Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 38: The Lord’s Seal.

Magnus arrived at Augustus’s home swiftly. While not as grand as his own residence within the territory, it was a sizable house, certainly larger and more comfortable than most within the territory. This was understandable, considering Augustus’s standing in the territory.

Without delay, Magnus knocked on the door. He instantly heard a shuffling sound from within, and moments later, the door swung open to reveal Augustus, a warm smile gracing his face.

"Hey, Lord Magnus, you made it!" he greeted.

"Of course, I did. I promised I would. Apologies for the wait; I was detained by some matters," Magnus replied.

"No problem at all, Lord Magnus. Come in, Margaret’s waiting for you," Augustus invited.

"Certainly," Magnus said, stepping inside. A delightful aroma of savory dishes instantly filled his nostrils, making his mouth water. Turning to Augustus, he said, "By the way, can we skip the ’lord’ formality, at least for tonight?"

"Absolutely, whatever you prefer," Augustus agreed with a smile.

"Darling, is that Lord Magnus’s voice I hear?" a familiar voice called from within, followed by the clinking of silverware.

"Yes, honey, he just arrived," Augustus confirmed.

As soon as the words left his lips, hurried footsteps approached from the interior of the house. Margaret appeared, rushing towards them, her apron and gloves slightly askew, and a sheen of perspiration on her face indicating she had been busy in the kitchen.

"Lord Magnus!" Margaret exclaimed, embracing him in a tight, heartfelt hug before he even had a chance to react.

Although Margaret didn’t shed tears or outwardly display any strong emotions, Magnus could sense the depth of her feelings.

"Hey, Aunt Margaret, sorry I’m a bit late. I was held up," Magnus explained.

"Nonsense, Lord Magnus, you’re right on time. Dinner is just finished," Margaret said, beaming.

"Thank you, Aunt Margaret. It smells absolutely amazing," Magnus said, gently disengaging from the hug. "By the way, since it’s just family here, let’s skip the formalities," he added.

"Certainly," Margaret agreed, and without another word, she ushered Magnus further into the house.

Augustus, trailing behind, sighed quietly, feeling slightly overlooked. Nevertheless, he followed, happy to witness their shared joy, especially after the challenging times they had all recently endured.

The house was just as Magnus remembered it: cozy and inviting. Margaret’s personal touches were evident everywhere, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

"Come this way, dinner is ready," Margaret announced, leading Magnus towards the dining room. A feast awaited them. A steaming meat broth, freshly baked bread, a large, perfectly roasted joint of beast meat, and a colorful assortment of fruits adorned the table. The sight made Magnus’s stomach rumble with anticipation.

Margaret’s culinary skills were undeniably on par with Seraphina’s. The aroma alone was heavenly.

"Wow," Magnus murmured, gazing at the feast on the table. In his previous life, as a foodie who practically lived to eat, this sight evoked a deep sense of satisfaction.

Seeing Magnus’s captivated expression, Margaret pulled him towards the table. "Come, come, I made all of this for you," she said proudly. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Thank you, Aunt Margaret," Magnus said with a genuine smile, taking his seat.

Margaret excused herself and quickly returned, having removed her apron and gloves. She then began serving Magnus a generous portion of the meal.

A cheerful atmosphere filled the room as dinner commenced. The conversation flowed mainly between Magnus and Margaret, with Augustus contentedly observing, feeling a little like a third wheel in his own home. Yet, he couldn’t deny them their happiness, genuinely pleased to see them both so relaxed and joyful after recent events.

The dinner progressed merrily, the soft glow of the lamp illuminating the room. They savored each bite, and as the time passed, everyone at the table felt pleasantly full.

Margaret cleared the table while Magnus and Augustus retired to the living room, settling into luxurious cushions made from soft, warm beast fur. Augustus brought out a keg of wine, and they began to sip, engaging in casual conversation, avoiding any serious topics like the upcoming trial, choosing instead to keep the mood light.

Their conversation continued for a while until Magnus’s gaze drifted towards a corner of the room. His [Whisper of the World] skill, always active, constantly fed him information about his surroundings, and it had detected something peculiar: an oddly carved piece of wood. Magnus furrowed his brow, studying the object. It seemed out of place, as if it didn’t belong there.

Magnus understood immediately. The main room, beautifully decorated and furnished with various adornments and wood carvings, made the single, crudely carved piece stand out starkly. Yet, for some reason, Augustus seemed to consider it important enough to display amongst the other, more refined items.

Augustus, noticing Magnus’s silence, turned and followed his gaze to the unsightly wooden object.

"Oh, your father was quite the jokester, you know," Augustus said with a chuckle, understanding what had captured Magnus’s attention.

Magnus’s brow furrowed. "My father gave you this?"

"Yes, the last time he visited, he brought it along, claiming he carved it himself and that it would enhance the beauty of the room. Can you imagine?" Augustus said, his voice laced with mock incredulity, but his eyes betraying a flicker of deeper emotion.

Magnus frowned. His father, Arthur, wasn’t exactly a craftsman, though he occasionally dabbled in various skills like woodworking. He was admittedly terrible at it, as evidenced by the poorly executed carving.

But Magnus found this strange. His father, even when experimenting with different crafts, never took any of them seriously. They were more like passing hobbies, pursued when he had idle time. Magnus couldn’t recall his father ever completing a project; he usually discarded them halfway through. So what had compelled him to finish this one?

Even though the carving was an eyesore, it would still have required a significant time investment. Knowing his father’s impatience with such things, this seemed even more peculiar.

"Do you mind?" Magnus asked, stepping towards the carved wood.

"Not at all, go ahead," Augustus replied.

Magnus picked up the carving. It was surprisingly light for its size and density, suggesting it might be hollow. Just as he suspected, it was.

Without hesitation, Magnus attempted to pry it open, his heart pounding in his chest.

Augustus watched with a furrowed brow, making no attempt to intervene. He sensed Magnus had a reason for wanting to examine the carving more closely.

Carefully, without applying excessive force, Magnus managed to pry the wood apart, revealing a small, black box inside, covered in intricate inscriptions that seemed to shimmer with light. Magnus’s eyes widened.

Even Augustus gasped.

"The Lord’s Seal!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.

The subtle aura emanating from the box was confirmation enough for Magnus, but still, he picked it up to be certain. It was indeed the Lord’s Seal. But what was it doing here?

Why would his father intentionally conceal the Lord’s Seal in such a place? It was almost as if he’d anticipated what was to come. Magnus’s frown deepened.

"How could I have been so blind?" Augustus suddenly exclaimed.

Magnus turned, startled, to see Augustus on the verge of an emotional breakdown. "What do you mean?"

Augustus, trembling, explained. During his last few visits, Arthur had made passing remarks about feeling old and fearing being overthrown someday. Augustus hadn’t taken them seriously, dismissing them as jokes. After all, Arthur wasn’t truly old.

It seemed Arthur had sensed his impending death.

Magnus spent the next few minutes consoling Augustus, who blamed himself for not recognizing the hints Arthur had been dropping.

Finally, Magnus managed to calm him down. They carefully reassembled the wooden carving and returned it to its original spot.

Margaret joined them shortly afterward, but they didn’t mention the discovery, deciding to spare her further grief and allow her to enjoy the remaining moments of peace and comfort.

After a while, Magnus bid them farewell, preparing to depart.

Margaret insisted on escorting him to the door. As they said their goodbyes, Margaret, ever the maternal figure, fussed over Magnus, inquiring about his well-being.

After reassuring her, Magnus finally left, walking back to his quarters. The evening had ended well; he had finally located the Lord’s Seal.

He felt grateful that he had accepted the dinner invitation in the first place.

The walk back was uneventful. Upon reaching his room, Magnus closed the door behind him, retrieved the Lord’s Seal, and prepared to bind with it.

Magnus didn’t begin the binding process immediately. He knew it would be arduous and incredibly painful.

First, he checked his system store for anything that could boost his soul power, a crucial requirement for binding with the Lord’s Seal.

Next, he summoned one of his summon guard the entrance to his room. Binding with the seal carried significant risks and could take considerable time, so these precautions were necessary.

With preparations complete, Magnus took a deep breath and picked up the Lord’s Seal. As soon as he touched it, he sensed an energy attempting to communicate with him. Without hesitation, he opened himself to the connection. A surge of energy slammed into him, causing a searing pain in his soul. The binding had begun.