Supreme Magus novel Chapter 4425

Chapter 4425: Old Friend (Part 1)

"Everything I saved from the drop in the crime rate I shared with Keyla to help her stabilize her fief, and it was more than enough." Jadon said.

"Or rather, it was supposed to be enough. How the entire Lustria’s budget to fight crime cannot be enough to keep the fraction of its underworld that moved to Ghishal under control is beyond us."

"Then there is a problem." Lith said. "Why did you try to keep it a secret from me?"

"Because we are ashamed of our incompetence, Lith." Kelia clenched her hands so hard that Lith heard them pop from under the fur muffler. "Dad ran Lustria like clockwork for decades while corruption ran rampant and the Kingdom was on the brink of civil war.

"He annexed Ghishal to our fief and laid such a solid groundwork for us before he retired that it barely needs maintenance. Yet what did we achieve? We have a Magus under our roof whose name is enough to make nobles and criminals tremble.

"The Kingdom is more peaceful than ever, and our fief benefits from your Trains and the new Warp Gate in Lutia. We have more than Father could ever dream, and yet we can’t keep a bunch of small-time crooks in line.

"We’re ashamed because we are failing our father, Lith. We are failing you."

"What do you mean?" Lith asked in confusion.

"The Kingdom may be peaceful, but everyone with an amulet and half a brain knows your life is not." Jadon shook his head. "The Lost City in Jiera, the Indech, your children, and now the kidnapping attempt your family had to endure.

"We are not stupid, Lith. We know that you must have your hands full with more problems than we can imagine. How could we ask you to add our incompetence to your burden and still be able to look at our father’s statue with our heads high?

"He would turn in his grave if he knew how badly we are doing." The Count sighed.

"I don’t claim I knew your father better than you did, Jadon, but I think you are wrong about this." Lith replied. "Rather than turning in his grave, Trequill would slap the back of your head and tell you that you should have called me when the problems in Ghishal started.

"Your father and I barely knew each other when he asked me to protect him, you, and Keyla. He knew it was risky, that I might have said no, and that Nana would have done a much better job than you, but he took that leap of faith because he cared more about you and Lustria than his pride.

"I’m not a kid anymore, and we’ve gone through thick and thin together, Keyla. Do you really think your father would disapprove of you for asking my help?"

"No, he wouldn’t." Keyla looked at the statue, hoping for a sign from beyond the grave that never came.

"I’m glad we are on the same page." Lith nodded. "Before we move inside your home to discuss your situation, there’s something I need to do."

He took a deep breath, letting the death energy of his Abomination side seep through the now-closed cracks in his life force and reach his eyes. Lith looked around with Death Vision and watched the Larks die dozens of times in a handful of seconds.

Poison and hidden blades were the most frequent cause of death, making him frown. Tier two spells were the next most probable cause, while death by old age was unlikely.

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