…
----------------------------------------
A Long Evening (1)
----------------------------------------
…
“…”
Hadrian stared at the holo-phone.
Deliberating whether to accept the call or not.
His thumb hovered over the red icon.
Just as he was about to press on it, the device vibrated again.
There was a message…
…
Accept the call, enkel
I’ll count to 15 seconds
Cause if you don’t, I’ll go over there
>:)
…
… and his face set into a deadpan expression.
“Tsk…”
Clicking his tongue out of irritation, Hadrian shook his head.
Reaching for a small white case, he opened the lid and took out a pair of earbuds.
Breathing in and out softly, he wore the earbuds and focused, mentally bracing himself for the annoying conversation that was about to come.
His index finger descends –
Brrr
Brrr
Hadrian paused.
A deadpan expression on his face.
“What now…?”
Sighing, the mage leaned in, and read the new messages.
…
on second thought
let’s talk in person instead
I think we earned ourselves a night walk, yeah?
48.8584° N
2.2945° E
…
“…?”
Hadrian frowned.
‘Wait, these coordinates…’
The mage blinked as it dawned on him.
“… Paris?”
Lips thinned.
Creak
Hadrian stood up from the chair, grabbing the holo-phone as he did so.
He strode over to the couch, where a black peacoat was lying on the furniture’s arm.
As he slipped on the coat, a small furry body rubbed against his leg.
“Mroow…”
Looking down, Hadrian smiled.
It was Maya.
Her crystal blue eyes looked up adoringly at him, while her triangular ears twitched.
The mage chuckled.
Then, he knelt down to her level, and pet her on the head.
“Hold down the fort for me, okay?”
He paused, recalling a certain redhead asleep in her room.
Hadrian smiled gently.
“And watch over our irate little guest too.”
“Mroow ~”
After a few more pets, Hadrian stood up, and placed his right hand in his coat pocket.
Moving to the center of the study, he stopped, and closed his eyes.
Vrom
Magic circuits activated, echoing throughout the room.
Left hand rose up.
Three fingers were poised into position.
And then –
Snap
– clicked together.
Fwosh
A thin wave of energy spread throughout the room, disappearing into the walls.
Hadrian extended his senses, nodding in satisfaction a moment later.
The bounded field was set up.
That way, no one will be able to tell that he left the penthouse.
No one capable of magic, that is.
Rolling his shoulders, he focused inward.
‘Moon Cell, guide me to the coordinates.’
Not a moment later…
…
[… Affirmative …]
…
[… Coordinates marked …]
[… Awaiting initiation …]
…
Exhaling, Hadrian centered himself again.
He delved deeper.
Tapping into his royal heritage.
Not mustering all of it.
Just a whit of its power.
Then –
…
Thump
He felt it.
That feeling.
The power pacifies his mind and soul, yet effortlessly sends the blood in his veins rushing, his body as if on an adrenaline high
Languidly, he craned his neck upwards.
And opened his eyes.
Above him, a small chandelier was attached to the ceiling.
In one of the many little crystals, his enhanced sight zoned in on an image.
…
Ashen silver hair glinted under the light of the fancy fixture, almost luminous.
While a pair of glowing crimson eyes stared back from a cold, impassive face.
…
Hadrian huffed in derision.
The reflection did the same, almost mocking him.
It had been a while since he had seen this appearance.
Mixed emotions stirred inside him, simmering just beneath the surface.
Nostalgia.
Sadness.
Resignation.
Memories of the life he once lived, prompted by the image reflecting back at him in those tiny, polished crystals.
Unfortunately, it was only temporary. For now.
Burying the longing inside, Hadrian redirected his focus.
‘Now for the main trick…’
…
No sounds were heard.
But through the reflection, he saw motes of blue, silver, and gold lights.
They surrounded his body, bathing him in it.
Then, he felt the pull.
Foooo –
Hadrian closed his eyes, letting the familiar sensation take over.
The last thing he saw was a glowing blue light filling his vision.
Zwip
…
----------------------------------------
…
Zwip
Step
In the midst of a small whirlwind of blue and silver lights, a body quickly materialized.
“Ooof?!”
Hadrian nearly stumbled, only managing to right himself in the nick of time.
The mage breathed out, steadying himself.
Particles of blue, silver and gold that surrounded him before, vanished as soon as his body was successfully teleported over.
Thinking that he might have gotten rusty (with teleportation, of all things), Hadrian scanned the familiar yet unfamiliar area.
The mage found himself standing on the first level of the Eiffel tower. (1)
Quite literally.
He had visited the tower before.
Many times, in fact. At times, on his own. But most of the time, with the others.
Even though he was now in a different reality, the coordinates of the tower remained the same.
Thus, teleporting to here was surprisingly easy.
The Parisian skies were dark, and the air was still cold.
With only a one-hour time difference between Moscow and Paris, he paid no mind to the time.
Extending his senses, Hadrian followed the only sign of life nearby.
Making his way to the source, Hadrian arrived at the edge of the open platform.
He smiled upon seeing a familiar figure standing alone, their back turned toward him.
“Opa.”
“…?”
The figure shifted in surprise.
Then, turned around.
Step
Their gazes met.
A smile appeared on Zelretch’s face.
“Ooh, enkel! Good evening!”
Even though he was annoyed earlier, Hadrian cannot deny that he missed him.
The man may be annoying, but he was family.
Inclining his head politely, he smiled at the elder mage, stopping once he was within appropriate distance with the latter.
“Evening, opa. How are you?”
Zelretch grinned.
“Fine, fine. Busy as usual, but eh. That’s my life now.”
Zelretch shrugged, looking disinterested.
Hadrian huffed, quietly amused by the funny face the old man wore.
“Hm, must be a bore to sit through those meetings.” The former king humored.
Zelretch nodded solemnly.
“Indeed, it was. Torturous, actually. Hearing those minions whine at me is driving me nuts. I’m telling you, break times with your oma and Elsa are the only thing that keeps me sane at home nowadays.”
Hadrian only shook his head at the elder mage’s flair for drama.
Facing forward, Hadrian quietly admired the scenery before breaking the silence again.
“How are the others, by the way?”
Zelretch waved a hand, smiling as he too joined in viewing the scenery.
“They’re fine. Your oma is occupied with the family business, which is… not much of a change there. Your sister, Elsa, is also focusing more on her lessons, probably to distract herself from your absence.”
Hadrian glanced at him, looking a bit concerned at the mention of his sister.
“She’s not pushing herself, is she?”
Zelretch looked unworried though.
“A bit, but your oma and I are keeping an eye on her, so you don’t need to worry. What’s more, she needs to get used to your absence. Otherwise, that girl would have a bit of difficulty being independent once she’s older. Better to teach her now, rather than later.”
The old man’s reasoning was sound.
Therefore, Hadrian only remained silent.
His grandparents knew more about parenting than he ever could.
For that reason alone, Hadrian would leave the matter (of his sister’s wellbeing) in their capable hands.
Exhaling, Hadrian sat down, letting his feet dangle freely as he leaned back and looked up.
On the side, Zelretch watched his grandson’s actions with mild amusement.
“… Enke, that floor is dirty, you know?”
Languidly, Hadrian looked up with an impassive stare.
“Mir egal, opa. Es ist nur dreck.” (2)
Zelretch blinked.
He glances up at the evening sky, and chortles.
“Ah, scheiß drauf…“ (3)
The elder mage followed his lead.
Although, he was more conscious of the space between him and the edge of the platform.
The pair were silent for several moments.
Just quietly admiring the beautiful landmarks in the far distance, the bright lights, the mundanes walking about below, and whatever else Paris had to offer for them that evening.
Shuuuk
… along with the set of food (mostly tea and a basket of pastries) that the old man had set down between them on a picnic blanket from who knows when.
It was better to ignore those minor things.
Lest one wishes to have a migraine from overthinking.
Eventually, the tranquility was broken.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“How are my retainers, opa? Any of them misbehaving?” Hadrian asked, unable to prevent the curling of his lips at the mention of his loyal comrades.
Zelretch chuckled, pulling the teacup away from his lips.
“They are well. Lively as ever, those lot. Which reminds me…”
Sensing mischief in his tone, Hadrian turned to him warily.
The old man was looking at him with his trademarked grin.
“Your oma wants to have a word with you about damaging the estate.”
Looking away, Hadrian grimaced.
“It wasn’t even me who did that…” The mage grumbled.
Zelretch cackled.
“Yes, well, they’re your retainers, so you have control over those two idiots. You’re lucky you’re away from home right now. Otherwise, you’ll get an earful about it from your oma.”
Even slightly, Hadrian was a bit consoled by that.
It was brief though, as the elder mage laughed a moment later.
“Then again, you’re still gonna get scolded by her once you get home. It’s just being delayed right now. Bwahahaha!”
Zelretch’s laughter echoed in the vicinity.
And it only increased in volume at the sight of his grandson’s sulking form.
The rumbunctious fits stopped abruptly.
Curious, Hadrian glanced over to check what happened.
… only to see the elder mage staring at him with raised brows.
With furrowed brows, Hadrian asked.
“… what?”
Zelretch hummed, thoughtful.
“I just noticed something… Did you take off your disguise, enkel?”
Hadrian blinked.
“Huh?”
The elder mage gestured to him.
“Your eyes are back to purple, but your hair isn’t in its natural black color. It’s gray silver right now.”
He leaned a bit closer, crimson eyes squinting as he stared at his hair.
“There are even hints of bluish highlights in there.”
Surprised, Hadrian unconsciously lifted a hand to his hair.
He realized what had happened then.
“My glamour… it must’ve come off when I teleported here. It’ll probably return on its own later.” He mused aloud, frowning in thought.
Zelretch blinked.
“Teleport…? Ah, did you use that posh heritage of yours?”
Hadrian nodded, grabbing one lock of his hair in between his fingers to inspect them.
“It was faster that way.”
“Eh, you alright using that teleportation of yours? Your body might be grown now, but that does not mean you can stress it to its limits, you know.” Zelretch cautioned gently.
Calmly, Hadrian faced the elder mage.
“I’m fine. I’m not pushing it too much. And teleportation is not really an issue for me. The main problem comes with me teleporting with passengers tagging along.” He clarified dryly.
Zelretch nodded slowly in understanding.
“Ah, so long as you’re being careful then.”
Then, he glanced up and muttered to himself.
“Hm, no wonder I didn’t sense you…”
Ignoring that, Hadrian huffed and spoke again.
“So, why’d you call me over here?”
It was the wrong move, but he had to do it anyway.
Fwip
In a split second, Zelretch faced him with a cheshire-like grin.
Crimson eyes with slits were wide, glinting with ample curiosity and mischief.
Hadrian almost flinched away at the disturbing sight.
Idly, he wondered how the old man didn’t get a whiplashed from that.
“Enkeeeel~”
Hadrian shivered slightly.
“Stop that, it’s creepy!”
“Muhehehe~”
His plea was blissfully ignored, as the old man continued his foolish antics.
Hadrian frowned, slightly miffed.
“Just out with it already. I was in the middle of sending a report earlier, you know.” The mage said brusquely, face set into an exasperated expression.
Zelretch chuckled.
“Of course, I know. It’s why I was gracious enough to wait for you to upload it to your handler.”
Hadrian clicked his tongue in displeasure.
In hindsight, he should have known that line was going to be the old magician’s counter.
His grandfather was the original owner of the Kaleidoscope.
Nothing ever escapes his realm of influence in many realities, particularly the ones where he was incarnated and where his descendants were involved. (4)
In the end, Hadrian sighed.
Which was (of course) pointedly ignored by his grandfather, who simply continued as if he did not notice his mild exasperation.
“But back to far more important things, I believe that this is that moment we talked about before, yeah?”
Zelretch grinned, showing off his sharp fangs as a result.
Hadrian groaned, knowing what was coming.
“Ugh, no, don’t say i–“
“I told you so, enkel.” Zelretch interrupted in a triumphant tone.
His grin stretched a little more.
Hadrian glared at the old man.
In response –
“Ahahaha!” Zelretch guffawed.
He looked highly amused, rather than discomforted as the target of his annoyance.
Most people would be uncomfortable being on the receiving end of Hadrian’s glares.
Unfortunately, the old magician was not like most people, let alone normal.
“Now, don’t look so sour, enkel.” Zelretch placated, his shit-eating grin was still in place though. “It is not that bad, at least you got a reliable assistant out of this situation. Bit hot-tempered, but cute, and someone you can definitely rely on in future operations at least.”
Vivid cyan eyes squinted.
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
Hadrian sighed, closing his eyes briefly as he massaged his forehead.
“I was not expecting her to be around after today’s mission. But now that it has come to this, I have to watch myself around her and refrain from displaying my other… abilities.” He finished with a slight frown, cringing at his own term.
Zelretch chuckled.
His voice was deep, but rich with genuine mirth.
“No worries, enkel. This kind of situation is why we had magical contracts made, remember? And look on the bright side, at least you have some company, other than your familiar and that Luka kid.”
“I suppose…” Hadrian conceded, exhaling deeply.
He was not exactly concerned with being alone.
Then, the former king paused.
Seeing Zelretch, annoying as he can be at times, Hadrian was reminded of recent events.
Thinking back on it now, he had never really informed the old magician of what happened to him lately.
Not that he didn’t want to.
There was simply not a chance to tell him, and that one time they did speak, the idea slipped from his mind.
Deciding that now was a better time, Hadrian exhaled deeply.
Seeing this, Zelretch lifted a brow.
“What’s with heavy sigh, enkel?”
Feeling mischievous, Hadrian acts nonchalantly.
“Nothing so serious…”
He paused, smiling faintly as the old man lift a teacup to his mouth.
The younger magician waited.
When the latter was sipping on the tea, Hadrian went on the offense.
“I had a headache some time ago, and nearly had an unexpected guest intrude on my party.”
The reaction was immediate.
“Pfffft?!”
Zelretch spat a mouthful of tea he was drinking to the side, coughing soon after.
“Puhok! Blargh?!”
He quickly placed the teacup down, but –
“Ack?! Hot!”
– due to his urgency, some spilled on his lap, much to his dismay.
Meanwhile, Hadrian looked on, watching in amusement at his grandfather’s clumsiness.
After a minute of cleaning up his mess, Zelretch hastily grabbed another napkin to wipe his mouth, staring at the younger magician incredulously.
“Verdammt, enkel! Why do you have to do that while I'm drinking tea?!”
Hadrian merely flashed his dear grandfather an innocent smile.
Crimson eyes with slit pupils squinted, staring suspiciously.
Then, Zelretch let out a sigh, adopting a more solemn demeanor.
“Okay, let me… repeat what you said, just to be sure that we’re on the same page here. First, you said you had a headache some time ago?”
Silently, Hadrian nodded.
“How many times did you have it now?”
“Just once.”
Zelretch went silent for a near minute, appearing in deep thought.
Hadrian waited patiently, knowing that he needed to gather his thoughts.
The old mage’s finger tapped on the wooden basket of food beside him.
Tap
Tap
Eventually, Zelretch exhaled, and faced him again.
“This is a… rather unexpected development. Then again, I suppose it is not so.”
At that, Hadrian lifts a curious brow.
“How so?”
Piering crimson eyes met vivid purple ones.
“Your body is still that of a seven years old, enkel. The potion – even if it was made by yours truly – changes that. This is merely speculation for now, but I assume that your body’s sudden growth has kick-started your Mystic Eyes, re-awakening its side-effects along with it. You were what, fourteen – fifteen years old when it awakened the first time in the past. Now...”
Quietly, amethyst eyes narrowed as Hadrian perceived where he was getting at.
“Now that I have the body of a seventeen years old, my mystic eyes are returning.”
Snap
Zelretch clicked his fingers with a slight nod.
“Genau.”
Fwump
The confirmation caused Hadrian to lie on his back with a heavy sigh.
“…verdammt.”
Zelretch grinned.
“Language, enkel.”
Amused by the irate glance, Zelretch’s grin faded as it was replaced by a calm façade.
“Which brings me to my next question, do you see red lines and points in your field of vision?”
Without responding, Hadrian calmly turned away from the old mage, and lowered his glasses to the bridge of his nose.
Silently, he looked around the area.
After almost a minute, the mage pushed his glasses back up and faced the old mage.
“No, not yet at least.”
As if expecting it, Zelretch nodded.
“Then, we have time to suppress its side-effects.”
The old man sighed heavily.
“I suppose it was a good thing we did a thorough examination of your body after the potion and before your departure. I'll make the suppressants after this and send it over to you.”
Hadrian smiled faintly, appearing wistful.
“Thank you, but we both know that the suppressants and this glasses won't keep these issues for long.”
Crimson eyes squinted, as Zelretch stared blankly.
“Enkel, you are well aware what can keep those issues away.”
Unwilling to respond, Hadrian looked away.
The blank stare persisted, even as Zelretch snorted.
“Echt, enkel? After all the things you went through, you're still like this?”
Hadrian glared in response, but…
… it was ruined by the heat tinting his cheeks red.
Zelretch cackled in amusement.
“Ahaha! You really are, huh? How cute. The Prince of Magic is still shy when it comes to fuc–“
Hadrian gritted his teeth, ignoring the blooming heat rising up to his face.
“Propriety please, opa. You're no longer just a magician.”
The calm reprimand was blissfully ignored.
Zelretch guffawed, pointing at his face as his crimson eyes glinted with delight.
“Ahahaha! You truly are amusing!”
‘Ugh…’
Sighing, Hadrian endured the old mage’s amusement in silence (and with patience), well aware that the latter wouldn’t stop until he had had enough.
After almost a minute, Zelretch finally settled down.
“Uhhh-ahahaha! That was fun, hadn't laughed like that in a while.”
Hadrian frowned, slightly miffed.
“If you're quite done being childish, can we return to the topic? I have to return to the penthouse, you know.”
Zelretch grinned, waving a hand.
“Klar, klar. But not so fast, enkel. We both know I'm right. Sooner or later, you will need to resort to that method again. The sooner you do it, the better, in my opinion.”
Vivid amethyst eyes squinted.
“I got it, already. There's no need to beat me on the head with it.” Hadrian grounded out.
Breathing in, Zelretch straightened up in his seat, then spoke in a more serious tone.
“Jests aside, I think you really ought to act on it though.”
Hadrian’s brows furrowed.
He was confused as to why he was pushing the matter so bluntly.
But taking in the old mage’s solemn demeanor, Hadrian decided that it was better to ask than to make baseless assumptions.
“… Is there something the matter, opa?”
Zelretch paused, appearing conflicted.
Then, he exhaled deeply, shaking his head.
“Eh, I forgot to tell you this… and it wasn’t like we had a chance to talk to one another in private, but I suppose this is a good time to do so.”
Heart racing slightly, Hadrian was a bit concerned now.
“What is it, opa?”
Calmly, Zelretch met his gaze.
“Do you recall the examination session?”
Confused, Hadrian nodded slowly with a thoughtful frown.
“Of course…”
Zelretch nodded in approval.
“Good. Now, do you recall the blood vial you consumed in our previous lifetime?”
This time, Hadrian paused.
He was silent for a few moments, thinking, sifting through the memories.
Then, like a thunderous clap of thunder, the realization hits him as violet eyes widened.
“Ah…”
Zelretch nodded in confirmation.
“Yes, it is as you suspected. Your mystic eyes aren’t the only thing that transmigrated over with you in this life. Hmph, I bet that automaton of yours knows it by now too.”
Amethyst eyes narrowed, as Hadrian focused inward.
Without wasting time, he gives out a command.
“Moon Cell, status on its blessing.”
Silently, the alien artifact displayed a blue screen in front of him.
…
---
[… Primo Natura …]
[… Rank: EX …]
A unique trait inherited from Type Mercury, via blood consumption.
Greatly amplifies one's overall prowess, during and outside of combat.
But, as much as it is a blessing, it comes with a drawback, as it renders one to be somewhat vulnerable to its influence.
Pros:
Unparalleled focus – (active)
Heightened senses – (dormant)
Superior regeneration – (dormant)
Superior adaptability – (partially active)
Superior immune system – (dormant)
Perfect evolution – (dormant)
Cons:
Rage – (amplified, partially active)
Hunger – (amplified, partially active)
Sexual instinct – (dormant)
Self-preservation – (partially active)
[… Awakening: (13%) …]
---
…
Ting
… and another one appeared beside it.
Albeit smaller and less in content, but no less important.
…
---
[… Notice …]
In view of the foreign blood's purity, the trait 「Primo Natura」 came with its disadvantages.
However, due to the inheritor's original heritage, the 「Lucis Caelum」, a foreign magical bloodline powerful in its own right, the former trait's negative effects have either been subverted, or reformed (processed via evolution) to benefit the inheritor.
List of effects:
Mergence (subverted, removed)
Mental Erosion (reformed) – Insight (passive)
Frenzy (reformed) – ̴̦̹̫̹̥̀̀ɯ̵̛̲̞̝̱̜̖̭͔̄͂̈́̅͂͘̚n̶̹̒͝ᴉ̸͇̎ɹ̴̧̮̂̍͜ǝ̷̧̺̯̞̹͇̀̅̍̽̆͋̑͌d̴̛̠̗̜̋̐̾̋̎͝͝ɯ̴̭͇̙̠̥͆͐͂I̷̜̘̹̽͋ ̴̥̰̚ͅs̵̡̛̙̟̬̞̦̜̜̭̆̀͒͛̆̉̉̅ᴉ̸̝͑̐͋͂̑̿̿n̶͔̙̫̱͂͗́̀̃͋͠ᵷ̸̼͛̃̂͋͋͛u̷̢̫̗͙͑̀̋̎̄̂̈̚͝ɐ̶̨̘̄͋̉̓̍͆̒̕S (dormant)
Physical Deformation (reformed) – Natural Body (passive)
---
…
Hadrian was speechless.
Then…
Slap
The mage palmed his face.
“… so that’s why.” He bit out through gritted teeth.
No wonder he felt a bit out of sorts the day on his first assignment.
Then inside…
‘MC, why wasn’t I informed of this?’
Ting
…
---
[… Notice …]
The trait 「Primo Natura」 was dormant at the time of when a thorough examination had been performed upon the inheritor’s command.
Thus, it has escaped the scan’s detection.
---
…
At that response, the mage groaned in exasperation.
Zelretch chuckled, unable to help himself, despite the situation.
“So, what did we learn today?”
Hadrian exhaled, sitting upright as he gazed at the elder mage.
“That... gift that my benefactor gave me has also tagged along.”
Noticing him turn and stare at seemingly nothing, Zelretch spoke again.
“Caught something interesting, enkel?”
Hadrian huffed, but answered anyway.
“I received two notices.”
Curious, Zelretch smiled.
“Oh? Then, please, do share with the class.”
The younger mage snorted, then waved his hand to dismiss the windows.
“The gift is called... Primo Natura.” He revealed solemnly.
Crimson eyes glowed with intrigue, as Zelretch looked at him.
“Oho? Hmm, Primo means first or early in Latin. And Natura has a lot of connotations on its own, but they all fit the same.
The smile grew, and his fangs showed as a result.
“Haha, interesting choice.”
Hadrian scoffed, shaking his head ruefully.
“And it took this long to awaken.”
Sighing, Zelretch nodded in acquiescence.
“Ja, too bad it didn't bloom as much to awaken fully back in our world.”
Hadrian looked exasperated as he continued.
“The other notice said that it has several disadvantages.”
Zelretch hummed in thought.
“List them?”
“Mergence, Mental Erosion, Frenzy, and Physical Deformation.”
Crimson eyes narrowed, as Zelretch frowned.
“Huh... so even after all the adjustments I did on the blood, there are still side-effects.”
After a few moments of silence, Hadrian mused aloud.
“I think... the adjustments you made did helped. It just took this long for my heritage to reform its detriments, and for the Moon Cell sort everything out.”
Zelretch paused, thinking.
“Hmm, I suppose. The Moon Cell's first and utmost priority is your well-being, after all. So, it had probably kept the Spider's alien DNA isolated and dormant, while your heritage worked on subverting and reforming it to your benefit.”
The elder mage faced him with an amused smile.
“That posh heritage sure is something, enkel.”
Hadrian shrugged with a faint smile.
“It has its upsides. Although, it sure took its sweet time working on it.”
Scratching his head, Zelretch sighed.
“Those detriments you listed. It's within what we already surmised before you drank the Spider's blood.”
Recalling their past discussion, Hadrian nodded calmly.
“It is.”
Rubbing his stubbled chin in thought, Zelretch asked.
“Most of the effects are pretty self-explanatory just by their names alone. But that thing, what's it called? Ah, Frenzy. What does it do?”
Also curious, Hadrian prompted the Moon Cell for the specifics.
Ting
…
---
「Frenzy」
「Status Ailment – Subverted」
An inherent detriment passed unto the inheritor by the Spider via blood consumption.
Akin to being rapidly poisoned, or bleeding to death, 「Frenzy」 is a lethal status ailment that could be exploited by the Spider and those of its kind (Ultimate One).
By will alone, the Spider can activate the status effect and cause unimaginable pain upon the inheritor, regardless of the distance.
However, due to the 「Lucis Caelum」 heritage's interference, the effect has been subverted and reformed anew to benefit the sovereign instead.
The 「Frenzy」 has evolved into 「ɯ̵̛̲̞̝̱̜̖̭͔̄͂̈́̅͂͘̚n̶̹̒͝ᴉ̸͇̎ɹ̴̧̮̂̍͜ǝ̷̧̺̯̞̹͇̀̅̍̽̆͋̑͌d̴̛̠̗̜̋̐̾̋̎͝͝ɯ̴̭͇̙̠̥͆͐͂I̷̜̘̹̽͋ ̴̥̰̚ͅs̵̡̛̙̟̬̞̦̜̜̭̆̀͒͛̆̉̉̅ᴉ̸̝͑̐͋͂̑̿̿n̶͔̙̫̱͂͗́̀̃͋͠ᵷ̸̼͛̃̂͋͋͛u̷̢̫̗͙͑̀̋̎̄̂̈̚͝ɐ̶̨̘̄͋̉̓̍͆̒̕S」
---
…
While curious at the glitched text, Hadrian read the contents aloud.
After listening intently, Zelretch shakes his head with a scoff.
“And here I thought that purpurroter bastard was bad...”
Rather than feel uncomfortable, Hadrian chuckled.
“It's a good attempt though.”
Bewildered, Zelretch slowly turned and looked at him.
“Enkel, did you just compliment the Spider's attempt to threaten your life?”
Feeling humorous, Hadrian flashed the elder mage a bright smile.
“Never thought of it before, but I would've done the same thing if it came to my mind.”
Zelretch scoffed in amusement.
“Course you would. And the reformed version. What is it called?”
With a smile, Hadrian shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Dark blonde brows furrowed in confusion, as Zelretch stared at his grandson.
“Huh? What do you mean you don’t know?”
Hadrian scratched his cheek, feeling somewhat sheepish.
“I don’t know, because the text is glitched out. On the side though, it says that the effect is at a dormant state, so I guess I’ll have to wait for it to wake up.” He shrugged helplessly.
Reluctantly, Zelretch nodded in understanding.
“Ah, then leave it be, for now. I'm sure the Moon Cell would tell you once it's up.”
Recalling a certain effect, Hadrian mused aloud.
“That effect though, Mergence. Seems like the Spider wants to live vicariously through me.”
Zelretch chuckled.
“Aaahh, guess the big guy must be bored out of his mind procrastinating in that crystal castle of his. Probably curious about what a human life is.”
Hadrian smiled faintly in amusement.
“Well, he is an alien…”
Zelretch cackled.
“Too bad for him though, the Moon Cell saw through his play, just as we expected it to do.”
Sobering at the thought of the trait’s effects, Hadrian huffed.
“Can't let my guard down though. That trait... has several cons enough for me to worry about.”
Zelretch shook his head, chuckling in irony.
“Hoo boy, don’t I know that feeling quite well.”
The two magicians with different alien heritages sighed in unison.
It was silent between them for a few moments, as they were in deep musing –
BAM
A loud racket made the two magicians’ blink.
“Hm?”
“…?”
At once, Hadrian and Zelretch leaned over the edge and gazed down, following the noise they had heard.
With their enhanced sight, their visions zoomed in on the situation just below the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower.
Zelretch grinned.
“Oho? What’s this?”
Hadrian frowned, squinting his eyes to observe carefully.
“Hm, looks like a fight br–“
The mage stopped.
It was the man in white suit from before.
The same one he sensed divine energy imbued in his clothes.
Hadrian frowned at the sight of him.
‘Does that guy not have any other clothes?’ He thought, noticing that it was the same outfit he had seen him in before.
White isn’t exactly friendly to dirt and stains, after all.
His silence caused Zelretch to glance over to him.
The elder mage lifts a brow, as he saw his grandson’s expression.
“What’s wrong, enkel?”
The question snapped Hadrian out of his reverie.
“Eh, nothing. Just that –”
BAM
THUNK
THUNK
“Gah!”
“Ce salaud!”
“Merde!”
“That man down there. I’ve seen him before.” Hadrian said casually, as if the scuffle below him was nonexistent in his eyes.
Zelretch blinked.
“Do you know him personally?”
Hadrian shook his head.
“No, I just saw him once. I felt divine energy from him, particularly from the clothes he’s wearing right now. There’s magic imbued in it. I presume it’s magic local from here.”
Zelretch hummed thoughtfully.
“Hm, you’re right. I think his benefactor is from the Egyptian pantheon.”
Hadrian turned to him in slight surprise.
“You can tell?” He paused, as a thought came to mind. “Have you encountered one?”
Zelretch nodded with a grin.
“Why yes. During my tour around this world, actually.”
The elder mage looked proud at that.
Crossing his arms, Zelretch redirected his gaze to the man in white.
“I’ve been hearing of a male mercenary with a white cape, but this guy is wearing a suit instead. The crescent moon on his mask tells me it’s him though.”
Listening intently, Hadrian asked.
“Do you know of him, opa?”
Zelretch didn’t turn to him, but he responded.
“He’s a… well, sort of a mercenary? Vigilante?”
Zelretch shrugged at the puzzled look he was given.
“His career is confusing me as well, honestly. But I heard he mostly attends to the matters of his benefactor’s affairs.”
Hadrian looked down at the subject of their conversation.
“Who’s his contractor?”
Zelretch made a thoughtful noise.
“I heard it was Chons, or better known as Khonshu. He’s a God of the Moon from the Egyptian pantheon. Prides himself as a protector of travelers in the night. Pompous arse bloke, if you ask me, but that’s how most gods are. So, no surprise there, really.”
He gestured down to the man in white with his right hand.
“I suppose that man down there is his current champion, which makes sense, given that fellow’s mask has a crescent moon symbol on the forehead.”
Hadrian frowned, staring pensively at their subject interest.
“He’s a long way from home. I wonder what he’s doing here…”
Zelretch shrugged, looking bored.
“Eh, probably some cult business.”
Noticing the amused look, Zelretch waved his hand casually.
“Heard it was the trend by third-rate miscreants these days. And if that fella’s here, then his god must be nearby. Best we leave now before we get entangled in their mess. I made a temporary bounded field before you arrived, but I’d rather not take any chances, especially with us here.”
Hadrian can only agree with that sentiment.
With a wave of Zelretch’s hand, the blanket, food, and other foodstuff had vanished in a flash of kaleidoscopic lights.
The two magicians stood up, patting their clothes to clear the dust and dirt.
Hadrian looked at Zelretch, who has a focused look on his face.
“Where to, opa?”
Instead of answering, the elder mage turned to the right, away from the edge of the platform.
Staring intensely at one spot, he waved his right hand.
Pishh
And the space where he gestured distorted.
The distortion twisted into a spiral, growing until it stopped into a perfect sphere.
Its size was large enough for three people to enter.
It was a multi-colored portal.
To be more specific, a gateway created via Kaleidoscope.
With narrowed eyes, Hadrian observed the portal with mild interest.
“This portal’s different.”
Zelretch grinned, rubbing his nose with a finger.
“Oh, you can tell? Hehe, a friend of mine gave me a bit of idea to try out something new with the Kaleidoscope.”
Hadrian nodded in approval.
“It’s a clear improvement. This method takes less prana than the ones I’ve seen you make in the past. I might even try this myself.”
Zelretch chuckled.
“By all means, enkel. My friend will be happy to hear about this when we meet again later. Now, shall we take a stroll?”
With a slight nod, Hadrian entered the portal.
Zelretch followed soon after.
Pishh
The portal closed, leaving no evidence of their presence.
Not even the champion of a moon god still fighting below the tower.