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墨書 Inktalez
The air in the hall seemed to freeze, all eyes focused on the letter in Aelia's hand.
Luna's small figure stood among the crowd, her big eyes blinking with curiosity at everything before her.
"Oh dear, Aunt Cessy, what is that you’re holding? It looks so important!" Luna's voice was sweet and clear, ringing out sharply in the silence of the hall.
She tilted her head innocently towards Qin Si, "Could it be a secret about the Magic Castle? I want to know too, after all, this is a matter of great importance for our Magic Castle’s reputation!"
Luna's seemingly unintentional remark was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread through the crowd.
Everyone understood that this seemingly innocent little girl possessed wisdom and courage beyond her years.
Her words drew everyone's attention back to the letter.
Aelia clutched the letter tightly in her hand, her fingers turning pale from the pressure.
Slowly, she raised her head.
"Leonard, tell me what this is all about!" Aelia's voice trembled but was filled with suppressed anger.
She threw the letter forcefully at Leonard's face. "You’ve been keeping Leonard's Concubine from me all this time! For years, I have devoted myself entirely to the Magic Castle and to you, but how do you repay me?"
Tears streamed down Aelia's cheeks as she felt as if her heart had been torn apart.
Years of affection and trust evaporated in that moment.
She felt like a fool, played with by Leonard as if she were nothing more than a pawn.
"Aelia, let me explain..." Leonard tried to defend himself, but Aelia gave him no chance.
“Explain? What more is there to explain!” Aelia's voice rose an octave as she pointed at Leonard's nose, her fury erupting like a volcano. “All these years, how much have I sacrificed for this family? Don’t you know? I have worked tirelessly for the prosperity of Magic Castle, even at the cost of my own happiness. But what about you? You squander your time in debauchery and frivolity! Do you think you deserve my loyalty? Do you think you deserve the entire Magic Castle?”
Aelia's anger poured out, releasing years of pent-up dissatisfaction and grievances. She felt betrayed and deceived, her worldview collapsing in that moment.
Standing nearby, her elder brother watched the scene unfold, filled with his own rage. He recalled how he had suffered from Magic Backlash due to their father's neglect, resulting in the disability of his Twin Legs.
He believed Leonard was unworthy of being a Father, let alone a Lord.
“Ha! How ridiculous! Father, you truly are something!” The elder brother leaned on his cane, stepping forward to face Leonard with a mocking smile. “You claim to act for the benefit of Magic Castle, yet everything you do is merely to satisfy your own desires. You are unworthy of being our Father, let alone the Lord of Glorious Demon Fortress!”
The Second Brother approached as well, his face pale. He remembered being deceived by his so-called friend and falling into a Magic Dilemma while their Father remained indifferent.
He felt that their Father cared only for his power and status, not for their lives.
“Father, do you remember? When I was tricked by that bastard Jack and nearly lost my life in the Water Element Magic Circle, where were you? You were busy with your Concubine and illegitimate child!” The Second Brother's voice trembled with emotion as he clenched his fists tightly, Ailya's White Nails digging into his palm. “For all these years, I’ve wanted to ask you—do you even consider us your sons?”
Brother San also stepped forward in anger.
He thought about how he had been misled by so-called Magical Talent, neglecting his training and ultimately achieving nothing.
He believed this was all due to their Father's inaction.
“Father, you always said I had extraordinary talent and would become a great Mage one day. But what have you done for me besides offering empty praise?” Brother San questioned bitterly.
"Because of your indulgence, I have wasted so much precious time!
If you had been stricter with me back then, perhaps I wouldn't be in this situation now!"
Faced with the accusations from the crowd, Leonard's expression grew increasingly grim. He felt as if he had been pushed to the edge of a cliff, on the verge of plummeting into an abyss.
"You all... you all need to listen to me, it's not what you think..." Leonard attempted to argue, but his voice sounded weak and powerless.
"Enough!" Aelia suddenly interrupted Leonard. "From today on, I will no longer believe a single word you say."
With that, Aelia turned away, refusing to look at Leonard again.
She walked over to Luna, gently picking her up and gazing at her with tenderness.
"Luna, thank you," Aelia said softly and sincerely. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how long I would have been deceived by him."
Luna smiled sweetly and reached out her tiny hand to gently stroke Aelia's face.
"Aunt Aelia, Luna was just doing what she was supposed to do."
Aelia looked at Luna's innocent smile, her heart filled with emotion. She felt that this little infant was like a ray of sunshine, illuminating her dark world.
"Let's go," Aelia said as she held Luna close and walked out of the hall without looking back.
Following closely behind, her eldest brother, Second Brother, and Brother San silently trailed Aelia, their hearts filled with confusion and unease about the future.
Leonard watched Aelia's departing figure, panic swelling within him.
He knew he had lost Aelia's trust and the support of the entire Magic Castle.
“No, this cannot end like this!” Leonard suddenly raised his head, looking at the crowd as he shouted, “You all misunderstand me! Everything I did was for the benefit of Magic Castle!” His voice echoed in the hall, a desperate roar that resembled the low growl of a cornered beast.
However, his pale defense was like a drop of water thrown into a pot of oil, igniting an even fiercer boil.
The gazes directed at him were filled with disdain, anger, and even a hint of pity.
“The benefit of Magic Castle? What a ridiculous joke!” An elder leaned heavily on his staff embedded with Magic Crystals, striking the ground with a dull thud that made Leonard's heart twitch.
“You betray your wife, keep a concubine, and squander the resources of Magic Castle—this is what you call serving its interests?”
“I once respected you, thinking you were a responsible Lord!” another Mage pointed an accusing finger at Leonard, spitting words that nearly splattered his face. “You’ve truly brought shame to Glorious Demon Fortress!”
The hall erupted like a boiling pot, accusations and curses flooding in waves towards Leonard, drowning him in their tide.
He felt like a clown stripped bare, standing in the center of the stage to face the laughter and judgment of the crowd.
His face flushed crimson, sweat soaked through his clothes as his heart raced wildly in his chest, almost bursting from his throat.
Standing behind Leonard, Lucius’s previously resolute gaze began to waver.
He had always believed in Father, thinking that everything Father did was for the sake of Magic Castle.
However, when he saw that letter, with the sweet words penned by Father and the promises made to the illegitimate child, his heart was struck with immense shock.
He felt as if his faith had collapsed and his worldview had been turned upside down.
Lucius took a deep breath, walked over to Leonard, and whispered, "Father, at this point, you should just admit your mistakes. Perhaps there is still a chance to salvage things." His voice trembled slightly, filled with disappointment in Father and concern for the future of Magic Castle.
Leonard abruptly turned to look at Lucius, never expecting that even his son, who had always supported him, would begin to question him.
This made him feel even more isolated and helpless, like a drowning man grasping at a last straw only to find it was an illusion.
"I am not wrong! Everything I did was for Magic Castle!" Leonard's voice was hoarse and weak but still carried a hint of stubbornness.
Aelia looked at Leonard in this state, filled with disgust and contempt.
She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and spoke in a cold and firm tone: "Leonard, from today onward, all ties between us are severed. I will take over the affairs of Magic Castle, and you will no longer have any power to interfere."
When Leonard heard Aelia's words, it felt like a thunderclap striking him down.
He couldn't believe that the Magic Castle he had painstakingly managed for years was being taken away just like that.
He wanted to stop her but found himself utterly powerless to resist.
The crowd around him felt like a wall, trapping him firmly in place.
Once back in her room, Aelia could no longer contain her emotions and burst into tears.
She felt wronged, angry, and desperate, a whirlwind of emotions that nearly suffocated her.
Luna sat quietly beside her, reaching out with her small hand to gently pat her back, as if to comfort her.
“Aunt Aelia, don’t cry,” Luna’s voice was tender yet firm. “Luna will always be with you; we will protect the Magic Castle together.”
Aelia held Luna close, tears soaking her clothes.
She felt a warm current surge in her heart, dispelling the gloom within.
She knew she was no longer fighting alone; she had Luna and others who supported her.
After crying, Aelia felt an unprecedented sense of relief and liberation.
She wiped away her tears, looked at Luna, and revealed a determined smile.
A few days later, Aelia officially took over the affairs of the Magic Castle.
She handled various matters decisively, showcasing remarkable strength and capability.
She abolished many unreasonable regulations set by Leonard, improving the lives of the residents of the Magic Castle and winning their admiration.
One day, while dealing with affairs in the hall, Aelia spotted Leonard.
He stood in a corner, emaciated and hollow-eyed, like a walking corpse.
Seeing him in such a state, Aelia couldn’t help but sneer, “Leonard, this is your retribution.”
Leonard heard Aelia's voice and abruptly looked up at her.
His eyes were filled with shock and...
"Aelia, you..."
Seeing Aelia's current majesty and determination, it was as if she had become a different person, leaving him with a tumult of emotions.
The once gentle and submissive wife now felt like a sharp knife, piercing straight into his heart.
His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no sound came out; his throat felt as if it were blocked by a lump of cotton.
The grand Crystal Chandelier in the hall emitted a cold light that illuminated him, making him appear even more solitary and destitute.
The whispers of those around him pierced his eardrums like needles, and he could almost feel their mocking gazes, like cold venomous snakes coiling around him, suffocating him.
At that moment, Luna's clear voice broke the suffocating silence. "Uncle Leonard, do you remember your... 'friend'? I heard she's been having a rough time lately. Her Magic Potion business failed, and she was swindled out of all her savings. How pitiful..." Luna's sweet and innocent voice was laced with sharpness, striking at Leonard's fragile nerves like a small hammer.
His face instantly turned pale, and his body swayed slightly as if he might fall.
He clutched the table beside him tightly, his knuckles turning white, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
He opened his mouth to say something but could only manage a dry "You..." before falling silent again.
Luna blinked her big eyes, a knowing smile curling at the corners of her mouth, resembling a cunning little fox.
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