knew of.
"I don't think we have anything like that in our inventory, but I'll need to double-check later. Still, there are two possibilities that come to mind," Luden said, holding up two fingers.
"The first—and the one I'm hoping for—is that some noble is secretly backing Zeth and his syndicate. They'd need to belong to a family with access to magical items and enough wealth to buy them in bulk. They'd also have to be pretty good at covering their tracks, given how many laws they'd be breaking by supplying spell catalysts to regular people. But I can't think of what would drive a noble family to take such a huge risk," Luden mused.
Magnus offered a theory.
"Maybe they're using it to expand their influence in the city anonymously. Using the syndicate as a puppet, so to speak. With the Batis Kingdom in chaos from the war, any noble family that took control of Arlcliff City through illegal means could dodge repercussions—at least from the Royal Court." Luden didn't dismiss the idea outright, but he still found it hard to believe. Taking such a risk in a city housing Takerth Academy just to expand influence seemed too reckless, especially when safer options existed.
"Anyway, that's the first possibility, and honestly, the less likely of the two," Luden exhaled briefly, letting the thought settle.
"The second possibility is that they're a criminal group backed by a rogue mage." Those words made Magnus's eyes widen. Rogue mages. They were magic users who didn't belong to any official group or faction, having willingly separated themselves from the Ten Great Magic Academies and violated the laws those academies had established. The danger they posed was clear: they didn't hesitate to arm the general populace with magic or use it on people incapable of defending themselves. If a rogue mage were left unchecked, they could easily raise an army capable of toppling a kingdom that lacked mages themselves.
That was just how dangerous unchecked magic was. That's also why, once the Ten Great Magic Academies confirmed the existence of a rogue mage, they, along with the Royal Court, wouldn't hesitate to wipe out an entire town if it meant ensuring the rogue mage's death.
"Magnus, I don't need to spell it out, but if a rogue mage is really involved—and considering that inhuman woman you encountered, it seems likely—then this could lead to-" Magnus raised his hand. He didn't need Luden to finish; he already understood. It could trigger a war in Arlcliff City. He had considered that possibility many times before, which was why he'd been hesitant to tell anyone.
Luden nodded slowly, seeing that Magnus grasped the gravity of the situation.
He continued, "In any case, I'll investigate this on my end and see if I can find any solid links between the mercenary guild and the criminal group you mentioned. From what I can gather, both you and they being here is just a lucky—or unlucky—coincidence, depending on how you look at it. They don't know who you really are, so your identity as Magnus, hidden behind the mask of Cain, is still safe. You can use that to keep things under wraps."
Magnus agreed. Luden was right. He had crossed paths with Zeth's faction too many times as Magnus, and now he might have a vampire—or several—on his tail. Until he was ready to confront them directly, using Cain as a buffer would be his best bet.
"Still, the question of why remains, no matter which possibility is true, right? Whether it's some noble family using Zeth and his group as shadow puppets or a rogue mage pulling the strings to avoid exposure... Why? Why this city, where they could be detected by the academy at any time? They must want something."
"Well, if we're really dealing with a rogue mage, predicting what they want becomes a bit easier," Luden said, earning a puzzled look from Magnus.
"What do you mean?" Magnus asked.
"Rogue mages typically only go rogue because something they desire, or something they want to do, violates the laws set by the Royal Court and the academy. Usually, it's because the magic or spell they want to use is deemed too dangerous. So, whatever a rogue mage is after usually ties back to completing the magic that made them go rogue in the first place." Luden's explanation sparked another question in Magnus's mind.
"Wait, so there are types of magic that can't just be cast? They have requirements?" This was news to him, but Luden confirmed it with a nod.
"Yeah, it's rare and not something you typically come across. As far as I know, they don't even teach it in the academy's regular curriculum. But there are spells out there that need specific materials or items to cast. The reasons for the materials vary depending on what's being attempted, and they take a lot of time and preparation, so they're not the kind of thing you'd use in combat like a normal spell. Because of that, we don't really call them spells—we refer to them as rituals." This was new information for Magnus, so he made sure to archive it in his mind to look into it more later.
"Anyway. Is there anything else you want to bring up?" Luden asked. Magnus shook his head—he'd covered everything important.
"Alright then," Luden said, reaching out to grab the floating magical artifice. He pressed a button to deactivate it, then sent it back to his family's vault. Afterward, he glanced at Magnus, noticing his slightly slumped shoulders, clearly weighed down by everything they'd just talked about.
"Don't overthink it. Take things one step at a time. For now, enjoy the celebration, maybe find someone to dance with, and focus on the assignment you and Seraline have planned tomorrow," Luden advised, giving Magnus's shoulder a reassuring pat before heading off to rejoin the crowd of nobles. Watching him go, Magnus couldn't understand how Luden could shift gears so easily, but he decided to take the advice. Keeping things in mind was important, but needless worrying would only make things worse.
I guess I could raid the food tables a bit before heading out.
"What were you two talking about?" Magnus didn't even flinch when he heard Seraline's voice behind him. By now, he was used to people sneaking up on him for no reason. He wasn't sure when she had gotten there, but she was staring at him with quiet interest, her expression as stoic as ever.
"I can't tell you," Magnus replied. Seraline tilted her head slightly but didn't push further. Instead, she changed the subject.
"Will it affect our assignment?" She asked. Magnus shook his head.
"No, I'll still be able to go. It's still tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. I've narrowed it down to about ten Intermediate-level assignments that I think will fit the requirements I'm looking for. Tomorrow we can meet at the Mage's Adept Compendium and decide which one to take on," Seraline explained. Magnus nodded in agreement; that worked for him. As they spoke, Magnus noticed that at some point, musicians had set up at the far end of the ballroom and had begun playing. As the music echoed softly against the walls, all the nobles had moved to the edges of the room, leaving the center open for dancing.
"Do you intend to dance?" Seraline asked.
"No. I'm not much of a dancer. What about you?" Magnus returned the question. Seraline hesitated briefly before shaking her head.
"No, I was never taught how to dance. In my family, they value combat ability above all else, even lineage." The Sostenza Family was unusual in that regard compared to other noble families. Typically, the heir to a noble house would be the firstborn son, but the Sostenza Family placed more importance on talent. As long as Seraline's abilities didn't wane, she was guaranteed to become the future matriarch. This focus on skill meant that things like noble etiquette—dancing included—were pushed aside in favor of training her to be a knight.
"Where one door opens, another closes," Magnus mumbled, almost absentmindedly as he thought about Seraline's situation.
"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly not familiar with the saying. It didn't exist in this world.
"A phrase. It means when one opportunity disappears, another one takes its place. But the reverse is true as well." Magnus mused, thinking about how Seraline's position and talent in her family gave her more freedom than other noble children. Many daughters were passed over in favor of their brothers, even if they had more ability. How many heirs wished they had fewer restrictions, allowing them to focus on other things? Seraline didn't face those typical constraints, but with fewer restrictions in one area came more in another.
She would never be anything other than a warrior. From the day she was born and had her talent revealed, that path had been set for her.
I wonder...
Magnus had no intention of voicing the thought in his head, but as if she had been following his line of thought up to this point, Seraline responded anyway.
"I'm okay with it," she said simply.
"I don't regret being born into my family or walking the path that's led me here." Magnus looked into her eyes as she said that. There wasn't a trace of doubt or hesitation. She was being completely honest. While most people resisted being forced into a mold, this was one Seraline seemed to fit comfortably.
Realizing that, Magnus smirked beneath his mask.
"In that case, I'll make sure we succeed on our assignment so you can keep advancing."
Seraline didn't seem to expect those words. But, a moment later, she lowered her head slightly and replied, "Thank you."
After his conversation with Seraline, Magnus lingered a little longer. He avoided the dance, even though Syrna had come over multiple times trying to convince him. He suspected she didn't care much about the dance itself—she just wanted the amusing memory of 'Cain' dancing. After that, he mostly hung around, not talking to many people, as few approached him aside from the twins, Luden, his mother, and Seraline. Other than a few polite greetings, the only real conversations he had were with his magic professor, Lazitha, and Mulvin, both of whom wished him luck on his upcoming assignment.
For the remainder of his time, Magnus focused on one main goal: eating as much food as possible while secretly figuring out how to bring some back to his dorm. Luden helped him with that second part, handing him a magical artifice, similar to the storage rings he would see in certain novels that worked like an Alternate Space, just on a smaller scale. Luden even told him that he could keep it, suggesting it would come in handy during his assignment. Magnus didn't hesitate to take him up on that offer; up until now, he'd been carrying everything in his pockets, which wasn't exactly practical.
When he finally did leave, he decided to do so earlier than everyone else, being escorted to the gate of the property by the Rilhawk Family's Head Butler, Jacquees, who gave a polite bow as he left.
"We hope to see you again," the butler said. Magnus nodded in return, ignoring the guards around the perimeter, now aware they were Titan Soldiers—members of the same organization as Zeth. But, as he walked toward the carriage that had brought him here, he noticed something strange: the coachman was gone.
Huh, I guess he left. Makes sense. I wouldn't want to sit outside waiting for hours either. They probably weren't expecting me to leave this early since the celebration isn't really over yet.
Magnus decided to wait inside the carriage until he came back. But when he opened the door and was about to step in, he froze in surprise. Inside, both Kolten and Alwen were sitting with serious expressions on there, along with the coachman—unconscious but still breathing.
"Wha-" Magnus started to say, but they gestured for him to be quiet and step inside. He obliged, glancing around before entering and sitting opposite them, next to the knocked-out coachman.
"What are you two doing here?" he asked in a low voice.
"Sorry about this. We didn't plan for the conversation to go like this," Alwen explained, with Kolten nodding before adding, "Yeah, we thought we'd have more time to explain everything. However, getting information from inside the academy takes us longer than we'd like. We didn't even know they'd already assigned rankings or that you'd been promoted to Adept-level until yesterday. Once the Major General found out, we had to act quickly. Knowing you, you're already preparing for an assignment, right?"
"Yeah, actually. I'm going out on one tomorrow with someone," Magnus confirmed, causing Alwen and Kolten to exchange concerned looks.
"I see... that soon, huh?" Alwen muttered.
"Well, at least you haven't chosen which assignment yet. There's still time." Kolten leaned in slightly, his tone turning more serious.
"Listen carefully. When you choose an assignment tomorrow, there's something you need to do. This is related to the mission Captain Mia Reiheim and her team were sent on."
•
Year 348 of the Great Sundering Era, 1st Month, 11th Day of the Mistveil Cycle.
Magnus walked into the academy's library, already wearing his mask as Cain. He walked past numerous bookshelves before turning down the first aisle with a door at the very end wall. He had grown accustomed to controlling his desires just enough for the spatial doors to lead him where he wanted. This time, he focused on a desire that would lead him to the Mage's Adept Compendium, and when he opened the door and stepped through, that's exactly where he found himself.
The Mage's Adept Compendium looked almost identical to the Apprentice one—the same windows looking out into a white void, and walls lined with shelves filled with books and scrolls. The only notable difference was a doorway leading to a secondary area. From where he was standing, Magnus could already see students constantly entering and exiting the room. The space beyond was simple, matching the rest of the Compendium's aesthetic, with rows of alcoves built into the walls.
In each alcove, a holographic screen hovered against the wall—the assignment boards, just like the one Eredim had shown them in class.
Hmm, that's strange.
As Magnus passed several alcoves, he noticed something odd. Although students appeared to be browsing the assignment boards, he couldn't see any changes. It seemed there was a privacy feature in place—everyone saw a unique version of the assignment board, even if they were looking at the same board. After wandering for a minute, he spotted Seraline, who motioned for him to come over. A few students noticed him and began whispering among themselves; news that Cain was preparing for an assignment was a pretty big deal.
"Any issues?" Seraline asked as Magnus approached her.
"No, but I do have another request before we pick an assignment." Magnus' tone made Seraline frown slightly. His last request had been to keep the assignment rewards—so what more could he want now?
"What is it?" She asked, a bit more cautiously this time.
"I want the assignment to be in the northeastern part of the region." It was an odd request, and Seraline couldn't help but ask the obvious question.
"Why?" To that, Magnus hesitated, clearly thinking over his next words.
After a moment, he simply replied, "There's something I need to check on."