Chapter 281 Conviction
Adam was currently riding Ennea and leisurely sipping wine, sitting in a lackadaisical manner atop her white, furry back. Meanwhile, Lisa was sitting behind Edward and riding Aquila.
It couldn't be helped. After all, it wasn't like the youth could ride Valerian. If anything, it was usually the other way around. Just like right now. The little guy was actually sitting on Ennea's head and smugly waving at the crowd.
Also, it helped that Ennea quite liked Adam, or else she wouldn't have allowed him to sit on her back. As for Valerian, she considered him to be her childhood friend. For as long as she could remember, she, Valerian, and Aquila had always been together.
As the group slowly approached the gate, Adam suddenly heard someone calling him from the crowd. This meek voice was easily drowned by the loud clamor, but Adam was able to easily locate it.
He turned his head and saw a pair of kids—a boy and a girl—waving at him from the side of the street.
"Lord Magus! Down here!" The boy called out to him excitedly, but there was also a hint of nervousness in his tone.
"Oh?" Adam raised his eyebrow in surprise. This was the same kid that he had stood up for in the marketplace. He directed Ennea to walk to the side and stop beside the siblings.
"You guys are safe." Adam smiled brightly. "That's great!"
The pair of siblings were initially scared by Ennea's size and how fierce she appeared when she gazed at them, but soon they breathed a sigh of relief when the white fox looked away.
"That Lord Magus made sure we were looked after. Teehee!" The little girl giggled adorably.
"Oh, you mean Elton?" Adam burst into laughter. He recalled how Magus Marcella had mentioned that should anything happen to these kids, then Elton's head would end up on a pike.
"They're calling you the Hero of Stardale!" The little boy came forward and handed Adam a small basket with slight anxiousness. "My sister and I wanted to thank you… so we made this for you, Lord Magus."
"Oho!" Adam asked curiously as he got off Ennea and grabbed the basket. "What's this?"
"I-It's steam dumplings," the boy replied nervously. "I made them myself."
"I helped too!" The little girl chimed in with clenched fists. For some reason, she wasn't as nervous as her elder brother.
"Thank you very much!" Adam ruffled the boy's hair and then gently patted the girl.
The boy looked up and saw that Adam had already begun eating the dumplings. He was afraid that the latter wouldn't accept them. But now that he saw Adam eat them with great relish, he was incomparably happy.
"Do you like it?" The girl asked excitedly.
"Of course!" Adam munched on the dumplings and replied with a toothy grin. "They're delicious. Good job, you two."
The little girl couldn't help but jump in joy after receiving praise from a mighty Magus.
Suddenly, the boy thought of something and hesitated to speak. But in the end, he gathered the courage and asked, "M-My Lord, do you think… I mean, can I… can I also become a Magus just like you?"
Adam deeply glanced at the boy with slight surprise. He first asked, "What is your name?"
"Collin…" the boy replied while fidgeting with his fingers and nervously glancing at his feet.
"And yours?"
"Heehee, I'm Lily!" the girl replied with great enthusiasm.
Adam nodded and then turned back to look at the boy.
"Well, Collin," he began, "the Way of the Magus is that of hard work, dedication, and learning. Do you have that in you?"
"L-Learning?" Collin's eyes turned teary, "But my lord… I-I'm not literate. I am only a commoner."
"So am I," Adam smiled.
Colling and his younger sister, Lily, were shocked. They had never thought that someone as sophisticated and powerful as Adam would have the background of a commoner.
Adam paused for a moment before continuing, "I was once just like you. But I persevered until I made my dream of becoming a Magus into reality. If someone like me can, then what's stopping you?"
"S-So that means… I too can become a Magus?" Collin asked with hope, his eyes shining brighter than the stars.
"Me too?!" Lily asked as her jaw dropped to the ground.
"Who knows? Maybe you will, maybe you won't." Adam shrugged.
Collin's shoulders slouched and he was on the verge of crying. Even Lily couldn't help but feel as if all the happiness had been taken away from her.
Suddenly, the siblings felt a gentle hand pat their heads. They looked up and saw Adam warmly smiling at them.
"But there is one thing I can tell you for certain," Adam muttered softly.
"Magic reveals itself to those who believe."
"Whoa…" The siblings were sent into a daze after listening to his words.
Lily then clenched her fists and asked with excitement etched all over her face, "So as long as I believe, I too can become a Magus?"
Adam found this little girl very adorable. He gently pinched her cheek and chuckled, "Of course you will."
"We're leaving." Suddenly Edward called out to him from the distance. Adam looked toward him and saw that the procession of Magi was almost about to exit the city gates.
"Alright, kids." Adam got back on Ennea and prepared to leave. "It was nice talking to you both." He then glanced at the siblings and nodded with a warm smile. "Perhaps, the next time when we meet, you both will have already become Magi."
"It's a promise!" Lily nodded her head vigorously.
"I will do my best, my lord!" Collin's eyes flashed with determination, his earlier nervousness now nowhere to be seen. "I won't let you down."
"Then I wish you both good fortune." Adam bid his farewell and slowly departed.
Colling and Lily ran after the white fox until they reached the city gates where the rest of the residents had gathered. The siblings deeply ingrained the image of this young Magus with the black pointy hat in their minds.
They glanced at Adam's departing back for a long time. Just as he was about to disappear into the forest, Collin brought his hands closer to his mouth and screamed with great conviction.
"I will become a Magus just like you!"
When Adam sensed the unwavering belief in the boy's tone, a faint smile formed on his lips. He slowly raised his hand and waved at the siblings without turning around.
Then, he disappeared into the Murky Mountains.
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