Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2080 After All This Time

Adam and Esmond sat in silence.

On the valley floor below, Esmond's men were busy taking care of the survivors. Valerian still lay beside the sleeping Genevieve, silently guarding her.

Luca appeared to be chatting with Leah, wondering where Aramen had disappeared to. They highly doubted that he had died.

All in all, the survivors seemed to have finally relaxed as they arrived back in the material world.

"You got wine?" Adam suddenly asked.

Esmond, who had been quietly fidgeting with his fingers, was startled by that request. He brushed his fingers on the ring, sending his consciousness inside the storage space.

A moment later, a wine bottle appeared in his hand. He silently passed it to Adam.

Adam glanced at the label and smiled. "From the Rabbit Hole…"

He uncorked the bottle and took a large swig. Then another. And another. Until finally, he was barely satiated after half the bottle had been consumed.

"Darren was the reason Kara and Koby died," he said casually.

Esmond's eyes widened. "What?"

Adam burped unceremoniously. He nodded and dropped another shocking piece of news.

"Michael killed him."

Esmond's eyes widened even further.

Adam then proceeded to nonchalantly drop an even more shocking matter.

"Michael was marked upon Darren's death. It's something similar to the Soulmark. I don't know if you people call it that in this world," he said.

"But anyway, I took care of the mark. Michael doesn't know it. And…"

Adam finally turned to Esmond, whose face had gone deathly pale. He continued:

"…Neither will Michael's family. There'll be many questions from the Durk family, I suppose. You can tell them their son died at the hands of a monster during the mission. I trust you'll take care of it, Master Greene?"

"I…" Esmond was at a loss for words.

The spell that marked the target's killer upon their death was highly difficult to deal with. It was related to the soul, after all. So it was thought to be nigh-impossible to remove the mark.

That's what shocked Esmond more than Darren dying at Michael's hands. The fact that Adam had removed the mark from Michael's soul was too astounding to believe.

The spell that marked the target's killer upon their death was highly difficult to deal with. It was related to the soul, after all. So it was thought to be nigh-impossible to remove the mark.

That's what shocked Esmond more than Darren dying at Michael's hands. The fact that Adam had removed the mark from Michael's soul was too astounding to believe.

"Michael has dreams of following in his father's footsteps and joining the City Watch," Adam continued, maintaining eye contact with Esmond.

"If he were to be tried for murder for the scion of a Davosian merchant family… things would get troublesome for dear Michael. So, let me ask you again."

Adam's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You will cover for Michael, won't you, Master Greene?"

Esmond swallowed nervously. He nodded. His back was drenched in cold sweat just from maintaining eye contact with Adam. He couldn't help but wonder…

When did Adam become so domineering? The youth wasn't like that a year ago when they first met. So what changed?

"I-I will." He nodded again.

"Good." Adam smiled. "Onto the next matter…"

There's more? Esmond thought incredulously, fearing what this youth was going to share now.

"You will compensate Koby and Kara's families." Adam smiled a smile that did not reach his eyes. "The dangers of this mission were far beyond what you or Professor Oakley had anticipated."

"I-I understand." Esmond nodded again.

A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. He had completely lost the initiative in this conversation with Adam.

"Great!" This time, Adam's smile was genuine.

Esmond could only nod in a daze. He wanted to discuss the true objective of the mission. But given how half the party members had perished, and how truly difficult survival was for them, he didn't have the heart to ask that question. But thankfully, he didn't have to.

"You're wondering whether we found her or not," Adam said, looking into the distance.

Esmond turned toward him, his eyes red and teary. "Did you? Please, tell me… Adam…"

"Before we talk about her," Adam began. "Tell me something. Do you love her?"

"Of course!" Esmond said without hesitation, tears trickling down his old and weathered visage.

"After all this time?" Adam asked softly.

"Always!" Esmond said, breaking down in tears. "I will love her till I draw my last breath. And perhaps… perhaps even after that."

Adam sighed in relief. He was worried about nothing. Still, just to be on the safe side, he asked, "What would you do if she were no longer the woman you remember?"

"It doesn't... matter…" Esmond's voice trailed off. His eyes trembled. "Adam, did you… is she…"

"Please answer my question, Master Greene."

Esmond wiped his tears away. But more tears streamed down anyway.

"It doesn't matter," he said in between sobs. "I will always love her. No matter what. Always."

Love, huh? Adam thought to himself as his gaze subconsciously drifted toward the valley floor where Genevieve soundly slept, and Valerian lay beside her.

He stayed silent for a long time. Then, he rose to his feet. "I see."

"What?" Esmond scrambled to his feet. "See what? What is going on, Adam?"

"Nothing." Adam turned around. "I'll leave you two to it then."

Esmond was about to stop Adam and desperately press for more answers. But when he turned around, he froze.

There was a figure standing behind him.

As Adam walked past this figure, she placed a trembling hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Thank you…"

Adam simply waved a hand in response and silently walked away.

Esmond stared at the figure with wide eyes that hadn't forgotten to shed tears.

"It… it can't be…" he murmured.

The person standing before him sobbed silently, afraid that Esmond would not accept her for what she had become, for what she had to do in the past to reunite with him.

So she remained silent, waiting to see if all those words Esmond had just said to Adam were true.

Would Esmond still love her now that she was no longer the woman he remembered?

Esmond stepped forward and reached out with trembling hands.

The woman closed her eyes and silently sobbed as she waited for Esmond's words. Her hair drifted in the pale moonlight. She looked ethereal, breathtaking, and beautiful. Yet she also looked so pitiful, broken, and lonely.

Esmond's hands gently caressed her cheeks. He flinched when he realized how cold they were. But he did not step back. He wiped her tears away and murmured:

"My love…"

The woman finally opened her eyes. They were red and cold like the moon of the secret plane. But they yearned for so much love.

"Esmond…" she whispered, her voice like that of a skylark, filled with longing.

Esmond pulled her into his embrace. His voice carried the pain he had carried all these years, and the gratefulness that he felt at the moment.

"I finally found you, my love… my Sandra."