Learning the name of the shadowy organization he’d encountered multiple times should have made Nick feel more at ease, especially since it turned out to be a known entity, at least among the upper echelons of society.

Unfortunately, the small amount of information Tholm provided only made things more confusing.

Oh, it wasn’t that Nick couldn’t understand the purpose of the Circle of Pure Souls, no. He had personally felt on his skin what unchecked power in religious organizations could lead to, and he easily saw why someone would want to keep them in line.

But while his previous encounters in the grassland and Honeyton could be considered consistent with that purpose, the conspiracy unfolding through Alluria was much less clear.

Tholm seemed convinced they had done enough to prevent the worst, viewing the whole situation as just another move in the long game played by the four major forces of Berea, but Nick wasn’t as sure.

Some parts of the attack might have been a distraction. The full-scale assault on Alluria probably wouldn’t have happened in the way I was thinking, but they were gathering serious resources. People were training for something.

And Changer’s presence alone was enough to make him think there was at least one other goal, besides attacking the temples.

These “Pure Souls” clearly didn’t fear direct conflict, not with how they’d killed every one of Eztie’s priests and burned the temple down, but there was a difference between doing that in a border town that could barely contain its monster population and doing it in a major city like Alluria.

The priests here were undoubtedly more powerful than anything they had faced before, and while technically enough people could overwhelm anyone, he doubted their goal was to send human waves at the temples to overpower whatever forces resided within.

No, it’s more likely they had a more targeted operation in mind. The attack on the auction would have been a perfect distraction to keep the Duke’s men and major players like Xander and the Tower masters busy, but bringing in that many people would have disrupted that plan. On the other hand, if they had assembled a strike team to kill specific individuals or steal particular treasures, then things would start making sense again.

Nick doubted he would ever understand the full scope of the plans. He had already killed the one man who might have told him, and he suspected that someone as ruthless and manipulative as Changer would not have kept his team well-informed.

Still, as he sat in Wolfram Manor’s gardens, watched by the soldiers outside the gates with sharp eyes, he couldn’t help but hope that whoever was tasked with infiltrating the underground tunnels would find something.

After his heartfelt talk with Tholm, Nick requested permission to personally take Anthony to the old sword master to make sure his brother was cleared of any accusations. That request was granted with more than a little fanfare.

Their teleportation to the manor’s gates caused quite a stir, and it was only Tholm’s robes that marked him as an Archmage, placing him outside the soldiers’ pay grade that allowed them to enter without being disturbed.

And now, after several explanations to both Xander and the Captain in charge of the soldiers outside, they were waiting for an emissary of the Duke to arrive and decide what to do next.

Or rather, to be told what is going to happen. Tholm and Xander seem to have already decided between themselves.

“A cup of tea?”

Pulling his head out of the clouds, Nick saw that Sonya had somehow found the time to prepare a proper breakfast, having set up some sort of pavilion with tablecloths and wooden chairs, which he was sure hadn't been there just a few minutes earlier.

“What the hell, sure,” he muttered. He hadn't eaten before heading out for his nightly hunt, so he was pretty hungry.

Picking a spot, Nick soon found himself with a plate full of everything that made waking up in the morning worth it. Or, in his case, chasing down a conspiracy through the deepest, darkest tunnels.

He was just finishing his second sausage when he finally felt his brother’s signature emerge from the house.

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Nick had wanted to go see him right away, but Sonya persuaded him to give Devon some time to make himself presentable. Apparently, being accused of involvement in Anthony's disappearance and possibly plotting to attack the auction had been a big shock, and Devon had spent the past few days expressing his frustration in the yard and neglecting himself.

Fortunately, he seemed to be doing better now that Anthony was back in the scene, and that both Xander and Tholm were working together to free him from the taint of a traitor that had hung over him.

“If someone didn’t know you lived in the Tower and had free access to all kinds of food, they’d think you were starving.”

Nick made a scene of finishing his sausage, took a long sip of his fortifying black tea, and only after dabbing his lips with a napkin did he turn to look at his brother.

As a Knight, Devon’s body didn’t suffer from common issues like sleep deprivation or stress, or at least it could endure much more punishment than an ordinary person.

However, that didn’t mean there weren’t signs for those who knew him well. He had just shaved, so the scraggly beard he had likely worn while wallowing was gone, but his eyes were more restless than usual. While his clothes remained as neat as ever, thanks to Sonya’s care, signs of repeated use were visible in the slightly scuffed edges.

Her outrage over his refusal to wear fresh clothes also made it clear that he wasn’t the only one aware of his brother’s true condition.

Yet, there was a light in his eyes that told Nick he would be okay.

“I’ve been out all night cleaning up your messes. I think I can eat a few sausages in peace,” he replied, before snorting at his brother’s incredulous expression as he looked from where he was sitting under the pavilion to the few dozen soldiers eyeing them from outside the gates.

“Alright, maybe not in peace,” he admitted, this time earning a chuckle from the others.

Devon remained standing a moment longer before shrugging and sitting down. Sonya quickly served him her breakfast, which he briefly acknowledged with a gentle touch on her wrist. That small gesture suggested their relationship was gradually improving, though it was still progressing at a slower pace than his brother typically preferred.

“So, he’s still alive?” Devon asked, cutting into a still-sizzling piece of bacon.

Not needing to ask who he referred to, Nick nodded, “Yeah, a bit banged up, but he’s in one piece. Tholm and Xander have taken him aside for now, but we should be expecting a visit from one of the Duke’s men to inspect him and verify his identity, and then you should be cleared.”

“They won’t need to interrogate him first?”

Nick shrugged. “They might, and to be honest, he probably deserves it. He’s been involved in some pretty shady dealings, and while he shouldn’t have been put in the situation he was when I found him, he still was a criminal.”

Personally, Nick didn’t really care about the teen’s fate now that he’d done his part, but he could tell his brother and Sonya were relieved. They were pretty close to Anthony’s mother, if he remembered correctly, and neither of them had been involved in the kinds of things he had.

For a brief moment, Nick felt a strange sense of alienation. He was sitting with people who loved him, and whom he loved in return, with no pressing threats at least in the immediate future, and yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was very old and incredibly lonely.

Then, the moment passed, and he sensed a commotion at the gates.

Sonya was already on her feet, marching toward the manor’s entrance to welcome the newcomer, while the two old men overseeing the entire operation reappeared from whatever secret scheme they’d been engaged in, also heading for the gate. This surprised Nick, as he doubted they would greet just about anyone.

Which means it’s not just an aide sent to handle the matter. Who would the Duke trust enough with this?

The answer was provided quickly, as instead of a general or trusted servant, the person who walked in was the Duke himself.

Devon shot to his feet, clearly recognizing who that was, and Nick followed more calmly. Like the last time he met the man, an air of control and power surrounded him, drawing attention and earning respect and reverence from those around him.

Yet the Duke raised a hand, halting the soldiers from going further into the manor. “I’ll take only Nausicaa; the rest of you can wait out here.”

A slim, dusky-skinned woman that Nick would have dismissed if not for [Empyrean Intuition] telling him she was on the verge of Prestige, detached from his retainers and followed him, while the rest stayed put, clearly unhappy about it.

“Grandmaster, Archmage,” the Duke greeted with a charming smile, earning nods from the two men. “This is Nausicaa, my best diviner. She will be able to verify the young man’s identity and even summon a vision of his recent past. That should put to rest any ugly accusations.”

Given that it was his own men who made those accusations, Nick couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, curious to see if Xander would rebuke him. But beyond a disdainful sniff, he seemed willing to let that new categorization slide, if it meant his apprentice would go free.

Nausicaa wasn’t exactly what Nick expected from a professional diviner. She seemed more suited for assassin work or being a scout rather than sitting still for long hours, but her power was genuine. He decided to watch her work, curious to see what method she’d use.

Everyone moved to the side garden, just out of the soldiers’ view, where Anthony was laid on a makeshift camp bed, on which Tholm had cast a few healing and monitoring spells to ensure he didn’t die before the truth could be extracted from him.

A bit harsh, but given the trouble he’s caused, it’s more than he deserves.

Nausicaa approached and waved a hand over the boy, only to pull back with a frown as nothing happened.

For once, Nick didn’t need his emotion-sensing to know his mentor was very amused as he snapped his fingers and dismissed the magic, granting the woman access without uttering a word about her failure.

A thin cloud of mana left her sleeves, mingling with powders that Nick could tell had oneiric qualities. They descended on Anthony, enveloping him in shimmering particles from head to toe, and he twitched as the magic took effect.

Is she inducing mnemonic recall? If so, this is basically a form of hypnosis, allowing her to access memories and then project a broader divination using them as the anchor. Pretty clever.

Soon, mist gathered above him, and scenes began to be visible through it. From a newborn baby held in a large woman’s arms to the baby growing through Alluria’s streets, learning, playing, and eventually earning his own place.

“It’s him,” Nausicaa exhaled, then twisted her hands, causing the scenes to slow down as they reached the more recent past.

Devon’s shoulders sagged in relief, and Nick saw the Duke reach over and pat him in support, as if he hadn’t been the cause of all the stress.

His attention was pulled away from the blatant manipulation when the mist finally stabilized on a scene showing Anthony nursing a drink in a tavern, and he thought they had finally reached the point where Devon had met him, only for more people to show up, surrounding him completely.

Among them was someone Nick recognized.