Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1878 Secret Plane

”So this is a secret plane?”

After exorcising the two evil spirits that had made this sunken building their home, Adam, Genevieve, and Valerian chose to camp there for the night.

Not like they could travel above ground, anyway.

Genevieve sat on the edge of the bed with Valerian curled comfortably on her lap. She was surprised to hear Adamʼs words, to say the least. She could tell he sounded very certain about it.

She continued, ”Just because the spirits were trapped here doesnʼt necessarily mean we are inside a secret plane.”

”Oh, but we are,” said Adam.

He finished carving the last of the defense runes on the ground by the roomʼs entrance. He wasnʼt going to take any chances.

”Iʼm unable to teleport,” he said.

He rose to his feet as he dusted his hands. Then he turned to the young woman and added, ”Iʼm also unable to summon the spirit world creatures Iʼve formed a pact with. All of these things point to only one thing…”

Genevieve murmured, ”The mysterious mist has transported us into a secret plane.”

Adam nodded with a faint smile.

He walked up to the mirror in the corner of the room. After casting a minor spell to check for any traps, he crouched on the ground and retrieved the notebook. Flipping through its empty pages, he couldnʼt help but scoff.

”Bait,” he stated as he tossed it aside.

Then he observed the mirror with fascination. ”This is the first time Iʼve come across a gateway to the mirror world,” he murmured.

He outstretched a hand, hoping his fingers would pass through the surface of the mirror.

Alas, they didnʼt.

”As I thought,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Genevieve appeared beside him, still gently holding onto the little fellow in her arms.

”The mirror world,” her light blue eyes gleamed with wonder.

She cast a furtive, sideways glance at Adam and asked, ”Have you ever been there?”

Adam let out a soft chuckle. ”No,” he said. ”Iʼve been to many places in the spirit world. The mirror world isnʼt one of them.”

Genevieve pursed her lips. ”Oh, like the Underworld?”

”Best believe it, Miss.” Adam turned to her and winked.

Genevieve quickly looked away. Her face remained impassive, but her inner feelings at that moment were unknown. They were… confusing.

Noticing something, sly little Valerian raised his head and cast a mischievous glance at her.

”What!” She looked at the little fellow with a slight frown.

”Oh, oh. Nothing. Nothing at all.” Valerian shook his head.

He began to gracefully lick his paw and added, ”But my brother has visited many places in the spirit world. The Underworld is one of them. Heʼs visited the River of Fate too. Then thereʼs also the Coil of Extremity—”

”Eternity,” Adam corrected.

”Yes, that.” Valerian nodded. ”Brother goes for a stroll into the spirit world quite often. You should believe him. He takes me to wondrous places, and we have a lot of fun.”

”…Sure.” Genevieve resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

She wasnʼt naive enough to believe that someone could set foot into the Underworld and return alive.

But strangely enough, Valerian didnʼt seem to be lying.

Genevieve realized that he was like a little child, his thoughts pure and innocent.

Either heʼs telling the truth, or heʼs a very good liar, she mused.

”This one time we visited a floating island,” Valerian continued, excitement slipping into his voice. ”Brother fought a four-armed snow beast! And there was also this ominous fog! Then we entered an ancient temple of a long-forgotten—”

”The mirror world exists somewhere in the spirit world,” Adam quickly said, interrupting the little fellow. ”As most esoteric planes do.”

He studied the mirror carefully, then continued, ”It is said that all mirrors in existence are, technically, a gateway to the mirror world.”

Genevieve astutely noticed how Adam changed the subject just then. That meant… what Valerian said was indeed the truth. And that there was something he was hiding!

She was quite curious to know more about this ancient temple, but thought better of it.

Instead, she indulged Adam in his conversation. ”Beings that can access the mirror world can teleport vast distances.”

”From mirror to mirror,” Adam said with a nod.

Genevieve turned to the mirror with slight apprehension in her eyes. ”So that woman… the spirit, I mean. You believe she dragged her victims into that mirror?”

Adam nodded after a moment of deliberation. ”Considering that others like us arrived here after being swallowed by the mist, then yeah. Itʼs likely.”

”Do you think something might come out of that mirror?”

”Maybe. Maybe not.” Adam shrugged.

His hand turned into a blur and—

Shatter!

The mirror shattered into countless tiny fragments.

He turned to Genevieve and smiled. ”We should be safe now.”

Genevieve nodded. That was indeed the safest method.

She turned to the doorway, her gaze landing on the line of crimson light spilling through the crack in the ceiling. The distant sound of metals clashing and monsters screaming echoed in her ears.

”We should find the others soon,” she murmured.

Adam nodded as he sat down on the ground, his back against the wall.

Valerian then chimed in, ”The monsters will return to slumber once the sun rises. We should head out in the morning!”

Adam agreed. He waved a hand and cast a minor cleaning spell over the room. Then he glanced at Genevieve and gestured toward the bed.

”You sleep there. Iʼll keep watch.”

A strange feeling suddenly washed over Genevieve.

Spending the night with a man!

She screamed inwardly, though her face remained calm.

This… this is the first time Iʼve ever done something like this!

Isnʼt this indecent? No, this is very much indecent!

But… what other choice do I have?

I can step out and sleep in the hall. But what if monsters come down from above?

This room is the safest. Adam even carved defensive runes here.

I suppose…

”Khi khi khi khi.”

Valerianʼs mischievous giggles echoed in her ears.

She lowered her gaze and found the little fellow staring up at her with his round, impish eyes.

This naughty cat!

Genevieve squished Valerianʼs cheek, causing him to let out a light squeal.

”Valerian, behave.” Adamʼs words echoed in the room.

The little fellow hid the wicked gleam in his topaz eyes. ”Yes, Brother. Of course. Of course…”

He then leapt onto the bed and made himself comfortable.

Genevieve hesitated. She stole a glance at Adam and found him sitting with his eyes closed, quietly practicing mindfulness.

She inhaled deeply, then walked toward the bed.

Itʼs nothing. Iʼm overthinking it, she told herself.

She lay down on the bed with her back against the wall and slowly closed her eyes, willing her racing heart to calm.

It was strange, really.

Danger lurked above ground.

Yet for some reason…

With that man beside her, she felt safe.