The Genius Mage Was Reincarnated Into A Swordsman Family - Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Barred Gates
Dawn painted the Lionhart Estate in shades of gold and amber as Nicholas approached its imposing gates. He had spent a restless night reviewing Captain Meros’s report, his mind churning with the implications of what Alexandra had witnessed. If her testimony was accurate—if Klaus had truly been possessed by an entity called Gluttony—then everything Nicholas thought he knew about the timeline was thrown into question.

He needed to see Klaus for himself. To confirm his suspicions with his own eyes.

The Lionhart Estate sprawled across acres of manicured grounds, its ancient stone architecture a testament to centuries of power and influence. At its center stood the main residence, a fortress-palace that had withstood wars and upheavals that had toppled lesser dynasties.

Two guards in Lionhart livery stood at attention before the main gate. As Nicholas approached, recognition flashed in one guard’s eyes—the trials at the Lion Arena had made many of the trainees recognizable throughout the empire.

“Halt,” the guard called, his tone respectful despite the command. “State your business.”

Nicholas offered a polite bow. “Nicholas Davoss of the Crimson Owl. I bring a formal communication from Captain Meros regarding the Northern Territories assessment.” He produced a sealed document bearing the Crimson Owl insignia.

The document was genuine, though its contents were deliberately vague—a standard regional security assessment that required no immediate response. Captain Meros had signed it without question when Nicholas had explained his need to visit the Lionhart Estate, though his knowing look suggested he understood there was more to the request than Nicholas revealed.

“Davoss,” the guard acknowledged with a nod. “Lady Erina’s son. I remember your performance in the Aequalis Array.” There was respect in his voice for both Nicholas’s achievement and his mother’s reputation as the “Blind Blade.” Nevertheless, he accepted the document with firm professionalism. “Wait here.”

Nicholas maintained a calm exterior as the guard disappeared through a smaller side entrance. His true purpose—to somehow gain access to Klaus—would require careful maneuvering. The Lionhart family was notoriously protective of its own, especially in times of crisis. If Alexandra’s report was accurate, Klaus’s condition would be treated as a matter of utmost secrecy.

Minutes stretched into nearly half an hour before the guard returned, accompanied by a figure Nicholas knew all too well—Melo, Roman Lionhart’s right-hand man. The white mask that concealed his features revealed nothing but his cold eyes, which assessed Nicholas with clinical precision. Nicholas remembered Melo from the trials that had determined their armed group placements, but his memories from past lives told him much more—this was the second strongest swordsman in Rikxia, surpassed only by Roman Lionhart himself.

“Nicholas Davoss,” Melo said, his voice slightly muffled behind the expressionless mask. He held the sealed document between two fingers as if it were something distasteful. “An unusual courier for a routine assessment.”

Nicholas inclined his head respectfully. “Captain Meros thought it warranted personal delivery, given recent events.”

“Did he?” Melo’s cold eyes narrowed slightly behind the mask. “And this assessment couldn’t have been delivered through standard channels?”

“The captain preferred discretion,” Nicholas replied smoothly. “Particularly regarding certain observations about rift energy patterns following the Northwatch incident.”

It was a calculated risk. Nicholas knew that before becoming Roman’s enforcer, Melo had specialized in rift monitoring. The mention might pique his interest enough to grant Nicholas entry.

There was no way to read Melo’s reaction behind the expressionless white mask. “I see.”

He stood motionless for several seconds, his cold eyes the only visible feature conducting their assessment. Then, without looking back at the guards: “He stays at the gate. I’ll take the document.”

Nicholas felt a flare of disappointment but kept his expression neutral. “I was instructed to deliver additional context personally.”

“Then speak,” Melo said, making no move to invite him inside.

Nicholas recognized defeat when he saw it. Melo was not a man who changed his mind once decided. Whatever he had hoped to accomplish by entering the estate would not happen today.

“The Crimson Owl’s assessment notes unusual energy fluctuations in the northern regions following the Northwatch incident,” Nicholas said, fabricating plausible information. “Captain Meros thought it prudent to inform the Lionhart family directly, given your oversight of the territory.”

Melo said nothing as Nicholas continued with his improvised briefing, detailing fictional energy patterns that posed no immediate threat but warranted monitoring. Throughout, those cold eyes behind the mask gave away nothing, offering no hint whether he believed the fabrication or saw through it entirely.

When Nicholas finished, Melo simply nodded once. “The information is noted. Is there anything else?”

Nicholas hesitated, then decided on a final attempt. “I was hoping to inquire about Klaus Lionhart’s condition. We trained together before joining our respective armed groups.”

It wasn’t precisely a lie. They had indeed trained in the same cohort, though Nicholas had always maintained a certain distance, observing the silver-haired boy with the wariness of one who recognized an anomaly in the timeline.

“Klaus Lionhart’s condition is a family matter,” Melo stated, his tone making it clear the subject was closed. “Your concern is noted.”

Nicholas recognized the dismissal. “Please convey my wishes for his swift recovery to the family.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Then the Lionhart family thanks you for your service. The guards will see you out.”

With those words, Melo turned and walked back through the side entrance, taking the sealed document with him. There had never been any real chance of Nicholas being allowed inside, much less gaining access to Klaus. The Lionhart family’s protectiveness of its members was legendary, and in times of crisis, that protectiveness became an impenetrable wall.

As he prepared to leave, Nicholas scanned what little he could see of the estate grounds from his position. Beyond the manicured outer gardens rose the central tower of the main residence, its upper floors wreathed in the faint blue shimmer characteristic of the Frost Chamber. Somewhere within those walls, Klaus Lionhart lay unconscious, his mind perhaps still entangled with the entity that had consumed Northwatch.

A movement caught his eye—a lone figure crossing between buildings, her fiery red hair unmistakable even at this distance. Alexandra Lionhart moved with the weary determination of someone carrying a great burden. The toll of her experience at Northwatch was clearly visible even from afar.

“Sir,” one of the guards prompted, gesturing toward the road leading away from the main estate.

Nicholas nodded and began his departure, mind already turning over alternative approaches. He had expected resistance, but the absolute refusal to allow him even past the gate confirmed his suspicions. The Lionhart family was protecting something significant—something they feared could destabilize more than just their family if revealed.

As he walked away from the estate, Nicholas’s resolve hardened. If Klaus Lionhart was indeed Gluttony’s Apostle, his emergence had already shattered one fixed point in the timeline. That alone made him potentially the most significant figure Nicholas had encountered across all his lives.

He couldn’t reach Klaus directly—not yet. But there were other avenues to explore, other sources that might provide insights into the nature of Apostles and their Arkdieu masters. The answers lay somewhere in the ancient texts and forgotten histories that documented the previous appearances of these entities.

Nicholas cast one final glance back at the Lionhart main Estate, its towers standing proud against the morning sky. Behind those walls, an unprecedented disruption in the flow of causality lay unconscious in the Frost Chamber. And Nicholas was now more determined than ever to understand what it meant for the future he had experienced so many times before.

“This isn’t over,” he whispered to himself. “Whatever you are, Klaus Lionhart, I will find the truth.”