Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2156: Something Fishy

Changing faces in Davos was a hassle.

The security was so tight within the city walls that every time Adam had to wear a new face, he would have to make his way toward Dark Port, where there was barely any surveillance.

Then he would have to return to the surface. Big waste of time. But it was a necessary precaution.

When Adam had only recently arrived in Davos, he had used the Faceless Mask to alter just a portion of his skin to conceal the Brand. Yet that faint mana fluctuation had drawn the Watch toward him.

Adam was nothing if not cautious.

And so, on this day, he wore Tegan’s face and smoothly infiltrated Havel Norwood’s villa.

Tegan was a short man. Shapeshifting into him had been a little tricky. However, Adam’s mastery over the Faceless Mask had improved over the years. Now he stood at one and a half meters, with a round belly and a faint odor that discouraged others from staying near him for long.

He followed Tegan’s daily routine. Cleaning the house. Mopping the floors. Helping the other servants with their chores.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at the villa. The main house was empty, but clean and well-maintained. Adam scoured the place for clues, but unfortunately, he found nothing.

It made sense. If there had been any clues to begin with, they would likely have been swept away over the past decade. Still, Adam refused to give up.

When lunchtime arrived, he headed toward the back entrance of the kitchen with the other workers. He chatted with them, keeping his words to a minimum and carefully avoiding any unnecessary conversations.

He had learned his lesson from impersonating Garrick Voss the previous week. Even a minor mistake could raise suspicions, and he wasn’t about to repeat that blunder.

So he listened more than he spoke, occasionally nodding or offering a brief response whenever someone addressed him.

Then, amid the idle chatter of the servants, Adam noticed something peculiar.

He saw several carts loaded with food being wheeled out of the kitchen.

Strange.

Everyone who was supposed to be working around the compound had already gathered behind the kitchen to eat. The servants, gardeners, and other workers were all there.

So who was this food for?

Adam watched as a group of handymen began pushing the carts toward the garden path. He quickly made a decision and approached one of them.

"Oy, mate. Need a hand with that?" he asked.

The handyman glanced at him. "Eh? Nah, we’ve got enough hands."

"Come on, now." Adam smiled kindly. "You lot been hauling all mornin’, ain’t ya? Let me take one. You can grab a bite before the food gets cold."

The man scratched his head before shrugging. "Aye, fair enough. Just make sure it gets there on time, yeah?"

"Don’t worry, mate. I’ve got it." Adam winked.

And just like that, he joined the group.

Along with half a dozen other servants, he pushed one of the seven food carts along the garden path, heading toward the stables.

His suspicions only grew stronger.

What the hell?

The food was far too elaborate for horses. There were roasted meats, freshly baked bread, delicately prepared vegetables, and other dishes that looked more suited to a dinner table than a stable.

No way the horses are eating all this fancy stuff, Adam thought as he almost barked with laughter.

He glanced at the other servants. None of them seemed particularly surprised by the arrangement. They continued pushing their carts as though this were an entirely ordinary part of their daily routine.

Something’s fishy.

They headed deeper into the stables. Except there were no horses.

Adam glanced around as the servants continued pushing their carts along the path. The stalls stood empty, and there was no sign of any animals.

One by one, the servants wheeled their carts toward a shed belonging to the stablemaster and left them outside.

Adam’s eyes narrowed.

There are people inside.

He could hear their voices from within. He could also notice the faint runes carved along the walls of the building. He hesitated. He could unleash the Sphere of Resonance. But he didn’t dare spread his senses any further.

If the people inside were powerful enough—which he believed they were—they would notice his probing and realize something was wrong. He had to be careful.

Should I take the risk?

If he investigated the people inside, he might uncover something useful. Perhaps even something that could help him uncover the truth.

But what about Tegan?

The poor man was an innocent bystander who had done nothing wrong. If Adam’s cover was blown, Tegan would be the one to suffer the grave consequences.

Was the life of one innocent man worth risking for a few clues that might or might not lead to the truth?

Dragonshit, Adam cursed silently.

A part of him told him he was making the right decision. He had no reason to drag an innocent man into his investigation.

But another part of him scoffed at the thought. It told him the Dark King would never miss an opportunity like this.

Adam clenched his fists. In the end, he chose not to take the risk.

He wheeled his cart over to the others and left it beside them. Then, without drawing any attention to himself, he turned around and followed the other servants back toward the kitchen building.

At least he had learned that something suspicious was happening in the compound. That was the consolation he gave himself.

On his way back, he casually asked the other servants, "Ever wondered what goes on inside?"

The others immediately recoiled, their eyes flashing with terror.

"Quiet!" one of the older servants hissed. "Are you trying to get us all killed?!"

Adam raised his hands apologetically.

But another servant shot him a frightened look. "Don’t ever ask questions like that again, lad!"

Adam took note of their expressions. He thought to himself, Something really is fishy down there.

However, he put on a timid expression and lowered his head. "Sorry, I was just—"

One of the other servants stepped closer and patted him on the back. "Kegan, I know you’re a curious lad. But remember what happened to the last man who got curious?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the others fell silent. Their expressions turned grim, and a palpable sense of fear hung in the air.

No one said anything further.

But Adam understood.

It would appear curiosity really did kill the cat.