Published at 15th of July 2026 6:37 am

Chapter 1846: Something Very Precious

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Two hooded figures in dark robes rushed through the woods, leaping from branch to branch with uncanny speed. Their movements were silent and elusive, and not a single inch of their skin was visible beneath their robes.

The sun was sinking below the horizon, while the first moons of the night had already begun to rise. The pair finally came to a stop under the shadow of a giant tree.

For a moment, they remained motionless.

Then, under the darkness of their hoods, a pair of crimson orbs flared to life.

Four blood-red eyes stared into the distance, in the direction of Adam and Esmond’s traveling party on the Trade Road.

"What’s the matter?" Came a voice from the shadowy cowl of one of the hooded figures.

The other person remained silent for a few moments, then said solemnly, "I believe we have been made."

"Impossible!" said the first person.

The second figure shook his head. "I’m not entirely certain, but I believe that young human’s senses caught onto us. It was faint, but I felt it."

"How can that be!" the first person exclaimed. "We’re so far away! And we’re under the effects of a concealment spell!"

Once again, the second figure fell into silence.

"We must be careful," he said. "Let’s not rush it."

The first figure hesitated, but eventually nodded. "I understand."

For years, they had followed rumors, followed false leads, and investigated countless dead ends. And now, for the first time, they had found a clue. A real clue.

Neither of them wanted to waste this opportunity. They had waited far too long for that.

"Six days," said the second hooded figure. "We have six days till they reach Davos. We must retrieve that item by then."

"Attack at nightfall?"

"No," the second figure shook his head. "We don’t know how powerful that human Magus is. He gives me a bad feeling. First, we’ll chip away at his strength. Test him. Learn what he’s capable of."

His crimson eyes narrowed beneath the hood.

"Then we kill them all."

***

As dusk settled over the land, the traveling party made camp for the night.

Esmond’s hired hands quickly took care of the menial tasks, pitching tents, gathering firewood, and preparing a hot meal over crackling campfires.

Meanwhile, Valerian darted around the campsite with boundless curiosity. One moment, he was peering into a pot of simmering stew, his nose twitching at the delicious scent. The next moment, he was gazing skyward, mesmerized by the moons hanging over the horizon.

To the young dragon, everything seemed worthy of wonder.

"Master Greene," Adam called out quietly. "Can you fight?"

Esmond, who sat by the campfire with the small chest resting safely on his lap, turned to Adam with a light frown. He looked deeply at the youth to see if the latter was joking.

When he realized that Adam wasn’t, he turned serious as well.

"Magus Constantine, I am a Templar Paladin," he said truthfully. "But because of old age and a lifetime of injuries, my strength is barely on par with a Cavalier’s."

As I thought, Adam mused grimly.

"Did you... sense something?" Esmond couldn’t help but ask.

Adam walked up to the old man and weaved a simple hand seal, erecting a barrier around the two.

Esmond was taken aback, but Adam quickly explained, "It’s just a soundproof barrier."

He crouched before the old man and looked deeply into his eyes. Then his gaze shifted to the small, unassuming chest on Esmond’s lap.

The old man subconsciously clutched the chest tighter.

Adam sighed. He then said softly as he matched the old man’s gaze, "Is there anything that I should know?"

Esmond studied Adam’s eyes carefully. There was no trace of greed in them, only a desire for clarification.

He inhaled deeply, then said, "This chest contains something very precious to me. I mustn’t lose it, Magus Constantine. I mustn’t lose it..."

A hint of desperation flickered in the old man’s eyes, enough to give Adam pause. The youth could tell that Esmond would sooner give up his life than part with that chest.

Adam intently studied the old man for a long time. In the end, he sighed.

"The matter of my remuneration," he said with pursed lips. "It better be worth it, sir."

Esmond subconsciously let out a breath of relief. Adam’s words meant that he was willing to fight tooth and nail for his safety. He quickly asked:

"But why are you suddenly asking about all this? Did you, perhaps, sense something?"

"Yes." Adam nodded as he rose to his feet. He did some light stretching and said, "Someone’s been on our tail for the last several hours now. They’re quite sneaky."

"They?" Esmond’s expression turned grim.

"Yes, there’s two of them. Maybe more. I don’t know." Adam shrugged as he cancelled the barrier. "Hey, Val! Come here."

"Myu!" The little guy rushed toward him and nimbly climbed Adam’s shoulder.

He then pleaded with round, innocent eyes. "Brother, please don’t ask me to go back! Please! It’s not fair that you get to experience all the wonders of this world, and I get to do nothing!"

Adam suddenly felt his heart ache a little.

Valerian never disobeyed him — not since the beating he had received from that Somnia clansman, anyway.

But the little guy was always saddened whenever Adam sent him away.

And if Valerian was sad, then Adam was sad too.

"I’m not sending you away," the youth said gently. "I have an important job for you."

Valerian quickly brought his paw to his furry head and gave a salute. "Sir, yes, sir!"

"Stay beside Master Greene," Adam said. "Guard him."

"Myu!"

The little guy leapt from Adam’s shoulder and landed beside the dumbfounded Esmond’s feet.

A cat guarding him?

So what if Esmond was old and injured?

He was still a Paladin!

"Don’t underestimate him," Adam said to the old man.

"Oh... okay." Esmond nodded in a daze.

Adam walked to the edge of the camp, then began drawing mysterious symbols on the ground.

Esmond quickly recognized those symbols.

Rune magic!

The raven-haired youth drew a complex formation around the camp. Once he had finished carving the symbols, he weaved a simple hand seal. The runes glowed faintly before disappearing into the earth.

He looked at Esmond and said with a confident smile, "Even a Mana Core Magus will have difficulty breaking through this."

Adam then turned toward the darkness beyond the camp.

He had just sensed several presences rapidly advancing in their direction. His brows furrowed. None matched the auras of the two hooded figures he had sensed earlier.

These ones were... not people.

They were beasts.

By now, even Esmond had sensed the approaching danger. A large number of creatures were rapidly closing in on the camp.

Then came the hungry snarls and the predatory growls.

Judging by the sound alone, there were over a dozen of them. And they were far from weak.

Adam remained still. He waited for the beasts to come closer.

Closer...

Until at last, under the ghostly light of the moons, dark silhouettes emerged from the darkness.

Wolves.

Adam’s eyes turned cold.

His hands moved swiftly, weaving a series of hand seals.

And then he stepped into the darkness.

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