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墨書 Inktalez
The wind of Winter Night howled softly, breaking through the window panes, yet deep within the Magic Castle, clusters of Shou Ye fire pits burned brightly, their flickering flames casting colorful shadows on the faces of those gathered, like a dream floating in candlelight.
Luna maintained her youthful yet resolute gaze, her small body leaning against the armrest of her chair, resembling a golden flame blooming fiercely.
She was still too young, speaking little, yet she understood better than anyone what needed to be done next.
Luna unearthed a fragment of the plot buried deep in her memory, a hint that had been briefly mentioned in the original text.
"Use Night Crow Bone Powder to guide the magic backflow, then expel the remnants of the curse with Birch Sap... and finally add the second drop of spring water collected from Midnight Well."
Luna spoke each word deliberately, as if recalling a memory or deciphering a long-sealed scroll.
Her elder brother's fingers trembled slightly; his Left Arm, withered and charred from the Magic Backlash, curled slightly.
He stared at the small infant girl, his eyes searching her face as if trying to read a prophecy.
"Does that spring water... really exist?" His voice was low and hoarse, like rough tree bark.
"At the end of Northern Black Crow Forest, ten feet beneath the dry well," Luna replied slowly, her tone suggesting she was recounting something she had witnessed firsthand rather than sharing a secret.
Her brother's Adam's apple bobbed as if it contained the silence of the entire Winter Night within his throat.
He turned to gaze at the fire pit; the flames danced across his face, and his expression gradually shifted from grave to bright.
He gritted his teeth and stood up, leaning against the wall for support. His figure swayed slightly but did not fall.
"I... am willing to take a gamble."
Second Brother remained silent for a long time.
His gaze flickered restlessly, like a dying candle struggling for breath.
Luna drew several strange patterns on the paper, speaking slowly in a Baby Voice.
"That so-called 'dear friend' of yours, Isaac, he isn't helping you set up the formation; instead, he borrows your spiritual source each time to cast his own secret arts..."
Though Luna's voice was soft, it carried a weighty conviction.
Second Brother suddenly lifted his head, his face turning pale in an instant.
"You’re talking nonsense!" He instinctively wanted to deny it, but Luna raised her hand, pointing at the misaligned magical symbols and said, "If you don’t believe me, you can check for yourself. You know that sulfur powder won’t flow to the Gathering Point on its own unless someone manipulates it..."
The air became thick and tense, as if pressed down by some unseen force.
After a long pause, Second Brother turned abruptly and dashed toward his Library of Hidden Books, as if struck by a whip.
His boots kicked up a cloud of dust with each step on the Marble Floor of the Magic Castle, making a sound like slicing through the air.
Luna let out a gentle breath.
She knew that he would ultimately find the Guileful Spirit Overflow Stone, and inevitably, a web of lies woven from trust would be torn apart.
Brother San remained leaning against the doorframe, looking lazy. After listening for so long, he finally smirked slightly. "Are you saying that I’m not of fire magic constitution, but rather a Wind Sensation Envoy?"
He raised an eyebrow, half-smiling.
Luna nodded earnestly, holding a thick Magic Compendium that could be used as a weapon. She flipped to page thirty-eight and said, "This is the result of your childhood testing instrument's deviation. You used a faulty Source Probe when you were young. The wind magic was too weak, which led to the misjudgment."
Brother San looked at her, his eyes suddenly welling with tears.
He crouched down, extending his hand, but he did not touch her; instead, he gently tapped her copy of the Magic Codex with his fingertip.
"You... are more impressive than any mentor," he said softly.
"What do you plan to do?" Luna asked, tilting her head.
Brother San muttered, "What else can I do? I need to start my training over. First, I have to find that pile of dusty Wind System Prayers and recite them five times, then get my muscles in shape to meet the wind attribute's standard..."
Luna smiled, the light from the fire reflecting on her soft little face. She hugged the thick book, her long eyelashes flickering in the firelight like a golden kitten.
She didn’t say that Brother San was destined to awaken during the Wind Festival—he had triggered it two years early.
And in this fleeting moment of hope—something unusual was quietly brewing in another dark corner.
Qin Si walked through the Emerald Corridor of the Magic Castle, her hand trembling slightly as she held a lantern.
She had only gone to retrieve a roll of velvet Pi Bo, but among the servants, she overheard a jarring piece of gossip—
"…the Lord went to that Flower Pavilion, even changing his surname to Bei Family. They say there’s a woman… who looks like the lady did when she was young."
The voice was not loud, but each word pierced Qin Si's heart like a needle.
She stood in the corner for a long time, feeling as if she were frozen in the shadows.
The firelight did not reach her heart, yet anger surged beneath her calm exterior.
She was not particularly clever, but she understood what kind of person Lady Aelia was.
The esteemed Lady of the Fortress, loyal to Leonard, managing the affairs of the Magic Castle day and night—if this were true, then this world was indeed disheartening.
Qin Si tightly gripped the Pi Bo in her hand, an impulse driving her to push open the door to the Main Hall with quick steps.
Aelia had just settled down from a meeting, her robe in the shade of Mo Lan casually draped over the armrest.
Her gentle and cool features appeared particularly dignified in the firelight, resembling a statue of a goddess, unmoving even in the wind.
“Madam.”
Aelia lifted her head, her voice soft yet authoritative. “What is it?”
Qin Si's lips moved, but she ultimately dropped to her knees with a thud, the Pi Bo falling to the ground.
“Madam… Lord has… a Leonard's Concubine.”
At that moment, it felt as if the heavens had split open in the hall.
Aelia looked at her in disbelief, her fingers tightening around her cloak involuntarily loosening.
The flickering flames illuminated her eyes, like a sudden burst of light breaking through snow-covered mountain peaks.
“Say that again.”
Qin Si lowered her head and spoke each word clearly. “I heard… they say that woman from Flower Pavilion resembles you very much when you were young… even your Ailya's Birthday Rune and surname have been changed by Lord.”
The air fell into a suffocating silence, each passing moment gnawing at them like a predator.
Aelia's smile seemed to shatter in an instant. She looked down at the Family Crest Ring on her chest; the gold and green emblem hung heavily in her hand, feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds.
“I… understand.”
Her voice was as light as a feather, yet as cold as the ice crystals of the far north.
The emotions in her eyes surged like a tempest, and the belief deep within her that "Leonard loves me" began to crumble.
"Madam..." Qin Si said anxiously, wanting to support her, but was gently stopped by Aelia's raised hand.
Aelia stood up, her movements as graceful and reserved as ever, but the hem of her dress left a series of cold echoes on the Peacock Stone Tiles.
She slowly inhaled, as if calming herself or making some decision.
A sharp light gathered in her eyes.
"...Go call Lucius."
After she spoke, she left only a silhouette that gradually disappeared into the depths of the Magic Castle's corridor.
The lights flickered on one by one, illuminating a solitary and resolute figure.
The flames danced behind her, gathering as if to engulf all false tranquility that sought to conceal the truth—lighting a new beginning for the true master of Glory Magic Castle.
Aelia returned alone to her bedroom and closed the door. The world seemed to close heavily behind her with a heart-wrenching thud.
She leaned weakly against the door, slowly sliding down until she sat on the floor, her magnificent Mo Lan robe spreading out like a wilting Night Blooming Cereus.
The room was very quiet, so quiet that she could hear her own urgent breaths, each one striking against her eardrum like a drumbeat, also hammering at her faltering sanity.
The firewood in the brazier crackled softly, and the flickering flames cast shadows on her face, illuminating her confusion and helplessness at this moment.
Mechanically, she reached out to touch the Family Crest Ring on her chest; her fingertips were icy cold, as if they had lost all warmth.
The ring was one that Leonard had placed on her finger with his own hands on her birthday. The way he looked at her with such deep affection and the gentle embrace they shared now felt so ironic.
Memories surged like a tide, intertwining sweet recollections with harsh realities, tearing at her heart.
She recalled their first meeting, when Leonard appeared so handsome and charming, his eyes filled with a sincere love that made her fall for him at first sight.
She remembered the vows they exchanged on their wedding day, when Leonard held her hand and promised to love and protect her for a lifetime. In hindsight, those promises felt so hollow and hypocritical!
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, falling onto the cold floor and shattering into countless pieces, much like her heart felt at that moment.
She bit down hard on her lower lip to stifle any sound of crying. She couldn’t cry; she had to be strong—for her child, for Magic Castle—she couldn’t afford to break down!
She couldn’t understand why Leonard would do this.
She had devoted herself entirely to him, managing everything at Magic Castle, bearing his children, giving him all she had. Why then did he betray her?
Had all those years of love been a lie?
Did he feel no love for her at all?
Anger, sadness, injustice, and unwillingness swirled within her like sharp blades, piercing her heart mercilessly.
She felt as if she were suffocating; the world around her blurred, as if it might collapse at any moment.
No, she couldn’t be defeated like this!
Aelia took a deep breath, striving to calm herself.
Slowly, she stood up and walked to the mirror. Looking at her disheveled reflection, determination gradually filled her gaze.
She wiped away her tears, straightened her clothes, and gathered her disheveled hair, putting on the Family Crest Ring once more.
The ring was still cold, but she no longer felt powerless; instead, she sensed an unprecedented strength within her.
She would take revenge!
She would make Leonard pay the price!
She would seek justice for herself, for her child, and for the Magic Castle!
She would no longer be weak or compromise; she would become a true warrior and take control of her Destiny!
She walked to the window and pushed it open. The Cold Wind of Winter Night blew in, washing away the traces of tears on her face and dispersing the confusion in her heart.
She gazed at the pitch-black night sky outside, her deep eyes shimmering with a cold light.
“Qin Si,” she turned around, her tone calm yet resolute, “go fetch Lucius. I have something to say to him.”
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