Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1914 Interrogation

Genevieve and Michael stood beyond the security checkpoint, watching the sudden turn of events in shock.

By now, Adam had been surrounded by over a dozen guards. More and more adventurers were stepping out of the City Hall, drawn by the sudden commotion.

Adam cursed his rotten luck as he slowly undid the handwrap.

On his right hand, carved into the flesh was a crimson eye. It was enclosed within a jagged, eight-pointed star. Most in the vicinity did not identify the Brand. But the ones that did couldn't help but gasp in fear.

Ivan and Daerona found their eyes widen in astonishment.

"The Brand of Evil!" the Paladin blurted out.

Adam quickly covered the crimson mark with the handraps. He didn't know if the undead in the vicinity were going to be drawn by it or not. He wasn't taking any chances.

"It's not as bad as it seems," he said with a sheepish smile. "You see these handwraps are—"

"Back off!" the burly Paladin growled as he pointed his spear to Adam's neck.

Several more Paladins came forward, weapons ready.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Daerona was incensed. "You were going to enter the City Hall with the mark of the devil?!"

Adam sighed. His following words would break whatever trust he had managed to build with the elf.

"No," he said. "These handwraps… they're artifacts, actually."

The elf's eyes narrowed.

"They conceal the Brand from all who might be attracted to it."

"Let's get this over with and kill this fucker!" The burly Paladin growled. "He's a danger to us even if he stays outside the City Hall!"

"Ivan, wait." Daerona stopped him.

"That's the Brand we're talking about, Daenora!" The burly Paladin roared. "We cannot take any chances!"

The elf turned to him and said solemnly, "We spent a day together in the safehouse on 3rd Street. Aside from a handful of ghouls, nothing else was drawn to us."

She then looked at Adam and added grimly, "If those artifacts hadn't worked… the safehouse would have been overrun by monsters drawn to the Brand."

"You're taking his side?" Ivan's eyes narrowed. "This is a big risk."

"Yes, but the monsters are more likely to be drawn toward him if his handwraps do stop working," Daerona said flatly. "So as long as he doesn't stay inside the City Hall, we'll be fine."

What? No! Adam thought to himself. That's not how the Brand works. Not all monsters are drawn to it!

Ivan seemed like he wanted to argue, but the elf turned to him and said, "I'll speak with Lady Kesha."

The burly Paladin opened his mouth to speak, but instead gave a silent nod. He turned to Adam and growled, "Off with you, then. If I see you anywhere near City Hall again, don't expect any kindness."

Adam let out a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to fight these guards and burn every bridge. After all, this place was the main base for the adventurers trapped inside this secret plane. They surely possessed resources and information that he might need in the future.

He looked at the elf and said, "You realize why I had to lie, don't you?"

Daerona looked impassively. "You should leave, Constantine."

She hesitated briefly, thinking whether to offer him a talisman. Adam interrupted her thoughts.

"What about my friends?" He asked. "I can swear on the mana coursing through me that they did not know about the Brand."

Daerona was slightly taken aback. She didn't expect him to so casually take a Mana Oath. She then nodded. "They'll be taken care of."

"If they follow the rules," Ivan chimed in gruffly.

Adam was relieved. It was imperative that he swore a Mana Oath before everyone to prove Genevieve and Michael's innocence.

"Very well then," he said with a nod.

His gaze swept past the guards and settled on Genevieve. She looked back at him with a mixture of shock, fear, and concern. He offered her a confident smile before turning away.

Under the watchful eyes of the patrol, he slowly disappeared into the urban jungle.

***

The City Hall stood five stories tall, with each floor covering approximately three thousand square meters. It provided more than enough space for the roughly five hundred adventurers living there.

The first floor contained a vast entrance hall, indoor guard posts, a kitchen, a dining hall, and an infirmary. The second and third floors housed the dormitories and communal bathrooms.

Part of the fourth floor was reserved for additional living quarters. It also consisted of workshops and several smaller rooms used for various purposes.

The fifth floor was occupied by the leadership. It housed the armory, a meeting chamber, and the private quarters of the council members. And the terrace was occupied by a vast hydroponic farm.

Beneath the building lay a basement used for storing food. It also contained water cisterns and cellars. Hidden tunnels had been carved beneath the basement as well, leading to different parts of the city.

After an entire day of interrogation, Genevieve and Michael were finally allowed to settle down.

They exited from separate security rooms on the ground floor at the same time. They quickly found each other amid the crowded hall.

"Do you think Adam's going to be in trouble?" Genevieve couldn't help but ask worriedly.

Michael sighed. "I honestly don't know. I never would have thought he was marked by a devil. And to think that we've been traveling together for months…"

"Surely those handwraps worked!" Genevieve quickly came to Adam's defense. "He's not stupid enough to risk our lives like that. No, I'm more worried about how he's going to stay in the city. Can he even find a safe place to stay?"

She went on and on, clearly concerned about Adam's safety.

Michael glanced at her with a strange look on his face.

"There you are."

A familiar voice drew his attention.

"Daerona!" Michael quickly walked up to her. "I promise we didn't know anything about—"

The elf politely cut him off. "I know. Adam already swore a Mana Oath proving your innocence."

She noticed that Genevieve was about to unleash a barrage of questions, so Daenora raised a hand for patience.

"All in due time," said the elf. "Follow me. I'll show you to the dorms. I'll explain everything on the way."

Genevieve hesitated, then nodded.

She couldn't help but clasp her hands together, silently hoping Adam was safe and sound.

Except… he wasn't.

Somewhere in the city, Adam was running for his life, pursued by a horde of mutated monsters!

That's all for today...