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Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 2016: Secret Arrangement
Chapter 2016: Secret Arrangement
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Adam sat at the council table, looking as calm as though nothing unusual had happened.
Across from him, Umlo stared daggers at him.
A blood-red handprint was clearly visible around the dwarf’s neck, standing out against his skin like an open insult. Every now and then, his fingers twitched as though he were resisting the urge to reach across the table and strangle Adam himself.
Gregor, meanwhile, was still struggling to comprehend what had just transpired.
His eyes occasionally drifted toward Adam, then toward Umlo, before returning to Adam again. The illusion had been so flawless that even now, he could not understand when the switch had taken place.
Kesha, on the other hand, stared at Adam with newfound fascination.
The curiosity she had shown earlier had returned with even greater intensity. This time, however, it was mixed with genuine interest. As someone familiar with illusion magic, she understood just how difficult it was to deceive several powerful individuals simultaneously.
Yet Adam had somehow done exactly that.
As for Aramen, he acted as though nothing had happened.
The old Paladin sat silently in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he tried to reconstruct everything that had occurred.
At what point had he fallen under the illusion?
Was it before he attacked Adam?
Or had he been trapped from the very beginning?
The more Aramen thought about it, the more the answers eluded him. His mind began to churn as he considered various ways he could counter Adam’s illusions.
Aramen knew one thing for certain. If there had been a direct threat to his life, he would have sensed it immediately. His instincts, honed through countless battles, would not have allowed an enemy to simply walk up to him and strike without warning.
That gave him at least some reassurance.
Adam’s illusions might be capable of deceiving his senses, but they could not erase his instincts entirely. If the young Magus attempted to kill him directly, Aramen was confident that he would notice the danger.
But that does little to solve the real problem, he thought to himself.
Battling an Illusionist was troublesome under normal circumstances. Battling one as skilled as Adam was an entirely different matter.
His mind churned through one possibility after another.
Relying solely on his eyes was useless. Adam had already proven that much. Perhaps he could close his eyes and rely on his other senses instead.
But what if those senses could be deceived as well?
Sound, touch, and even his perception of mana. Aramen’s eyes grew increasingly solemn.
The most dangerous thing about Adam’s illusions was not simply that they could create something that did not exist.
It was that Aramen still did not know their limits.
When did I fall under the illusion?
He kept returning to that thought.
Did he cast it when he entered the chamber?
Or when I made my move?
Or did he somehow place all of us under the illusion even before that?
The more Aramen considered the possibilities, the more problematic Adam became in his eyes. Against an enemy whose strength was known, he could prepare.
But against an Illusionist whose abilities remained a mystery? That was a different matter entirely.
Seeing that the silence had stretched for long, uncomfortable minutes, Kesha decided to break the ice. She looked toward the bloodied figure sprawled on the chair beside Adam and let out a faint chuckle.
"How long are you planning to continue the act, dear Paladin?"
Luca did not respond.
The other councilors, except Aramen, turned toward him with complicated expressions. Finally, Adam nudged him with his elbow and said with mild amusement:
"Wake up, little brother."
Luca’s eyelids twitched. He opened his eyes slowly. He had regained consciousness a few minutes ago. The altercation between Adam and the two councilors had driven away all the tiredness coursing through his mind and body.
Ignoring everyone else, he looked at Adam, or rather, Adam’s new face. For a moment, he truly thought one of his family members had suddenly arrived.
The Lone Wolf silently observed Adam’s facial structure and his grey eyes that looked so similar to his own. He couldn’t help but wonder how his companion had shapeshifted so flawlessly, and that too without releasing the faintest fluctuation of mana.
He shook his head, feeling utterly incredulous. He decided to keep quiet and observe everything as a bystander, lest he inadvertently interfere with whatever plans his "big brother" was hatching.
Seeing that Luca had no intention of talking, Kesha turned her attention to Adam and asked the question that had been on everyone’s mind.
"Magus Bucca, pray tell, how did you learn about our secret arrangement with the vampires?"
Adam turned to her and replied after a few moments of deliberation, "A few months ago, I saw some monsters abducting a woman from this city. I followed them to the base of the mountains. There, I saw my brother and another human intercept them. I observed everything from the sidelines."
He sighed helplessly, then added:
"They managed to save the woman. But unfortunately, a few days later, they were besieged by a group of vampires. The vampires succeeded in abducting the woman again. Unfortunately, they slew my brother’s companion."
Adam clasped Luca’s shoulder and said with lingering sadness, "Thankfully, I was there in time. Otherwise, I would have lost him as well."
The corner of Luca’s lips twitched imperceptibly, but he said nothing.
Umlo, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get the grievances off his chest. "You fuckin’ coward! You hid while the vampires attacked?!"
Adam spread his hands and shrugged. "I am but an Illusionist. I’m so weak. How could I go up against a Mana Seed-level and three Mana Core-level vampires? I’m satisfied with just saving my brother."
"Coward!" Umlo growled.
Adam’s grey eyes flashed with disdain. "You stunted little gremlin. Perhaps I should have let the old man kill you, after all."
Umlo’s face was flushed with rage. "How dare you!"
"Silence, midget," Adam said with contempt.
"You—"
Aramen coldly cut him off. "Umlo."
The dwarf was red with fury. But in the end, he did not dare disobey their leader.
Aramen turned to Adam and spoke evenly:
"Bucca, a mana oath is in order."
