Aelia gently stroked the overlapping Guardian Array on the swaddled infant under the flickering candlelight.
Outside the window, the wind and snow had unknowingly ceased, and Evening Primrose climbed up the window lattice, blooming into flowers resembling ice sculptures.
"Pair the Eternal Winter Silk cloak with the Snow Spirit Silver collar." As Aelia handed the swaddled baby to Qin Si, a small Ice Spike suddenly erupted from the infant's neck, precisely shattering the Liuli Lantern carved with rose patterns on the grooming table — a birthday gift from Leonard to Mistress last year.
Luna, curled up like a snowball, attempted to cover her deliberate act of breaking evidence with bubbles of saliva.
Her chubby palm slapped against Aelia's sleeve adorned with ice crystals, her reddened fingertips snagging a strand of silver hair as she let out a sob like a young beast.
"Miss seems unwilling to attend the banquet." Qin Si hurriedly wiped away the Rose Essence splattered on the cloak, its scent reminiscent of the Yixiang that had stained Leonard's collar.
The sudden outburst of the baby's cries shattered the Ice Spikes hanging from the crystal chandelier, and countless Shattered Crystals gathered at Aelia's feet, forming a Northern Totem.
The sound of a wheelchair rolling over ice crystals came from behind the Wedding Canopy, as a young man's pale fingers brushed aside the drooping Liu Su.
The ancient book spread open on his knee lingered on the chapter titled "Royal Birthmark and Elemental Resonance," while his damaged Magic Circuit resonated subtly with the Ice Element swirling around Luna.
"The Rose Hall of the banquet hides seventeen Dark Magic Arrays." His bony fingertip pointed at Luna's Mei Xin, a dark purple scar winding from her sleeve down to the Infant Swaddling. "When moonlight sweeps across the Crystal Chandelier for the third time..."
Suddenly, Luna grasped his broken middle finger, warm tears dripping onto his hand back where his Curse Mark was rotting.
Ice crystals crawled along the tear stains covering the Curse Mark, and he realized that his Heart Devouring Curse, which had tormented him for ten years, was beginning to dissolve in reverse.
The infant's forehead thudded heavily against his chest, emitting a sound akin to a playful kitten's purr.
A crisp sound echoed in the corridor as a crystal ball rolled away. Second Brother leaned against a pillar etched with a Star Map, lost in thought.
His waist bore Leonard's Sword, its Sapphire Jian Sui long covered in dust — a gift from his dear friend Yarlin on his sixteenth birthday during Ailya's Birthday Rune, which had also ensnared him in the Time Corridor as a Curse Medium.
Suddenly, Luna broke free from Qin Si's embrace and crashed into Second Brother's arms like a snowball wrapped in an Eternal Winter Silk Cloak.
She gripped Jian Sui tightly, causing the surface of Sapphire to crack with a Spider Web pattern. Tiny ice crystals seeped into the gem's core through the Ice Cracks, freezing the memories sealed within into Powder.
"Is Xiao Luna helping me sever my karmic ties?" Second Brother flicked the Ice Crystal Bow atop her head, only to see the baby suddenly cling to his clothing and stand upright, her Milk Stain Lips precisely imprinting on the Curse Mark at his neck.
The dark misty mark immediately burst open with Ice Cracks. For the first time in Twenty Years, Second Brother felt the Magic Flow moving, and warmth welled up in his eyes.
As Twilight bathed the Castle Spire, Brother San leaned against the Stargazing Platform Railings, tossing and catching a Fire Opal.
He gazed at Snowball, surrounded by a crowd in the courtyard, and suddenly exhaled a warm orange flame towards his Palm.
The Dark Purple Flame was transformed into a translucent Maple Leaf Shaped Amber just before it touched Luna's Hair Tips by the suddenly surging Ice Element.
"The Snowberry Puff on the third layer of Dessert Tower," he chuckled lightly while shaking the Fire Amber at his Fingertip. His Lustrous Golden Pupils reflected Luna's suddenly bright Blue Eyes. "I heard that drizzling it with Blazing Honey will..."
A cough from Aelia interrupted his unfinished words, but the baby in her arms had already excitedly kicked off one of her Silver Silk Boots.
As Qin Si hurriedly adjusted her crooked Pearl Socks, Luna stared blankly at her reflection in the Ice Crystal Wall—the Ice Crystal Bow atop the baby girl's head clearly resembled the Crown design of the Northern Heir's Coronation Ceremony.
The Ice Crystal Wall on the Stargazing Platform reflected Brother San's suddenly enlarged Lustrous Golden Pupils as he reached out with Awareness to catch the falling Fire Amber.
Luna's Chubby little feet kicked out Bing Hua in mid-air, and the bow on her Hair Tips splashed out Blue Light like Xing Xu, dyeing the entire Ice Crystal Wall into a Dome swirling with Aurora.
"Blazing Honey needs to be paired with Lava Muffin for enough kick." Brother San drew an Arc of flowing Maple Syrup in front of Luna with Fire Opal when the baby suddenly let out a short "Bu Bu" sound, bubbles of saliva forming a Mini Ice Crystal Muffin suspended in mid-air.
As he flicked his fingers to shatter the ice crystals, fire elements burst forth around Luna's nose with Caramel and Cedar Fragrance.
Aelia adjusted her Peacock Blue Shawl adorned with Ice Diamonds, and Snowball immediately curled up into a well-behaved shape in her arms.
When Qin Si approached holding a Silver Tray, Luna was secretly using ice crystals to create a miniature dessert guide on the inside of her cloak—the location of the third layer Snowberry Puff was prominently marked with a Fire Emblem.
As Twilight completely sank into the Ice Field, Moonlight Snow began to fall from the Dome of Rose Hall, never melting.
As Aelia stepped into the banquet hall, twelve Crystal Chandeliers illuminated the Ice Spike Hair Ornament at her temples simultaneously.
Luna clutched the Guardian Array in her arms, her Blue Eyes reflecting the Celestial Chart swirling across the Dome—those seemingly decorative Star Trails clearly overlapped with the dark Magic Circle Pattern recorded in her elder brother's ancient texts.
"Is Xiao Luna stargazing?" Lucius's voice, wrapped in a minty Ice Mist, drifted from behind a Relief column.
The crystalline chains entwined in the boy's silver hair chimed softly with his steps. As he reached out to poke baby Luna, she suddenly expelled a bubble wrapped in Edelweiss.
At the moment the bubble burst, the curse paper hidden in his sleeve was unexpectedly frozen into Powder.
Aelia cleared her throat and adjusted her hold, giving Luna the chance to shove her Milk Stain-covered fist into Lucius's Palm.
As the boy's Fingertip brushed against the soft warmth, Ice Element flowed along his palm lines, restoring his skin from last night's practice of dark Magical Burn to its original state.
A Gilded Candelabra suddenly sparked, and a butterfly knot above Luna's head unfurled into an Ice Crystal Barrier, transforming the falling sparks into Ruby Moonstone Earrings that adorned Aelia's Earlobe.
"This Little One certainly knows how to offer flowers as gifts," Lucius remarked as he shaped an Ice Mist Snow Sparrow with his hands, watching Luna excitedly wave her arms like an Oujie trying to catch it.
When the Snow Sparrow landed atop her head, the butterfly knot unexpectedly transformed into a miniature Crown, startling the boy so much that even his Ice Mist Fingertip froze for a moment.
The Dark Red curtains on the West Side of the banquet hall billowed without wind as Leonard's cloak, embroidered with Gold Thread, swept across the threshold of Liujin Gate.
His Neck and Dark Pattern Neck Scarf exuded an eerie Zi Wu with each step, resonating with the Ice Cracks of a Guardian Array on Luna's Swaddling.
Just as his shadow was about to envelop Snowball, the baby suddenly let out an icy Lactation Burp, freezing half of a love letter tucked inside his cloak's inner pocket.
As the Crystal Chandelier shifted its Light and Shadow for the seventh time, Luna noticed Leonard’s movement as he stroked his Scepter was somewhat sluggish—his index finger adorned with an Obsidian Ring was unnaturally rubbing against a newly added scratch that perfectly matched the shards of Liuli Lantern she had shattered that morning.
The scent of Rose Essence mingled with Ice Field and Cold Wind brushed past her nose. Deep within baby Lan Tong flashed a unique cold brilliance reminiscent of a Reincarnated Archmage. It perfectly concealed itself behind Aelia’s lowered head as she adjusted Luna’s collar amidst the innocent Water Mist.
Leonard’s Fingertip glided over the Scepter, trembling imperceptibly. The Zi Wu at the edge of his Dark Pattern Neck Scarf froze into frost upon touching Luna's Swaddling.
He gazed at Aelia's newly added Ruby Moonstone Earrings, his Adams Apple rolling as he whispered, infused with the scent of Dark Rose Fragrance, "Madam, your Ice Diamond Peacock Blue Shawl today reminds me of the starlight from twenty years ago during the Northern Wedding."
Luna suddenly squirmed violently in Aelia's embrace, her chubby palm striking the Ice Spike collar resting on her mother's collarbone.
The moonstone embedded in the collar shattered with a sound, tiny Ice Crystal Shards forming the Oath Totem of the Northern Wedding in mid-air—its pattern slowly aligning in a mirrored symmetry with the Emblem at the end of Leonard's love letter tucked inside his cloak.
"It seems Xiao Luna enjoys listening to her parents' stories." Lucius ensnared the moonstone fragments that nearly fell to the ground with an ice crystal chain. As his pale fingers brushed against Aelia's hair tips, the curse hidden in his sleeve scattered like ash.
Seizing the opportunity, Luna grabbed his pinky finger and forcibly pressed the Oath Totem formed from Ice Element onto his palm. In the sudden burst of flames from the Gilded Candelabra, the totem collided with the ash of the curse, igniting a ghostly blue Xing Huo.
The Ice Spike Hair Ornament at Aelia's temple emitted a delicate chime as she elegantly raised her hand to adjust her husband's Neck Scarf. Yet, her fingertip, catching the cold light of the Ice Diamond, crushed the ice crystals at the corner of the love letter even finer. "Your Neck Scarf, dear husband, is quite unique; it bears a striking resemblance to the scent of Northern Blood Rose."
The Moonlight Snow in the Banquet Hall Dome suddenly froze, and twelve Crystal Chandeliers' halos took on an eerie indigo hue.
Luna waved her arms like a dancer towards the crystal lights, her Ice Crystal Crown refracting seventeen dark Purple Light Spots that perfectly overlapped with the location of a dark Magic Circle Core recorded in her elder brother's ancient texts.
The sound of a wheelchair gliding over the Ice Surface echoed from the Gilded Portico. The ancient book on her brother's lap opened on its own without wind, its yellowed pages stopping at the chapter titled "Oath Rebound" under Taboo.
His missing middle finger suddenly burst forth an Ice Blue Halo, resonating with a damaged Guardian Array somewhere on Luna's swaddling. A dark Purple Light Spot in the Dome shattered into Xing Xu.
"Father, don't you think the crystal lights are a bit dim?" Brother San leaned against a pillar etched with Flame Patterns and chuckled lightly. The Fire Amber flicked from his fingertip struck precisely at Second Brother's waist where his Sapphire Jian Sui lay.
In a clash of ice crystals and flames, memories frozen within Jian Sui's core transformed into Xu Ying from Mistress' Bedroom—the rose patterns on that Carved Bedpost mirroring those on Leonard's Liuli Lantern gifted last year.
The Cold Wave brought in by guests settling down scattered Xu Ying from Mistress' Bedroom into a swaying Purple Mist.
Suddenly, Luna let out a sob like a kitten, her little feet reddened from cold pressing against Aelia's sleeve adorned with Ice Diamonds. Tears from her infant eyes formed into Ice Pearls that rolled towards the main Goblet, blooming seventeen miniature Snow Roses at its rim—each flower concealing a broken Guardian Array rune.
Leonard halted abruptly as he grasped the wrist holding the Gilded Wine Pot; an ear-piercing scratch echoed as his Obsidian Ring collided with its body.
As he poured wine, the liquid pooled at the cup's edge into blood-colored Ice Spikes, resonating with the ice crystals frozen at the corner of his love letter.
Luna suddenly excitedly tapped the napkin, and Chubby's palm shook the silver cutlery, causing it to hum. Ice crystals climbed up the surface of the silver wine pot, freezing the blood wine mixed with love potion into a scarlet amber.
"Luna must be hungry," Aelia said, lightly tapping the ice crystal baby bottle with a silver spoon, her cascading silver hair hiding the pain swirling in her eyes.
When Leonard pretended to reach out to hold Midnight, the baby's sudden burst of crying shattered the ice sculpture decoration on the crystal plate at the main table. The splintered ice in the air formed a phantom image of the monitoring crystal from the Northern Territory—what bloomed on the windowsill of the outer chamber during Leonard's last night was indeed the magically nurtured Eternal Blood Rose.
Lucius suddenly formed a harp from ice mist, and Qing Yue's music perfectly drowned out Leonard's uncontrolled gasping.
The ice crystal chain among the boy's silver hair shifted with the melody, casting light and shadow that refracted the phantom image of the monitoring crystal into an illusory aurora.
Seizing the opportunity, Luna flung her milk-stained silver spoon towards Leonard's sword. The sapphire Jian Sui erupted with ice crystals, re-freezing the love letter ice crystals that were gradually melting on the main napkin.
The temperature in the banquet hall plummeted as dark currents surged, and the candelabras held by the attendants exploded one after another with Bing Hua.
When a noblewoman's mink peacock blue shawl suddenly became covered in frost patterns, Luna unexpectedly blew a bubble wrapped in Edelweiss towards Leonard.
At the moment the bubble burst, all of their wine glasses crystallized with bo frost, but only Lord Palm's blood wine amber stirred beneath an ice layer with a unique peach pink mist of lustful enchantment.
As the crystal chandelier changed its star trail for the twelfth time, Aelia's ice spike pinned in her hair suddenly refracted a seven-colored halo.
Luna curled up in her mother's arms, pretending to yawn, but her watery blue eyes were fixed on the trembling gilded goblet at the main table—its cup rim was about to transform into an untransformed snow rose, dripping down a drop resembling lacrima with Leonard's increasingly agitated table-thumping.
The baby's little foot hidden in the eternal winter silk cloak quietly curled up, its toe gathering cold light precisely aimed at Lucius, who was slightly leaning beside the dining knife.
"Yi Ya!" Luna suddenly waved her silver spoon and struck the ice crystal baby bottle, producing a crisp sound that drew everyone's attention.
She seemed clumsily to twist her body, her chubby elbow "accidentally" knocking over the goblet filled with scarlet amber at the main table.
The frozen love potion wine liquid exploded upon touching the snow rose, and seventeen ice crystal flowers wrapped in peach mist soared to the dome, forming an entangled image of Lucius—the very scene of Leonard kissing Leonard's concubine among a cluster of Eternal Blood Roses during Leonard's last night.
"Father, why are you playing kissy with a strange aunt?" The question wrapped in Baby Voice echoed through the banquet hall, infused with Ice Element magic.
Luna curled up in Aelia's arms, tilting her little face upward. The wisdom of a Great Mage shimmered deep within Lan Tong, "Just yesterday, you said Mother is the most brilliant Ice Diamond in the Northern Territory."
The Gilded Candelabra responded with a blinding flash of white light, illuminating the Dome illusion in exquisite detail.
Guests were horrified to discover that the rose Jade Pendant around the woman's neck shared a common origin with the gem atop Leonard's Staff. In the background of the illusion, the Eternal Flower nurtured by magic clearly required the Original Magic Power of the Lady of the Fortress to survive.
Leonard's Scepter slammed heavily against the Marble Floor, and a Dark Purple Spell spread along the Ice Cracks. "Absurd! A mere infant's Illusion Magic..."
"It is the Resonance of the Northern Oath Totem." Aelia suddenly spoke up, her fingertip brushing over Luna's glowing Ice Crystal Birthmark.
The Ice Spike cascading from her silver hair surged suddenly, freezing the approaching Dark Purple Spell mid-air. "Do you still remember, my husband, how we vowed under the Aurora twenty years ago, with the Moonstone reflecting our true hearts?"
A shard of Moonstone, restored by Luna's tears, suddenly flew out from Lucius's sleeve. Under the refraction of the Ice Crystal Wall, it pieced together into a complete Oath Mirror.
The symbiotic gem on Leonard's Staff revealed grotesque cracks in the mirror, while Aelia's Ice Diamond and Peacock Blue Shawl grew even more radiant—those Original Magic Powers consumed by the Outer Chamber were quietly flowing back through Luna's Guardian Array.
"Father lies!" Luna suddenly pointed at the folds of Leonard's Neck Scarf, her Lullaby Voice wrapping around an Ice Spike that pierced through his final disguise.
The corner of a love letter frozen by baby drool fell to the ground with a soft rustle. The ink written in Liujin read "To My Eternal Blood Rose," laid bare under the moonlight.
Aelia's swaddling embroidered with Guardian Array suddenly floated open. A damaged line within the Formation Diagram perfectly matched the Family Crest at the end of the love letter.
The sound of Crystal Cups shattering on the floor echoed among the nobles as several elder lords from the Northern Territory rose to restrain Leonard's Sword.
Second Brother suddenly drew his Sapphire Sword and slashed his palm, ice crystals mixed with Blood Pearl splattering onto the Dome Star Trail diagram—Luna’s repaired Magic Circuit was guiding the Star Trail toward "Betrayer shall receive Ice Punishment," an Ancient Proverb.
"Madam, let me explain..." Leonard reached out to grab Aelia's cloak but was met with an Ice Spike that sliced through his fingertip.
The Obsidian Ring shattered into seventeen fragments upon hitting the ground, each shard reflecting the ever-blooming Blood Rose on the windowsill of the Outer Chamber.
Luna seized the opportunity to bury her small face, stained with Milk Stain, into Mother’s neck. The Ice Crystal Crown atop her head quietly released a pressure akin to that of a Great Mage, directing the backlash of the Dark Magic Array entirely towards the crack in the Scepter.
Aelia stepped back, avoiding her husband’s hand, as ice crystals automatically coalesced into the unique Frostflower Throne of the North Realm Queen beneath her feet.
Gently patting the Pretend Luna's Snowball in her arms, she spoke with a voice colder than the eternal frost layer of the polar regions, "Before dawn tomorrow, please relocate to the East Tower, my Lord—after all, the Stargazing Platform there is best suited for admiring the Blood Rose you personally planted."
As the last guest's cloak vanished beyond the Gilded Portico of Rose Hall, Luna suddenly grasped Aelia's cascading silver hair and gently shook it.
Moonlight Snow fell upon the infant's fluttering eyelashes, forming tiny Ice Crystal Telescopes.
Through this makeshift magical lens, she saw Brother San burning the Outer Mansion Deed by the Lava Pool in the Cellar. The Sapphire on Second Brother Leonard's Sword was channeling residual curses towards the East Tower, while countless damaged Guardian Arrays on the Ice Crystal Path trodden by her elder brother were automatically reassembling into the Frost Snow Emblem of the Northern Royal Family.
Aelia's warmth seeped through her Eternal Winter Silk Cloak, and Luna contentedly let out a Lactation Burp scented with Cedar Fragrance.
Her chubby little hands instinctively grasped at the air, shaping a wisp of drifting Dark Purple Mist into an Eternal Flower. When Mother leaned down to kiss her, she cleverly tucked it away into the folds of her Pearl Socks.
The Ice Crystal Wall reflected the mischievous Blue Eyes of the little infant, within which danced a starlight that only a Centenarian Archmage could possess, one that could perceive Destiny.
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