A young man stood bare-chested in front of a desk, cluttered with vials of colorful liquids and strange herbs. The air was thick with the potent scent of these mysterious ingredients, filling the small room. Peculiar glowing objects lit up each of the four walls, casting an eerie glow over the space.

  His body appeared to be badly injured, with cuts, gashes, and swelling on both his front and back, blood staining his skin. His muscles were lean, and his height was perfectly proportioned to his frame. He was massaging his right shoulder when suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the room.

  His face twisted, but no cry escaped him as his shoulder—presumably dislocated—slotted back into place, a process that would have made any normal person at least gasp in pain.

  Moments later, he pointed his left index finger at the shoulder, and a blue light appeared at the tip, gradually enveloping the area. His expression changed, slowly easing into relief, and a sigh escaped his lips.

  He then moved both arms in different motions, as if testing their functionality, before a satisfied expression spread across his face.

  After that, he glanced at the messy table, picked up some of the herbs, and popped them into his mouth like candy. It was clearly not candy, as his face immediately contorted in disgust. With quick hands, he grabbed one of the vials and downed it in a single gulp. He didn't stop at just one, drinking vial after vial until every last one was emptied.

  He slowly turned around and glanced at the lone sofa by the wall. With slow steps, he walked over and slumped down, as if the weight of something heavy had been lifted from his shoulders.

  Leaning back, he closed his eyes, only to open them again moments later, his gaze fixed on the only door in the room.

  ...

  It had been over an hour since Maverick returned. What would normally take a single jump had taken him three, with short breaks in between to make it back to Egypt to the underground base.

  That final use of illusion magic and Apparition nearly made him lose consciousness, but he managed to persevere and arrive here quickly.

  Fortunately, rejuvenation potions, healing brews, and medicinal herbs had been prepared in advance before he and his party left, saving him the effort of searching.

  After downing a couple of potions, he began using all sorts of healing spells in his arsenal. Starting with the worst of his internal injuries, he worked methodically to mend everything else, bit by bit.

  While he wasn't fully recovered, the remaining injuries weren't serious—just requiring rest and routine treatment. It wouldn't be wrong to call him a professional healer now. At least when it came to recovery spells, his abilities were on par with, if not superior to, the renowned healers in magical hospitals.

  With slow movements, he leaned forward from the comfortable chair, pushing himself to his feet. He took a step toward the door, but before he could reach it, the door swung open with a rush, and Aisha was the first to enter.

  "Wait..."

  Before he could ask her to be gentle, she had already run forward and enveloped him in a big embrace. He let out a sigh. Though she was careful, it still caused a brief wince, but he didn't let any outward reaction show.

  He could sense her concern, that clear emotion, his Magical-Sense detected it as soon as they had apparated here.

  Ali entered next, but he remained silent. His eyes scanned him with quiet concern, though he let Aisha handle the questioning, knowing she would ask what needed to be asked.

  The hug and affection weren't part of some dramatic scene but simply her way of showing care for him, nothing more, nothing less. After pulling away, she gave him a long, assessing look, her gaze sweeping over his form with concern as she examined his injuries.

  "How're you holding up?" she asked softly.

  His handiwork was clear—there were no visible gashes or open wounds, which seemed to ease her worry somewhat. She appeared calm, though still concerned.

  "I'm fine, thanks, both of you," he said, glancing between the two of them. He added, "I've taken care of most of the serious injuries. Now I just need routine treatment and a lot of rest..." He said, trying to reassure them.

  The sound of footsteps interrupted the moment, and Edward Garling entered the room. Maverick's eyes quickly focused on his teacher, surprised by what he saw. Exhaustion was clear on the man's face, as though he had undergone some intense work before arriving.

  There was only one possibility that came to his mind, and the words slipped out before he could stop them. "Teacher... Did you have a fight with that woman after I left?"

  Edward gave a long, piercing stare to his apprentice, making Maverick tense. His mind scrambled, quickly trying to figure out what had happened, as the glare clearly suggested it was related to him.

  Fortunately, his teacher wasn't that petty and didn't let the silence stretch. "I had to clean up the mess you two made... that woman dumped everything on me," he said, his voice laced with clear irritation.

  Maverick cocked his head in confusion. "I don't understand," he said almost instinctively. He truly couldn't understand why his teacher, of all people, had to cover up the devastation after his—no, Bloodraven's—duel with Morvain.

  Edward gave him a look that suggested he was staring at an idiot. "Your duel with Morvain broke the mountain, not to mention the other damage. Or did you forget that already?"

  "I didn't forget," Maverick said, "I'm just confused why you had to cover it up. How did you even do that? Did you restore the place?"

  Edward scoffed. "Don't be stupid. Even I can't restore a mountain. I did my best, so now at least that area doesn't look like a scene from the apocalypse."

  "I'm really confused now, teacher... I mean, technically, the guy who fought Morvain and you don't even know each other... wasn't that what we were going with? Why did you have to restore it even a little in the first place?"

  Edward sighed, looking tired. His student still had much to learn. These matters had never been explained to him, not even during Maverick's training, so he couldn't really fault him.

  He figured this would be a good time to teach a quick lesson to his pupil. Before starting, however, he cast a wandless scan over Maverick to confirm he wasn't in any immediate danger.

  Satisfied, he turned to address the room—it was important for Maverick's subordinates to understand this too, considering his grand ambitions.

  "The Statute of Secrecy isn't as simple as you think," Edward began, his tone serious. "There's a lot," he paused for emphasis, "a lot of work that goes into keeping it intact. It's not just about erasing the memories of a few No-Majs."

  "Often, when some lunatic witch or wizard loses control for whatever reason, they end up causing significant public damage." His eyebrow lifted as he glanced at his pupil. "For instance, tonight..."

  He continued, "Most of the time, these incidents are witnessed by normal humans. If there are only a few witnesses, it's manageable... but when the numbers are too large, it becomes impossible for the Oblivation team. Our numbers are pitifully small. So, we have to rely on No-Maj governments to help clean up our mess."

  "But even they can't keep doing it if it happens too often. Saying 'gas explosions' or some other flimsy excuse every single time won't work. The No-Maj public aren't stupid."

  The Arch-Magus's voice was steady, carrying the weight of experience. "Even though the magical and non-magical governments—and even the ICW—have special teams to clean up these kinds of aftermath, the noise you two made," he said, fixing his student with another pointed stare, "woke up every important person, magical or not, from their beds. Meetings are already happening, and I wouldn't be surprised if an emergency world security council is called."

  He paused briefly before continuing. "And since I was there, and as a speaker for the ICW, it became my responsibility to deal with it. Well, that woman's too..." He sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "Anyway, I've been fixing the mess. It's not perfect, but it should be enough to keep the No-Maj public from asking too many questions."

  He finished, glancing at Maverick, who now looked deep in thought.

  To them, the Statute of Secrecy was just a functioning law, but they had no idea about the complicated work being done, especially by the two parties operating behind the scenes.

  For Maverick, this was the first time he was hearing about it. But contrary to what anyone might think, Maverick was now even more convinced that the Statute of Secrecy needed to end. But he didn't voice his thoughts.

  After a moment, he glanced at his mentor with a slightly apologetic look. "Sorry, teacher... will this cause you any trouble?"

  Edward waved his hand. "Don't get me wrong. What you did, you had my full support. I'm just telling you how the world works, not my opinion..."

  "Besides, like you said, whoever fought Morvain has nothing to do with me... I was just there... coincidentally, and ended up having to do the clean-up. Anyway, you managed to slip away even when Maxime asked you to come with her to the ICW... so no questions will be raised at me..."

  Maverick once again understood how lucky he was to have this man as his backer. Otherwise, he'd be in all sorts of deep trouble by now.

  "I see..." Maverick muttered. "So... what happens next?" he asked, curious and looking to see if there was anything he could do to help.

  Edward sighed. "I have to meet with some No-Maj leaders and explain things since I was there. You don't have to worry."

  Just then, Aisha cut in. "But why do you have to do it? I mean, you're a speaker at the ICW, an Arch-Magus. Why explain yourself when you've already done more than enough?" She fidgeted as soon as she finished speaking, clearly realizing her words had come out impulsively.

  Edward turned to meet the witch's gaze. "Order," he said firmly, his voice steady. "There are billions of them, and we're just a few million. Do you really think it would be the same when we have to deal with the swamp if we flaunted our power to every leader, crushing them like bugs?" He paused, his tone calm but instructive. "Girl, this world is far more complicated than you think. And if you believe the Arch-Magus are the most powerful people in the world, you're sorely mistaken..."

  "Thank you, teacher..." Maverick quickly interjected, sparing Aisha further embarrassment. Besides, he didn't want Edward lecturing his subordinates, even if he was his teacher.

  "Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe with the restoration work... I mean, this whole thing is my mess, so..."

  The Arch-Magus waving his hand dismissively. "Just focus on healing. You've got plenty of recovery ahead..." He paused, then changed the topic. "what's next for you, kid? Another country?"

  Maverick hummed in thought. "Probably take a break. Go home. I have to spend some time with my new sister... and write to Bella too... it's been a month since I last wrote her..."

  Edward raised a brow at him. After a moment, he said, "Be sure to see her on her graduation..."

  Maverick gave a sheepish smile. "Of course..." Then, as if recalling something, his tone changed, becoming more excited. "By the way, teacher, I have something to show you..." he said, then walked to the door, taking the lead.

  The three of them followed without asking questions. They rarely saw Maverick looking this excited, and seeing how suddenly he had become like this, they too grew curious.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Soon, Maverick entered a familiar room, where there were three desks scattered with various items.

  Edward, Ali, and Aisha remained outside at his instructions, and shortly after, they saw him come out carrying a bunch of things.

  Edward raised an eyebrow, looking at his pupil. "Are those No-Maj cell phones?" he asked, noticing two hand-sized rectangular items in Maverick's hands.

  Maverick nodded as he walked up to them. "Yes, exactly what you think it is," he said, handing one to his teacher.

  Edward took it, showing slight confusion, but he didn't ask questions.

  Maverick moved a few steps back and then glanced at his teacher. "Teacher, suppress your magic and turn it on..."

  Edward did so without hesitation. This wasn't the first time he had used electronic devices.

  Maverick dialed the other phone's number, and sure enough, after a few seconds, a ring echoed throughout the hall.

  (Author's Note: If you think they wouldn't get a signal there in the underground base, normally, yes, they wouldn't. But let's just assume it does.)

  Edward looked at his student, unsure of what Maverick meant, but waited for an explanation. He didn't believe Maverick would do anything unnecessary, especially now.

  The young Great-Magus did not keep them in suspense for long. "Teacher, you taught me that this is how we magicals use electronic devices—by suppressing our magic so it doesn't interfere with electrical signals."

  He shifted his gaze to Aisha and Ali before adding, "Unfortunately, 99% of the magical population can't actively or passively suppress their magic…"

  "This isn't breaking news, you know," his teacher interjected.

  Ali and Aisha looked puzzled. The topic of electronic devices had never crossed their minds. From school, they were taught that magicals simply couldn't use Muggle electronics, and that was the end of it. There had never been any further explanation, not even publicly. It was safe to say they hadn't even bothered using electronic devices in their entire lives.

  Maverick's gaze moved from the puzzled witch and wizard to Edward. "I know it's a known fact, though not very public," he said, then reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a strange-looking crystal. It was about the size of his finger, flat and rectangular, with intricate patterns carved into its surface. "Watch," he added.

  They all watched, intrigued.

  Maverick smirked before focusing on the phone in his hands. He placed the finger-sized crystal onto the back, aligning it with the flat area carved. The distinct cut made it clear that it was hand-made.

  With a subtle wave of his fingers and a flicker of magic, the patterns on the crystal's surface glowed for a brief moment, flashing for just an instant.

  Now, aside from the strange rectangular crystal affixed to the back, the phone looked exactly the same as before.

  Maverick turned the phone on again, then glanced at his teacher, before saying, "Dial the last number..."

  His teacher didn't raise any questions and did as asked. After a while, the phone in Maverick's hand began to ring. This was still nothing unusual for the Arch-Magus, as he knew they were both masters of mana control.

  However, his curiosity grew. He didn't ask, though, and chose to let his student continue.

  "Alright... now what?"

  Maverick chuckled. "Patience, teacher," he said, then glanced at Ali and Aisha. "Ali, come here..." he called.

  Ali, looking confused, followed the instructions and became even more puzzled when Maverick stretched out his hand and gestured for him to take the phone.

  The Magus, still unsure, pointed to his own chest and asked, "Me?"

  Maverick nodded. "Yes! Take it, place this side against your ear, and the other end toward your mouth..." He handed the phone to Ali after pressing the answer button.

  Ali took the phone and followed the instructions, though he was very confused. He presumed the phone would lose all power as soon as he touched it, but—

  His eyes widened—and not just his. Edward and Aisha's expressions also turned to shock.

  —————————

  "Take it, place this side against your ear, and the other end toward your mouth..."

  Ali accepted the familiar yet alien gadget - a muggle cell phone. Everyone knew what it was, but as a wizard, he also knew that magic made electronics useless, which meant it was practically useless for him. Still, he followed the instructions anyway.

  But before he could even lift the gadget to his ear, he noticed something wrong. No, it wasn't wrong; it was right. The lights didn't go out, and he could hear noise from the speaker.

  His eyes widened in shock. He quickly pressed the phone to his ear, worried it might turn off before he could use it. After all, this was something entirely new to him, something Mother Magic had always denied him.

  "Can you hear me?"

  The calm, composed man he usually was had disappeared in that moment. Instead, he was like an excited child who had just found the best toy in the world.

  "Can you hear me?" he repeated, holding the phone awkwardly to his face. His voice grew louder with each word. "Can you hear me?"

  "Can you hea—"

  "I am right here, moron!" Edward cut in, giving the wizard an annoyed look.

  The sharp interruption from the Arch-Magus snapped him out of his uncharacteristic enthusiasm. Turning his head, he saw the burly man glaring at him like he was some kind of idiot.

  Luckily, Aisha stepped in before things could get any more awkward.

  "Give it to me!" she said, rushing over and snatching the phone from his hand.

  "It's... not dying..." she exclaimed, then looked at Maverick and repeated, "Boss, it's not dying!"

  "Another one..." Edward mumbled, watching the witch's expression change in a similar way.

  She pressed the phone to her face, pulled it away, and repeated, looking as ridiculous as Ali before her.

  He then glanced at his pupil, who was wearing an amused expression, like watching two children. And to be fair, Maverick wasn't far off.

  Their reactions, though childish, were normal. Using an electronic device was completely foreign to them, much like how a Muggle would react if suddenly given the ability to use magic, regardless of age.

  "Boss... how did you do this? This is... this is something for the history books!" Aisha exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

  Maverick chuckled. "Okay, okay, you can give it back now." He held out his hand.

  Aisha pouted. "Do I have to?"

  "You'll get one later," Maverick replied, a hint of amusement in his smile as he took the phone from her.

  Turning to Edward, he held out the device. "Take a look, Teacher. Tell me what you think."

  Edward took the phone, turning it over in his hands. He rubbed the smooth crystal on the back with his thumb, then looked up at his pupil.

  "How good is your alchemy right now?"

  Maverick didn't hesitate. "As good as Teacher Simon... maybe a bit better... I'm not sure."

  "You're... not sure?" Edward asked, sounding a bit unsure himself. "Do you know who Simon Walker is, as an alchemist?"

  "Of course I do, Teacher. He's a master alchemist."

  "And do you know how many master alchemists are currently in the world?"

  Maverick thought for a moment. "Umm... I think... eleven?"

  "Nine, to be exact! Out of eleven, Nicolas Flamel and Liu Yiming are considered grandmasters in the field—the very best in the world. But the remaining nine are still incredibly important figures."

  "Master alchemists, like your teacher Simon, are the kind of people every wizarding country or organization wants to befriend. They're treated like royalty wherever they go," Edward explained.

  This wasn't new information for Maverick, but hearing it from his teacher and taking a moment to really think about it made him realize just how significant his alchemy talent truly was.

  "Okay, forget about that. Will this work with any electronics? And will it work for all magicals?"

  Maverick thought for a moment. "It should, yes. But there might be problems in places where space is messed up, or places with strong wards. Otherwise, it should work fine. And yes, any witch, wizard, or even magical creature should be able to use it."

  Edward eyed his student for a long, thoughtful moment. Since Maverick had become his apprentice, his view of his student's genius had been constantly evolving, as if there were no limit to it. He had watched Maverick's potential grow, transforming and expanding in ways that continually surprised him.

  "Tell me, little Rick. What's your ultimate goal with this?" he asked, his tone serious.

  Maverick took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before speaking.

  "Build a brand, a name so famous that every witch or wizard thinks of it first whenever they need to buy something..." He looked at Edward with confidence. "Teacher, I have the skills, and I have the ideas. I just need to get started."

  Edward watched as his student made the bold statement, his expression showing no outward reaction. But the idea of ridiculing him never crossed his mind. After all, Maverick had a way of making the impossible seem ordinary.

  "What can I do to help?" he asked, not even bothering to ask for the details.

  Edward's sudden question caught Maverick off guard. He had expected to be asked for more details, but it seemed that wouldn't be necessary, so he pushed the thought aside.

  "I need a loan, teacher... One million Galleons. In exchange, I'll give 20% of the business to the Garling family," he said, getting straight to the point.

  Ali and Aisha's eyes went wide at the number, but they somehow managed to stay calm.

  Edward was a little surprised, but not because of the large sum. For him, one million galleons was a small amount.

  What caught him off guard was that this was the first time his student had ever asked him for anything monetary.

  The thought crossed his mind for only a brief moment before he quickly dismissed it. Since his student was confident in the success of his business plan, Edward decided to take the bet.

  "30%. Make it 30, and I'll double it. You can think of it as an investment."

  Maverick thought about it for a moment and decided it wasn't a bad deal. Besides, sooner or later, he would be part of the Garling family anyway.

  Seeing that his teacher had already made up his mind, Maverick agreed, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Can I ask why you agreed so quickly and didn't ask for the details? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, teacher... I'm just curious."

  Edward chuckled. "Little Rick, if it were anyone else, I'd ask. But you, I trust you'll make it happen with that sharp mind of yours. Call it a bet." He paused, giving his student a thoughtful look, then added, "Are you planning to introduce Muggle cellphones to the public right from the start?"

  Maverick shook his head. "Not yet. First, it'll be things for convenience—like heaters, air conditioning, refrigerators, lights, all of them. Whatever the No-Majs use to make their life easier."

  "Are those the things you plan to create?" Edward raised an eyebrow. "But we have magic and house-elves for that," he reasoned, a little unsure.

  "Teacher, only a few families have house-elves—the elite and the nobles. The rest, like over 90% of magical families, can't afford one and rely on magic for everyday chores," Maverick explained.

  He continued, "Magicals, like the No-Majs, would want convenience instead of doing everything themselves. That's human nature. Even if it's casting a spell, if there's an alchemy gadget that does the same thing, they'll want it. No doubt."

  "Think of it like giving everyday magical families their own house-elf. One that's cheap and easily available."

  Edward listened thoughtfully. What his student said made sense. "Then when will the real stuff be introduced? Like communication devices or televisions?"

  "Later..." Maverick answered. "Much later, after I fine-tune the magic-suppressing rune crystal. I want to make sure its function remains uncrackable for as long as possible. And by the time someone even cracks the principles and tries to replicate it, I want my brand name to be everyone's preferred choice."

  After listening to his student's reasoning, Edward dismissed the only concern he had and gave a reassured nod. "Will that be all then?" he asked.

  Maverick hummed, taking a moment to think. Realizing something, he added one final request. "I may also need to borrow your name at the start when I introduce my inventions to the world. I plan to begin in the States, where your endorsement would be most effective in marketing."

  Edward waved his hand, as if Maverick's request was nothing. "Just let me know when and where to show up..."

  Maverick sighed at how easily the negotiations—if it could even be called that—had gone. It felt more like a casual talk, he thought to himself.

  "Thank you, teacher. This may be a small thing for you, but for me, it will save a lot of time and trouble. I really appreciate it..." Maverick said, his expression filled with gratitude, and he meant every word.

  Edward chuckled at his apprentice's shy and thankful expression. In all honesty, he would have agreed even if Maverick had requested ten times the amount he had stated. Most importantly, Maverick wasn't just his apprentice—he was soon to become a real part of the family, his son-in-law.

  It was time for Edward to leave, as he had kept some very important people waiting. But before he left, he decided to add one last detail as a new thought crossed his mind.

  "Once you've healed up and gotten a decent break, let me know. I'll take you somewhere," he told his student.

  Maverick raised an eyebrow, curious. He nodded in agreement but couldn't help asking, "Can you tell me where?"

  "Alchemist Guild," Edward answered. "It's where the world's most influential and famous alchemists are centered. It's also where they grade the level of an individual, from apprentice to star alchemist, all the way to three stars and then master alchemist, which is the highest."

  "The two grandmasters are people that are very far from the reach of everyday folks... well, I guess you're the exception," he explained, a little smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

  He continued, "I want you to take the Master Alchemist exam and get certified. It'll help you when you start your business and introduce whatever it is that you want to the world."

  Maverick thought about it for a moment before nodding. It seemed like a good idea and would help him build a stronger reputation as a wizard. He wasn't ready to reveal his status as a Great-Magus yet, but earning recognition as a certified Master Alchemist would create a fitting and strategic image.

  "Just give me a couple of days, and I'll be all healed up and rested," Maverick told his teacher.

  Edward nodded and gave a quick glance around the room. "Keep an eye out for tomorrow's news, by the way. We managed to get some decent shots of your duel," he said with a smile before disappearing with a pop.

  The mention of the newspapers didn't surprise him—it had been his idea in the first place. He had asked his teacher to ensure their duel was captured and anonymously sent to the media. It was all part of a larger plan to give more exposure to his alias.

  He let out a soft, tired sigh, filled with both exhaustion and relief.

  Tonight, a significant part of his ambition and its groundwork had fallen into place—much earlier than he had originally planned.

  He turned to Ali and Aisha, who were watching him expectantly. Maverick could see the questions in their eyes, but tonight, he had no energy left for more discussions.

  "Get some rest, both of you. Tomorrow, I'll explain everything," he said.

  The two magus exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. They could see the exhaustion clear on his face.

  Maverick turned and walked toward one of the doors, his mind already on the next few days.

  First, he needed to heal completely—at least to the point where there were no scars or bruises. The last thing he wanted was to make his parents worry.

  Next, he planned to spend a week at home with his parents and his new sister, savoring a bit of normalcy. Because once this brief break ended, the months ahead would be anything but easy. The plot was drawing closer, and there was still so much he needed to accomplish.

  —————

  Author's note:

  And that's the end of this short arc!

  The next chapter will include a time skip, as we move toward the main plot. There will be several jumps in time, but don't worry—it's all building up to something exciting!

  I'm really excited to share the big plan I have. I promise you, this won't just be a simple story about babysitting the trio. This is an MC-centered story, and I won't be dedicating chapters upon chapters to their everyday school life. There's so much more to come!

  Thank you so much for reading, and your support means the world to me!

  Please leave a review on Webnovel. I would truly appreciate it!