Chapter 87 - Son Of A Betrayer (2)

The Regional Tournament was concluded, and the news of the winners were delivered to the expecting people. Surely, it caused shock amongst them. No one had expected three unknown individuals to win the match.

Basil Pacifer of an unknown Noble family, Wei Xiu Li of Hua, and Kimberley Bulmer of a Baronet's family. No one had heard of their brilliance before. Therefore, they were bewildered.

Luckily, one of them came from a fairly well-known Magic Academy. Thus, they were somehow spared from the extreme bafflement.

Right after the award ceremony, Basil wasn't spared to be alone. He was quickly snatched by Lawson to have a talk as Lawson had promised after his fight with Kinsey. Surely, Lawson wasn't the only wanting to have a talk.

Blake, Iliana, and surprisingly Jacinda did too.

"I wish you could spare me some time to have my family settled to a comfortable inn." Basil said neutrally. The response was instantaneous. Blake swiftly said, "Don't worry, I have Chester done that." Basil quirked an eyebrow, then sighed softly.

'So be it.' He decided to go with the flow. Seeing that Basil was ready to talk, Jacinda cleared her throat. Iliana, who had just served the tea for everyone, quickly sat herself beside Lawson.

"Kuhum. Mr. Pacifer, or may I call you Basil?" Jacinda asked for confirmation. Basil nodded softly, and said casually, "Whatever you are comfortable with."

"Very well. Firstly, I will have to thank you for eradicating a Black Mage among the contestants that we somehow missed." Jacinda bowed lightly. Lawson, and Iliana also followed suit.

In return, Basil exclaimed softly, "I didn't do that out of duty. I did that, because he was my enemy. Gratitude is unneeded." Jacinda raised her head, and quickly retorted, "I am a firm believer that consciously done or not, good deed is a good deed."

Basil snorted softly in amusement, before saying, "Do what you think right, lady." Blake widened his eyes, and softly exclaimed, "Basil, you shouldn't be disrespectful to Miss. Jacinda!'' He turned to Jacinda, and bowed his head. "I am sorry for my student's behavior."

"Fufufu. It's alright Mr. Blake. He didn't say anything wrong." Her laugh was as melodious as her voice. It was to the point where anyone who heard it could instantly fall in love with her.

Suddenly, Jacinda squinted her eyes, and looked at Basil sharply.

"Now, my question is, how could you know your opponent was a Black Mage?"

Right after that, a pressure descended upon Basil. Jacinda quirked an eyebrow at Basil's reaction or lack thereof. In return, Basil merely raised his teacup, and sipped the tea calmly.

Everyone was dumbfounded. They knew Basil was pressured by Jacinda. Normally, in this situation, one should feel nervous. However, Basil was different. His nonchalance baffled them.

Clack.

Basil put down his teacup.

"As I have said to Senior Mage Iliana, discerning a Black Mage was easier once they utilize their Magic." Basil looked at Jacinda directly in her eyes. He tilted his head, and said, "You know that Black Mage don't use Natural Mana, do you?"

Jacinda's face quickly stiffened. Lawson was quick in action, and swiftly casted an isolation spell on the room. Anything regarding Black Mage was forbidden to be discussed in open.

Soon, the room fell in silence. Each of the experienced Mages could only stare at Basil in disbelief. They couldn't believe Basil knew that fact.

"How did you know about that?" Jacinda asked Basil uncertainly. "I have keen Mana Sense." He sipped his tea. Jacinda couldn't bear her curiosity as she quickly blurted out, "Then, what do you see in the isolation spell?!"

Basil raised his eyebrow in amusement. Jacinda was pretty enthusiastic. "How do you want me to answer? The way you wanted, or the way it really is?" Basil asked casually. Jacinda responded instantly, "I want it how it really is."

"Then, you should know by now that I saw nothing."

"What? Impossible! You must have seen something. Please, you can tell me any trivial thing you saw!"

Basil hummed to himself. He could feel a certain obsession regarding this matter from Jacinda. He quirked an eyebrow, and stared at Jacinda intently. The latter was taken aback, however Basil's attention wasn't on her.

'Guide, what relation Jacinda has toward Black Magic.'

[Ding!]

[Answering the Host's ignorance...]

[Judging from the taint in her Mana, Jacinda has ever been cursed once, with a Dark Spell.]

'Is that the only thing you can provide me?'

[Yes.]

Basil sighed inwardly. It was good he had found another way to utilize the Guide. However, the information was limited! He needed to upgrade it to gain further information. Still, he was glad he had something to make sure he was right.

"I believe you've had your own encounter with a Black Mage before." Basil said offhandedly, before relaxing his posture.

Jacinda widened her eyes, and tried to open her mouth. However, Basil was quicker. "In my calculation, it should be when you were around the Fifth or Sixth Circle Stage. The 'thing' you saw that day was a Curse." He once again took a sip of his tea.

Jacinda opened her mouth to say something. However, in the end, she could only mutter, "How did you know?" Basil fiddled with his teacup, before saying, "You were cursed, and survived. In return, you gain power."

Looking into the baffled Jacinda's eyes, Basil said, "Are you fearing yourself has become a Black Mage?" Jacinda quickly shut her mouth right away, and her pressure on Basil was retracted. She had been perfectly seen through.

When she had been merely a Fifth Circle Mage, she had encountered a Black Mage. She had struggled and risked everything to survive, before managing to kill the Black Mage. Right after the Black Mage had died, she had seen something that terrorized her to the core.

She had been terrorised even in her dream. However, after sometime, it had just disappeared suddenly. Since that day, her power had improved significantly.

Upon becoming a Sixth Circle Mage, she had finally laid her hand on the information regarding Black Mage. Since then, she had been afraid of herself. She was afraid of the possibility, she had become one. Sadly, her encounter with a Black Mage was a one time thing. She couldn't make sure of it.

Upon sensing the appearance of another Black Mage, she had been ecstatic. Imagine her surprise when Basil had eradicated the Black Mage, just like her in the past. Therefore, she was curious to what Basil and undergone.

"Although Black Mage are known for their absurdly fast improvement, undergoing the same thing didn't make you one. Your Circles are tainted by the foreign Mana unique only to Black Mage, due to the curse. Thus, making you improving faster than any normal Mage."

Jacinda was startled as she was woken up from her thought. She looked at Basil, and nodded softly. "Still, doesn't it mean I utilize the same Mana that Black Mage utilize?" She asked timidly. She didn't know why, upon speaking with Basil, she felt like a child.

The latter, as calm as ever, merely said, "A drop of ink to a paper doesn't make the paper become ink." Silence descended upon the room. The other people who had merely listened to the interesting conversation, looked at Basil and Jacinda alternatingly.

"I didn't get cursed. For your information, only Fifth Circle Black Mage and above could curse someone. Therefore, I didn't see the 'thing' you saw at your encounter with a Black Mage." Basil said after some time.

Only Fifth Circle Black Mage and above could curse. The reason was simple. To curse, Black Mage needed to contain a certain amount of Demonic Mana in their body, and comprehending a certain Dark Spell.

Being a Black Mage was easy. However, being a good one was not. The only reason they were generally superior to other mages was due to the Demonic Mana in their body that was easily more potent than Natural Mana.

Surely, Basil didn't say this to them. Exposing the existence of Demon now wasn't a good choice. He would either be seen as a lunatic or be interrogated for further details. He didn't want one of the troublesome things to happen. He had enough on his plate already.

"I see... Then, may I ask what happened when you were isolated?" At this, Basil faintly raised his lip upward. "That is the proper question to ask, lady."

Jacinda's eyes lit up interest. Leaning her head forward, she was eager to her what had happened. Needless to say, the others were too.

"I met someone who apparently took possession over Kinsey's body in the last moment." Basil paused to sip his tea. The others became even more curious as they utilized their ears better.

Then, Basil dropped the bomb.

"He is one of the prominence figures amongst Black Mage."

Basil didn't lie, however he didn't say the truth. Surely, it was enough to make the room fall into a deafening silence. Basil didn't care about the silence he had caused. He was reveling in the sensation of managing to distract the people from asking how he got his knowledge.

...

{Cobham Manor, Cobham Viscountcy}

Daniel, who had been called by Nicholas who had impersonated Justin, stood in front of the Manor's door. He was extremely puzzled by the reason his father called him. Still, he was a good son. Therefore, he didn't ask much.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Excu—"

"Welcome, Young Master Daniel. Lord Justin is waiting for you."

"O-okay."

Daniel was slightly surprised at the quick response of the maid. Still, he quickly followed the maid's guide. Upon arriving to the designated room, where his father supposed to be in, the maid knocked the door three times, before leaving him behind.

He quirked an eyebrow, before shrugging in the next moment.

"Father, I'm going in."

No response. However, he had announced his intention. Therefore, he was free to come in.

Click!

The door opened, and a sickening feeling assaulted him. Still, at that point, he didn't think anything was wrong. Thus, he stepped in.

Upon entering the room, he could hear the sound of something clashing against each other. Likely a leather, or a wet cloth. It wasn't until he heard a faint groan and moan, did he start to feel something wrong.

"Did the maid guide me into the wrong room?"

"No, Daniel, it's the right room."

Startled, he turned his body toward the direction of the sound. He was met with the grinning and naked Nicholas. However, his eyes weren't planted on Nicholas. His eyes were planted on the scene behind Nicholas.

Due to the Barrier Nicholas had casted, Daniel couldn't notice it, before Nicholas temporarily deactivated it to greet him. Upon noticing the scene, he gasped in surprise.

The woman, who he knew his father had an affair with, was ganged upon by seven men. What was worse, his father was one of the men. Bound or not, his father joined it.

Nicholas laid his hand on Daniel's shoulder, and asked lightheartedly, "Will you join us?" Daniel raised his head, and looked at Nicholas. He responded without missing a beat, "Count me in."

Nicholas' grin couldn't grow any wider.