Chapter 145: The Mad Magus They Already Met [Part 5]

’That is Rey Valen?’

The question echoed through Vera’s mind as she stared at the handsome man standing before her. Apparently, the other five Holy Guardians were experiencing the same crisis.

The infamous Mad Magus, whose obsession with forbidden magic had supposedly transformed him into something resembling a demon. That man? The one who had been swimming naked on a secluded beach? The same man they’d spent several embarrassing minutes admiring?

Vera felt an uncomfortable headache developing behind her eyes. This was not how she’d imagined their first meeting. Not even remotely.

"Shall we?" Rey asked pleasantly. He gestured toward the street leading away from the harbor.

Vera quickly recovered her composure. "Of course, Lord Valen."

"Rey is fine."

"That would be inappropriate."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged and began walking.

The six women followed. For several moments, nobody spoke. The evening breeze swept through Lumenford’s streets, carrying the scent of seawater and freshly baked bread. The last rays of sunlight painted the white buildings orange, while enchanted lanterns gradually illuminated the harbor.

It was a beautiful evening.

Unfortunately, none of the Holy Guardians were paying attention to the scenery. Their eyes kept drifting toward the man walking ahead of them. Now that they knew his identity, everything suddenly made sense. The confident manner. The complete absence of fear.

Tessa slowly leaned toward Vera. "Captain," she whispered.

"What?"

"The rumors said he looked like a monster."

Vera maintained her expression. "I’m aware."

Tessa glanced toward Rey’s back. "Then what the hell is that?"

Rina nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! Nobody mentioned he looked like that."

Nora pressed her lips together. "How is someone like him supposed to be mad?"

Syl sighed. "Well, he nearly drove us mad earlier."

Tessa covered her mouth.

Rina’s shoulders trembled.

Even Maeve smiled.

"That’s precisely why I warned you not to trust rumors," Vera whispered. "They can be exaggerated, distorted, or completely false."

Maeve glanced toward Rey. "Captain, I understand rumors can be wrong. But can they really be this wrong?"

Vera had no answer. Because, frankly, she was wondering the same thing. She’d imagined a pale, sickly-looking magus with black veins crawling across his skin and eyes glowing with corruption. Instead, Rey Valen looked like a handsome young nobleman who had wandered into Lumenford to enjoy a holiday. And judging by the peaceful expression on his face, he might genuinely have been doing exactly that.

"Don’t let your guard down," Vera warned. "Remember, he’s one of the five heroes. His appearance doesn’t change how dangerous he could be."

Maeve nodded thoughtfully. "Which makes him even more attractive. Strong, handsome, intelligent, and apparently capable of defeating the Dark Lord."

Maeve smiled. "All the more reason to reconsider what Tessa said about getting railed every night."

"MAEVE!"

The archer immediately straightened. "Yes, Captain?"

"Lower your voice!"

Tessa burst into muffled laughter.

Vera’s face warmed. They were supposed to be escorting a potentially dangerous Royal Magus to the Holy City, not discussing his qualifications as a lover.

"Just for your information," Vera hissed, "he already has five wives."

That silenced them. For approximately two seconds.

Then Rina shrugged. "So? Maybe he can add one more."

Vera slowly turned toward her. Her expression went completely deadpan.

Rina blinked. "What?"

"I’m wondering how you passed the Temple’s discipline examination."

"With excellent marks, actually."

"How unfortunate."

Nora snorted.

Syl, however, looked thoughtful. "I’ve heard about his wives."

Vera glanced at her. "What about them?"

"Five princesses from different races, right? A mermaid, fairy, Phoenixkin, foxkin, and crystal elf. And there are rumors that he abuses them."

The atmosphere changed slightly. Tessa looked toward Rey. "He doesn’t look like that type."

Rina folded her arms. "Well, we can’t judge a book by its cover."

"Exactly," Vera agreed.

Although she disliked admitting it, Rina had a point. A pleasant appearance didn’t guarantee a pleasant personality.

Vera had encountered beautiful necromancers who committed atrocities without the slightest hesitation. She’d also met terrifying-looking warriors who possessed gentler hearts than most priests. Appearance meant very little. Still...

She studied Rey’s relaxed posture. He didn’t appear particularly concerned about their presence. Nor had he shown any hostility when they mentioned their Temple assignment. If he truly practiced forbidden magic, surely he would have been more cautious around six Holy Guardians. Unless he was simply that confident. That possibility was considerably more troubling.

Vera decided to investigate. She increased her pace until she walked beside him. "May I ask you something, Sir Valen?"

Rey glanced at her. "Go ahead."

"Where exactly did you go today?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Today?"

"Yes. We searched almost the entire town, but nobody seemed to know your whereabouts. Then you suddenly appeared at the harbor."

Rey smiled faintly. "Ah. That." He looked ahead. "Well, I woke up rather late. After yesterday’s investigation, I needed some proper rest. Then I went outside to find something to eat. The townspeople were surprisingly generous, so I ended up enjoying quite a few local dishes."

Vera nodded. That matched the information they’d gathered.

"Afterward, I visited the market and bought a few souvenirs for my wives."

Tessa’s ears practically perked up. "Souvenirs?"

"Yes. Nothing particularly expensive. Just a few things I thought they’d appreciate."

Syl smiled. "That’s thoughtful."

Rey shrugged. "Well, I can’t exactly return home empty-handed after visiting a town famous for its romantic atmosphere."

Nora glanced at Vera.

The captain ignored her.

Rey continued. "Then I decided to enjoy the sea."

"The sea?" Vera repeated.

"Yes. I found a secluded beach and went swimming."

Vera’s steps faltered.

Rey turned toward her. "That part, however..." His smile became noticeably more amused. "You already saw it, didn’t you?"

Vera froze. "What do you—" She stopped. He knew. He’d known the entire time. Vera’s face turned crimson.

Behind her, Tessa made a strangled noise. Nora suddenly became fascinated by a nearby flower stall. Rina looked toward the sky. Syl covered her mouth. And Maeve was smiling.

Vera cleared her throat. "Sir Valen, I believe there’s been a misunderstanding."

"Really?" His expression remained perfectly innocent.

"We weren’t deliberately observing you. We simply noticed someone swimming below the cliffs. And as Holy Guardians, we were concerned about the safety of someone swimming alone in such an isolated location."