Driven to the Brink

All kinds of thoughts churned through Adam's mind, but even more questions surfaced at the same time.

Alva had maintained the appearance of a middle-aged man because he had taken the Elixir of Immortality—but what about Anthony?

If Anthony had taken it as well, why could Alva still move about freely while Anthony could only hide within Reflection Tower, even keeping others from knowing he was still alive?

And why did Anthony appear as a young man, while Alva looked middle-aged?

Was that why Matt was so hostile toward him, someone who might be able to provide the Elixir of Immortality?

Too many questions flooded Adam's mind, while Doug observed Adam's reaction.

He had already received news that the servants sent to Clock Tower had failed in their search, with one person missing. That was why he had chosen to lay his cards on the table with Adam.

Now, it seemed Adam did not know much about the Elixir of Immortality.

Noticing Doug's gaze, Adam hurriedly reined in his emotions. At the same time, he found that gaze repulsive, as though Doug's greed for the Elixir of Immortality had stirred the malice brought by the elixir itself.

Why am I so sensitive to this malice? Adam frowned and carefully sensed it, discovering that it seemed connected to bloodlines as well.

If the Elixir of Immortality can bring malice to one's bloodline, then why does Alva, who brewed and consumed it, not make me feel such disgust?

Adam thought back carefully. In his interactions with Alva, Alva had merely disliked him because of his personality. Adam himself had never sensed any similar malice from Alva.

Has Alva already removed the Elixir of Immortality's side effects? Or does Alva himself have nothing to do with it? Adam guessed.

"Master Adam." Doug eased his expression and looked straight into Adam's eyes. "I need the Elixir of Immortality. The Rom Family needs the Elixir of Immortality. So I need your help, Master."

"Becoming an outstanding spellcaster requires an enormous supply of resources. The Rom Family can become your most steadfast support. As long as we obtain the Elixir of Immortality, I will mobilize the entire family and fully support your spellcaster training."

The offer Doug threw out was enough to make many spellcasters lose their minds. Spellcaster training was manageable in its early stages, but once one reached the middle and later stages, the resources required rose in a straight line.

Crafting spell books, gathering casting materials, refining spiritual anchors, conducting all manner of spell experiments, and later constructing ritual arrays—all of it required vast resources.

Adam had been lucky. Anthony had directly given him a spare spell book; otherwise, a single spell book would take a commoner several years of going without food or drink to afford, and even then there might not be one for sale.

It could be said that if you were poor, you should not play at being a spellcaster. You simply could not afford it.

Most spellcasters looked glamorous on the surface, but behind the scenes they were so poor they could not bear to wear underwear.

A few exceptions existed, such as Anthony.

"I am only an apprentice, Mr. Doug." Adam began with a reminder. Once he had understood the conflict within the Rom Family, he already knew what he should do.

He decided to make a big gamble, so that his escape plan could proceed more smoothly. He had stayed in Roa long enough.

"And as far as I know, Master Alva does not welcome Mr. Doug either." Adam stretched out a hand to tease the little bird perched on his head, then spoke seriously.

"Although I have not followed Master Alva for long, I know one thing: he has his own standards for good and evil. If the Elixir of Immortality were merely something that violated the Church's doctrine, he would not refuse to provide it to others."

"That proves one thing—the Elixir of Immortality has other, unknown side effects." At this moment, Adam no longer restrained himself. He delivered his judgment with absolute certainty.

Doug looked at Adam. At that moment, Adam seemed to shine with dazzling light. Doug, who had once merely considered him an outstanding youth, no longer regarded Adam as a boy not yet fourteen years old.

"The fact that Alva is living well now proves that the side effects are not a problem—or rather, they are not his own problem." Doug grew solemn, his face no longer showing the slightest expression. "So what do you need?"

"The Rom Family's full support." Adam stated the condition Doug had offered before, but unlike Doug, he removed the prerequisite.

What Doug had said before was that after obtaining the Elixir of Immortality, all of it was merely pie in the sky. Before gaining anything at all, going all out to help the other party obtain the elixir was the mindset of a tool; whether one could receive the final benefits depended entirely on Doug's wishes.

Now it was Adam's turn to promise pie in the sky, and that pie was the Elixir of Immortality.

"Not just resources. Manpower and authority as well." Adam glanced at Walker behind Doug, rose to his feet, and took two small steps back. His hand never left the spell book tucked against his chest.

"You are even shrewder and greedier than I imagined." Doug gave Adam a deep look, but he did not reject Adam's proposal. Instead, he said, "I can agree to your conditions, but at regular intervals, I need tangible progress. An Elixir of Immortality that does not affect the bloodline—I am determined to have it."

"Of course. I imagine Mr. Doug has already sent people to search Clock Tower, yes?" Adam said with a smile. Once he knew Doug's target was the Elixir of Immortality, this was not difficult to guess.

"There is a great library there. That is where I study." Adam spoke the truth. "Some secrets are hidden within it, and those without the proper qualifications cannot enter."

"My path as a spellcaster has only just begun. The areas I can explore are limited. I need your help, Mr. Doug," Adam said.

"What help?"

"The night is not open to me. Wasting an entire night, unable to use it for study, is detrimental to my training progress, though I am still young and need not be in such a hurry." After Adam finished speaking, he noticed that Walker's gaze behind Doug had grown even more hostile.

But Adam had understood from the very beginning that one should not speak of feelings with nobles. Their goodwill toward you and their esteem for you all came from profit.

As long as the profit remained, so did the feelings. Once the profit was gone, no matter how well those feelings had been maintained before, they were nothing but useless things.

"No problem. I will make arrangements." Doug's gaze toward Adam became increasingly appreciative instead, and he even sighed. "If only you were a member of the Rom Family."

"The Rom Family only needs Mr. Doug." Adam returned to his seat once more, and the atmosphere in the study instantly eased.

After exchanging a few compliments, Adam took his leave. Yet before walking out, Adam seemed to recall something. He turned around with an expression of full approval and said, "Mr. Doug, the coachman you arranged for me is a good coachman."

"Is that so?" Doug froze slightly. He still had a faint impression of that coachman.

"Unfortunately, he seems to have done some work beyond a coachman's duties." Adam continued, "Although Mr. Doug thinks Mr. Matt is no good, you also seem to have paid him too little attention."

"I will go train now. See you tomorrow, Mr. Doug." Adam said no more. He bowed slightly, turned, and left.

Doug remained in the study, his expression darkening. He glanced up at Walker beside him. Walker nodded and left for a short while.

When he appeared before Doug again, he had already learned whom Matt had been in contact with these past few days.

Doug looked at the sheet of paper and suddenly began coughing again. The hand clutching the paper trembled without stop.

"Does everyone think I am finished?" Doug walked to the window and looked at the brightly lit Rom Manor outside.

A nameless fear suddenly seized him. He tightened his grip on the cane in his hand, clutching it tightly as a circular crest appeared on the back of his hand.

Yet even the crest looked dim upon his aged skin.

"You were right. The Rom Family only needs me." Doug muttered to himself, then turned to Walker. "Have the people at the gambling house press Matt a little harder. Then secretly take control of everyone he has contacted and hand control of those people over to Adam."

"Understood." Walker nodded. Given Matt's current situation, once the gambling house pressed him, it would be driving him to the brink. But that had nothing to do with Walker. He was loyal only to Doug, not to the Rom Family.

Instead, Walker had become extremely wary of Adam. This young man was not simple.