Cero watched silently, thinking to himself, "Jin Claye… he looks nervous on the outside, but his body language says otherwise. Interesting."
The tavern fell into complete silence.
When Gabby's hood was pulled back, everyone stared. His face was marked with deep acne scars and a patchy complexion. His nose was crooked and flat, and his eyes—though sharp—were slightly uneven, one squinting more than the other.
The knight who removed the hood quickly pulled it back over Gabby's head, almost as if he regretted it.
One of the other knights muttered, "Ugly kid."
But Desmond shot him a sharp glare that shut him up immediately.
Gabby finally spoke, his voice cracking, "I'm just not confident about how I look… I don't feel like someone who should be seen beside Sir Jin."
Even though Desmond was a noble known for his pride, he felt a pang of guilt. He lowered his voice and said, "We're sorry if we made you feel that way, Gabby."
Jin rushed to Gabby's side and gently rubbed his back. "I told you it was a bad idea," he said softly. "He has social anxiety. Just being stared at is enough to make him cry."
"As a token of apology," Desmond said, "we will donate two military horses to you."
Jin extended his hand and replied, "You don't have to—but if you insist, we'll gladly accept. We could use the extra safety." He glanced around the tavern, noticing the eyes of several serfs watching him with quiet malice.
Desmond shook Jin's hand firmly. "Not a problem, Sir Jin. I will assign one of my knights to personally escort you to the southern border."
Jin gave a respectful nod as he said, "That would be greatly appreciated."
He turned to the room and raised his voice. "Everyone, you may continue and enjoy your meal."
Suddenly, a bold serf raised his hand and shouted, "Sir! Shouldn't you treat the whole tavern to free booze? Right, everyone?"
The tavern erupted in unison, "YES!"
Desmond raised an eyebrow and asked calmly, "State your name."
The serf puffed out his chest and said proudly, "Rafe Pitchfork."
Desmond smiled. "Very well, Rafe. Your taxes will be increased fivefold, and you are now required to perform mandatory free labor on your lord's land—effective immediately. Reflect on your insolence."
Rafe's face twisted in horror. He dropped to his knees, speechless and devastated. The tax was already high—but now, with forced labor added, it was unbearable.
After the Town Crier and his knights left, the tavern slowly returned to its usual rhythm.
The server approached Jin and Gabby, balancing a tray of steaming food. She gently placed the dishes on their table, offering a small smile.
The rich aroma of fish stew and the golden crust of bread filled the air, its scent mingling with the warm.
The server said softly, "Here you go, Have a wonderful morning. Eat while it's hot."
Jin gave a polite nod as he said, "Thank you. It smells wonderful."
Gabby, still quiet, glanced at the food as he thought to himself, "The moment that I've reached Three-Core Aura, I can perform advanced techniques. One of them is Aura Manipulation—the ability to reshape my facial features by controlling the flow of aura through my face. It's not something commonly known… even among seasoned aura users."
After they finished eating, they departed immediately.
The Far East is home to eight Magic Towers, each competing for power, influence, and wealth. This region is known as the Land of Mages. Among them, Robert's Magic Academy rank second in the hierarchy of knowledge and ruthless competition.
Fortunately, Gabby had mastered Mana Manipulation, which helped them avoid the watchful eyes of the duke.
The wind brushed against his face, cool and wild, as the horse galloped across the open field, its hooves thundering softly against the earth. The scent of wild grass and sun-warmed soil filled the fresh air.
Gabby shortened his stirrups and leaned forward, his body aligning perfectly with the rhythm of the galloping horse. His posture was flawless, his grip steady—every movement precise and deliberate.
It was his first time on horseback, yet he rode with the poise of an elite knight. There was no hesitation in his hands, no uncertainty in his balance. He didn't fumble, didn't falter. He simply adapted—like he always did. After all, he was a genius.
His expression remained unreadable, calm and eyes fixed ahead. But beneath that stoic exterior, something stirred. Not joy, not excitement—traits that aren't his. It was something quieter.
A sense of Freedom.
Beside him, Jin matched his pace effortlessly. Both of themwere exceptional riders. Their overwhelming speed left the knight—who were supposed to escort them to the Southernborder—far behind, unable to keep up.
As they rode swiftly toward the Far East, Gabby's thoughts raced, "Jin is dubious. Nobles with great wealth don't usually show off their gold so easily. But I had no choice—without him, I wouldn't have escaped the South. I owe him for that."
As they galloped at reckless speed, Gabby asked, "Jin, what should we do once we reach your barony?"
Jin replied, "You'll need to pass the Trial at Robert's Magic Tower and become a student like me. I've already enlistedyou."
Gabby looked didn't react as he said, "You really planned all of this."
He murmured under his breath, "Like you saw it coming."
Jin smiled. "It's no problem, Cer— I mean, Gabby."
He added, "Robert's Magic Academy is our steppingstoneto shape the future."
Gabby said nothing, but his thoughts churned. "I just graduated from the harsh training at the Magic Tower, and now I'm finally chasing my dreams.
Samantha, Veronica, Ronaldo… I wonder what happened to them. Most likely, they were executed too."
Jin broke the silence as he spoke, "Do you want to know the backstory of the original Gabby Magus?"
Gabby looked at him and nodded.
Jin continued:
"The original Gabby Magus… he looked exactly like you. Same face. He was declared dead—assassinated after losing the battle to become the next Count of Redstin."
"His older brother claimed the title. His older brother and the world moved on, believing Gabby had been eliminated. But that's not the full truth."
After a brief paused, Jin continued, ""He survived the assassination. Barely. He fled, wounded and hunted. For a time, he lived in the shadows, clinging to life, perhaps even hoping to return."
"He died. Eventually. The wounds were too deep. But nobody was ever found. No grave. Just rumors… and silence."
Gabby asked, "Then why would I pretend to be him if there's a possibility that he's still alive?"
With a smirk, Jin replied, "Because I killed him."
Gabby stared at him, confused. "A lunatic… To think he went to such extremes just to save me—just beyond reasoning." He asked, "What about his vassals?"
Jin looked up at the sky, trying to recall. "Because I ended the story. I made sure no one would ever go looking. I made sure the world believed he was truly gone. I silenced them."
Cero thought to himself, "A utilitarian and a lunatic who's willing to sacrifice anyone to achieve a greater goal. His dangerous, he might turn against me when the time comes but this what excites me."
Jin added, "I had sinned, but may the Gods forgive me."
Gabby didn't flinch. His gaze remained locked on Jin, cold and unreadable. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Your moral conviction… is commendable."
Jin thought to himself, "Gabby Magus was just an infant—killed fourteen years ago. I was barely two, clueless and drooling on floor mats. How could I have possibly killed him? If I want his trust, I need to be the kind of monster he admires. Cold. Calculated. Capable of anything. If I want his trust, I need to be the kind of monster he admires. Cold. Calculated. Capable of anything. "
An edgelord.
Gabby thought to himself:
"My new identity saved me from the grip of Duke Ashby of the South… but it may have only bought me time."
"Now, I might have to face the forces of the East County of Redstin. Father must have known this would happen—he was the one who gave me the name Gabby Magus."
"Was it a mission?"
"I'm caught in a spiral, feels like I'm walking deeper into a web that I didn't weave—but I must control."
"I have many questions but Jin Claye. I cannot trust him- not fully. His words are too smooth, his plans too precise. Everything feels rehearsed. Until then, I need to know his true motives."
"This freedom sucks. I regret making that wish."