Chapter 912: Confirmation

Chapter 912: Confirmation

Ballard Estate, Uptown Quarter.

Being a councilor of Ravenfell with the noble title of Duke, Ives Ballard naturally had a lavish estate in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city.

With everything that was going on and everything that was to come, the councilor was gripped by tension for most of his time.

After all, the things he had done and the things he was about to do…

Very few people could do it with a calm and peaceful state of mind. The man was born in Ravenfell and had grown up here. He attended Saratoga like every other resident Magus in the city.

But now… he was going to betray them.

However, in his heart, this was a small price to pay.

Every day, he would visualize the glorious future that lay ahead when he finally got his hands on the mana extraction technique that allowed him to advance to the mythical Mana Core Rank!

In Tron, the Mana Core Rank was the stuff of legend, with very few people having ever reached that arcane stage.

If he could reach that mythical realm, betrayal was a very small price to pay.

If Ballard were given a second chance, he’d do it all over again.

Such was the allure of the Mana Core Rank!

If he became a Mana Core Magus, wouldn’t the world be in the palm of his hands? At that point, a mere betrayal would be so insignificant.

Then there was also the promise of riches that would flow toward him after Ravenfell collapsed.

The benefits far outweighed the risks.

He was a shrewd man, so how could he not take that risk?

At the moment, he was inside his training chamber, sitting cross-legged on the ground and practicing mindfulness.

His expression remained tranquil as the air around him subtly quivered, fine particles of mana extracted from the surroundings slowly flowed into his body.

Suddenly, a frown found its way to his aged face.

And a moment later, there was knocking on the door.

Ballard slowly opened his eyes, his yellow pupils flashing with fury. His lips parted, and he roared, “How dare you interrupt my training?!”

The following moment, a figure stepped inside without permission.

Ballard’s anger flared even further, but when he realized who it was, he slowly started to calm down. But still, his eyes blazed with fury.

“Do you think just because you’re one of them that I won’t punish you?” he muttered coldly, his voice dripping with hostility.

The figure dropped to his knees and slightly lowered his head before calmly apologizing, “Forgive me, Lord Ballard. I believe you want to hear what I have to say.”

It was the same man with the unremarkable appearance, the one who was standing on the city wall earlier.

Seeing such passiveness in the man’s behavior and tone, Ballard’s eyes narrowed.

“Such impudence,” he said, gathering mana in his palm. “It seems a lesson in obedience is in order.”

He was ready to strike this cultist down, determined to make one thing clear: he was the cult’s ally, not their subordinate.

No mere Mana Liquefaction Magus from the cult had the right to speak so casually with him.

However, before Ballard could follow through with his attack, the man said something that caused him to freeze.

“I have spotted the Dark King’s sister leaving the city, my lord.”

“…What?” The mana swirling around Ballard’s palm disappeared. “What did you say?”

The man from the Cult looked at the councilor with a calm expression and repeated, “I have spotted the Dark King’s sister departing from the southern gates. There are eight people in the carriage, four of them are mortals, three, including her, are Mana Liquefaction Magi, and the last one is most likely a Mana Vortex Magus.”

Ives Ballard lowered his hand. Slowly, his lips curled into a maniacal grin.

He laughed, slow at first.

“Ha… haha…”

Then, it burst from him in a frenzy.

“HAHAHAHA!”

The man from the Cult watched Ballard laughing like a madman. He didn’t say a word. Just silently waited.

A long time later, Ballard exhaled a long sigh. With the same crazy grin etched on his face, he muttered, “All this time, I was wondering how to separate the two… but who would have thought? Looks like fortune really is on my side!”

Recalling the times Adam had humiliated him in front of everybody, his eyes flashed with extreme cruelty.

“Adam, oh, Adam… What will you do when you learn that your sister has gone missing?” He grinned.

If not for the Mana Core Magus from the cult he had met recently, Ballard would have cut off Anna’s head and sent it to Adam as a present.

But now… he intended something far worse.

Seeing that the portly, old man had calmed down a little, the man from the cult suggested, “My lord, this might be a trap laid by the Dark King.”

He paused, recalling Adam’s feats. “Please don’t forget, the Dark King is a treacherous man who once defeated a Mana Vortex Magus while still in the Mana Liquefaction Rank.”

Ives Ballard’s expression immediately darkened.

A moment later, he nodded. “Yes, it is likely to be a trap. However…”

His yellow eyes flickered with malice. “As long as the Dark King doesn’t show up himself, we only need to handle one Mana Vortex Magus. The rest are nothing but insects.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “I will contact your master. I’m certain he will be able to confirm whether Adam Constantine is in Ravenfell or not.”

After all, this ‘master’ was a Mana Core Magus, and also the one leading the Cult’s operation this time.

More importantly, he was also within the city… and no one even knew!

“After your master has confirmed that bastard’s whereabouts, I will send one—no, two Mana Vortex Magi after the woman,” Ballard spat through gritted teeth.

He turned to look at the cultist and flatly stated, “Relay this to your higher-ups. They will dispatch one Mana Vortex Magus, and I’ll send the other. Understood?”

The cultist nodded. “Understood, my lord.”

Abducting Anna Fireborne was beneficial not only to Ives Ballard but also to the Cult of Bones. So, they wouldn’t mind dispatching a Mana Vortex Magus to do so.

Sending one from their side wouldn’t draw any attention from their enemies. So it was doable.

Ives Ballard nodded.

“Good,” he said, his lips curling into a ferocious grin. “Now, we wait for your master’s confirmation.”

***

Several minutes later, Ives Ballard received the confirmation he’d been waiting for.

The Cult’s hidden specter, the Mana Core Magus hiding in the shadows of Ravenfell, had spoken:

Adam Constantine was in his estate!

Moments later, two Mana Vortex Magi, one from the Ballard Family and the other from the Cult of Bones, were swiftly dispatched with a single purpose…

To abduct Anna Fireborne!