Chapter 103 - 30: Finally, Found You Again

Chapter 103: Chapter 30: Finally, Found You Again

With this realization in mind, Lilia and Victor were naturally doubly careful.

However, something entirely beyond their expectations occurred. When Lilia finished chanting that Spell, Victor caught the familiar fluctuation of Magic Power.

Then, in the next second, the final page in Victor’s hand shattered. Under their watchful eyes, crystalline motes of light drifted downward and completely dissipated, like fireworks quickly fading after a bloom.

It wasn’t until the space before them was empty once again that Lilia finally reacted. "...Is this Spell a fake too?"

Victor frowned deeply, clearly not having expected such a situation either. There was no danger. No special effects. And certainly no so-called secrets. Everything felt like a meticulously designed scam, a malicious trick and prank played on humanity by a Demon.

Lilia also thought of this possibility. "Could that Demon have been lying to you?"

The reason Victor believed this manuscript harbored a secret was because a High-level Demon had told him so personally on its deathbed. When a person was about to die, they generally did not lie. But this universally accepted rule didn’t seem to apply to Demons.

Demons were inherently sinister and cunning. They didn’t do things for profit, but purely for their own amusement. Deceiving him simply because "watching humans scurry around for a non-existent secret is fun" wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

However, Victor couldn’t shake the feeling that if this was a scam, it was far too intricately designed. Moreover, thinking back carefully, when the final page shattered, the fluctuation of Magic Power he perceived seemed to have a subtle difference from the previous ones. It was just that those fluctuations dissipated so quickly that even he couldn’t jump to conclusions based on his first impression.

"...Perhaps." Victor glanced out the window. Dawn was fast approaching.

Whether this manuscript was an out-and-out scam, or it held secrets they had yet to discover, after half a year of continuous attempts, what they needed to do right now was rest. Victor also needed some time to slowly compare and figure out exactly how that fluctuation of Magic Power differed.

***

Parting ways with Lilia in the garden, Victor returned to the palace the King had prepared for him. This place was nowhere near as lavish and complex as the bedchambers of Veronica and the other princes and princesses. Nor were there any superfluous servants or attendants inside. Aside from Victor, there was only one manservant responsible for daily cleaning.

Upon returning from the attic, Victor locked himself in his bedroom. For a Mage of his caliber, even a momentary perception was enough to slowly replicate that initial fluctuation of Magic Power, bit by bit. He spent three entire days recalling and reproducing it. The dip pen in his hand constantly scratched across the paper, leaving behind line after line of rhythmic ink marks.

The more he recalled, the more startled Victor felt. The intricacy of those Spells far exceeded his expectations. Their effects were not obvious; even when cast by Lilia, who had extremely high Elemental Affinity, they could only trigger fluctuations of Magic Power so faint they were nearly imperceptible.

But this didn’t mean those Spells lacked research value. On the contrary, by reverse-engineering the fluctuations of Magic Power, he could actually see traces of many High-level Magics, and even Divine Arts. As a High-level Mage, Victor had already mastered most of these Magics, so he quickly drew the corresponding trajectories of the Magic Power flows on paper.

As he drew more and more trajectories, the pitch-black ink lines gradually overlapped, ultimately forming a complete Pentagram Array Map.

A pentagram. The symbol of Demons, the root of sin.

Upon seeing that familiar pattern, Victor’s movements abruptly halted. The entire Array was just one stroke away from achieving a perfect closed loop. At this moment, Victor sensed danger. He had once been invited by the Church to tour their secret archives, where he had seen similar patterns. According to those Holy Officials, this was an evil Array capable of connecting to the Demon Realm. Once closed, it would invite unimaginable disaster upon the world.

However, it might also conceal the secret he was searching for. Victor pondered for a long time before finally standing up and sealing off the entire room.

He originally wanted to leave right then and find a quiet, uninhabited place to test it out. But he was, after all, still the teacher to the descendants of the Royal Family. Leaving rashly would require the King’s permission. Furthermore, while conducting the experiment in the wilderness would certainly minimize casualties, conversely, if a disaster arose that even he couldn’t resolve, it would rapidly spread outward without anyone noticing.

Testing it in the Royal Court was different. He had already sent a message to the court magicians he knew, telling them to remain vigilant and react swiftly the moment they noticed any anomalies. High-level Mages were often researchers themselves; he trusted they would understand his intentions. Victor was confident in his own strength, believing that even if a High-level Demon was truly unleashed, the worst-case scenario would merely be mutual destruction.

But confidence aside, the necessary preparations could not be skipped.

Everything was ready. Victor picked up his dip pen once more and completed the final stroke of the Array. The moment the lines connected, the parchment on the desk suddenly erupted with blinding light!

Immediately after, Victor felt as if his mind had sustained a heavy blow. Fragmented thoughts pierced into his brain like steel needles, constantly churning within his consciousness!

Pain. Agonizing pain! Beyond the unimaginable agony, Victor also heard a voice that seemed simultaneously distant and near, yet exceptionally clear.

[Navia... Walpurgis Mountain Range...]

[Merge with the Demon... obtain unimaginably formidable power...]

[The fall of God...]

[The ultimate demise of all things.]

Amidst the chaotic ravings, a deep, hoarse voice stood out with crystal clarity. Like a prisoner trapped for years finally seeing the light of freedom, he chuckled softly and sighed, his tone steeped in a scalp-numbing blend of danger and delight.

"Finally...

"I’ve found you again, Lili."

***

[Victor’s Favorability has increased.]

The sudden system notification nearly made Lilia jump. Since she last parted ways with Victor in the attic, she hadn’t seen him for nearly a week. She found the notification completely baffling and wondered why his Favorability had suddenly increased. Had the system broken down?

As Lilia was wondering whether the system’s manufacturer had produced a defective knockoff, Veronica’s voice suddenly rang out, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you listening to me?"

Lilia snapped back to reality and looked at the girl, who was currently somewhat displeased by her spacing out.

"I’m listening." Lilia’s reply lacked any hint of guilt. "You were just saying Adrian is coming back soon?"

"..." Veronica hadn’t expected her to actually be listening, and the sliver of dissatisfaction in her heart quickly dissipated. She nodded. "Father’s health is deteriorating. This time, Adrian is returning to the Royal Court with meritorious achievements. Without a doubt, he’s aiming for the throne."