CHAPTER 204: LOCATING JULIAN [BONUS CHAPTER]

After Adrian got hold of the crystals, he didn’t plan on relaxing.

’This is far from over,’ he thought, his gaze sweeping over the devastation. ’I have to get to the root of this assassin’s plot if I’m to prevent it from happening again.’

He had to admit, he was a bit fearful. He had faced down a Transcendent King and engineered the fall of a kingdom’s nobility, but this was different.

This was a battle against an unknown variable, a shadow puppeteer capable of creating armies from death itself, and killing the strongest being in this world in a single strike.

At the end of the day, however, Adrian was left with no other choice. If he didn’t go after this being now, he might have to face far worse consequences when it chose to strike again.

’If the necromancer was truly all-powerful, they wouldn’t have to rely on summons,’ he reasoned. ’They would have appeared themselves. That’s something to be glad for.’

He knew he only said this to comfort himself. He still had many speculations about the true power of this, being from what Loryn had described and what he had witnessed himself, but he decided to ignore them for now. Analysis without sufficient data was inefficient.

Without another thought, Adrian soared into the sky, leaving the dead forest behind.

’My only suspect right now is Julian, and I’ll have to find him before anything else.’

Adrian didn’t have much of a plan to find his mysterious brother, but the most logical place to start was the last place he should have been.

He flew towards Zarion.

’It’s possible he was only absent from the formal meeting with the other nobles. He might still be at the Borin mansion.’

***

Unfortunately, on arriving at the grand estate, Adrian was informed that all the Borin siblings had returned to the Royal Academy that very morning.

They had only been called back to the mansion to be present during the political turmoil following Cedric’s condition.

Without another word, Adrian turned and launched back into the sky, heading directly for the Academy.

It was evening now, and the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the familiar grounds. Most of the students were already in their dormitories, studying or resting.

As he arrived at the Mage hostel, he hovered silently in the air, his gaze scanning the building.

’I don’t know which is Julian’s room. I could call Serena, but there’s no point in involving her when I can just find Fabian.’

Adrian immediately located Fabian’s room from his last visit there. He descended and, with a casual pull, ripped the newly repaired door clean off its hinges.

He met his white-haired brother sitting up in bed, with a magic crystal in hand, and his eyes closed.

Fabian was cultivating seriously, but his eyes snapped open the moment the door came off, and they widened in sheer terror when they met Adrian’s blue gaze.

The fearful, humble look from their last meeting was still there, but this time it seemed even deeper, etched into his very being.

Adrian approached him immediately. Although Fabian was scared witless, he didn’t dare to run, his mind racing with panicked thoughts.

’What did I do now? He already stripped the House of its power; what more does he want? Is he here to finish the job? By the Goddess, I swear I’ve been a model citizen!’

"Where is Julian’s room?" Adrian asked directly, his voice cutting through Fabian’s internal panic.

Fabian breathed an audible sigh of relief after realizing it was only a simple question. "I-It’s after mine," he stammered, pointing a trembling finger down the hall. "Four rooms to my left."

Adrian turned around and was about to leave when Fabian called out to him, his voice cracking. "A-Adrian!"

The armored figure stopped in his tracks, turning his head slightly to hear what he had to say.

"If... if you’re looking for Julian," Fabian said quickly, "he’s not in his room. I saw him a little while ago. He was heading for the infirmary."

Adrian only nodded before he continued to leave. He could hear Fabian call out again, "I’m sorry! For how I disrespected and treated you all those years, I’m truly sorry!" But this time, Adrian didn’t stop.

He left the dormitory, his mind trying to rule out Julian as the assassin. ’The infirmary? What would a Transcendent-level killer want with the infirmary?’ he thought, a flicker of doubt entering his mind.

’Perhaps he is truly just an ordinary boy, and I’m wasting my time. Or... he’s just trying to keep up his image.’

He still flew to Julian’s room, a quick scan confirming his absence. Only then did he leave for the infirmary, soaring silently through the evening air.

’It seems luck is on my side.’

Just as he approached the infirmary building, he saw a familiar, lone figure walking below him, opposite the building’s direction. The ghost-like, silent walk of his black-haired brother was unmistakable.

Julian was moving through the shadows of the courtyard, his left palm held up, covering his mouth as if he were trying to stifle a cough.

Adrian could sense his mana level. He was an average 4-Star Mage. It was a surprising jump from the last time he had seen him, but still nothing special in the grand scheme of things. Yet, he still didn’t rule out any options.

He took in a deep breath before descending silently behind his brother.

He tapped him on the shoulder. Julian flinched, his whole body going rigid. He didn’t withdraw his hand from his mouth, but he turned, and from his wide, startled eyes, it was clear he was shocked to see Adrian.

To Adrian’s surprise, a muffled voice came from behind Julian’s hand. "Your Majesty." He was referring to him by the title he now held, his tone formal and distant.

’What do I ask him now?’ Adrian was considering whether to be direct, to demand answers about his whereabouts and his power.

But unknowingly to him, Julian’s hand that covered his mouth, with a subtle, perfect motion, popped a tiny, obsidian-black pill from his palm into his mouth.

The pill dissolved instantly, and the casual evening atmosphere of the Academy suddenly grew heavy and cold.

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A/N:

This Chapter is sponsored by the Golden Tickets achievement. "100 Golden Tickets = 1 bonus Chapter"

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