Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Adam's ears twitched, and he wiped his tears away when he heard the sound of a door creaking behind him.

The hut that he used to call home in the past still remained. It had been thatched, and the walls had been mended properly. However, its inhabitants had changed.

Adam didn't need to turn around to see who these people were and how many of them were there. He had already sensed their presence when he had arrived here.

Moreover, when he saw that his parents' graves had been well-maintained, he knew that it was the work of the people who currently lived in the hut.

A middle-aged man with a receding hairline stepped out of the hut. He wore modest clothes, and so did his family. His wife and his two kids, a boy and a girl, stood behind him, gazing at Adam and Valerian with curiosity and fear.

"Do you clean the graves regularly?" Adam's flat voice drifted into the ears of the middle-aged man.

The man flinched when he heard Adam's voice. The latter's presence was unlike anything he had ever felt. From a single glance at his robes, he could tell that the raven-haired youth was a man of means.

And then there was the pointy hat! Although he had never seen someone wearing it, he had heard in tales growing up that mighty spellcasters would sometimes wear them.

The man stepped forward, shielding his family behind him. He gathered the courage and spoke nervously, "Y-Yes, my lord! When I moved in here, these graves were already present and I…"

He paused for a moment before meekly adding, "I could not bear to get rid of them, so I've been taking care of them ever since."

Adam's lips curled into a warm smile. He turned around and walked towards the hut. When the family of four saw him walking towards them, they panicked.

Not only was Adam wearing fine garments, the likes of which they had never seen before, but his appearance was also very refined and noble.

Add to that, his height and build, the family of four couldn't help but give rise to the idea that they were in the presence of a king!

They found themselves involuntarily lowering their heads as their backs were drenched in cold sweat. They couldn't help but wonder just what Adam would do to them.

But much to their astonishment, Adam stood before them and placed his right hand over his chest. Then, he sincerely bowed to them.

"Thank you," he muttered softly. "Thank you for looking after my parents' graves while I was away."

"M-My Lord!" The middle-aged man was stunned. And so was the rest of his family.

The man hurriedly knelt on the ground, followed by his family. His heart was overcome by panic, seeing a man of such stature bow before him.

"P-Please, my lord! Please, you don't have to bow! I-I only did what was right!"

Adam stood back up and gazed at the man with a faint smile. With a simple motion, he conjured Magus Hands and lifted them up gently.

"If you don't mind, I would like to spend some time alone with my parents," he said with the same smile. He then shifted his gaze towards the man's wife and continued, "Would that be alright with you two?"

The woman yelped in panic, being suddenly spoken to. She quickly hid behind her husband and pulled her children behind her.

Adam couldn't help but awkwardly touch the thick beard on his chin. Am I really that… scary?

"M-My Lord, please forgive her," the middle-aged man hurriedly said. "And yes, please take as long as you need. We were heading into town anyway."

Adam silently nodded. He then cast his gaze towards the little boy and girl and found that they were curiously looking at him. He then winked at them, causing them to giggle.

The family of four soon took a few items from inside the house and hurriedly left. The man stopped mid-way, hesitating whether to tell Adam about a group of Magi who had arrived here a few months ago. In the end, he chose to tell Adam afterwards.

Adam watched them disappear amidst the sea of golden crops. It was nice of them to maintain the graves, he thought.

"Brother, is this where you lived when you were young?" Valerian pointed at the thatched hut.

Adam turned towards the hut and nodded. "Yes, this is where I was born. It is also where I lived for the first fifteen years of my life."

Valerian, curious as always, entered the hut. Adam followed behind him with a heart filled with emotions.

The interior was the same, except for the addition of a few items. From a cursory glance around the room, Adam could tell that the family of four was only barely getting by.

Without hesitation, he waved his hand a conjured a large wooden trunk from his earrings. He then placed the trunk in a corner of the room before turning around and exiting the hut.

Valerian stared at the trunk for a few moments before following after Adam.

He then sat on the ground and silently watched as his brother grabbed a broomstick from nearby and began cleaning the area around his parents' grave.

The young dragon had never seen Adam act so emotional and humble before.

After several minutes, the raven-haired youth had finished cleaning. He then sat down on his knees before his parents' grave.

"Val, come and pay your respects."

"Yes, brother!" The young dragon jogged towards the grave and gracefully sat down beside his big brother.

He then saw Adam conjure a small plate of fruits, a bowl of water, and two incense sticks.

As the raven-haired youth burned the tip of the sandalwood incense sticks, Valerian couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what is all this for?"

"In mortal culture, this is seen as a way of honoring the dead," Adam patiently explained. "In several traditions, the deceased are believed to partake in the spirit of the food and water. And incense sticks create a sacred and peaceful atmosphere."

Valerian understood that the only reason why Adam would stick to these traditions was because his parents were mortals.

Otherwise, Adam, as a powerful Magus, would have never even thought about such ceremonial rites.

The young dragon knew that this meant a lot to Adam, so he silently closed his eyes and lowered his head to the ground, paying respects to his parents.

At the same time, a thought emerged in his mind.

I wonder… if my parents are alive?