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墨書 Inktalez
Luna furrowed her small brows tightly, resembling a little cat deep in thought over the complexities of life.
A strange scent lingered in the Magic Castle, reminiscent of an overly bloomed flower releasing a sickly sweet Cedar Fragrance, which made her feel a sense of unease.
This feeling was akin to the calm before a storm, as described in the book.
She had to do something.
“Mommy,” Luna scampered over to Aelia, her short legs pattering on the floor as she tugged at her luxurious Skirt. “I want to eat sweet cakes, the kind with lots and lots of Honey!”
Aelia was distractedly flipping through a Grimoire, her thoughts drifting far away.
Her husband Leonard had been coming home late recently, using work at the Magic Castle as an excuse. Yet the weariness etched around his eyes suggested that it was more than just work-related stress.
She sighed softly and gently ruffled Luna's soft golden hair. “Alright, Mommy will have the kitchen prepare some. You’re such a good girl.”
But Luna shook her head and sighed like a little adult. “Mommy, I want to eat what you make yourself.”
Aelia was taken aback; she hadn’t cooked in a long time.
Ever since marrying into the Magic Castle, she had lived a life of luxury, and her once-proud culinary skills had gradually faded away.
Luna’s unexpected request stirred an inexplicable pang of nostalgia within her.
“Okay,” she set down the book and took Luna’s small hand. “Mommy will go make it right now.”
In the kitchen, Aelia clumsily busied herself while Luna sat on a small stool nearby, swinging her Twin Legs and occasionally offering “guidance.”
The air was filled with the sweet scent of honey, mingling with the warm laughter shared between mother and daughter.
Luna watched as a smile blossomed once again on Aelia's face, feeling a quiet sense of relief within her.
At least, her mother's mood had improved significantly.
Just then, Qin Si rushed in, panic etched across his pale face, his lips trembling. "Madam... Madam, something terrible has happened!"
Meanwhile, in her elder brother's room, an atmosphere of suffocating despair lingered.
He sat in a wheelchair, staring blankly out at the blooming black roses outside the window.
Once, he had been a talented mage, but after a magical experiment went awry, he lost his ability to walk and his hope for the future.
"Elder brother," Luna said as she entered, her clear voice breaking the silence of the room. "Do you smell the flowers? They are blooming beautifully today."
He managed a weak smile that looked more like a grimace. "Yes, very beautiful."
Luna approached him and gently caressed the ornate carvings on the wheelchair. "Do you remember your dream? To become the greatest mage and explore the mysteries of magic?"
Her brother's body trembled slightly as he replied, "Now I am just a useless person."
"No, you are not!" Luna's voice was firm and powerful. "Magic backlash does not mean the end. I know of an ancient spell that might lift your curse."
He suddenly lifted his head, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes like a dark purple flame. "Really?"
“Really,” Luna said earnestly, nodding her head. “But you need to pull yourself together and cooperate with me.”
The atmosphere in Second Brother's room was equally oppressive.
He had locked himself away for several days, refusing to eat or drink.
Once the pride of his family, gifted and intelligent, he had been ensnared in a magical conspiracy due to his misplaced trust in a close friend, leaving him trapped.
“Second Brother,” Luna knocked on the door. “Can I come in?”
A low voice responded from within, “Come in.”
Luna pushed the door open and saw Second Brother sitting dejectedly on the bed, unshaven and with dull eyes.
Her heart ached for him as she approached his side and softly said, “I know you're feeling down, but things aren't beyond repair yet.”
Second Brother let out a bitter laugh. “What hope is there? I've lost everything.”
“No, you still have us,” Luna grasped his hand. “And I know that the person who framed you didn’t truly want to harm you. He was also being used.”
Second Brother suddenly looked up, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
Luna recounted the truth she had learned from the original book about Second Brother's betrayal.
It turned out that the friend who had betrayed him was also under a spell, unable to act of his own volition.
The one who cast the spell was...
"Who is it?" Second Brother asked anxiously.
Luna shook her head, giving him a meaningful glance. "It's not the right time to say. But I know how to help you out of this predicament."
At that moment, a voice from the kitchen called out, "What did you say? Leonard... he has a woman outside? And children?"
Qin Si knelt on the ground, trembling. "Madam, it's absolutely true! I saw it with my own eyes..."
A subtle cold smile crept onto Luna's lips. The show was just beginning.
She walked to the kitchen door and looked at Aelia, whose face was pale. Gently, she patted her hand. "Mom, don't be afraid. I'm here for you."
Aelia lifted her head and met Luna's clear and determined eyes, as if she had grasped a lifeline.
"Luna..."
"Hush," Luna placed her finger on her lips and smiled mysteriously. "Let's go see what Brother San is up to."
With a mischievous grin, Luna took Aelia's hand and led her through the Emerald Corridor, deeper into the Magic Castle.
Along the way, unknown flowers in the garden exuded a rich Cedar Fragrance, while sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled Light and Shadow on the ground.
However, this seemingly tranquil and beautiful scene concealed the undercurrents of crisis brewing within the Magic Castle.
“Brother San should be sleeping in the Pavilion in the back garden again at this time, right?” Luna's voice carried a hint of helplessness, along with a touch of anticipation.
Although Aelia was feeling quite flustered, she managed to force a smile. “Your Brother San is just being held back by his Magical Talent. Since childhood, he has been pampered and thinks it doesn’t matter whether he cultivates or not. It’s really frustrating.”
The two made their way to the back garden and indeed found Lucius sprawled on a lounge chair in the Pavilion, fast asleep.
The sunlight spilled over his face, making him look particularly languid.
“Ahem,” Aelia coughed deliberately a couple of times, trying to wake him up.
Lucius merely turned over and mumbled, “Don’t disturb me, let me sleep a little longer…”
“Such a hopeless case!” a stern voice suddenly rang out. The elder brother had appeared outside the Pavilion at some point, sitting in his wheelchair with a grim expression as he glared at Lucius.
“Brother, what are you doing here?” Aelia asked, somewhat surprised.
“If I don’t come, this useless brother of mine will completely waste away!” The elder brother glared at Lucius with disappointment. “Lucius, get up!”
Startled by his brother's voice, Lucius shot up from the lounge chair, bleary-eyed as he looked at him. “Brother, you… why are you here? I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”
“Didn’t do anything wrong?” the elder brother exclaimed. “Look at yourself! You’re just wasting your days away without any ambition. Do you think you deserve your talent? Do you think you live up to the family’s expectations?”
Lucius felt overwhelmed by his brother's scolding and suddenly became much more alert.
He said somewhat aggrieved, “Brother, I… I know I was wrong. But cultivation is just so boring; I really can’t muster any interest.”
“Boring?” The elder brother scoffed, “The path of cultivation is inherently filled with hardships. If you can’t endure this little bit of suffering, you will never become a true powerhouse! Your talent is a gift from the heavens, yet you treat it as a resource to squander. How foolish!”
Luna watched from the side, nodding silently.
Although the elder brother had lost his Twin Legs, his resolve had only grown stronger, and he understood the importance of cultivation even more.
“Elder brother,” Luna approached Lucius and gently patted his thin shoulders, “I know you have your frustrations. But running away won’t solve anything. Have you ever thought about how it would feel if one day our family faced danger and you were powerless to help?”
Lucius fell silent.
Though he often acted nonchalant, he deeply loved this family in his heart.
If the family truly encountered danger and he could only watch helplessly, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
“I…” Lucius’s voice trembled, “I understand now, elder brother. I will take my cultivation seriously from now on and won’t let you down again.”
The elder brother’s expression softened a bit. He sighed and said, “Recognizing one’s mistakes is the first step to improvement. I hope you remember what was said today and don’t disappoint me again.”
Seeing Brother San finally come to his senses, Luna felt a sense of relief in her heart.
However, the crisis facing the Magic Castle was far more complicated than she had imagined.
Just then, a figure rushed over—it was Lucius.
“Luna,” he said breathlessly, “I heard that many things have happened in the family. I… I want to help you all.”
Luna looked at him and smiled faintly. "I'm glad you can think this way. But are you really ready? What comes next might be very dangerous."
"I'm not afraid!" Lucius said firmly. "I'm part of the Magic Castle, and I have a responsibility to protect my family."
Luna nodded in satisfaction. She knew that although Brother San could be unreliable at times, he was still trustworthy when it mattered most.
"Alright," Luna said, "since you want to help, let's go see Second Brother. His situation is quite dire right now, and we need to find a way to lift his spirits."
The two made their way to Second Brother's room, and Luna gently knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came the raspy voice from inside.
"It's me, Luna. Can I come in?"
There was a moment of silence before a low response came, "Come in."
Luna pushed the door open and saw Second Brother slumped on the bed, unshaven and with dull eyes. He resembled a wounded beast, isolating himself and unwilling to engage with the outside world.
"Second Brother," Luna said tenderly as she approached him, "I know you're hurting inside. But you can't stay like this forever. You need to pull yourself together, for yourself and for the family."
Second Brother let out a bitter laugh. "Pull myself together? What more can I do? I've lost everything."
"No, you still have us," Luna said, "and I know some things you don't. About the person who framed you..."
Luna revealed the truth she had learned from the original book to Second Brother in detail.
When he heard that his closest friend had been manipulated by someone else, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Who is it? Who is pulling the strings behind all this?"
"Now is not the time to discuss that," Luna shook her head. "But I can tell you that this person is within Magic Castle. And their target is not just you, but the entire family."
Second Brother's body trembled slightly.
He became aware that he had been too naive all along, being used as a pawn and almost destroying his entire family.
"What... what should I do?" Second Brother lifted his head.
"You need to pull yourself together," Luna said. "You need to become stronger to protect yourself and your family. I will help you; I will share everything I know, and we will find out who is behind this together."
Second Brother looked at Luna, into her clear and determined eyes, and a surge of inexplicable strength welled up within him.
He knew he could no longer wallow in despair.
He had to rise again for himself and for his family.
Just then, a series of urgent footsteps approached, followed by Aelia's voice echoing in the corridor: "Leonard, you need to explain this to me! Who is that woman? And who is that child?"
Luna's expression changed as she finally learned of her father's betrayal.
She turned to Lucius and Second Brother, speaking in a low voice, "Let's go see what's happening over there."
The three hurried to the hall, where they found Aelia standing in the center, angrily questioning Leonard.
Leonard looked flustered, trying to explain himself.
"Aelia, listen to me, it's not what you think..."
"Not what I think?" Aelia scoffed. "Then tell me, who is that woman? And who is that child? Don't tell me they're your distant relatives!"
Leonard's face turned pale.
He knew the truth was out; there was no way to hide it any longer.
"Aelia, I... I'm sorry," Leonard lowered his head, his voice trembling. "I... I admit it, I have a woman outside and a child. But I... I love you!"
"Love me?" Aelia seemed to hear the biggest joke. She pointed at Leonard, her anger boiling over. "If you really loved me, you wouldn't have betrayed me! Leonard, I was blind to marry someone like you!"
"Aelia, you..." Leonard tried to explain again but was ruthlessly interrupted by Aelia.
"Enough!" Ailya's Roar echoed in the hall. "I don't want to hear any more of your explanations. From today on, we are done! Leave now; I never want to see you again!"
Leonard's body swayed as if he had been dealt a devastating blow.
He looked at Aelia, but within the Magic Castle, a storm was brewing.
Luna gazed at the chaotic scene before her, her heart filled with worry.
She knew that the road ahead would be even more difficult.
As night fell, the stars twinkled in the sky.
Luna stood alone by the window, staring into the pitch-black night, lost in thought.
What would be the future of the Magic Castle?
She did not know.
However, she understood that she had to do something to protect this home and safeguard her family.
“There’s still so much to do…” Luna murmured softly, her eyes shining with determination.
Suddenly, she sensed a familiar Magical Fluctuation; it was…
Luna's gaze sharpened as she turned without hesitation and walked towards the inner sanctum of the Glorious Demon Fortress.
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