Ready for Action

"The doll double doesn't have the ability to disguise itself, and it can't perform the Tear of the God ritual," Adam said with a hint of frustration, but he wasn't too worried.

The ritual was something anyone could perform, but the doll double wasn't truly human. It was just a human-like figure Adam created using his "one hand."

However, the doll double didn't need to be used regularly, so it didn't matter much if people realized it was an anomaly.

Standing before his doll double, Adam pondered how to dress it up. The double was made entirely of soil, so he first found an old set of clothes for it to wear. Then he worked on some detailed disguises. The hands, feet, neck, and face—all exposed areas—needed a skin-like covering to mimic human skin.

Next, he focused on disguising the hair, body temperature, scent, and even heartbeat.

Adam adjusted his focus to sense any flaws in the doll's disguise, carefully noting each one.

At that moment, thick black smoke began to fill the room, coalescing into a gemstone that floated in midair. Jin's voice emanated from it.

"Nasir, what are you up to? I can't sense my temporary body…" Jin began, then saw another Adam in the room.

"Sorry, it's mine now," Adam said, making Jin momentarily speechless. "You'll have to find another pile of dirt to make a new body."

"Could you also bring back some materials for me? And the mask I used for disguising!" Adam asked Jin, not forgetting the materials he needed for the doll double's disguise.

Thanks to his brief stint as a muralist, Adam was familiar with the materials in this region and knew what to use to create the necessary components for making the doll look more human.

The black smoke gemstone trembled slightly in midair, seemingly staring at Adam as if to say, "You've changed," before dispersing into smoke and floating away.

After waiting for a while and having dinner, Adam returned to find Jin coming in through the window with the materials.

Jin dumped the materials and the disguise items on the floor, then collapsed into a chair, pulling a bottle of liquor from his coat and taking a swig.

"Did you come here in person?" Adam asked, inspecting the materials and finding them satisfactory. He controlled the doll to start mixing the materials, while he approached Jin.

Putting down the bottle, Jin, who was about to scold him, coughed and nodded when he heard Adam respectfully address him as "teacher."

"Mansera contacted me again this afternoon. He seems to have gotten wind of something and is more concerned about this shipment. He's brought in additional help," Jin said, taking another drink. "There are monks involved."

Hearing this, Adam's spirits lifted.

Monks typically didn't get involved in noble dealings unless absolutely necessary, due to the risk of scrutiny and potential issues with their faith.

Mansera's willingness to involve monks indicated a high level of threat, possibly involving otherworldly beings. Given Mansera's current dire situation, he wouldn't take such a step lightly.

"He tried to get information about recent otherworldly activity from me, but I could sense his distrust," Jin added seriously.

"It seems we need to be more cautious with this operation," Adam said thoughtfully. Nobles could be arrogant and ignorant in some areas, but in others, they were extremely cunning and decisive.

This stemmed from their upbringing and the different world they inhabited compared to commoners.

When nobles encountered unfamiliar situations, they could appear foolish, but a well-trained noble could easily outmaneuver a novice.

This was why Duke was so disappointed in his offspring—they were the ones getting played.

"Rupert must have a spy. Mansera has been preparing for this confrontation," Adam recalled from his previous eavesdropping at Mansera's estate.

He first heard Rupert's name there and later encountered him at the church.

"Rupert's intent to involve himself in smuggling was too obvious. Mansera, relying on smuggling to survive, would naturally notice him."

"I didn't expect there to be a spy close enough to gain Rupert's trust and know about his dealings with otherworldly beings."

"But this spy isn't in a high position. Without concrete evidence, Mansera wouldn't have involved monks; he would have gone straight to the church."

While nobles valued decorum, reporting to the church wasn't considered polite. However, Mansera was past caring about such things.

Decorum was just a facade. Nobles were far more pragmatic and ruthless than commoners.

Adam calmed himself and began to apply the materials to the doll's body with a brush.

"Give me some feedback," Adam said, finishing the initial application and turning to Jin.

"Why is it bald?" Jin asked after circling the doll.

"You didn't bring a wig, and wigs don't adhere like skin, making them easy to spot. So, bald is better," Adam explained, satisfied with the doll's appearance.

Though not as advanced as Jin's double, it was sufficient with the added weight of his abilities.

"Will its presence be linked to me?" Adam asked again.

The doll needed to sometimes serve as his decoy, and other times it needed to be distinct.

"Your God's Tear ritual alters your aura significantly. It's hard to connect you with this doll at a glance," Jin observed carefully. "But a high-level knight might sense the connection."

"Knights' life force is deeply ingrained with their mental strength. Their intuition is keen, and they might notice the shared life force," Jin assessed objectively.

"This isn't something that can be solved quickly; it will need gradual improvements," Adam acknowledged. As he gained more knowledge and spellcasting experience, his innate talents were gradually emerging.

He believed that as he grew, he would be able to modify his spells to better suit him, if not surpass the originals.

"Don't neglect your bloodline sorcery. Your knight training is progressing well. Soon, you'll start gaining benefits from your ancestors," Jin advised.

For bloodline sorcerers, ancestors were a treasure trove, yielding great rewards if approached cautiously.

"Thank you for the guidance," Adam said with a smile, making Jin take another swig.

Jin was reliable in serious matters, but over time, Adam realized he was also quite interesting.

Shaking his head, Adam placed a mask on the doll, adjusted the weight, and after a bit of fine-tuning, stepped out with the doll.

He summoned Crow.

Crow didn't scrutinize the figure beside Adam but was momentarily stunned by the masked gaze.

"Crow, tonight won't be quiet. Please escort this gentleman to the Sooke Trading Company and treat him well," Adam instructed.

"Yes, Mr. Adam," Crow replied, feeling a slight tremor under Adam's gaze, though he dismissed it quickly.

Watching Crow and the doll leave, Adam closed the door and smiled.