Published at 22nd of January 2026 6:58 am

Chapter 1438: Smallest Detail

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

After tailing the old Magus from the Sovereign Union for several days, Adam had learned a great deal about him.

His speech patterns, his gait, his small habitual gestures, and every subtle mannerism that defined him, all of it had been thoroughly studied.

It was more than enough to replicate the man convincingly, down to the smallest detail.

Throughout it all, the old man never once grew suspicious. Aside from that brief moment at the very beginning, he never sensed he was being followed.

Nor did he realize that he had interacted with Adam several times, each under a different face.

Now, the time had finally come for Adam to advance to the next phase of the plan.

The raven-haired youth stood alone inside a run-down bathroom of a tavern situated near the harbor. Cracked tiles lined the walls, and a flickering lamp cast uneven light across the stained mirror.

He studied his reflection — his true face — in silence. It had been a while since he’d worn his own face. Looking at his youthful appearance in the mirror, his lips curled into a smile.

Then he willed the Faceless Mask to act.

His features began to twitch and shift, the skin of his face rippling as though tiny tendrils were writhing beneath it.

His bones and flesh subtly realigned. His jaw narrowed, his cheekbones softened, and his nose reshaped itself with unsettling precision. Then, his body followed, height shrinking, mass redistributing, and posture subtly stooping.

Hair thinned and receded at the temples, turning gray in the process. Fine wrinkles etched themselves into his skin. A faint cloudiness bloomed in his eyes, mimicking the early signs of cataract. Every detail was adjusted according to his memory.

When the transformation was complete, the man staring back from the mirror was no longer Adam.

He was the elderly Magus from the Union, down to the smallest, most unforgettable detail.

Adam adjusted his voice, then changed to the calm, almost indifferent expression that always shadowed the old man’s face.

"Ready," he spoke in the old man’s voice, wearing the old man’s face.

Then he raised a hand and wove a simple seal.

A moment later, he vanished, leaving behind only the faint outline of an arched gate where he stood...

***

Maximillian and Marlow sat across from one another in a private chamber somewhere in the upper levels of the palace.

The room was quiet, sealed away from prying eyes and ears. Pale light from the twin moons filtered through the tall window, spilling across the stone floors and faintly illuminating the room.

Both wore solemn expressions. The King sat upright, his face grim. Marlow leaned forward slightly and spoke in a low voice:

"Father, I am certain now. Burne Ward is working for the enemy."

Maximillian’s ruby eyes narrowed, a strange light flickering in them. "But... you’ve known him for so many years. Could it be..."

He paused, thinking of a possibility. "You’ve trusted him with your darkest secrets and kept him close to you because you’ve always suspected him to be the enemy?"

Marlow’s lips twitched. He felt deeply embarrassed in his heart, but he didn’t show it on his face. He shamelessly nodded. "That is correct. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, as the saying goes."

They discussed the matters that touched the very core of House Fireborne and the looming threats facing the kingdom.

It was not the conversation of a father and son, but of two rulers preparing for what was to come.

"And that’s not all," Marlow continued. "There is another one. A courtesan. I suspect her to be a Mana Vortex Magus working for the Empire."

"A courtesan?" Maximillian frowned, quickly realizing what the enemy’s plan was. After all, he was well aware of his son’s flaws.

"...Yes." Marlow nodded.

Although he had known that his father knew about his vices, he had never once spoken to him directly about them. Now that he did, it was... awkward.

"Two months ago, Marlow had arranged a meeting for me with this woman. She’s an Enchantress." The Prince finally decided to come clean.

"After spending time with her, I’ve come to realize that she’s been using her magic on me to turn me against you. It was a subtle, insidious form of enchantment magic, but fortunately, I was able to catch on."

"Enchantment magic," Maximillian muttered in a low voice.

He rapped his finger on the table, gradually realizing what the enemy’s true motive was.

"A coup," he coldly added.

"Precisely." Marlow inhaled deeply and nodded.

"They know that it’s extremely difficult to attack from the outside," he continued in a solemn tone. "So they’ve decided to be subtle. They planned to use my weakness against me, poison my mind, and have me destroy our house from within."

"Who else knows about this?" Maximillian asked, his face utterly grim.

"Just you and me," said the Prince. He scoffed and added, "Those two still think I’m under their magic."

Maximillian continued to rap his finger on the table. Almost a minute later, he stopped. "How many enemies are we potentially facing?"

Marlow sighed. "I’m not sure, Father. Until now, I’ve only managed to identify Brune Ward and the Enchantress. If there are more... they’ve managed to hide their traces quite well."

"Always assume the worst," the King spoke solemnly.

Marlow thought for a moment before asking with slight hesitation, "Do you think a Mana Core Magus might be involved?"

The king slipped into deep thought. "I’m not sure," he said at last. "If there really was another Mana Core Magus within the city, Lord Bunosilo would have already discovered them."

"So how should we proceed?" Marlow asked with a light frown. "Our enemies think that I’ve already fallen under their subtle control, so I’m sure they’re expecting me to take action soon. If I don’t... I’m afraid they’ll begin to suspect me."

Maximillian remained silent for a long while. He was torn between acting immediately and waiting until every enemy had been uncovered. But the fact that their enemies had remained so expertly hidden, and that he lacked sufficient information, deeply unsettled him.

Suddenly, the atmosphere within the room changed, and the two of them simultaneously looked outside the window.

The scene that greeted them caused them to be astonished!

An elderly man with receding hair hovered outside. He was clad in plain robes, his hair and beard neatly trimmed. His hands were calmly clasped behind his back as he gazed at them through slightly murky eyes.

At once, Maximillian and Marlow sprang to their feet and exclaimed:

"Lord Bunosilo?!"

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