The Prince Of Magic

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Hadrian didn't touched the book.

Instead, he watched it slide into a stop in front of him, conveniently in a position where he can read the front cover of the book.

Thing was, there was no title on the front. Nothing but the black leather cover.

What prevented him from picking it up was the ominous energy that was permeating from the object, something that Arturia, Charles and Dia have definitely sensed as they all turned their heads and looked at the book closely with guarded expressions. Their bodies tense, as if preparing themselves to leapt in front of their liege in case something happens.

"When I saw the ritual circles on every murder sites, I became suspicious." Lord El-Melloi II began, observing Hadrian glanced down at the book. "Rituals are not my expertise, but Blair was, so I asked him to look into the ritual circles. He called me to visit him in his ancestral home because he found something, but when I got there, he was dead."

"Then, how did you get… this?" Hadrian inquired, hesitant to term the object as a book.

"From Blair's desk." Lord El-Melloi II answered, sighing. "His desk has a secret compartment. Since his murderer didn't had the sense to check the desk, I took the liberty of doing it."

"This tome…" Hadrian's brows furrowed as he trailed off.

"It's disgusting." Charles commented, glaring at the object.

"I can almost see the dark tendrils coming from that…" Dia added, a frown on his face.

Arturia didn't say anything, opting to scoot closer to Hadrian and nodding her head silently in agreement.

Hadrian didn't noticed her action, seeing as his gaze was on the black book.

He doesn't know why, but he felt something familiar about the book before. It was not just its appearance, but rather the ominous energy that it was exuding.

"No surprise there." Lord El-Melloi II agreed. "This book is practically as dark as some disgusting magecraft can get. The contents written within is wholly abhorrent, but that's not why I brought it out."

"So, why did you?" Charles asked, looking thoughtful.

"Hadrian, I heard from Lord Schweinorg that a few of your retainers encountered some trouble during your visit in Canada." Lord El-Melloi II said, catching Hadrian's attention. "Care to fill me in of what you and your entourage had found there?"

"It's going to be a long story, you sure you want to hear it?" Hadrian warned, staring at the bags under the professor's eyes.

"Keep it short then." Lord El-Melloi II grumbled.

"Alright…" Hadrian sighed.

The Schweinorg scion recalled the events in Canada to the simplest but accurate way that he could.

His former mentor looked rather worn out, so he skipped on the things that weren't exactly important and related to the murder cases.

When he got to the part where Arash, Dia and Yan Qin were involved, Hadrian saw Lord El-Melloi II leaned back against the couch with a weary sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if the story he was told just confirmed his suspicions or fears.

"Ah, that part right there." Lord El-Melloi II stopped him, brows furrowed.

"What about it?" Hadrian quirked a brow.

"Does the energy coming from this book seem familiar?" The older mage asked, straight to the point.

"Hmm… now that you mentioned it, it does." Hadrian muttered, thoughtful as he stared at the black tome.

He dug deep into his mind to search for anything, but it just wouldn't come. It was on the tip of his tongue, but recent events had somehow made him forgot about it.

Just as he was about to have a moment, a certain love of the knight spot shifted behind him in surprise.

"It is as vile as that energy in those papers that we have given to you, milord." Dia spoke up, eyes slightly wide in recollection.

"Oh! Yes, that's it." Hadrian said in slight surprise, nodding in agreement.

Then, he turned to his former mentor.

"There was a small stack of papers that Dia and two of my retainers had found in one of the murder sites in Canada." Hadrian explained to the stoic-looking Lord El-Melloi II. "There were dubious plans containing details on inhuman experimentations, but there was also a portion of dark energy coming from it. It's as potent as the one from this book though."

"Then…" Lord El-Melloi II sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "It is just as I suspected. Those papers you found and this book have a connection. Remember that time when I said that intent is important in all manners of magecraft? This is one example. The people who wrote on those papers and on this book were mostly likely so vile and wretched, their intentions had embedded in their hand-writing."

Hadrian certainly did remember that lesson.

Intention was important when it comes to practicing magecraft.

But still, he was surprised to see a proof that there was actually someone out there so vile in nature that even their handwriting was exuding an evil, wretched energy that can even render his former mentor to make such a face.

"After my visit in Russia, I immediately went to Lord Schweinorg once I made sure that Blair's body was in the morgue. In his office, we both discussed our findings regarding the murder cases, along with what you have found recently, Hadrian." Lord El-Melloi II sent a knowing glance in Hadrian's way as he said this.

"So then…?" Hadrian said, prompting the other mage to continue.

"When I showed Lord Schweinorg that book, his face turned really dark. Calm, but awfully eerily." Lord El-Melloi II huffed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Hadrian noticed the action, and he couldn't help but sensed that his former mentor looked nervous at the mention of his grandfather.

'Hmm… he only does that when he sees something that scares the shit out of him. Opa must've looked scary to him that time…' Hadrian mused.

Not that he could blame the man.

His grandfather can be quite intimidating when he was exuding rage.

Happy-go-lucky his grandfather may be most of the time, but when his ire was roused, the nearby surroundings would distort and something would just die.

Usually, his old man would tend to get angry at arrogant assholes blatantly disrespecting him, vile acts like torturing or needlessly killing innocent people or animals, or inhumane entities with personality problems like Crimson Moon. Hell, even the thought of his fight with the bloodsucker was probably enough to bring his grandfather to get into a bad mood.

Whoever it was, the person was mostly likely very bad if his grandfather's face turn dark and murderous.

"Does opa know who they are?" Hadrian asked.

Lord El-Melloi II sighed again. "I don't know, actually."

Four pair of eyes blinked, but before anyone could ask, the long-haired professor held up a hand and continued.

"It's better to ask Lord Schweinorg than I. He didn't tell me the name of the suspect since he had yet to gather proof at that time, but that was a few days ago. If you return home and ask him yourself, I think he would tell you who it was. Odd, really. I thought he would have informed you of this by now." Lord El-Melloi II looked at him dubiously.

"He told me to go here first and visit Lady Lorelei. Let her know that I'm fine." Hadrian reasoned.

"Hmm, then he would probably tell you about it later on, I'm sure." Lord El-Melloi II shrugged.

With their questions silenced, the master and the three retainers glanced at each other blankly before turning back to the professor, who stood up from the couch with a grunt before walking around the sofa Hadrian and Arturia was sitting on.

"Then… should we return now, milord?" Charles asked in a whisper.

"Hmm…" Hadrian hummed, idly staring at his former mentor's actions.

He was about to say no, but when he noticed Lord El-Melloi II halt in his tracks, and zoomed in on his friends' table.

The man's body stiffening at record pace as his dark gray eyes landed on the crumpled wrappings of certain snacks and food laid around.

"… What in the hell are my food stash doing there?" He asked in a low tone.

Snapping his irate gaze on the most probable suspect, Lord El-Melloi II marched towards where Flat, Caules and Svin were seated.

"Flaaaaaaaaat!" The older mage bellowed in anger as he slowly approached his target.

At the man's shout, Flat almost jumped out of his seat, startled by the loud sound.

Svin and Caules scooted away from Flat in a flash, as if they were never sitting with the latter in the first place.

Hadrian's familiars, Ryu and Fou, were making themselves scarce by running back to their master, who merely watched their cowardly actions with a bemused expression.

"You bloody imbecile! As if allowing those two girls make a mess in my office was enough, you do this!"

"Ack! I'm sorrrrrry!" Flat wailed, almost getting caught by a yellowish beam that was shot in his way, courtesy of the professor.

The foolish blonde ran away as he was chased after by the professor around the room, while everyone beside the two were content to watch the peanut gallery of the student and mentor.

Hadrian sighed, knowing that that was his cue to leave.

"Never mind. Let's go."

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