Chapter 36 - Drawing Conclusions
"Sabrina, bring me a blank sheet of paper and a pen," Adrian mused, his fingers drumming lazily against the cold metal table as he maintained unbroken eye contact with Leo.
Without hesitation, Sabrina moved. Within seconds, she placed a crisp white sheet and a pen before the doctor, who immediately set to work.
Leo watched, his vision still hazy from the drugs, as Adrian's hand moved with precision—sketching lines, curves, and intricate strokes with unnerving speed.
Then, finally, the pen stilled.
Adrian turned the paper toward him.
"Look at this," he said, his tone casual—too casual. "Do you recognize this symbol?"
Leo's unfocused gaze drifted downward.
And his pulse slowed.
The moment he saw it, alarm bells rang in his head.
The symbol Adrian had drawn—it wasn't completely unfamiliar.
No.
It looked too much like the one he had been told to memorize from the last chit.
Except... there were differences.
Minor changes. Small distortions. Subtle tweaks.
Leo rubbed his eyes, trying to focus, but his vision remained unreliable. The edges of the paper bled into each other, his drugged mind warping reality. In his blurred perception, the black ink seemed to shift, as if alive.
'It's not the same,' he realized, his mind working through the haze. 'But it's close... too close.'
A trap.
That was the first thought that shot through his mind.
This wasn't some random test—Adrian knew something. He was probing, fishing for a reaction.
If Leo claimed not to recognize it at all, would that be suspicious?
But if he confirmed it outright... would that dig his grave?
A slow inhale. Then, in a voice deliberately sluggish and unsure, he muttered:
"It... looks familiar. Like something I've seen before. But..." He blinked, shaking his head as if struggling to concentrate. "It feels... off. Wrong. Some of the details—" his hand twitched slightly as he gestured toward the paper, "—they're... not quite right."
The words left his mouth, measured, cautious.
And then he watched.
Watched for the slightest flicker in Adrian's expression.
Because whatever came next... would tell him exactly how dangerous this conversation truly was.
"Off? How so? Can you point out to me what you think is off here?" Adrian asked, his expression expectant, as he turned the paper slightly toward Leo.
Leo's fingers twitched involuntarily at the question.
His drugged mind was sluggish, but his instincts screamed at him to tread carefully.
He couldn't outright claim ignorance for that would be too suspicious, however, he also knew that confirming too much might also dig his own grave.
Hence, he decided to tread carefully—
Leaning forward, he squinted at the paper as if trying to focus through the haze. His words coming slow and slurred, just enough to sell the act.
"There should be... three pointed extensions at the bottom," he murmured, his hand lifting shakily to gesture. "Not two. And... the crown at the top—" his finger drifted upward, "—should have one spire... not three."
He blinked sluggishly, his vision warping the ink on the page. "Yeah... yeah, it's close... but it's not right."
For a long moment, Adrian simply stared at him.
Then—finally—his lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"A genuine Mu Clan spawn," he murmured, leaning back in satisfaction. "That explains a lot."
Sabrina's head snapped toward him, her expression turning sharp. "Mu?" she echoed, disbelief laced in her voice.
"He's a descendant of one of the Big Six?" she asked, glancing at Leo again as if re-evaluating him entirely.
"How can you say for sure?"
At that, Adrian let out a low chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. "Look at you," he teased, clicking his tongue.
"The moment you hear the word Mu, you suddenly want to gobble him up." He teased, his smirk widening. "What happened to all that indifference from five minutes ago, hmm?"
Sabrina shot him a dirty glare. "Shut up," she muttered, but her curiosity was already piqued.
Adrian raised his hands in mock surrender before shifting his focus back to her, now explaining his deduction directly.
"That symbol he innately remembers?" Adrian tapped the paper again.
"It's the mark of the Mu Clan." He began, as Sabrina furrowed her brow.
"So what? Anyone can remember that symbol!" She argued back, as Adrian snorted through his nose, shaking his head.
"When the Mu Clan wipes a descendant's memory, they always leave two things behind. A fake name... and the Mu Clan seal, buried deep in their subconscious."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice growing lower, more deliberate.
"That's how they operate. They send their young out into the world with no ties, no memories—nothing but their raw instincts and talent. It's their way of ensuring that their heirs grow strong without relying on family prestige.
And while plenty of smaller clans—and even the Evil Cult—have started copying their methods, most don't even realize that the imprinting of the symbol is part of the process."
Sabrina's lips parted slightly in realization.
Adrian smirked at her reaction before continuing. "And those who do memorize the Mu seal? They're frauds, fakes—people who just studied the symbol, not people who had it burned into their minds since birth."
His fingers tapped against the table again, slow and deliberate.
"Only a real Mu Clan descendant would be able to spot the inconsistencies. Even under heavy drugs, his brain recognized the differences—his instincts told him something was wrong. That's not something you can fake."
Sabrina inhaled slightly, her gaze flicking to Leo, who still sat in a dazed silence.
But Adrian wasn't finished.
"And that's just the beginning," he went on, his smirk deepening. "His mana circulation? Smoother than nearly any student I've seen in years. That kind of efficiency is genetic. It's the kind of control that's ingrained in powerful bloodlines."
Sabrina frowned. "That alone isn't—"
Adrian cut her off with a raised hand. "And then there's the way he moves." His eyes glinted with amusement as he motioned toward Leo.
"He walks without making a sound. Not a single wasted movement. That's not something an amateur picks up in a week. That's years of assassin training, drilled into his body before he even knew what it meant."
Sabrina narrowed her eyes slightly, considering his words.
Adrian chuckled. "And his body? Lean, efficient, built for practicality, not just brute strength. That's exactly how the Mu Clan trains their assassins. They don't waste time bulking up. They sculpt killers."
He leaned back now, his smirk widening.
"But the real kicker?" He flicked his gaze toward Sabrina, his expression turning smug. "He resisted my pressure like it was nothing."
Sabrina blinked.
Adrian tapped his temple, as if reminding her. "My [Intimidation] skill isn't just for show. Most recruits flinch, sweat, their pulse spikes. Even most noble brats get uncomfortable."
His smirk turned razor-sharp. "But him?" He let out a low, amused hum. "Not even a twitch. Not a single sign of discomfort.
Like he's spent his whole life around warriors who leak pressure just by existing."
He tilted his head slightly. "And tell me, where do you think someone like that would be raised?"
Sabrina exhaled slowly, realization settling in.
Adrian's smirk widened, as he reached the final piece of his deduction.
"So, let's sum it up, shall we?" He tapped his fingers against the table one last time, as he leaned back into his chair.
"The subconscious knowledge of the Mu Clan symbol."
"The unmatched mana circulation."
"The silent, assassin-trained movements."
"The refined, combat-ready physique."
"And the utter immunity to my intimidation aura."
His smirk sharpened, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
"While one of these parameters can be faked—all of them together?" He let out a small chuckle. "Only one conclusion makes sense."
He motioned toward Leo with a final, knowing glance.
"This brat is from the Mu Clan."