Chapter 118: Relax, It’s Just Forbidden Magic [Part 1]

Chapter 118. Relax, It’s Just Forbidden Magic [Part 1]

The official continued explaining what little he knew, occasionally glancing at me as though expecting some dramatic reaction.

Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t about to announce my suspicions in the middle of a crowded street. That would be foolish.

We eventually reached the central plaza.

The magnificent cathedral rose above us, its towering spires casting long shadows across the white cobblestones. Water sparkled in the large fountain at the center, while colorful enchanted lamps decorated the surrounding buildings.

To one side stood an impressive administrative hall, its pale stone facade decorated with blue-and-gold banners bearing Lumenford’s crest.

Several guards were stationed near the entrance. The official guided me toward them. They immediately straightened.

The doors opened, revealing a spacious interior with polished marble floors, tall windows, and elegant chandeliers suspended from the ceiling.

The official announced my arrival.

A moment later, the doors swung open.

I stepped inside, my cloak settling behind me as the doors closed.

The two men waiting inside immediately straightened.

The first was a gentleman in his late forties, dressed in an expensive navy-blue coat embroidered with silver threads. His neatly combed brown hair showed a few streaks of gray, and the signet ring on his finger identified him as someone accustomed to authority.

The second man was older, probably in his fifties, with a broader build and weathered features. His clothes were considerably simpler, although the quality of the fabric suggested he wasn’t an ordinary commoner.

Both bowed respectfully.

"Lord Rey Valen. Welcome to Lumenford. I’m Cassian Veymont, the lord governing this territory. It’s an honor to receive you."

The older gentleman followed his introduction. "And I’m Alden Marr, the town chief. Thank you for coming, my lord."

I acknowledged them with a nod.

Their greetings were polite. Their posture was respectful. Their expressions were appropriately welcoming. Unfortunately, their eyes told a slightly different story. Fear. Not particularly intense, but definitely present.

Lord Veymont’s smile was slightly stiff, while Chief Marr seemed to be carefully measuring every movement I made. Neither looked particularly comfortable having me standing in front of them.

Understandable.

Lumenford wasn’t that far from the Holy City. And with the Light Temple sticking its nose into practically everything around here, there was no way these two hadn’t heard all those lovely rumors about me.

Rey Valen. The Mad Magus. The fallen hero.

Depending on which version of the rumors they believed, I was either a dangerous madman, a walking magical disaster, or someone who might suddenly sacrifice an innocent maiden because I was having a particularly unpleasant morning.

Wonderful reputation.

Then again, I couldn’t entirely blame these two for being nervous. They probably had no way of distinguishing the truth from the nonsense being spread by people wearing expensive white robes. And the King had sent me here partly to change that. Saving twelve missing women, all followers of the Light Temple, would certainly make those rumors considerably harder to maintain. Assuming the women were still alive. That was the important part.

"Would you like anything, my lord?" the official who’d escorted me asked. "Something to drink, perhaps?"

"Tea is fine."

"Of course. I’ll have some refreshments brought in as well."

I nodded.

He bowed and hurried out, leaving me alone with Lumenford’s two highest-ranking authorities.

Lord Veymont gestured toward the long table occupying the center of the room. "Please, have a seat, Lord Valen."

I accepted. ℯ

The table was already covered with documents, handwritten reports, several maps, and stacks of papers organized into separate folders.

Well, at least they had been working. That was encouraging. I’d been half-expecting a room full of frightened officials waiting for the Royal Magus to solve everything while they contributed nothing but prayers and increasingly useless suggestions. Instead, someone had actually bothered to gather evidence.

I liked competent people. They made my life considerably easier. Unfortunately, competence didn’t always guarantee results. Especially when the enemy was using forbidden magic.

I settled into a chair and glanced at the papers. "Tell me about the case."

Lord Veymont exchanged a brief look with Chief Marr before taking his seat.

The chief sat opposite me and the explanation began.

Most of it matched what I’d already heard from the official.

Twelve women had disappeared over the past month. All were preparing for marriage, all belonged to families who worshipped the Goddess of Light, and none had returned. No ransom demands. No bodies. No confirmed witnesses who had actually seen the kidnappings take place. The only unusual evidence was the message referring to the Dark Lord’s return.

I listened while examining the documents.

The handwriting was neat, the reports were organized, and the investigators had recorded the victims’ identities, ages, family backgrounds, and last known locations.

There were even several suspects.

A traveling merchant who’d left town shortly after one disappearance.

A former dockworker accused of harassing a young woman.

A suspicious stranger reportedly seen near the lower market.

Possible leads. But nothing particularly convincing.

The merchant had apparently been traveling on an established trade route, the dockworker had an alibi, and the mysterious stranger’s description was so vague that it could have matched half the men in Lumenford.

I continued reading. Honestly, the documents weren’t particularly difficult to understand. I’d spent years deciphering ancient magical scripts, reconstructing damaged runes, and translating forbidden research. Compared to that, ordinary investigation reports were practically children’s books.

A quick glance was enough to identify the relevant information. Names. Dates. Locations. Relationships. Possible witnesses. I didn’t need to read every sentence three times to understand what mattered.

While Lord Veymont continued explaining the investigation, I examined a map showing where the women had last been seen.

Their disappearance locations were scattered throughout Lumenford.

One near the harbor. Another in the upper residential district. Two around the market streets. Others near workshops, residential neighborhoods, and the roads leading toward the town’s outskirts. No obvious geographical pattern. At least, not one visible from the information provided.

The victims also belonged to different social circles.

Some knew one another casually, but there was no evidence that all twelve had ever gathered in the same place.

Their families weren’t connected through business. Their fiancés weren’t associated with the same profession. Even their wedding dates varied. Which left three significant similarities.

They were all followers of the Light Temple. They were all brides-to-be. And each had been born in a different month. That last detail continued bothering me. Or rather, fascinating me.

Because while the investigators seemed to consider it an unfortunate coincidence, my knowledge of forbidden magic suggested something considerably more unpleasant.

I reached for the victims’ individual records. Then I began rearranging them. The papers slid across the polished table beneath my fingers as I organized them according to their birth months. I barely noticed when Lord Veymont stopped talking.