Chapter 143: The Mad Magus They Already Met [Part 3]

Chapter 143. The Mad Magus They Already Met [Part 3]

Finding one man in a small coastal town shouldn’t have been difficult. Unfortunately, Vera Solis was beginning to suspect that Rey Valen possessed a special talent for making people miserable without even being present.

The six Holy Guardians had spent nearly an hour searching Lumenford. They questioned merchants, guards, innkeepers, and anyone who might have encountered the Royal Magus.

The answers were remarkably consistent. Everyone had seen him. Nobody knew where he was.

"Oh, Lord Rey? He bought some accessories earlier."

"I saw him eating grilled squid!"

"He was near the eastern market."

"He saved my niece!"

Apparently, the Mad Magus had spent his afternoon eating, shopping, and collecting admirers. Vera rubbed her forehead. What kind of dangerous psychopath bought souvenirs after defeating an undead creature? More importantly, why hadn’t he stayed in his room like a normal exhausted person?

"Captain, maybe he already left," Rina suggested.

"Don’t say that," Vera replied.

"But he can fly, right? Then he could be halfway to the capital already."

Vera gave her a look.

Rina wisely closed her mouth. That was precisely the problem. Rey Valen controlled six elements, including wind. If he decided to leave Lumenford, no amount of searching would help them. Their mission would be over before it had properly begun.

"Let’s separate again," Vera ordered. "Report anything useful."

The women nodded and dispersed. Unfortunately, useful information wasn’t the only thing they were interested in finding.

"This guy must be the most wanted man in Lumenford right now," Tessa muttered.

Nora sighed as they walked through the eastern market. "Seriously. Everyone knows him, but nobody knows where he is."

"Maybe he’s hiding."

"Why would he hide?"

"Perhaps he knows we’re looking for him."

Nora frowned. That possibility wasn’t particularly comforting. If Rey Valen already knew about their arrival, he might deliberately avoid them. And if he suspected the Temple’s intentions, convincing him to accompany them would become considerably harder.

"We need to find him before sunset," Nora said.

"Agreed."

Unfortunately, their conversation attracted someone’s attention.

Adrian. He stood outside a nearby shop, attempting to recover from a deeply unfortunate encounter with a hornet. His face remained pale, his legs were awkwardly spread, and every movement reminded him that certain parts of his anatomy were currently experiencing a personal apocalypse. Nevertheless, when he heard two beautiful women discussing Lumenford’s most wanted man, his interest immediately awakened. Especially when he noticed their armor.

Holy Guardians.

Perhaps his afternoon wasn’t completely ruined after all.

Adrian straightened his back, adjusted his hair, and approached them with his most charming smile. "Ladies."

Tessa and Nora turned.

"Yes?" Nora asked.

"I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. You’re searching for the most wanted man in Lumenford?"

"That’s right."

Adrian smiled confidently. "Well, congratulations. You’ve found him."

Nora blinked.

Tessa looked him over.

He was reasonably handsome, although his expression carried an unpleasant arrogance. More importantly, his mana reserves were pitifully weak. There was absolutely no possibility that this man was Rey Valen. Unless the legendary Royal Magus had somehow lost ninety-nine percent of his strength and developed a mysterious injury between his legs.

"Your name?" Nora asked.

"Adrian. My family owns the Smiling Fish. One of the finest restaurants in Lumenford." He brushed his hair backward. "I’m quite famous around here, especially among the ladies."

Tessa glanced downward.

His knees were trembling.

"Are you injured?"

Adrian stiffened. "What? No."

"Are you sure?"

"Perfectly." He shifted his weight. A sharp pain shot through his groin. His smile twitched.

Nora winced sympathetically. "Oh, Goddess."

Adrian cleared his throat. "Anyway, perhaps I could escort you around town. I know all the best places."

"That won’t be necessary," Tessa replied.

"But surely two beautiful women like yourselves would appreciate—"

"We’re looking for Rey Valen," Nora interrupted.

Adrian froze. "The Royal Magus?"

"Correct."

His expression darkened immediately. That bastard again! Even when Rey wasn’t around, beautiful women were apparently searching for him. What the hell was so special about that man?

Adrian scoffed. "You should be careful. He’s dangerous."

The two women exchanged unimpressed glances.

"Of course he’s dangerous," Tessa replied. "He’s one of the five heroes who defeated the Dark Lord."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "Did you expect someone capable of killing the Dark Lord to be harmless?"

Adrian’s smile faltered. He quickly changed tactics. "Anyway, forget him. I could show you somewhere private. Perhaps we could enjoy dinner together."

Tessa smiled politely. "No, thank you."

"Come on. There’s no need to be shy." He leaned forward. A terrible mistake. "UGH!" His knees nearly buckled.

Both women stared as he instinctively clutched his groin.

Nora winced. "You really should see a healer."

"I’m fine!"

Tessa looked at his awkward posture. "You don’t look like you’re in good shape."

"I said I’m fine!"

"Especially down there."

Adrian’s face turned scarlet. "WHAT?!"

"Whatever happened, you should rest," Tessa continued with professional seriousness. "Walking around in that condition probably isn’t wise."

Nora nodded. "Please take care of yourself." Then they walked away.

Adrian remained frozen outside the shop, his pride suffering almost as badly as his swollen anatomy. Behind him, a passing merchant chuckled. "Still hurting, Adrian?"

"SHUT UP!"

By dusk, the six Holy Guardians regrouped near the harbor.

"Nothing," Rina reported.

"Same," Syl added.

Maeve folded her arms. "Several people saw him earlier, but nobody knows where he went."

Vera sighed. They’d tracked necromancers through cursed forests and hunted monsters across entire mountain ranges. Yet six S-Rank warriors couldn’t locate one man in Lumenford. This was humiliating. "We’ll search again," she decided.

"Captain..." Tessa groaned.

"Until we find him."

Then Tessa suddenly stopped. "Oh."

Vera frowned. "What now?"

Tessa was staring toward the waterfront.

Beneath a flowering tree stood a wooden bench overlooking the sea.

A dark-haired man sat there, enjoying the dusk breeze. He wore elegant dark clothes, and his cloak had been carelessly draped behind him, its insignia completely concealed by the bench’s wooden backrest. His handsome face was unmistakable.

Tessa’s eyes widened. "Oh, my Goddess."

Syl’s lips parted. "It’s him!"

Maeve smiled. "Well, well. Look what we found."

Vera turned and froze. The stranger from the secluded beach. Only this time, he was wearing clothes.

Tessa grinned. "Finally!"

Nora immediately adjusted her hair. Rina straightened her armor, while Syl smoothed her cloak. Even Maeve discreetly checked her reflection in her polished bracer.

Vera stared at them. They’d spent the entire afternoon desperately searching for Rey Valen. And now they’d apparently forgotten their mission again.