Published at 20th of February 2026 11:14 am

Chapter 1520 Unexpected Guest

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Unlike the sensitive intel regarding the compromised Agents and Acolytes, the information regarding Wardens wasn't compiled in one place.

In fact, the list never existed.

Instead, each compromised Warden was referred indirectly, embedded into otherwise legitimate documents spread across various departments and time periods.

Each document alone looked harmless. Together, however, they formed a map.

The names of the compromised Wardens only appeared a handful of times in any given document. No pattern was obvious unless someone knew what to compare.

And that's exactly what Lebu had in his possession.

He already knew the keywords he needed to look out for. Now, all he had to do was sort the names out by date and cross-reference the keywords in all the documents.

But the problem was the scale.

The Brotherhood's records spanned thousands of years. There were countless reports, ledgers, evaluations, and mission logs preserved across generations.

Every era had its own formatting, terminology, and codes, meaning no two centuries of records were truly alike. Sorting names by date alone would take weeks. And cross-referencing those names against scattered keywords buried in unrelated documents would take far longer.

It wasn't difficult work, but it was painstaking. It was a slow process of elimination, repetition, and verification. One mistake could invalidate months of work.

Still, Lebu understood one thing clearly…

If the list existed at all, this was the only way to reconstruct it.

He stood in a vast chamber lined wall-to-wall with shelves, drawers, and cabinets packed with parchments and ledgers. Stacks of documents rose in uneven piles across long tables, while drawers filled with aging records were pulled open.

This was the full scope of what he had to work through. With Berger's assistance, he was able to get his hands on these documents without anyone knowing. These were copies of documents that no one would bat an eye at if they went missing in the first place.

Still, to keep a tight lid on this operation, apart from Berger and Lebu, only half a dozen Acolytes were made privy to it.

These young Magi were recruited, raised, and trained by Lebu himself, so they were trustworthy. Moreover, he had already confirmed — thanks to Kenny's sacrifice — that these Acolytes hadn't been turned by the enemy.

"Captain, when you said we'll be going on a long-term mission, this wasn't what I expected," Kori said with a pout.

Pang held a bundle of parchments as he said, "You said we'll be staying here for as long as necessary. Just what are we looking for?"

Lebu glanced at the six young Magi before him and said in a heavy tone, "What we're doing here may seem boring. Unworthy even. But I assure you…"

His gaze hardened. "Our success here will determine the future of the Twilight Brotherhood!"

He paused for a moment, studying the grim look on the young Magi's face.

"If we fail, we forever remain blind. The enemy keeps their foothold inside our walls, and more of our own will die without ever knowing why. But if we succeed, then we take back control of our fate."

Lebu's eyes swept over them one last time, and he said:

"Here are the keywords you need to look out for in these specific documents. So stay sharp. Check everything. And trust the process."

***

Ignisra Embassy, High Ward.

On the same day that Lebu and his team began their covert operation to uncover the Mana Vortex-level traitors within the Brotherhood, an unexpected guest arrived at the lavish manor.

As usual, after dinner, Marlow spent his time lounging on the balcony attached to the master bedroom. He drank wine and appreciated the mesmerizing beauty of the city sprawled out before him.

A full day of meetings and polite exchanges with foreign dignitaries left him mentally exhausted. This quiet moment, where he was all by himself, was the routine he reserved to unwind before bringing the day to an end.

Marlow sat comfortably in the chair, slowly sipping his wine as he watched the city's nighttime skyline. Lanterns traced the streets below, while the city breathed softly in the dark.

A faint smile adorned his lips as he sipped on the fine wine.

"You seem happy."

An unfamiliar voice echoed in his ears, causing his smile to falter. However, he didn't drop the wine glass this time. Experience had taught him better.

He slowly turned to the source of the voice, but instead of finding a cute little puppy, he found a grumpy little man.

Wait, is that a gnome? He thought with a frown as he quickly got to his feet and retreated a few steps.

"Who are you?" He asked in a low voice. He'd never seen this person before, and he sure as hell didn't like the latter intruding on his privacy.

"Huh." Berger exhaled a plume of smoke to the side and said with an arched brow. "You really do look like her."

Marlow's eyes slowly widened. "You…"

The gnome waved his hand. "Sit down with me for a moment, will ya?"

He walked over to a chair and then took his seat. He then casually began blowing rings with the smoke he exhaled.

Marlow's mouth opened and closed several times as he witnessed how nonchalant the gnome was, treating his house as his own. It was clear that he knew Anna, but there was something else the Prince wished to know as well.

"Are you related to that dog by any chance?" Marlow asked as he cautiously took a seat across from the gnome.

"Dog?" Berger chuckled lightly. "Don't let Blackie hear you say that. He's a wolf."

"…Right." Marlow gulped involuntarily. "So you do know him."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "How do you know my sister?"

"An acquaintance," Berger casually said.

Marlow's lips twitched. "That's what the wolf said…"

He suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but ask in a grave voice, "Why are you here? Did something happen to Anna?"

"She's fine," Berger assured him. "If you must know, she's still in Ulier. She's training inside a secret plane, under the watchful gaze of several Mana Core Magi. So nothing's going to happen to her."

"Several… Mana Core… what?" Marlow was dumbfounded.

"Enough about her," the gnome said dismissively.

He looked the Prince in the eye and said with a faint smile, "I'm here to talk to you about someone else."

Marlow snapped out of his senses. He gazed at the gnome for a long time, trying to make sense out of the situation.

After a moment, he gestured calmly. "Who?"

Berger's smile deepened.

"The wandering Magus Nilrem."

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