Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1587  The Emperorʼs Equal

Adam and Lucian stood under the shade of the trees lining the dirt road.

A gentle breeze blew past them, making the hems of their clothes flutter. For a long time, the two didnʼt speak to one another. Instead, they were sizing each other up.

”You look like a child,” Lucian said in amazement. ”Just when did you form your mana core?”

Adam deliberated for a moment, gazing at the dappled shadows on the grass. He then looked at the Emperor and smiled.

”Around fifteen years ago, I think.”

”Fifteen…” Lucian couldnʼt help but scoff. ”Youʼre a little monster, arenʼt you?”

”Iʼm a big monster.” Adam grinned.

The two stared at each other for a few moments, and then…

They burst into laughter.

”Does the Emperor deign to sit on the grass?” Adam asked with a smirk as he sat on the ground, his back resting against the tree trunk.

Lucian glanced at the raven-haired youth with an amused smile.

Though Adam was his subject and was far younger than him, Lucian regarded him as a friend.

Adam was not only a powerful Magus, but also Gerald Acadiaʼs grand disciple. That alone placed him in rare company.

So Lucian did not find it beneath him to speak casually with the young man.

Because in truth…

Adam was his equal.

He silently took a seat beside the youth and gazed at the scenery around. The region was warm, vibrant, and full of life. Just being present here made him feel greatly relaxed.

Adam cast him a side glance and asked with a smirk, ”Curious about Constantine?”

”You or the city?” Lucian scoffed.

Truly, he was curious about both.

”This town,” Adam began. ”Well, itʼs a city now. But yeah… this city holds great value to Tron. And that is why it ensured that the city remained hidden.”

He paused, his lips curling into a smile.

”A manʼs greed knows no bounds, Your Grace. Take it from someone who is avaricious by nature.”

His expression turned solemn.

”If others found this place and learned about the ash tree, who knows what they would have done to it. The tree is deeply important to Tronʼs growth. And that was why it concealed it from others until now.”

Listening to his words, Lucian couldnʼt help but frown.

”You speak as if Tron is a person,” he said.

”It is.” Adam laughed.

”Our world gained sentience after I planted the ash tree.”

Lucian turned to the raven-haired youth, his golden eyes swirling with countless questions.

Adam sighed. ”Wait a minute.”

He closed his eyes, going through his memories pertaining to Tronʼs sentience and the significance of the ash tree. A few moments later, he weaved a simple hand seal and retrieved a Memory Strand.

”Here you go,” he said. ”Its better than me explaining.”

Lucian gazed at the glowing silver string with slightly narrowed eyes, then briefly glanced at the nonchalant youth before finally absorbing the Memory Strand.

He leaned back against the trunk and closed his eyes as he studied Adamʼs memories. As seconds turned to minutes, his face slowly twisted into a frown.

And then…

Lucian Acadia shot to his feet, his breathing slightly heavy. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead as he slowly turned to Adam with wide eyes.

”The World Tree… the Will of the World… Just what happened to this world? And how do you know all this?” He was astonished.

Of course, heʼd heard about the World Tree Yggdrasil, but he only thought of it as a mere legend. Never in his life did he think that it was real, and that an ash tree growing in his empire would have such a deep connection to it.

And then, there was the Will of the World. He couldnʼt believe that Tron had gained sentience. No, in fact, until now, he didnʼt believe it could gain sentience.

Adam turned to him and smiled. ”Wine?”

He retrieved a barrel from his storage artifact and two ceramic cups. As he poured the fiery red wine into the cups, he eagerly said:

”Come, come, Your Grace. This is the finest wine from Springdale, the City of Everlasting Warmth. It has a slight bite to it, but itʼs excellent. You should trust me, Iʼm something of a wine connoisseur.”

Lucian was flabbergasted.

He felt speechless for a few moments, but in the end, he sat back down beside the youth and downed the entire cup in one go.

”Another!” he said, slamming the cup on the grass.

”Of course, of course.” Adam smiled slyly as he refilled his cup.

After the two had drunk several cups, Adam finally began explaining the Stratford Incident. He told the Emperor that it was a stroke of luck that the Great Mother heard his prayers and blessed the ash tree he had planted. That, in turn, allowed Tron to gain sentience.

”…So you know how Herbalists revere the Great Mother, yeah?” Adam spoke casually, as if he were talking to an old friend.

”At the time, I planted the tree as a gesture of goodwill to the survivors of Stratford. You know, they named the new settlement after me, so I had to do something, right? And goodness arcana, the Great Mother actually responded to my prayers! I still find it unbelievable!”

Lucian couldnʼt help but ask with a frown, ”But Adam… what does it mean for Ulier? And our world?”

”Many good things!” The raven-haired youth laughed. ”For one, the density of mana will increase at a steady rate. You already feel it, though, donʼt you? The mana in this region has already increased a bit.”

Lucian remained silent for a moment, then nodded. ”Indeed. That is the first thing I noticed when I came here.”

His brows furrowed into a frown, and he added, ”But the tree will eventually attract greedy eyes. Sooner or later, there will be threats to the city and the tree.”

”Well, then itʼs a good thing it is our duty to protect them,” Adam said with a smile. ”Besides…”

His lips curled slightly wider.

”Youʼre underestimating Tron. The magic of coincidences is subtle, but it is very dangerous. Anyone who dares harm the ash tree becomes the enemy of the world itself.”

He paused briefly, then asked in an even voice:

”How long do you think someone can hope to stand when theyʼre facing the entire world?”