The Prince Of Magic

...

...

After dropping off the groceries in the penthouse, Hadrian and his retainers had quickly gone to the place that he was assigned to meet someone.

Before he went to bed, his grandfather had sent him the address of the meeting place via text message.

Seeing no harm to make his life easier then, Hadrian used the Moon Cell to find the designated location. Now, he and the others found themselves inside a casual-looking restaurant that also happens to turn into a bar when night time comes.

The establishment has a cozy and comfortable feel that visitors cannot help but relaxed once they are inside. Looking around, Hadrian was glad there were a few customers inside.

'Locals, most probably…' He mused after a few moments of observation.

Hadrian turned to his retainers, who were also glancing around the area with mild interest.

"You guys can take a seat somewhere around here. Order anything you want, just don't go crazy. We won't be staying here for long." Hadrian advised.

"Kay!" Charles, Arash and Astolfo said in unison, grinning.

"Gotcha, Boss." Yan Qing said with a small grin.

"Very well then." Scáthach said with a nonchalant nod.

Kieran, who had his hands inside his pockets, also gave him a nod. But, Rider, Dia and Arturia reacted differently from the others.

Rider was quiet, but staring at him as if she was reluctant to go.

Arturia looked elegant and calm as always, but he can also feel her hesitance upon his suggestion.

Dia was more open with his concern than the two women, expressing concern on his face as he reluctant to stay with the others due to his concern over his lord's safety.

As for the others, Hadrian can sense that they too were all concerned for him. They simply weren't making it obvious through their expressions.

Thankful as he was, he does not see (nor feel) the need to have them around while he speak to the person he was about to meet. Besides, it might make that person feel intimidated throughout their talk if Hadrian lets any of them accompany him to the meeting.

"Go on, guys. I won't take long." Hadrian reassured with a small smile.

The three remained silent for a few moments, obviously hesitant to leave, while the others were simply waiting for the three to join them.

It was Arturia who finally gave in, sighing audibly.

"We will wait for you." She said, her emerald eyes resolute.

With that said, she turned to join her fellow retainers, while Dia and Rider gave him one last glance before slowly following after her.

Once he saw that they were seated on the other side of the room, Hadrian let out a chuckle and shook his head.

"Aaah, that stubbornness of hers…" He muttered, fondly recalling Arturia's determined glint in her eyes.

If anything, she and the others looked equally resolute in doing their duties as his retainers earlier, which Hadrian can understand and appreciate all the same.

He just doesn't see the need to have them guarding him while he meets the person working for his grandfather, not when he can take care of himself.

'Well, might as well get to it…' Hadrian sighed.

Pulling out the PT from his pocket, Hadrian went to the gallery and clicked on an image that his grandfather had sent him earlier morning.

The image was a profile picture of the person he was about to meet today, and it was a photo of a man in his early twenties. He has blue eyes, short brown hair and Caucasian features.

What stood out about him was the calm and confident expression he wore in the photo. All in all, the person in the image looks like a man who is comfortable in his own skin.

After memorizing the man's features in the photo, Hadrian put the PT on standby and returned it inside his pocket as he searched around the room for the man in question.

Since it was now afternoon, the establishment had gotten a little crowded, giving him an indication that the restaurant was a popular spot for locals.

It took him a few minutes to find the person he was looking for, and when he did, Hadrian had found himself on the second floor where there are only few people dining in.

The man was in a corner near the open view that overlooks the front entrance of the restaurant/bar.

Standing at a certain distance, Hadrian observed the man for a few moments.

He was drinking coffee as he stared out the veranda and down below, eyes focused and observant.

Although, while he looked calm and relaxed outside, to someone who was experienced in reading the body language, one can tell that the man was nervous.

The tense muscles around his shoulders and the way his eyes seems to be searching for something (or someone) below gave him away to Hadrian, which the latter finds interesting since what he was seeing from the man now was a stark contrast from the one in the picture.

'He looks like an amateurish criminal who is about to prepare an unplanned heist if he keeps that up…' He thought in amus.e.m.e.nt.

The way the Moon Cell informed him of the man's identity amused him even further, what with the small blue box with a name and an arrow pointing at the man on the left.

After casting a privacy spell around the room, Hadrian slowly approached the table where the man was seated, stopping once he was near.

The man turned to him in surprise, obviously startled. Then, he did a double take when he saw Hadrian's face, recognizing him probably.

What happened next nearly broke Hadrian's calm and regal façade.

The man tried to stand up from his seat, keyword being tried since he failed to do so when the cup filled with hot coffee (the one that he was still holding in his right hand) spilled a little and dropped on his pants, causing him to quickly let go of the cup and drop it on the saucer, nearly breaking it in the process.

The man yelped in surprise and pain as the hot coffee stained his front.

"Ah, damn it…!" He cursed, taking a napkin to dry the substance quickly.

The entire scene nearly made Hadrian laugh, but he curved it just in time. It did made him smile faintly though.

"Are you Hugo Faust?" The Schweinorg heir asked.

Hadrian already knew who the man was since the Moon Cell had confirmed it for him, but the man didn't know that (nor does he need to).

Fl.u.s.tered as he was, the man shot up from his seat and put on a strained smile, probably from the pain and out of nervousness.

"Ye-yes I am!" Hugo Faust said, then he offered his hand in greeting.

After staring at the hand before him for a split second, Hadrian put up his right hand and shook the man's hand twice before letting go.

"May I sit?" Hadrian asked, gesturing to the other in front of the man.

"Ah yes, of course, please." Hugo nodded, laying the napkin stained with coffee on the table.

Once they were seated properly, Hadrian faced the man with a small smile, which somewhat put the man at ease.

"So… what is our meeting about?" Hadrian began, getting straight to the point.

Hugo blinked in surprise, as if caught off guard by his bluntness.

"Um, Lord Zelretch didn't tell you?" Hugo asked for clarification in the case he heard wrong.

"No, he didn't." Hadrian answered honestly.

"Err, then I think it is better that I explain the situation to you." Hugo scratched the back of his head with a sigh.

"That would be for the best." Hadrian smiled in gratitude.

"Um, first, please let me cast privacy spell, so that we wouldn't be overheard by anyone here." Hugo suggested, in the process of activating his circuits.

"There's no need for that." Hadrian interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Hugo uttered in surprise.

"I had already casted one, so…" Hadrian trailed off, giving the other Magus a knowing look.

"Oh!" Hugo said in realization, then asked out of curiosity. "When?"

"As soon as I found you." Hadrian stated simply.

Seeing how calm and relaxed the Schweinorg heir appeared, Hugo can't help but laugh nervously at the answer given to him.

As a Magus of average standing, Hugo finds the situation he was currently in to be unrealistic.

He considers himself powerful and resourceful enough to contend with most Magi, even the first rate ones, combat-wise.

But now, sitting in front of this young man who comes from an ancient magical bloodline of the family that he (and his future descendants) had pledged to serve, Hugo feels small.

He had been through enough battles to sense the magical circuits being activated, but when the young man said he had already casted a spell, it made Hugo terrified at the thought that he had not even felt anything earlier before the latter appeared in front of him, which greatly reminds him of the current Head of the Schweinorg house, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

The realization of knowing that the future Head of the Schweinorg house has great potential filled Hugo's heart with joy and dread.

Joy being the fact that the future of his house will be safe and secured for many years to come, while dreading at the thought of the fate of those who crosses this seemingly harmless young man.

In addition, Hugo heard from Lord Zelretch that the young heir has a great potential to become the next Magician in the future, which was considered to be a highly impressive feat to accomplish that was equally grand as the one of emerging victorious from the infamous Holy Grail War on the moon.

Being one of the close attendants to serve the old Magician, Hugo had been informed of the young heir's feats over the years, with the Holy Grail War being the most recent.

Even now, meeting the young heir in person, Hugo found it hard to believe that the young man before him was the one who had saved the world from the brink of calamity.

But, the event did occurred and the holy grail war has ended, despite the fact that nearly all magi gained some kind of amnesia about the war since no talks of it were heard ever again, much less rumors of it.

It was as if all things related to the war recently has disappeared the day after the event has ended.

As mysterious as it was, Hugo has a nagging feeling that he was facing the perpetrator of why most magi had 'forgotten' about the event, not that he would dare to snitch on the young heir to the Mage Association about it.

Hugo values his life too much to risk earning the ire of one official Magician and a Magus who is closer to become one.

...

...