"Charmy, your Binding Magic seems much more reliable."
Adam approached Charmy and looked at the criminals trapped in her hands with curiosity. The four thugs were wrapped tightly in cotton, shrunken, and completely immobile.
Snort!
Charmy turned her head away, ignoring the guy who had stolen her food earlier.
"Goodbye then!"
Yami Sukehiro waved his hand, and Finral Roulacase opened a portal with his Space Magic. A white tunnel appeared before everyone. Gauche stepped through first — he couldn't wait to see Marie again.
"You're welcome to come again next time!"
The High Priest led the villagers of the Underwater Temple to see the Black Bulls off, singing a song of friendship.
"You reckless guy — you actually dared to flirt with Noelle!"
Adam's look startled Kiato, who quickly turned his head away.
"Let's go! Noelle, Asta!" Adam said as he walked into the portal. Asta waved goodbye to the villagers before following him in.
"Noelle!" Kahono held out her pinky finger.
Noelle's eyes were red as she linked hers with Kahono's and said softly, "Kahono, I'll come to see you again!"
At the Black Bulls Headquarters
"Finally back!"
Vanessa stripped off her cloak faster than anyone else, grabbed a bottle from the table, and started drinking.
"Magna! Let's have a fight!"
Luck's old habit returned immediately — he couldn't sit still for even a moment.
"No!" Magna Swing jumped back, desperate to avoid another one of Luck's random challenges.
"Why didn't you take me with you…"
Gordon Agrippa sat gloomily in the corner, muttering to himself. His eerie aura made the whole room feel colder.
"Charmy, Adam, and Finral — come with me to meet the Wizard King tomorrow," Yami said.
"I wanna go too!" Asta shouted.
"Kid, look at yourself. You're in no condition—"
Before Yami could finish, Adam cut in. "Captain, take Asta with you. I can't go tomorrow — I've got something else to do."
Yami glanced at him, thought for a moment, then grunted, "Alright. We three were the ones summoned in the first place — it wouldn't look good if one of us skipped."
"Adam, where are you going tomorrow?"
Noelle asked shyly, cheeks pink.
"Let's go together!"
"Sure."
The Next Morning
While Captain Yami took Asta and the others to the royal capital, Adam flew off with Noelle toward the Ladin family's estate.
"Adam, where are we going?"
"To a super farm!"
Adam — once just a village kid — was now flying a broom through the skies, with Noelle clinging tightly to him from behind.
"So warm…"
Noelle hugged Adam's waist, burying her face against his back. Her cheeks glowed red like ripe apples — she felt she could melt at any moment.
While magic is convenient, it still can't beat the Chicken Talisman's speed, Adam thought to himself. Guess I have to admit it… sometimes magic wins.
"Hold on tight!"
Whoosh!
So soft… Adam thought.
The Ladin Estate
"You're saying Ladin went out on business again? Didn't he tell you where he was going?"
Adam's tone was skeptical.
Butler Modi bowed politely. "Sir Adam, I'm terribly sorry. Master Ladin did not inform us of his destination. However, he did instruct that should you wish to purchase another creature, we're to offer you a generous price."
Adam's mouth twitched. Are we really friends, or am I just his best customer?
"Take me to see them. You know what I want."
"Yes, sir."
Modi led the way, with Adam and Noelle following. The servants they passed all lowered their heads immediately — clearly terrified.
"Adam, aren't we being a little too aggressive?"
Noelle whispered close to his ear.
When they first arrived above the manor, the guards had immediately tried to attack them. Some even made crude remarks about Noelle's looks.
Adam didn't say a word — his eyes flashed with lightning, and the oppressive weight of his mana forced everyone to their knees. If the butler hadn't intervened, the manor might have been turned to dust.
"Noelle, you're too kind. These people reek of corruption. As Magic Knights, we can't let them off easily," Adam said seriously.
These mercenaries clearly weren't professionals. With this much wealth, they didn't even hire proper mages. Something's fishy about this place…
Then he shook his head. Forget it — not my problem.
When he turned back, Noelle's worried gaze softened his mood.
Adam smiled and gently patted her head. "Don't worry. Just enjoy today. As long as I'm here, the sky won't fall."
The power of the Perfect Dragon, half of the Magic Palace's mana, the Water Spirit's blessing, the Sheep Talisman's strength, and the combined might of the Pig and Monkey Talismans — Adam had every reason to be confident.
In a world of magic, absolute strength speaks for itself.
"Look! That's the Demon Pig's little piglet!"
Ahead, a mother pig was feeding her piglets. Noelle's eyes sparkled — it was her first time seeing something so simple and pure. As a royal, she'd never even stepped foot on a farm before.
"Adam, those are Senior Charmy's sheep! And look at those strong cows!"
Noelle ran ahead, eyes shining with excitement. She even begged Adam to buy her a little rabbit to raise.
"Brother Adam, please~!"
"No. Charmy will eat it."
"Senior Charmy's not like that!"
"You think too highly of her."
"Then… we can buy one just to eat!"
"Noelle! Rabbits are too cute to eat!"
No matter how much Noelle pleaded, Adam wouldn't budge. If we brought one home, it'd end up as spicy rabbit stew before the day's over.
"Lord Adam, over here!"
In the chicken pens ahead, a blue-and-white rooster sat cross-legged in the middle of the yard, surrounded by a dozen "unconscious" hens.
"What… is that?"
Adam frowned. The bird looked strangely familiar.
"Originally, the master wanted to buy a few breeding chickens," the butler explained. "But the seller tricked him, and he brought this one back instead."
Adam quickly covered Noelle's curious eyes. "Well, looks like this guy's been… a little too productive."
Modi sighed. "This rooster isn't normal. No matter what we tried, we couldn't capture it. The master even hired the Squad, but they failed too."
"Which squad took that job?"
"The Purple Orca squad."
"Must've been quite the bounty," Adam said, smirking.
"If you can take care of it, Sir Adam, the reward is yours — 100,000 yul!"
"You can make that call?"
"The master authorized it himself."
Adam grinned. "Then let's end this."
"Dragon Blast!"
Adam raised his right hand, firing a massive beam of energy at the rooster. But just before impact, the bird's eyes snapped open — it leapt high into the air, dodging the attack with a screech.
Bang!
Cluck!
The devilish rooster let out a battle cry and bolted, darting between coops and knocking over everything in sight.
"Lord Adam!" Modi shouted in panic.
"Relax. It can't run forever."
Adam gave chase. When the rooster leapt over a water trough, he raised his hand. "Rise!"
The water surged upward, forming a prison that wrapped around the rooster like a living cage. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't break free.
"Gotcha."
Adam grabbed the bird, plucked its feathers with fire magic, and cleaned it up — ready for a little picnic later.
"Sir Adam, here's your reward!"
Adam accepted the bag of yul without hesitation. "If something like this happens again, contact the Black Bulls."
"Yes, sir!"
As Adam and Noelle left, a servant whispered to Modi, "Butler, are we really just letting them go? That Adam—he left his brothers…"
"Don't complicate things. That man isn't ordinary," Modi said coldly. A chill ran down his spine.
The last time he came here… he had no magic power at all.
This can't be exposed.
Later, Near Nairn City
"Did you have fun?" Adam asked.
"I did. But that manor… it gave me such a gloomy feeling," Noelle said softly, nibbling on a roasted chicken leg Adam handed her.
"Yeah. The last time I came, there were way more animals."
Adam took a bite himself. "And this chicken doesn't seem all that evil."
"You think the butler lied to us?"
"Maybe. Look at you — you've got grease all over your face, haha!"
"Don't laugh at me!"
"Too late."
"Adam!" Noelle said angrily, pounding on him. "Still laughing?"